0

'I;^ivethej'e Sabi0i;.^

From the Library of
CHARLES HOPKINS CLARK
Class of 1 87 1
1929

J

'HE
WHOLE WORKS
07 THV
Most REVEREND FATHER IN GOD.
ROBERT LEIGHTON, D.D.
ARCHBISHOP OF GLASGOW.

TO WHICH IS PKhFIXKD,

A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR,
BY
THE REV. JOHN NORMAN PEARSON, M.A.,
UF TRINITY C0LLE9E, CAMBRIDaE, AND CHAPLAIN TO THE
MOST NOBLE THE MAHQUESS WELLESLEY.

ayri^ovos tZv TJjSe, ^vyn fiovou -^r^os ^ovov.— Plotini Ennbad. 6. L. u. xi. 9.

A NEW EDITION, IN TWO VOLUMES.

Vol. n.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR JAMES DUNCAN, PATERNOSTER ROW :
JOHN K.ITCH ABD AND SON p L. B. SEELEY AND SON ; AND HOWELL
AND STEWART, LONDON; PARKER, OXFORD: AND
J. AND J. J. DEIGHTON, CAMBRIDGE.

MDCCCXXVIII.

LONDON:
PrinteJ by ^Vji.r.jAM CrowFs,
Slamfrin) i^tr^i-t.

CONTENTS OF TIIE SECOND VOLUME.

LECTURES OX THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS OP ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL.
Chap. Ver. Paoe
I. 1. The Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ the Son of
David, the Son of Abraham  1
II. 1. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the
days of Herod the king, behold there came wise raen
from the East to Jerusalem  5
III. 1. In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wil
derness of Judea  11
IV. 1 . Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit, into the wilderness, to
be tempted of the Devil  18
V. 12. And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and
when he was sat, his disciples came unto him . . 24
VI. 19. Lay not up for yourselves treasure upon earth . . . 28
VII. 1-5. Judge not, that ye be not judged  32
VIII. 1. When he was come down frora the mountain, great mul
titudes followed him  36
IX 1. And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into
his own city  45

SERMONS.
1. The Nature and Properties of Heavenly Wisdora . . .53
2. The Patient and Docile Sufi'erer  61
3. The Divine Glory of Zion  69
4. Christ the Light and Lustre of the Church  76
5. Christ the Light and Lustre of the Church  84
6. Hope amidst Billows  93
7. Generous Grief  103
8. The name of Jesus fragrant  112
9. The Sinner a Rebel against God  122
10. The true Christian the best Subject  128
11. Grapes from Thorns  138
12. The Believer a Hero  146
Vol. II. b

VI

CONTENTS.

bERM. 13. The Parable of the Sower .
14. The Promises an Encouragement to Holiness
15. Divine Grace and Holy Obedience.
16. The Christian Triumph ....
17. The Christian Triumph ....
18. The Goodness of God, and the wickedness of Man
19. Time to awake 
20. The Observation of Providence .
21. Imperfection and Perfection
22. The Confidence of Faith ....
23. A Summary of Spiritual Privileges
24. The FoUy of Man and the Teaching of God
25. Mercy despised and the Contempt punished
26. The Confession and Prayer of Faith .
27. Calamities to be cautiously interpreted
28. Present Duty 
29. Love the Fulfilling of the Law .
30. The Law written upon the Heart
31; God's End and Design in Affliction .
32. Suitable Exercise in Affliction .
A Sermon preached to the Clergy .

Page
. 1,54
. 160
. 164
. 171
. 175
. 180
. 188
. 195
. 202
. 209
. 216
. 226
. 233
. 242
. 249
. 255
. 258
. 262
. 266
. 275
. 283

EXPOSITIONS.
An Exposition ofthe Creed  295
An Exposition of the Lord's Prayer  318
An Exposition of the Ten Commandments  362
A Short Catechism  404
THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
Preface.  407
Lect. 1. The Introduction  411
2. Of Happiness, its Name and Nature, and the Desire of it im
planted in the Human Heart  415
3. Of the Happiness of Man, and that it is reaUy to be found . .417
4 . In wiiich it is proved that Human Felicity cannot be found either
in the Earth or earthly Things  420
5. Ofthe Immortality of the Soul  425
6. Of the Happiness of the Life to come ..... 430
7. Of the Being of God  434
8. Of the Worship of God, Providence, and the Law given to Man 441
9. Of tbe Pleasui'e and Utility of Religion  445

CONTENTS. vn
Lect. Paoe
10. Of the Decrees of God  448
II. Ofthe Creation ofthe World .  451
12. Of the Creation of Man .  457
13. Of Providence  ,|{;2
14. Of Christ the Saviour  4G8
15. Of Regeneration  471
16. Of Regeneration  .178
17. Of true Felicity and eternal Punishment  483
18. Of the Chiistian Rehgion, and that it is the true Way to Hap
piness  487
19. That Hohness is the only Happiness on this Earth . . .491
20. Of our Happiness, particularly that it lies in God, who alone can
direct us to the true Way of attaining to it ; that this way he
has discovered in the Sacred Scriptures, the divine authority
whereof is asserted and illustrated  495
21. Of the Divine Attributes  502
22. How to regulate Life, according to the rules of Rehgion . . 505
23. Of Purity of Life  508
24. Before the Communion  511
An Exhortation to the Students upon their return to, the University
after the Vacation ,  516

EXHORTATIONS TO THE CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF
ARTS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH.
Exhortation 1  520
„ II  523
III  526
„ IV  529
„ V.  531
„ VI  534
VII  536
,, vm  540
Valedictory Oration  543
A Modest Defence of Moderate Episcopacy, &c  54 G
A Fragment on Ezra ix:  55O
Charges to the Clergy of the Diocesan Synod of Dunblane . . 552
Rules and Instructions for a Holy Life  5G3

LECTURES

FIRST NINE CHAPTERS

ST. MATTHEW'S CxOSPEL.

CHAPTER I.

Ver. 1. The book of the generatioii of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of
Abraham.
iiS the bounty of God appears in the furniture and comforts of our
natural life, in that he hath not only provided for simple necessity, but
enriclied it with plentiful variety ; thus He hath done likewise towards
the spiritual life in the provision of the Holy Scriptures, having in
them so rich diversity of the kind of writings, prophecies and histories,
poesies and epistles, and of the kind, and expressly on the same sub
ject, four books written by the hands of four several men, but all led by
the hand of the same Spirit, and all of them so harmoniously according
together, as makes up one song ; the four with a delightful variety of
notes, but no mistuning, or jarring difference: those that seem to be
so, being duly considered, do not only well agree, but there is still
some instructive advantage in the diversity ; each recording something,
some of them divers things that are not in the other ; and what one
hath more briefly, is more enlarged in some other : they are not so
different as to be discordant, nor so the same as to be superfluous.
Their order in the time of their writing, is, with good reason, conceived
to be the same with that of their placing as we have them. This of
St. Matthew was written first, and very hkely in Hebrew, as more par
ticularly for tlie use of his own nation, though in His purpose who set
him on to work (as all the other scriptures) intended for the good of
the Church in all succeeding ages. And he begins with the great
mysterious point on which hangs our happiness, that which is our grand
comfort, as. St. Austin speaks, the manhood of God. The chapter hath
these two, his genealogy, and his nativity, each particularly intituled ;
for the first words are the inscription, not of the whole book, nor of the
* First printed from the original MSS. in Dr. Jerment's edition of the Works, pub
Ushed in 1808, of which this is a corrected reprint.
Vol. II. B

2 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. I.
whole chapter, but only of the first part of it. The book, that is (as the
Hebrew word signifies,) the roll, or list of the generation, that is, the
descent oi' Jesus Christ.
The account by ascending, as St. Luke does, or by descending, as
this Evangelist, is altogether indifferent ; neither need we, with the
ancients, seek subtle and mysterious reasons of it, which are too airy to
have either certain truth, or profitable use in them. The reckoning of
the one only down from Abraham, and the other up to Adam, may
have some more solid reason ; the one having regard to the particular
promise made to Abraham, and the other to the general interest of
mankind, and that according to the promise made to our first parents
in the garden. And this beginning in Abraham here, relishes some
what of that we spake, of penning this gospel in Hebrew, with particu
lar respect to the Jews for informing them first : as, indeed, the gospel
was first to be preached to them, so might they have somewhat of the
same privilege in the writing of it, He of whom it treats being bom
among them, and of them. And before entering to branch the lineage,
the Evangelist particularly mentions David and Abraham, because of
the particular promises made to them of the Messiah to eome of their
seed. The great diversity of the names from David to Joseph, (of them
all, indeed, save two,) has drawn several persons to take the one for the
line of Joseph, the other for the hne of Mary. But the diversity of
names ariseth not so much from the custom of that nation, of one per
son having divers names, (which commonly is answered in this,) though
somewhat of that may be in it ; but it is much rather from that, it
seems, St. Matthew does deduce the legal succession in government
(by Solomon), St. Luke the natural in birth (by Nathan.) St. Mat
thew, to make up the number of his three fourteens, even omits some
immediate parents, which alters nothing at all of the true deduction,
and nephews are frequently called, and truly are, the sons of their
grandfathers, though not immediate. Now, though it is possible that
it might be otherwise, yet, the Evangelists take it as a thing then mani
fest and known when they wrote, that Joseph, according to the appoint
ment and ordinary practice of his nation, did marry within his tribe and
family. So that his extraction, who was but the supposed and nominal
father, doth give account of jMary the real mother of Jesus Christ.
Other scruples, though it may be to some needfiil to clear them, yet I
name not, as being useless to acquaint those with who find them not.
And some there be altogether needless and curious, which may pass
among the vain unprofitable questions of genealogists that the Apostle
advises to avoid.
Ver. 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise : when as his mother Mary was
espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child by the Holy
Ghost.
St. Luke is more large in the history of the conception, but (which
the rest have not) this Evangelist acquaints us with Joseph's behaviour
in the business. We have, Ist. His first doubtful thoughts within him
self; 2nd. His right information, and directions from God; 3d. His
answerable acquiescence and obedience.

Ver, 20-22.] ' of st. Matthew's gospel. 3
Perceiving Mary, who was espoused to him, to be with child before
they came together, and not knowing how this came to pass, it would
certainly perplex him much ; yet goes he not in a sudden passion, or
rage of jealousy, to talve the extremest course, hut being a jmt man,
that is, not strict and severe, as taking justice in a strict sense, for so it
would seem contrary to the present intendment; — yet, some have taken
it so, though he was a just man ; — but it is indeed rendered as the
cause of his purpose mitigating of the law's rigour, and so, just is here
a good man, a man of a moderate, mild spirit, averse from rigours, as
good men usually are. And as his own temper, so, no doubt, Mary's
carriage, did incline him to this way ; observing her modesty and piety,
which undoubtedly was singular, and would appear in her whole
deportment ; but further than that spake for her, it doth not appear
that she spake all this while anything for herself: she ofi'ered not to
declare the admirable way of her conception, which would have seemed
feigned and incredible from her mouth, but quietly refers the matter to
Him who had done it. Thus silent innocency rests satisfied in itself,
where it may be inconvenient or fruitless to plead for itself, and loses
nothing by doing so, for it is always in due season vindicated and
cleared by a better hand. And thus it was here : she is silent, and
God speaks for her.
Verse 20. — While he thought on these things, &c.] The whole
matter is opened to him by the angel of God in a dream. This blessed
child is owned by his glorious Father ; the conception declared to be
pure and supernatural by the Holy Ghost ; his birth and name, and the
reasons of it, are foretold; and upon these, Joseph is ascertained, not
only of the spotless innocency, but of the matchless dignity, of his
espoused Mary in this conception, and the true quality ofher Divine Son,
and so is ftirnished with sufficient ground of receiving her as his wife,
which accordingly he forthwith did.
The last words of the chapter are added for the future clearness con
cerning the purity of his birth. But denying for the time before, which
was to the present purpose, affirms nothing at all for the time after, as
is evident by abundant instances of this manner of speech, where
until goes no fiirther than the named term any way, yea, does rather
import the perpetuity of what it speaks; as Gen. xxviii. 15, Until I
have done that, &c., and Is. xxii. 14, Till ye die, — -which yet hath not
been alleged, for anything I know, for a purgatory after death.
Ver. 22. — In the narration, the Apostle inserts (as is his custom)
the parallel of the thing with a prophecy foretelling all this, of the
accommodating of which I will not now insist. It is evident that it
looks beyond anything that those times, or that any time, before this
fulness of time, did afford. And this singular Virgin's conception was
altogether agreeable to the singular person so conceived and born,
both as to the purity of his human, and the dignity of his Divine,
nature ; that he might be known to be not only a holy, sinless man,
but more than a simple man, God-man, God with us, as his name is.
Observation. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ. Many
great volumes of history have been written of states and kingdoms of
the earth, and lives of particular famous men, and the reading of them
may delight and inform the mind ; but what are they all, how empty
B 2

4 LECTURES ON THI: FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. I.
and comfortless stuff in respect of this history ! The hook of the gene
ration of Jesus Christ. This is the gospel, the alone good tidings to all
nations and all ages ; still fresh, and equally good news from one gene
ration to another. Had not the Virgin borne this Son, we must say
all of us. Good for us we had not been born.
Now, that so many ages were run by, before His coming. His will
who chose that point of time, is sufficient reason. But, 1st, We may
perceive by this, that the faith of the Church and people of God was
exercised in the expectance of this promised seed, in whom all the
nations should be blessed.
2dly. And the esteem of this rich gift raised (and well did he deserve
to be) the desire and hope of the nations. Thus the Ijord hath been
pleased in other great favours, to use this way to reveal them in the
promise long time before the performance : so, a son to Abraham, and
the deliverance from Egypt, and that other from Babylon long before
the captivity.
3dly. He was equally from the beginning, in his Father's view, for
the interest of behevers, in all those preceding ages, as if he had already
lived and died and rose again, A Lamb slain from the foundation of
the world ; for He sees through all generations and successions of
times, and all things in them are always alike present to His eye. But
in the mean time, while the Church was held in prefiguring shadows,
this was their grand desire, that he might appear in the flesh ; still
looking and waiting when the day should break, and the shadows flee
away. And thus in the Song of Solomon may we take that wish,
(Ch. viii. ver. I,) Oh! that thou wast as my brother ! And though
the time seemed long, yet the vision was for the set time, and then it
spake, and lied not ; and he was coming forward in the succession of
time, hastening as a roe on the mountains, skipping from one age, from
one hill to another: as here we have it, Abraham begat Isaac,
Isaac begat Jacob, &c. And this is now the great wish of his spouse,
the Church, and of each particular soul espoused to him, that he would
come again as he hath promised ; and he will do so. What a sweet
echo there, (Rev. xxii. 17,) ot Come! The Spirit says Come, and the
Bride says Come; and He says, (ver. 20,) Beliold I come quickly ,- and
they resound again, Amen, even so, come. Lord Jesus !
Ver. 21. But thou s!iaU call his name Jesus.] That is the name
that refreshes the fainting spirits of humbled sinners, that the sweet-
smelling balm, that the ointment poured out, that draws the virgins to
love liim ; sweet in the mouth and in the ear, and life in the heart. A
Saviour, for he .shall save liis people from Hieir sins. The Jews were
his people once in a particular way ; but all Jews and Gentiles that run
unto his name as their refuge, are his people, and he hath engaged
himself to be their Saviour, whatsoever kind of people they be, and
whatsoever kind of guiltiness of sins they bring with them. And for
that reason, as is observed, are named in this his genealogy, persons
grossly stained, and the woman too, (ver. 3.) is specified, all under the
same blot ; and one a stranger, not of the seed of the Jews ; signifying
him to be a Saviour of all nations, and even ofthe vilest sinners. But
we know not his riches and our own poverty ; therefore we run not to
hira. We perceive not that we are lost and perishing; therefore a

Ver. 1, 2.] OF st. JlATTIIE^v's cospel. 5
Saviour is a word of little relish. Oh, were we convinced of tlie huge
mass of guilt that lies upon us, and tlie wrath th;it for it hangs over us,
ready to fall on us and sink us, this wciukl be our continual thought,
till we were resolved in it. Is (his riuxiour mine? And to the end we
might find him so, we sliould tread upon all that lies in our way to run
to him.

CHAPTER II.

Ver. 1 . Xow when Jesus was bom in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod tlie
king, behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.
2. Saving, where is he that is born king of the Jews 1 for we have seen his star in
the east, and are come to worship him.
The blessed Son now born, hath for part of his name, in the prophet
foretelling, or rather telling his birth, (Isa. ix. 6,) IVonderful. He is
so in his birth ; that we have seen in the former chapter. He is so in
his life and death, particularly in that part of his life which is ordinarily
scarce at all remarkable, his infancv. The history of that we have in
this chapter. So, as in that place of the prophet, wonderful is the
beginning of his name, he is wonderful in the beginning of his hfe.
That wonder that goes along throughout all his life and death, is in
the passages here recorded, very legible, a strong contemperature of
majesty and meanness ; yea, these two, so far distant in notion, yet
meet in him, the meanness of Man and the majesty of God. So ob
scurely bom and so poorly lodged, yet, that birth marked, and that
lodging pointed out, by a star that seems to have no other work nor
motion, but to tell of him, and lead to him ; and by it wise men are led
from far, to offer rich presents to a poor babe, and to do homage to
him as a king, and to worship him !
Tlien, afterwards, he is put to flee for his life in his swaddling clothes.
He who came to give life to dead man, is in hazard of a cruel death at
the entry of his life, and escapes it by the obscure and hasty flight of
his parents with him ; yet, even in that flight there is a track of
majesty, that they flee, stay, and return with him, all upon Di'S'ine
warnings. Thus was this Sun of Righteousness veiled and clouded in
human flesh, and a low kind of human life, and yet some rays of
Deity are still breaking through and teUing, Here dwells the Godhead
bodily. In this chapter, these two things of him are remarkable. First, He
is marvellously witnessed and worshipped. Secondl)', persecuted and
preserved. He is witnessed, 1st, By a star stirring up strangers from far, to seek
him, and leading them to find him.
2dlv, By those strangers coming and declaring this to be their errand,
and inquiring after the place of his birth.
3dly, By the chief priests and scribes, from a clear prophecy, resolv
ing them.
Of these, and other like points in the following history, what ques-

6 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. IL
tions are moved more curious than useful, I shall either pass wholly in
silence, or only name them to pass them, to put them out of our way,
that they may not stop us in what may be usefiil. And textual diffi
culties that call for clearing, I shall endeavour to open with as much
briefiiess as may well consist with clearness, and to serve for that end
of clearing them. For this star, what shall we see the better into the
end and person whom it served, by deciding, if we could, much less
by debating what we cannot decide, whether it was a star or a comet ?
Called a star for its resemblance, as the Scripture often gives things
the vulgar names, it seems to have been temporary, and made for this
singular service only. However, it was a star that led to the sun.
After men have pleased themselves in the employ of all their reading
and wit, to find what the Magi were, fiirther than the text comes, they
can assuredly inform us nothing. They were Magi, (wise men,) and
of the east ; but whether from Chaldea, or Persia, or Arabia, neither
that name they bear, nor the presents they bring, can certainly con
clude. It cannot be denied, that all these nations called their astro
logers, and generally their philosophers, by that name ; and they might
bring the same presents from any of those, and fi-om divers other eastern
countries : nor is there any more evidence that they were Balaam's
posterity, or of his school, though the prophecy of a star arising
in Jacob, seems to suit somewhat well with this kind of notice given
them by a star, and with' their observing it, and following it. And
truly, besides the uncertainty, the inutility of this may save us a labour ;
for what shall we be really the wiser, to know particularly what
these wise men were, or whence they were ? Sure I am, to make them
three to fit their number to their presents, and to make kings of them,
and give them names, and then to wrangle about their burial-place, is
to play the fool about the vrise men.
If you ask, how the star could speak this, that there was a great king
born, and born in Judea, and speak it so as to persuade them to come
and see? I conceive, all their skill in astronomy, and Balaam's pro
phecy of the star in Jacob, and the tradition of the Messiah, and his
star, and Sibyl's prophesying of them, could not make the language of
this star thus clear and intelligible to them. There was, no doubt, an
extraordinary darting in of a higher light into their minds, clearer than
that of the star, to make its meaning clear to them, and to draw them
forth to this journey. The star appeared to them in the east, but it
does not appear that it led them all the way, though commonly it be so
conceived : on the contrary, after their setting forth, it seems not to
have appeared to them till they came from Jerusalem, whither they
went as likeliest either to find him they sought, or notice of him at
least. And this likewise was by a Divine hand ordered, that both there
they might give testimony of Christ, and likewise receive their ftirther
testimony of him and address to him, and be confirmed in their persua
sion concerning him, and then seasonably the star appears to establish
and lead them.
Ver. 3. Wlien Herod the king had heard these things, he was trou
bled.] The wise men's question occasions Herod's fear, and that, the
meeting of the priests and scribes to resolve it. They do it from the
prophet Micah, ch. v. 2, The difference in the cited words is

Ver, 7-23.] op st. Matthew's gospel. 7
really none, Bethlehem. Ephrata, and Bethlehem Judah, being all one.
And the prophet's words, read interrogatively, (as well they may,) are
clearly the same thing with the Evangelist's narrative. However the
least of all in itself, yet, it was not the least, but the greatest, by this
great King's being born in it. And so, Da\id bears the type of his
Son and Lord, for he was of obscure birth in this same city.
Ver. 7 — 12. Then Herod, when he had -privily called the wise
men  sent them to Bethlehem.] The wise men, thus answered and
led, came to Bethlehem, and are now so confirmed ofthe royalty of
this child, that they are not removed from that persuasion, nor at all
staggered in it, by the sight of so much outward meanness as they
found : a poor babe in a common inn ; whether still in the mano-er or
no, is not certain, so it mav be ; however, doubtless in a very low con
dition, far from royal grandeur, but yet so high in his own dignity and
in their thoughts, that they fell down and worshipped, and offered their
present, which they did not to Herod in all his pomp. This many
ancient and modern are pleased to subtilize into mysteries, which,
though I dare not confidently deny all, yet dare I a^er nothing. He
that brought them forth, directed them directly home, having no more
business at Jerusalem. Wfien they had found the King they came to
seek, they left king Herod to seek his inteUigence from others.
Ver. 13 — 23. But these were strange news to Herod — a born king
of the Jews. The common fears that are of the ill genius of tyrants,
and that are the fell revenge of the many fears they cause to so many
others, are now raised, and rage wathin him upon this report. And
for all his craft, and the growth of it for cruelties upon long practice,
yet is he, as it were, so tlnmderstruck with this fear, that he cannot
resolve on any sure way for this end, but inquires the age of the child,
and, it seems, defers a good time, and smothers the intended massacre,
(for that answers best the doubt about the age of two years,) and then
sends and kills all the children of or under that age : that was the
sacrifice which in his inquiry he meant to offer, instead of worshipping
the child born. His Royal Father could have preserved him other-
ways than by the care and flight of his supposed father with him ; but
thus He pleased, even in this, to carry on His Divine Son under the
covert of such human and humble ways of preservation, to make him
in all things like us, (sin excepted,) and to sweeten those things to us,
when we are called to be like him in them, in being persecuted, and by
persecution forced to flee.
That text, ver. 15, Out of Egypt have I called my Son, suits most
fitly, the words having (as other such adapted places) their prophetical
aspect to Jesus Christ, without any prejudice of their first proper sense,
in persons or things typifying him. Israel is called the Lord's son, and
His ^rs^ born, Exod. iv. 22 ; Jer. xxxi. 9.
The other text. He shall be called a Nazarite, I rather think, signi
fies his singular holiness, which the name imports, and all the prophets
foretold of him, and the legal Nazarites prefigured, than that it relates
to any particular prophecy. Besides, it is in the text, the prophets, in
general : Which was spoken by the prophets. Ver. 23.
Observe 1. The freedom of God's calling and drawing men unto His

8 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTEld's [Chap. II.
Son ; that it follows not the track of human appearances and external
engagements. Strangers are brought from far to worship Christ, and
are glad at his birth. His own, amongst whom, and those particu
larly for whom, he was born, were not rejoiced, yea, were troubled at
it ; so far were they from receiving him as their king, and worshipping
him. And strange, that having resolved the Magi's question, they all
sit still, for anything we find, and not one is so taken with it, as to
take share ofthe small latter end of their long journey, and to go some
miles off', to see so great and matchless a wonder! Thus, many who
are far off' in their ways, are humbled and brought to Christ, and those
who in external profession seemed always near to him, are still far off:
nearest the church, (as ye s&y,) farthest from God. My brethren, rest
not on your outward relations, your interest in the ordinances and pro
fession of religion, but see how your hearts stand affected towards
Jesus Christ. If you receive hira as king, then shall ye partake ofthe
sweet fruits of his kingdom.
Obs. 2. There was some appearance of reason (though, indeed,
reasonless,) that Herod should be stirred with the news ofa new-born
king; for though Christ's office never wrongs the just power of kings,
yet, the jealousy of it will never be out of their minds, while they are
not acquainted with him : they will still think that his kingdom
encroaches upon theirs ; and this is the ground of their almost general
enmity against him. But why were the Jews troubled, who could not
but apprehend, according to the very notion ofthe Messiah, that if this
was he, he was come for their deliverance and release from the tyranny
of foreign power ? Yet, they with Herod are troubled. The reason
seems to be, they feared that trouble and war would arise by this
appearing, and they might possibly foresee much in the way to the
change, and therefore would rather have chosen to lie still under the
burden of the Roman power. There is a natural prejudice in all
against the kingdom of Christ, that it brings disturbance and disquiet
with it, and therefore men would rather sleep in their chains than hear
of a deliverance by him. Thus, the Jews in Egypt appear to have
been prejudiced against the message of their going forth, which Moses
brought them. Thus, a carnal heart would comply with its bondao-e,
rather than be at any pains in the remove from it.
Obs. 3. Was the birth of Christ subject to accompanying trouble ?
Thus it is in the soul, a tumult, as it were, of Herod and the Jews.
They that are without, viz., carnal friends, all in a rage at it ; " What !
turn a melancholy, precise fool, go mad," &c. And within, like the
tumultuous multitude, all the lusts of the heart are clamouring for their
interest, noising to it, that it will suffer much in this change, that all
wonted delights will be cut off, that there will arise much war and
trouble by this new kingdom ; besides many other doubts and fears
that arise in this matter.
Think it not strange to find it thus, that the soul is tossed with dis
quiet at the birth of Christ in it ; but rather let it rejoice in this trouble,
as a sign of that blessed birth, and that spiritual kingdom of Christ
within it, which, however it occasion some present stir, shall sweetly
compensate that, and compose the soul, and make it happy : for the

Ver. 7-23.]
Child born is the Prince of Peace, (Isa. ix. 6,) and the proper nature
of His kingdom, that whereof it is made up, is, righleousness, and
peace, and joy in ihe Holy Ghost. Rom. xiv. 17.
Obs. 4. Herod's fear and anger figainst this news, gathers the priests
and scribes together, to give clear testimony from the Scriptures of that
^¦ery birth which was so hateful to him, and to verify it by the true
designment of the place. Thus all His enemies' practices still prove,
in the issue, of service to Him : all their stirrings against His kingdom
and glorN, make for it. When all is reckoned, it is found in effect that
they undo themselves, and advance His end whom they oppose.
Obs. 5. Bring me word, that I may come and worship him. Ver. 8.
This is an old piece of king-craft, we see, older than Machiavel, to
serve themselves of the shadow and mask of religion, in order to walk
unseen in their atheism. The most of them in their wars and confede
racies pretending rehgion, and intending the subversion of it, would
seem to come to worship, and come indeed to worry. Cultum pre
tendit, cultrum intendit.
Obs. 6. Though Herod and the priests were both enemies, yet they
concur to this testimony, and furnish it to the inquiring strangers, but
went not with them, nor so much as sent any. Thus many testify,
yea, teach the truth of Christ in the general, yet go not to him, as signs
in the way direct others, and stir not themselves. But, my brethren,
think it not enough to give a general assent to divine truths, for unless
the heart be warmed with them, and the soul stirred up to seek an
interest in them, they save not, yea, they more deeply condemn.
Obs. 7. Divers readings of the Evangelists and prophets, agreeing
in one sense, are very usefiil. Bethlehem the least, yet, not the least;
the least of thyself, but the greatest by the birth of the great King born
in thee. Thus all are raised and ennobled by Christ. The poorest
persons, and things in themselves most despicable, yet, through him,
become most exceflent. The simplicity of the ordinances, the word
and sacraments, so far below the pomp of the world, and gaudy, false
worship, in outward visage, yet are much further above them in inward
dignity. Thus, the soul of a poor, simple, unlettered believer, that is
the meanest and least in itself, far below the greatest persons and great
wits of the world in naturals, yet, Jesus Christ being born in it, is not
the least, but in spiritual excellency truly great, and far beyond all
others void of Christ.
Obs. 8. Christ newly born, is hotly persecuted, put to flight, &c.
This is a presage of his after condition and entertainment in the world
in his own person, and still in his body, his Church, the saints. No
sooner is Christ born in thee, than the wicked will be upon thee, seek
ing to kill him with persecuting malice, with scoffs and taunts at the
least. Obs. 9. All his motions are by divine direction. Thus, his saints in
all times, particularly in times of straits and troubles, must still be
depending on His pointing out of every step, and are safe in following
that. Further, we may observe, that they whom the Father intends to
bring to the Son, shall not want means of their calling and leading to
him. He will create a light in them, and cause it to arise in their

10 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap, II.
hearts to Stir them up to inquire after him. And when they need
direction, and seek it. He will furnish it even where it would be least
expected. If they be driven to attend it at their hands who go not to
Christ themselves, even under a ministry that hath little life in it, — that
is formal and spiritless in itself, yet, if God hath cast thy lot there, even
there, I say, shall a soul seeking after Jesus Christ find direction and
confirmation, and the word shall be made lively to it by a higher Hand ;
and though they go not to Christ, yet shall they give thee His true
address, and direct thee right to Him, as here the scribes and priests
did these inquirers.
Again, observe how God takes hold of men by suitable ways. His
call does not lie wholly in the congruity of the means, but He makes it
effectual ; yet. He carries that efficacy so sweetly, that there is not any
violence at all. Often in the means, that sweetness consists in the
particular aptness of them. These were star-gazers, and he gives them
notice according to their faculty by a star. Thus, some are taken with
some accessory qualification of a minister, baited by this to give ear
and take liking to his doctrine. Thus, St. Augustine confesses he was
caught in hearing St. Ambrose, through delight in his eloquence ; for
though he looked no further, yet, together with the words he loved, the
things that he loved not did likewise slide in and gain upon him.
Again, they undertake a long and hard journey, and resolve to go on,
and, missing him at Jerusalem, they inquire there concerning him, and
will not leave off till they find him. A soul that hath once seen a hght
pointing out Christ to it, and stirring it up to seek after him, will not
be driven back, nor called off from going to him, by any discourage
ments and difficulties ; yea, they sharpen it, and set an edge on it, and
make them so much the more earnest. Others can speak of him, and
lie still, and not stir to go to him, as here the priests ; but such a soul
must have him, and will not take rest without him ; will still inquire
where he is, where and how I may find my Christ. A man may pos
sibly meet with some formal minister, that knows little of Christ, and
loves him less, who yet can tell such an inquirer, that by believing he
shall find him, and instruct him somewhat about the notion of faith,
and inseparable repentance, and leaving off sin, which things he him
self, who directs, makes no use of, hath no experience of at all ;
yet may his information be usefiil to the soul seeking Christ, and in
following them it may find him. And as it is in the first inquiry and
journey to Christ, so, in after seeking, upon his withdrawments : as
Cant. iii. and v. Though the watchmen that should direct thee deride
and mock thee, yea, though they smite and wound thee, yet, if once
thou hast found the sweetness of his love, or but heard his voice speak
ing to thy heart, and desiring it to open to him, thou wilt not leave off
thy search day nor night, till thou hast found him, in how mean a con
dition and outward appearance soever: thou wilt see through that, and
behold him thy king, thy beloved Lord, and see him beautifiil, all
beauty and loveliness, and wilt be forced to declare him so, that he out
vies all creature loves, as not worthy to be compared : yea, that their
enjoyments have not near so much sweetness as the very seekings and
mournings after Jesus Christ.
Ver. 11. Fell down and worshipped him.] When a soul is busy

Ver. 1.]) OF BT. Matthew's gospel. 11
asking after Jesus Christ, if it be inquired what would you do with him.
Why this is my purpose, will it say, I would worship hira. I would
not only be saved by him, but I would fall down and adore him, and
acknowledge him my king; and ifl had anything better than another,
I would off'er it him. But what hast thou? Hast thou rich presents
for him ? Alas ! no. These are called wise men, and were, it seems,
rich ; had rich gifts. I am a foolish and a poor creature, and I have
nothing to offer. — Nothing. Hast thou a heart? Yes: a heart I
have ; but, alas ! there can be nothing more unfit for him, and unwor
thy of him : it is dark, and foul, and hard, all disorder and filthiness.
Yet, wilt thou give it him as it is, and be willing that he use and dis
pose of it as it pleases him? Oh, that he would accept of it, that he
would take it upon any terms ! Here it is : if it would fly out from
this offer, I would he would lay hold of it. Oh I that it were once
received by him, that it were in his hand ; and then let him do with it
what seems him good. Sayest thou so ? Then it is done. Give it
really and freely, and he will take, and make it better at its worst, than
all the gold, and frankincense, and myrrh of all those rich countries
where they abound, and will purify, rectify, and make it quite another
thing than it is. And it shall never repent thee to have made a gift of
it to him. He shall frame it to his own likeness, and in return will
give thee himself, and be thine for ever.

CHAPTER III.

Although the enemies of Jesus Christ, and, for a time, even his friends
and followers, mistook the nature of his kingdom, yet he is a king.
This being questioned, he himself avowed it before the Roman judge ;
and even in his low estate on earth, yet were there intermixed signs
and characters of royalty. To instance here no more, the former chap
ter hath the history of one of them, and this of another. In that was
the homage done to him a httle after his entering into the world by
birth. In this, we have his harbinger preparing his way a httle before
his coming forth into the world, to manifest himself in his words and
works. This chapter, you see, contains the history of John Baptist — Ist. The
nature of his office ; 2dly. The exercise of his office ; and that both
generally to the multitude of the Jews that resorted to his baptism,
and particularly, to some of more eminent note amongst them, the Pha
risees and Sadducees, and singularly on the person of Jesus Christ.
Ver. I . In, those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the Wil
derness of Judea.] 'This relates not to the history that goes before,
butto that which follows to be recorded, as the usual style ofthe Hebrew
bears. It is clear that many years fell betwixt even the greatest part
both of Christ's life, and of John Baptist's ; in both which, from
the birth to the coming forth to preach, all the intervening time is past
over in silence, not only here, but in all the other evangelists, saving
one act of Christ's appearing in public about the age of twelve years,

12 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. III.
recorded by St. Luke, which was but a glance of this jewel, that lay
locked up a long time after.
John the Baptist, an extraordinary person in his birth and calling,
holy from the womb, a prophet, and more than a prophet ; and J esus^
Christ himself far more than he, his Lord and Master, the Prince of
Prophets ; and yet, neither of them came abroad in his ministry till
about the age of thirty years, the time specified in the law for the ser
vice of the house of God. But our ignorance makes us bold and fool
hardy : we rush forward not knowing ourselves nor this calling, its
excellency and holiness, and our meanness and unholiness. This I
say, not that I think measure doth punctually and literally tie us,
especially the necessity of some times and the scarcity of faithftil
labourers being considered, upon which some may lawfully, yea, ought
to be drawn forth, if unwilling and yet able.
But surely, the consideration of these examples should give a due
check and curb to our usual precipitate hearts, which in these times
had need of some restraint, even in some who possibly have some
competency both of abilities and true piety. Good fi-uit may be plucked
too green, which, let alone awhile to ripen, would prove much more
pleasant and profitable.
In these two, their long lying hid is so much the more remarkable,
inasmuch as besides their singular fitness for appearing much sooner,
they had so short a time allotted for their course ; the Forerunner but
about one year, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself but about three
years and a half. But this was the assigned time in the Divine wis
dom, which was found sufficient for the work committed to them ; and
what needs more ? Let not any grudge for themselves, or for any
other, their speedy removal, upon this conceit, that they might, in
nature's course, continue much longer, and, in appearance, through
their labour be still more serviceable. Let all rather study for them
selves, and wish unto others, that they raay be diligent in their work
while their day lasts, be it short or long, faithftil and fruitful in their
generation, and the shorter their day is like to be, work the faster ; for
certainly the good of life is not in the length of it, but in the use of it.
There are betwixt our Saviour and this his messenger or forerunner,
divers notable agreements : their being near of kindred ; their births
taking place in one year, and both foretold by an angel ; and as Christ
was the son of a virgin, John the son of aged parents, and a mother so
long barren ; little odds in the time of both their appearing to the
world, and abiding in it ; both sealing their doctrine with their blood.
But as in these, in all, the Lord hath the pre-eminence beyond his
servant, so this faithful servant did always most willingly acknowledge
it, yea, his very business was to abase himself and exalt his master ;
and this he did, as we find throughout his history. And those of the
servants of Christ that are most honoured to be nearest hira, are always
the greatest abasers of themselves, the most desirous to have him
honoured. John's office, we have briefly expressed in the first verse, partly in
his name John Baptist, a minister of baptism, and partly in the word
joined with it, preaching. Preaching of the word was joined with bap
tism : John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness.

Ver. 2.] op ST. Matthew's gospel. 13
I will not here speak of the nature of baptism, the combiliement of
preaching with it ; their aspect each to the other, and ciuicurrenee to
one excellent end ; the word unfolding the sacraraent, and the sacra
ment sealing- the word ; the word, as a light, intbrming and clearing
the sense ofthe seal, and it again, as a seal, confirming and ratifying
the truth of the word : as you see some significant seals or signets
engraven, have a word about them expressing their sense.
But truly, the word is a light, and the sacraments have in them of
the same light illuminating- them ; and this of Baptism, the ancients
do particularly express by light. Yet are they both nothing but dark
ness to us, till the same light shine in our hearts : for till then, we are
nothing but darkness ourselves, and therefore the most luminous things
are so to us : noonday is as midnight to a blind man. And we use
these ordinances, the word and the sacrament, without profit and com
fort for the most part, because we have not of that Divine light within
us ; and we have it not, because we ask it not, are not often there
where it is to be had, nor earnest suitors for it : for we have His word
that cannot fail, that our Heavenly Father will give even this choice
gift, this light, (for that is it,) His Holy Spirit to them that ask il.
Then would word and sacrament be sweet to us, which now are so life
less and unsavoury.
Ver. 2. We have in the following words the sum of his doctrine :
Repent ye, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. In the point of
time and the way of his ministry, he was indeed singular ; yet, the
substance of his doctrine is the same with those that went before, and
those that came after him. All the prophets preached repentance, and
joined in the prediction of this kingdom of God ; and our Saviour him
self, and his disciples, as you will after find, preached not only this
same doctrine, but even in the same words : only this he had particular,
that he stood betwixt the two, as it were, the link of law and gospel, as
one calls him, and was the first that said. The kingdom of God is at
hand, and pointed it out as come while he was speaking.
Rep)ent.] This is the main purport and end of God's messages to
man in all times, by all whom he hath sent, (as has been already said,)
prophets, apostles, Jesus Christ and his forerunner ; and still, all His
ministers under the gospel, have no other in effect to say, than to call
men to repentance, to bring them home to God. Man is naturally
turned away from God, and is still further running away and hastening
to the pit ; and God is calling after him. Do not destroy yourselves, I
will receive and pardon you; Oh! return, why will ye die? And yet,
men will not hearken, but run to their ruin. This word is daily
preached ; and yet, who almost is persuaded so much as to stop his
course a little and consider what is propounded to him, much less to
break off his course and return? Oh, the bountifulness and gracious-
ness of God, who thus entreats, and still entreats base worms, whom
He might tread on and crush in a moment ! Oh, the wretchedness
and madness of man who refuses, and still refiises those gracious
entreaties ! You have been called lo in these terms, and where are
they that return ? Where are hearts breaking for their iniquities ; and
breaking away from them, mourning after the Lord, and longing for a
look of His countenance, and desirhig nothing else ? Oh ! that some

14 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. Ill ,
soul might now be stirred up, and set but upon thoughts of repenting,
serious, real thoughts that would not die ! The Lord will reach forth
his hand and draw it to himself, though it find it cannot stir ; yea, in
that very desire of returning to hira, he hath prevented it and touched it,
and will not lose it, will not suffer it, and his begun work in it, to perish.
For the kingdom of Heaven.] Ay, this is the attractive, that which
puts life and hope into the soul. Jesus Christ, peace and reconcile
ment in him to God, — this is the kingdom of Heaven. And here it
was at hand, and it came, and was pubhshed through the world. And
throughout all ages of it, the gospel is at hand, in the gracious offers
of it to all that hear the word ; and it is brought into the souls that
behevingly receive the word, and Jesus Christ revealed in it. This
gives both hope to the sinner, and stirs up desires. Were there not a
way of receiving him, it were in vain to cah men to return ; but seeing
there is a ransom found — seeing the way is opened up— who is there
that have eyes opened to behold that mercy, that will delay any longer ?
that will not hasten into it, and lay hold upon it ?
The Gospel is not a doctrine of licentiousness, but the pure and sweet
word of that new hfe which is in Christ. And though in the notion of
repentance, there is an aspect to, and use of the Law, convincing of
sin and death, and working a sense of misery and sorrow from that
sense, yet all this it works most sweetly and kindly, contempered with,
and adapted by, the doctrine of the Gospel ; for in this they mix and
agree, and throughout all the Scriptures of both Testaments, run com
bined, as they do in the words of this sermon here. For this is the
sum of the Law and the Gospel as they now stand to us-ward ; Repent
ye, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Nothing is so powerfiil as
the doctrine of free grace to convert a soul, not excluding convincements
of sin by the Law, but so including them that tliat deadly, kilHng sen
tence, thus prepared, becomes excellently medicinal ; (as the treats that
are made of viper's flesh;) the Law, in regard of conderaning power,
being now dead, and not only dead, but so qualified by the cordial
promises of the Gospel, that it does not really condemn, but only shews
condemnation out of Christ, and so causes the soul to close with Christ,
and find salvation and life with him : as the dead viper's flesh, so com
pounded, hath a secret virtue to advance the working of those ingre
dients that are in the composition against poison.
For the kingdom, &c.] This is the logic and rhetoric of the Scrip
ture, to persuade holiness and repentance by the grace and pardon
revealed in the Gospel. Those beams of love and free mercy are most
powerful to melt the heart. Now, says he, the great Messias is at
hand. He is come : whatsoever have been men's ways before, now
they raay come home unto God in him. And will not they, seeing he
is come from heaven to save ? Will they not come from the way of
hell, from sin, to be saved by him ? — And thus the Lord Jesus is daily
set before us, and, in him, free forgiveness of all that is past ; and if
men will perish in multitudes, they must perish ; but you that have a
mind to live, come to him.
Ver. 3. For this is he: that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias.]
His calling is further expressed and confirraed by a prophecy of him,
designating him by the nature of a voice, The voice of one crying in the

Ver. 4, 5.] op st. Matthew's gospel. 15
wilderness ; and his cry is. Prepare ye the way ofthe Lord, &c., which
suits well with the foregoing sum of his preaching, is in effect the sarne
with it. Repent is, prepare the way ofthe Lord, and make his paths
straight. Repentance levels the heart to God, makes it a plain for
Christ to walk in, casts down the mountains of pride, and raises the
soul fi-om base, low, earthly ways and affections, smooths the rugged
passions, and straights the crooked deceit of the heart, makes it sincere
and straight both towards God and man. And then the reason. The
kingdom of God is at hand, is implied in that. Prepare his way ; that
says. He is coming, is upon his way, and therefbre sends his harbinger
to make it fit for him. And this is our business, to be dealing with
our hearts, levelling, smoothing, and straightening them for our Lord,
that he may take delight to dwell and walk in thera, and refresh
them with his presence ; and, certainly, the more holy diligence is used
in suiting the heart to his holy will, the more of his sweet presence shall
we enjoy.
Ver. 4. And the same John had his raiment of camels' hair,] He
is fiirther described from his habit and course of life, suiting the nature
of his calling, and the strain of his preaching. A preacher of repent
ance, not -willingly resorting to courts and cities, but keeping in the
wilderness ; that was, not a place altogether uninhabited, but a less
peopled, mountainous soil, the very place of his birth ; who had his
habit and diet like the place, and like the eraployraent. Though his
solitude and rough garments are a slender hold for the hermetical way
magnified in the Romish church, when that of Zechariah fits better,
and their clothes are sooner shaped to that pattern, where he speaks of
those false tongues that wear a rough garment to deceive, Zech. xiii. 4 ;
— yet, certainly, besides somewhat extraordinary and singular in him
and his calling, to which this was consonant, there is this for the
example of all the messengers of God, to live as much as may be in
their condition and station, disengaged from the world, not following
the vain delights and ways of it ; not bathing in the solaces and plea
sures of earth, and entangling themselves in the cares of it, but, sober,
and modest, and mortified in their way of living ; making it their main
business not to please the flesh, but to do service to their Lord, to walk
m his ways, and prepare his way for him in the hearts of his people.
Further, this was implied in this mean way of life, that the less of
human grandeur, the more of Divine power, and ofthe majesty of God,
might appear in his ministry.
Ver. 5. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the
region round about Jordan,] That is, great multitudes flocked to him,
to hear him, and be baptized. For though Baptism, in the way he
used it, was not usual, yet their accustomed use of legal worship made
it the less strange, and the more acceptable to them. And being
accompanied vrith the doctrine of repentance, remission of sins, and the
news ofthe kingdom of heaven approaching, it could not choose but
find some reverence and attention. But certainly, of multitudes that
will run to the word, and, possibly, particularly flock after the ministry
of some for a time, there may be many, as doubtless were there, that
are but light stuff", carried with the stream as corks and straws
are. Men should examine well even siach things as seem to speak

16 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. III.
some love to religion in them, whether they be real or not. This,
John does not spare to tell horae to the seemingly best of those
that came to him, that esteemed themselves, and were esteemed by
others, more religious than the multitude. Yea, the Spirit of God
directed hira to deal more sharply with them than with others that came
to hira ; they being of all others commonly most confident of self-righ
teousness, and therefore fiirthest from the true work of repentance,
which hurables the soul to the dust, and lays it low in its own eyes :
these sects being, beyond the raultitude, swelled with conceit of their
own estate, he spares the rest, and pricks them sharply, that the tumour
may fall. It may seem somewhat strange that he entertains so roughly
those that came respectfully to him, and with others were willing and
desirous to hear his doctrine, and partake of his baptisra. Was not
this the way to beat thera back, and make them distaste both ?
There is, indeed, much prudence required in the ministers of the
word, to know to attemper their admonitions and reproofs, that by too
much rigour they discourage not weak beginners who are inquiring
after the ways of God ; but withal they should be no less wary that by
too much credulity and lenity they sooth not any in their fbrraality and
carnal confidence. And the most we have to deal withal, commonly
are in most hazard upon this hand ; there is too little heart-humbling.
And many are ready to take up some piece of reformation of their ways,
and the externals of religion, and deem themselves presently good
Christians. Oh ! the deceit and slothfulness of our hearts ! How
ready are we to lay hold upon an easy guise of our own, and think
what some further press, is but melancholy and needless preciseness I
Ver. 8. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.] Though
he wonders at their coming, and fairly tells them so, yet he rejects
them not, despairs not of thera ; he gives them sound advice, which
implies always some hopes of prevailing. Give none up for desperate ;
catch hold of what they do, to drive them to what further they ought to
do. You profess ioflee from the wrath to co7ne; bring forth fruits
then. You say you are Christians and believers : Oh ! let your ways
and lives say so. Let Christ dwell in your hearts, and be shewn in
your lives.
Ver. 9. Tllink not to say. We have Abraham to our Father.] The
foolish heart is still, leaning to this fancy of external relations and pri
vileges. Beware ; rest not on these, — the reformed religion, pure ordi
nances, or ix place of esteem possibly amongst the strictest sort of
reformed professors. And do not think you put an obligation on reli
gion, and that it is indebted to you ; but pray take heed. God can
leave you, and deliver you up to these vain thoughts, and provide Him
self without you. He can draw the remotest and unlikeliest to Him
self, and let you go.
Ver. 10. And this is a sifting, trying time. He comes, who will
unmask your hypocrisies, and search you to the bottom ; who will lay
his a.re to the root of the trees, and cut up the fruitless. Where the
Gospel comes in greatest power, there is the certainest and saddest
weight of judgraent on the unbelieving and impenitent, the formal and
fruitless. Ver. 11. I indeed baptize you with water,] The true badge of a

Ver. 12-17.] op st. Matthew's gospel, 17
messenger of Jesus Christ is, to abase hiraself and to magnify his mas
ter. Baptism with the Holy Ghost, and with fire, may, possibly, have
some aspect to the singular sending of the Holy Ghost in fiery tongues.
That purifying virtue, that flarae of love. Oh that we found it!
Ver. 12. And only they, the wheat, are for the garner, they that arc
pure and spiritual : the chaff, light and vain hearts, are fuel for the
fire. No middle class : we must be either baptized in that fire, or
burnt in this.
Ver. 13 — 15. In the baptism of Christ, observe the exemplary humi
lity both of the master and of the servant : of the master, in subjecting
himself to this ordinance ; of the servant in administering it, first, in
his modest question and declining it, and secondly, in his quiet yielding
and obedience. He that was so pure and spotless, had no need of
that, or any other washing ; He, the Lamb of God, that takes away
the sin of the world, as this John testified; He, the fountain opened
for sin and iniquity, and therefore, well says he, I have need of thy
baptism. Yet here he humbles himself to be baptized. Oh ! that we
who are baptized had more of his likeness in this humble reverence for
Divine ordinances, looking on them as his in every warranted hand.
Wliat though he that teaches be less knowing and less spiritual than
thou that hearest, one that might rather learn of thee, yet the appoint
ment of God obliges thee to attend as humbly and regardfully to his
ministry as if he were an angel.
John recoils a little. Thus truly, as he in regard to the person, so
will every humbled, self-knowing minister, even in reference to the
ordinances themselves, wonder often, and be sometimes at the point of
forbearing. Oh I who am I, to handle such holy things, to stand in so
high a service, to convey life, I that am dead ; to administer so high,
so pure and purifying ordinances, myself so impure ! But again, being
commanded and engaged of God's own hand, that overcomes and
silences ; and in the continuing in the work upon that consideration,
there is no less, yea, the greater humility, than in the other thoughts of
unfitness ; a submissive resignation of a man to his Lord. However
the matter seem to me, and truly 1 deem myself unworthy of the lowest
employment without thee, yet. Thou appointing, I have no more to
say : good reason Thy will stand, and not mine.
Ver. 16, 17. Now, in the Baptism, the huraility of both is richly
rewarded with so glorious a vision and voice. The thing is mean and
low in the common form of it ; baptized in the common river. Oh !
what transcendent glory in such a manifestation of that blessed Trinity
on earth, that is the perpetual wonder and happiness of Heaven. Oh,
that we had eyes to see it, and that our hearts were more taken with
this glance here, and the hopes of full vision ere long ! Like a dove.
Oh ! that that Spirit were more abundant in us, flowing from our
Head, on whose head it here rested.
My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,] In this word lies all
the comfort of a Christian. No pleasingness, nor acceptance, indeed,
out of him ; but in him, all acceptance of all who are in him. Nothing
delights the Father but in this view. All the world is as nothing in
his eye, and all men hateful and abominable by sin. Thou, with all
thy good-nature, and good breeding, and good-carriage, art vile and
Vol. II. C

18 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. iV.
detestable out of Christ. But if thou get under the robe of Jesus,
thou and all thy guiltiness and vileness, then art thou lovely in the
Father's eye. Oh ! that we could absolutely take up in him, whatso
ever we are, yet shrouded under hira ! Constant, fixed beheving is all.
Let not the Father then see us but in the Son, and aU is well.

CHAPTER IV.

Ver. 1. Then was Jesus led up ot the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the
devil.
The Apostle doth fitly style our Lord Jesus, the captain, or leader, of
our salvation. He marches, leads all the way, puts us on nothing that
he hath not first encountered. And in his going before, there is that
decoi-um there marked, Heb. xii. 10 : It was meet he should be made
perfect hy sufferings. So particularly by this kind, that is the sharpest
sensation, by these he was entered into his calling ; initiated or conse
crated, as the word there is. Let none, therefore, of his followers
think to go free. If you mean to follow Christ, reckon for temptations,
to meet them even at first, and so in all the way. We readily mis-
reckon, though warned ; we count as we would have it; write up such
ease and joys, 8fc., and think not on afflictions without, and tempta
tions within, which yet are much our portion here. Unwise to put to
sea and expect no storms, nothing but fair weather ! Let this be our
warning, that we be not secure ; we shall meet temptations. But let
this be our comfort, that we be not dismayed, that in this we do follow
him. He went before us in this conflict, and overcame before us, and
for us ; and we likewise, in his strength, shall overcome.
Then. — When ? Look backward. Then — presently after he was
baptized, and not simply by the water of Jordan, but by the Spirit from
Heaven, and was singularly replenished, full ofthe Holy Ghost, as St.
Luke hath it, Luke iv. 1. Thus shalt thou be sure to be assaulted
when thou hast received the greatest enlargements from Heaven, either
at the sacrament or in prayer, or in any other way ; then look for an
onset. This arch-pirate lets the empty ships pass, but lays wait for
them when they return richest laden.
Then. — Again, look forward. Then — when he was to enter on his
work, his public ministry. Thus look to be assailed, when thou art to
engage in any special service. Each according to his place will find
this : when he is upon some purpose of honouring God in any parti
cular undertaking or course, and is nearest the performance, then shall
the strength of hell be mustered up against him. Now, knowing it to
be thus, this ought rather to embolden than discourage us in any such
way. This expert enemy knows his interest well, and does not thus
bestir hiraself lightly, but feels that his kingdom is in danger, and that
he shall certainly be a loser.
Now, as this is incident to every Christian, and particularly, accord
ing to the eminency of their service, to ministers of Jesus Christ, as

Ver. 2.] OF st. Matthew's gospel. 19
here to him when towards entering on his own ministry, so, in this,
thev should reinforce themselves in hira; should follow him on, and
apply and employ him for the victors .
This [Temptation] was one of Luther's schoolmasters, and so it is
to all the servants of Christ ; aud so are all the three. Prayer, Medita
tion, and Temptation. And this is very needful, that both with the
more skill, and w ith the more corapassion, they may be helpftil to them
that are tempted. Certainly, in all things, experience gives the deep
est sense and the readiest faculties. He who was here tempted, could
know more by speculation than e\'er any man ; yet was it found meet,
that even He should be trained by the experience of these things, as in
that cited place, Heb. ii. 10, — perfected as captain, made a complete
commander bv hard services, sufferings, and temptations. So Heb.
iv. 15, and v. 2 — S. Men expert in war, laugh at the learnedest dis
course of pedants, as is reported of Hannibal.
Oh ! heart feeling is a main thing in this. It is going to the wrong
hand, for a troubled or terapted Christian to go to an untroubled, un-
terapted minister, who never knew what that meant. Their errand
takes not : they find little ease in complaining of their grief to him that
never felt such a thing ; as Nazianzen observes, that they who are
stung ^vith a serpent, cannot endure to bemoan themselves to any but
sorae that have felt the pain. To have found such trouble, and then an
issue, such and such comfort, — Oh, it enables much in that case. See
2 Cor. i. 4, 6.
Led by the Spirit.] That same Spirit that came down on him in
baptism, chap, iii., here leads him forth to his conflict, not for this
alone, to seek it, but leads for such exercise there, wherein it was
designed and appointed to meet him. The Spirit in us doth not carry
us wilfully seeking of temptations ; yea, we pray by His direction who
was thus led, that we may not be led into temptations ; that is, that we
may be so led into them as not be left to them and foiled in them ; but
he leads us into those places and employments, when we follow his
leading, wherein, by God's disposal, we do meet -with temptations.
Ajid to be thus led any way whatsoever, is safe, and the issue happy,
as here it was. That is sweet in afl things, to be carried ; not to go
of ourselves any way, but that of each step it may be said. Led by the
Spirit. Led to be tempted, on purpose that he might retum with the
glory of the -victory.
Into the wilderness.] This is the field chosen for this duel betwixt
the roaring lion ofthe bottomless pit and the royal line ofthe tribe of
Judah. This serpent tempted the first Adam in the garden, and the
second Adam in the wilderness, with different success indeed ; and
ever since doth still tempt the posterity of both, in all variety of places
and conditions, in several ways suitable. Company and conversation
have their temptations ; and solitude, even the wilderness, hath its own
too. No place or estate on earth is privileged; no business, not
lawful labouring, eating and drinking, yea, not fasting and praying ;
yea, in these are readily the most assaults, but in them likewise the
sweetest victory : as here.
Ver. 2. And when he had fasted forty days.] Though this was a
miraculous and extraordinary fast, as a mark of his extraordinary per-
C 3

20 lectures on the first nine chapters [Chap. IV.
son and calling, and of the ministry of the Gospel's harmoniously
according with the Law and the Prophets, Moses and Elias, yet,
surely a holy fast it was, wherein our Saviour (as those his forerunners,
no doubt) fed upon prayer and Divine contemplation.
He hungered.] So afl along, as in this fast, so, with his foflowing
hunger. Divine power combined with human weakness, such as was
sinless. Ver. 3. If thou be the Son of God.] Doubtless the Tempter was in
sorae doubt himself about this ; though he saw many concurrent proofs
of it, yet thought possibly it might be otherwise, and therefore tries.
And as he expresses his own doubt, so he suggests the doubt to our
Saviour. It is vain to specify these three temptations by three parti
cular sins, for they are each complicated and raade up of variety, as
usually all sins are. In this I would not exclude something of work
ing on appetite, stirring to an impatient, intemperate haste in satisfying
that ; and the exception is weak, that it is not delicacies, but bread
that is propounded, for that is as strong a temptation in extreme
hunger as delicacies ; but the main is unbelief, and so making haste.
So, in the first temptation of our first parents, the matter of pleasing
appetite made some ingredient, but the chief thing was unbelief: Yea,
hath God said? Gen. iii. 6. And so here. If thou be the Son of God,
And as that was joined to pride, stirring them to a proud desire to be
gods, so, in this case, Satan aims at drawing a needless show of it,
that Christ was God. And our Saviour's answer meets all these sug
gestions : that of his pressing hunger, finding another answer for it
than bread ; that is not the only thing for it ; that of doubting or unbe
lief, (as it was the main evil, so the raain of the answer stands opposed
to it,) trusting in the word of God, that is, in His power and effectual
support. I need not myself try conclusions to see whether I be the
Son of God, nor (which answers the bent of it) need I at this time give
a trial that I am the Son of God. So he diverts the satisfying him
in that point of his Godhead, and answers only for a man : Man shall
not live upon bread alone, &c.
The second and third temptations, whether they were by change of
place, or representation of species, as I think it cannot be forcibly either
concluded or refiited either way, so it is not of much benefit or
importance that it should be. The notion of throwing him down
headlong, (though it is not thus urged by any that I remember,)
seems to me with the strongest appearance to incline to a real stand
ing upon the place ; for if not, then it was necessary that both the
place and the steepness should not only be represented to our Sa
viour's imagination, but that he should really believe that he was there ;
otherwise, the temptation of casting himself down from thence were
altogether null, and could have no place. Nor, though it may be
granted that he raight suffer a false representation, (somewhat of which
must likely be allowed, to make up the third temptation, with the ad
vantage ofa high mountain,) yet, whether we raay fairly admit in our
Saviour an apprehension of such a false representation as true, should
be considered.
But leaving that, we find the second teraptation to be, clearly, to a
presumptuous tempting of God, and the third, to the horridest apostasy

Ver. 3.] ¦ OP st. Matthew's gospel. 21
from God, even to worshipping of the devil, and that baited with an offer
of the worid ; first to corarait idolatry to it, and then next, to hiraself for
it. He is clearly beat off in all ; it could not be otherwise. But truly this
may seem strange, that Satan durst suggest such horrid, foul notions,
to so holy, so singulariy holy a man, for that at least he knew him to
be, and had strong suspicions that he was more than a man, even the
Son of God.
And this I think the sovereign satisfaction of a soul, in the matter of
blasphemous injections, which many, even holy persons, are troubled
with : rauch is said to it by many ; but surely there is nothing like the
view of this instance. That he uses thee so, what wonder ? He had
the hardiness even to use thy Lord so, who was so high above all stain of
sin, as in all things, so in these. True, indeed, we cannot well avoid
all soil, but some guilt sticks to us ; as fi-om the throwing of a dirty
ball against the wall, though it is presently beat back, yet it leaves a
spot behind ; our nature being so easily receptive of sinful defileraent.
But he was altogether undefilable in all assaults ; yet this is our grand
comfort^ that he was tempted, and even that with such vile things. So
then, if finding any such thing, cry to him for help, as one who can
feel it, and entreat hira to see how grating these thoughts are to thee,
and to pity thee, and repel Satan ; and he will do it, and will account
those not thy sin at all, but his ; and, if anything stick, will wash it
off with his own blood.
Observe. The Devil can cite scripture. Receive not, then, every
thing at first, that comes with an it is written ; and as not everything
of men's opinions thus backed, so, not those doubts that are raised
within thee, and managed against thee in this way. How often does
Satan make a poor believer at a stand by some scripture objection I
But take this course ; follow thy Captain in this. Satan is a liar, and
cuts and pares when he cites ; as he here left out, thy ways, to make
room for Ca.st thyself headlong, which was not the way. Now our
Saviour does not contest with him about this, takes no notice of that
sleight, but, in a plain, full counter-blow, beats him out of it, gives him
another it is written, that carries clear how he abused his. And there
is admirable wisdom in this, much more than if he had disputed about
the word which all observe here, was cunningly left out ; for in this,
our Saviour teaches us our better way in this case, either with perverse
men, in the avouching of their errors, or with Satan, in his thus
assaulting us with misalleged scripture, not so much to subtilize about
the very place or words abused. It may be so cunningly done some
times, that we cannot well find it out ; but this downright, sure way
beats off the sophister with another place, clearly and plainly carrying
that truth which he opposes and we adhere to. So, though thou canst
not clear the sense of an obscure scripture, thou shalt always find a
sufficient guard in another that is clearer.
Our Saviour was pleased thus to bear many assaults, and thus
to fence and beat off the Tempter by the word, both for our instruction
and comfort, who otherv/ise, for hiraself, could immediately have
repelled him, and sent him back at first. But indeed he pleased not
himself in anything ; had an eye to us in all he did and suffered, and
did all in reference to our advantage. Oh, how should we love him !

22 LECTURES ON THB FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. IV.
And let not any abuse of the scripture, by Satan or by men, abate
our esteem, or lead us to abandon our use of it ; but let us study it
still, labour to be well acquainted with it, make it our magazine, have
ready our defences from thence in all kinds of assault. Oh ! let this
word dwell richly in us, for it is our life. A stone out of this brook
smites Goliath. And observing these evils here, labour to be fortified
against them. Surely they were main ones, that were brought forth in
this combat. Beady we are either to distrust our God, or, in abused
confidence, to presume upon unwarranted ways. And for the third
teraptation, how strong is it, though not to gain that gross point of dis
claiming God for love of the world, yet, how many hearts are secretly
and insensibly inveigled and stolen away from Him by it, drawn to
neglect His worship, or to cold remissness in it, and to follow the ways
of the honour, gain, or pleasures of this world, that Satan suggests,
and so to worship him and it altogether, instead of the Lord our God,
whom alone we are to adore and serve, and whose due is all our
heart I
Ver. 10. Get thee hence, Satan,] Thus, when anything moves to
debauch and draw off the heart from God, it is to be beat away with
indignation. And thus in all conflicts, continue fighting in thy Lord's
strength : give not over, resist still, and the enemy shall flee, as here.
Ver. 11. Then the devil leaveth him.] Retires indeed, but it was
for a season, as St. Luke hath it there; ch. iv. ver. 15. So we should
still make for new onsets, and not promise ourselves, upon a cessation,
perpetual quiet, but rather fortify in those times of breathing. But
this know, that our Lord is tender of us, and will inlay our painful
conflicts with sweet coraforts. Let us remember to call our Lord to
take him off, and he will not see us surcharged or tempted above what
we are able, or he enables us, to bear ; and he will refresh us with
consolations, strong consolations as we need. And these in a high
degree usually follow hard conflicts patiently and stoutly sustained.
Our Lord had a cordial draught both before and after this conflict :
before, in the last verse of chap, iii., he was confirmed in the very
point he was assaulted in ; This is my beloved Son. And as he was
confirmed before, so was he comforted after; The angels came and
ministered to him. Oh ! the sweet issue our Lord gives to many a
sad battle of weak Chri.stians, wherein they possibly thought once, that
was lost, and that they should never hold out, and come through
But never think so : we shall come through all, and the day shall
ours.
Ver. 12. Now when Jems had heard that John was cast into prison,
he departed into Galilee.] We need not fear. God uses men, but
needs them not : when they are restrained or reraoved, he can provide
more. When John is shut up, Jesus comes forth.
Ver. 13. A7id leaving Nazareth.] Not being honoured in his own
country. So, commonness of things raakes them cheap and low with
us, how excellent soever. This disease of lightness and novelty, so
natural to us, we have need to watch against.
Ver. 14 — 16. That ii might be fulfilled, &c.] Now the prophecy is
raised to its higher sense. The relief which the prophet speaks of; in
Eelation to a temporal sense, was but a shadow. This is light indeed,

Ver. 17, IS.] of st. Matthew's gospel. 33
Jesus coming into their coasts ; the Sun of righteousness arising. Oh,
how pitiful is the condition ofthose nations that still are in darkness,
destitute of his hght ! How should we pity thera ! But how much
more pitiable their condition, who, in the midst of this light, are still
in darkness ; it shining in their land, but not in their hearts ! These
still are under the shadow of death. Oh ! fear and tremble, you that
in the clear Gospel light, are sitting still in your natural darkness of
mind and hardness of heart, and still loving that darkness, and refusing
this Divine light. Oh ! let it in, that you may live, and not pass from
darkness to darkness, from inward darkness to utter darkness, where is
nothing but weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
Ver. 17. From that time Jesus began to preach.] So gave he forth
light by preaching, showing the way of salvation. Aud He was emi
nently the light, — He that very way of salvation. He, the Prince and
Saviour exalted to give repentance, and remission of sins, and the king
dom, yet humbles himself to be the Herald, to proclaim his own gift
and pardon. And in humbling himself to this work of preaching, he
hath highly exalted it. Shall ever that be accounted low, and fit only
for mean persons, which the Lord of Glory made his calling and work
in the world ?
And to say. Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.] This
was said before to be the sermon of his Forerunner ; not only the same
sense, but the very same words. He who needed to borrow from none,
but gives all to all, yet disdains not to preach this over after John Bap
tist. There is certainly a pride and vanity in the minds of men, in that
extreme affecting still either to speak or hear new things. Oh, were
you called together often, and this said as from God, Repent ye, for the
kingdom of Heaven is at hand, and found obedient, now one heart
yielding, and then another, though it might seem poor to vain heads,
yet oh, what excellent preaching were it ! God's voice more regarded
and owned, would make that sweet which we often despise.
Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Oh, sweet invita
tion, the offer of a pardon to a repenting sinner ! but how much more
that of a kingdom. He might say. Repent, for the prison of HeU is at
hand, if ye do not ; but rather he this way draws, by the happiness
and glory attending our return.
Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. And at hand to
you, if ye repent, to be yours; grace and all the rich promises of it,
and, within a while, full glory. And no more ado ; it is at hand.
Let go your hold of the one, and straight catch hold of the other ; it
is at hand. But who believes this ? If we do, what madness is it
not to accept it !
The chapter hath, first, our Saviour's preparation to his public call
ing ; secondly. His begun administration of it in all the three parts,
preaching of the Gospel, calling disciples, and working miracles.
Ver. 18. And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren.]
Here we have the calling of two pairs of brethren, both of the same
calhng, fishers, to a higher calhng of the same name, fishers stiU, but,
of men : that is the excellency and dignity of it. Not now to follow
out the resemblance, there is much art in this diviije fishing of human

24 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. V.
souls, both in casting the net in pubhc preaching, and angling in pri
vate converse.
Ver. 19. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him,]
This was as Elijah's touch to Elisha, What have I done to thee? Did
our hearts once hear his voice, net would not entangle us ; nor cables
bind us ; no friends, nor parents, nor business would hold us : we
should break from all, yea, if it might be otherwise, would run from
all, to follow him.
Ver. 23. And Jesus went about all Galilee,] Here observe his
Divine power and goodness shining forth in the miraculous cure of all
diseases. But these bodily cures were but preludes ofthe main work ;
but signs hung out to show where the physician of souls dwelt. And
whatsoever be thy spiritual maladies, though never so many and
so desperate, yet come. Never any came to him and went away
uncured.

CHAPTER V.

Ver. 1. And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain. And when he was
sat, his disciples came unto him.
Ver. 2. And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor, &c.
Others may grow stale, but this sermon, never so often read over, is
always new. Oh, how full of Divine doctrine I How plain, and yet
how high and excellent, delighting the soul as a bright day, clear light
all along I We need not strain for the clearness of it upon that word.
He opened his mouth ; for every word here spoken, speaks for itself;
carries, as light does, its own evidence. He begins with that great
point which all are concerned in, and all naturally someway desirous to
know, the doctrine of blessedness, in short aphorisms ; and the rest of
his discourse follows out the same argument, directing the way to hap
piness in those graces, purity, meekness, mercy, &c. For although all
grace is radically one, and he that hath one, hath all, yet they are thus
specified : 1st. For the weakness of our apprehensions, which take not
fiill views so easily, they are spelled out to us, but only so, that tak
ing them the easier severally, as letters of one word, we may set them
together again, as all being one blessedness. 2dly. Though every true
Christian hath all graces, yet all are not alike eminent in all. We may
confidently say, that there is no one who equally excels in every grace ;
but in several persons, several particular graces do most act and
evidence themselves, shooting up above the rest ; yea, in one and the
same person, one grace will, at some times, be more evident and sen
sible than at others. 3dly. They are thus parcelled out to us, that we may
apply ourselves the more particularly sorfletimes to the study of one,
sometimes to the study of another, the neglect whereof is a great cause
ofour great deficiency in them all. We hear them and like them, may
be, and think, these are good, but we do not set to the attainment of
them : we applaud, and leave them there ; approve all, and neglect

Ver. 1-12.] OP st. Matthew's gospel. 25
all. If at any time we have any desires after them, they are general
and confiised : we grasp at all, and catch nothing.
This I would recommend, to be more particular in our purposes ;
sometimes to set ourselves to some one grace, not secluding nor turning
away the rest, for that cannot be, but yet, more particularly ])lying that
one, were it humility, poverty of spirit, meekness, or any other ; and
for some time to make that one our main task, were it for some weeks
or months together, and examine every day's practice in that particu
larly. But like unsettled students among raany books, we rove and
reel, and make offers at every grace, and still lag behind, and make no
considerable purchase nor progression in any.
Now, for blessedness, what is the common voice, at least, of men's
minds and practices, though they speak it not out ? Blessed are the
rich, the honourable, the well-landed or well-befriended, and they that
can grow great enough in the world. But if we believe this Teacher,
it is not these ; no such matter. But if blessedness be in things spi
ritual and inward, then men would imagine readily of those things
¦which sound highest, that have sorae grandeur, and somewhat heroic
in them, — in great knowledge of faculty, and zeal for high services, or
in raptures, and ecstasies, and singular divine experiences. But here
there is nothing of these neither, but the meanest, most despised things ;
yea, those that (sorae of them) seem to sound as miserable and sad :
The poor in spirit — they that mourn — the meek, &c. Oh ! sweet, lowly
graces, poverty of spirit, meekness, that grow low, and are of dark hue,
as the violets, but of a fragrant smell ; as one says, chief in garlands :
these are prime in the garlands of a Christian. Oh ! study these ;
seek to have them growing within you. Suffering remarkable martyr
dom may seem to have some lustre in it ; but how take you it, to be
reviled and scoffed at, and hated, and taunted, by Christians in name,
because thou desirest to be one indeed ?
Each of these beatitudes, for all the low sound at first, ends high,
and makes good the title. Blessed are the poor in spirit; ay, they are
the only rich, heirs to a kingdom, and such a kingdom : theirs is the
kingdom of God. Lofty, vain minds are truly base. By poverty in
spirit is meant, I conceive, not only a sense of spiritual want, (though
commonly it is so taken,) but, more comprehensively, a lowly frame of
heart, not swelled either with desires, or delight, or conceit, of any
worldly advantage, or self-excellency, either outward or inward. Thus
may a man be, amidst very many such advantages and riches, poor,
and that is his blessing. Yet here is connoted, I conceive, the condi
tion of outward poverty as more suiting, and usually more connected
with that temper of spirit. In St. Luke it is. Blessed are the poor,
opposed to the rich. And he that is poor in spirit, if outwardly poor,
is truly rich in the midst of poverty. So, they that mourn shall be
comforted, and the meek shall inherit the earth. Not that this is their
all, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, also. But this word from the
Psalm carries a fit promise, that meekness, seeming to be that which
makes a man a prey to every one, and easily -wronged and thrust out
by all, yet shall be provided and protected, and he shall enjoy so much
even of this earth as is fit for him, -with more quiet and sweetness, than
the proud and boisterous, who are ever, almost, in contentions.

26 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. V,
The pure in heart, abridging themselves of sights and enjoyments
that the world seeks after — sensual delights, the lust of the flesh, the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, — shall have a better sight, and
purer joy, suiting thera ; sweetest communion with God here, and ere
long fiill vision ; for they shall see God, So in the rest, it is clear.
Blessed are they which are persecuted  Rejoice.] Look off from
your sufferings, and each way you will find matter of encouragement
and joy. Look back to the prophets that were before you, and look
forward to the reward in heaven that is before you. The firm belief
of that kingdora, that glory above, that vision, what will not make easy
to forego or undergo, to do or suffer ? It is the want of that belief
that keeps the low things of this earth so high in our esteem.
Ver. 13, 14. Ye are the salt of the earth — ye are the light of the
world.] This next point particularly concerns the disciples, and after
them, the ministers of Christ. In these resemblances lie their dignity
and their duty ; and the former is used for urging the latter ; and that
is the best view of it. Let men look as much as they can upon the
excellency of this their high calling, so that it raise their spirits to high
endeavours of acting suitably to it. What a simple thing, to feed self-
conceit by this ! Alas, poor man ! He is light indeed in another sense,
who grows vain upon it that he is called light, and does not rather
tremble that he is so unlike it in this. Salt — What were all table
provisions without this ? Light — What were the world without this ?
Christ communicates his own name to them. The Ught of the world.
All the children of God are children of light, but his messengers more
eminently so. Men that think ministers a needless commodity in the
world, if they give any belief to the Gospel, may see what they are :
and if you could live well without salt, and without light, so might ye
without ministers.
But, alas ! how much unsavoury salt, how many dark lights are
amongst us! And ifthe salt lose its savour, it can do good to nothing,
and nothing can do good to it. The most unprofitable piece of the
world, is either a profane, a carnal, or a formal, dead minister ; he is
good for nothing, — unsavoury salt, of all things the most unsavoury,
And if the light within thee be darkness, (as our Saviour says after
wards,) how great is that darkness ! Oh, that Christ shined more in
our labours, in our conversation, and in companies where we come ;
that we were more savoury and seasoning others ; not in jestings, or in
sports, (these salts are unsavoury in ministers,) but in words of edifi
cation, ministering grace to the hearers ! And this, though it specially
applies to ministers, yet extends to all Christians. Let your light so
shine, not to make yourselves somebody, but for the glory of th^
Father of lights, -whence you have that Hght, your Heavenly Father.
Oh, that this were predominant in all I Happy that heart that is filled
with constant desires of this, and that aims at the glory of God, mind
ing self in nothing, but God in all !
Ver. 17. Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the pro
phets^ He lays hold of this, takes occasion upon clearing a mistake
that had arisen respecting him, to pass on to such doctrines as he
knew were necessary for the clearing of the Law of God, wronged by
false glosses ; and he thus vindicates both himself and that Law

Ver, 21.] OP st. Matthew's gospel. 27
whereof he was the lord and author. Some, possibly, to obstruct his
-vvay, and prejudice him in men's opinions, spake of him as a teacher
of new doctrine, and an enemy of the Law : others, it rnay be, hearing
ofa doctrine that sounded new, would willingly ha\e had it so, would
have been free, and enjoy libertinism. Now, to dispel both misappre
hensions, our Saviour owns his purpose to be nothing such. On the
contrary, I come not to destroy, but to fulfil. This did he in all
things, in doctrine and in practice ; and he declares it a thing im
possible for any to annul the Law ; that if any should offer at it, in his
actions or doctrine, he should undo hiraself, but not the least tittle of
the Law. Yet, further, these men that cry up the Law, and would
charge me with the dissolving of it, for all their noise, I declare to
you, that except you take heed, and observe that Law better than
they do, ye cannot enter into Heaven. How many deceive theraselves,
as these self-pleasing, vain raen did ! But be warned. Except your
righteou.sness, your religion, go beyond the ci-vil neighbour, the good
church-keeper, the forraal, painted professor, ye shall fall short of that
which both you and thev reckon upon. How many, who think them
selves fair for Heaven, shall find themselves wofuUy mistaken, when it
is past help ! Oh ! examine well in due time, and see whether you are
indeed for Heaven or not. It is the saddest mistake ever man fell
into, to dream on of Heaven, till he find himself in Hell.
Ver. 21. Ye have heard, Sj'c] Now he clears the Law, and
teaches the true spiritual sense of it, in divers pioints of it, wherein it
was grossly abused ; shews that it binds not only the hand and the
tongue, but even the heart. Men aiming at self-righteousne§s by the
Law, and desirous of that as cheap as might be, with the least pains,
not being -willing or able to rise to its perfection, drew it down and
shaped it to their imperfection ; cut it to the measure of external obe
dience, and that of the easiest size. Thus men readily do ; they
rather fancy the word and rules of Christianity to their humours, than
purge and correct those humours by the word. This exposition of the
sixth commandment, condemns not only gross murder, but rash anger
and reviling speech, as a breach of.it, and condemnable: which ig
expressed in allusion to the civil judicatures among the Jews, and
thence, in case of any such thing, he presses speedy and undelayed
reconcilement, as a thing most acceptable to God, and without which
no other homages or religious performances would be acceptable to
him. Now it is not only anger without cause that is condemned, but
vain, undue anger, exceeding cause and measure. AVere there the
consciousness and constant regard of this ; were every reproachful or
disdainful word, every harsh look, every rising angry thought against
thy brother looked on as murder. Oh, in what order would it put thy
tongue, eye, and heart, in this respect ! This we hear, and think it
should be thus, but we have not resolved that it must be thus, do not
watch and pray that it raay be so, after an unchaste look and touch of
irapure desire, though not breaking out to act, yea, though not ripen
ing within to full consent.
And by occasion of this, a man being ready to think. Oh, how
strait, how hard is this ! he adds, in verse 29, a useful advice, and a
powerfid encouragement -with it. If thine eye offend thee — any thing

28 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. VI.
that proves a snare, how dear soever, as a right eye, or right hand.
Men are loath to pare off or abridge occasions of sin, where some
strong interest binds them. But thus to go whole and sound to hell !
— Oh ! better limp to heaven.
Ver. 31, Then follows, of divorce, which, upon any difference, was
worn into common use, and opinion of lawfulness. Afterwards, he
speaks of usual vain swearing, a sin which raen have always aff'ected,
even they who, by profession, are God's own people : at which a man
mio-ht wonder, did not we find it so lamentably true. But yet. Swear
not at all, not after the liberty you take by swearing either by heaven
or earth, thinking thus you spare God's name ; but swearing by them
must have relation to God, and so his name is interested. But Oh !
a little reverence for the great God would make thee tremble at it.
Nothing is a stronger evidence of a graceless heart, than oaths and
profane swearing.
Lastly, at ver. 43, we have that sweet doctrine of not revenging,
but patiently bearing, and readily forgiving of injuries, and loving
enemies, and doing good to all. This does not bar any calm way of
self-righting, to which there is sometimes an obligation; but men
over-stretch it, and passion and self-love domineer, under this pretext.
Therefore, the words sound a little extreme, as a counter-bowing of
our crooked hearts, but it is to bring them straight. Let Julian and
other atheists laugh at it, but it is the glory of Christians. No doc
trine or religion in the world, presses so much clemency and inno
cency, and bounty as theirs, even to sworn enemies. This, we say, is
its glory. And whereas it seems to render men sheepish, to make
them less than men, it makes them indeed more than men, even like
God. Benignity and mercy are Divine and Godlike, chief traits of
God's image in his children. His sun rises, and his rain descends on
the just and the unjust. So, a diffusive, sweet, bountiful soul, is still
desiring to do good, by hand, by counsel, by any comfort within its
reach towards all, rewarding good for evil. These things, deeply
thought on and really practised, would make Christians indeed, chil
dren like their Heavenly Father.

CHAPTER VL

Christ's business upon earth was, to bring man to Heaven. He came
down, and became man, for that purpose; came forth from God, to
bring us back to God, 1 Pet. iii. 18. As his life and death, so his
Divine doctrine tends to that, to enlighten the minds of men with the
right knowledge, and inflame their hearts with the real love of God.
We are drowned in sense and the love of earthly things ; and in spi
ritual things, our hearts are sensual and earthly. Now you perceive
the doctrine of this chapter, clearly airaing at the raising of men's
hearts to Heaven. That is the end of the Gospel and all preaching,
that men may learn in all their actions, to eye God more and man less ;
to be less earnest and careful for earth, and more for Heaven. Tliis is
the scope of the chapter.

Ver. 1.] OF ST. Matthew's gospel. 29
These two main evils in the heart of man, hj'pocrisy and earthliness,
spring from ignorance and forgetfulness of God. Deep persuasions of
God and hca\ enly things, would set men and earthly things very low
in our hearts. Would it be possible for men to love the prai.se of men
more than the praise of God, if they considered what He is, and what
man is ; how high and how lasting a good is His liking and approba
tion, how poor and vanishing a thing in man's good opinion ? Oh,
atheism, atheism ! hence springs the love of present things. Both
these go under that name, present esteera, and present possessions.
The one, the love of air, (as 1 may say,) the other, the love of earth ;
and both spring frora want of behef and love of Heaven, so high above
both. This is the great work, to call off' the eye from this low pro
spect, to raise it up higher, to look ?iot on things seen, but on things
not seen. And Oh, the odds ! Things thai are seen, are temporal ;
things that are not seen, are eternal, 2 Cor. iv. 18. At this our Sa
viour aims his discourse, to persuade men to singleness of heart in
their performance of religious duties, and moderation of mind in their
provision for earthly necessities.
Having spoken of doing good in the former chapter, he speaks now
of the manner and intention which is chieffy to be heeded, to exceed
the Pharisees, who did many outward actions, particularly of these
here specified, but spoiled all by the wretched desire of vain glory ; a
subtle evil preying most on best things, alms, prayer, &c. — a moth
that breeds in and corrupts the finest garments.
The duties he particularly names, are these three. Alms, Prayer,
Fasting. Alms I scruple not to call a religious duty, though of the
Second Table, upon the apostle St. James's warrant. Jam. i. 27.
And the way of it which our Saviour here teaches, will make it reli
gious indeed : to regard God in it, not to seek to appear to man, yea,
to seek not to appear to man ; to hide and cover it all that thou canst
from men. We are commanded, indeed, in the former chapter, to let
our light shine before men : this here is not contrary, yea, thai is the
same with this : this barring vain self-glory, that directing to God's
glory. Let your light shine, but so shine, (like the sun that gives
light and scarcely suffers you to look upon itself,) thai they may see
your works, yourselves as little as may be, and nn,ay glorify, not you,
but your Heavenly Father, Good actions cannot well be hid, and
possibly, some even of this sort, giving of alms. Yea, sometimes it
may be necessary for example and exciting others, that they should
know of it. But take heed that vanity creep not in under this. And
further than either unavoidable necessity, or some evident further good
of thy neighbour carries it, desire to be unknown and unseen in this.
When it must be public, let thy intention be secret. Take no delight
in having the eyes of men on thee : yea, rather count it a pain, and
still eye God alone, for he eyes thee. And remember it, even in pub
lic acts of charity, and other such like. He sees in secret. Though the
action be no secret, the spring, the source of it is, and He sees by
what weights the wheels go, and He still looks upon that ; views thy
heart, the hidden bent and intention of it, which man cannot see. So
then, though in some cases thou must be seen to do, yet, in no case do
to be seen : that differs much, and where that is, even the other will

so LECTURES ON THE FIRST" NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. VI.
be as little as may be. Thou vrilt desire rather, and, where it can be,
still choose to do unseen, that others should know as httle of thy cha
rity as may be, besides the party that receives it ; yea, if it might be,
that even the party might not know, — as he that stole in money under
his sick friend's pillow ; yea, to let thy very self know as little as possible,
as our Saviour here expresses it, Lei not thy left hand know what thy
right hand doeth. An excellent word ! Reflect not on it as thy
action, with self-pleasing ; that is the left hand in view ; but look on
God' goodness to thee, that thou art not in the receiver's room, and he
in thine ; that He makes thee able to relieve another, which many are
not, and being able, makes thee willing, which far fewer are. For
both, thou art to bless Him, and be the humbler, the more thou dost.
Take thy very giving to thy distressed brother, as a gift from God, a
further obligation on thee. Though he is pleased to become thy
debtor for a further reward, yet, truly, the thing itself is His gift, and a
great one, as David acknowledges excellently in their offering to the
Temple, I Chron. xxix. 14 : But who am I, and what is my people,
that we should be able to offer so willingly, after this sort ? For all
things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee, Not
only the power, but the will is from God, both of thine own which we
give Thee,
Oh, how far are the most from this direct looking to God, this heart-
enlarging love of God ! And therefore are they so close-handed to the
necessities ofthe poor, even ofthe saints, where some enforcing occa
sion, some eye of men, some wretched side respect or other draws it
not forth. A thousand objections are raised : either they need it not,
or will not accept of it, or have this fault or that, are proud or idle,
&c. But does not thy God see what is at the bottom of all this logic,
these disputes before they come off with any thing ? And when thou
dost give, how much of self, and how little of God is there in it ! The
left hand knows, yea, it is done with the left hand, though the bodily
right hand do it. Most men's charity is altogether left-handed : sinis
ter respects and intentions are the main movers in it.
But how noble and happy a thing is a truly liberal heart ! Even
natural liberty hath much beauty in it, but much more that which is
spiritual and Christian. According to thy power, abounding in good
works, that is riches,' — rich in good works ; and he that soweth plen-
iifidly, shall reap plentifidly. And be cheerful in it, and do this for
God, out of love to Him. And for the fruit, how rich is that ! So
much as it is fit to look to reward, look to God's only. Take Him as
thy debtor upon His word, rather than present payment from men.
Theirs is present indeed, and our carnal hearts are all for the present,
but consider, as it is present, so it passes presently, and is straightway
spent. God's reward, though to come, is yet certain, and when come,
is abiding, everlasting. Thus, in respect of all good actions, and a
holy self-denying course of life, in nothing take pay of men. How
vain, what smoke is it, their breath, and how soon will it be spent !
And then, when thou shouldst come to look for a reward from God, to
know it is done, that you are paid already ! That well judged, is one
ofthe saddest words in all the scripture, the hypocrite's doom. He
hath no more to look for ; he would be seen, and was seen ; he would

Ver. 19.] OF er. Matthew's gospel. 31
be praised of men, and pi-aised he was ; he is paid, and can expect no
further, but that reward which he would gladly miss, the hypocrite's
portion, eternal fire.
As to Prayer, how foolish and how \\retched a thing is it, to speak
to God, and look to men ! What is there wherein the heart will be
single and abstracted. from men, and commune with God alone, if not
in prayer ?
Another e\i\, much like to that of shew, is here corrected, an
affected, empty, babbling, length in prayer, without affection. The
want of that, makes a short prayer long and babbling ; while rauch of
that, makes a long prayer short: as in a speech, the quaUty is the mea
sure of the quantity, a long speech may be very short. This affected
length we incline to very much in holy exercises ; many beads are
dropped, and paternosters said, &c. We lay too much stress on the
continuance and length ; think all's well, if enough be done ; whereas
God's thoughts are far other, and ours should conform to his. It is
enough if well done. Ifthe heart is close to hira in ever so short a
prayer, there is much said in a little. We usually speak many words,
and say little. For help in this, the most excellent model given by
our Saviour, is here inserted ; the beautiful order and fiill comprehen
sive matter of which, can never be enough admired.
Then as to Fasting, which is a necessary help of Prayer ; it does
iinclog and free the wings of the soul to mount to Heaven ; and in
some respects, it is a help to alms too. The same rule must here be
observed, to appear as little as may be ; for the affected discovery
spoils and loses all, yea, the needless discovery runs too much hazard,
therefore it is by all means to be avoided. Personal fasting should be
conducted secretly. Practise constant temperance. Better to let the
bridle be always short held on thy appetite, than soraetimes to pull it
in extremely, and then lay the reins loose again ; that is the way to
stumble and fall in both.
Ver. 19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,] In these
words our Saviour enforces the other point of moderation. The heart
in Heaven, and fixed on the true treasure there, is the only way to
regulate and moderate the desires in all things on earth. For it is the
distempered love of earthly things, that causes all the distracting care
about them ; and the cause of thiat distempered love to earth, is igno
rance of Heaven, and disaffection to it. Men may discourse of many
considerations, and soraetimes think soberly, how foolishly man tur
moils, and is disquieted in vain, heaping up, and not knowing who shall
possess, and kno-wing certainly that not he very long, that he is shortly
to leave all. But these things will not prevail ; men keep their hold.
Not only their hands, but their hearts, are still fastened to what they
have, and what they would have still more of, rather than of those
excellent things which would call them off from earthly enjoyments, to
fix them on heaven and imraortality, if these were really believed.
Where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through
and steal,] Inward decay, and outward hazards ! The treasure above
is free from both. Oh, that ours were there ! But hearts that are so
little there, make it very questionable. Oh, for an eye single and pure,
enUghtened to behold that blessed hope, and to fix upon it ! Can an

32 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. VII.
heir of Heaven be much troubled upon earth ? Impossible. If at any
time his heart bends that way, will he not straightly check himself, and
think, Wliat am I doing? Is this my business? The Gentiles seek
for them, and look for no raore : they must make the best of them ; but
would I be content with this for my portion ? Where lies my treasure ?
Who is my master ?
Ver. 24 — 34. No man can serve two masters. — Therefore I say unto
you, take no thought for your life.] Our Saviour here argues against
the service of the world ; first, as unworthy a servant of Christ ;
secondly, as impossible for hira ; thirdly, as needless, and that at large.
Your heavenly Father knows your need, and cares for you. Ye need
not both care ; his care is sufficient. Further, it is fruitless : such
your perplexing care is, for due diligence in one's calling, is not barred ;
yea, that is to be used, that we may care the less. Then, it avails
nothing. Ver. 27. Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit
unto his stature ? Lay these things together. Your Father will care and
provide. He that clothes the lilies, and feeds the birds, wiU he aflow
his children to starve and go naked ? Then think how preposterous
and absurd to distrust him'in these petty things, when you trust him in
so much greater.
Ver. 33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, A kingdom! Oh,
seek that, and account, as he does, all things else but accessaries, a
parcel by the bye, to be cast in. But alas ! little see we of that great
inheritance, that kingdom, and therefore these httle poor things seem
so great with us.

CHAPTER VII.

We have here continued the dropping of the Divine doctrine of Christ,
distilling as the dew in several brief rules, as pure pearly drops of hea
venly wisdom, in divers particulars of main use and concernment.
First, there is a direction concerning judging of men, ver. 1 — 6.
Then, another, regarding the supplicating of God, ver. 7 — II. After
that, the straight rule of equity given us, ver. 12. And then, the
straight way of happiness recommended, ver. 13, 14. Lastly, a double
word of caution to undeceive us, both in the discerning of others'
teaching, and our own learning, ver. 15 — 27: we are to beware that
we be not deluded by false teachers, and that v/e delude not ourselves,
being false learners under the teaching of truth. These are most
weighty points ; but hght vain hearts are little taken with them.
Ver. 1 — 5. Judge not, that ye be not judged,] This is a most com
mon evil in man's perverse nature. Even moral men have taken notice
of it ; yea, almost every man perceives and hates it in another, and
yet hugs it in himself. This is the evil — unequal judging ; sharp-
sightedness in the evils of others, and blindness in our own. And this
very evil itself, of unequal judging, we can perceive in another, and
overlook in our own bosom. What discourse fills most societies, and
consumes their time, but descant on the conditions and actions of
others !

.Ver. 1-5.] OF st. Matthew's gospel. 33
Lawfiil judgments in states, for the censuring and punishment of
criraes, are not barred ; nor, in private persons, a prudent discerning
of what is evil and sinful in others, and judging accordingly of it. But
this judging is, the usually taking the chair to censure all persons and
affairs about us ; the prying into the actions, yea, even the intentions
of raen, either through a false glass, seeing faults where there are none,
or through a magnifying and raultiplying glass, making them appear
many more than indeed they are. This is done, first, by a curious
searching into the actions of others ; secondly, by the censuring- of
good and indifferent actions as evil ; thirdly, by hasty, rash censuring
of doubtfiil actions, though a httle suspicious ; fourthly, by a true cen
suring of evil actions, yet not with a good intention, — not to amend but
to defame thy brother ; and, fifthly, by a desperate sentencing of the
final estate even ofthe worst.
This is here declared to be dangerous and preposterous. 1st. Dan
gerous, by drawing an answerably severe censure and judgment upon
ourselves, usually even from men, but, however, certainly from God.
Thou that playest the arch critic on all around thee, art thou without
fault ? Hast thou flattered thyself into such a fancy, as to think that
thou art above aU exception ? Is there nothing, either a true or a
seeming blemish, for any to point at in thee ? Surely there is some
thing, some part lying open, that men may hit at thee ; and they will
surely not miss to do it, if thou provokest them. However, remember,
if thou shouldest escape all tongues, and pass free this way, yet, One un
avoidable searching hand thou must corae under ; His judgraent who
sees thee to the bottom, and can charge thee with the secret sins of
thy bosom. He can and will so pay thee home, all thy unjust judg
ments of thy brethren, with just judging of thy ways and thoughts, that
thou thyself shalt confess no wrong is done to thee. For with what
judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.
Then, 2dly. It is absurd and preposterous. First cast the beam out
of thine own eye. If thou wouldst, to any good purpose, take know
ledge of thy brother's failings, begin at home ; so clear thine eye as to
discern aright. A heart well purified, speaks the most suitable and
pertinent reproofs, and they prove the most piercing and powerful.
Shall these things prevail, my brethren ? Were it love to God, a
fire of holy zeal, it would seize first on things nearest it ; but it is a
flying, infernal wildfire, running abroad and scattering itself. Is not
this the grand entertainment ? Such-a-one is a foolish person ; ano
ther, proud ; a third, covetous. And of persons professing religion,
yet will ye say. They are as contentious, and bitter, and avaricious as
others ; or, at best, if you have nothing to say against them particu
larly, yet. All is dissimulation ; they are but hypocrites. And while a
mind is of this vein, beheve me, the most blameless track of life, and in
it the very best action, how easy is it to invent a sinister sense of it,
and blur it !
But oh I my brethren, be not so foohsh. Blunt the fiery edge off
your censures on yourselves, where it is so safe and advantageous to
be thorough and home. Just the opposite to this, judging others
incurs sharp judgraent ; but judging thyself is the way not to be judged.
1 Cor. xi. 31. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be
Vol. II. D

34 lectures on the first nine chapters [Chap. VII.
judged. This is the happy and gainful severity. Learn, then, to look
upon others, and afl their ways, with the highest charity, which thinketh
no evil, is witty and inventive of good constructions upon anything
that may clear them, as malice is of miscensures of the best things.
Take aU candidly and mildly by the easiest side, the right handle. And
for thyself, search thy heart ; sift, try thy best actions, find out thy own
earthliness, thy pride and vanity, thy selfishness and hypocrisy, even in
good. A self-searching Christian is made up of humility and meek
ness. If thou wouldst find much peace and favour with God and
man, be very low in thine own eyes. Forgive thyself little, and
others much.
Ver. 6. Give not ihat which is holy unto the dogs,] The former
rule abates the sharp eye of rash judging ; this quickens and clears the
eye of right discerning : that was for the moderate censuring of evil ;
this is for the prudent imparting of gOod. Be ready to communicate
spiritual good to all, yet so as, if men do evidence themselves to be as
dogs and swine, to have that high esteem of holy things, as not to
prostitute them to their contempt and rage, and wrong both those
excellent things and yourselves ; lest they trample them, as puddled
swine, not knowing their worth, and turn again and rend you, as
enraged dogs.
Holy things — pearls. So are they esteemed by all that know them ;
the sweet and precious promises ofthe word, the excellent high calhng of
a Christian ; and their price is inestimable. The pearl of great price is,
Jesus Christ, revealed in the Gospel. Oh, learn and seek after high
esteeming thoughts of him and of Divine things. Learn to be rich in
those, and to covet them indeed. And though imparting them to others,
it impairs them not to yourselves, and therefbre, you are to be ready and
free that way ; yet, because of some manifest despisers of them, learn
this wisdom in that matter. Give not holy things to dogs.
There is an imprudent zeal, and sometimes a mixture of an irreve
rent comraonness, in speaking of holy things indifferently in all compa
nies. Certainly, such company willingly ought to be chosen, as give
most liberal and kind entertainment to such discourse. But when not
of choice, but by some unavoidable engagement, we fall among others,
then our rule ought to be, not to partake of their ungodly ways and
communication ; but for the communicating, in another way, holy
things to them, this must be well ad-vised on, whether it be suitable to
this rule. We are not, indeed, to give persons easily up for desperate,
as dogs or swine ; this were to fall into the former fault of rash judg
ing ; but where they are evidently such, the respect of holy things is
to be preserved, and not unwisely to be exposed to their derision.
Much need is there of a spirit of wisdom in this, without which
there is no instructing by rules, so as to guide us aright in all parti
cular occurrences and societies ; therefore we are to beg that anoint
ing that teacheth ns all things, 1 John ii. 27. Speak willingly to
God, but still with holy fear in thyself, and it may be entertained with
holy fear to others.
Ver. 7. A.sk, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find :
knock, and it shall be opened unto you,] This is for advantage to all.
For wisdom to fohow the foregoing and foUowing rules, the great

Ver. 12-15.] of st. Matthew's gospel. 35
purveyor of a Christian, is prayer, and the great qualifications of
prayer, a,re perseverance and fervency . Ask — seek — knock; be earnest
and importunate ; give not over. And the great support, the very
life of prayer, that which quickens and continues it, and keeps it from
giving over, is faith, a firm persuasion of audience and attainment.
This is here ascertained by our Saviour ; proved by irrefragable argu
ment. All good is promised to be given, and that which is the top of
all, the chief to be sought, the Holy Spirit, is proraised to them that
ask it, as St. Luke hath it. We say our prayers, and there is an end.
And this perfunctorious formality creeps even upon Christians who are
unwary and slothful, and hence so littie is obtained. Many that pray,
know little of this Divine art of prayer, this wrestling with God, this
resolving not to let Him go until He bless them, as Jacob did.
Ver. 12. Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should
do to you, do ye even so to them.] This is added, and seems con
nected, but it is another rule apart, and that great rule which all know
and few observe, — in equity, in charity, meekness, and all due re
spect. Self, self undoes all, and sets the world on fire. Though it be
a separate precept, yet it may have some aspect to the former respect
ing prayer, as, if you would have God condescending, and favourable,
and bountiful to you, be so to men ; and so you shall be, if you
change places and suppose yourself in their room, and they in yours.
Thi^ is the Law and the Prophets : that is, all is of this nature. Duty
to others, as pressed in the Law and the Prophets, is reducible to
this. Ver. 13. Enter ye in at the strait gate.] This is undeniably a main
point ; yet, alas I we seem not to think so. How disinclined are we
to the way of eternal happiness ! The difficulty is so represented as
to add an edge to our earnestness, not to abate and weaken our en
deavours. This way is strait indeed, but there is still room enough
within. John xiv. 2. In my Father's house are many mansions.
The ease and delight there, shall abundantly compensate all the
trouble in the way. We must resolve then, if we would not perish,
that we must take this way, how strait and rugged soever, and strip
and put off all that entangles and encumbers, — that swelling pride,
those superfluous desires and lusts ; yea, to put off and leave behind
even self itself. Once in at that gate, we shall find all perfectly com
pensated. And remember, they are few that enter ; few there are
that so much as seek it, but far fewer that find it, even of those that
make some kind of seeking after it. Many shall seek to enter, (so it
is in the other Evangelist,) and shall not be able ; therefore, strive ye.
What bustle is there made by sea and land for scraps of this earth,
and Heaven alone is so cheap in our eyes, as if it were worth no dili
gence, scarce even a serious thought ! Surely, either Heaven is but a
fancy, or the world is mad ?
Ver. 15. Beware of false prophets.] Not to go wrong in our way, we
must take heed not to mistake our guides, (especially as so many in
all ages give themselves out for such,) that they mislead us not, wrap
ping error in truth's mantle : yet, there is ever something to a discern
ing eye, that will readily discover them. As for the grand deceiver,
the De-vil, the vulgar fable, that in all apparitions whatsoever there is
D2

36 lectures on the first nine chapters [Chap. VIII.
still the shape of a cloven foot, holds true, for there is something in
their carriage that, narrowly eyed, will tell what they are. Ye shall
know them by their fruits.
Ver. 21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdotn of Heaven.] But every man is his own worst de
ceiver ; therefore he ought most to loeware of himself. Whether
teacher or learner, he is his own false prophet, speaking peace where
there is no peace. Therefore, beware of yourselves. Delude not your
selves with a vain trust in an empty profession. Not every one that
says Lord, Lord — that makes much noise and sound of the name of
Christ, yea, that bears his name to others, that preaches him. Oh !
how many shall find themselves to have misreckoned in that day,
when they are not owned by Him, but commanded away by that sad
word Depart ! Look to it, therefore, to the truth of denying your
selves, and your own will, and yielding yourselves up to God : — but he
ihat doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven, says our Sa
viour. Oh ! take heed of founding your house in the sand. Though
ever so stately and fair built, and shewing fine, yet that foundation
will be its ruin. There is no safe building but on the rock, that Rock
of salvation who here taught this doctrine. Then come storms as
they will, there can be no fear. He that buildeth on Him shall not be
ashamed. I Peter ii. 6. No matter what houses or lands ye have
here, whether any or none, — He himself had none here, — provided
you build on Him as the foundation of eternal blessedness. Oh, that
men would think of this, and amidst all their ensuring of things still
unsure, would mind the making of this sure, which may be raade so
sure for ever, as not to be moved !
Ver. 28. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings,
ihe people were astonished at his doctrine.] A Divine way of teaching !
Even some not converted, are yet struck and astonished with it, bnt
by this eminently. He taught them as one having authority. This
not only by a powerfiil secret influence, on hearts which He touched
by his Divine power, but even in the way of his own teaching. And
for some measure of this. His ministers ought to seek, and to seek it
from Hira, if they would find it. There is a force in things spoken
from the heart with holy and spiritual affection : even coramon things
thus spoken, are far above the greatest strains and notions, that are
only an harangue or speech framed by strength of gifts and study.
Oh ! much prayer would put hfe and authority into what we speak.
To be much on the mount with God, would make our faces shiiie
when coming with His message to men.

CHAPTER VIII.

He dwell among us, says St. John, and we saw his glory, as the glory
of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth. This all his
history testifies of hira, both his marvellous doctrine foregoing, and his
miraculous works that here follow.

Ver. 1-3.] OF st. Matthew's gospel. 37
Ver. 1. When he was come doicn from the mountain, great multi
tudes followed him.] A thing he noways regarded, yet would not
hinder; yea, he continued teaching and working those things that
drew them. His delight was not in their flocking after him, but in
instructing and doing them good.
Ver. 2. And' behold, ihere came a leper and worshipped him.]
Whether this was intended as the liighest kind of ci\il reverence, as to
a prophet, or Divine worship, as to God, it is not easy to aver, be
cause it is hard to determine what kind of persuasion he, and the cen
turion, and others now coming to him, had ; how little, or how much,
or if any apprehension of him as the Messiah and Son of God. This
being as yet not much noised abroad, yet they might have it by spe
cial revelation from God. A high confidence, however, there was of a
Divine power being with him for the greatest works. This is clearly
expressed ; and in whatsoever notion it was, our Sa\'iour takes it very
graciously, and grants their suits. We are comraonly unsatisfied with
all that comes not up to our own height ; but our meek Redeemer
cherisheth sincerity, and accepts of what he finds, even the very least,
and extols it to the highest pitch it was capable of.
Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.] Strong confidence
and huraility are contempered in this word : confidence in asserting
full power in Christ for the work ; (the doubt of his will cannot be
challenged as injurious or unbelieving, for he had as yet no warrant
absolutely to believe that he would ;) the humihty in the way of pro
pounding it, not daring peremptorily to sue for it, but moving it thus,
as a thing in his hand to do ; the sense of his \ile disease and other
unworthiness, it is likely, depressing him, and forming his desire in
this stvle only, as representing and reserving the matter with humble
submission, as resolved not to quarrel nor complain if he should
refiise, but to acknowledge pure corapassion and goodness, if obtained:
q. d. Lord, it becoraes not such a horrid, polluted wretch to say any
fiirther than this, I beheve, and crave leave to say it out, if thou wilt,
thou canst make me clean.
Ver. 3. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him,] And this
humble motion is as graciously taken : he hath straightway real ex
perience both of the power that he believed in, and of the good-will
that he durst not think himself so sure of, yet had (no doubt) some
good hope of. Thou sayest, I can ? I say, I will : be thou clean.
And the touch of his hand is a concurrent sign of his goodness and
condescension. That word had power enough alone, without the
touch ; yet it goes not alone, lest it should look like a disdain of
touching. He is pleased, therefore, to put his pure hand to the de
filed skin of this leper, being in no hazard to receive pollution by that
touch by which the leper received a cleansing. And thus in his word
he speaks to sinners, where he hath revealed his will together with
his power ; and that we may doubt it not, we may read it in his blood
streaming forth for our cleansing. Yet, if any one, out of a deep
sense of his vileness, think, I know thSt he can cleanse me, but will
he look upon such a one ? Or, if he look, will he not straight turn
away ? Will he vouchsafe to touch my filthy sores, and apply his
own precious blood for my cleansing and healing ? Yes, He unit.

38. LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. VIII.
Speak it not as doubting, but as humbly referring the matter, thou
mayest even in the same style, say. Lord, I am filthy as ever any that
came to thee, yet, if thou will, thou canst make me clean. And thou
shalt find that powerful cure from a word of his mouth, and a touch
of his hand, that all thy scrubbing, and washing, and bathing in legal
self-cleansings, could never have attained ; and that not only as to the
o-uiltiness, but likewise as to the power and polluting filthiness of thy
sin. And this is to be laid before him in the prevailings of lusts and
sinful impurities : Lord, thou knowest how impossible it is for me,
and I know how possible, how easy it is for thee, to cleanse me.
And if thou shouldst say no more, lie before him, and look upward
till he pity thee. If he be not changed from what he was, he will
pity thee, and thou shalt find it.
Ver. 4. And Jesus saiih unto him. See that thou tell no man.]
This charge not to divulge the cure, besides our Lord's exemplary hu
mihty in avoiding noise, was that he might wait the fitter time of dis-
coverino- himself, and because as yet, it might rather hinder him : as
Mark i. 45. The other Evangelists tell us that the man kept not this
injunction, wherein, though he was to be blamed, yet there is some
excuse in part, from the ardent affection and overcoming joy that he
could not well conceal. Nor are we sharply to inveigh against aU the
impertinences and imprudences of new converts, in their speeches and
carriage in rehgious things, though they are to be admonished to
study prudence. It is no wonder that so high a change does a little
transport them beyond their bounds. The shewing io ihe priest, and
off'ering ofthe gift, was both a respect to the Law, not as yet out of
date, and a provision for a testimony for Christ, when it should be
afterwards known that he had done it. This may be the meaning of
that word, for a testimony to ihem. And it is not at all unlikely, that
the restraint from publishing it to others, was only till it should be
first shewn to the priest, and approved by him as full cleanness, which,
possibly, otherwise, out of en-vy to Jesus Christ, they might have de
nied, if it had been known and famed abroad as his work.
Ver. 5 — 9. And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there
came unto him a centurion, beseeching him.] The history of the cen
turion hath much of the like confidence and lowliness. He desired
him but to say the word, no more being needful for the thing to be
done, and no more fit to be desired of him who is addressed. / am
not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof. They that spake
for him, as St. Luke hath it, said. He was worthy for whom Jesus
should do this. He, of a far different mind, sends by others what is
here related as his own speech ; they speaking what he put in their
mouths, that he was not worthy of Christ's presence. His confidence
of power in Christ's word to do the deed, he expresses by the resem
blance of his own command over his soldiers. He himself being but
one under others, was yet so readily obeyed by those under him ; and
he beheved all diseases to be much more under the word of Jesus's
command. So, indeed, they know his word, and so, also, he rebukes
soul-diseases and they are gone, as the fever in the next history.
Oh ! if we did but believe this and put him to it ! For faith doth so,
and in a manner commands him, as fie doth aU other things.

Ver. 10-16.] op st. w.^tthew's gospel. 39
Ver. 10. }Fhen Je.tus heard it, he marvelled, and said unto thnn
that folloioed. Verily, I say unto you, T have not found so arcat faith,
no, not in Israel.] This man was a stranger, and a soldier, yet, it
seems, a proselyte ; and our Lord, receiving this as a kind of first
fruits of the Gentiles, foretels upon it a plentiful harvest of them:
Many shall come, and ihe children of the kingdom be cast out. Ver.
II. This is a harsh word to the Jews ; and \et, thus often, the most
remote and unhkely, who have long hved strangers to rehgion, ha\e
proved notable converts : and they that have lived from their child
hood under a powerful ministry, and with persons professing religion,
and have themselves been moulded into a form of it, yet die in their
sins, and never lay hold of that salvation mito %\ hich they always
seemed to be so near. And this near miss of happiness is the gi-eatest
misery. Children ofthe kingdom in outward appearance and church
privileges, yet, prove children of wrath, not only not entering into the
kingdom they had a seeming title to, but casi out mto the dungeon of
utter darkness !
Observe the misery of the damned, resembled by utter darknes.^,
void of fight, and full of hideous noises and cries ; weeping and
gnashing of teeth. And the happiness of glory is resembled to a ban
quet, where there is fiiU light and joy ; a coronation banquet, where
all the company of kings sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
in the kingdom of God. And this and aU other resemblances in
Scripture, are but a dark shadow of that bright glory. Oh ! were the
things of eternity, the misery- and the blessedness to come, indeed be
lieved, how much would our thoughts be in them, and how httle room
would they leave for the trifles and vanities that our hearts are taken
up with!
Ver. 14. When Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's
mother laid, and sick of a fever.] He takes humble, compassionate
notice of all maladies where he comes, and is touched with the gi-iefs
of his own, and so moved as to touch and heal them. This king's
touch cures all sorts of diseases : it did so while he w alked in a low,
despised condition on earth, and it does so still by that virtual Divine
power, now that he is in heaven ; and althougli his glory there is
greater, his compassion is not less than when he was here ; and his
compassion always was, and is, directed much more to souls diseased,
than to bodies, as they are better and more valuable.
Ver. 15. And she arose and administered to them.] Oh! thus it
should still be ; yea, thus it wfil be. They whom he cures, "will be
stow upon him the health and strength they have received by him,
and shall be serviceable to him. How can it be so fitly and duly em
ployed ? Then are aU deliverances and favours, outward and inward
work, most kindly and sweetly enjoyed, when they are most quickly
and entirely returned to their spring, aU improved and offered up to
Him from whom they come.
Ver. 16. When ihe even was come, they brought unto him Tnany
that were possessed,] Upon the report of these works, they run to
him in great numbers. Oh, that upon the report of his all-heahng
-virtue published in the Gospel, sick souls were thronging about him !
The others were welcome, but these would be much more so. Many

4(>. LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. VIII.
came to him, and we hear of none who were turned away without
help. He cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were
sick. Oh, corae hither, all ye that have any thing that troubles you.
Is it a lethargic, a dead benurabness of spirit, or is it a fever, a boiling
of passions or lusts, yea, is it, as it were, a, kind of possession of an
unclean or an unquiet spirit ? Come forward : here is help for thee.
He cured those here, with his word. Now that word of the prophet,
here apphed, (ver. 17.) had its accomphshment in part, even in these
works ; in his suffering the importunity of the multitudes coming early
and late, and suffering hkewise the maladies he cured, by the tender
compassion he felt in doing it. He is not a hard-hearted, insensible
physician ; no, he is matchless in love and tenderness, feeling as it
were their pains who came to him, till they were cured ; and he stiff
does feel the pains and groans of his own, on their sick beds. And
yet, all this, his curing all these bodily evils, was but a pledge of the
higher averring and fulfilling of the prophetical word. Our first
disease struck nearer to him by far, than those that he cured : he put
on the pain of all our transgressions, the whole weight faUing at once
upon his back, as the Apostle renders it — bare our sins upon his own
body on ihe tree. Now, of that wonderfiil way of curing, by bearing
and transferring over upon himself our spiritual maladies and miseries,
there conld not be a fitter prelude and foresign, than this of healing
diseased bodies. Sickness is one of the bitter and chief fruits of sin.
Next to proper spiritual evils, none are more grievous, yea, none so
much. It sits the closest, and the sense of it can least be shifted.
Other things that are without a man, are capable of more easy diver
sion ; fancy, or reason, may bear off much ; but paining sickness will
not be so lightly argued out : the demonstrations are very sensible
and conclusive.
As in other things, so it is here ; Health, the chief of temporal
blessings, as much as any thing passes unesteemed and unconsidered
while we enjoy it. But Oh ! a fit of sickness makes it sweet, gives
it the highest recoraraendation : the groans and plaints of a sick bed
are the raost powerful rhetoric to commend health. What can a man
enjoy of all the pleasures and pomp about him, when blasted by one
sharp pain seizing upon any part of him ? Amidst all attendance and
furniture, he thinks the poorest scullion in his house, that is in health,
much happier than he for the time. Yet this we think not of, while
we eat and sleep, and have tolerable health ; consider not that con
tinued mercy, how great it is ; think not on the difference between
that, and loathing of all food, weary, restless nights, and tossings to
and fro until the morning.
Now I say, this considered, the goodness and power of Jesus
Christ were most fitly manifested in this way, as introductive to the
great deliverance from sin and death, he carae to effect for us, by
bearing thera hiraself, in our stead, and so taking thera away. And
so, in cures afterwards, as you find in the next chapter, he began to
let out somewhat of that, as the main : Thy sins are forgiven thee.
And without this, what is health itself, though in its kind very pre
cious, especially when so speedily and easily restored after sickness by
a word or a touch ? Yet, what had this been but a little reprieval.

Ver. 18-20.] of st. Matthew's gospel. 41
while the sentence of death, yea, eternal death, was still standing, and
shortly to fall on ? Oh ! the lifting of that desperate sinking burden,
our sins, and taking them upon himself for us ! How far do all words,
and what is larger, all thoughts, fall short of the height of that love !
Oh, boundless, imraense love ! It will take up eternity to consider it.
Ver. IS. Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave
commandment to depart unto ihe other side.] Other reasons may be
imagined for his withdrawing from these, but it appears that his work
now lay elsewhere, and he was to go through it. And the other
Evangelists are express in this : I must jjreach also io other cities, for
for this came I forth. He had much work, and a short time to per
form it in ; so he follows it diligentiy. Thus his servants ought to go
or stay, indiff'erently, for all places and services, as they are called,
and not to please others and themselves, but Him who sends them.
Ver. 19, 20. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master,
I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him.
Foxes have holes, &c.] Strange ! Our Saviour seems to tum off the
very ready and full offer of one, and to put forward another who drew
back. He is, indeed, absolutely free in his choice, and may without
control do this, let pass high temporary fits and offers, and lay hold
on what hath far less appearance. And the truth is, he is privy to the
secret actions of men's hearts, and can discern in some of a very plau
sible zeal and forwardness, some false principles within, whence it is
kindled ; and in others more slow and inactive, sees under that more
sincerity at the bottom. This scribe, possibly, taken with the splen
dour of Christ's miracles, and the flocking of multitudes unto him,
perceived not his present poverty and meanness, and after disgraces
and sufferings. Many make la-vish offers to religion at a time when
it is in request, or possibly upon some discernment of its own worth
and beauty, but do not count the cost ; consider not the enmity of the
world, the outward meanness, the reproaching and despisings that
usually attend it. It is indeed by far the best bargain with all those
who count the cost, if men would understand it right, and think it so
ere they engage in it.
Now we see what condition Christ, who was Lord of all, chose for
our sakes, amidst his own to live as a stranger, having no property,
not so much as the beasts and the birds. He became poor to make us
rich, 2 Cor. viii. 9 ; not rich in those things he was poor in, but in
things infinitely better. In that, he calls his followers, most com
monly, to a conformity with himself: he forbids not, indeed, property
and possessions, but surely we should learn amidst aU to walk, in
affection at least, like him, as strangers here, not glued to any thing,
using the world as though we used ii not. And they who are really
thus as he was. Oh, what comfort have they in this ! How is it
sweetened to them, if in that condition tiiey indeed foUow him ! Hast
thou no dwelling of thy own, no possession, and little for present sup
ply ? Look up to Him who passed through here in that very same
way, and cleave the closer to Hira ; so much the more eye Him as
thy riches and portion, and thou needest not envy kings in their best
days. Ajid whatsoever be thy estate, how soon shall it be past ! And
all that live, have much a like space of earth to lie down in at last.

42 lectures ON the first NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. VIII.
But Oh, the rich inheritance above, for aU that lay hold on it, and
follow our Lord Jesus Christ by the way !
Ver. 21. Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.] Now the
other craves a delay. And a world of such excuses there are. They
that will not give Christ an absolute refiisal, yet have somewhat first
to be done. This match, or bargain, or purchase, or at least a time
civilly to take farewell of friends ; and thus the most shift it off. But
as to those whom he resolves to have, he wiU not take their refusal.
Let ihe dead, says he, bury their dead. There are enough of com
mon persons, who have no share of life in me, they may do that ;
Follow thou me. Oh ! happy they whom he will not loose ; whom
he powerfully, yet sweetly constrains to break from all and follow
him ! Sure I am, it shaU never repent thera.
Ver. 23 — 27. And being entered into a ship, ihere arose a great
tempest] StiU new occasions, and accordingly, new evidence, of the
Divine power of Jesus Christ. Upon the ship wherein He is, there
may, and usually does arise a storm ; yet, happy is it to be embarked
with Him upon all hazards ! His ship may be tost, but perish it
cannot. His counsels are deep and wise, and we cannot find them
out. He knows what He is about to do, when we can least under
stand Him. When we think that He leads out His people to be
swallowed up in the sea, or destroyed in the wilderness. He is only
raising a mount for Himself to be seen on, and bringing them into the
view of dangers, yea, of apparent ruin, to be more glorious in their
deliverance. His way is in ihe deep, and His footsteps are not
known. Canst thou hy searching find out God ? says He in Job.
Which is not, 1 conceive, so much meant of His essence, as of His
operations and ways ; which are so profound and untraceable. We
are at a stand often to think what he means to do ; whether he has
given up His Church and cause to the winds and waves, when His
enemies rage and roar, and He is silent, as if He cared not what be
came of all. The seas sweU, the ship is tost, and He sleeps.
Not to speak here of Christ putting on our natural frailties, or of
this sleep, whether it was natural or voluntary ; it might be and likely
was both : wearied with the concourse of the multitude on the land,
he falls asleep in the ship ; yet, doubtless, he had the command of
those natural incfinations in himself, and chooses now to sleep, to
increase fhe appearance of the danger, and add horror to the visage
of it. So no doubt it did : not all the blustering ofthe winds, nor the
rising of the waves, was so frightful and sad to the disciples, as that
their Master slept so sound in the raidst of them ; so sound as if
rocked asleep by them, and either whoUy insensible, or very regardless
of their danger : as St. Luke expresses their feelings, Caresi thou not
ihat we perish ? Now, in this man who slept, dwelt God who sleeps
not. The Watchman of Israel, who does not so much as slumber.
But they, either not so clearly understanding, or, in the fright, not so
duly remembering and considering this, were eyeing only the posture
wherein he was -visible to them ; therefore, the sounder he slept, it
awaked and increased their fear the more. And as Jesus Christ here
resiUy did, even so God seems sometimes to His own to do ; and they
express it so. Thus the Psalmist ; Awake, arise, why sleepest Thou,

Ver. 23-27.] of st. Matthew's gospel. 43
0 Lord? This He seems to do, when the ungodly prosper, and when
His people he trodden under foot, and He seeras to take no notice of
their pressure, nor stirs for their deliverance. And this is the saddest
part of their affliction ; they have no hope nor stay, but in the favour
and protection of their God : now when that is retired, and the curtain
drawn, and He asleep, their prayers not heard, and no appearance of
His help, I say, it is a grand trial of faith, which shakes and discjuiets
more than all other things, how terrible soe\ er. No rage or noise of
the enemy is so grie\'ous as the silence and sleeping of God. Thus,
in a soul, when lusts and temptations are sweUing and raging, and
God is retired, and as asleep to it, says nothing,, controls them not,
but suffers them to take their course ; this is that which breeds the
highest anguish, and brings a soul to the mouth of the pit, to the
brink of desperation. Then it is forced to cry for a word from his
mouth : Lord Jesus, speak but a word ; keep not silence to me, or I
am undone ; there is no recovery for me ; if thou keep silence, I am
dead : / shall be like them thai go down to the pit ; or, as it is here.
Save, Master, or we perish.
And this is one main end for which he does sleep, to awake us, to
rouse and stir our prayers, which commonly are, in times of ease,
heavy, drowsy, hfeless things, as a man's speech in sleep, dreaming,
incoherent, senseless stuff. This they may be to God, who hearkens
to what the heart says in them, though to man's ears, the words may
be fit and good sense. But by the straining of a sharp affliction, or
near pressing danger, the heart is awaked and speaks itself. Such a
word seems to sound in its ears, as that of the mariners to Jonah,
Arise, thou sluggard, and call upon thy God. Men do but trifle in
fair weather, but in the storm they are more in earnest. Especially,
a soul acquainted with God, that foUows and relies upon Him, will
take this course and no other : it runs straight to Him, and if He be
asleep, awakes Him. And in this they are to be approved and
comraended, that, as here, their course is to Jesus Christ, as confi
dent of his power and -willingness to deliver them. This the disciples
did believe ; otherwise they had not left working for themselves, to go
to awake him.
Yet was there with their faith, a mixture of distempered, distrustfiil
fear, which Jesus weU knew, and which he would not otherwise have
charged them with. He doth not altogether deny that there was faith
in them, but checks the deficiency of it : O ye of little faith, why did
ye doubt ? Apprehend danger and fear, they might ; yea, if they had
not, they would not have come to Christ in that manner. Without a
living sense of distress or danger, there can be neither faith nor
prayer. These are stirred up and raised to act, by the knowledge and
feeling of our need of help. But the misery is, we scarcely in any
thing know our bounds : our passions raised, do usually overflow and
pass the banks. A little fear does but awake faith, but much fear
weakens it, and in the awakening gives it too great a blow, such a
one as astonishes it, and makes it stagger. That they were afraid,
was tolerable ; but their hearts, it seems, were not so established in
the persuasion of Christ's Divine power and care of them, as became
them ; and this he plainly, yet gently, checks. And there is this

44 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. VIII.
alloy of distrust with believing, not only in the weaker, but even in the
strongest Christian ; and there is a continual wrestling betwixt them ;
sometimes the one is uppermost, and sometimes the other ; but faith,
in the end, shall have the victory. See what strange difference there
was betwixt Job and Job : — Would one think it were the same per
son ? — one while cursing his birth, and wishing for death, and yet,
afterwards declaring, Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.
And again, afterwards, complaining. Wherefore hidest Thoxi Thy face,
and holdesi me for Thy enemy? And yet anon, again, I know that
my Redeemer liveth. This they should think of, who doubt because
they doubt, and multiply distrust upon itself, concluding that they
have no faith, because they find so much and so frequent doubting
within them. But this is a great mistake. Some doubtings there
may be, where there is even much faith ; and a little faith there may
be, where there is much doubting. But, upon this account, is doubt
ing by any means to be entertained or favoured ? Yea, it is to be
hated and opposed with all our strength, and the strength of God
must be implored to overcome it, as the grand enemy of our peace
and His glory. By all means is faith to be cherished, and distrust to
be checked. Our Sa-viour pardons it in his disciples, yet he blames it.
He refuses not his help, yet he blames their unbefief. 0 ye of Utile
faith ! He requires, and deUghts in a strong, firm believing on him,
though the least and weakest he rejects not.
Having first rebuked their fear, he rebukes the storm that caused
it, and makes a calm, a great calm. No wonder that they wondered
at it : though they had seen many of his works, and were now ex
pecting somewhat of this from him, yet it surpasses their expectation,
and strikes them into admiration, to see a man, a man subject to
weariness and sleep, and yet, that man awaking to still the wind and
seas with the word of his mouth. Oh ! the greatness of the Lord
whom we serve, the sovereign of sea and land, commanding all with a
word, desperate diseases, blasting winds, raging seas, and tormenting
devils !
And there was a great calm. — This often happens in his Church,
after such storras as threatened shipwreck. And so in a soul, when
aU within (and these are the worst storms) is fiill of confusion and
noises, the heart working like a troubled sea, and finding no rest,
neither from its own persuasions, nor the skilfiiUest speeches of others,
but, amidst all, likely to be swallowed up or split in pieces ; then,
then, one word from Christ's mouth quiets all presently, and makes
the soul calmer and smoother than the stillest water in the fairest day.
Oh, what wonder and love will possess the soul that hath found any
such thing !
Ver. 28 — 34. And when he was come io ihe other side, into ihe
country ofthe Gergesenes, there Tnet him two possessed with devils.]
The following history hath many things of very useful remark ; but
those things offer themselves to all that read it. We may see the great
malice of Satan, and the great power and goodness of Jesus Christ,
and the great baseness and brutishness of the men of this place, here
spoken of. Satan's malice appears in the men possessed, carrying
them to run wild amongst tombs, and to commit outrage upon them

.Ver. 1,2.] OF st. Matthew's gospel. 45
who passed by, and then, apprehending their dispossession thence, to
desire to go into the swine of that place, and destroying them, which
was their design upon the men, as the event proved. He who had the
power, and graciously used it, to cast them out of the possessed men,
was not tied to their suit as a point of capitulation. He could have
cast them quite out of their coasts, and sent them back immediately
to their own prison ; but in Divine wisdom and justice, he grants
their suit, knowing well what use they would raake of it, and what
would follow.
But Oh ! the Gadarenes theraselves were the swine, viler than
those the devils entered and drowned ; yea, they were worse pos
sessed than the swine, and drowned in a more fearful deep, by the
craft of those devils. And that was their plot. The devils, knowing
how fast the hearts of the owners were linked to their swine, thought it
hkely that the swine being drowned, they would follow, would drown
themselves in the rejecting of Jesus Christ. And they did so. How
many who read or hear this with indignation, yet, possibly, do little
better in their hearts, — cleaving to their herds, or other goods, gains,
or pleasures, or any thing of this earth, and in the love of these, re
fusing Jesus Christ ! Think it not a harsh word, but take heed ye be
not such ; for of the multitudes to whom Christ is offered, there are
very few whose hearts do really open to him, and receive him. But
Oh, happy they that do ! This was the clearest instance of perfect
misery, and yet, they were scarcely at all to be pitied, being the
choosers and devisers of it themselves : They besought Jesus to de
part, that is, besought life and blessedness to go from them. And
what does a sinner, when he turns out and rejects motions and inspi
rations of holiness, lest his lusts and pleasures of sin should be lost,
but dismiss Jesus, lest the swine should be drowned ?

CHAPTER IX.
Ver. I . And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
He who measures the waters in the hoUow of His hand, and com
mands them, (as ch. viii. v. 26.) is ferried over in some boat or small
vessel. And was it not richly laden with this inestimable Pearl, all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, all fulness dwelling in Him ?
All the rich ships from both the Indies, were not to be compared to
this. Ver. 2. And behold, they brought io him a man sick of ihe palsy.]
The other Evangelists tell with what difficulty they did so, and how
they overcame that difficulty with resolution and industry, which in
deed overcome all. A strong bent towards Jesus Christ wfll not be
hindered. Nor is their violence in uncovering the house, or their
rudeness in interrupting his discourse, rejected or reproved, but all is
accepted for the principle, faith, which was tempered with love to the
sick, and even to Jesus Christ, as the person fi-om whom they ex
pected the cure.

46 LECTURES ON THE FIRST NINE CHAPTERS [Chap. IX.
A7id Jesus, seeing their faith] — It is needless to dispute that one
may be benefited by the influence of another's faith. Surely, much
rnay be done by it. Thus, it may bring and present a person, may
recommend, may pray for him, and may be respected in the grant of
mercy, not only in temporals, but in spirituals. But yet, the just
lives only by his own faith, which no doulit this poor man had. For
the word, theirs, excludes not, but rather includes the sick man's, who
no doubt consented to this course in the same confidence. But yet, it
is good to be in belie-ving people's company. Another person, a
family, a city, a society, may fare the better for the faith of an indivi
dual. Often, one who prays in a family, averts judgments, and draws
down blessings upon the whole.
— Said unto ihe sick of ihe palsy, Son, be of good cheer, thy
sins be forgiven thee.] This, though not appearing to be the errand,
was yet the most iraportant part of the cure, the root of blessings and
blessedness, removing the root of all care and misery. Whether the
sick man did most of all, or did at all desire, or expect this at the
hands of Jesus Christ, we cannot tell ; but if he thought not of it,
(and we see no other,) Oh, what a surprise of love ! It is good,
coming to Jesus on any terms, on any errand. Some come, driven
by outward afflictions, and yet return delivered from sin and eternal
death. In this respect, there is great variety in this matter of de
claring a pardon. Some seek and knock, and wait long, and hear it
not. Others are prevented, who scarcely sought it, but Christ's first
word to them is this. But all is one as to the main : they who seek it
with sorrow, shall be sure to find it with joy ; and they who first find
it without previous sorrow, shall yet be sure to find that sorrow for
sin, in some raeasure, likewise, after pardon, if not before. And
truly it seems sweetest and kindliest, when mercy melts the heart.
But well may He say. Be of good courage, who could add this. Thy
sins be forgiven ihee. Oh ! what can dismay after this ? The heart,
wholly fiUed with divine peace and love, bears up all, and sorrow is
turned into joy before a soul thus assured. Jesus knew well, that the
healing of his palsy, without this pardon, had been but a lame cure,
only the half, and the far less, the meaner half. This was the main
business that brought him down from Heaven to be a man, and to
dwell among men, and that made him die for man ; that which nailed
him to the cross, and drew forth his heart's blood : it was for the
remission of the sins of many. These cures of bodily diseases, though
clear demonstrations of Christ's Divine power and goodness, were but
a transient appendage and symbol of that mainly intended and hio-hest
mercy, the forgiveness of sins.
The sentence of eternal death standing in full force above the head
of an unpardoned sinner, if it were lively apprehended. Oh ! what a para
lytic trembling would it strike the soul into, causing the joints of it to
shake and smite one upon another, in the midst of its fullest health
and mirth, as the hand-writing on the wall did that drunken kino- Bel-
shazzar. But we know not what sin is, though we hear and speak of
it, and sometimes confess it ; and therefbre our hearts leap not at tiie
report of a pardon, tiiough we hear of it, and usually entreat it. Any
of you, when complaining that you are robbed, or spoiled of your

Ver. 3, 4.] op st. Matthew's gospel. 47
goods, would scarcely think it to the purpose were I to tell you, Yojm*
sins are pardoned. But oh ! how fit a word it is to answer and drown
all griefs ; so pertinent that nothing besides it is so ! And happy that
soul that hears it from His mouth who gives it, and who alone can
ascertain it. This is the answer that v\ ill satisfy. If thou sayest, " I
am diseased ;" ay, but thy sin is pardoned. " I am poor ;" ay, but
thy sin is pardoned. And surely, a soul that heeds it right, will be
quieted, and will be bold, of good courage, as the word here is, and
will embrace all other burdens, and go light under them ; will say.
Lord, now let me live, or let me die, let me abound or want, let me be
healthy or sick, take away what thou wilt, or lay on what thou wilt, all
is well ; Thou hast pardoned my sin.
Ver. 3. And behold certain of the scribes said within themselves.
This man blasphaneth.] Supposing Jesus but a man, yet, there was
no necessity for this construction. He was a holy man, a singular,
extraordinary man, doing unparalleled rairacles ; and he said not, I
forgive thy sins, but. Thy sins are forgiven thee ; which was a word
not beyond the capacity of a prophetical power to say it declaratively.
And though there was an air of authority, might they not have thought.
This may be the Messiah, who they knew was to come, and was to be
the Son of God, and to bring remission of sins along with him ? But
that base spirit, the spirit of en-vy, with which they were filled, willingly
rejects all better sort of constructions, and fastens on the absolutely
worst it can invent. To an eye that looks through the dark glass of
prejudice and malice, all is discoloured. Yet they are struck with so
much awe, that they dare not speak it out. That which struck them
was, they were obscured by his brightness. They were animalia glo-
rite, as one calls the philosophers, and could not endure to go less in
the opinion they had gained : a sore mischief, and one much attaching
to known and venerable possession. Genus irritabile vatum.
But a spirit devoted to Him whose due all glory is, wiUingly resigns
it to Him, in what way He will. Let whoso will be best or chiefi so
that still He be chief of all, and glorified in all. The holy Baptist had
another spirit than these rabbles : he told it freely and gladly. He must
increase, but I must decrease. It was his end, as the morning star is
willingly drowned in the brightness of the rising sun.
Ver. 4. A?id Jesus knowing their thoughts.] This, without any
thing fiirther, was clearly enough to demonstrate his Divine power.
Oh ! that this was ever in our thoughts, that all our thoughts are under
his eye ! If they were so, and we knew thera to be so, to some grave,
wise man, how wary, and choice should we be of them ! And shall
we have less regard to the hohest and wisest Lord, to whom they
are all naked and open ?
Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts ?] There was no reason in
the thing, but the reason was, their hearts were evil, and their
emissions hke themselves. An evil heart is an incessant forge of evil
thoughts. It is a corrupt spring still issuing forth, and till it be re
newed, it cannot find any other. From the heart come evil thoughts :
that is in the front of all the black train that comes forth of the heart,
as our Sa-viour teaches. Matt. xv. 19. These are the seeds of all the
wickedness that fills the world. Chief regard, therefore, is to be had
to the hearts An excellent ad-vice thai; of Solomon, Keep thy heart

48 LECTURES ON THE first NINE t3HAPTERS [Chap. IX.
with all diligence. To amend some evil customs, without the renew
ing of the heart, is but to lop the branches that wiU grow again, or
others in their stead ; but a holy heart meditates on holy things, is still
in heaven, is all reverence towards God, and meekness and charity to
men. Ver. 5. Whether is easier to say. Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say.
Arise, and walk ?] Though the remission of sins flows originally from
the same power, and so is equal, and in its own place hath the pre
ference, being by far the greater mercy, yet, the other of bodily cure
runs into the senses, and so both is more evident to the beholders, and
affects them more. The other word might be spoken with less con
trol, the efficacy or inefficacy of it not falling under the cognition of
them that heard it ; but this of healing the palsy, would either be
attested or denied in the effect.
Ver. 6. But ihat ye may know ihat the Son of man hath power on
earth io forgive sins.] Now he asserts a peculiar power of forgiving
sin. Though a man walking on the earth as the rest, yet, in testi
mony of the Divine power. He saiih io ihe sick of ihe palsy, — this
apostrophe maketh the proof more lively, joining presently the real
experiment of that miraculous cure, — Arise, take up thy bed. That
word which gave being to the world, what is hard to it ? And in the
case of spiritual deadness, soul-palsy, no more is necessary than a
word from His mouth, and it shall be fively and strong ; it shall skip
and leap. Is. xxxv. 6. Lord, speak that word ! And indeed, where
soever he pardons sin. He withal makes the soul able and nimble, to
run in ihe way of His commandments ; to carry its head, that before
carried it ; to command and wield at pleasure those low things
wherein it rested.
Ver. 8. Bui when ihe multitude saw it ihey marvelled.] They
feared, says St. Luke. A gracious work it was, yet so full of won
der, that it struck them with a kind of fear. And ihey glorified God.
Thus shall he break out, and shine bright in His works, when most
opposed by evil men. Yet they knew him not well, but took him for
an extraordinary man only. But thus he was pleased to be known by
degrees, and to rise as the raorning light. It is a common presump
tion, and generally that of the least knowing, to think that they have
the true and fiiU sense of the articles of religion ; and that presump
tion is comraonly accorapanied with this precipitancy, that we would
constrain all to know and believe, at once, without delay, whatsoever
we think and believe. Who had given such power unto men. But
had they known this honour given unto men, that this man was God,
they would have wondered much more. And if he was so astonish
ingly wonderful in healing a sick man, how wonderful shall he be in
raising the dead ! And if in his lowness, his power was admired,
how rauch more shall all admire that power which shall then be given
him, when the man, Christ, shall come in the brightness of his glory,
to judge the world !
Ver. 9. And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man
named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom.] He staid no long
time upon earth, but he lost no part of that time. Every step to us
is a wonder of goodness. And here is a cure which the Evangelist
ingenuously relates as done upon himself, which was no less, if not

Ver. 9.] of st. Matthew's gospel, 49
more wonderful, than tliat performed upon the paralytic; and done as
easilv and quickly liy the same means, a word spoken.
He saw ct man named Matthew. He loves first, and spies first,
when we think on nothing less than him ; as he savs to Nathanael :
Before Philip called thee, when thou least under the fig-tree, I saw
ihee. And this seeing of Matthew was no casual, but a designed
sight, proceeding fi-om a former sight, like unto that of Nathanael ;
and is the sight of his fore-knowing and fore-choosing love. So even
this very sight of his calling and convertiiic: pox\er did prevent
3Iatthew, while he thought of no such thing, and would have let Jesus
pass, being so intent upon his busy employment, as either not to have
seen him at all, or to have taken no notice of him.
Sitting at the receipt of custom. This is the coramon case, the
posture of called sinners. ^Vhile they are thinking of no such thing,
but altogether drowned in other desires and cares, (even at the
church, their hearts are often more in their shops, or fields, or any
earthlv business they are engaged in,) their very hearts being a
little custom-house, such a crowd and noise of cares and vanities, as
there is usually of people in a custom-house. He who hath their
names in His book of life, at His appointed time glances at them, by
a powerful look cast on them, and, by a word spoken to them, draws
them to Himself; and that without minding any previous worth or
congruous disposition in them, more than in others ; yea, finding thera
in a more indisposed temper and posture, possibly, than many others
who are not called, as the Evangefist here freely and humbly declares
of hiraself, speaking out his calling, and his busy diligence in it, in the
very instant that he is called from it. Observe, likewise, his express
ing of his common name, Matthew ; whereas the other Evangelist, in
the recital of this stors", gives him that other name which was the
more honourable, Levi. Sii'ing at the receipt of custom, a profession
of great gain, but little credit among the Jens ; and though, possibly,
not utterly unla-wful in the nature of it, yet, so generaUy corrupt in the
exercise and management of it ; like sorae other caUings, which,
though a man cannot absolutelv deterraine thera to be unlawful, are
yet seldora or never lawfully and spotiessly discharged. Therefbre,
the Jews shunned the very society of publicans (tax-gatherers) as a
wicked, execrable kind of men, and did in a raanner necessitate them
to converse with the worst sort of persons, as being expelled and ge
nerally avoided by all others ; so that you find them here, ver. 10, and
usually in the Gospel, linked together, publicans and sinners, that is,
noted, nefarious sinners, such as harlots, and other scandalously vi
cious persons. Yet from this stained and ill-reputed caUing, is j^lat-
thew caUed by the holy Lord, to follow him. As he called poor
fisherraen, and made them fishers of men, to catch men, to save them
by their net spread, the word of life preached, so he calls a rich pub
lican to be a gatherer-in of his tribute and treasure in the world,
the souls of chosen sinners, by the publication of the Gospel.
No rank of men is so low, as to be below the condescension of His
choice and grace ; and none are so remote, in the reputed or real ini
quity of their station or person, as to be without the extent and reach
of His saving hand. And He is pleased to give instances of this in
choosing whom He will, and making them what He will, that no
Vol. II. E

50 lectures on the first nine chapters [Ch. IX.
flesh may glory before him, but that all flesh may glorify Him, whom
no unworthiness or unfitness can prejudice, either in the freedom of
His grace in choosing them, or in the power of His grace in changing
the mind and fitting them for what He calls them to. He hath no
need, nor takes notice of our rules, nor judges according to our
thoughts. Not only have we here a publican, but afterwards a per
secutor, made a most eminent preacher and apostle of Jesus Christ.
And His choice and calling wipes out the stain of all preceding sin,
though the persons themselves do readily acknowledge it on all occa
sions, as St. Paul often does, and St. Matthew does here. And in
deed it is sincerity and humility for them who are converted, at a
great distance of time so to do. But for others to object to them
after their conversion, either the meanness or the sinfulness of their
former lives, were great uncharity and folly : it were to reckon up to
men that which God hath blotted out, who alone is interested in the
account. Herein God is wonderful, who seizeth on sorae persons in the
midst of youthful dissipations, or violent pursuits of the world, and pu
rifies thera for Hiraself; makes them not only vessels of honour, but
of the first rank, to bear His name to others ; makes them eminently
holy, gives them great abilities, and, which is the top of all abilities,
ardent lo\e, and mighty affection for His ser"vice. His spirit, that holy
fire, refines gross earth into the pureness of transparent glass, to be
the inlet of light to His people.
Now, why is this one taken from the custom-house, and so many
others left, both there and elsewhere, round about him ? This is
arcanum imperii, a state secret : no reason is to be expected but His
good pleasure. Why is such a poor creature in a cottage chosen, and
great palaces passed by ? Why are simple and unlettered persons
taught the mysteries of Heaven, and great wits left to evaporate them
selves upon vain loves, and other like follies ? Why in the same
house is one chosen and called, and it may be a servant, and the rest
passed by ? Nothing can be given in answer but this : Even so. Father,
because it pleaseth Thee.
And he saith unto him. Follow me.] I ara not of the mind of a
grave interpreter who thinks there were other words added to per
suade him, though not related. I am soraewhat confident that there
was no more said at all, this being- our Saviour's usual word of calling
others in the sarae way, and so powerful a word, and of such mighty
influence, that there was no resisting it. He arose, and followed him.
No chains so strong to hold an earthly mind, as those of gold and
silver. He was here in the midst of thera, and very heavy ones they
were, no doubt; yet, the word makes the soul break loose with a
marvellous force frora all. Some apprehend, (as well they may,) there
was an attractive power in the amiable Jesus who here called him ;
but surely the word had of His Divine power in it, and reached the
heart, and could not be resisted, and drew more strongly than all the
receipts, and gains, and involved business of his profession, which
could not hold him back. So Elijah but cast his mantie upon Elisha
in passing, and he followed. What have I done to ihee ? said he.
Nothing to look at, yet enough to constrain him to leave all and follow
him. So it is in the conversion of any sinners ; no weights nor bolts

Ver. 10-13.] of st. Matthew's gospel. 51
can hold thera : they must follow a comraanding word, such as that
which, in the creation, causes that to be that it coramands ; a mag
netic touch of Jesus Christ, speaking in a word to the heart, so that it
must follow him. Oh ! happy souls that have felt it !
Ver. 10 — 13. And as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many
publicans and sinners came, and sat down with him and his disciples.
The other Evangelists teU that it was in Matthew's house, and at a
great feast whicli he made ; this himself does not mention. This
feast he made both as u respectful entertainment to his new Master,
and as a civil farewell to his old friends, and fellow publicans : and
possibly he took the confidence to invite them together with Jesus
Christ, hoping that his presence and company might have likewise
some happy influence upon some of them ; and it is likely divers
of them came uninvited, out of a desire to see Jesus, having heard
of this his sudden and powerful withdrawing of one who, no doubt,
was a prime man amongst thera. However, the raild and gracious
Jesus refuses neither the feast nor the corapany, condescending to the
most ordinary custoras of life, and in these things affecting nothing of
austerity and singularity ; and he chose this corapliant way as most
suitable to his design : He became Uke us in all things, excepting sin.
But all along, the spirit of pharisaical envy follows him, and lies at
the catch for an advantage. Here it seemed fair for them. They
accost not himself with it, but his disciples, hoping more easily to un
settle them of their opinion of their Master: How is this? He calls
you to follow him as to some eminent way of sanctity, and leads you
unto feasting and good cheer, and that with the refiise and impurest
sort of men, publicans and sinners. Jesus takes on him the answer,
as alone able to give it home. Why ? What wonder you to see rae in
such company ? Why, where should a man be, but where his busi
ness lies ? Were it strange to find a physician in a hospital or infir
mary, or any where amongst the sick ? Here is my work and great
employment ; and you might have read a word applicable to this pur
pose : / will have mercy and not sacrifice ; that is, rather than sacri
fice, or any cereraonial observance, such as this you urge, of abhorring
the society of such persons, substantial goodness and duties of com
passion and love. And instead of squinting on what you see, go
think on this. You have read it likely, but do not well understand
it; study better what it means. Meanwhile know this, that 1 am
prosecuting the great design of my coming into the world, while I am
in such company. / came to call not the righteous, but sinners io
repentance. Not the righteous ; either them that conceit theraselves
such, as you do, or any that are really converted already and religious.
My present business is not so much with thera, as to restore the un
godly, to call sinners to repentance.
I will not now speak of the rules and qualifications of using or avoid
ing the converse of unholy persons ; but doubtless, there lies rauch, we
shall find, as in this instance, in the due consideration of the persons
on both sides, what hope there raay be of reclaiming thera, and what
safety of not being corrupted by thera, lest, while we think to pull them
out of the mire, they drag us into it. Here there was none of that
danger at all, and there was the highest power for converting ; and the
persons, even by coming so wiUingly where he was, seem not to have
E 2

52 LECTURES, &c. [Chap. IX.
been the mo.st obstinate and incorrigible. But we should reflect -svell
on ourselves in this case, that our intention be suitable to this, and that
we be in sorae raeasure hopeful to be able to accomplish, before we
attempt such a thing : otherways it wUl prove fool-hardiness, to adven
ture much of this kind. t n
But this is the great comfort of sinners, this word : I came to call
not the righteous, "^bid sinners. What can a diffident heart say, that it
should not come to Jesus Christ? Art thou a sinner, an eminent sin
ner? Therefore come to him, for he came to thee. It is such that he
coraes to seek — they are thevery objects of his grace. He had nothing
else to do in the world but to save such ; he carae on purpose for thefr
sakes. His very name tells it : He shall be called Jesus, for he shall
save Ids people from their sins. It is so far frora being a just hinderance,
that it is the only title to his favourable intentions, that thou art a sin
ner. Were it not strange if one should say, I am sick, very sick,
therefore I wiU not make an address to the physician ? And to say, I
am a sinner, and a great one, therefore I dare not go to the Saviour of
sinners, would be equally strange. Oh, no ; therefore I will go : he
came for me ; I am sure he is able to heal me — ought to be the lan
guage of all such.
But though this is a great encouragement to sinners, it is no encou
ragement at all to sin. He came to call sinners, but it is to call them
to repentance. This the whole gospel, and all the doctrine of grace, still
presses. If thou bring thy sins to Jesus Christ, as thy malady and misery,
to be cured of them, and delivered from thera, it is well ; but to come with
them as thy beloved darlings and delight, thinking still to retain them and
receive him, thou mistakest him grossly, and miserably deludest thyself.
He carae forth frora God, to restore souls to God, in order to make us
partakers of his Divine nature. The great intendment of the blessed
Jesus, and the great redemption he wrought, is, to separate our hearts
and sin. We know him not, if we take it otherways. And this says
clearly, that though he hath corae to us, and stretched forth his hands
long araongst us, few of us are corae to him. Oh ! how fisw have trod
on the neck of their beloved sin, to come to Jesus Christ ! This is the
great, deplorable wretchedness ofthe land: not the losses and ravages
of war ; not the loss of civil liberty, or any thing else that way ; this is
it — Unrepentance. We turn not by being smitten with the sharpest
rod : we turned not by being invited with tender mercies. Look on
such as have been suffering at home, or wandering abroad ; what
change has been wrought on our hearts ? What imports who do, or do
not, rule over us, while our unworthy lusts and passions still do ? If
spoiled and poor, and without Christ too, then we are poor indeed ;
Oh, pitiful poor ! Yea, if thou escape many things that light sadly on
others, yet, if thou hast not escaped the dorainion of sin, and that curse
of death that cleaves to it. Oh, wretched caitiff'! Think what Jesus
carae and died for, — what we live for, — and what is our great bu.siness
on this eartii — that our sins should die before us. He came to call the
earthly to heavenly-mindedness and heavenly conversation ; — to call
the unclean to purity; — to call the passionate and furious to meekness;
— to caU the proud to humility. Oh, answer this call. Give Him the
desire of His heart, and He will certainly give thee thine.

SERMONS.

SERMON I.

preface.

IMANY and great are the evils that lodge within the heart of raan,
and they corae forth abundantly both by the tongue and by the hand,
yet the heart is not eraptied of them ; yea, the raore it vents thera out-
wardlv, the raore they increase nithin. Well might He who knows
the heart so well, call it an evil trea.fure. We find the prophet Ezekiel,
in his eighth chapter, led by the Lord in vision to Jerusalem, to \iew
the sins ofthe Jews who reraained there in the time of the captivity :
when He had shewed him one abomination. He caused him to dig
through the wall, to enter and discover more, and so directed him seve
ral times, from one place to another, and stUl said, I will shew thee yet
greater abominations. Thus is it with those whora the Lord leads into
an exaraination of their own hearts, (for raen are usually strangers to
themselves,) by the light of His word, and His Spirit going before
them ; He lets them see heaps of abominations in every roora, and the
vilest in the raost retired and darkest corners. And truly, should He
leave them there, they would despair of remedy. No ; He raakes this
discovery on purpose that they should sue to Him for help. Do so,
then, as many of you as have taken any notice of the evils of your own
hearts. Tell the Lord, those hearts are His own work : He formed
the heart of man within him. And they are his own choice too : My
son, give me thy heart. Entreat Him to redress all those abuses
wherewith Satan and sin have filled it, and then to take possession of
it Himself, for therein consists its happiness. This is, or should be, a
main end ofour resortine-s to His house and service. Wrong- not
yourselves so far as to turn these serious exercises of religion into an
idle divertisement. What a happiness were it, if every tirae you eome
to His soleran worship, sorae of your strongest sins did receive a new
wound, and some of your ^veakest graces a new strength !
James in. 17.
But the wisdom that is from ahore, is tirst pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be
entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, -without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
God doth know, that in the day that ye shall eat thereof, your eyes
shall be opened, and ye shall he as gods, knowing good and evil, was
the first hissing of that old Serpent, by which he poisoned raankind in
the root. Man, not contented with the impression of God's image, in
which he was created, lost it by catching at a shadow. Climbing
higher than his station, he fell far below it: seeking to be more than
man, to become as God, he made himself less than man. He lodged

54 the nature and properties [Ser. I.
not a night in honour, but became as the beasts that perish. Ps. xlix. 12.
Ever since, nature's best wisdom is full of impurity, turbulency, and
distemper ; nor can anything- rectify it, but a wisdo7n from above, that
both cleanseth and composeth the soul : it is first pure, and then
peaceable. This Epistle, as some that follow, is called General, both by reason
of the dispersion of the parties to whom it is addressed, and the uni-
versaUty of the subject which it treats ; containing a great number (if
not all) of the necessary directions and comforts of a Christian's life,
both for the active and the passive part of it. It is evident that the
Apostle's main design is, to arm the dispersed Jews against all kinds
of temptations, — both those of affliction, in the first chapter, at the
2iid verse, and sinful temptations, verse ISth. And having discoursed
of two special means of strengthening them against both — speaking to
God in prayer, and hearing God speak in His word — in the two last
verses of that first chapter, he recommends, as chief duties of religion,
and sure evidences of integrity in religion, first, meekness and modera
tion, chiefly in their .speeches, and then, charity and purity in their
actions ; insisting largely upon the latter, in the second chapter, and
upon the former, the ruling of the tongue, in this third chapter: and
here, towards the end of it, he shews the true opposite springs of mis
carriage in speech and action, and of right ordering and regulating of
both. Evil conversation, strifes and envyings are the fruits of a base
wisdom that is earthly, sensual, and devilish, yer. I5lh; hut purity,
meekness, and mercy, are the proper effects and certain signs of hea
venly wisdom.
The wisdom that is from above is first pure : its gentleness can ao-ree
with anything except impurity. Then it is peaceable — it offends no
body, except purity offend them. It is not raging and boisterous. It
is not only pure, being void of that mire and dirt which the Avicked
are said to cast out like the sea (Isa. Ivii. 20), but peaceable hkewise,
not sweUing, and restless hke the sea, as is there said ofthe wicked.
Nor is it only peaceable negatively, 7iot offending, but as the word bears
[ej/jjyviA:?)] pacific, disposed to make and seek peace. And as it readily
offends none, so it is not easily offended. It is gentle and 7noderate
[6irt6iKi/9,] and if offended, [evireiOy':,] easily entreated to fom-ive. And
as it easily passeth by men's offences, so it doth not pass by, but looks
upon their distresses and wants, — as fuU of corapassion as it is free
from unruly and distempered passions. Nor rests it in an affectino-
syrapathy ; its 7nercy is helpful— /uZ/ of 7nercy and good fruits. And
it both forgives, and pities, and gives, without partiality, and without
hypocrisy : [ad^aicpcro^- ica'i avvitoKpiTOi-.] The word actdKf>iT09 may as
weU bear another sense, no less suiting both with this wisdom and
these its other qualities ; that is, not taking upo7i ii a censorious dis
cerning and judging of others. They that have most of this wisdom,
are least rigid to tiiose that have less of it. 1 know no better evidence
of strength in grace, than to bear much with those that are weak in it
And lastly, as it spares the infirmities of others, so it makes not false
and vain shows of its own exceUencies ; it is without hypocrisy. This
denies two things, both dissimulation and ostentation. The art of
dissembling, or hypocrite-craft, is no part of this wisdom. And for

James iii. 17.] of heave.nly wisdom. 55
the other, ostentation, surely the air of applause is too light a purchase
for solid wisdom. The works of this wisdom may be '•cen, yea, they
should be seen, and may possibly be now and then commended ; but
they should nut be done for that low end, either to be seen or to be
commended. Surely not, being of so noble extraction. This wisdom
having descended fi-om Heaven, will be little carefiil for the estimation
ofthose that are ofthe earth, and are but too often ofthe earth, eartlily.
The due order of handling these particulars more fully cannot well
be missed. Doubtless, the subject, (witdom from abovej, requires our
first consideration ; next, tiie excellent qualities that are attributed to
it ; and lastlv, their order is to be considered, the rather because so
clearly expressed, ^rs^^wre, then peaceable, &c.
JFi'idom from above?] There be two things in that : there is the
general term of wisdom, common to divers sorts of wisdom, though
most eminentlv and truly belonging to this best wisdom ; then there is
the birth or original of this wisdom, serving as its difference to specify
and distinguish it from all the rest — wisdom from above. Wisdom, in
the general, is a ver^" plausible word among men. ^^^lo is there that
would not wilhnglv pass for wise ? Yea, often those that are least of
aU such, are most desirous to be accounted such ; and where this fails
them, thev usuallv make up that want in their own conceit and strong
opinion. Nor do men only thus love the reputation of wisdora, but
they naturaUy desire to be wise, as they do to be happy : vet, through
corrupt nature's bhndness, they do as naturally mistake and faU short
both of the one and the other ; and being once wrong, the more pro
gress they make, they are further out of the way, and pretencfing to
wisdom in a false wav, they still befool themselves, as the A]iostle
speaks, Rom. i. 22: rpdaKcv-rz^ elvai ctxpol 'eu.U-'pav6rjaav. Professing
themselves io be wise, ihey become fools.
Our Apostle, ver. 15, speaking of that wicked wisdom that is fruit
ful of wrongs, strifes, and debates, and that is only abusively to be
caUed wisdom, shews what kind of wisdom it is, by three notable cha
racters, earthly, natural, and devilish ; which though they be here
jointly attributed to one and the same subject, yet we may make use
of them to signify some differences of false wisdom. There is an in
fernal, or devilish wisdom, proper for contriving cruelties and oppres
sions, or subtle shifts and deceits that make atheism a main basis and
pfllar of state policy: such as those that devise mischief upon iheir
beds, &c. !Mic. ii. 1. This is a serpentine wi'idom, not joined -^-sith, but
most opposite to the dove-like simplicity. There is an earthly wisdom
that draws not so deep in impiety as that other, yet is sufficient to
keep a man out of aU acquaintance with God and Divine matters, and
is drawing his eye perjietuaUy do^Tiwards, employing him in the pur
suit of such things as cannot fill the soul, except it be with anguish and
vexation. By thy great wisdom, and by thy traffic hast thou increased
thy riches, and thine heart is lified up because of thy riches. Ezek.
xx\iii. 5. That dexterity of gathering riches, where it is not attended
with the Christian art of rightly using them, abases men's souls, and
indisposes thera wholly for this wisdom ihat is from above. There is a
natural wisdom far more plausible than the other two, more harmless
than that hellish wisdom, and more refined than that earthly wisdom.

56

THE NATURE AND PROPERTIES [Ser. I.

Na-
;or. fi.

yet no more able to make man holy and happy than they are :
tural, fvxii^V^ it is the word the Apostie St. Paul useth. I Co
av0pu>7ros ¦•jrvxiKO'!, naming the natural man by his better part, his
soul : intimating that the soul, even in the highest faculty of it, the un-
derstandino-, and that in the highest pitch of excellency to which nature
can raise it", is blind in spiritual objects. Things that are above, can
not be known but by a wisdom from above. Nature neither affords
this wisdom, nor can it of itself acquire it. This is to advertise us,
that we mistake not 7norality and common knowledge, even of Divine
thinn-s, for the wisdo7n that is fro7n above. That may raise a, man
high" above the vulgar, as the tops of the highest mountains leave the
valleys below them ; yet is it still as far short of true supernatural
wisdom, as the highest earth is of tiie highest sphere. There is one
main point of the method of this wisdom that is of most hard digestion
to a natural man, and die more natural wise he be, the worse he likes
it: If any 7nan would be wise, let him beco7ne a fool that he 7nay be
come wise. I Cor. in. 18. There is nothing gives nature a greater
prejudice against religion, than this initial point of self-denial. When
men of eminent learning, or the strong politicians, hear that, if they
wfil come to Christ, they must renounce their own wisdom to be fit
for his, many of them go away as sorrowful as the young man when
he heard of seUing all his goods and giving them to the poor.
Jesus Christ is that eternal and substantial Wisdom that came from
above, to deliver men frora perishing in their aff'ected folly, as you
find it at large in Prov. viii. St. Paul, in the first chapter of his first
Epistle to the Corinthians, calls hira the wisdom- of God, ver. 24 ;
that shews his excellency in hiraself: and ver. 30, he teUs us that He
is 7nade of God our wisdom : that shews his usefulness to us. And
by Him alone is this infused wisdom from above conveyed to us. In
Him are the hid treasures of 7visdo7n and knowledge, Col. ii. 3 ; and
from His fulness, if at all, we all receive grace for grace ; and of all
graces, first some measures of this wisdom, without which no man can
know himself, much less can he know God.
Now this supernatural wisdom hath in it both speculation and pru
dence ; it is contemplative and practical : these two must not be
separated. I wisdo7n dwell with prudence. Prov. viii. 12. This
wisdom in its contemplative part, reads Christ much, and discovers in
him a new world of hidden excellencies unknown to this old world.
There are treasures of wisdom in Him, but they are hid, and no eye
sees them, but that which is enlightened with thy wisdom. No, it is
impossible, as one says (Sophocles), ra Qeia ryvwvaj KpvTv-o-inos Qeou,
io know Divine things while God concealeth the7n. But when the
renewed understanding of a Christian is once initiated into this study,
it both grows daily more and more apprehensive, and Christ becomes
more communicative of hiraself, and raakes the soul raore acquainted
with the amiable countenance of his Father in him reconciled. No
man hath seen God at any time ; ihe only begotten Son which is in
the bosom ofthe Father, he hath declared Him. John i. 18. What
wonder if the unlettered and despised Christian knows more of the
mysteries of Heaven, than the naturalist, though both wise and
learned ? Christ admits the behever into his bosom, and He is in the

James iii. 17.] op heavenly -wisdom. 57
bosom of the Father. But withal know, that all this knowledge,
though speculatively high, yet descends to practice : as it learns what
God is, so it thence teacheth man, what he should be. This wisdom
flows from Heaven, and a heavenly conversation flows from it; as we
find it there characterized by those practical graces of purity, peace,
meekness, &c.
This \\isdom represents to us, the purity of Gods nature. 1 John
iii. 3. It gives the soul an eye to see the comeliness and beauty of
purity : as the philosopher said of virtue, to the end it might be
loved, he would wish no more but that it could be seen. And as it
thus morally persuades, so, by an insensible virtue, it assirailates the
soul to Christ, by frequent conteraplation. It also produces all the
motives to hohness and obedience ; it begets these precious qualities
in the soul. It giveth a Christian a view of the raatchless virtues that
are in Christ, and stirs him up to a dihgent, though iraperfect iraita
tion of them. It sets before us Christ's spotless purity, in whose
mouth there was no guile, and so invites us to purity. It represents
the perpetual calmness of His spirit, that no tempest could reach to
disturb it : In his mouth there was no contentious noise, his voice was
not heard in ihe streets; and this recommends peaceableness, and
gentleness. And so in the rest here mentioned.
Hence, I conceive, may be fitly learned for our use, that seeing
here is a due wisdom and knowiedge necessary for guidance and di
rection in the ways of purity and peace, it is e%ident that gross igno
rance cannot consist with the truth of religion, much less can it be a
help and advantage to it. I shall never deny that a false, superstitious
rehgion stands in need of it : " Not too much scripture wisdom for the
people." The pomp of that vain religion, like court masks, shews
best bv candle-hght. Fond nature likes it well : the day of spiritual
wisdom woidd discover its imposture too clearly. But to let their foul
demotion pass, (for such it must needs be that is born of so black a
mother as ignorance,) let this wisdom at least be justified of those
that pretend to be her children.. It is lamentable that amongst
us, where knowledge is not "withheld, men should, through sloth and
love of darkness, deprive themselves of it. What abundance of almost
brutish ignorance is amongst the commons ! and thence arise unclean
ness, and all manner of wickedness : a darkness that both hides and
increaseth impurity, ^\^lat is the reason of so much impiety and ini
quity in all places, but the want of the knowledge of God ? Not
knowing Jesus Christ, and not obeying his gospel, are joined together.
Hosea iv. 1, 2 ; 2 Thess. i. 8. It wiU be found true, that where there
is no obedience, there is no right knowledge of Christ. But out of all
question, where there is not a competency- of knowledge, there can be
no obedience. And as these two lodge together, so observe what
attends them both. He shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance
on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
And if there be any that think to shroud unpunished araongst the
thickets of ignorance, especially amidst the means of knowledge, take
notice of this ; though it raay hide the deformity of sin from your own
sight for a time, it cannot palhate it from the piercing eye, nor cover

gg THE NATURE AND PROPERTIES [Ser. I.
it from the revenging hand of Divine Justice. As you would escape,
then that wrath to come, come to wisdom s school, and how siraple
soever ye be as to this worid, if you would not perish with the worid,
learn to be wise unto salvation, a- . .u . .1, - • * e
And truly it is mainly important for this effect, that the ministers of
the Gospel be active and dexterous in imparting this wisdora to their
people If they would have their conversation to be holy, and peace
able and fruitiiil, &c„ the most expedient way is at once to principle
theni well in the fundamentals of religion ; for therein is their great
defect. How can they walk evenly and regulariy, so long as they are
in the' dark? One main thing is, "to be often pointing at the way to
Christ, the fountain of this wisdom. Without this, you bid them be
clothed, and clothe them not.
How needful then is it, that pastors themselves be Seers indeed, as
the prophets were called of old ; not only faithful but wise dispensers,
as our Saviour speaks, Luke xu. 42, that they be cwaKTCKol, able and
apt to teach, 1 Tim. iii. 2. Laudable is the prudence that tries much
the churches' storehouses, the seminaries of learning; but withal, it is
not to be forgot, that as a due furniture of learning is very requisite
for this eraployraent, so it is not sufficient. When one is duly en
riched that way, there is yet one thing wanting, that grows not in
schools ; except this infused wisdom from above season and sanctify
all otiier endowments, they remain /coivi, comraon and unholy, and
therefbre unfit for the sanctuary. Araongst ofher weak pretences to
Christ's favour in the last day, this is one. We have preached in thy
name; yet says Christ, I 7iever knew you. Surely, then, they knew
not him, and yet they preached him. Cold and lifeless (though never
so fine and weU contrived) must those discourses be, that are of an
unkown Christ. Pastors are called angels, and therefore, though they
use the secondary helps of knowledge, they are mainly to bring their
messao-e from above, frora the Fountain, the Head of this pure
wisdora. Pure.] If it come /ram above, it must needs be pure originally ;
yea, it is formally pure too, being a main trait of God's renewed
iraage in the soul. By this wisdom, the understanding is both refined
andstrengthened to entertain right conceptions of God iu His nature
and works. And this is primarily necessary, that the mind be not
infected with false opinions in rehgion. Ifthe spring-head be polluted,
the streams cannot be pure. This is more important tha-n men usually
think, for a good life. But that which I suppose to be here chiefly
intended, is, that it is eff'ectively and practically pure: it ]}u rifies the
heart, (said of Faith, Acts xv. 9, which, in some ^.ense and accepta
tion, dihers not much from this wisdom,) and consequently, the words
and actions that flov/ from the heart.
This j^nrity, some render chastity : The wisdom from above is
chaste, a7vi). The word is indeed often so taken, and includes that
here, but it is too narrow a sense to restrict it to that only. It ira-
plieS here, a universal detestation of all impurity, both of flesh and
spirit, as the Aposilc speaks, 2 Cor. vii. 1. Pride, self-love, pro
faneness of spirit, and irreligion, though they do not so properly pol
lute the body as carnal uncleanness, yet they do no less defile the

James iii. 17.] of heavenly wisdom. 59
soul, and make it abominable iu the sight of God. Tiiose apostate
angels called unclean spirits, are incapable of bodily defilement,
though indeed they tempt and inveigle men to it; their own inherent
pollutions must needs be spiritual, I'm- they are spirits. Idolati'y, in
Scripture, goes often under the name ot' firnicalion and adultery ;
and indeed these sins may mutually borrow and lend their names the
one to the other; idolatry may well he called .sjiiritual unchastity, and
unchaste love, carnal idolatry. Earthly-mindedness likewise is an im
purity of the soul : in the Apostle's phrase, covetousness is idolatry,
and so, a spiritual pollution ; yea, it may well share with idolatry in its
borrowed name, and be caUed adultery too, for it misbestows the
soul's prirae aff'ection upon the creature, which right is God's pecu
liar due.
This purity that true wisdom works is contrary to all pollution.
We know then in some measure what it is : it remains to inquire
where it is ; and there is the difficulty. It is far easier to describe it
in itself, than to find it among men. fVho can say, I have 7nade
my heart clean ? Prov. xx. 9. Look upon the greatest part of man
kind, and you may know at first sight, that purity is not to be looked
for among them : they suff'er it not to come near them, much less to
dwell with thera and within them ; they hate the very semblance of it
in others, and themselves delight in intemperance and all manner of
hcentiousness, like foolish children striving who shall go furthest into
the mire. These cannot say, they have tnade clean their hearts, for
all their words and actions will belie thera. If you corae to the mere
moralist, the world's honest man, and ask hira, it raay be, he will tell
you, he hath cleansed his heart ; but believe him not. It will ap
pear he is not yet cleansed, because he says he has done it himself ;
for (you know) there must be some other besides man at this work.
Again, he rising no higher than nature, hath none of this heavenly
wisdom in him, and therefore is without this purity too. But if you
chance to take notice of some weU-skilled hypocrite, every thing you
meet with makes you almost confident, that there is purity ; yet, if he
be strictly put to it, he may make some good account of the pains he
hath taken to refine his tongue and his public actions, but he dares
not say he hath 7nade clean his heart : it troubles his peace to be
asked the question. He never intended to banish sin, but to retire it
to his innermost and best room, that so it might dwell unseen within
him ; and where then should it lodge but in his heart? Yet, possibly,
because what is outward is so fair, and man cannot look deeper to
contradict him, he may embolden hiraself to say, he is inwardly suit
able to his appearance ; but there is a day at hand that shall, to his
endless shame, at once discover both his secret impurity and his ira-
pudence in denying it.
After these, there follow a few despised and melancholy persons, (at
least as to outward appearance,) who are almost always hanging
down their heads, and complaining of abundant sinfulness. And
surely, purity cannot be expected in these ^\ ho are so far frora it by
their own confession ; yet the truth is, that such purity as is here
below, will either be found to lodge araong these, or no where. Be
not deceived ; think not that they who loath, and (as they can) flee

60 THE NATURE AND PROPERTIES [Ser. I.
from the unholiness of the world, are therefore taken with the con
ceit of their own holiness ; but as their perfect purity of justification
is by Christ's iraputed righteousness, so likewise they will know, and
do always acknowledge, that their inherent holiness is from above too,
from the same fountain, Jesus Christ. The wisdom /ram above is
pure ; this is tiieir engagement to humility, for it excludes vaunting
and boasting ; and besides that, it is imperfect, troubled and stained
with sin, which is enough to keep them humble. Their daily sad
experience will not suffer them to be so mistaken : their many faults
of infirmity cannot but keep them from this presumptuous fault.
There is a generation, indeed, that are pure in iheir own eyes, but
they are such as are 7iot loashed from iheir filth. Prov. xxx. 12.
They that are washed, are still bewailing that they again contract so
much defilement. The most purified Christians are they that are
most sensible of their impurity. Therefore I caUed not this a uni
versal freedom from poUution, but a universal detestation of it. They
that are thus pure, are daily defiled with many sins, but they cannot
be in love with any sin at aU, nor do they wiUingly dispense with the
smaUest sins, which a natural man either sees not to be sin, (though
his dira moonfight discover grosser evils,) or, if he do see thera, yet
he judges it too much niceness to choose a great inconvenience rather
than a little sin. Again, they differ in another particular : a natural
man may be so far in love with virtue after his manner, as to dislike
his own faults and resolve to amend them ; but yet, he would think it a
great weakness to sit down and mourn for sin, and io afflict his soul,
as the Scripture speaks. The Christian's repentance goes not so
lightly ; there is u. great deal more work in it. There is not only
indignation agmnst impurity, but it proceeds to reuewg-e. 2 Cor. vii. 11.
The saints we read of in Scripture, were ashamed of their impurity,
but never of their tears for it. Let the world enjoy their own
thoughts, and account it folly, yet surely, the Christian who delights
in purity, seeing he cannot be free from daily sin, when he retires
himself at night, is then best contented when his eyes serve him most
plentifully to weep out the stains of the by-past day ; yet he knows
withal, that it is only his Redeemer's blood that takes away the guilt
of them. This is the condition of those that are truly, though not yet
fully, cleansed from the pollutions of the world by the Spirit of wis
dom and purity. What mean they, then, who would argue themselves
out of this nuraber, because they find yet rauch dross left, and that
they are not so defecated and refined as they would wish to be ? On
the contrary, tins hatred of pollution testifies strongly that the con
trary of it, purity, is there ; and though its beginnings be small,
doubt not, it shall in the end be victorious. The smoking of this fiax
shews inrleed that there is gross matter there, but it witnesseth like
wise that there is fire in it too, and though it be little, we have
Christ's own word for it, that it shaU not be quenched; and if He
favour it, no other power shall be able to quench it. You find not,
indeed, absolute holiness in your persons, nor in your best per
formances, yet, if you breathe and follow after it, if the pulse of the
heart, beat thus, if the raain current of your affections be towards
purity, if sin be in you as your disease and greatest grief, and not as

James iii. 1 7. ] of heavenly wisdom. 61
your delight, tiien, take courage; you are as pure as travellers can be;
and notwithstanding that impure spirit, Satan, and the impurity of
) our own spirits, vex you daily with leinptation^, and often foil you,
yet, in despite of them all, you shaU arrive safe at home where perfec
tion dwells.
The wisdom from above is pure.] Be ashamed, then, of your ex
treme folly, )oti that take pleasure in any kind of uncleanness. Espe
ciaUy, seeing God hath reformed and purged His House araongst us,
you that are, or should be. His living temples, remain not unreformed.
If you do. Church reformation will be so far frura profiting you, that as
a clearer light, it will but serve to make your iminiritv both more
visible and more inexcusable. If you raean that the Holy Ghost should
dwell with you, entertain Hira, avoiding both spiritual and fleshly pol
lutions. The word here used doth more particularlv signil'v chastity ;
and certainly, wherever this wisdom from above is, this comely n-race is
one ofher attendants. Whatever any have been in times past, let all be
persuaded henceforth to mortify all lustful and carnal affections. Know
that there is more true and lasting pleasure in the contempt of unlawful
pleasures, than in the enjoyment of them. Grieve not, then, the good
Spirit of God with actions or speeches, yea, or with thoughts that are
impure. The unholy soul, like the mystical Babylon, raakes itself a
cage of unclean birds, and a habitation of filthy spirits ; and if it con
tinues to be such, it must, when it dislodges, take up its habitation
with cursed spirits for ever in utter darkness. But as for those that
are sincerely and affectionately pure, that is, pure in heart, our Saviour
hath pronounced their begun happiness — Blessed are ihey that are
pure in heart, and assured them of full happiness — for they shall see
God. This wisdom is sent from Heaven on purpose to guide the elect
thither by the way of purity. And raark how well their reward is
suited to their labour : their frequent contemplating and beholding of
God's purity as they could, while they were on their journey, and their
labouring to be like Him, shall bring them to sit do« n in glory, and to
be for ever the pure beholders of that purest object. They shall see
God. What this is, we cannot tell you, nor can you conceive it ; but
walk heavenwards in purity, and long to be there, where you shall
know what it means ; For you shall see Him as He is.
Now io that blessed Trinity be praise for ever !

SERMON IL

PREFACE.

I wilt return to my place, saith the Lord by His Prophet, till they
acknowledge their ojfejice, and seek my face. In their affliction they
will seek me early. Hos. v. 15. The Father of Mercies hides Himself
from His chUdren, not to lose them, but that they may seek Him, and
raay learn, having found Him, to keep closer by Him than formerly.
He threatens them, to keep them from punishment : if His threatening
w^u-'- submission, it is well ; if not. He punishes them gently, to save
them from destruction. He seeks no more but that they acknowledge

62 THE PATIENT AND [Ser. II.
their offence, and seek His face. Wonderful clemency ! For who can
forbear to confess multitudes of offences, who know themselves i And
who can choose but seek Thy face, who ever saw Thy face, and -who
know Thee ? In their affliction they wiU seek me early. He that
prays not till affliction comes and forces hira to it, is very slothful ; but
he that prays not in affliction, is altogether senseless. Certainly, they
that at this time are not more than ordinarily fervent in prayer, or do
not at least desire and strive to be so, cannot well think that there is
any spiritual Ufe within them. Surely it is high tirae to stir up our
selves to prayers and tears. All may bear arms in that kind of ser
vice. Weak women maybe strong in prayer ; and those tears wherein
they usually abound upon other occasions, cannot be so weU spent as
this way. Let thera not run out in bowlings and impatience, but bring
them, by bewaifing sins, private as well as public, to quench this public
fire. And ye men, yea, ye men of courage, account it no disparage
ment thus to weep. We read often of David's tears, which were no
stain to his valour. That cloud which hangs over us, which the fre
quent vapours of our sins have made, except it dissolve and fall down
ao-ain in these sweet showers of godly tears, is certainly reserved to be
the matter of a dreadful storm. Be instant, every one, in secret, for
the avertino- of this wrath, and let us now again unite the cries of our
hearts for this purpose to our compassionate God, in the name and
mediation of his Son, tiie Lord Jesus Christ.
Job xxxiv. 31, 32.
Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any
more.
That which I see not, teach Thou me : it 1 have done iniquity, I will do no more.
The great sin, as well as the great misery of raan, is, the forgetting
of God ; and the great end and use of His works and of His word, is,
to teach us the right remembrance and consideration of Him in aU
estates. These words do particularly instruct us in the apphcatlon
of our thoughts towards Him in the time of affliction. The shortness
and the various signification of the words used in the original, give
occasion to some other readings and another sense of them. But this
we have in our Translation, being not only very profitable, but very
congruous, both to the words of the primitive text, and to the contex
ture of the discourse, I shall keep to it, without dividing your thoughts
by the mentioning of any other. Neither wiU I lead you so far about,
as to speak of the great dispute of this book, and the question about
it which is held. He that speaks here, though the youngest of the
company, yet, as a wise and calm-spirited man, closes all with a dis
course of excellent teraper, and fiill of grave, useful instructions,
araongst which this is one.
Surely it is 7neet to be said (or spoken) io God.] This speaking- to
God, though it may be vocal, yet it is not necessarily nor chiefly so,
but is always raainly, and may often be only, mental : without this, the
words of the mouth, how well chosen and well exjiressed soever they be,
are to God of uo account or signification at aU. But ifthe heart speak,
even when there is not a word in the mouth, it is that He hearkens to.

Job xxxiv. 31, 32.] docile sufferer. 63
and regards that speech, though made bv a voice that none hears but
He, and in a language that none understands but He.
But it is a rare, unfrequent thing, this communing ofthe heart with
God, speaking its thoughts to Him concerning itself, and concerning
Him, and His deahngs with it, and the purposes and intentions it hath
towards Him, — which is the speech here recommended, and is that
Divine exercise of meditation and solilof|uy of the soul w ith itself and
with God, hearkening what the Lord God speaks to us within us, and
our hearts echoing and resotinding his words, (as Psalm xxvii. 8, 9,)
and opening to Him our thoughts of them and of ourselves. Though
they stand open, and He sees them all, even when we tell Hira not of
them, vet, because He loves us. He loves to hear thera of our own
speaking: Let me hear thy voice, for it is sweet ; as a father delights
in the little stammering, lisping language of his beloved child. And if
the reflex affection of children be in us, we shall love also to speak ^vith
our Father, and to tell Him all our raind, and to be often with Him
in the entertainments of our secret thoughts.
But the most of men are Uttle within : either they wear out their
hours in vain discourse with others, or possiblv vainer discourses with
theraselves. Even those who are not of the w orst sort, and who, pos
sibly, have their times of secret prayer, vet do not so delight to think
of God, and to speak with Hira, as they do to be conversant in other
affairs, and corapanies, and discourses, in which there is a great deal
of froth and emptiness. Men think, by talking of manv things, to be
refreshed ; and yet, w-hen they have done, find that it is nothing, and
that they had much better have been alone, or have said nothing. Our
thoughts and speeches in most thincjs, run to waste, vea, are defiled;
as water spilt on the ground is both lost, and cannot be gathered up
again, and is polluted, mingled with dust. But no word spoken to
God, from the serious sense of a holy heart, is lost : he receives it, and
returns it into our bosom with advantag-e. A soul that delights to
speak to Him, wiU find that He also delights to speak to it. And
this coraraunication, certainly, is the sweetest and happiest choice ; to
speak little with men, and much with God. One short word, such as
this here, spoken to God in a darted thought, eases the heart more
when it is afflicted, than the largest discourses and complainings to
the greatest and powerfuUest of men, or the kindest and most friendly.
It gives not only ease, but joy, to say to God, I have sinned, yet I am
thine ; or, as here, I have borne chastisement, I xvill no more off'end.
The time of affliction is peculiarly a time of speaking to God; and
such speech as this is peculiarly befitting such a time. And this is
one great recommendation of affliction, that it is a time of wiser and
more sober thoughts — a time of the returning of the mind inwards and
upwards. A high place, fidness and pleasure, draw the mind more
outwards. Great fight and white colours dissipate the sight of the
eye, and the very thoughts of the raind too ; and m.en find that the
night is a fitter season for deep thoughts. It is better, says Solomon,
io go to ihe house of Tnourning than io the house of feasting. Those
blacks made the mind more serious. It is a rare thing to find much
retirement unto God, much humility and brokenness of spirit, true
purity and spirituahty of heart, in the affluence and great prosperities

64 THE PATIENT AND [Ser. II.
ofthe world. It is no easy thing to carry a very full cup even, and to
digest well the fatness of a great estate and great place. They are
not to be envied who have them : even though they be of the better
sort of men, it is a thousand to one but they shall be losers by the
gains and advancements of this world, suffering proportlonably great
abatements of their best advantages, by their prosperity. The gene
rality of men, while they are at ease, do securely neglect God, and little
mind either to speak to Him, or to hear Him speak to them. God
coraplains thus of His own people: I spoke to them in their prosperity,
and they would 7iot hear. The noises of coach-wheels, of their plea
sures, and of their great affairs, so fill their ears, that the still voice
wherein God is, cannot be heard. I will bring her into the wilder-
7iess, and there I will speak io her heart, says God of His Church.
There the heart is raore at quiet to hear God, and to speak to Him,
and is disposed to speak in the style here prescribed, humbly and
repentingly. / have borne chastisement.] The speaking this unto God under
affliction signifies, that our affliction is from His hand ; and to the
acknowledgment of this truth, the very natural consciences of men do
incline thera. Though trouble be the general lot of mankind, yet it
doth not come on him by an improvidential fatality : though man is
born io trouble as the sparks fly upwards, yet it comes noi out ofthe
dust. Job V. 6, 7. It is no less true, and in itself no less clear, that
all tiie good we enjoy, and aU the evil we suffer, come from the same
Hand; but we are naturally more sensible of evil than of good, and
therefore do more readily reflect upon the original and causes of it.
Our distresses lead us to the notice of the righteous God inflicting
them, and of our own unrighteous ways procuring thera, and provok
ing Hira so to do ; and therefore it is meet to speak in this subrais-
sive, humble language to Him. It is by all means necessary to speak
to Him. He is the party we have to deal withal, or to speak to, even
in those afflictions whereof men are the intervenient visible causes.
They are, indeed, but instrumental causes, the rod and staff' in His
hand who smites us ; therefore, our business is with Hi7n, in whose
Supreme Hand alone the mitigations and increases, the continuance
and the ending, of our troubles lie. Who gave Jacob to ihe spoil,
and Israel to the robbers ? Did 7iot ihe Lord, against whom we have
sinned? Isa. xUi. 24. So, Lam. i. 14, The yoke of my transn-ressio7is
is boimd on by His hand. Therefore, it is altogether necessary in all
afflictions to speak to Hi?n. And as it is necessary to speak to Him
so it is 7neet to speak thus to Hira, / have borne cJiastisemeni, I
will 710 7nore off'end. These words have in thera the true composition
of real repentance, humble submission and holy resolution. / have
borne chastisement— that is, I have justiy borne it, and do heartily
submit to it; I bear it justiy, and take it well; Lord, I acquit thee
and accuse myself This language becomes the most innocent per
sons in the worid in their suftijring. Job knew it well, and did often
acknowledge it in his preceding speeches. Though sometimes, in the
heat of dispute, and in opposition to the uncharitable and unjust im
putations of his friends, he seems to overstrain the assertion of his own
integrity (which Elihu here corrects), you know he cries out, I have

Job xxxiv, 31, 32.] docile sufferer. 65
sinned against Thee : what shall I do unto Thee, 0 Thou preserver of
men? Job vii. 20. And ch. ix. vcr. 30, // I wash 7ny self with snow
water, and make my hands never so clean, yet shall Thou plunge me
in the ditch, and 7ninc own clothes shall abhor me.
Vain, foofish persons fret and foam at the miscarriage of a cause
they apprehend to be righteous ; but this is a great vanity and incon
siderate temerity in not observing the great and apparent unrighteous
ness in the persons managing it. But though both the cause and the
persons were just to the greatest height iraaginable araongst raen, yet
stfll were it raeet to speak thus unto God in the lowest acknowledg
ments and confessions, that righteousness belongs unto Him, and unto
us shame and confusion of face. So says the Church, Lam. iii. The
Ldrd is righteous, for I have rebelled against His commandments.
Though affliction is not always designedly intended as the chastise
ment of some particular sin, yet, where sin is, (and that is the case
of all the sons of Adam,) affliction coraing in, may safely be considered
in its natural cognation and alliance with sin, and so press forth
humble confessions of sin, and resolutions against it. And thus in
Lev. xxvi. 41, They shall accept of ihe punishment of their iniquity ;
shall take it humbly and penitently, and kiss the rod.
Oh, that there were such a heart in us ! — that, instead of empty
words, that scatter themselves in the wind, our many vain discourses
we hold one with another, concerning our past and present sufferings,
and further fears, and disputing of many fruitless and endless ques
tions, we were more abundantly turning our speech this way, in unto
God, and saying. We desire to give Thee glory, and to take shame to
ourselves, and to bear our chastisement, and to offend no more ; to
retum each from his evil way ; and to gain this by the furnace, the
purging away ofour dross, — our many and great iniquities, — our oaths
and cursings, and lying, — our deceit, and oppressions, and pride, and
covetousness, — our base love of ourselves and hating one another, —
that we may be delivered from the t\Tanny of our own lusts and pas
sions ; and, in other things, let ihe Lord do with us as seems good in
His eyes. Oh, that we were speaking to God in Ephraira's words,
Jer. xxxi. 18, 19, 20 : Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised :
turn Thou me, and I shall he turned, &c. : words not unlike these
would stir His bowels, as there : as it is said, that one string perfectly
tuned to another, being touched, the other stirs of itself When a
stubborn child leaves struggUng under the rod, and turns to entreat
ing, the father then leaves off striking ; nothing overcoraes him but
that. When a man says unto God, Father, I have provoked Thee to
this ; but pardon, and through thy grace I will do so no more ; then
the rod is thrown aside, and the Father of mercies and His humbled
child fall to mutual tenderness and embraces.
What I see 7wt, teach Thou me.] The great article of conversion is,
the disengageraent of the heart frora the love of sin. In that pos
ture, as it actually forsakes whatsoever it perceives to be araiss, so it
stands in an absolute readiness to retum to every duty that yet fies
hidden, upon the first discovery. That is here the genuine voice of a
repentant sinner. What I see not, teach Thou, me : if I have done ini
quity, I will do no more.
Vol. II. F

66 THE PATIENT AND [Sier. II.
This is a very necessary supplication, even for the most discemmw
and clearest-sighted penitent, both in reference to the commandment
and rule for discovering- the general nature and several kinds of sin,
and withal for the application of this general fight to the exaraination
of a man's own heart and ways, that so he may have a more exact
and particular account of his own sins.
The former part of the petition is for the knowledge of the law of
God, as the rule by which a man is to try and to judge himself The
most knowing are not above the need of this request ; yea, I am per
suaded, the most knowing know best how much they need it, and are
most humbled in themselves in the conscience of their ignorance and
darkness in Divine things, and are most earnest and pressing in this
daily supplication for increases of light and spiritual knowledge from
Him who is the Fountain of it : What I see 7ioi, teach Thou me. On
the other side, the least knowing are often the most confident that
they know all, and swelled with a conceited sufficiency of their model
and determination of all things, both dogmatical and practical ; and
therefore are they the most imperious and magisterial in their conclu
sions, and the most impatient of contradiction, or even of the most
modest dissent.
The wisest and holiest persons speak always in the humblest and
most depressing style of their own knowledge, and that not with an
affectation of modesty, but under the real sense of the thing as it is,
and the sincere account they give of it, and that commonly when they
are declaring themselves most solemnly, as in the sight of God, or
speaking in suppUcation to Hira with whom they dare least of all
dissemble. Whosoever he was that spake those words, in the thirtieth
chapter of Proverbs, surely he was a man of eminent wisdom and
piety, and yet he begins thus : Surely I am more brutish than any
man, and have not the understanding of a man; I have neither
learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of ihe Holy. And though
he was so diligent a student, and so great a proficient in the law of
God, yet, how importunate a petitioner is he for the understanding of
it, as if he knew nothing at all ! Besides the like expressions in
other Psalms, in that one Psalra, [the cxix.] which, although of such
length, hath nothing but the breathing forth of his affection to the
vvord and law of God, how often doth David in it reiterate that peti
tion. Teach me Thy statutes ! — so often, that a carnal mind is terapted
to grow weary of it, as a nauseating tautology ; but he made it stiff
new with the freshness and vehemency of his affection : Make me to
understand the way of Thy precepts — Give ?ne 7indersianding, and I
shall keep Thy law — and Open Thou mine eyes, thai I may see ihe
wonders of Thy law, — unseal mine eyes, as if they were still veiled
and dark. These are the earnest and nobly ambitious desires that
daily soUcit holy hearts, and stir them up to solicit the Teacher of
hearts, to be admitted more into the secrets and recesses of Divine
knowledge ; not to those abysSes that God intends should be secret
stiU, and from which He hath barred out our curiosity, as the for
bidden tree of knowledge, those secrets that belong to Himself alone,
and concern us not to inquire after. And certainly, to be wading in
those deeps, is the way to be drowned in them. The searcher qf ma-

Job x-sxiv. 31, 32.] docile sufferer, 67
jesty shall be oppressed with glory. Yet, there is in man, a perverse,
preposterous desire, to pore upon such things as are on purpose
hidden that we should not inquire after thera, and to seek aiier use
less, empty speculations of them, which is a luxury and intemperance
ofthe understanding, like unto that, and springing from that, which
at first undid us in the root. These are times fiill of those empty,
airy questions, and notions in which there is no clearness nor cer
tainty to be attained, and if it were, yet it \\ ould serve to little or no
purpose, not making the man who thinks he hath found them out,
one jot the better or holier man than he was before. What avails it,
says a devout author, io dispute and discourse high concerning ihe
Trinity, and want humility, and so displease that Trinity? The
light and knowledge suited according to the intendment of this copy,
is of nature, such as purifies the heart and rectifies the life. TFhai 1
See not, teach Thou me ; that is, of such things as raay serve this end,
that ifl have done iniquity, I may do it no Tnore, This is sound and
sohd knowledge, such a hght as inflames the heart with the love of
God and of the beauties of holiness, and still, as it grows, makes
those to grow likewise. Such are stiU, we see, David's multiplied
supplications in that cxix. Psalra ; not to know resen'ed and useless
things, but. Hide not Thy commandments from me. Thy hands have
made me and fashioned me : now, what is it that Thy creature and
workmanship begs of Thee ? What is that which wiU complete my
being, and make me do honour to my Maker ? This is it, — Give me
understanding, that 1 7nay learn Thy commandments.
^ou that would be successful supplicants in this request, wean
your hearts from that vanity of desfre : such knowledge is as the
cypress-tree, fair and taU, but fruitless and sapless. Apply all you
know, to the purging out of sin, and intend all the further knowledge
you desire, to that same end. Seek to be acquainted with higher
rules of mortification, and self-denial, and charity, than as yet you
have either practised, or possibly so rauch as thought on ; that by
these, your affections and actions may be advanced to greater degrees
of purity, and conformity with the holiness of God. And for this end,
beg of him to teach you what you see not in the exactness of the law
and rule ; aud withal, (which is the other thing in this word,) that,
what you see not in the application of it and search of yourself. He
would likewise shew you ; for in that, we are commonly as undis-
ceming and dim-sighted as in the other. Even where men have
some notion of the rule and their duty, yet they perceive not their
own, even their gross recessions and declinings from it. Love is a
blinding thing, and above all love, self-love ; and every man is na
turally his own flatterer : he deals not faithfuUy and sincerely with
himself in the search of his own evils. Now this we are to entreat of
God, to be led into ourselves, and to be apphed to the work of self-
searching, by His own hand ; not only to have a right apprehension
of the law given us, but a tme sight of ourselves. Oh ! how many
hidden, undiscemed, yea, unsuspected impurities and foUies are
there in the hearts of those who are the raost diligent in this inquiry,
much more in the greater part, even of such as cannot absolutely be
denied the name of good men ! Some honest intentions and good
F 2

68; TJ.JJ. patient and [Ser. 11-
desires there are in thera ; but they are slothful and un wflling to gd
into this painful business of trying and judging themselves, and when
they set to it, many secret corners, and, in those, many latent corrup
tions do escape tiieir search. Cleanse me fro7n secret faults, says
David ; that is, not only those hidden from men, but even from my
self, as is clearly his meaning, by the words preceding. Who knows
the errors of his life ? Therefore is it necessary that we should de
sire fight of God. The spirit of a man is the candle of ihe Lord,
says Solomon, searching the innermost parts of the belly ; but it is a
candle unlighted, when He does not illuminate it for that search.
Oh ! what a deal of vanity and love of this worid, envy and secret
pride, lurks in many of our hearts, which we do not at all perceive,
tin God causeth us to see it, leading us in, as he did the prophet
Ezekiel in the vision, to see the idolatry of the Jews in His very
temple, by which they had provoked him to forsake it, and go far
from his sanctuary ; and having discovered one parcel, leads him in
further, and makes him enter through the wall, and adds often. Son of
man, hast thou seen these ? I will cause ihee io see yet more abomina
tions, and yet 7nore abominations. Thus is it within many of us who
should be His teraples, but we have a multitude of images of jea
lousy, one lying hid behind another, till He thus discovers them to
us. Oh, what need have we to entreat Him thus. What I see not,
teach Thou me !
Now, in both these, both in the knowledge of our rule and of our
selves, though there may be some useful subser-viency of the rainistry
of raen, yet, the great Teacher of the true knowledge of His law, and
of Himself, and of ourselves, is God. Men may speak to the ear, but
His chair is in Heaven who teaches hearts : cathedram habet in ccelo.
Matchless Teacher ! who teacheth more in one hour than men can do
in a whole age, who can cure the invincible unteachableness of the
dullest heart, give understanding to the simple, and open the eyes of
ihe blind ! So then, would we be raade wise, wise for eternity,
learned in real, living divinity, let us sit down at His feet, and make
this our continual request. What I see not, teach Thou me !
If I have done iniquity.] That is, any iniquity that I yet know not
of, any hidden sin, let me but once see it, and, I hope. Thou shalt see
it no more within me ; not willingly lodged and entertained. This
speaks an entire, total giving up of all sin, and is a proclaiming of
utter defiance and enmity against it ; casting out what is already
found out, without delay, and resolving that still in further search, as
it shall be raore discovered, it shall be forthwith dislodged, without a
thought of sparing or partial indulgence to any thing that is sin, or
that is like it, or that may any way befriend it, or be an occasion and
incentive of it. This is that absolute renouncing of sin, and surrender
of the whole soul and our whole selves to God, which whosoever do
not heartily consent to and resolve on, tiieir religion is in vain, and
(which is here the point) their affliction is in vain : whatsoever they
have suff'ered, they have gained nothing by all their sufferings, if their
hearts remain stiff self-wiUed, stubborn, untamed, and unpliable to
God. And this makes their miseries out of measure miserable, and
their sins out of measure sinful : whereas, were it thus qualified, and

Job xxxiv. 31, 32.] docile svFFEaEii. 69
had it any operation this way towards the subjecting of their hearts
unto God, affliction were not to be called misery, but would go under
the title of a blessedness: Blessed is the man whom Thou correctest and
teachest him out of Thy law. That is suiting with this here desired,
/ have borne chastise/nent ; what I see not, teach Thou 7ne ; and if
I have done iniquiti/, I will do it no more. Oh ! were it thus with us,
my brethren, how might we rejoice, and insert into our praises all that
is come upon us, if it had w rought or advanced any thing of this kind
within us, this blessed compliance with the will of God ; not enter
taining any thing knowingly that displeases Hira ; finding a pleasure
in the denial and destruction of our own most beloved pleasures at
His appointment and for His sake. Whatsoever is in us, and dearest
to us, that would offend us, that would draw us to offend Him, were
it the right hand, let it he cut off; or the right eye, let it be plucked
out : or, to make shorter work, let the whole raan die at once, cru
cified ^\ith Jesus, that we may be henceforth dead io sin, dead io ihe
world, dead io ourselves, and alive only io God.

SERMON IIL
preface.
There is no exercise so delightful to those that are truly godly, as
the solemn worship of God, if they find His powerfid and sensible
presence in it ; and indeed there is nothing on earth raore like to
Heaven than that is. But when He withdraws Hiraself, and with
holds the influence and breathings of His Spirit in his service, then
good souls find nothing more lifeless and uncomfortable. But there
is this difference, even at such a tirae, betwixt them and those that
have no spiritual life in them at all. that they fi.nd, and are sensible of
this difference ; whereas the others know not what it means. And for
the most part, the greatest number of those that meet together with a
profession to worship God, yet are such as do not understand this
difference. Custom and formality draw many to the ordinary places
of public worship, and fill too much of the roora ; and sometimes
novelty and curiosity, drawing to places not ortfinary, have a large
share : but how few are there that come on purpose to meet with God
in His worship, and to find His power in strengthening their weak
faith, and w eakening their strong corruptions, affording them provi
sion of spiritual strength and comfort against times of trial, and, in a
word, advancing thera some steps forward in their journey towards
Heaven, where happiness and perfection dwell ! Certainly, these
sweet effects are to be found in these ordinances, if we would look
after them. Let it grieve us then, that we have so often lost our
labour in the worship of God through our own neglect, and entreat
the Lord, that at this time He would not send us away empty. For
how weak soever the means be, if He put forth His strength, the
work shall be done, in some measure, to His glory and our edification.
Now that He may be pleased to do so, to leave a blessing behind
Him, let us pray, &c.

70 the divine glory of sion. [Ser. III.

Isaiah xxvin. 5, 6.
In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty
unto the residue of his people.
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them
that turn the battle to the gate.
All the works of Divine providence are fuU of wisdom and justice,
even every one severaUy considered ; yet we observe them best to be
such, when we take notice of their order and mutual aspect one to
another, whether in tiie succession of times, or such passages as are
contemporary and fall in together at one and the same tirae. As,
when the Lord brings notable judgraents upon the proud workers ot
iniquity, and at the sarae tirae confers special mercies on His own
people, who is there that raay not perceive justice and mercy illus
trating and beautifying one another ? It is true, the full reward and
perfect rest of the godly is not here below ; they would be sorry if it
were : nor is this the place of plenary punishment for the ungodly ;
men may look for a judgment too. Yet, the Lord is pleased at sorae
tiraes to give some resemblances and pledges, as it were, of that great
and last judgraent in remarkable passages of justice and mercy, at
one and the same time ; and such a time it is that the Prophet fore
tels in this his serraon, which concerns the two sister kingdoras of
Israel and Judah. Having denounced a heavy calamity to come
upon Israel, under the name of Ephraim, he comforts those of Judah
under the narae of the residue o/ His people. They not being so
grossly corrupted as the others were, he stays them with this promise :
In ihat day, saith he, when the other shall be overwhelmed, as with a
deluge, the Lord of Hosts shall befor a crown of glory, and for a
diadem of beauty unto the residue of His people.
The proraise is raade up of three benefits, yet the three are but
one ; or rather, one is all the three to them : The Lord of Hosts, it is
He that shall be their honour, wisdom, and strength ; He shall be a
crown, &c. But first, a word as to the circumstance of time. In thai
day. That sovereign Lord, who at first set up the lights of heaven to
distinguish times and seasons by their constant motion, and likewise
by His suprerae providence ruling the world, hath fixed the periods of
st^ates and kingdoms, and decreed their revolutions, their rising,
ascending, and their height, with their decline and setting, hath by a
special pro-vidence determined those changes and vicissitudes that
befall His Church. That which the Psalmist speaks, in his own par
ticular, Psal. xxxi. 1 5, holds of each believer, and of the Church which
they raake up in all ages and places : I said, Thou art my God, my
times are in Thy hcmd. A sure and steady hand indeed, and there
fore he buOds his confidence upon it, ver 13. They took counsel
against me, but I trusted in ihee. And upon this, he prays in faith,
that the face of God raay shine upon him, and the wicked raay be
asharaed. Thus, then, as many of you as are looking after a day of mercy to
the Church of God, pray and beheve upon this ground, 'That the time

Isa. xxviii, 5, 6.] the divine glory of sion. 71
of it is neither in the frail hands of those that favour and seek it, nor
in the hands of those that oppose il, how strong and subtle soe\er
they be, but in His almighty hand, who doth in heaven and earth
what pleaseth Him. If He have said. Now, and here, will I give a
day of refreshment to my people who have long groaned for it, a day
of the purity and power of religion ; if, I say, this be His purpose,
they must have somewhat more than omnipotence, who can hinder it.
When His appointed time comes, to make a day of deliverance daw n
upon His Church, after their long night either of affliction or of de
fection, or both ; they who contrive against that day-spring, are as
vain as if they would sit down to plot how to hinder the sun from
rising ill the morning. And they who let go their hopes of it, be
cause of great apparent difficulties that interpose betwixt their eye and
the accomphshment of that work, are as weak as if they should ima
gine, when mists and thick vapours appear about the horizon in the
morning, that these could hinder the rising of the sun, w hich is so far
out of their reach, and comes forth as a bridegroom, and rejoices as a
mighty man to run his race, says David. Those mists raay indeed
hinder his clear appearance, and keep it from the eye for a time ; but
reason tells us, even then, that they cannot stop his course. And
faith assures us no less in the other case, that no difficulties can hold
back God's day and work of mercy to His people. But you will say.
All the difficulty is, to know whether the appointed time be near or
not. It is true, we have no particular prophecies to assure us ; but
certainly, when God awakes His children and makes them r'lse, this is
a probable sign that it is near day. I mean, when He stirs them up
to more than usual hopes, and prayers, and endeavours, it is very
likely that He intends them some special good. But yet more, when
He Himself is arisen, (as it pleaseth Him to speak,) that is, when He
is begun to appear, in a more than ordinary manner of working by
singular and wonderfid footsteps of providence, this is, no doubt, a
sign that He will go on to shew remarkable raercy to Sion , and that
the time io favour her, yea, ihe set time is come. Psal. cn. 13.
Howsoever then, let the wonderful workings of the Lord move
those of you that have any power and opportunity, to be now (if ever)
active for the greatest good both of the present age and of posterity.
And you that can be no other way useful, yet you shall be no small
helpers if you be rauch in prayer ; let both your hopes and your fears,
serve to sharpen your prayers. Be not too much dejected with any
discouragement, neither be ye carnally lifted up with outward ap
pearances ; for the heart of him ihat is lified up, is not upright in
him, Hab. ii. 4 ; but live, as the just do, by yonr faith. And if the
deferring of your hopes should sicken your hearts, as Solomon speaks,
yet, stay and comfort them with the cordial of the promises. This
you are sure of, you have God's own word engaged for it, that in
those latter days Babylon shall be brought to the dust, and the true
Church of Christ shall flourish and increase. And this vision is for
an appointed time ; (as Habakkuk says of his ;) at ihe end it shall
speak, and not lie ; though it tarry, wait for it, it will surely come, it
will noi tarry.
In that day,] That is, in the day of Ephraim's or Israel's cala-

72 the divine glory of sion. [Ser. III.
mity denounced in the former verses ; which, as most do conceive,
was when the Assyrian oppressed them, and in the end led them cap
tive, in the reign of Hosea, as you have the history of it, 2 Kings
xvii., at which time Hezekiah was king of Judah, as you find in the
following chapter : and in that notable reformation wrought by him,
with those blessings that followed upon it, is found the accomplish
ment of this proraise to Judah, In thai day, &c. The parallel of
God's different dealing with these two kingdoras at the time there
specified, (in that day,) does afford divers lessons, which might be
here not impertinently taken notice of Only this :
Though Judah also had its own corruptions when Hezekiah came
to the crown, yet it pleased the Lord to spare them and work a
peaceable reformation, making Israel's punishment their warning.
Truly, that nation with whora the Lord deals thus graciously, is vilely
ungratefiil if they observe it not with much humility and thankfulness,
and with profit too. If the Lord should answer your desires and
hopes with a reforraation in a peaceable way, and should yet lengthen
out your long continued peace, and should raake this little past
shaking of it cause it to take root the faster ; if He should, I say, do
this, where would ye find fit praises for such a wonder of mercy ? — ¦
especially considering, that in the raeanwhile He hath raade other
reformed churches fields of blood, and made, as it were, the sound of
their stripes preach repentance to us. But certainly, ifthe hearing the
voice of the rod prevail not, we shall feel the smart of it, as this
people of Judah did afterwards, because they were not so wise as to
become wiser and better by Israel's folly and calaraity. We are ex
pecting great things at our Lord's hands, and our provocations and
sins against Hira are great ; yet there is no one of them all puts us
in so much danger of disappointment, as impenitence. Were there
more repentance and personal reforraation amongst us, we might take
it as a hopeful forerunner of that public reformation which so many
seem now to desire.
The Lord of Hosts.] This style of His, you know, is frequent in
the Prophets, in their predictions of raercy and judgraent ; intiraating
both His greatness and majesty, and His supreme power for accom
plishing His word. No created power can resist Him ; yea, all must
serve Him. The most excellent creatures can have no greater ho
nour : the greatest are not exempted, nor the meanest excluded from
ser-ving Him. In Acts xii. 23, you find one of the noblest creatures,
and a number of the vilest, raade use of at the sarae tirae in the same
service. Because Herod did accept ofthe sacrilege ofthe people, and
gave not back to this Lord of hosts His own glory, the angel of ihe
Lord smote hi7n, and the vermin devoured him. And in Egypt, you
know the employing of the destroying angel, and what variety of
hosts this Lord of hosts did employ to plague them. What madness,
then, is it to oppose and encounter this great General ! — even in
doubtful cases, to run on blindly, without examining, lest peradven
ture a man should be found a fighter against God. And on the other
side, it is great weakness to adrait any fear under His banner. If a
man could say, when he was told of the multitude of the ships the
eneray had. Against how 7nany do ye reckon me ? how much more

Isa. xx\iii. 5,6.] the divinc glory of sion. 73
justly may we reckon this Lord of hosts, again-^t ratdfitudes of ene
mies, how great soever ! They are to Him as the drop of a bucket,
and the smallest dw^t of the balance. It is ignorance and raean
thouijhts of this mightv Lord that makes his enemies so confident ;
and it is the same evil, in some degree, or, at the best, forgetfulness of
His power, that causeth diffidence in His foUowers. I, even I, am he
ihat comforteth you : who ari thou, ihat thou shouldest be afraid of a
man ihat shall die, and forgetitst the Lord, thy Maker. Isa. li. 12, 13.
Now this same Lord of Hosts, you know, is likewise called the God of
peace: He is indeed, et pace et bello insignis, splendid both in peace and
war. The blessing of peace, and the success of war, are both from
Him ; and to Hira alone is due the praise of both.
.Shall befor a crawn of glory.] He shall dignify and adorn them
by His special presence ; to wit, in the purity of His ordinances and
rehgion amongst them : the profession and flourishing of that, shaU be
their special glory and beauty. For, as the other two benefits con
cern their civil good, ji«s<jce flourishing within, and wealth and opulency
from without, so, doubtless, this first, this glory and beauty, is religion,
as the chiefest of the three, and the other two are its attendants. In
Psalm xxvi. S, the sanctuary, the place of their solemn worship, is
called the place where God's honour dwelleth, or the tabernacle of His
honour, and. Psalm xcvi. 9, the glorious sanctuary, or the beauty of
holiness. And the ark of God, you know, was caUed ihe glory. The
glory is departed from Israel, (said the w ife of Phineas,) for the ark of
God is taken. 1 Sam. iv. 21. Pure religion and a pure worship is the
glory of God amongst His people, and, consequently, their glory. Now,
referring this prophecy to Hezekiah's time, the acrcomplishment of it
is evident, in that work of reformation whereof you have the full his
tory, 2 Chron. xxix. 30, 4'c.
if it be thus, that the purity of religion and worship, is the crown
and glory of a people ; and therefore, on the other side, that their
deepest stain of dishonour and vileness, is the vitiating of religion with
human devices ; then, to contend for the preservation or the refor
mation of it, is noble and worthy ofa Christian. It is for the crown
of Jesus Christ, which is likewise a crown of glory and a diadem of
beauty to them. He being their head. It is, indeed, the true glory
both of kings and their kingdoms. Labour, then, for constancy in this
work : let no man take your crown from you. You know how busy
the emissaries ofthe Church of Rorae have been to take it from us, or,
at least, to pick the diamonds out of it, and put in false, counterfeit
ones in their places. I mean, they stole away the power of religion,
and filled up the room with shadows and fopperies of their own devis
ing. It is the vanity of that Church to think they adorn the worship
of God when they dress it up with splendour in her service, which,
though some magnify it so much, yet raay most truly be called a glis
tering slavery and captivity. Then is she trulv free, and wears her
crown, when the ordinances of God are conformable to His own ap
pointment. It is vanity in man, I say, when they dress it up w ith a
multitude of gaudy ceremonies, and make it the smallest part of itself;
w hereas, indeed, its ti-ue glory consists not in pomp, but in purity and
simphcity. In the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse, we find the

74 the divine glory op sion. [Ser. III.
Church, under the name of a woman, richly attired, indeed, but her
ornaments be all heavenly ; ihe sun her clothing, and her crown of
twelve stars. Needs she, then, borrow sublunary glory? No, she
treads upon it : the moon is 7inder her feet. There is another woman,
indeed, in that same book, arrayed in purple and scarlet, decked with
gold and precious stones, and having a golden cup in her hand, but
that golden cup is full of abominaticms and filthiness, and she herself
the mother of abominations, Apoc. xvii. 4. The natural man judges
according to his reach ; but to a spiritual eye there is a most genuine
beauty in the service of God and the govemment of His house ; and
when they are nearest to the rule, the word of God, then is it that the
Lord himself is the crown and diadem of His Church.
A crown of glory,] Again : we may consider this personally, as
belonging in particular to every believer. They are all made kings and
priests unto God ihe Father. Apoc. i. 6. They are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, 1 Pet. ii. 9, how despicalDle soever to the world.
This is their dignity : The Lord is iheir crown and diadem. He sub
dues their lusts, and makes them kings over their own affections, and
more than conquerors over all troubles and persecutions ; whereas
carnal men are continually hurried, like slaves, unto base eraployraents,
still kept toiling in the ignoble service of their own lusts. "They think,
indeed, it is their liberty ; but that is a baseness of spirit that coraplies
so well with so vile and servile a condition. And whereas they judge
the godly to be the refuse and dross of the earth, and the proper
objects of contempt, this is because this their crown, though most glo
rious, is invisible to the eye of nature. The Lord is a crown. If they
knew what this is, they would see enough in it to countervail their out
ward meanness and the reproaches the world cast on them : as the
apostle St. Peter hath it, 1 Pet. iv. 14, If ye be reproached for ihe
name of Christ, happy are ye ; for ihe Spirit of glory and of God
resteth on you. He is their crown.
And observe, how this crown is opposed to that blasted glory and
fading crown of pride, spoken of in the former verses. Wo to ihe
crown of pride, io ihe drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty
is a fading flower.
Who is there that sees not, in daily experience, the vanity and
inconstancy of worldly glory, and yet, how few are there that wean
themselves from it, and learn to disdain it ! Still men dote upon that
which is not, upon a shadow, a nothing. But would you have a glory
that fadeth not, a garland that cannot wither, make the Lord your
crown and your glory ; and if He be so, glory in Him, and in nothing
else. Let not the wise man glory m his wisdom, neither lei ihe
Tfnighty 7nan glory in his Tnight ; let not ihe rich man glory in his
riches ; but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth
and knoweth me. Jer. ix. 23, 24.
You that are noble, aspire to this crown, as being so far above your
perishing honours and bounded powers. And you that are outwardly
meaner and lower, see how littie cause you have to complain of your
condition, seeing you are not debarred from this best and greatest
honour. And, that you may discern it aright what it is, know that it
consists in the renovation of God's image within you, which is iu

Isa. xxviii. 5, 6.] the divine glory of sion. 75
holiness and righteousness : so the Lord becomes your crown in the
kingdom of grace. And by this you may discover, whether or no
you have attained it : if you can yet delight to wallow in the puddle
and pleasures of sin, you are far from this royal condition ; but if you
find your soul possessed with the love of holiness, and that you are
trampling upon profane delights, this may persuade you that God
hath enabled you, and crowned you with His grace, and wiU crown
you witii his glory. Again, try it by this ; if the Lord is becorae your
crown and your glory, you wUl glory in Him, and in nothing else.
Though you be wise, you will not glory in your wisdom, nor in
strength, nor in riches, nor in honours, though you had them all ; but
if you glory, you will glory in the Lord. And withal, your highest
joy will be, to see the advancement of His glory, and, if you can, to be
any way serviceable to the advancing of it.
And for a spirit of judgment,] Both to those that sit in judg
ment, and to the people. For justice is the strongest base and
establishment of authority. And withal, the influence of it is raost
sweet and comfortable to those who are under authority ; and where it
is wanting, that order and relation of superiors and inferiors, which
God hath appointed in the societies of men for their good, tends
exceedingly to the damage of both. And therefore, where God
intendeth to continue the peace and welfare of a people. He is liberal
in pouring out much of this spirit of judgment on those who sit in
judgment. On the contrary, it is for a heavy punishment, when He
withdraws His spirit from rulers, and leaves thera wholly to the
corruption and vanity of their own spirits.
To him that sitteth in judgment. That is, to all that are in places
of authority and judicature, from the supreme to the lowest magistrate ;
for this concerns them all. For they be all raised in their subordina
tion, and several places above the people, for the benefit and good of
the people ; as the stars, that be set so high, yet are placed there to
be useful and beneficial to the inferior world.
Now this spirit of judgment comprehends in it both due wisdom
and prudence, for the trial and right judging of affairs, and for the
discerning betwixt sound and perverse counsel ; and -withal, a judgment
practically good, that cannot be biassed from the straight fine of equity
and justice by any sinister respect.
Now, seeing the spirit of judgment is from the Lord, yea. He is
this spirit, it ought to persuade those that sit in judgment, to entreat
and pray for this, and to depend upon it, and beware of self-confidence.
Trust in the Lord, saith Soloraon, and lean not to thine own imder-
standing : if you do, it will prove but a broken reed. And as they that
sit in judgment should entreat His spirit by prayer, so, generally, all
must share with them in this duty, and make supplication for all that
are in autiiority over them, especially in extraordinary times. Truly
we have matter of thankfulness, that the Lord hath in some measure
inclined the royal heart of our sovereign to the desires of his people ;
and we ought stfll to pray, that the Lord would give the king His
judgments; and then, as the Psalmist adds. The mountains shal
bring peace io ihe people, and the little hills, by righteousness. Psal.
Ixxii, 3. And, for this end, let all who wish the public, yea, their own

76 CHRIST the hght and [Ser. I\.
o-ood, pray rauch for abundance of this spirit of judgment to be
conferred on thera. Your eyes and expectations are upon them. If
you would enjoy tiie lamp, you must pour in oil. This spirit, indeed,
you cannot pour upon them, but if you pour out many prayers, you
may draw it from above : He will give it, who here promises to be
a spirit of judgment.
And for strength. Observe, the way to be powerfiil and successful
against "foreign enemies, is, to have religion and justice flourishing at
home. And truly, if it please our God to answer the desires of His
people at this tirae, it may so unite the affection and strength of the
two kingdoms, {the Lord of hosts being their strength,') as to make
thera a terror to their enemies ; whereas they were becorae a scorn and
derision to them. For your particular, labour to make the Lord your
glory, to have Christ made unto you, as the Apostle speaks, both
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctiflcation, which are the glory and
beauty of the soul, and redemption from spiritual enemies. Draw
strength from Him, to fight and prevail against them, till, after the
short combat of this life, you obtain the crown, and dwell in His
presence, where you shall fear no raore assaults, neither of sin nor of
affliction, but shall be for ever happy in the blessed vision of His face.
To him be glory. Amen.

SERMON IV.
preface.
External worship doth openly acknowledge a Deity, but want of
inward sense in worship secretly denieth it: the fool hath said in his
heart, there is no God. It is strange to hear so much noise of relio-ion
in the world, and to find so little piety. To present the living God
with a carcass of hfeless worship, is to pay Him with shefls of services,
and so to mock Hira. And it is a more admirable long-suffering in
Him to defer the punishraent of such devotion, than of all the other sins
in the world. The Egyptian teraples were rich and stately fabrics : a
stranger who had looked upon them without, would have imao-ined
some great deity within ; but if they entered, (as Lucian says, lauo-hino-
at thera,) nothing was to be seen, but only sorae ape, or cat, or pied
buU, or some other fine god fike those. To behold our fair semblance
of religion who frequent this house, it would appear that we were all
the temples of the Holy Ghost; but whoso could look within us,
would find in many of our hearts lust, pride, avarice, or some such
like secret vice adored as a god. And these are they which, while our
bodies sit here, do alienate our souls from the service of the Eternal
God, so that we are either altogether senseless and dead before Hira,
or, if any fit of spiritual raotion rise within us, we find it here, and
here we leave it, as if it were sacrilege to take it horae with us. But
did once that Spirit of Grace breathe savingly upon our souls, we
should straight renounce and abhor those base idols, and then all the
current of our affection would run more in this channel : our services

ISa". Ix. 1.] lustre of the church. 77
would then be spiritual, and it would be our Heaven upon eartii, lo
view God in his sanctuary. And the obtaining of the change, is,
or should be, one raain end of this our raeeting ; and, that it raay be
the happy effect of it, our recourse must be to the throne of grace by
humble prayer, in the name of our Mediator, Jesus Christ, the
righteous, Isaiah Ix. 1.
Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of tlie Lord is risen upon thee.
Admirable is the worth and depth of Divine providence ! Tliis,
either we know not, or at least seldom remember. While we forget
the wonders of pro\ idence, we direct our thoughts to baser objects,
and think not on it ; and while we forget the depth of providence, (if
at any time we look towards it,) we judge rashly and think amiss of
it. If this be true of that general providence whereby God rules the
World, it is more true of His special providence towards his Church.
This is both the most excellent piece of it, and therefore best worth the
reading, and also the hardest piece, and therefore it requires sobriety
in judging: above all other things, he that suddenly judges in this,
makes haste to err. To have a right view of it, it must be taken
altogether, and not by parcels. Pieces of rarest artifice, while they are
a making-, seem little worth, especially to an unskilful eye, which being
completed, command admiration. Peter Martyr says well, De operibus
Dei, antequam actum, non est judicanda7n : There is no judging of
the works of God, before they are flnished. There is a time when the
daughters of Sion embrace the dunghill, and sii desolate in the streets,
as Jeremiah hath it in his Lamentations, (iv. 5.) and at that same
time the voice of Babylon, is, I .sit as a queen and shall see no sorrow.
Apoc. xviii. 7|; Isa. xlvn. 7. AU is out of order here. But if we stay
awhile, we shall see Sion and Babylon appointed to change seats, by
the great Master of the world : Come down, says He, Daughter of
Babylon, and sit in ihe dust, Isa. xlvii. 1. And here, to Sion, Arise,
shine, for iliy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon
ihee. It is an entire catastrophe : both parties find a notable alteration
together. That same Hand that exalts the one, ruins the other.
Wlien the sun rises upon the Church, her antipodes must needs be
covered with darkness : as we find it in the next verse to the text :
Darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness ihe people ; but ihe
Lord shall arise upon ihee, and His glory shall be seen upon ihee.
The Prophet, elevated by the Spirit of God to a view of after ages
as clear as if they were present, seems here to find His people sitting
under the dark mantle of a sad and tedious night, and having long
expected the sun's return in vain, before its time, they give over
expectation when it is near thera, and desperately fold theraselves to
lie perpetually in the dark. Now the Prophet, standing, as it were,
awake upon some mountain, perceives the day approaching, and the
golden chariots of the morning of deliverance hasting forward, and
seems to come speedily with these glad news to a captive people, and
sounds this trumpet in their ears. Arise, shine, for thy light is come.

'S'8 CHRIST THE LIGHT AND [Ser. IV.
The very manner of expression is sudden and rousing, without a
copulative ; not. Arise and shine, but. Arise, shine, &o.
The words have in them a clear stamp of relation to a low posture
and obscure condition : they suppose a people lying or sitting without
hght. Deep distress is that dark foU that best sets off the lustre of
marvellous deliverances ; and araong many other reasons of the
Church's vicissitudes, why may not this be one ? The Lord is more
iUustrious in the world by that deep wisdora and great power that
shines when He raises and restores her frora desperate afflictions,
than if He had stiff preserved her in constant ease. He seems sorae
times careless of her condition, and regardless of her groans ; but
even then, is He waiting the most flt time to he gracious, as our
prophet speaks. And when it is time, out of the basest estate He
brings her forth more fresh, strong, and beautiful than before. Though
you have lain among ihe pots, yet ye shall be as the wings of a dove
covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. Psal. Ix-viii. 13.
Do with the Church what you will, she shall come through, and t'nat
with advantage. Mergas profundo, pulchrior exilit, as one says of
Rome. Keep the Church seventy years captive, yet, after that, she
shall arise and shine more glorious than ever.
But surely, the strain of this evangelic prophecy rises higher than
any temporal deliverance. Therefore we must rise to some raore
spiritual sense of it, not excluding the forraer. And that which sorae
call divers senses of the same scripture, is, indeed, but divers parts of
one full sense. This prophecy is, out of question, a most rich
description of the kingdom of Christ under the gospel. And in this
sense, this invitation to arise and shine is mainly addressed to the
mystical Jerusalem, yet not -without some privilege to the literal
Jerusalem beyond other people. They are first invited to arise and
shine, because this sun arose first in their horizon. Christ came of
the Jews, and came first to them. The Redeemer shall come io Zion,
says our Prophet, in the former chapter. But miserable Jerusalem
knew not ihe day of her visitation, 7ior ihe things that concerned her
peace, and therefore are they now hid from her eyes. She de
lighted to deceive herself with fancies of 1 know not what imaginary
grandeur and outward glory, to which the promised Messiah
should exalt her, and did, in that kind particularly, abuse this very
prophecy; so doting upon a sense grossly literal, she forfeited the
enjoyment of those spiritual blessings that are here described. But
undoubtedly, that people of the Jews shall once more be coraraanded
to arise and shine, and their return shall be the riches ofthe Gentiles ;
and that shall be a raore glorious time than ever the Church of God
did yet behold. Nor is there any inconvenience, if we think that the
high expressions of this prophecy have some spiritual reference to that
time, since the great doctor of the Gentiles applies some words of the
forraer chapter to that purpose, Rora. xi. 29. They forget a main
point of the Church's glory, who pray not daily for the conversion of
the Jews.
But to pass that, and insist on the spiritual sense of these words, as
directed to the whole Church of Christ, they contain a powerful excite
ment to a twofold act, enforced (as I conceive) by one reason under a

Isa. Ix. 1.] LUSTRE OF THE CHURCH. 79
twofold expression, neither of them superfluous, but each giving light
to the other, and suiting very aptly with the two words of comraand :
Arise, for ihe glory of ihe Lord is risen, and shine, for thy light is
come. I will not now subdivide these parts again, and cut them smaller,
but will rather unite them again into this one proposition : The coming
and presence of Christ engages all to whotn he conies, io arise and shine.
In this proposition may be considered, the nature of the duties, the
universality ofthe subject, and the force ofthe reason.
I. The nature of the duties — what it is to arise and shine. Arising
hath reference either to a fall, or to sorae contrary posture of sitting or
lying, or to one of those two conditions which are so like one another,
sleep, or death ; and to all these, spirituaUy understood, may it here
be referred. This is the voice of the Gospel to the sons of Adam,
Arise ; for in Him they all fell. The first sin of that first man was
the great fall of mankind : it could not but undo us, it was frora so
high a station. Our daily sins are our daffy faUs, and they are the
fruits of that great one. Thoji hast fallen by thine iniquity, says the
Lord to His people, Hos. xiv. 1. As for those postures of sitting and
lying, the Scripture raakes use of them both to signify the state of sin.
Says not St. John, The world lies in wickedness? 1 John v. 19. Are
not the people said to sii in darkness, mentioned Matt. iv. 16 ? Which
is directly opposite to arise and shine. In the darkness of Egypt, it is
said, the people sai still ; none arose from their places. In the gross
mist of corrupt nature, man cannot bestir himself to any spiritual
action ; but when this light is come, then he may, and should arise.
Now for sleep and death, sin is most frequently represented in holy
writ under their black -vizors. To forbear citing places where they
are severally so used, we shall find them jointly in one, Ephes. v. 14:
Arise, thou ihat sleepest, and stand up from the dead; which place
seems to have special allusion to this very text.
The impenitent sinner is as one buried in sleep : his soul is in dark
ness, fit for sleep, and loves to be so. That he may sleep the sounder,
he shuts all the passages of light, as enemies to his rest, and so, by
close windows and curtains, makes an artificial night to himself within:
not a beam appears there, though without the clear day of the Gospel
shines round about him. The senses of his soul, as we may call them,
are all bound up, and are not exercised io discern good and evil, as the
Apostle speaks, Heb. v. 14. And his leading faculty, his understand
ing, is surcharged with sleepy vapours, that arise incessantly from the
inferior part of his soul, his perverse affections. Nor hath his mind
any other exercise, in this sleepy condition, than the vain business of
dreaming. His most refined and wisest thoughts are but mere extra
vagancies from man's due end, and his greatest contentments nothing
but golden dreams. Yet he is serious in thera, and no wonder ; for
who can discern the folly of his own dream till he is awake ? He that
dreams he eateth, when he awakes, finds his soul empty, and not till
then. Isa. xxix. 8. Now, while he thus sleeps, his great business lies
by ; yet spends he his hand-breadth of time as fast, while he is fast
asleep, as if he were in continual employment. Judge, then, if it be
not needful to bid this man arise.

80 CHRIST THE LIGHT AND [Scr. IV.
Lastly, this voice may import, that man is spiritually dead. God is
the life of the soul, as ii is of the body : while He dwells there, it is
both comely and active ; but once destitute of His presence, it becomes
a carcass, where, besides privation of life and motion, there is a posi
tive filthiness, a putrefaction in the soul, unspeakably worse than that
of dead bodies. Corruptio opti7ni pessima. And as dead bodies are
removed from the sight of men, dead souls are cast out from the favour
able sight of God, tiff Christ's saying. Arise, revives them. The minis
ters of the word are appointed to cry. Arise, indifferently to all that
hear them ; and Christ hath reserved this privilege and liberty, to join
his effective voice when and to whom he pleases. A carnal man may
shew his teeth at this ; but who is he that can, by any solid reason,
charge absurdity upon this way of dispensing outward and inward vo
cation ? I will not here mention their idle cavils. The Scripture is
undeniably clear in this, that man is naturally dead in si7i. The
gospel bids him arise, and it is Christ that is his life, and that raises
him. Thus we see, in sorae measure, what it is for men to arise. Now
being risen, they must shine, and that two ways ; jointly and publicly,
as they make up visible churches, and likewise personally, in their par
ticular conversation. First, then, what is the shining ofthe true church?
Doth not a church, then, shine, when church service is raised from
a decent and primitive simplicity, and decorated with pompous cere
monies, with rich furniture and gaudy vestments ? Is not the church,
then, beautiful ? Yes, indeed ; but all the question is, whether this be
the proper, genuine beauty or not ; whether this be not strange flre, as
the fire that Aaron's sons used, which became vain, and was taken as
strange fire. Methinks it cannot be better decided than to refer it to
St. John, in his book of the Revelations. We find there the descrip
tions of two several women, the one riding in state, arrayed in purple,
decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearl, ch. xvn. ; the other,
ch. xii., in rich attire too, but of another kind, clothed with the sun,
and a crown of twelve stars on her head. The other's decoraraent was
all earthly, this woraan's is all celestial. What need has she to borrow
light and beauty frora precious stones, who is clothed with the sun, and
crowned with stars ? She wears no sublunary ornaraents, but, which
is more noble, she treads upon them ; the Tuoon is under her feet.
Now, if you know (as you do all, without doubt,) which of these two
is the spouse of Christ, you can easily resolve the question. The truth
is, those things seem to deck religion, but they undo it. Observe
where they are most used, and we shall find little or no substance of
devotion under them ; as we see in that apostate Church of Rorae.
This painting is dishonourable for Christ's spouse, and besides, it
spoils her natural coraplexion. The superstitious use of torches and
lights in tiie church by day, is a kind of shining, but surely not that
which is commanded here. No ; it is an affront done both to the sun
in the heaven, and to the Sun of Righteousness in the Church.
What is meant, then, when the Church is coraraanded to shine, or
he enlightened ? These two readings give the entire sense of the word ;
for, first, having no hght of herself, she must receive light, and then
shew it ; first, be enUghtened, and then shine. She is enlightened by

Isa. Ix. 1.] LUSTRE OF THE CHURCH. 81
Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, shining in the sphere ofthe gospel.
This is that light that coraes to hor, and the glory of the Lord that
arises upon her. Hence she receives her laws and forras of govern
ment, and her shining is, briefly, the pure exercise of those and
conforraity to thera.
And the personal shining of the several members of a church, is, a
comely congruity with pure worship and discipline ; and it is that
which now is raost needful to be urged. Every Christian soul is per
sonally engaged first to be enlightened, and then to shine; and «e
raust draw our light for ourselves from that same source that furnishes
the Church with her public light. There is a word in the civil law.
Uxor fidget radiis mariti : The w ife shines by the rays of her hus
band's light. Now every faithful soul is espoused to Christ, and
therefore raay well shine, seeing the Sun hiraself is their husband.
He adorns them with a double beauty of justification and sanctifica
tion : by that, they shine more especiaUy to God, by this to men.
And may not these two be signified by a double character given
to the spouse in Cant. vi. 20 ? She is fair as the moon, and clear
as the sun. The lesser light is that of sanctification, fair as the
tnoon ; that of justification, the greater, by which she is as clear
as the sun. The sun is perfectly lurainous, but the raoon is but half
enlightened ; so, the believer is perfectiy justified, but sanctified only
in part : his one half, his flesh, is dark ; and as the partial illuraina-
tion is the reason of so many changes in the raoon, to which changes
the sun is not subject at all, so the iraperfection of a Christian's
holiness, is the cause of so raany waxings and wanings, and of the
great inequality in his perforraances, whereas in the meanwhile his
justification remains constantly like itself This is imputed, that
inherent. The light of Sanctification raust begin in the understanding,
and from thence be transfused to the affijctions, the inferior parts of
the soul, and frora thence break forth and shine into action. This is
then the nature ofthe duties. Arise and shine,
II. The universality of the subject, which was the second head, is
this, that every man that knows Christ, is here engaged to shine too.
Neither grandeur exempts from the duty of shining, nor doth meanness
exclude from the privilege of shining. Men of low condition in this
world need not despair of it, for it is a spiritual act ; great men need
not despise it, for it is a noble act, to shine by Christ's light. In the
third verse of this chapter it is said to the Church, Kings shall come to
the brightness of thy rising. To what end, but to partake ofher light
and shine with her? And indeed, the regal attire of Christ's
righteousness, and the white robes of hohness, will exceedingly well
become kings and princes. Give the king thy judgments, 0 Lord, and
thy righteousness to ihe king's son.
111. The third and last thing propounded, was the force of the
reason; that Chrisfs presence engages to arise and shine. Wherein it
is supposed that Christ, declared in the Gospel, is the light which is
said here to come, and the glory ofthe Lord which is said to be risen ;
so that now it should be more amply cleared, how Christ is light and
the glory of the Lord, and what his coming and rising is. But of
these afterwards. I shall close now with a word of exhortation.
Vol. II. G

82 CHRIST THE LIGHT AND [Ser. IV.
Arise, then, for the glory of the Lord is risen. The day of the
Gospel is too precious that any of it should be spent in sleep, or
idleness, or worthless business. Worthless business detains mauy of
us. Arise, immortal souls, from turraoiling in the dust, and working
in the clay like Egyptian captives. Address yourselves to more noble
work. There is a Redeeraer come, who will pay your ransom, and
rescue you from such vile service, for more excellent employment. It
is strange how the souls of Christians can so much forget their first
original from Heaven, and their new hopes of returning thither, and
the rich price of their redemption, and forgetting all these dwell so
low, and dote so much upon trifles. How is it that they hear not
their well beloved's voice crying. Arise, 7ny love, 7ny fair one, and come
away ? Though the eyes of true believers are so enlightened, that
they shall not sleep unto death, yet their spirits are often seized with
a kind of drowsiness and slumber, and soraetiraes even when they
should be of most activity. The time of Christ's check to his
three disciples, made it very sharp, though the words are mild :
What ! could you not watch with 7ne one hour ? Shake off, believing
souls, that heavy humour. Arise, and satiate the eye of faith with the
contemplation of Christ's beauty, and follow after hira till you attain
the place of full enjoyment. And you others who never yet saw hira,
arise, and admire his matchless excellency. The things you esteem
great, appear so but through ignorance of his greatness. His bright
ness, if you saw it, would obscure to you the greatest splendour of the
world, as all those stars that go never down upon us, yet they are
swallowed up in the surpassing light of the sun when it arises.
Stand up from ihe dead, and He shall give you light. Arise and
work while it is day, for the 7iight shall come wherein none can work,
says our Saviour himself Happy are they who rise early in the morn
ing of their youth ; for the day of life is very short, and the art of
Christianity long and difficult. Is it not a grevious thing, that men
never consider why they carae into the world, till they be upon the
point of going out again, nor think how to live, till they be sumraoned
to die? But raost of all unhappy, he who never wakens out of that
pleasing dreara of false happiness, till he falls into eternal misery,
Arise, then, betiraes, and prevent that sad awakening.
And being risen, put on your beautiful garments, Isa. lii. 1.
Draw towards you with the hand of faith the rich raantle of Christ's
righteousness. It is tiine io awake, says the Apostie, and presently
after. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, Rora. xni. 11, 14. And it is
a wonder how a sinner can rest, while he is out of this garment; for
there is no other in heaven nor on earth, can make him shine to God,
and so shelter him from the stroke of justice. Put him on then, and
so shine ; being thus clothed, thou shalt shine in justification, and
likewise in sanctity. What a privilege is it, to be like God ! A
sanctified conscience, what can be said against it ? And first have an
enlightened understanding, for that is the proper seat of light. That
ignorant zeal which Rome comraends, exposes religion to scorn and
conterapt. Heat without light, is the character ofthe fire of hell. I
know, all are not tied to a like degree of knowledge, but certainly, all
are obliged to have a competency, and diligence for increase. Aspire,

Isa. Ix. 1.] LUSTRE OF THE CHURCH. 83
then, to be intelligent Christians, and to know well what you believe.
Let your minds he fllled with knowledge, as the Apostle speaks. But
let it not stop there; it must have influence into the will. Lux est
vehiculum caloris : True light conveys heat. All the knowledge that
the natural raan hath of Christ, not wanning his affection to Christ, is
but ignis fatuus, a vain light, it shall never lead him to happiness.
Saving liglit produces love, and bv that acts. Faith works by love,
says the Apostle. That breaks forth and shines in the life, in god
liness, righteousness, and sobriety. Shine, then, in all these ; first, in
pietv towards God, for this is the reflection of those rays of light back
toward their source, and this will command the other two. No man
that shines in godliness, wUl wallow in injustice and intemperance.
Guile and wrong cannot endure the light: they that are unjust cannot
shine. And let them never offer to shine among Christians, who are
not sober, but stained with riot and uncleanness. These foul enormi
ties lay waste the conscience, and put out the light. How can any
seeds of grace subsist undrowned, that are exposed to a daily deluge of
cups ? How can that pure Spirit that chose the likeness of a chaste
dove, dwell and give light in that soul which is a nest of impure and
filthy lusts ? No ; there can be no fellowship betwixt this celestial
light, wherebv we should shine, and those infernal workings of dark
ness. Let profane raen hold it a chief strain of wit, to scoff at purity,
but )'ou who pretend Heaven-ward in good earnest, and mean to shine in
glory, shine here in holiness; For without holiness no man shall see God.
And do it with these qualifications: (1.) Constantly, — in every estate.
Let not this Divine light go out, neither by day in prosperity, nor by
night in adversity. In every place. Do not shine clear, and be dark
in your charaber : they that do thus, have their reward. That is a
sad word, if rightly understood. Beware of hy^iocrisy. (2.) Shine
progressively, gaining still more and more victory over darkness, till
you attain unmixed and perfect light. The way of the just, says
Solomon, is Uke a shining light, thai shineth more and Tnore unto the
perfect day, Prov. iv. 18. (3.) Shine humbly, to His glory whose light
you borrow ; not to shew forth your own excellences, but His, who
hath called you from darkness io His marvellous light, 1 Pet. ii. 9.
If we be children of light, our brightness raust praise the Father of
lights. Let your light so shine before men, that ihey seeing your good
works, (not yourselves, if you can be hid ; as the sun affords its light
and will scarce suffer us to look upon itself,) may glorify (not you,
but) your heavenly Father. Matt. v. 6. To conclude.
The pure light of the Church is revived, and the glory of the Lord
is risen upon you, and upon this glory there shall be a defence. If
God be your glory in the midst of you. He will be likewise a wall of
fire round about you. All the danger is, if we fall short in the duty of
shining. But as you desire that this glory should abide and dwell
amongst you, let all estates of men provoke one another to shine bright
in hohness. You who either by birth or office are in eminent stations,
know that you were set there to be eminent and exemplary in shining,
as stars of more notable magnitude. You who are ministers of this
light, know that you are ihe light of ihe world ; and if the veiy light
become darkness, how great wiU that darkness be ! You that are of a
G 2

84 CHRIST THE LIGHT AND [Ser. V.
lower order, know .that you must shine too ; for it is a common
duty. There is a certain company of small stars in the firmament,
which, though they cannot be each one severally seen, yet, being
many, their united light makes a conspicuous brightness in the heavens,
which is caUed the milky way : so, though the shining of every private
Christian is not so much severally reraarkable, yet, the concourse and
meeting of their light together, will make a bright path of holiness
shine in the Church.
Now to the end we raay each one shine in our measure, we must
learn to turn ourselves often towards Hira from whom our light is de
rived. Conversing with Him, will make us more and more like Him.
There is a secret unknown virtue for this purpose in secret prayer and
meditation. Were we more in the raount with God, our faces would
shine more with men. Let us then rescue frora the world all the tirae
we can, to resort frequently thither, till such tirae as the soul, which is
now often pulled down ag-ain by the flesh, shall let that raantle fall
and come down no more, but shine there witiiout spot, and be for ever
satisfied with her Maker's iraage.

SERMON V.
PREFACE.
Art iraltates nature ; and the nearer it comes to nature in its effects,
it is the raore excellent. Grace is the new nature ofa Christian, and
hypocrisy that art which counterfeits it ; and the more exquisite it is in
imitation, it is the more plausible to men, but the more abominable to
God. It raay frame a spiritual man in iraage so to the life, that not only
others, but even the hypocrite hiraself raay adraire it, and favouring his
own artifice, may be deceived so far, as to say, and to think, it lives,
and fall in love with it; but he is no less abhorred by the Searcher of
hearts, than pleasing to hiraself. Surely, this raischief of hypocrisy
can never be enough inveighed against. When religion is in request,
it is the chief malady of the Church, and nurabers die of it ; though,
because it is a subtile and inward evil, it be little perceived. It is to
Lo feared there are many sick of it, who look well and comely in God's
outward worship, and they may pass well in good weather, in tiraes of
peace, but days of adversity are days of trial. The prosperous estate
of the Church raakes hypocrites, and her distress discovers thera.
But if they escape such trial, there is one inevitable day coraing,
wherein 'all secret things shall be raade raanifest. Men shall be turned
inside out : and amongst all sinners that shall then be brought before
that judgment-seat, the deforraedest sight shall be an unraasked hypo
crite, and the heaviest sentence shall be his portion.
Oh ! that the consideration of this would scare us out of that false
disguise in tirae, and set us all upon the study of sincerity ! Precious
is that grace in God's esteera : a little of it will weigh down
mountains of forraal religion, in the balance of the sanctuary. Which
of us have not now brought hypocrisy, more or less, into the house of

Isa. Ix. 1.] LUSTRE OF THE CHURCH. 85
God? Oh, that it were not with intention to nourish if, but with desire
to be here cured of it! For He alone who hates it so rauch, can cure
it; He alone can confer upon us that sincerity wherein He raaitdy
delights. If we have a raind, indeed, to be endued with it, it is no
w here else to be had : we must entreat it of God by humble prayer,
in the name of His well-beloved Son, by the assistance of His Holy
Spirit.

[SECOND SERMON OF THE TEXT.]
Isaiah Ix. 1.
Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon theo.
RULY, light is sweet, and it is a pleasing thing io behold the sun,
says the Preacher, Eccl. xi. 7. But the interchange of night with day
adds to its beauty, and the longest night makes day the welcomest;
as that people well know, whose situation in the world gives thera a
five or six months' night all of one piece. It is reported of some of
them, that when they conceive their night draws towards an end, they
put on their richest apparel, and climb up to the highest mountains,
with emulation who shall first discover the returning light ; which, so
soon as it appears, they salute with acclaraations of joy, and welcorae
it with solemn feasting, and all other testiraonies of exceeding gladness.
But such is the lethargy of sinful man, that he stirs not to meet his
spiritual light; and, which is worse, when it coraes upon hira, it finds him
in love with darkness. Instead of his shouts of joy for this light, many
a cry must be sounded in his ears, to awaken him ; and it is well, too,
if at length he hear and obey this voice. Arise, shine, for thy light is
come. It is clear that the words contain a command, and the reason
of it: the command to a twofold act; the reason under two expres
sions, proportionately different. Good reason the Church should
arise, when the Lord's glory is risen 7ipon her; and it is very con
gruous she should be enUghtened and shine, when her light is come.
Ofthose two acts, or duties, somewhat was forraerly spoken ; and the
reason likewise was made use of so far as relative to those duties, and
tending to their enforcement. But the meaning of the phrases in
which the reason is expressed, was rather, at that time, supposed, than
either duly proved or iUustrated ; so that it will be now expedient to
consider, siraply in themselves, these latter words : Thy light is come,
and. The glory ofthe Lord is risen upon thee.
So far as this prophecy hath respect to the restoration of the Jews
fi-om the Babylonish captivity, that temporal deliverance, and the
ensuing peace and prosperity, was their light, and that Divine power
by which it was effected, was this glory of the Lord. And, indeed,
both these expressions are frequentiy used in such a sense in holy
writ. When t waited for Ught, there came darkness, says Job, ch.
xxx. ver. 26. So Isaiah Iviii. 8, and raany other places. And the
glory of ihe Lord, is used for a singular effect of His power, John xi.
40, Isaiah Ix. 18, and elsewhere. But this literal sense is but a step

.QQ CHRIST THE LIGHT AND [Scr. V
to elevate the Prophet to a sight of Christ's spiritual kingdom ; which
is usual with hira, as our Saviour himself testifies of another of his pro
phecies : These things said Isaiah when he saw his glory, and spake of
Imn. John xii. 41. It was a sight of that same glory, that makes
hira say. Thy light is come.
In these words, there are three things concerning Christ, repre
sented to the Church's view. First, His beauty and excellency, in
that he is called light, and the glory of the Lord. Secondly, The
Church's propriety and interest in hira, thy light, and risen upon thee ;
which hath a restrictive eraphasis, as the very next verse doth clearly
raanifest. As he is originally the glory of the Lord, and the light of
the Lord, Iwnen de lumine, so he is, communicatively, the Church's light,
and her glory too, as it is expressed in the 19th verse ofthe sarae chapter.
Thy God, thy glory. Thus hath she both His worth, and her own right
in Hira, to consider. Thirdly, His presence, or her actual possession.
He is come, and is risen. And in these, the Church and each faithful
soul raay find a double spring of affection, the one of love, the other
of joy. The transcendent beauty of Christ makes him the choicest
object of love, and her property in him, or title to him, together with
possession, is the proper cause of solid joy.
First, then, this excellency is expressed by those two characters,
light and the glory of ihe Lord. Concerning which, it will be fit both
to demonstrate that they are the proper titles of Christ, and here to be
taken for him ; as also, to shew what they signify in him.
Indeed the Apostle, in his second epistle to the Corinthians, (ch. iii.)
insists much in extolling both the light and the glory of the Gospel,
and in the 4th verse of the next chapter, speaks of the light of ihe
glorious Gospel, but he iraraediately intimates whence it hath this
light and glory : The glorious Gospel of Christ, says he, who is ihe
iTuage of God. So that it is most unnecessary to inquire whether the
Messiah, or the word that reveals hira, be rather here couched under
these terms of light and the glory of the Lord. These two agree so
well together, and these words agree so well with thera both, that it
were an injury to attempt to sever them. All the difference will be
this ; Christ is that incomplex and substantial light, the Gospel that
coraplex light wherein he appears. But, (not to be guilty of dark
terms, especially in a discourse of light,) I take it, in this resemblance,
Christ is the sun, and the Gospel his proper sphere or heaven, wherein
he gives light to his Church. He is primarily the glory ofthe Lord,
and the Gospel is so by participation, because it declares him : so that
much of that which shall be spoken here of Christ, will be secondarily
to be understood ofthe Gospel of Christ.
That Christ is Light, the Scripture speaks abundantiy. His own
voice concerning himself, notwithstanding the cavil of the Pharisees, is
above all exception, for he is truth itself: / am the light of ihe world,
saith he ; he thai follows me shall not walk in darkness, John viii. 12.
The Father who sent him, gives him the same title : I will give thee
for a light of the Gentiles, Isa. xiii. 6 ; and xlix. 6. And not to
multiply citations of the prophets and evangelists, who with one con
sent all raagnify this Light, take the true testimony of a false prophet;
and, indeed, the favourable witness of an adversary is strongest : it is

Isa. Ix. 1.] LUSTRE OF THE CHURCH.

87

that of Balaam, who saw that Christ was Uijhl, though, because he
saw hira afar off, (as he says himself,) and liad not his eye fortified,
like the true prophets, he discerned him but as a star : Tliei-e shall co7ne
a star out of Jacob, Numb. xxiv. 17. But what nocil we go so far,
to be certified what this light and glory of the Lord is ? The Lord of
glory hiraself in the very next verse to the text, assures us of it : Upon
thee shall ihe Lord arise. And in the I9th verse. The Lord sliaU be
thy everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
By this tirae, I hope, it is clear, that the Eternal Son of God, co-es
sential with His Father, was He who gave accomplishment to this
prophecy, by appearing to the world wrapped up in the darkness of
human nature. He is that day-spring from on high, which hath
visited us, as old Zacharias speaks, Luke i. 78.
Among all created excellencies, none can be borrowed more fitly
representing Christ than that of light. And is it not Christ that decks
his Church with supernatural beauty, and makes it indeed KoV^os, a
comely worid, caUed out ofthe world? But the raanifold agreement of
light with Christ, doth require more particular consideration.
Light is (as they call it) primum visihile, the first object of sight.
And Jesus Christ, whom the Apostie styles God over all, blessed for ever,
is, primum intelligibile, the prime object ofthe understanding. What
is then become of that Divine spark, that understanding soul, which
the Father of spirits breathes info these bodies, that all our thoughts
creep here below, and leave their chief and noblest object uncon
sidered ? Which of us may not complain, (though few of us do,) that
our souls have either no wings to elevate themselves to the conteraplation
of Hira frora whora they issued, or, if they make atterapts at it, our affec
tions, engaged to the world, make us, like a bird tied by the foot, fall
presently down again into the mire ? It is high time to leave hunting
shadows, and to turn our internal eye to the beholding of this Un
created Light.
In this elementary world. Light being (as we hear) the first thing
visible, aU things are seen by it, and it by itself. Thus is Christ among
spiritual things, in the elect world of his Church. All things are
made 7nanifest by the Light, says the Apostie, Ephes. v. 13, speaking
of Christ, as the foUowing verse doth evidently testify. It is in his
word that he shines, and makes it a directing and convincing fight, to
discover all things that concern his Church and himself, and to be
known by its own brightness. How impertinent, then, is that question
so much tossed by the Romish Church, How know you the Scriptures
(say they) to be the word of God, without the testimony of the Church?
I would a.sk one of them again, how they can know that it is day
light, except some one Ught a candle to let them see it. They are
little versed in Holy Scripture, who know not that itis frequently called
light ; and they are senseless who know not that light is seen and
known by itself If our Gospel be hid, says the Apostle, it is hid to
ihem that perish, ihe god of this world having blinded their mi?ids
against the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ. 2 Cor. iv. 3. No
wonder if such stand in need of a testiraony. A blind man knows not
that it is light at noon-day, but by report ; but to those that have eyes,
fight is seen by itself.

88 CHRIST THE LIGHT AND [Ser. V.
Airain, Light makes all other things that are in themselves visible,
to become actu-ally visible, as they speak : so, by the word of this sub
stantial Word, Jesus Christ, all things in religion are tried and
discovered. "The very authority ofthe Church, which they obtrude so
confidently, must be stopped and exarained by these Scriptures, v/hich
they would make stand to its courtesy. Doctrines and worship must
be tried by this light ; and what will not endure this trial, must not be
endured in the House of God. To the law and to the testimony, says
the Prophet, if they speak not according io this word, ii is because there
is no light in them. Isa. viii. 20. The rays of Christ's light are dis
played through both his Testaments, and in them we see him.
But Oh, how sublime is the knowledge of him! No one is ignorant
that there is light, yet, what light is, few know ; the best wits are
troubled to define it : so, all that bear the name of Christians acknow
ledge that Christ is, but to know what he is, is of marvellous difficulty.
In a speculative way, unsoundable is the depth of his nature and proper
ties. And his generation who can declare ? says our Prophet, Isa. liii. 8.
I define not, whether his eternal generation be meant, or his incarna
tion in time. These are mysteries that shall hold the very angels busy
in admiration for ever. And as for experimental knowledge by faith,
how small is the number ofthose that are truly acquainted with it!
Again, Light fitly resembles Christ in purity : it visits many irapure
places, and lights upon the basest parts ofthe earth, and yet reraains
most pure and undefiled. Christ sees and takes notice of all the enor
mities and sinful pollutions in the world ; as David says of the sun,
there is nothing hid fro7n his beams ; yea, raany of those foul evils he
cures, and purgeth away these pollutions ; and yet, he is never stained
by them in the least degree. He is a physician not capable of infection,
and therefore while he dwelt araong men, he shunned not publicans
and sinners, but sought them rather, for with such was his business
and employment. Indeed, for a frail man to be too bold in frequenting
profane and obstinate persons, though with intention to reclaim them,
is not always so safe. Metus est ne attrahant. They may pull him
in, who would help them forth, and pollute hira who would cleanse
them. But our Saviour, the light of the world, runs no such hazard :
he is stronger than the perversest sinner, yea, than the prince of dark
ness hiraself, over whom his banners are always victorious, and purer
than to be in danger of pollution. His precious blood is a fountain
opened for sin and uncleanness : sinners are purified by it, and it is
not defiled by thera. Thousands have washed in it, yet it shall abide,
and always shall be raost perfectly pure. And such a high priest was
needful for us, who is afii'avTos, undeflled, and who, though conversant
with sinners, to communicate to them his goodness, was yet separate
from sinners in immunity from their evil. Heb. vii. 26.
To this agrees well that titie which the prophet Malachi gives hira,
chap. iv. ver. 2, when he calls him the Sun of Righteousness ; full of
purity and righteousness, as the sun is of light ; all luminous, without
spot ; subject to no eclipse in himself, his light being his own, though
our sins interposed raay hide hira soraetiraes from us, as those real
echpses in the sun are rather ours, for we are deprived of light, but not
of the sun. Christ is in many ways most fitiy called the Sun ; for

Isa. Ix. 1.] LUSTRE OF THE CHURCH. 89
since all created light falls infinitely short of his worth, tiic prince and
chief of lights, the sun, cannot but suit best, so far as may be, to set
forth his excellency.
The light of the sun is neither parted nor diminished, by being im
parted to many several people and nations that behold it at one time ;
nor is the righteousness of this Sun of Righteousness either lessened
to himself, or to individual believers, by many partaking of it at once:
it is wholly conferred upon each one of thera, and reraains whole in
himself Hence it is, that not only Christ invites so liberally sinners
to come to him, but even justified persons would so gladly draw all
others to lay hold on this righteousness of their Redeemer ; knowing
well, that if all the world were enriched by it, they theraselves would
be no wit the poorer.
Again, the sun hath a vivifying power, not only upon plants and
vegetables, but, if philosophers be right, Sol et ho7no generant homine7n,
it hath a special influence in the generation of raan. But it is both more
certainly and more eminently true of this Sun we speak of, in man's
regeneration ; that he is the proper and principal efficient of it. The
Evangelist calls him at once. The Ught and the life of men. John i. 4.
To say nothing of him as a treasure, he is the source of our spiritual
life and raotion.
When the sun takes its course towards us in the season of the year,
it drives away the sharp frosts and the heavy fogs of winter, it clears
the heavens, decks the earth with variety of plants and flowers, and
awakes the birds to the pleasant strains of their natural music. When
Christ, after a kind of winter absence, returns to visit a declining
church, admirable is the change that he produces . all begins to
flourish by his svifeet influence ; his house, his worship, his people, are
all clothed with a new beauty ; but it is spiritual, and therefore, none
but spiritual eyes can discern it. When he will thus return, all the
power and policy of man can no raore hinder hira, than it could stay
the course of the sun in its circle. In like raanner, a deserted, for
saken soul, that can do nothing but languish and droop, while Christ
withdraws hiraself, what inexpressible vigour and alacrity finds it at
his returning ! Then those graces which, while they lurked, seeraed to
have been lost and quite extinguished, bud forth anew with pleasant
colour and fragrant smell. It is the light of His countenance that
banisheth their false fears, that strengthens their faith, and cures their
spiritual infirmities. This Sun is indeed the sovereign physician :
Unto you thai fear 7ny name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with
healing under his wings. Mal. iv. 2.
Finally, all darkness flies away before Hira : it was His arising in
the world that raade the day break and the shadows fly away. The
types and shadows ofthe Law were then abolished. It was His light
that dispelled the raists of ignorance and idolatry, and He alone de
livers the soul from the night of sin and misery produced by it. All
the stars, and the moon with thera, cannot make it day in the worid ;
this is the sun's prerogative: nor can nature's highest fight, the mosf
refined science and morality, make it day in the soul : for this is
Christ's. The comraon light of reason, every man that comes into the world

90 CHRIST THE LIGHT AND [Ser. V.
hath frora Hira as His Creator ; but the special fight of grace, they
alone who are born again, have frora Him as their Saviour. Gross is
the darkness of every natural mind, till Christ enlighten it : it can
neither discern nor receive the things of God, ov ^ex^rai. Ye were
darkness, says the Apostie, but now are ye light in ihe Lord. Ephes.
V. 8. The natural raind is nothing else but a mass of darkness ; and
the companion of darkness, is confusion, as it was in the mass of the
world before light v/as created. And what is there under heaven more
confused than a carnal mind ; the affections quite out of order, and
though all naught, yet, soraetimes fighting one with another, and
continually hurrying the judgment whither they please ? Now, to
dissipate this darkness, and remedy this confusion, Christ shines
externally in his word. But too rauch daily experience testifies, that
this is not sufficient : therefore, to those whom he will raake children
of the light, to raeet with this outward light of his word, he gives
another internal light by the Spirit. The sun can make dark things
clear, but it cannot raake a blind raan see thera : but herein is the
excellency of this Sun, that He illuminates not only the object, but the
faculty ; doth not only reveal the raysteries of his kingdom, but opens
blind eyes to behold them. And the first lineament of the renewed
iraage of God in raan, is that light in the understanding, removing not
only that simple ignorance of Divine things, but those misconceits,
likewise, and false principles, and that wicked pertinacity, whereof
man's mind is naturally full. He who at flrst co?n?nanded light io
.shine out of darkness, infuseth saving knowledge and light into the dark
soul of man. And this light (as was said) kindles love. It is vehi
culum caloris, hath a powerful influence, begetting heat in the affec
tions. Nor can this Divine light be ever again fully extinguished, but
conducts the soul that hath received it, till it be received to the land of
light and perfect happiness. Thus, in our Redeeraer is the fountain
of life, as the Psalraist speaks, and in his light do we see light. Psalm
xxxvi, 9.
He is likewise here styled, The glory of the Lord. In 2 Sam. iv.
the ark of God is called the glory, but it enjoyeth that narae as a type
of Christ, in whora now that which the ark contained is fulfilled.
The tabernacle is called the dwelling of God's glory, Psal. xxvi. 8,
likewise typifying Hira, in the tabernacle of whose human nature that
glory dwells far raore excellently. John i. 14. ^aK-qt/waev cv ijfMi,, He
dwelt in a tabernacle OTnong ns, and we scno his glory as the lilory of
the only begotten Soyi of God, full of grace and truth. The author of
the Epistle to the Hebrews, calls hira uTruv^ia(7i.ia, the brightness of
his Father's glory and the character of His person. Heb. i. 3. And
under these expressions lies that reraarkable mystery of the Son's
eternal relation to the Father, which is rather hurably to be adored
than boldly to be explained, either by God's perfect understanding ot
His own essence, or by any other notion. It is true, he is called The
wisdom ofthe Father, but this wisdora is too wonderful for us. He is
sailed The Word, but what ihis word raeans, I think, we shall not well
know tUl we see hira fice to face, and conteraplate him in the light o.
glory. MeanwhUe we may see hira to be the glory of ihe Lord, in a
safer way, and in a sufficient measure to guide us to that clear vision

Isa. Ix. 1.] LUSTRE OF THE CHURCH. 91
reserved above for us. JVe saw his glory, says that sublime Evangelist.
But how could this excellent glory be seen by sinful men, and not
astonish and strike dead the beholders? He was made flesh and dwell
among us, says he, and so we savj his glory. That majesty which we
could never have looked upon, he veiled with huraan flesh, that we
might not die, yea, live, by seeing him. There he stood behind the
wall, and shewed himself through the lattice. In him dwelt the fulness
ofthe Godhead, Col. ii. 9, but it was amjia-nicihs, bodily: for who could
have endured the splendour of the Godhead's fulness, if that cloud of
his body had not been drawn betwixt? And through it did shine that
grace and truth, that wisdom and power, in the work ofour redemp
tion, whereby he was clearly manifested to be the glory ofthe Lord.
Surely, we need not now ask the Church, or a believing soul. What
is thy beloved more than another ? Or if we do, well raay she answer.
He is the chiefest among ten thousand, and cdtogether lovely ; for he is
ihe light of the world, and ihe glory of the Lord. Let not the
numerous titles of earthly potentates be once admitted into comparison
with these. If we believe David, Psal. Ixii. 9, the statehest things
and persons in the world, being- balanced with vanity itself, are found
lighter than it : and shall we offer to weigh thera with Christ ? If we
knew hira rightly, we would not sell the least glance or beam of this
light of his countenance, for the highest favour of mortal man, though
it were constant and unchangeable, which it is not. It is ignorance of
Christ, that maintains the credit of those vanities we admire. The
Christian that is truly acquainted with hira, enaraoured with the
brightness of his beauty, can generously trample upon the smilings of
the world with the one foot, and upon her frownings with the other.
If he be rich or honourable, or both, yet, he glories not in that, but
Christ, who is the glory of the Lord, is even then his chiefest glory ;
and the light of Christ obscures that worldly splendour in his estima
tion. And as the enjoyment of Christ overtops all his other joys, so
it overcoraes his griefs. As that great fight drowns the light of pros
perity, so it shines bright in the darkness of affliction : no dungeon so
close that it can keep out the rays of Christ's love from his beloved
prisoners. The world can no more take away this light, than it can
give it. Unto the just ariseth light in darkness, says the Psalraist ; and
When I sit in darkness, ihe Lord shall be a light unto me, says the
Church, Mic. vii. 8. And as this fight is a comfort, so it is likewise
a defence, which suffers no more of distress to corae near the godly,
than is profitable for thera. Therefore we find very frequently in
Scripture, where this light and glory is mentioned, protection and
safety jointly spoken of: The Lord is my Ught, and withal my salva
tion: whom shall I fear? says David, Psal. xxvii. 1. The Lord is a
sun, and He is a shield too. Psal. Ixxxiv. 21. And truly I think him
shot-proof that hath the sun for his buckler. And for glory, Upon all
ihe glory shall be a defence, says our Prophet, ch. iv. ver. 5. And the
prophet Zechariah, where he calls the Lord the Church's glory in ihe
midst of her, calls him likewise, a wall of fire round about her, ch. ii.
ver. 4. The only way, then, to be safe, is to keep this light and the
glory entire. To part with any part of this glory, is to make a breach
in that wall of fire ; and if that be a means of safety, let all men

92 CHRIST THE LIGHT AND [Ser. V.
judge. No, keep it whole, and then they must come through the fire,
who will assault you. Nor is this light only defensive of the church
that erabraceth it, but it is likewise destructive of all adverse powers.
See a clear testiraony for this in Isa. x. 17, 18. And ihe light of
Israel shall befor afire, and his Holy One for aflame, and (speaking
there of the Assyrians) it shall burn and devour his thorns and his
briars in 07ie day, and shall consume ihe glory of his forest, and of his
fruitful field, both soul and body, and ihey shall be as when a standard-
bearer fainieth. Let ever then the Church of God entirely observe
this light and glory ofthe Lord; and she shall undoubtedly be pre
served by it.
But to close in a word, first, to those who know this light, and then,
to those who are yet strangers to it.
You who know Christ, glory in hira perpetually. Well may He be
your glory, when he is the glory of the Lord. There are sorae who
pretend love to Christ, and yet, a taunting word of sorae profane
miscreant will almost make them asharaed of him. How would they die
for Christ, who are so tender as not to endure a scoff' for him ? Where
is that spirit of Moses, who accounted the very reproaches of Christ
greater riches than the treasures of Egypt ? Heb. xi. 26. Oh, learn
to glory in Christ; think highly of him, and speak so too. Methinks
it is the discourse in the world that becomes Christians best, to be speak
ing one to another honourably of Jesus Christ. And of all men, the
preachers of his gospel should be most frequent in this subject. This
should be their great therae, to extol and coraraend the Lord Jesus, that
they raay inflame raany hearts with his love ; and best can they do this,
who are raost strongly taken with this love themselves. Such will
most gladly abase theraselves, that Christ may be magnified ; and
whatsoever be their excellencies, they will still account Christ their
glory. And they are richly repaid, for he accounts them his glory.
This would seem a strange word, if it were not the Apostle's : They
are ihe messengers ofthe churches, and ihe glory of Christ. 2 Cor. viii.
23. Delight who will, either in sloth or ignorance on the one hand,
or in vain speculations and strains of frothy wit on the other ; surely,
those preachers only shall be approved in the great day, who have
constantiy endeavoured, in their raeasure, to speak the best and fittest
they could for their Master's advantage. And happy those Christians,
of what estate so ever, who in all estates raake Christ their glory, and
in all actions have their eye fixed upon his glory, who is their lin-ht
and the glory ofthe Lord !
Now to those who are strangers to him, (Would to God none that
are to be spoken to, were such I) to them, I say, notice is given both
ofthe excellency and the necessity of Christ. Though it were possible
to grope the way to happiness in the dark, yet, none will deny but to
be conducted thither by a constant light is both more safe and more
delightful. But were there any possibility of attaining that end with
out this light, the neglect of it were not altogether so strange. The
wonder of all is this, that Christ alone being both that life, and the
way to it, and the truth, or light, tiiat guides in that way, (John xiv.
6,) yet Christians (so called) should esteem and look after hira as
littie as if he were wholly needless ! What meanest thou, O besotted

Isa. Ix. 1.] LUSTRE OP THE CHURCH. 93
sinner? Is it so light a thing to die in thv sins, and to die eternall v
for thera, that thou wilt not so rauch as open and adrait the light of
salvation ? What wilt thou pretend in that terrible day ? Thoug!i all
other kinds of people should offer some excuse, thou \vho hast heard
the Gospel, shalt be speechless. For not only shall the rigour of
justice condemn thee, but mercy itself shall plead against thee; for
thou hast despised it. That lig-ht did corae and was not embraced,
shall be the raain condemnation. How many thousands who make
no doubt of Heaven, yet shall then fall short of it ! It is not a supcr-
fici-dl profession, that will then pass current. It is not sorae public
sighs and groans frora an unsanctified heart, which either corae frora
custom, or sorae present touch of the word, nor yet is it sorae sudden
risings of inward affection towards Christ, upon the report of his
worth, thi^.t shall then serve the turn. The intellective knowledge of
Christ, the distinct understanding, yea, the orthodox preaching of his
Gospel, the maintaining of his public cause, and suffering for it, shall
not then be found sufficient. Only that peculiar apprehension of
Christ, those constant flaraes of spiritual love, that even course of holy
walking in his light, shall be those characters whereby Christ shall
own his children, and admit them into the inheritance of perfect light.
One of the speakers in the book of Job, discoursing of the prosperity
of the ungodly, calls it but his candle, and tells how long it can last :
his candle (says he) shall be put out with him. And that's the longest
term of it: if it last his lifetime, it shall convey him no further; he
goes into eternity in the dark, and therefore, as St. John savs, he
knows not whither he goeth. Quo nunc abibis ? said that Emperor
[Adrian] to his soul. Is it not a sad thing, when the soul that knows
no other than worldly light, must take leave of it, and enter into etei-nal
darknes.s, thera to be incessantly tormented with present anguish, and
the frightful expectation of the last judgraent, when it must take an-ain
that body which was the accoraplice of its wickedness, to be partaker
cf its punishraent ; when it shall have a double misery, to behold
crowns of iraraortality distributed to the godly, after the short corabats
of this life, and itself thmst out among the devils ? Then shall all men
be in some way sensible, what is the worth of this now contemned lisht,
the Lord Jesus Christ ; the greatest number too late, for they shall be
banished frora it for ever. But the righteous shall then raost perfectly
know, and for ever enjoy this fight and glory of the Lord. To whom,
with the Father of lights, and the Spirit of grace, be elernity of praise
and honour.

SERMON VI.
PREFACE.
Wh.\.t shall it profit a 7nan, if he gain the whole world, and lose his
own soul? raid our Saviour, who was to lay down a ransora for it, and
knew well that it would cost infinitely more than the world was worth.
Yet, the most of men value their ow n souls at a far lower rate than the

94 HOPE AMIDST BILLOWS. [Ser. VI.
whole world, losing them for broken morsels of it : yea, many times
for vain hopes that are never accomplished. And as these men make
a miserable bargain, so on the contrary, they that lose the world, or
any thing worldly, yea, though it were the whole, to save their souls,,
make a profitable loss of it. Nature teaches men to hazard and lose
all for the life of the body rather than lose it, (although it proves mauy
times very uncomfortable by the loss of these outward things,) and yet,
the most part of men pass their whole life-time without one serious
thought ofthe excellency and importance of their souls, wiiose life and
happiness is of a higher nature, and neither consists in, nor depends
upon, any thing here below. Hence it is, that while they use the
helps of this present life, and the defences of it when it is in danger,
and use thera with so much diligence and attention, the raeans of that
better life of their better part, their souls, they either use not at all, or
so slightly and coldly that they never find salvation in them. You may
find it some way in yourselves : the threatenings and preparations of
men against you, have awakened and roused you raore to think upon
means of your teraporal safety; but how few are sensible and afraid
of the wrath of God, who, as our Saviour tells us, can kill both body
and soul, and cast them into hell ! You want not frequent advertise
ment frora the word of God, so plentifully preached, that many are
perishing, one part in gross ignorance of God, another in profane and
licentious living, and the greatest part in a formal and lifeless profession
of religion, without the power of it; and yet, where are they who lay
it to heart, and bestir themselves to rescue their souls frora destruc
tion ? Certainly, whatsoever raen profess, it is unbefief that is the cause
of impenitence. Men are not convinced ofthe purity of God's nature,
nor sensible of the impurity of their own ; therefore they apply not
themselves in good earnest to the work of repentance, and to reforraa
tion, the liveliest part of it. Labour, then, for a more active and
practical knowledge of God and Divine truths, such as may hurable
and renew your souls ; not only that you may be delivered from
outward troubles that threaten you, but much more, that you may
escape the wrath to come. And because neither the word preached,
nor judgments, nor raercies that are set before you, are sufficient to
quicken a dead soul, or soften a hard heart, without the effectual con
currence of the Spirit of God, let us have recourse to the throne of
grace, by humble and earnest prayer, in the name and mediation of
Jesus Christ.

PsALM xfii. 8.
Yet the Lord will command his loving-lindness in the day-time, and in the night his
song shall be with me, .ind my prayer unto the God of my life.
Man is bom io trouble, as the sparks fiy npw-ards, saith Eliphaz, Job
V. 7. And as it is the corruption and sinfulness of his birth and
nature, that has exposed hira to trouble, so nature usually sets hira at
work, to look out for such things as may preserve and deliver hini
from trouble, or, at least, mitigate and temper the bitterness of it.
And because there is not any one worldly thing that hath eitiier

Psal. xiii. 8.] hope amidst billows. 95
certainty or sufficiency enough to serve at all times, therefore, worldly
and natural men are forced to make use of variety, and are but badly
served with them all. The believing soul hath but one comfort
whereon he relies, but it is a great one, wiiich alone weighs d(.i\vii all the
rest. Bread strengthens, and wine 7nakes glad the lieart of 7nan, Psal.
civ. 15. But God is the strength of my heart, says the Psalmist, Psal.
Ixxxiii. 26, and the gladness of it too : Thuu hast pul gladness in my
heart, more than they have when their corn and wine increaseth. Psal,
vi. 7. And therefore, while the rest are seeking after some scattered
crumbs of goodness in the creatures, and saying. Who will shew us
any good? He fixes his choice upon this one thing, the light of
God's countenance. And it is the constant assurance of this, that up
holds him. Waves beat upon hira, yea, and go over him ; yet, the
Lord will command his loving kindness to shine upon hira.
In this Psalm we may perceive the Psalmist full of perplexed
thoughts, and that betwixt strong desires and griefs, and yet, in the
midst of them, now and then, some advantage, and intermixing strains
of hope with his sad coraplaints : for iraraediately before, we heard
nothing but the impetuous noise of raany waters, deep calling unto
deep, in the former verse ; we have here, as it were, a touch of the
sweet sound of David's harp : Yet the Lord will com^nand His loving-
kindness in the day-ti7ne, andin the night His song shall be with me.
In the words we have Davids confidence and David's purpose: the
one suiting very well -with the other. His confidence in God's loving-
kindness : Yet the Lord will command His loving-kindness. And his
purpose : And in the night his song shall be with me.
It is true, the latter words. In ihe nis:lit His song .shall be with me,
may be taken as a part of the expression of his confidence, taking the
song for the matter or subject of the song, the goodness of God .- as if
he should say. Both in the day and in the night, I shall find the sweet
fruits of God's favour and loving kindness. But not excluding that, 1
rather take it to be intended as his resolution, that it should be his
custom, in fhe quiet season of the night, to look back upon God's
goodness manifested to him in the actions and occurrences of the
day ; and thus entertaining his soul with that secret discourse, he
would stir it up to the praises of his God, and withal would join prayer
for the continuance and further manifestation of it. David (as was
hinted before) intermixes strains of hope, not that faint and coraraon
hope of 2}ossibility or probability, that after storray days it may be
better with hira, but a certain hope that shall never raake ashamed ;
such a hope as springs frora faith, yea, in eff'ect, is one with it. Faith
rests upon the goodness and truth of Him who hath proraised, and
Hope, raising itself upon faith so established, stands up and looks out
to the future accoraplishraent of the proraise. Therefore the Apostle
calls Faith, the substance of things hoped for, v-rroaTaais; and the evi
dence of things not seen. Heb. xi. I. Of all other hope itis true,
Spes est 7iomen boni incerii ; It is the narae of uncertain good. But
this can say. The Lord will command his loving kindness.
The Lord will command. What a sudden change is here ! Vvould
you think this were the sarae man that was even now almost over
whelmed? Thus faith always conquers, though seldom, or never.

96 HOPE AMIDST BILLOWS. [Ser. VL
without a hard conflict ; not only assaulted by troubles without, but,
which is worse, by incredulity within ; nor assaulted only, but many
tiraes brought under ; yet does it not succurab and give over, knowing
that even after many foils, yet, in the end, it shall overcorae.
His confidence you raay consider, first, oppositely, and then posi
tively, or siraply in itself Oppositely both to his present trouble, and
to his coraplaints, wherein this trouble is expressed; and that is fitly
implied, though it be not in the original.
Though the multitude and weight of Job's afflictions did force out
of him some bitter words, and made him look back upon the day of his
birth, and curse it; yet, faith recovers him from his distemper, and
makes him look forward with joy, even as far as to the blessed day of his
resurrection : I know that 7ny Redeemer liveth, and thai he shall stand
ai the latter day upon the earth . and though after my skin, wor7ns
destroy this body, yet, in 7ny flesh shall I see God. Job xix. 25. The
former words of impatience he spake indeed, but he adheres to these,
and wishes that they were written with an iron pen, and engraven to
abide for ever. Therefore we hear of hira again in Scripture, as a
righteous and patient man, but of these words of his impatience, not a
word. In the Ixxviith Psalm, what sad expostulations are those the
Psalraist uses. Will he be favourable 710 more ? Is His mercy clean
gone for ever? Doth His promise fail for ever7nore? Hath God for
gotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up His tender 7nercies ?
But see how he corrects thera, ver, 10 : Then I said, illis is my 171-
flr7nity, but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most
High. Thus Jonah (ch. ii. ver. 3, 4) speaks in a strain rauch like
this; but there itwas literally true, that God had casi him into ihe
deep. And here, deep calls unto deep, yet, in the raidst of those deeps,
faith is not drowned ; you see it lifts up its head above water ; Yet the
Lord will C07njnand, &c. Yea, though it takes particular notice of
God's hand in the affliction, yet it goes not to another hand for cora
fort : it is Thy waves and Thy billows, yet that sarae God whose
waves are like to destroy me, will ere long com7na7id His loving-
kindness to shine upon me. So Job xiii. 15. Though He slay 7ne, yet
will 1 trust in Him, A wonderful expression of faith I He says not.
Though he afflict me sore, but. Though He slay rae ; not Though evil
men or Satan should do it, but. Though He slay me, yet will I trust
in Hi7n, What troubled mind can imagine any thing harder against
itself, than this ?
1. Learn, then, to check those excessive doubts and fears, by sorae
such resolute word as this. Turn the proraise, first upon thyself, and
then upon God. Consider that He hath promised life eternal to be
lievers, and then say. Though I saw His hand as it were lifted up to
destroy me, yet from that very hand will I expect salvation ; for I have
His word engaged for it, that if I believe, I shall be saved. I do not
say, that a soul under temptation can assure itself that God is already
reconciled to it; and herein possibly lies oftentiraes the raistake ; for
this reflex act of assurance, though it be our duty to seek after it, is
itself rather a gift and reward than a duty. But the direct and pro
per act of faith, is of perpetual use and necessity, and then most
when there is least sense of assurance. And it is no other than a

Psal. xiii. 8.] HOPE amidst billows. 97
recumbency or reliance, a rolling over of the soul upon free mercy.
That which breeds us much perplexity, is, that we would invert
God's order. If I knew, say some, that the promise belonged to
me, and that Christ were a Saviour to 7ne, I could believe. That
is to -say, I would first see, and then believe. But the true raethod is
just contrary. I had fainted, says David, unless I had believed to see ihe
goodness of the Lord. He believed it first, and saw it afterwards.
And in this same Psalra, labouring to stfll his disquieted soul by
elevating it above his troubles to look upon his God, he says to it,
Hope in Him now, and, ere it be long, thou shalt praise Him for ihe
help of His countenance, even while His countenance is withheld.
And thus faith ought to triumph over spiritual fears and difficulties.
2. How incongruous is it, that outward dangers or trials should
over-match it ! Will you trust God upon His word, for salvation and
eternal happiness, and be diffident for the safety and needful blessings
of this temporal life, which life, in comparison, is but for a raoraent,
and the best things of it but dross ? Consider that you dishonour
faith exceedingly, and degenerate from the believing saints of former
ages. Indeed, the promises of this life and that which concerns it,
though godliness hath thera, yet, they are not so absolute, nor are
they so absolutely needful for you. But considering the wisdora
and love of your Heavenly Father, learn to compose your minds by it.
I will noi be afraid, though ten thousands of the people set themselves
against me round about, says David. Psal. iii. 6. And lest you
think him singular, in the 46th Psalm, it is the joint voice of the
whole Church of God: We will not fear, though the earth be removed,
and the mountains be cast into ihe midst ofthe sea: though ihe waters
thereof roar and be troubled ; though ihe mountains shake with ihe
swelling thereof. There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the
city of God : the holy place of the tabernacle of ihe most high God is in
the midst of her ; she shall not be moved. That is the way to be im
moveable in the midst of troubles, as a rock amidst the waves. When
God is in the raidst of a kingdom or city. He makes it firm as Mount
Sion, that cannot be removed. When He is in the midst of the soul,
though calamities throng about it on all hands, and roar like the
billows of the sea, yet, there is a constant calm within, such a peace as
the world can neither give nor take away. On the other side, what is
it but want of lodging God in the soul, and that in His stead the world
is in the midst of men's hearts, that makes them shake like the leaves
of trees at every blast of danger ? What a shame is it, seeing natural
men, by the strength of nature, and by help of raoral precepts,
have attained such undaunted resolution and courage against outward
changes, that yet they who would pass for Christians, are so soft and
fainting, and so sensible of the sraallest alterations ! The advantage
that we have in this regard is infinite. What is the best ground-work
ofa philosopher's constancy, but as moving sands in coraparison ofthe
Rock that we raay build upon ? But the truth is, that either we make
no provision of faith for tiraes of trial, or, if any we have, we neither
know the worth nor the use of it, but lay it by, as a dead unprofitable
thing, when we should most use and exercise it. Notwithstanding all
our frequenting of God's house, and our plausible profession, is it not
Vol. 11. H

98 HOPE amidst billows. [Ser. VI.
too true, that the most of us either do not at all furnish ourselves with
those spiritual arms that are so needful in the militant life of a Christian,
or we learn not how to handle them, and are not in readiness for ser-vice ?
As was the case of that improvident soldier, whom his commander
found mending sorae piece of his armour, when they were to give battle.
It were not amiss, before afflictions overtake us, to try and train the mind
somewhat by supposing the very worst and hardest of them ; to say.
What if the waves and biUows of adversity were swelled and flowing
in upon me : could I then believe? God hath said, I will not fail
thee, nor forsake thee, with a heap of negations : hi no wise, I will noi.
He hath said. When thou passest through the flre and through the
water, I will be with ihee. These 1 know and can discourse of them ;
but could I repose and rest upon them in the day of trial ? Put your
souls to it. Is there any thing or person that you esteem and love
exceedingly? Say, What if I should lose this? Is there some evil that
is naturally more contrary and terrible to you than many others?
Spare not to present that to the imagination too, and labour to make
faith master of it beforehand in case it should befall you ; and if the
first thought of it scare you, look upon it the oftener, till the visage of
it become iamOiar to you, that you start and scare no raore at it.
Nor is there any danger in these thoughts. Troubles cannot be
brought the nearer by our thus thinking on them ; but you may be
both safer and stronger by breathing und exercising of your faith in
supposed cases. But if you be so tender spirited, that you cannot
look upon calamities so much as in thought or fancy, how would you
be able for a real encounter? No, surely. But the soul that hath
made God his stay, can do both. See it in that notable resolution of
the Prophet, Hab. iii. 17 : Although the flg-tree shall not blossom,
neither shall fruit be in the vi7ies, the labour of ihe olive shall fail, and
the flelds shall yield «o meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold,
and ihere shall be no herd in the stalls : yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in ihe God of my salvation. The Loi-d God is my strength.
And in that of David, Psal. xxifi. 4 : Yea, says he, though I walk
tli7-ough the valley of ihe shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for
Thou art with me ; Thy rod and Thy staff', ihey comfort me. You
see how faith is a cork to his soul, keeping it from sinking in the
deeps of afflictions. Yea, that big word which one says of his morally
just man, is true of the believer: Si fracius illabatur orbis — Though
ihe very fabric ofthe world werefalli7ig about him, yet would he stand
upright and imdaunted in the midst of its ruins.
In this conflde7ice, considered in itself, we may observe, 1. The
Object of it ; The lovi7ig kindness ofthe Lord, 2. The manner or way
by which he expects to enjoy it. The Lord will cotnmand ii. 3. The
time ; In the day,
1. The object: His loving kindness. He says not. The Lord will
com7nand 7ny return to ihe house of God, or, will accomplish my de
liverance from the heavy oppression and sharp reproaches ofthe ene7ny,
which would have answered more particulariy and expressly to his
present griefs, but, will command His loving kindness. And the reason
of his thus expressing himself; I conceive to be twofold. [1.] In the
assurance of this, is necessarily comprised the certainty of all other

Psal. xlli. 8.] HOPE amidst billows. 99
good things. This special favour and benignity of the Lord doth
engage His power and wisdom (both which you know are infinite) to
the procurement of every thing truly good for those whora He so
favours. Therefore it is, that David chooses rather to name the streams
of particular mercies in this their living Source and Fountain, than to
specify them severally. Nor is it only thus more compendious, but
the expression is fuller too, which are the two great advantages of
speech. And this I take to be the other reason: [2.] A raan may
enjoy great defiverances, and many positive benefits frora the hand of
God, and yet have no share in His loving kindness. How frequently
doth God heap riches, and honour, and health, on those He hates, and
the comraon gifts of the mind too, wisdom and learning, yea, the com
mon gifts of His own Spirit, and give a fair and long day of external
prosperity to those on whom He never vouchsafed the least glance of
His fiivourable countenance ! Yea, on the contrary. He gives all those
specious gifts to them with a secret curse ! As He gave a king in
wrath to His people, so He often gives kingdoms in His wrath to kings.
Therefore David looks higher than the very kingdom which God pro
mised him and gave him, when he speaks of His loving kindness. In
a word, he resolves to solace himself with the assurance of this, though
he was stripped of all other coraforts, and to quiet his soul herein, till
deUverance should corae ; and when it should come, and whatsoever
mercies with it, to receive them as fruits and effects of this loving kind
ness : not prizing thera so much for themselves, as for the impressions
of that love which is upon them. And it is that iraage and superscrip
tion that both engages and moves hira most to pay his tribute of praise.
And truly, this is everywhere David's temper : his frequent distresses
and wants never excite him so much to desire any particular comfort
in the creature, as to entreat the presence and favour of God Himself.
His saddest times are when, to his sense, this favour is eclipsed. In
my prosperity I said, I shall not be moved. And what was his ad
versity that made him of another mind? Thou didst hide thy face, and
I was troubled. This verifies his position in that same Psalm, In thy
favour is life. Thus, in the 63rd Psalm, at the beginning. My soul
thirsteth for Thee, in a dry land where there is no water : not for
water, where there is none, but, for Thee where ihere is no water.
Therefore he adds in verse 3, Thy loving kindness is better than life.
And all that be truly wise, are of this mind, and will subscribe to his
choice. Let them enjoy this loving kindness and prize it, because, what
ever befalls them, their happiness and joy is above the reach of all cala
mities. Let them be derided and reproached abroad, yet still, this
inward persuasion makes them glad and contented. As a rich man
said, though the people hated and taunted him, yet, when he came
home and looked upon his chests, Egomet mihi plaudo domi ; with
how much better reason do befievers bear out extemal injuries ! What
inward contentment is theirs, when they consider themselves as truly
enriched with the favour of God ! And as this makes them contemn
the contempts that the world puts upon them, so, likewise, it breeds in
them a neglect and disdain of those poor trifles that the world admires.
The sura of their desires is, (as that of the Cynic's was, the sun
shine,) that the rays of the love of God may shine constantly upon
H2

100 HOPE AMIDST BILLO-WS. [Ser. VI.
them. The favourable aspect and large proffers of kings, and princes,
would be unwelcorae to them, if they should stand betwixt them and
the sight of that Sun. And truly they have reason. What are the
highest things the world affords ? What are great honours and great
estates, but great cares and griefs well dressed and coloured over with
a shew of pleasure, that proraise contentraent, and perforra nothing
but vexation? That they are not satisfying, is evident; for the obtaining
of much of them doth but stretch the appetite, and teach men to
desire more. They are not solid, neither. 'Wfll not the pains of a gout,
of a stranguary, or sorae such malady, (to say nothing of the worst,
the pains of a guilty conscience,) blast all these delights? What
relish finds a raan in large revenues and stately buildings, in high
preferraents and honourable titles, when either his body or his mind is
in anguish ! And besides the emptiness of all these things, you know
they want one main point, continuance. But the loving kindness of
God hath all requisites to make the soul happy. O satisfy us
early with Thy goodness (or mercy,) says Moses, ihat we may rejoice
and be glad cdl our days. Psal. xc. 14. There is fulness in that for
the vastest desires of the soul — satisfy us ; there is solid contentment —
that begets true joy and gladness; and there is permanency — all our
days. It is the only comfort of this life, and the assurance ofa better.
This were a large subject to insist on, but certainly the naraing of His
loving kindness should beget in each heart a high esteera of it, an
ardent desire after it. And if it do so with you, then know, that it is
only to be found in the way of holiness. He is a holy God, and can
love nothing that is altogether unlike Hiraself. There must always be
some similitude and conforraity of nature to ground kindness and
friendship upon, and to raaintain it. That saying is true. Idem ville et
idem nolle, fir7na amiciiia. What gross self-flattery is it, to think that
God's loving kindness can be towards you, while you are in love with
sin, which he so perfectiy hates ! How can the profane swearer, or volup
tuous person, or the oppressor and covetous, or the close hypocrite,
(worse than any of them,) rest upon the loving kindness of the Lord
in the day of troubles? No, surely. But the terror of His wrath shaU
be added to all their other calamities ; and they shall find it heavier
than all the rest. God will not pour this precious oil of gladness, this
persuasion of His love, into filthy vessels. Even His own children,
when they grieve and sadden His holy Spirit by unholiness, shafi be
sadly punished by the withdrawing of those comforting and sensible
expressions of His love.
Labour, then, you who as yet never tasted of this love, to know
what it means. Forsake and hate that which hitherto has made you
strangers to it ; for if you obtain this, it shall comfort you when those
things cannot, but would rather prove your greatest torment. And
you who have received any testimonies of it, entertain it carefiflly, for
it is your best comfort both in your best days and in your worst
days too.
You would all gladly be delivered from the many evils that tiireaten
you ; for raany they be indeed, and peace is a great blessino-. But
suppose you were secured from all those fears, and He .should com
mand a sudden calm, (which truly he can do,) would you then think

sal. xiii. 8.] hope amidst billows. 101
yourselves happy ? That life of yours which you so fear to lose by
fire or sword, though you had peace, would ere long fall into the hands
of some ague, or fever, or consumption, and perish by them ; or at
the longest, a few years will end it : it is a lighted candle, which
though nobody blow out, will quickly burn out of itself But this
loving kindness is not so short-lived : it shall last as long as your
souls, and so long as it lasts, they shall be happy. Those goods that
you fear shall be piUaged and spoiled in war, how many hazards are
they subject to even in peace ! Soloraon tells you, that riches often
times, though nobody should take them away, make themselves wings,
and fly away. And truly, many times the undue sparing of them,
is but the letting of their wings grow, which makes thera readier to
fly away : and the contributing a part of them to do good, only clips
their wings a fittie, and raakes them stay the longer with their owner.
But this by the way. Howsoever, m the day of deaih^and in the day
of wrath, as Solomon says, ihey profit nothing at all, Prov. xi. 4. So
then, though you may desire that God would comraand deliverance
for you, yet, if you would be truly happy, your greater and more earnest
suit should be, that He would command His loving-kindness to appear
to your souls. And having once obtained this, you raay possibly be
persecuted, and endure hard tri'dls, but one thing is raade sure, you
cannot be miserable. Nor shall you want teraporal mercies and pre
servation too, so far as they are good for you. The inward assurance
of this love shall carry you strangely and sweetly through all out
ward vicissitudes ; and when the day shall corae, that all other cora
forts shall look pale upon you, then shall you find the worth and hap
piness of this more than ever before. Observe,
2. The manner in which the Psalraist expects to enjoy the object
of his confidence : The Lord will command, raake it appear to me.
Sometimes God is said to shut up and hide His love frora His chil-
dren, and that is a raournful time with thera. But we read not that He
shuts 07ii His love, and ceaseth altogether to have affection to those
whom once He loved. And therefore, when he shews himself again,
in the gracious manifestations of His mercy, He is not said to begin
anew to love thera, but only to command His love, which erewhile He
had countermanded to appear.
3. The time : In ihe day. If you have a mind to take the day and
night, figuratively, for prosperous and adverse times, it would lead you,
in that sense, to observe David's constancy in God's praises ; which
was such that not only in the day of deliverance, but even in the night
of distress, he resolved a song for God. And truly, many tiraes God
gives His children in an afflicted condition, more sweetness of spirit,
more aptitude, not only to pray, but to praise, and more spiritual de
light in Hiraself, than in times of outward peace and prosperity. He
giveth songs in the night, said Job ; and you know the sound of music
is most delightful in the night. But to take it properly, David is
confident that in the several actions and occurrences of ihe day he
should find the goodness and favourable assistance of the Lord ; and
then he resolves, (which leads to the other part of the text,) in
ihe night time io meditate on ihat goodness, and to frame a song of
praise io the Author of it.
And indeed, what is the whole thread of our life, but a checkered

102 HOPE AMIDST BILLOWS. [Ser. VI.
twist, black and white, of delights and dangers interwoven ? and the
happiest passing of it, is constantly to enjoy and to observe the expe
riences of God's goodness, and to praise Hira for them. David was a
¦wise king, and withal a valiant soldier, and yet we see he thought not
this experience inconsonant with either of those two conditions. This
precious book of Psalms (a great part thereof being his) testifies
clearly, that prayer and praises were his great eraployraent. A reli
gious disposition of mind may not only consist with fortitude and
magnaniraity, but is indeed the best principle and cause of both, con
trary to the wicked and foolish opinion of profane persons. Whether
of the two, do you think, raight welcome a day of battle with most
courage and resolution ; he tiiat had passed the preceding night in
revelling and carousing, or he that had spent it in prayer and obtained
sorae assurance of a better life ? Truly, if they went on with equal
forwardness, there is no raan, except he were an atheist, but would
judge the one to be brutish fury and precipitation, and the other true
valour. His song. In the worst estate there is ever some matter of praise
to be mixed with request ; and truly, we may justly suspect that our
neglect of praises makes our prayers unacceptable.
And my prayer. In the best estate here below, praise must be ac
companied with prayer. Our wants, and necessities, and straits, return
daily upon us, and require new supplies of mercy ; and prayer, if we
know how to use it right, is the way to obtain them all.
To ihe God of my life, or, ihe God that is my life. This word is
added, as the reason of all that went before. If you ask David,
why he reposeth so much upon the loving-kindness of God, what
he means, to spend so much pains in praises and prayer to God ;
he answers. Because he is 7ny life. He is the author and preserver of
my temporal life, and all the passages and accidents of it are in His
hand alone. He hath also given me, and He maintains in rae a spi
ritual life ; yea, He is the life of ray soul : it lives by union with Hira,
as ray body does by union with it, and He hath laid up fife eternal for
me. Would Christians think thus indeed, the light of this considera
tion would dispel their distrustful fears. Certainly, there is atheisra
at the bottom of thera ; if not a denial or a raisconceit of God, at least
a forgetfulness of God. See Isa. li. 12, 13. /, even I, am He that
comforteth you. Who art thou, thai thou shouldest be afraid of a man
ihat shall die, and of the son of man, which shall be 7nade as grass,
and forgettest ihe Lord thy Maker, ihat hath stretched forth ihe hea
vens, and laid the foundatio7is ofthe earth ? Consider, then, that raen
have no power over our present life, but by the appointraent of God.
And beside that, we have another life which is infinitely more pre
cious than this : a fife spiritual, and which is the beginning of eternal
life ; and this is altogether out of danger from them. Our Ufe is hid
with Christ in God. Col. iii. 3. It is hid, and wicked men cannot so
much as see it: how then should they take it from us, seeing it is
hid ? And that not meanly: it is hid with Christ in God, What then
shall become of it ? Read the next verse, and read it to your comfort,
for there is abundance in it, if you look right upon it. Whe7i Christ,
who is our life, shall appear, ire likewise shall appear with him in
glory. They that are in God, being united to Him through Christ,

Psal. xiii. 8.] hope amidst billows. 103
can never by any power be separated from Hira. It is an indissoluble
union. Death itself, that is tiie great dissolver of all other unions,
civil and natural, is so far frora untying- this, that it consummates it:
it conveys the soul into the nearest and fullest enjoyment of God, w ho
is its life, where it shall not need to desire that God would command
(or send) His loving-kindness, as it were from a distance ; it shall be
then at the spring-head, aud shall be satisfied with His love for ever.

SERMON VII.

Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread, and
your labour for that which satisfies not? says the Prophet. Isa. Iv. 2.
All men agree in this, that they would willingly meet with some satis
fying good; and yet, if you look aright upon the projects and labours
of the greatest part, you shall find thera flying frora it, and taking
rauch pains to be raiserable. And truly, considering the darkness that
is upon the soul of raan, it is no great wonder to see those raiss their
way, and continue wandering, who hear not the voice of the Gospel
to recall them, and see not its light to direct them. But this is some
what strange, that where true happiness, and the true way to it
are propounded and set before men, so few should follow it in good
earnest. If the excellency of that good did not allure them, yet, one
would think that their many disappointments in all other things,
should drive them home to it. How often do we run ourselves out of
breath after shadows ! And when we think we have overtaken thera,
and would lay hold of thera, we find nothing. And yet, still we love
to befool ourselves, even against our own experience, which, we say,
uses to raake fools wiser. Still we choose rather to shift from one
vanity to another, than to return to that Sovereign Good, that alone
can fill the vastest desires of our souls ; rather to run from one broken
cistern to another, as the Prophet calls thera, yea, and to take pains to
hew ihem out, than have recourse to that Fountain of living waters.
One main thing that makes men thus rove and wander is, that they
do not reflect upon their own course, nor upon theraselves, what is
the main end they aim at, and then see whether their way be suitable
to that end. If they would be happy, (as who would not ?) then
surely, things that are empty, and uncertain, and certainly perish
ing, will not serve the turn. And truly, as the thought would be
seasonable at any tirae, so especially to us in these tiraes, wherein,
besides the comraon uncertainty of outward things, there is an appa
rent visible hazard that men's lives and fortunes are likely to be put
to. Will you make advantage and gain of your trouble ? 'Thus. The
looser you find other things tied to you, and as it were upon a running
knot, secure that one thing, and your portion in it, which is worth all
the rest ; yea, far above them all, and that alone which can be secured,
and made certain. Wanting this, what though you had peace, and
health, and all imaginable prosperity, you would still be miserable,

104 GENEROUS GRIEF. [Ser, VII.
being liable to the wrath of God, and eternal destruction. But if
once united to Christ, and in him reconciled to God, and entitled to
Heaven, what can fall amiss to you? You shall have joy in the midst
of sorrow and affliction, and peace in the raidst of war, yea, and life
In death. But think not to attain this assurance, while you continue
profane and God-less, not seeking it in the way of holiness, for there
alone it is to be found. And withal beg it of God by humble prayer.
Psalm cxix. 136.
Rivers of waters run down mine eyes : because they keep not Thy law.
Love is the leading passion of the soul : all the rest follow the mea
sure and motion of it, as the lower heavens are said to be wheeled
about with the first.
We have here a clear instance of it in the Psalraist, who is testify
ing his love to God, by his esteera and love of the law or word of
God. What is each of the several verses of this Psalra, but a several
breathing and vent of this love, either in itself, or in the causes, or in
the effects of it ? Where he sets forth the excellencies and utilities of
God's law, there you have the causes of his love. His observing and
studying of it, his desire to know it more and observe it better, these
are the effects of his affection to it. The love itself, he often expres
seth, ver. 47, 48, 113, and 140. Thy word is pure; therefore Thy
servant loveth it. And ver. 127 : I love thy commandments above gold,
yea, above fi7ie gold. But as scarcely accounting that love which can
be uttered, how much it is, ver. 97, he expresseth it most by intiraat
ing that he cannot express it: 0, how I love Thy law ! Hence are
his desires (which are love in pursuit) so earnest after it. Araongst
raany, that is pathetical, ver. 20 : My sgul breaketh for the longing that
ii hath unto Thy judgment at all times. Hence, likewise, his joy and
delight, (which are love in possession,) ver. 14; I have rejoiced in
the way of Thy testimonies as much as in all riches ; and ver. 16, /
will delight myself 171 Thy statutes ; I will not forget Thy word. We
have his hatred of things opposite, (whieh is love's antipathy,) ver.
113, J hate vain thoughts, but Thy law do I love; ver. 163, I hate
and abhor lying, but Thy law do I love. And in the I39th verse you
shall find his zeal, (which is no other than the fire of love stirred up
or blown into a flarae,) My zeal hath consumed me; because mine
enemies have forgotten Thy words. And (to omit the rest) in the
158th verse, his love to the law, shows its sympathy in sorrow for the
violation of the law : I beheld the transgressors and was grieved; be
cause they kept not Thy word. And here you find this grief swelling
to such a height, that it runs over into abundant tears. Rivers of
waters run down mine eyes ; because ihey keep not Thy law.
The words have briefly, these rivers in their channel and course.
They run down mine eyes ; and then, in their spring and cause, to wit,
the Psalmist's sympathy with God's law broken by men, in the latter
clause ofthe Yerse, because they keep not Thy law. But both together
clearly teach us. That godly men are affected with deep sorrow for the
sins ofthe ungodly.

Psal. cxix. 136.] generous grief. 105
More particularly consider, I. The object of this affection. II. The
nature of it. 111. The degree or measure of it. IV. Its subject.
I. The object is, the Transgression of the Law, or, to take it (as in
the text) in concreto, iSIen transgressors of the law : They keep not
Thy law. It is true, the whole creation groaneth under the burden of
sin, in the effects of it, as the Apostle speaks, Rom. viii. 32 ; but sin
itself is man's enemy, he being that reasonable creature to whom the
law was given. Now in the general, it is a matter of grief to a godly
mind to consider the universal depravedness of man's nature ; that he
is a transgressor from the womb ; that the carnal mind is enmity
against God, not subject io His law, neither, while it reraains such, can
it be. Rom. vin. 6. And this grief wfll go the deeper, by reraerabering
frora whence he is fallen. When he was new corae forth of the hands
of his Maker, that iraage of God which He staraped upon Hira, shined
bright in his soul : the whole frarae of it was regular and coraely, the
inferior faculties obeying the higher, and all of thera subject unto
God. But how soon was he seduced, and then what a great change
ensued ! Quantum mutaius ab illo I There is ever since, such a
tumult and confusion in the soul, that it cannot hear the voice of God's
law, rauch less obey and keep it. Hence is that complaint of the
Psalraist oftener than once. They are all gone oui of the way, and be
come abominable ; ihere is none ihat doth good, no, not one. Mundus
immundus, tv uBiiciq Keirai, lies buried in it, as the word is used in the
inscription of torabs, evOaie Keijai, Look abroad in the world, and
what shall ye see but a sea of wickedness over the face of the whole,
which draws from a godly, discerning eye that beholds it, these rivers
of tears? The greatest part not knowing the true God, nor the true
religion and the true way of His worship. And for those that do, yet,
how unlike are they to it in their lives ! The reformed churches
this way, how unreformed are they in a great part !
But more particularly to branch this out a little in respect to several
sorts of men, this godly grief is a very large sphere ; it will extend to
remote people, remote every way, not only in place, but in manners and
religion, even to heathens and gross idolators. Yea, the very sins of ene
mies, and of such as are professed enemies to God, yet move the tender
hearted Christian to sorrow and compassion. Of whom I now iell you
weeping, says St. Paul, ihat they are enemies to the cross of Christ, Phil.
iii. 8. Enemies, and yet he speaks of them weeping, 'What he writes
concerning them, he would have written in tears, if that had been
legible. Thus you see the extension of this grief. But yet, out of all
question, it will be more intense in particulars of nearer concernraent.
It is the burden of the pious man's heart, that His law who made the
world and gives being to all things, should be so little regarded, and
so much broken through all the world ; but yet more especially, that
in His own Church, amongst His own people, transgression should
abound. Sins within the Church are most properly scandals. God
manifests Hiraself (so to speak) raost sensible of those, and therefore
the godly man is so too. Whether they be the continual enormities of
licentious and profane persons, which are by external profession in
the face of the visible Church ; (though indeed they be in it but as
spots and blemishes, as the Apostie speaks ; 2 Pet. ii. 13,) or whether it

106 GENEROUS GRIEF^ [Scr. VII.
be the apostacy of hypocrites ; or (which sometimes falls out) the
gross fiiUs of true converts ; all these are the great grief of the godly.
The relations of men, either natural or civil, will add something too ;
this sorrow will in such cases be greater than ordinary in a Christian :
he will melt it in a particular tenderness for the sins of his kindred,
parents or children, husband, or wife ; and raost of all, rainisters will
grieve for the sins of their people. How pathetically does this appear
in St. Paul ! And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me
among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already,
and have 7iot repented ofthe uncleanness, and fornication, and lascivi
ousness, which they have committed, 2 Cor. xii. 21. A man cannot but
be more particularly touched with the sins of that nation, and of that
city, and congregation, and family, whereof he is a member. So we
read of Lot, 2 Pet. ii. 8 : For thai righteous man dwelling among them,
in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul, fro7n day io day, with
iheir unlawful deeds. The sins of more eminent persons, either in
Church or Coraraonwealth, wiU raost affect a prudent Christian, be
cause their inclinations and actions import the public rauch. There
fore the Apostle, when he had exhorted to supplications and prayers
for all Tnen, particularly raentions kings, and such as are in authority.
1 Tim. i. 2. And truly, when they are abused by misadvice and cor
rupt counsel, sorae of these tears were very well spent, if poured forth
before God in their behalf: for ??i His hand, as that wise king con
fesseth, are their hearts, there corapared to rivers of waters ; let their
raotion be never so irapetuous, yet. He turneth ihem whithersoever He
pleaseth, Prov. xxi. 1. And who knows but these rivers of waters,
these tears, may prevail with the Lord to reduce the violent current of
that river, a king's heart, from the wrong channel ?
II. But to proceed: the second thing to be considered in this affection,
is, the nature of it. (1.) It is not a stoical apathy, and affected careless
ness ; much less a delightful partaking with sinful practices. (2.) Not a
proud setting off of their own goodness, with marking the sin of others,
as the Pharisee did in the gospel. (3.) Not the derision and mocking
of the folly of men, with that laughing philosopher : it comes nearer
to the temper of the other who wept always for it. It is not a bitter,
bilious anger, breaking forth into railings and reproaches, r.or an up
braiding insultation. Nor is it a vindictive desire of punishment,
venting itself in cursings and imprecations, which is the rash teraper
of raany, but especially of the vulgar sort. The disciples' raotion to
Christ was far different frora that way, and yet he says to thera. You
know ?iot of what spirit ye are. They thought they had been of
Elijah's spirit, but he told them they were mistaken, and did not
know of what spirit they were in that motion. Thus, heady zeal often
mistakes and flatters itself. We find not here a desire of fire to come
down from Heaven upon the breakers of the law, but such a grief as
would rather bring water to quench it, if it were falling on thera.
Rivers of waters run down mine eyes.
III. The degree of this sorrow : it is vehement, not a fight, transient
dislike, but a deep resentraent, such as causeth not some few sighs, or
sorae drops of tears, but rivers — Paige 7naijim, Pelagiis aquarum.
It is true, the measure and degree of sorrow for sin, whether their own

Psal. cxix. 136.] generous grief. 107
or others, are different in divers persons, who are yet true mourners ;
and they are also different in the same person, at divers times, not only
upon the difference of the cause, but even where the cause is equal,
upon the different influence and w orking of the Spirit of God. Sorae
tiraes it pleaseth Hira to warm and melt the heart more abundantly,
and so He raises these rivers, in those eyes, to a higher tide than
ordinary ; sometimes they remove again. But vet, this godly sorrow
is always serious and sincere; and that is the other quality here
remarkable in it. It is not a histrionical weeping, only in public; for
the speech is here directed to God, as a more frequent witness of these
tears than any other ; who is always the witness of the sincerity of
them, even when they cannot be hid from ihe eyes of Tnen. For I
deny not but they raay, and should, have vent in public, especially at
such times as are set apart for solemn mourning and hurailiation.
Yet, even then, usually these strearas run deepest, where they are
stillest and most quietly conveyed. But surely they should not be
fewer and less frequent, alone, than in company, for that is a little
subject to suspicion. See Jer. ix. 1 : Oh, that my head were waters,
and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and 7iight for
the slain of ihe daughter of my people. And, xfii. 17 : But if ye will
not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride, and mine
eyes shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because ihe Lord's flock
is carried away captive.
IV. The subject of this affection is, not the ungodly themselves, who
are professed transgressors of this law ; they rather make a sport of sin,
as Solomon speaks ; they play and make themselves merry with it, as
the Philistines did with Samson, till it brings the house down about
their ears ; but the godly are they that are affected with this sorrow,
such as are careful observers of the law themselves, and mourn first
for their own breaches : for these are the only fit mourners for the
transgression of others.
Now to inquire a little into the cause of this, why the breaking of
God's law should cause such sorrow in the godly, as here breaketh
forth into abundance of tears. We shall find it very reasonable if we
consider, 1. The nature of Sin, which is the transgression, or breach,
o/^^e /aw, as the Apostle defines it. 2. The nature of this sorrow and
these tears. 3. The nature of the godly.
1. Sin is the greatest evil in the world ; yea, truly, in comparison, it
alone is worth the narae of evil, and therefore may justly challenge
sorrow, and the greatest sorrow. The greatest of evils it is, both
formally, in that it alone is the defilement and deformity of the soul,
and causally, being the root frora whence all other evils spring; the
fruitfiil womb that conceives and brings forth all those miseries that
either man feels, or hath cause to fear. Whence are all those personal
evils incident to men in their estates, or in their bodies, or rainds, out
ward turraoils and diseases, and inward discontents, and death itself,
in all the kinds of it ; are they not all the fruits of that bitter root ?
Whence arise those public raiseries of nations and kingdoras, but from
the epideraic national sins of the people, as the deserving and procur
ing cause at God's hand, and withal, oftentimes frora the ambitious
and wicked practices of some particulai- men, as the working and

108 GENEROUS GRIEF. [Ser. VII.
effecting causes ? So that every way, if we follow these evils home to
their original, we shall find it to be sin, or the breaking of Gods law.
Ungodly men, though they meddle not with public affairs at all, yea,
though they be faithful and honest in meddling with them, yet, by
reason of their irapious lives, are traitors to their nation : they are truly
the incendiaries of states and kingdoras. And these mourners, though
they can do no more, are the most loyal and most serviceable subjects,
bringing tears to quench the fire of wrath, rivers of waters. And
therefore sorrow and tears are not only most due to sin, as the greatest
of evils, but they are best bestowed upon it, if they can do any thing
to its redress, because that is both the surest and most compendious
way to reraedy all the rest, sin being the source and spring of thera all.
"This is the reason why Jeremiah, ch. ix. ver. 1, when he would
weep for the slain of his people, is straightway led frora that to bewafl
the sin of his people, ver. 2, 3. And in his Book of tears and lamen
tations, he often reduces all these sad evfls, to sin as causing them,
particularly ch. v. ver. 16: The crown is fallen from our head. Wo
unto us, that we have sinned ! He turns the coraplaint raore to the
sin than to the affliction.
2. Consider the nature of these tears. Tears spent for worldly
crosses, are all lost ; they run all to waste ; they are lachrymm inanes,
erapty, fruitless things. But tears shed for the breach of God's law,
are the raeans to quench God's wrath. The prayers and tears of sorae
few, raay avert the punishraent of raany, yea, of a whole land. And if
not so, yet are they not lost ; the mourners theraselves have always
benefit by thera : as you have it in that known place, Ezek. ix. 4, they
that mourned for the coramon abominations were marked, and the
coraraon desolation took not hold on thera. This raourning for other
men's wickedness, both testifies and preserves the godly man's inno
cence. 1 say, it preserves it, as well as testifies it : it keeps hira from
the contagion of that bad air he lives in ; for without this, sin would
soon grow familiar. It is good for raen to keep up and maintain in
their souls a dislike of sin ; for when once it ceaseth to be displeasing
to a raan, it will, before long, begin to be pleasing to him.
3. If we consider the nature of the godly, we shall see this mourning
suit with it exceedingly, both in regard of his relation to God, and to
man. God is his Father, and therefore it cannot but grieve hira rauch,
to see Him offended and dishonoured. Love to God, and conse
quently to His law, and love to raen, and desire of their good, are the
spring of these rivers. A godly raan is tender of God's glory and of
His law ; every stroke that it receives, striketh his heart : and he hath
bowels of corapassion to men, and would be glad if they were con
verted and saved. He considers every man as his brother, and there
fore is sorrowful to see him run the hazard of perishing in sin. The
forraer syrapathy, whereby the godly raan tenders the glory of God, is
frora his piety : this latter, whereby he pities the misery of man, is from
his charity. And frora these flow the rivers that run down his eyes.
To be too sensible of worldly crosses, and prodigal of tears upon
such slight occasions, is little better than childish or woraanish ; but
these tears that flow from love to God and grief for sin, have neither
uncomefiness nor excess in thera. Abundance of them will beseem

Psal. cxix. 136.] generous grief. 109
any man who is a Chiistian. Let profane men judge it a weakness to
weep for sin, yet, we see David do it. Men of arras and valour need
not fear disparageraent by weeping thus: it is the truest magnanimity,
to be sensible ofthe point of God's honour, which is injured by sin.
Again, the consideration of this truth will discover the world guilty
of very much ingratitude to godly men. It hath always been the cus
tora of profane person.s, to seek to brand religion and godliness with
disloyalty and turbulency, and to make it pass for an enemy to the
peace and prosperity of states and kingdoms. You see clearly with
what affection religion furnishes men towards the public, causing them
to mourn for coraraon sins, and so to prevent, as far as in thera lies,
comraon calamities. And this is of no little consequence ; for truly, it
is not foreign power, so much as sin at horae, that ruins kingdoras.
All the winds that blow without the earth, be they never so violent, stir
it not ; only that which is within its own bowels, raakes an earthquake.
It was a grave answer of Epaminondas, being asked what he was
doing solitary and pensive in tfie time of solemn mirth and feasting :
While my countrymen, said he, are so peaceably feasting, I am thinking
071 ihe best means to preserve that peace to ihem, ihat it may continue.
Which, a little altered, is appficable to the godly. They are oftentimes
mourning for the sins, and praying for the peace, of the places where
they live ; when, in the mean time, the greatest part are multiplying
sin, and so forfeiting their peace.
Rivers of waters. " This is a raournful, melancholy life that these
Precisians lead," says the worldling. Yes, truly, if there were no more
in it than what he can perceive and judge of But besides the full joy
laid up for them, and the beginnings of it here, there is even in this
mourning an unknown sweetness and delight. The philosopher says
even of common tears, that there is some kind of pleasure in thera, as
sorae things please the taste by their very tartness. But of these tears,
they that know them, know it to be erainently true, that they are plea
sant. But be this exercise as sad as the profane call it, yet, why
observe they not, that they themselves are rauch the cause of it ? As
they may read here : Because ihey keep not God's law.
But to pass by divers inferences that the words afford, let us take
notice of the duty here practised, and how much we are all obliged to
the present practice of it. Who will deny that we have too rauch
matter and occasions of it? Besides the sorrow of Sion, and particu
larly the bloodshedding and distress of our brethren, and our own
danger, what comer of the land, what rank or condition of people is
there, that abounds not in gross and heinous violations of God's law ?
They keep 7iot Thy law: magistrates and judges turning judgment into
gall and wormwood ; ministers remiss in that great care, the care of
oouls ; people wallowing in ungodliness and uncleanness, swearing,
and other profaneness ; the greater oppressing the less, and the less de
frauding and wronging the greater ; no sensible and notable work of
conversion almost to be seen or heard of amongst us ; the Lord
absenting himself from His ordinances. O that He would dwell in His
house, and fill it with a cloud of His glory !
What vile uncleanness and wantonness ! What shameful drunken
ness and excess ! And some are so far from mourning for others'

110 GENEROUS GRIEF. [Ser. VII.
gufltiness of this sin, that they glory, in making others guflty of it, and
count it a pastime to raake others drunk. And this is a far greater
sin than drunkenness itself; for these raen, while they raake beasts of
their companions, make devils of themselves, becoming tempters and
provokers to sin. If any such be here, either tremble at the wo that
the prophet Habakkuk (chap, fi.) denounceth, or confess that you be
lieve not the scriptures: Wo to him that gives his neighbour drink, and
puts the bottle io him io make him drunken. The cup ofthe Lord's right
hand shall be turned to ihee : it is full of heavy vengeance. There is a
cup, if you like it, to pay you home the cups you give to others.
Again. How is the land filled with oaths and cursings ! How are
your streets, and almost all companies where a man can come, defiled,
partly with tearing the precious name of God, partly with calling on
the devil !
There would be no end of reckoning up all particulars ; sabbath-
breaking, fraud and covetousness, pride and malice, and envyings one
of another, and the rest. But the sum is this, a universal want ofthe
fear of God and His law.
And the cause of this, is, in a great part, ignorance of God and of
His law. And truly it is wonderful, under so much light and such
plentiful preaching, to find so rauch darkness, not only in the .skirts
and reraote places, but even in the prirae parts of this land. Multi
tudes there are that are strangers to the very principles and funda
mentals of that religion which they profess ; and they that have know
ledge, are found abusing it, and sinning against it, continuing in pro
faneness. And without this true religion, it is as impossible to have
renewed hearts and lives, as to have a house without a foundation, or,
as we say, a castle in the air. And this atheism and ignorance amongst
people, is in a great part to be iraputed to the corruption and sloth of
ministers. Would to God there were not many congregations, not
altogether destitute, but such as are freezing under a cold and lifeless
ministry !
You see, then, v/e want not causes of mourning and humiliation, on
all hands ; but our want is inward, of that due disposition for it, soft
ness of heart, and that love to God which should melt and mollify the
heart. Let us then stir up ourselves and one another, to this godly
sorrow for the sins of the land. There is need of rivers of tears for
these heaps of sin : as they tell of Hercules' letting in a river to that
monstrous stable of Augeus, that could not otherwise have been cleansed
in the time allotted him.
And truly, as the duty lies upon all the faithful, the ministers of the
word ought to be most eminent in it, the chief mourners, the pre
centors, to take up the tune of these themes. Joel n. 17. And all
that wish the good of chureh and kingdom, ought to bear a part in
them, according to their raeasure. Have we not rauch need to entreat
reconcilement with God, that He prove not our eneray ? Yes, surely,
and were we reconciled with Him, we should have littie need to fear
the power of man.
Now, they that would be profitable mourners for others' sins, by
all raeans, must have these two conditions I mentioned ; to be careful
observers of the law themselves, and to mourn for their own failing

Psal. cxix. 136.] generous grief. Ill
and breaking of it. Now, to the observing of the law, it is absolutely
needfiil, (1.) To know and understand it, and that not only in the
letter and surface, but according to the spiritual sense and meaning of
it. For without this knowledge, a man raay light upon some duty by
guess, as it were in the dark, but observe the law he cannot. They
are not alone reproveable, who glory in their own sins, and raake sport
ofthe sins of others, but they mistake it much, who think it enough to
consider their own with grief, and judge the sins of others an iraper-
tinency for thera to think on. As they raourn not aright for others,
who begin not at themselves, so, they mourn never aright for them
selves, who end in themselves. He who here thus weeps for others,
made his bed to swim with those rivers for his o\vn sin. Psal. vi. 6.
(2.) As a man raust know this law, so he must be inwardly convinced
and persuaded of the divinity of it, that it is God's law. (3.) He must
have a deep apprehension of the majesty and authority of the Law
giver, to work reverence, and of His goodness, to beget love ; and the
due mixture of these two, will both strongly coraraand and sweeten
obedience to His coraraandraents. And this obedience, though it be
not an absolute and perfect fulfilling of any one of the coram.andraents,
yet, it has a respect to them all, as this Psalra hath it, (ver. 6.) which is
(so to speak) an imperfect kind of perfection. And from this respect
to the law, which is the observing of it, will flow that other con
dition, of grieving- when we break it.
And besides all other things that should make a Christian's own
sin grevious to him, there is one thing cannot but move him ranch,
the consideration ofthe sorrow and suff'erings of Christ. To view the
bleedings of the Lord Jesus, cannot but pierce a believing soul, and
make it say. Did my Redeemer shed his blood for my sins, and shall
not I myself shed tears for them? I know, the natural constitution of
sorae, denies them tears; but if it do so to any, make up that want
with a sense of iuw ard grief, and it is well enough. The eye of God
can discern that as well as the other. But truly, where men have tears
for lighter causes, (for all other causes are lighter,) and none for this,
they feel not yet the weight of sin ; except that want be through the
deepness of sorrow, which soraetiraes will stop the current of tears,
though it used to run at other tiraes : as they say, Curee leves loquuntur,
ingentes siupeni. But this is a rare and a happy irapediraent.
And to answer another doubt : If you find soraetiraes worldly griefs
stir you raore violently, yet, let this godly sorrow affect you raore
constantly, that it raay have the advantage in continuance, if it fall
short in the degree.
But as this grief must begin at home, as they say of charity, it must
not be so selfish as to rest there. And truly, where it comes in that
order, it may be sorae way a stronger evidence of sincerity, to mourn
for others' sins, than to mourn for our own ; for there seems to be
more of God in it, because there is less in it of ourselves, and of our
own particular interest.
Now you will possibly think it but an unpleasant duty that you have
heard urged all this while ; but look forward, and consider the issue
of it. That which Christ speaks in particular to his disciples, is gene
rally true of all Christians : Ye shall weep and lament, but ihe world

112 GENEROUS GRIEF. [Ser. VIII.
shall rejoice ; ye shall be sorrowjhd, but your sorrow shall be turned (or
made) into joy, John xvi. 20. The water of those tears shall be
turned into wine of consolation. The traffic of these rivers is gainful ;
they export grief, and import joy. When these tears are cafied seed,
the harvest-crop is called yoy. Psal. cxxvi. 5. They thai sow in tears,
shall reap in joy. They are here called rivers, and they are answered
with a river, for which they shall in the end be perfectly exchanged.
Psal. Ixxxvi. 8 ; Thou shall make them drink of the rivers of Thy plea
sures, Aud Rev. vii. 17 : The Lamb shall feed ihcTn and lead them
unto living fountains of waters. Here they run down the eyes, and
water the cheeks, and there you read that God shall wipe them away
frora their eyes. Who woidd not be content to weep, to have God
wipe away their tears with His own hand? Be ambitious, then, to be
found araongst the raourners in Sion ; and when ye reraove frora this
valley of tears, God shall at once fully wipe away all the stain of sin
from your souls, and all tears for it frora your eyes. And as He shall
wipe away the tears with the one hand. He will set the crown upon
your heads with the other.

SERMON VIII.
[Preached after the Administration of the Lord's Supper.]
PREFACE.
Blessed are They that dwell in Thy House, saith the Psalmist ; and
he adds this reason. They will be still praising Thee, There is indeed
always in God's house, both fit opportunity and plentiful matter of His
praises. But the greater number ofthose who frequent His house, do
not dwell in it ; their delight and affection is not there. Therefore they
cannot praise Him : they come in as strangers, and have no skiU in
the songs of praise. Yea, and the very children of the family, who wor
ship in spirit and in truth, find their instruraents (their hearts) very
often qtute out of tune for praises, and soraetiraes most of all when
praises are requisite. They find still such abundant cause of complaint
in theraselves, weighing down their spirits, that they can hardly at aU
wind them up to magnify that God whose raercy is far more abundant.
If we would take a reflex view, and look back upon our carriage this
day in the presence of our God, who is there among us, who would
not find much work for sad thoughts ? Would not one find that he had
a hard and stony heart, another, a light, inconstant, wandering heart
to coraplain of, a third, an unbelieving heart, and some all of' these?
And they (if such there be) who have both deeply sorrowed and been
largely comforted, will possibly, for all that upon former sad expe
rience, be full of fears and jealousies, that this sweet teraper will not
be of long continuance ; that before long, the world or some lust, will
find, or make a way to creep in, and banish those heavenly thoughts,
and trouble that peace and joy which accompanies them. Yet, not
withstanding all these causes of grief or fear, our causes of praise are

Cant. i. 3.] the name of jesus fragrant, 113
both more and greater. And it is no reason that the sense of our own
evil should prejudge that acknowledgraent of God's goodness ; yea,
rather it should stir us up to extol it so rauch the more. Cease not to
bemoan the evils of your own hearts ; but withal forget not to magnify
the riches of His grace, who hath given Himself for you, and to you.
These two will not hinder one another, but the due intermixture of
them will make a very good harraony. And the fruit of them will be
this, you shall have stUl raore cause to praise, and less to coraplain.
When the Lord shall find you hurable acknowledgers of His grace. He
will delight to bestow more grace upon you, and will subdue those
iniquities for you, which you cannot. And though He is pleased to do
it but gradually, by littie and little, yet, in the end, the conquest shall
be full ; and then. He who is the author and the finisher of your faith,
though it is His own work, yet, because it is done in you, He shall
account the victory yours, as obtained by you, and give you as con
querors, the crown of glory. To him ihat overco7neih, saith he, will I
give to sit with me in my throne. Rev. iii. 21.
There is nothing here, but from free grace. The courage and
strength to fight in this spiritual warfare, the -victory by fighting, and
the crown by victory, flow all from that fountain. In all these things,
we are more than conquerors, saith the Apostle — but how ? — through
Him thai loved us. Therefore, if we desire to be such, let us humble
ourselves before the throne of grace, entreating both for grace and
glory in the name of Christ our Mediator.
Cant. i. 3.
Because of the savour of thy good ointments, thy name is as ointment poured forth,
therefore do the virgins love thee.
The natural workings and desires of things are agreeable to their
being. The beasts, according to their sensitive life, seek those things
that tend to the good and preservation of that life, and affect nothing
higher than those, and they are satisfied. Man (except such men as
are in the lowest stage, and border upon the beasts) finds nature, even
corrupt nature, raising him to higher desires and designs. And yet,
of the best of thera, the Apostle's maxim holds true. They that are
after the flesh, mind the things of the flesh ; and yet, he subjoins the
excellency of some men beyond the best naturalist. They ihat are after
the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Rora. viii. 5. They cannot be
confined to things natural, but are strongly moved towards spiritual
blessings, and towards Christ the sum of them. And having once
tasted of his sweetness, they can say. Because of ihe savour of thy
good ointments, thy Tiame is as ointment poured forth.
They that are elevated to a supernatural being, can adrait nothing
into corapetition with His love ; and this it is that lies under these
words. Because of ihe savour of thy good ointments, &c.
Nurabers have proraiscuously been his guests at this time, and the
greatest nuraber think they carae to good puipose. But know, that
you are so far from partaking of Christ in the sacrament, that you have
not so much as smelt his perfuraes, if you be not strongly taken with
his love. Great are the praises, and many the duties you owe Him for
Vol. II. I

114 THE NAME OF JESUS FRAGRANT. [Set. VIII.
SO rich favours; and therefore, show your good will, and endeavour
some payment. But know, that none of them are current, except
they be stamped with love. If you love not, you do nothing : all your
labours and services without it, are as so many ciphers, they amount
to just nothing. And with it, the meanest of them will find acceptance.
You have briefly in the words, Christ's loveliness and the Christia7i's
love, the former the cause of the latter ; both couched under borrowed
terms, according to the whole strain of this allegorical song, on which
the true experimental knowledge of this Divine love is the best com
mentary. In all love, three things are necessary : (1.) Sorae goodness in the
object, either true and real, or apparent and seeming to be so ; for the
soul, be it never so evil, can aff'ect nothing but what it takes some way
to be good. (2.) There must be a knowledge of that goodness ; for the
most excellent things, if altogether unknown, affect not. (3.) There
must be a suitableness or agreeraent of that good thing with the
nature of those who should affect it ; otherwise, indeed, how good
soever it is, it is not good to them.
Now all these we have clearly in this love. I. The goodness, the
excellency of Christ, expressed by precious ointments, II. The mani
festation and making of it known, signified by ihe pouring forth of
His Tiame, III. His fitness and congruity with them who are here
mentioned under this denomination, virgins ; such as have the senses
of their souls not stopped with the pollutions of the world, but pure
and active, and therefore, as the Apostle speaks, Heb. v. 14, exercised
io discern good and evil. These three requisites thus happily met,
must needs produce love : Therefore the virgins love thee.
I. The excellency of the Object : Because of the savour of thy good
ointments. How true is the Apostle's word, when he calls Christ the
believer's All things! And that radical grace of faith, because it ap
prehends Christ, hath a kind of universality ; and it is reasonable too,
it alone being to the soul what all the five senses are to the body.
It is the eye, and the mouth ; a wonderful eye, it sees Hi7n who is invi
sible, Heb. xi. 27 ; the mouth, it tastes that ihe Lord is gracious,
1 Pet. ii. 3. Yea, take these two both together in one place, Psal.
xxxiv. 8, O .' taste, and .see thai ihe Lord is good. It is the soul's ear ;
for what else is raeant, when it is said. He thai hath an ear to hear,
lei him hear ? And was it not that touch which Christ took special
notice of, and with good reason distinguished it from the comraon touch
of the raultitude that was crowding about him ? That touch alone
draws virtue from hira ? Some one hath touched me, for there is virtue
gone oui of me. And lastiy, as it is all those other senses, and Christ
is its object in reference to them all, so here, in its smelling, it finds
the savour of his fragrant graces, and by that works love : Because of
ihe savour of thy precious ointments.
What .strange odds is there betwixt the opinion of Christ's Spouse,
and that of the world who know him not ! They wonder what she
sees in him desirable : she wonders that they are not all ravished with
his exceUencies. They prefer the basest vanities in the world before
him : .she finds the choicest and richest things in the world too
mean to resemble the smallest part of his worth. See in this Song,

Cant. i. 3.] the name op jesus fragrant. 113
how busily and skilfully she goes to aU the creatures, and crops the
rarest pieces in nature and art to set forth her well-beloved, and seems
to find them all too poor for her purpose. One whfle, she extols him
above all things beautiful and pleasant to the eye ; another while, above
things delectable to the taste, as in the former verse. Thy loves are
better than wine ; and here she prefers the perfume of his graces to
the most precious ointments.
When a natural eye looks upon the sacraraent, to wit, of the Lord's
Supper, it finds it a bare and mean kind of ceremony. Take heed
there be not many of you that come to it, and partake of it with
others, who prize it little, have but low conceits of it, and do indeed
find as little in it as you look for. But Oh, what precious consolation
and grace doth a believer meet with at this banquet ! How richly is
the table furnished to his eye ! What plentiful varieties employ his
hand and taste, what abundance of rare dainties ! Yet, there is nothing
but One here ; but that One is all things to the believing soul. It
finds his love is sweeter than the richest wine to the taste, or best
odours to the smell ; and that delightful word of his. Thy sins are for
given thee, is the only music to a distressed conscience.
Thy good ointments. The holy ointment of the sanctuary, under
the Law, was composed according to God's own prescription. See
Exod. xxx. 25. And they were straightly forbid to imitate it, or make
any like it, to signify the singular holiness, the matchless worth of the
anointing oil of gladness, wherewith our high priest, the Lord Jesus,
was anointed above his fellows. And in this he is incomparable, that
his ointment he hath not from without. It was his own Divine nature
that perfumed his raanhood with these precious ointments. God and
the Spirit of the Lord, are said to have anointed hira. Psal. xiv. 7 :
Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness; therefore God, thy
God, hath anointed ihee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
And Isa. Ixi. 1 : The Spirit of ihe Lord God is upon me, because the
Lord hath anointed me io preach good tidings Tniio the meek. But
know, that that Spirit and the Father, are one in essence with the
eternal Son. In that raystical song much like to this, the xlvth Psalm,
it is said, (ver. 8) his garments STnell of myrrh and aloes and cassia,
[as he coraes forth] oui of [his] ivory palaces. When he came down
frora his glorious court above, to dwell araong men, he apparelled
himself like them: he was clothed with human flesh. But yet, that
vesture was so transcendently enriched with all graces, as with costly
perfumes, that men might easily know there was raore under them
than a mere man. Yea, even in that low estate, did such beams of
his glory shine through, that all whose eyes were open, did clearly
behold them, and know him to be no less than the only begotten Son
of God, by this, that he was so full of grace and truth. John i. 14.
And these are, in a word, the precious ointments whose delightful
smell is here commended.
Now, to enumerate and describe these graces, what tongue of men,
yea, or of angels, were sufficient? What other is the raain subject of
the whole Scriptures ? What mean all the figures and ceremonies of
the Law, the costly furniture and ornaments of the Temple, the rich
vestments of the High Priest, that fine Hnen, that silk and gold, those
I 2

116 THE NAME OF JESUS FRAGRANT. [Ser. VIII.
geras and precious stones ? Was any one of them, were they all, any
Other than shadows and dira resemblances of the matchless perfections
of Jesus Christ? Itis strange, that Christians have so low conceits
of their high Redeeraer ! What is the Gospel, but a more clear and
plentiful pouring forth of those ointments? What was the great
labour and business of the holy Apostles, but the diffusing of Christ s
graces through the world? I determined to know nothing a7nong
you, save Christ, and him crucifled, says St. Paul to his Corinthians.
What are that other sacrament and this, but coverts under which
Christ conveys hiraself and his graces to the believing soul, while the
profane and slight-hearted receivers are sent away with empty elements ?
Thus you see how ample a subject these graces are in the general.
And truly, the consideration of any one particular of thera, raight be
the employment of many hours. Would you hear of the wisdom of
Christ? Look what the Apostie says of it. Col. ii. 3 : In HiTn are hid
all ihe treasures of wisdoTu and knowledge. Not some drops of
wisdom, no, nor streams, but a fountain. Not one treasure, but trea
sures, many treasures, yea, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;
yet, not obvious to every eye, but, as treasures are, hid. The children
of wisdora, who are the world's fools, have sorae knowledge of this
his wisdom, and draw from it for their own use; but to sound the
depth of it, who can be able !
No less admirable is his holiness. He is both the iraraaculate Lamb,
and the undefiled Sacrifice. Such a high priest becaTne us, Heb. vu.
26. Becarae us ! Yes, holy, harmless and 7indeflled : the more we
were defiled with sin, the more stood we in need of an undefiled and
spotless High Priest. It was as expedient that he should be unlike
us in that, as that he should be like us in all other things. Therefore,
as for the Legal priesthood there was a holy consecrating oil, so this
imraortal High Priest was anointed with most entire and complete
holiness. And this perfect holiness of his, is set forth as myrrh, the
best ointments and spices — myrrh which is of a virtue preservative
from corruption. He was not only of excellent smell, while he lived
among men, but this myrrh did likewise preserve and exempt him from
contracting any corruption or pollution, by the bad air of sinful com
pany ; so that he conversed with sinners, that he might convert them,
without any danger of infection.
And as he was thus extraordinarily anointed with the spirit of
wisdora and holiness, so likewise with the spirit of meekness ; therefore
He is called The LaTiib of God, ihat taketh away ihe sins of ihe world.
His voice was not heard in the streets. Matt. xii. 19. And take in that
other grace which he hiraself raentions together with his meekness, as
being near in nature to it, humility : Learn of me, for I am meek and
lowly in heart. Mutt. xi. 29. Indeed, humility is an odoriferous grace :
it is a gracing grace, it adds a kind of sweetness and lustre to all
other graces ; yea, it serves singulariy as a character for the trial ofthe
truth of all other graces. As balsam, which is the chief of precious
ointments, used to be tried ; that is the truest and best, which, put
into any liquor, goes to the bottom ; that but slight, vvhich swims above ;
so those graces are most upright, that are accorapanied witii raost
humility. And that this may be out of doubt, you know that Jesus

Cant. i. 3.] the name of jesus fragrant. 117
Christ, (of whom we now speak,) as he had most grace, so was he
most exemplary in humility. And certainly, the sweet smell of this
good ointment did flll the whole house, when he washed his disciples'
feet; as is said of the ointment tiiat Mary poured upon his feet, in the
foregoing chapter. John xii. 3.
Amongst many other of his gracious qualities that might be men
tioned, there is one we cannot but take particular notice of, his love;
the rather, because the fragrant smell of his graces is here said to
beo-et love. Now you know that one of the strongest attractives of
love, is love. "E/iws e'puna TiKTci: Magnes amoris amor. What raade
him empty himself of his glory, as the Apostle speaks, but because he
was full of love ? What made him take on the form of a servant,
suffer heat, and cold, and hunger, and poverty, but love ? What
other was it made him digest the persecutions, revilings, and fhe con
tradiction of sinners, but love? But the great wonder of his love is
this, he died to become our life. fFlw hath loved Tne, and given him
self for me, says the great Apostle St. Paul. Gal. a. 20. And Hereby
perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for tis, says
the beloved Apostie St. John. 1 John iii. 16. Was it the naOs that
held him fast to the cross, when they tauntingly bade him corae down ?
No ; it was his love, that was stronger than death. But all this was
nothing to the angry countenance of his Father, nor would he ever
have ventured upon that, if infinite love had not persuaded him. No
wonder ifthe Apostle call it a love that passeth knowledge. That you
may know, saith he, the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. Eph.
iii. 19. Know it we may, and should, but we must know withal, that
we cannot know it fully. And this is our corafort, that it is greater
than we can comprehend ; for if it were not so, it would be less than
we stand in need of So much of his love we may understand, as
may abundantly inflame our hearts with love to hira. For this pur
pose hath he revealed it, and raade His name like an ointment poured
out. And that is the second thing.
II. His name. That is, the report and raanifestation of his excel
lencies. And if you will take it properly of his name, Jesus, and Christ,
or the Messiah, it is true of thera, for they are significative of these
excellencies. Ask an afflicted conscience, if Jesus, that is, a Saviour,
be not a precious word that hath a sovereign value, both a refreshing
smell and a healing virtue. The haramer of the Law may break a
stony heart in pieces, but it is only the blood of Jesus that can soften
it. And where it is effectually poured, either upon a wounded soul,
it heals it, or upon a hard heart, it mollifies it. For that other name,
Christ, well raay it be called an ointment poured out, for it signifies his
anointing. And that the sweet savour of this name may affect, read
but that one passage, Isa. Ixi. 1. The spirit ofthe Lord God is upon
me, because ihe Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the
meek, &c. What inestimable riches of consolation are there in each of
those effects to which Christ was anointed ! And yet, we find not a
word among them all for a proud, stiff-necked sinner. Here are good
tidings, but it is to ihe meek ; comfortable binding up, but it is for the
broken-hearted ; liberty, but it is for captives and prisoners groaning
under their chains, and desirous to be delivered ; not for such as

118 the name of jesus fragrant. [Ser. VIII.
delight in their bondage. There is oil of joy and garments of praise,
but they are provided for 7nourning, dejected spirits that need them ;
not for the impenitent. On the contrary, there is a terrible word in
terjected in the midst of these promises. The day of vengeance ofour
God; and that is the portion of Christ's enemies, and such are all in
corrigible sinners.
Thus it is, at the same banquet from which you come, one may be
filled with spiritual joy, and the very person that sits next, may be
filled with a secret curse, and return more miserable than he came.
But let the disconsolate, lamenting sinner lift up his head, and behold
Christ, the Son of God, anointed a prophet, to preach salvation and
liberty to such, a priest, to purchase it, and a king, to give it.
Now, the pouring out of his name is divers. Before the coming of
the Messiah, his name was poured out in prophecies and proraises, in
types and legal cereraonies ; but more fully when the Word was made
flesh. Then angels, and holy men, yea, and women, spake clearly of
him. What was his Father's voice at his baptism, the Holy Ghost's
descending, what was his own preaching, and miracles, and conversa
tion, but ail the pouring forth of his precious name ? And in his suf
ferings and death, what think you ? Was not his name then poured
forth, yea, his blood with it ? Yes, truly : being extended on the
cross, and his body pierced in divers places, his precious ointments
were shed abroad towards all the quarters of the world : their smell
reached both Heaven and the visible earth. God the Father, as He
was said to do in Noah's sacrifice, did much more smell in his sacrifice,
a savour of rest, appeasing his wrath ; and all believers a savour of
peace, a quieting of their consciences. And as aromatic spices, when
they are pounded ont and beaten, send forth their sweet smells raost
liberally, so, in these his sufferings, did the obedience, patience, and
love, and all the graces, and the 7ia7ne of our Saviour, raost clearly
manifest theraselves to the world. After he was dead, they erabalraed
his body, but they knew not that his own virtue would do more than
all the ointments and spices in the world could do, not only by pre
serving his body from corruption, but by raising it the third day. And
truly, after his resurrection, his own disciples knew his name better
than ever before ; and yet more fully after his ascension, when the
Holy Ghost came down upon thera ; which was poured from Heaven
on thera for this very end; that they raig-fit pour forth Christ's narae to
the ends ofthe earth. Acts ii. 8. And they did so, carrying this pre
cious treasure in earthen vessels, as that elect vessel St. Paul speaks,
1 Cor. iv. 7. And ever since, God hath continued the pouring forth
of his narae, by the rainistry and preaching of the Gospel. It is true,
there are too many ofthose that are eraployed in this work, who seek
theraselves, and their own ends, rather than His glory whom they
preach. And they that are more upright, the very best of them are
sinful raen. But how mean and unworthy soever they be, despise not
the Gospel. Let the sweet name which they pour forth, prevail for
itself, that so you raay reverence and love it, if you would have salva
tion by it ; and ihere is no other 7iame under heaven, by which thai can
be obtained.
As this name is poured forth in the gospel preached, so, in the sacra-

Cant. i. 3.] the name of jesus fragrant. 119
ments annexed to it ; and particularly in this, when the bread is broken,
and the wine poured out. And was not this the earnest desire of the
receivers of it this day, — it should have been, — to have our share in it,
for the refreshment and curing of our souls ? Nor shall any that came
thus, be disappointed. And if not immediately, yet, most certainly,
and that in due time, they sliall find the sweet fruits of it.
You have heard many ways how the narae of Christ is poured out,
yet there is one more, without which all the rest are ineffectual ; it is
this, the secret and powerful working ofthe Spirit of God in the soul.
The ordinances and means of salvation do indeed pour forth the narae
of Christ round about a raan, but till the Spirit concur with them, not
one drop falls within the soul. And is he not so much the more
miserable, who hears much of Christ, and partakes nothing of him ?
Yes, surely. A man may have much comraon knowledge of Christ,
and raay understand well, yea, may preach well, concerning his worth
and graces, and yet, not love Him. But there is a particular know
ledge of Him by the infusion of the Spirit, and where the smallest
measure of this is, it presently wins the affection. There is a shedding
abroad of the love of God in our hearts, that the Apostle speaks of,
Rom. V. 5 ; and this draws us after Him ; for our love to God is
nothing else but the reflection of His love to us. So then, though
many hear of Christ, yet, because there are but few that have this special
knowledge of hira, therefore it is, that so few do tmly esteem hira and
love him ; and they are such as are here called Virgins : and that is
the third thing.
III. The correspondence in the character ofthose who love Christ:
The Virgins, Similitude and conformity of nature, begets friendship :
pure affections delight in a pure object, and it makes them such. For
the truth is, Christ doth not find men naturally suitable to himself but
as he took on our nature, so he washeth away the sinfiilness of our
nature, which he took not on, and makes us that way conformable to
his nature. And they who are so changed, though they were formerly
lovers of sin, yet, by conversion, which is called regeneration, they are
born again, and so become not only chaste, but even virgins, spiritually.
For by virgins, here, are not raeant such as Romish votaries fancy
them to be : no, this -virginity may well consist with any lawful state of
life. These virgins are such as be truly holy and pure in heart and life,
who, though they are not perfectly free from all sin, yet have affection
to no sin. These are singularly delighted with the smell of Christ's
name and graces, while the voluptuous person, and the profane world
ling, dislike and despise it ! Balsama sic suihus, sic male nardus oleni.
The virgins, they bestow their affection whole and entire upon Christ.
How grossly do you delude yourselves, who make your hearts dens
of pride, filthy lust, malice and envy, and thousands of vanities, and
yet think to find a corner in thera to lodge Christ too ! Truly, you
would both straiten him in room, and give him very bad neighbours.
No ; they that think not a whole heart too littie for him, shall never
enjoy him.
The Virgins love ihee,] Grace destroys not the natural passions of
the soul, but corrects them only, by destroying their corruption, and so

120 the name of jesus fragrant. [Ser. VIII.
they become not merely not contrary to grace, but are made the subject
and seat of grace. This of love, which is the chief of them, we see, it
abolisheth not, but rectifies it, recaUing it to its due object, and turning
it into the right channel, by which it may erapty itself into the ocean of
goodness. And this love raay well consist with the purity of virgins ; yea, it is
this love that purifies and makes them such. The Virgins love — But
whom ? Thee, And it is as reasonable a love as it is pure ; Tlierefore
they love Thee, because thou hast raade thera in some measure appre
hensive of thy worth, which commands the love of all that know it;
not a cold and indifferent affection, but a superlative, ardent love, far
over-topping all their other desires. And with good reason, since
Christ doth infinitely, and beyond all coraparison, surpass all other
things desirable. Ask your own hearts, if you love Christ thus : for if
not thus, you love hira not at all. The Apostle St. Paul's love was of
this size. Phil. iii. 7, 8. Bui what things were gai7i io me, those I
counted loss for Christ ; yea, doubtless, a7id I count all things hut loss,
for ihe excellency ofthe Imowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom
J have suffered the loss of all thi7igs, and do count them hut dung ihat
I may win Christ. This love will not only undergo difficulties and
sufferings for Christ without either repining or fainting, but it will even
be glad to meet with them, as opportunity is, to exercise and testify
itself. Hard things will seem most easy for his sake, and bitter things
exceeding- sweet. In a word, to him that loves, scarce any thing is
impossible. Love is the leading passion of the soul : all the rest con
firm themselves to it, desire, and hope, and fear, and joy, and sorrow.
If, then, you love Christ, the desires and breathings of your soul
after him are strong and earnest. If he withdraw hiraself, or appear
angry, if either you see hira not, or see hira look discontented, your
grief will be so deep that it cannot be allayed by any worldly eraploy
raents. Yet, upon sorae forraer tokens of his love, which is known to
be unchangeable, hope will uphold the soul, till the beams of his grace
scatter the cloud, and break through. Though our Joseph seem strange,
and speak roughly for awhile, he cannot long refrain discovering his
affection. Again, love you him, unspeakable will be your joy when he smiles
upon you. As great will be your defight in possession, as your desire
is in pursuit ; and while you have his presence, it will be too hard a
task for any affliction to dismay you. Have you indeed heard Christ
speak comfortably to you this day at his holy table ? How will this
enable the soul, and arm it against dangers, and distracting, distrustful
fears ! Perfect love casteth out fear, saith St. John : 1 John iv. 18 : that
is, all base and servile fear ; but there is one fear that is in no heart
but where love begets it, fear to offend. You know how wary and
loth men are naturally to displease those they love ; therefore it is, that
love to Christ, and a careful observing of his commandments, are in
separable companions. Yea, love itself is the fulfilling of the law,
for it gives up the heart to God, and consequentiy the whole raan.
Then there is no return of duty which your receiving of Christ calls for,
(and what doth it not cafl for ?) there is none, 1 say, but is comprised
under this one of love. Do you owe him praises ? Yes, surely. Then

Cant. i. 3.] the name of jesus fragrant. 121
love him; that wfll stir you up to praise him. You never knew, but
where much love was in the heart, it made tiie tongue ready and
active upon all occasions to praise the party loved. Love will entertain
small courtesies with great thanks ; much more -where the benefit so
far exceeds all possible thankfulness. Ought you to serve and obey
hira? Doubtless: he hath for that purpose redeeraed you with his
precious blood. And truly there is no obedience or service so full and
so cheerful, as that which flows from love. Should you study con
formity to Christ, and labour to be like hira ? Yes, for this is to walk
worthy of Christ. Then there is nothing assirailates so much as love.
Men delight in their society whom they love, and by their society they
do insensibly contract their customs, and becorae like thera. These
\irgins who love Christ for his gi-aces, they love to converse with him,
and by conversing -with hira, they receive of his graces, and have a
smell of his perfumes. Not only do they, by the smell of his gar
ments, or such imposed rites, obtain the blessing, but they likewise
smell fike him by tfie participation of sanctifying grace, of his \visdom
and holiness, in a pure and godly conversation, abstaining frora the
impure lusts and pollutions of the world ; so likewise of his meekness
and humility. Never think that one and the same soul can have
much pride and much of Christ. Ever, the more grace a man hath,
the raore sense hath he likewise of his own unworthiness, and God's
free mercy, and consequently, the more huraility.
If you love Christ, you cannot choose but be like hira in love fo
your brethren. This is expressly compared by the Psalmist, to the
precious ointment poured upon Aaron's head, thai ran down to the
very skirts of his garments. Psal. cxxxui. 2. Our Head and High
Priest, the Lord Jesus, hath incomparably testified his love to be
lievers whom he is pleased to call his brethren. They are far from
equalfing him, either in love to him, or in love one to another, but
they do imitate hira in both. This is his great commandment, ihat
we love one another, even as he loved us, which is expressed both as a
strong motive and a high example. It is not possible that a spirit of
malice and implacable hatred can consist with the love of Christ.
FinaUy, Should you be ready to suffer for Christ ? Yes. Then love
is that which will enable you ; and if you were inflamed with this fire
then, though burned for him, that fire would only consume your dross,
and be soon extinguished ; but this would endure for ever.
By these and the like evidences, try whether you indeed love the
Lord Jesus Christ. And by these fruits, you who profess to love him,
testify the sincerity of your love ; and be assured, that if you be now
found amongst these Virgins that love him, you shall one day be of
the number of those Virgins that are spoken of, Rev. xiv. 3, 4, who
sing a new song before the throne of God.
If you hate the defilements of the world, and be not polluted with
inordinate affection to the creature, it shall never repent you to have
made choice of Christ. He shall fill your hearts with peace and joy in
believing. When you come to his house and table, he shall send you
horae with joy and sweet consolation, such as you would not exchange
for crowns and sceptres. And after sorae few of these running
banquets here below, you shall enter into the great marriage-supper of

122 the sinner a rebel against god. [Ser. IX.
the Lamb, where faith shall end in sight, and hope in possession, and
love continue in perpetual and full enjoyraent ; where you shall be
never weary, but for ever happy in beholding the face of the Blessed
Trinity : to whora be glory. Amen.

SERMON IX.

PREFACE.

How true is that word of our Saviour, who is truth itself. Without Tne,
ye can do nothing : — severed frora rae, as that branch that is not in
me. They who are altogether out of Christ, in spiritual exercises do
nothing at all. 'Tis true, they may pray and hear the word, yea, and
preach it too, and yet in so doing they do nothing, nothing in effect.
They have the matter of good actions, but it is the internal form
gives being to things. They are but a number of empty words and a
dead service to a living God. For all our outward performances and
worship of the body are nothing but the body of worship, and there
fore nothing but a carcass, except the Lord Jesus, by his Spirit,
breathe upon it the breath of life. Yea, the worshipper himself is
spirituaUy dead till he receive life from Jesus, and be quickened by his
Spirit. If this be true, then it will follow necessarily, that where
numbers are met together, (as here,) pretending to serve and worship
God, yet He hath very few that do so indeed, the greatest part being
out of Christ ; and such being -svithoiit him, they can do nothing in his
service. Rom. viu. 7.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law of God,
neither indeed can be.
The ordinary workings and actions of creatures are suitable to their
nature, as the ascending of light things, and the moving of heavy
things downwards ; so, the vital and sensitive actions of things that
have life and sense. The reasonable creature, it is true, hath more
liberty in its actions, freely choosing one thing and rejecting another ;
yet it cannot be denied, that in the acting of that liberty, their choice
and refusal follow the sway of their nature and condition. As the
angels and glorified souls, their nature being perfectly holy, and
unalterably such, they cannot sin, they can delight in nothing but in
obeying and praising that God, in the enjoyment of whom their happi
ness consisteth, stUl ravished in beholding His face. The saints,
again, that have not yet reached that home, and are but on their
journey, they are not fully defecated and refined from the dross of sin :
there are in them two parties, natural corruption, and supernatural
grace; and these keep a struggling within them. But the younger
shall supplant the elder: Grace shall in the end overcome; and in
the mean while, though it be not free from mixture, yet it is predomi-

Rom, viii. 7.] the sinner a rebel against god. 123
nant. The main bent of a renewed man, is, obedience and holiness,
and any action of that kind he rejoices in ; but the sin that escapes
hira, he cannot look upon but with regret and discontent. But alas !
they that be so rainded, are very thin sown in the world. Even in
God's peculiar fields, where the labouragc of the gospel is, and the
outward profession of true religion unanimously received, yet, the
number of true converts, spiritual-minded persons, is very small ;
the greatest part acting sin with delight, and taking pleasure in un
righteousness, living in disobedience to God, as in their proper
element ; and the reason is, the contrariety of their nature to our holy
Lord. The carnal Tnind is enmity against God.
The mind, (ppovrj/ia. Some render it the prudence, or wisdom of the
flesh. Here you have it, the carnal mind. But the word signifies,
indeed, an act of the mind, rather than either the faculty itself, or the
habit of prudence in it, so as it discovers what is the frame of both
these, the minding ; as it is used, ver. 5, conforraably to that of Moses,
Gen. vi.. Every imagination of ihe thoughts of man's heart is only evil
continually. The word indeed signifies the wise thoughts. So then,
take the full latitude of it thus : The carnal mind, in its best and
wisest thoughts, is direct enmity against God.
Carnal \jris aapKos.] What is meant by the flesh here? It is the
whole corrupt nature of raan ; and ihat we raay know by its opposi
tion to the Spirit: not to the spirit or soul of a raan, for so it hath no
thoughts nor minding, these being proper to the soul, but opposed to
the Spirit of God.
Now, the corruption of nature is called the flesh, not without very
good reason, not only to signify the baseness of it, the flesh being the
more ignoble and meaner part of a man, but because the greatest part
ofthe sins of men's lives, are about sensitive objects and things that
concern the flesh or the body. It lets in temptation of sin to the soul
by the doors of the senses, and it gives the last perfection or accora
plishraent to sin, by the external acting of it. The very first sin, that
brought in death and misery with it upon mankind, the pleasures of
the eye and ofthe taste, were sharers in the guiltiness of it.
The carnal mind.] Man in regard of his composition, is, as it were,
the tie and band of Heaven and earth : they meet and are married in
him. A body he has taken out of the dust, but a soul is breathed into
him from Heaven, from the Father of Spirits : a house of clay, but a
guest of most noble extraction. But the pity is, it hath forgot its
original, and is so drowned in flesh, that it deserves no other than to
go under the name of flesh. It is become the slave and drudge of the
body, and like the Israelites in Egypt, made perpetually to moil in
clay. What is all your merchandise, your trades and manufactures,
your tillage and husbandry, but all for the body, in its behalf, for food
and raiment ? In all these, the mind must be careful and thoughtful,
and yet properly they reach it not, for itself hath no interest in them.
It is true, the necessity of the body requires rauch of these things, and
superfluous custora far more ; but it is lamentable that men force their
soul to forget itself and its proper business, to attend to these things
only, and be busy in them. They spend all their time, and their
choicest pains, upon perishing things, and which is worse, engage

124 THE SINNER A REBEL AGAINST GOD, [Ser. IX.
their affections to them. They mind earthly ihiTigs, whose end is de
struction. Phil. iii. 18:— the same word is here, (Ppovijfia rrj^ aapKos.
Will you consider seriously, that your souls run the hazard of perish
ing, because you consider not their spiritual nature? When that
earthly tabernacle of yours shafl fall to the ground, (and ere long it
must,) your souls must then enter eternity, and though you had as
large a share of earthly things as your earthly hearts now would wish,
they wifi all lose their use in that moment. They are not a proper
good for the soul at any time, and least at that tirae. If you keep it,
all your life long, busy about the interest and benefit of the flesh, the
body, how poor will it be when they part, having provided nothing at
all for itself, but the gufltiness of a sinful fife, which wUl sink it into
that bottomless pit ! Be forewarned then : For to be carnally minded
is death. Ver. 6, preceding the text.
The carnal mind. Now, as sin hath debased and degenerated the
soul of man, making it carnal, so, the Son of God, by taking on our
nature, hath subfimated it again, and made it spiritual. The souls
that receive him are spiritualized; yea, as sin made the soul carnal,
grace raakes the very body to becorae spiritual, making it partaker and
co-worker in spiritual things together with the soul, in doing and suffer
ing, and participant of the hopes, too, of an everlasting reward. This
is the main Christian character our Apostle gives here, that they are
spiritually minded, and that their actions suit their rainds: They walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Whereas before, with the rest
of the world, they were eager in the pursuit of honours, and profits,
and worldly pleasures, the new stream of their desires runs in another
channel. They seek after honour, and are very ambitious of it ; but it
is such honour the Apostle speaks of in this Epistle, ch. ii. ver. 7.
By patient continuance in well doing ihey seek for glory, and honour,
and immortality. Their mind is upon profit and gain ; but it is with
the sarae Apostie, Phil. iii. 8, that they may win Christ, and they
account all other things loss in comparison. And their desires are
after pleasure too, but not carnal pleasures ; these are both base, and
of short continuance, but the pleasures they aira at, are those that are
ai God's right hand, andfor evermore, Psal. xvi. 11 ; and that path of
life which the Psalmist there speaks of, that way of holiness which
leads thither, is their delight. Spiritual exercises they go to, not as
their task only, but more as their joy and refreshment. And this
change the Spirit of God works in the soul, making it, yea, and the
body wherein it dwells, of carnal, to become spiritual: as fire, to which
the Holy Ghost is corapared, refines sand and ashes, and makes of
thera the purest glass, which is so neat and transparent.
Enmity against God.] Sin hath not only made us unlike God, by
defacing His beautiful image in us, not only strang-ers, by making us
wander far off from Him, but cTiemies; nor eneraies only, but enmity
in the abstract ; for that is emphatical, The carnal mind is enmity,
nothing else but enraity.
Now, this enmity is described in the latter clause of the text, by an
antipathy, so to call if, or non-compliance with the law of God : It is
not subject to the Law of God, neither can it he, to wit, while it remains
such. There is an absolute impossibility in it, to suit with the Law of

Rom. viii. 7.] the sinner a rebel against god. 125
God, and consequentiy with God himself. The reason lies in their
opposite qualities. God is spiritual and holy, and so is the Law, as
our Apostie hath it in the preceding chapter ; and the opposition he there
makes betwixt his unregenerate part and the Law, is wholly true of the
ungenenerate man. The Law is holy, says he, ver. 12, and 14, The
Law is spiritual; to which too he opposes. But I am carnal, sold
under sin.
Where are now those who so ^ ilify grace and raagnify nature ? Or,
shall I rather say, nullify grace, and deify nature ? Here is the best
eulogy the Apostle will bestow upon the best of natures, Enmity
against God. Nay, all the sparkles of virtue and raoral goodness in
civil men and ancient heathens are no better ; besides raany other
things to be said of the virtues of those philosophers, as ignorance of
Christ, by whom alone this enraity is removed.
I should easily confess, nor, I think, can any deny it, that there is
in the very ruins of our nature, sorae character left of a tendency to
God as our chief and only satisfying good, which we may call a kind
of love, and when we hear Him spoken of, we find it flutter and stir ;
and hence raen so abhor the iraputation of hating God and being His
eneraies. Yet, this is so smothered under sensuality and flesh, that
until we be raade spiritual, nothing appears but practical and (as they
call it) interpretative enmity.
There is one thing which stains them enough ; they were all, as that
Father speaks, animalia glorice : they aimed not, in their study of
virtue, at God's glory, but at their own; and is not that quarrel enough,
and matter of enmity ? Says not He, My glory I will not give unto
another ?
But that is raost useful for you, to convince you of that too good
conceit which men have of their natural condition. You would take
it hardly,- the most profane of you all, if any should come to you in
particular, and tell you, you are an enemy to God ; but I answer,
there is none of you, if you believe the Scriptures, but will confess
that all men are naturally such, and therefore, except we find in our
selves a notable alteration frora the condition of nature, we must take
with it, that we are eneraies, yea, enmity to God. Of strangers, to
becorae acquainted with Him, yea, which is raore, of enemies to be
come friends, is a greater and raore remarkable change, than to be
incident to a man without any evidence and sign of it. I know there is
very great variety in the way and manner of conversion ; and to some,
especially if it be in their tender years, grace may be instilled and dropt
in, as it were, insensibly. But this I raay confidentiy say, that whatso
ever be the way of working it, there will be a wide and apparent dif
ference betwixt friendship with God, and the condition of nature, which
is enmity against Him. Do not flatter yourselves. So long as your
minds reraain camal, ardent in love to the world, and cold in love to
God, lovers of pleasures more than of God, (as the Apostle speaks) you
are His eneraies, for with Hira there is no neutrality. 'That which
they say, taxing it as a weakness in the sex, Aui amat, aut odit, nihil
est tertium, is in this case necessarily true of all. And this is God's
prerogative, that He can judge infallibly of the inside. Those sha
dows of friendship men use one with another, will not pass with Him,

126 the sinner a rebel against god. [Ser. IX.
Deceived He cannot be, but men may easily ; and alas ! too many do
deceive themselves in this matter, to their own ruin.
We may learn hence, how deep sin goes into our nature, and con
sequently, that the cure and remedy of it must go as deep ; that all
the parts of our bodies and all the powers of our souls are polluted
originally, our very mind and consdence, as the Apostle speaks, for it
is immersed in flesh, and enslaved to flesh, naturally, and therefore
it goes under its name. We are become all flesh ; that is the spring
of our mischiefs. We have lost our likeness to our Father, the Father
of Spirits, the purest and most spiritual Spirit, till renewed by par
ticipation of His Spirit in our flesh.
And it is the error, not only of natural men, but soraewhat of the
godly too, that in self-reforraation they set themselves against actual
sin, but they lay not the axe to the root of the tree, this root of
bitterness, this our inbred and natural enmity against God ; and tfll
this be done, the lopping off of some branches will do no good : whUe
the root is in vigour, those will grow again, and possibly faster than
before. Bewail every known act of sin, as much as you can, for the
least of them deserves it ; but withal, let the consideration of them lead
you into thoughts of this seed of rebellion, the wickedness of our nature,
that takes life with us in the worab, and springs and grows up with us,
and this will humble us exceedingly, and raise our godly sorrow to a
higher tide. We find David taketh this course in the fifty- first Psalm :
where he is lamenting his particular sin of adultery and murder, it leads
him to the sinfulness of his nature, I was shapen in iniquity, and Iti siti
did my mother conceive me ; [or, warm me ;] which he mentions, not
to extenuate and dirainish his sin ; no, he is there very far from that
strain, but adds it as a main aggravation. Indeed, the power of
original sin in the regenerate, is laid very low, yet is it not altogether
extinct, which they find often to their grief, and this makes them cry
out with our Apostle, in the former chapter, O wretched man that I am,
who shall deliver me from ihis body of death ! The converted are
already delivered (as he there adds) from the dominion of it, but not
from the molestation and trouble of it. Though it is not a quiet and
uncontrolled raaster, as it was before, yet it is in the house still, as an
unruly servant or slave, ever vexing and annoying them ; and this
body of death they shall have still cause to bewail, tfll death release
them. This leprosy hath taken so deep root in the walls of this house,
that it cannot perfectly be cleansed till it be taken down ; and it is
this, more than any other sorrows or afflictions of life, that makes the
godly man not only content to die, but desirous, longing, with our
Apostle, io be dissolved, and he with Christ, which is far better.
As this teaches us the misery of man's nature, so it sets off and
comraends exceedingly the riches of God's grace. Are men naturally
His enemies? Why then admire, first. His patience and bounty a
little, and then we will speak of His saving grace. Could not He
very easily ease Himself of His adversaries, as He says by the pro
phet ? Isa. i. 24. Wants He power in His right hand to find out and
cut off all His enemies ? Surely no. Not only He hath power to
destroy them all in a moraent, but the very withdrawing of His hand,
that upholds their being, (though they consider it not,) would make

Rom. viu. 7.] the sinner a rebel against god. 127
them fafl to nothing. Yet is He pleased not only to spare trans
gressors, but to give them many outward blessings, rain and fruitful
seasons, as the Apostle speaks, Acts xiv. 17. And the earth which is
so full of raan's rebellion, is yet more fuU of God's goodness: The
earth is full of Thy goodness, says the Psalmist. It is remarkable,
that that same reason which is given. Gen. vi. 5, ofthe justice of God
in drowning the world is, in chap. viii. 21, rendered as the reason of
God's resolved patience ever since : And the Lord .said, I will not curse
the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's
heart is evil from his youth.
Then consider His grace, in finding a way of reconcilement, and
not sparing His own Son, His only begotten Son, to accomplish it.
Nor did the Son spare himself. O matchless love ! to lay down his
life, not for friends, but for strangers ; not only so, but enemies, for
unrighteous and ungodly persons, such as be at enmity against Him.
Rom. v. 7, 8. And having done this. He sends his word, the raessage
of reconciliation, to rebels, and sends His Spirit into the hearts of
those whom He hath appointed to salvation, to change their spirits,
that they perish not in disobedience : He brings them near who were
far off, having slain this enmity by the death of His Son.
As many of you, then, as have hitherto heard this message of recon
ciliation in vain, be persuaded at last to give ear to it. This is all
that God's arabassadors require, according to their instructions from
Himself, that men would lay down their enmity against Hira, and not
be so foolish as wilfully to perish in it : We pray you in Christ's stead,
be ye reconciled to God, 2 Cor. v. 20.
Consider that this enraity is, 1st, unjust, 2dly, unhappy. (1.) Un
just it is, being against Hira who is the chief object of love, who is
altogether goodness, both in Himself and towards his creatures. It is
too much not to love Him with most ardent and superlative affection ;
but to entertain enraity against Hira is raadness. As it was said to
one who asked. Why are the beautiful loved ? It is a blind man's
question ; certainly we are blind if we see not cause enough, not only to
desist from enmity, but to be inflamed with His love. One glance of
His amiable countenance is sufficient to cause the most rebellious
heart to yield, and lay down arms, and for ever devote itself to His
services. No, we know Hira not, and therefore it is we hold out against
Hira. Is He not the living spring of all our coraforts ? Have we not
from Him, life, and breath, and all things ? And is He not ready to
forgive iniquity, transgression, and sin ? Let mercy melt our hearts
to Him, those sweet rays of love. Let His loving kindness overcome
these stubborn hearts and spirits of ours. Among enemies, the weaker
usually seeks first for peace, but here it is the Mighty ; Almighty God
comes to entreat agreement -with sinful clay.
(2.) But if this prevail not, then think how unhappy this enmity is.
You who are so afraid of men, and those weak men, of men like your
selves, whose breath is in their nostrils, will ye not tremble at His
power, and be afraid to continue on terms of hostility against Him
who is the Lord of Hosts, who hath power both over soul and body,
to kill both and cast them into hell ? What is the stoutest of raen, but
as stubble to the flame of His wrath ? Our God is a consuming flre.

128 THE TRUE CHRISTIAN [Ser. X.
Heb. xii. 29. The sinners in Zion are afraid, says the Prophet. Who
shall dwell, say they, with devouring flre and everlasting burnings ? Isa.
xxxin. 14. Then, if you would not perish, when his wrath is kindled,
take that word of Eliphaz, Job xxn. 21. Acquaint now thyself with
Him, and be at peace ; thereby good shall come unto thee.
And to you, so many as he hath taken into friendship with Himself,
look backward to the gulf you have escaped, and forward to the hap
piness you are appointed to, and let the joint-consideration of both
awaken your hearts and tongues to praises. How can your hearts
contain such a wonder of love as He hath manifested to you, and not
run over in songs and praise ?
And, as you owe Hira praises, so study, being made His friends, to
become more like Him. That same idcTn velle et idem nolle, to love
and hate the same things with Hira, wUl be a sure testiraony of friend
ship. And because carnality, or fleshly and earthly mindedness, is
here raade the character of enmity, mortify those affections, nail them
to that cross of Christ whereby the enmity was taken away. And
further, being once admitted into friendship, labour for a further degree
of intimacy with Hira, and forbear every thing that may hinder that.
Use frequent converse with Him ; for that both entertains and in
creases friendship. If any thing fall out on your part (as it too often
does), that raay occasion any strangeness betwixt you and your God,
rest not till it be reraoved. And if you walk in this way, it shall
undoubtedly, at length, bring you where you shall abide in His pre
sence for ever, and shall no more fear any breach or interruption of
enjoying Him. To Him be praise I Amen.

SERMON X.
Romans xiii. 5, 6, 7, 8.
Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake.
For, for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continu
ally upon this very thing.
Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due, custom lo whom cus
tom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.
Owe no man any thing, but to love ono another ; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled
the law.
The wisdom and goodness of God, which shine in the natural order
and dependence of things in the frame ofthe great world, appear like
wise, and coraraend theraselves to us, in the civil order He hath insti
tuted in the societies of men, the lesser world. As out of the same
mass He made the heavens and the earth, and the other eleraents
betwixt them, one higher than another, and gave them different stations
and qualities, yet so different as to be linked and concatenated to
gether, Concordia discordid, and all for the concern and benefit of the
whole ; thus, for the good of raen, hath the Lord assigned these dif
ferent stations of rule and subjection (though all are of one race. Acts
xvii. ?6), raising from araong men some above the rest, and clothing

Rom. xiii. 5 — 8.] the best subject. 129
them with such authority as hath some representraent of Himself, and
accordingly communicating to them His own name : I have said, ye
are gods. And the very power that is in magistracy to curb and
punish those that despise it, the Apostle useth as a strong and hard
cord to bind on the duty of obedience, a cord of 7iecessity. But he has
another of a higher necessity, that binds more strongly, and yet more
sweetly, that of conscience. Wherefore ye must needs he subject, not
only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake.
Observe, 1. This is the raain consideration which closes the dis
course, the great cord that binds on and fastens all the rest ; all the
arguments foregoing, therefore, are mainly here to be pressed. Have
a reverential and conscientious respect to the ordinance of God in
the institution of Government, and to the providence of God in His
choice of those particular persons whom He calls to it. Contain thy
self in thy own station, and subrait to those set higher by the Lord, in
obedience to Hira. This, indeed, is the only true spring of all obe
dience, both to God, and to raen for Hira, and according to His ordi
nance. To regulate the outward carriage, without the living principle
of an enlightened and sanctified conscience -nithin, is to build without
a foundation. This is the thing God eyes raost. He looks through
the surface of raen's actions to the bottom, follows them into their
source, examines from what raotives and reasons they flow. He sees
not only the handle of the dial, but all the wheels and weights of the
clock that are the cause of its raotion, and accordingly judges both
men and their actions to be good or evfl, as the inward frame and
secret motions of the heart are. In His own worship, the outside of
it may have the same visage and plausible appearance in a multitude
convened to it and concurring in it, and no human eye can trace a
difference ; and yet. Oh, what vast difference doth God's eye discover
amongst them ! He sees the multitude of those who are driven to His
house by the power of civil and church laws, or carried to it only with
the stream of company and custom ; (and these, I fancy, take up the
most room in our churches ;) but He sees here and there, where such
are in any corner, who worship Him in singleness of heart, out of
conscience to His holy comraand, and under a sense of their many
obfigations, those who dare not let pass any opportunity they can
reach, of doing service to their Lord, and who dare not slight His
word, and thus coming for conscience' sake, they do present their souls
to receive His word, give their hearts up to receive the impression of
it, put theraselves under it, to be stamped by it according to that,
Rom. vi. 17 : But ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine
which was delivered you. So, likewise, He sees those who bear His
narae to His people, the rainisters of His word. If they preach con
stantly, and live blamelessly, and are diligent and irreprovable in all
the external parts of their walking, this last satisfies raen's questions
in their inspection and visitings ; but God's inquiry and visiting
searches deeper. He asks from what heart all this coraes, whether
from a holy conscience of the weight and high iraportance of their holy
calling, and a faithful respect to the interest of their Master's glory
and His people's souls. And thus. He, as supreme judge, sits and
considers the proceedings of judges and magistrates ; not only whether
Vox,. II. K

130 THE TRUE CHRISTIAN [Ser. Xi,
they do that which is just (for often they cannot, easfly or safely, do
otherwise), but whether they do it with regard to Him or not; that is,
whether they judge righteously, for conscience' sake, or not ; whether
they do consider Him, as sitting above them, when they sit down upon
the bench or seat of justice, and do indeed truly speak righteousness,
Psal. Iviu. 1, or whether in heart they work wickedness. If they have
any corrupt end, or hearts that are not straight. He sits on their heart
and judges it ; whether this be done either for base gain, or vain glory,
or by compulsion, or outward necessity, or danger of censure, or
whether it be this latter, an inward 7iecessiiy of conscience, which makes
a true wiflingness.
Thus people, if they obey for wrath, that is, for fear of the magis
trate's sword, more than /or- conscience of the Lord's command, God
accounts not this obedience, but in His judgment it goes for no better
than rebellion. It is to be feared, too many magistrates, and others,
have in this nation embraced the Reformation, not at all for conscience'
sake, but only for wrath, from fear of laws and authority. But al
though we are not able to follow forth this search to the full, that
being the Lord's own prerogative, yet, truly, where it is evident to us
that there is nothing of conscience, though in civil things it may pass,
yet, in things that are peculiarly matters of conscience in religion, men
ought to be somewhat wary, according to fhe utmost of due discerning ;
and we are, possibly, somewhat to blame in the promiscuous admitting
of such, whose carriage, yea, whose profession and religion speaks
aloud, that their corapliance was wholly constrained obedience, only
for wrath, and not for conscience.
If civil authority is to be obeyed raost for conscience, then, church
authority, that is raore syrabolical with conscience, and hath nearer
reference to it, ought to aim raost at that. Conviciicm and conversion
is our work, and not constraint ; to bring people, both by the word and
by a way of discipline suiting and backing it, to a sense of sin and
spiritual thoughts of God and His holy law, that they may be subject
more for conscience than for wrath.
And ye people, labour more to find the actings of that holy fear of God
and conscience of His will in all your ways. Study to have an inward
light, a practical, sanctifying light, directing you'; and be not merely held
in as beasts, by the authority and laws of men, but learn to know and be
sensible ofthe sovereign authority ofthe most high God and His law, and
to have respect unto all His comraandraents. If this were once done,
how regular a raotion would it keep araongst all superiors and inferiors
of all sorts, in farailies and states, the one commanding-, the other obey
ing, in God ! It would be as sweet music in the celestial choir of
their lives and aff'airs. Right-informing and right-moving consciences
would be as continual teachers within, directing all in obedience, and
would make it both more constant, sweet, and pleasant, as natural
motion ; whereas that is grievous and violent which is from wrath, or
outward power, and therefore lasts not : as the Israelites worshipped
God aright while their good judges lived, and ran after idols when they
were removed.
Again. This same obedience for conscience ennobles and subli
mates raen's actions even in civil things, makes them ^lave somewhat

Rom. xin. 5 — 8.] the best subject. 131
Divine, turns all into sacrifice to God, wiien all is done for God; even
servants and children obeying masters and parents, and subjects
magistrates, for His command's sake ; still thinking, in the whole
course of their regular, due carriage, in their very callings. This I do
for God ; my ordinary labour and w orks, and my just obedience to
men, I offer up to Hira. This is the phflosophers stone, that turns
actions of lower metal into gold ; I set ihe Lord always before Tne.
Psal. xvi. 8.
06s. 2. Kings, and other powers of the w orld, who are the enemies,
and sometimes the enraged persecutors of our holy refigion, mistake
their quanel, and are very wrongfully raisprejudiced against it, when,
upon that false supposition, they hate and oppose it, suspecting it as an
eneray to their dignity and authority ; whereas there is nothing that
doth so much assert their just power as religion doth. Civil laws may
tie the hands and tongue to their obedience, but religion binds all due
subjection to them upon the very consciences of their people. Therefore
they are both ungrateful and unwise, in using their power against re
ligion, which it so rauch strengthens. Their power should strengthen
it, both by way of due return, to correspond with it in that, and even
for its own interest, receiving a new establishment to itself by esta
blishing religion. Even that master of irreligious policy, Machiavel,
confesses that the profession of religion is a fi-iend to autiiority. But
if the shadow of it do any thing that way, we see, contrary to his
profane supposition, the substance and truth of it doth it much more.
Obs. 3. if for conscience' sake we are to practise this subjection,
then, surely in nothing is it our duty to be subject against the true rule
of conscience, and the prirae object of conscience, the authority and law
of God. That is the first and highest, our perpetual, unalterable en
gagement to Him, binding both kings and subjects, both high and low.
And if rulers leave their station, we ought to keep ours still, in a
straight subjection to God. For the extent of friendship and all other
relations, and of all subjection and obedience, is to be ruled and
bounded, usque ad aras. Give to Cesar ihe things that are Cesar's, but
nothing of God's : that is neither ours to give, nor his to receive.
For, for ihis cause pay you tribute also. This the Apostie gives as
a sign of that confessed right which magistrates have to the subjection
and obedience of the people, that in all nations this homage and ac
knowledgraent is due to them : Tribute to whom tribute is due. Which
it may be he the rather mentions, because some question might exist,
what might Christians do concerning this. However, this, according
to the constitution of several places, he takes as granted, to be not only
lawful, but due to be rendered. Here we are not to insist on the
scanning of this ; but certainly, as the power of a magistrate is not in
this, nor in any other thing, absolute and unbounded, so, the legal and
just paying of tribute and other revenues by the people, argues their
engagement to those set over them, and is to be rendered, not as
wages to a mercenary servant, but as an honorary due to their place
and calling, who are the ministers of God in civil government. So,
also, convenient yet liberal maintenance to the ministers of God's own
house is their right, yet not to enrich them ; nor yet ought it to be
given grudgingly, as undue, or superciliously, as to servants, but -wjtji
K 2

J32 THE TRUE CHRISTIAN [Ser. X.
the cheerftflness and respect agreeable to the Lord's servants, who
watch for their souls.
All tribute and obedience stifl relate to this, and are grounded on
it, the Lord's institution of power and government for the good of
men. Though it sometimes prove otherwise in the exercise of it, yet
the ordinance is pure, and most wisely suited to its end ; from which
the sin and corruption of men turn it but too often to the hurt of both
the ruler himself and ofthe ruled. Eccl. viii. 9 : There is a time wherein
one man ruleth over another io his own hurt; each proving a scourge
to the other, in the just judgment of God upon both for their iniqui
ties ; making a flre from Abimeleeh io devour the Tnen of Shechem,
and the men of Shechem to deal treacherously with Abimeleeh, Judg.
ix. 20. Yet, still the thing itself remains good. Many skOful physi
cians may kfll instead of curing, yet it is but a caprice to decry all
remedies, and the use of things medicinal, which the God of nature
hath furnished for that use. Men may, and alas ! most men do, pre
judice their own health, by either intemperate or in some way irregular
diet; yet this makes nothing against the continual necessity anduse
of food, nor can dissuade any from using it. Thus, the abuses of
authority infringe not this, that magistrates are a public good ; yea,
the unjust are better than none, tyranny is better than anarchy ; there
is some justice done in the most unjust governraent.
But thus, they who are exalted to rule, ought to consider who raised
them, and for what they are raised, and so faithfully to do justice.
They are raised high, as the stars are set in their orbits, for influence
and the good of the inferior world, and like the mountains which rise
above the vafleys, not to be places of prey and ruin, but, by the streams
they send out, to refresh them. So, from magistrates, judgment ought
to run down as water, and JTjisiice as a mighty stream. They ought
to consider themselves as ministers; though called 7nagistrates with
relation to the people, yet miTiisiers in relation to God, [XeiTs'/j^ot Gcs]
and the people's in Him, as the word ^eiTB/jtyot iraports, being constant
labourers for their good ; even as the sun is a minister, God's minister
of heat and light to the earth. Would they look up thus f o God, it
would make them look down on their inferiors, not with the ill aspect
of pride and cruelty, but with the benign looks of good-wifl, fidelity,
and vigilancy for their welfare, knowing that they are appointed for
this very use in the world ; not referring to that which is nearest here,
and nearest themselves, ihe receiving of tribute, but the remotest good,
which is the chief end for which their tribute and themselves are ap
pointed, the punishing of the wicked and the encouragement of the
good. Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due,
custom to whom custom, fear io who7n fear, honour io whom ho7iour.
The Apostle enlarges his exhortation to the general rule of equity.
The hurable, upright mind wfll willingly comply with this, and pay
respect to men, in obedience to God, and therefore primarily to Hira,
which the most neglect. Honour and fear are due to Him as to our
Father and Master, and yet where is it to be found ? Ifl hea father,
where is mine honour ? a7id if I be a master, where is my fear ? Mal.
i. 6. The tribute of praise and glory in all these respects is due, and

Rom. xiii. 5 — 8.] the best subject. 133
ought not to be purloined, nor any part detained ; but how few are
faithful in this ! ^luch uncustomed goods pass among our hands in
the course of our lives, raany things wiicrein wc are not mindful to
give glory, entire glory to God. But He cannot be deceived: if we
go on. He will take us in our quietest conveyance, and all will be for
feited. We shall certainly lose all, if all glory return not to Hira.
All that we have, and are, should we daily and heartily offer up to
Hira, frora whora we have life, and breath, and all things.
Owe Tio man anything, but to love one another. That which the
Apostle set before hiraself, as his own study aud exercise, he doth, in
the latter part of this Epistle, set forth at large, as the duty of every
Christian, to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and men.
Acts. xxiv. 16. And having, in the forraer part of it, treated amply
and excellently of the doctrine of Christian faith and salvation, and
ascended to its highest cause, he descends frora thence to give the
rules of a Christian life. And he reduces thera to these two: I. To
give the Lord His due, which is, ourselves entire: our bodies ought to
be a living sacrifice, and ihat they are not without the soul. And it
is love in the soul, that offers up this whole burnt-offering to God, the
fire that makes it ascend. 2. Towards men likewise, love is all. Of
which, in raany several acts of it, he spake likewise in the forraer
chapter, ver. 9, &c. ; and having inserted an exhortation to subjection
to huraan authority as a Divine institution, he now returns to that
main, comprehensive, and universal duty of love, and passes fitly from
the mention of other particular dues to superiors, to this, as the general
due, or standing debt, which all men owe one to another. So I con
ceive this is not intended for the further pressing of that particular
duty of subjection, by reducing it (as seeming hard in itself) to the
sweet and pleasant rule or law of love, but that he passes wholly from
that particular to this common duty, so as that it is not excluded, but
comprehended here with the rest, though not specially aimed at ; a
little rivulet running awhfle in its own channel, in the foregoing dis
course, which falls here in again to the raain current of the doctrine
of love, begun in the former chapter. And here he chooses, adapting
it to the strain of the discourse immediately foregoing it, to express
this under the notion of a debt : Owe nothing, but love,
I. Let other debt be removed: Owe nothing. That is. Be not
willing to continue debtors of anything to any, by undue retaining of
such things as, being paid, are not owing.
2. This is a constant debt, which you raust still paj-, and yet stiil
owe — love. And the reason added, is most enforcing, that we should
be willing to continue hoth payers and yet debtors of it. The dueness
of it appears in this, that the Law requires it, and the completeness
of it, in that it is all the Law requires : Love is ihe fulfilling of the
Law. AVhich is amplified in the two subsequent verses.
This is most fully tme, take love fully, as it looks on its full object,
God and Man; and so it is the fulfifiing of the whole Law which
relates to those two in its two tables. Take it particularly, as acting
towards men, (as here it is,) and so it fulfils that part of the Law,
that whole table, which respects man. The most of those command
ments are expressly here set down, (ver. 9,) and the omission of one

134 the true CHRisTi.iN [Ser. X.
is fully supplied by that addition. If ihere be any other. Then again,
it is cleared by the coramon aim and result of them all, which is to
keep our neighbour undamaged, and that, love doth most surely and
fully ; therefore it fulfils all. That negative, worketh no ill io his neigh
bour, answers the strain of all the commandments, which is, to defend
our neighbours from our ill, being most of them such, and afi of them
such that are here specified ; yet both they, and this sura of thera, in
volving the contrary, the working of all possible good to our neigh
bour ; in which, still love suits it, nothing being both more averse
from wrong, and more active in good, than love : as the same Apostie
hath it, I Cor. xiii. Besides that it cannot do, no, nor so much as
think evil, it is naturally carried to bounty and kindness, and cannot
cease from doing good, a plant that is fruitful all the year long.
The Apostle hath very good authority for this abridgment of the
Law; our Saviour hiraself. Matt. xxii. 40. And he takes it out of
the books of the Law themselves, and certifies us, that it is the sub
stance and sum both of the Law and the Prophets. Were this love
absolutely perfect, the fulfiUing of the Law would be so too ; and
where it is sincere, as the Apostle requires it, there is a sincere and
evangelical obedience, or fulfilling of the Law.
In the text consider, 1. The largeness of its object. 2. The large
ness of its acting. 3. The height of its true original.
I. The largeness of the object. So far as thou canst acquit thyself,
owe nothing else to any ; but love, owe ihat io all. Not a like ifarai-
liar converse necessarily to all, nor a like measure of beneficence, nor
a like degree of love, but yet love alike sincere and real to all. Not
either a false, or an empty, fair carriage, but holy Christian love, love
rooted in thy heart, and springing up in thy actions, even towards all
men, as thy opportunity and ability serves thee, and their condition
requires of thee ; not hating nor despising any for their poverty in
estate, or deformity of body, or defects of mind, nor for that which
works most on men, injuries done to thyself All they can do, cannot
give thee an acquittance, or free thee of this debt of love ; for thou art
bound to Another. This is the rule of Jesus Christ, and the badge of
Christians, to love their very enemies. But this. Oh, how rare is it !
How few attain it! Yea, how few endeavour to attain it! On the
contrary, it is by many given over as a desperate, impossible business,
they judging of it not according to that Spirit of Christ that is his, but
according to the corrupt rancour and bitterness of their own natural
perverse spirits. Yea, and too many disdain it as apoorness and sheep-
ishness of spirit to suffer and forgive. Be it so ; yet is it such a
sheepishness as makes a raan like Jesus Christ, who, as a sheep before
the shearers is dumb, so he opened noi his mouth, when his heart within
was compassionate towards them, as appeared when he opened it con
cerning them. Father, forgive them, for they know 7iot what they do.
This is true greatness of spirit, to partake of His spirit that is the
highest and best of spirits, and it is the spirit of meekness and love.
How much is this above the coramon .spirit of the world ! Truly base
and poor is^that which is decomposed and put out of frame with every
touch ; whereas this is mighty, and triumphs indeed over all provoca
tions and injuries.

Rom. xiii. 5 — 8.] the best subject. 135
3, Let us consider the largeness of its acting : it goes through the
Law, fulfils it all. That comraand, the first in the second Tabic,
which is not here expressed, is it not Love that raakes all concerned
in it, to fulfil it, that produceth raildness and moderation in superiors,
and faithfulness and willing obedience in inferiors ; makes both autho
rity and subjection sweet and easy, where love commands and love
obeys ?
And for the next. Thou shall not kill, doth not love, as the sun
beams put out the fire, by its Divine heat eat out the earthly, yea, the
infernal fire of fixed malice or rash anger, that burns naturally in the
hearts of men? Such anger is called brutish, Ezek. xxi. 31 ; burning
or brutish; and, on the contrary, the ambiguity, Prov. xvii. 27, is
happy, of an excellent or of a cool spirit; for the cool spirit is so, cool
from base passion, but burning truly with this love. And then this
fire is by very sraall, and raany times merely imaginary causes, so
easily blown up, that it flames forth into gross murders, or at least
such injuries and violences, or contentions and revilings, as go in
God's account, and are writ down in His book, for murders. And He
doth not misjudge, nor misname things, but they are really what He
accounts theni. Love can generously pass over those things about
which folly and pride makes such a noise. Oh i can I bear this and
that ? And thou wouldest, by so saying, speak thy stout-heartedness.
Fool, is this stoutness and strength ? Is it not rather the greatest
weakness to be able to bear nothing ? Have not the weakest persons
much of that kind of stoutness and strength, who are the soonest
moved and disquieted, women and children, and sick or aged persons?
Bat love. Christian love to thy brother, makes the mind tmly strong
and coraposed, not easily stirred against hira for every trifle, nay, not
for greater matters. Love can endure much, yea, all things, says the
Apostie, 1 Cor. xiii. 7 ; it hath strength to stand under thera, and
stand firm ; whereas base rainds, void of love, break all to pieces
under a very sraall weight. Love beareih all things, as the supporters
of a strong and firm building ; or rather, as a house, it covers all, for
so the word signifies. It doth not blaze abroad the failings of raen ;
yea, it hides much, covers a multitude of sins, not only from the eyes
of others, but even from a man's own eyes ; makes him not behold
and look on those things that might provoke hira. Yea, it is inge
nious and inventive of the fairest constructions of things, to take thera
by the best side, in the favourable sense; and so long as there is any
agreeable way to interpret anything favourably, will not have a hard
thought of it, thinks no ill, as there it is. Not only hath it no active
evil thoughts of revenge, or returning evil, but willingly it doth not
judge ill of what is done by others, and what might be so looked on
as to provoke : «' Xorjl^ejai, doth not reckon wrongs so high as want of
charity raoves the most to do, it sets them low. And as a healthful
constitution is sweet itself, and relishes all things right, so there is
more true pleasure and content of mind, in forgiving, than ever any
man found in revenge. This is but a feverish delight which malice and
anger have wrought, working perhaps greedily, but it is indeed a dis
temper. This love is the very root of peace and concord, a humble
^ace, that is not lifted up and insolent, as the word there is, and so

136 THE TRUE CHRISTIAN [Ser. X
doth not breed jars about punctflios : it esteems so well of others, and
so meanly of itself, that it cannot well be crossed by any in that matter
of undervaluing. But vain spirits are puffed up with a littie approba
tion, and as easily kindled up with any affront or apprehended dis
grace. Love is not lightly put out of temper, as, in sickly constitu
tions, a fit of fever or ague is brought on by any blast or wrong touch
of diet : it is of a stronger digestion, and firmer health.
Then for that comraandra'ent. Thou shalt noi co7nmit adultery, all
things of that kind, though they spring frora a kind of love, yet are not
from this love from above, but (as the Apostle James distinguishes
wisdora) proceed from the love that is sensual and devilish. Love is
not the true name of it, but base and brutish lust. And generally, all
profane societies, and sortings of men one with another, are raost con
trary to this pure love. The drunkards who are cup-friends, as they
are full of jars, and have no constancy, but are unstable as that wherein
their friendship lies, their liquor, are a vile, despicable society, not
worthy of men, much less of Christians. This sin hath affinity with
uncleanness, and is usually ranked there. Right love to a tippler, is
not to sit down and guzzle with him, but to reprove and labour to re
claim him, and where that cannot be done, to avoid him. To wicked
persons we owe, not a complacency or defight, which is most contrary
to this love, but, hating their sin, we owe them love, and the desiring,
and, as far as love can, the procuring of their conversion and salvation.
Wicked converse cannot consist v/ith this love, which is the fulfilling
of the law, and not a corabination for the breaking of it, and the join
ing of their strength together for that end. Love rejoiceth not in
iniquity, hut in the truth: it makes not men rejoice together in sin.
So foul, unclean affections, and a society in order to the gratifying
them, are most contrary to it. True love is most tender ofthe chastity
of others, and cannot abide an irapure thought in itself
So, as to the next precept. Thou shalt Tiot steal, love would be loth
to enrich or advantage itself upon the damage of others in any kind.
It doth raost faithfully and singly seek the profit and prosperity ofour
neighbour, even as our own. And if this took place, of how much use
were it in the world ! But Oh ! it is rare. This Tneum and tuum is
the grand cause ofthe ill understanding and discords that are araongst
men, when things are not raanaged by this love, but by self-love.
And so, as to that. Thou shall not hear false witness, the cherishing
and preserving of the good narae of our brethren, is a proper and very
remarkable fruit of this love, which is so far from forging false, defam
ing stories, that it will rather excuse, if it may be done, or if not, wfll
piiy the real failings of raen which tend to their reproach ; and, on the
contrary, wifi teach men to rejoice in the good carriage and good
esteem of their brethren, as in their own.
In the end, love works such a complacency in the good of others,
and such a contentaiion with our own estate, that it most powerfully
banishes that unruly humour of coveting, which looks on the condition
of others with envy, and on our own with grudging and discontent.
This law of love written within, doth not only rectify and order the
hands and the tongue, but the jealousies, the very stirrings of the
heart : it corrects the usual disorder of its motion, and bars those un-

Rom. xiii. 5 — 8.] the best subject. 13'3'
charitable, inordinate thoughts, that do so abound and swarm in carnal
minds. 3. The ori<;inal of this love, is that other love which corresponds to
the other part, the first and chief point of the Law, our duty towards
God, Love to Him is the sum and source of all obedience. When
the whole soul and raind is possessed with that, then all is acceptable
and sweet that He commands; first, wfiat He coramands as imme
diately referrible to Himself, and then, what is the rule of our carriage
to men, as being prescribed and coraraanded by Hira. For so, and
no OtherAvise, is this love the fulfilling ofthe Law, when it flows from
that first love, love to God, whose law it is that comraands this other
love to men. Some men may have soraewhat like it, by a mildness
and ingenuousness of nature, being inoffensive and \vell-disposed to
wards all ; but then only dotii it fulfil the Law, when out of regard to
the Law of God it obeys, and obeys out of love to Hira whose law it
is. So, then, the love of God in the heart, is the spring of right and
holy love to our neighbour, both, (1.) Because in obedience to Him
whom we love sovereignly, we shaU love others sincerely, because He
will have it so. That is reason enough to the soul possessed and taken
up with His love. It loves nothing, how lovely soever, but in Him
and for Hira, in order and subordination to His love, and in respect to
His wiU ; and it loves any thing, how unlovely soever, taking it in that
contemplation. It loves not the dearest friend but in God, and can
love the hatefidlest enemy for Hira : Amicum in Deo, ei inimicum
propter Deum. [Augustine.] His love can beautify the most un-
amiable object, and make it lovely. He saith of a worthless, undeseiv-
ing man, or thy most undeserving eneray. Love him for jMy sake,
because it pleases Me ; and that is reason enough to one who loves
Him. (2.) There is that dilating, sweetening virtue in love to God,
that it can act in no other way to men but as becomes love. Base
self-love contracts the heart, and is the very root of all sin, the chief
wickedness in our corrupt nature ; but the love of God assimilates the
soul to Him, makes it Divine, and therefore bountiful, full of love to
all. So these two contradict not. Love ihe Lord with all thy heart,
and thy neighbour as thyself If all our love must go to God, what
remains, say you, for our neighbour? Indeed, all must go upwards,
and be all placed on Him, and from thence it is resounded and regu
lated downwards to men, according to His will. But self-love brings
forth pride, and cruelty, and covetousness, and uncleanness, and dis
dain of others, and all such kind of monsters ; so, it is the main break
ing of the Law.
All that can be said, wfll not persuade men to this, till the Lord by
His love teach it and impress it on the heart. Know that this is the
badge of Christ's followers, and his great rule and law given to them;
and if you will follow him, that you may come to be where he is, then
study this, that as our Lord Christ loved us, so, also, we ought to love
one another.

138 GRAPES FROM THORNS. [Ser* XI.

SERMON XI.
PREFACE.
Great and various are the evils that lodge within the heart of man.
Hence proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, murders, and many other mis
chiefs, as our Saviour specifies there. Matt. xv. 19 : they come forth
apace, and yet, the heart is not emptied of thera. But was this heart
thus at first, when it came newly forth of the hands of its Maker?
Surely not. Man was made upright, hut he found oui many inven
tions, Eccl. vii. 29. Soon did the heart find the way to corrupt
itself; but to renew itself, is as impossible as to have been the author
of its own creation. Easily could it deface the precious characters of
God's iraage, but it passes the art of raen and angels to restore them.
Only the Son of God, who for that purpose took on him our nature,
can raake us, according to the Apostle's phrase, partakers ofthe Divine
nature. It is He alone that can banish those unclean spirits, and
keep possession that they return no more. Have not they made a
happy change of guests, who have those infernal troops turned out of
doors, and the King of Glory fixing his abode within them ? This is
the voice of the Gospel : Lift up your heads, ye gates, and be ye lift
up, ye everlasting doors, that ihe King of Glory may enter i7i, Psal.
xxiv. 7. But small is the number ofthose who open where this voice
is daily sounded. Yea, sorae there are, who grow worse under the
frequent preaching ofthe word, as if sin were eraulous, and, as is said
of virtue, would grow by opposition. The truth is, too many of us
turn these serious exercises of religion into an idle divertisement.
Take heed that formality, and custom, and novelty, do not often help
to fill up raany rooras in our church. It were indeed a breach of
charity, to entertain the fulness of your asserablies with an ill construc
tion : no, it is to be commended. But would to God we were more
careful to show our religion in our lives, to study to know better the
deceits and impostures of our own hearts, and to gain daily more
victory over our secret and best beloved sins ! Let our intentions,
then, be to raeet with Christ here, and to admit hira gladly to dwell
and rule within us. If he conquer our inward eneraies, those without
shall not be able to hurt us. If he deliver us frora our sinful lusts, he
will stir our own distrustful fears. And that such may be the fruits of
our meeting, let us turn ourselves towards the throne of grace, with
humble prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, the righteous.
Psalm Ixxvi. 10.
Surely, the wrath of man shall praise Thee : the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain.
What manner of man is this, said the passengers in the ship, that even
ihe winds and the sea obey him? Matt. viii. 27. Christ suddenly turns
a great tempest into a greater calm. Surely, those are no ordinary
words of comraand, which swelling waves and boisterous winds, in the
midst of their rage, are forced to hear, and taught to understand and

Psal. Ixxvi. 10.] GRAPES from thorns. 139
obey. Therefore, the holding of the seas in the hollow of His hand,
the bridling ofthe wind, and riding upon the wings of it, we find pecu
liarly attributed to the Alraighty. But no less, if not more wonderful,
is another of His perogatives, to wit. His sovereignty over all mankind,
over the divers aud strange motions of the heart of man. Admirable
is it to govern those, both in respect of their multitude and irregu
larity. Consider we what millions of raen dwell at once upon the face
of the earth, and again, what troops of several imaginations will pass
through the fancy of any one man, within the compass of one day ; it
is much to keep eye upon them, and to behold them all at once, but
far more to command and controul them all. Yet, if they were all
loyal and willingly obedient, were they tractable and easily curbed, it
were raore easy for us to conceive how they might be governed. But
to bound and overrule the unruly hearts of men, the most of whom
continually are either plotting or acting rebeflion against their Lord,
to make them all concur and meet at last in one end, cannot be done
but bv a power and a wisdom that are both infinite. That God whose
name we often raention, but seldora think on His excellency, is alone
the absolute monarch of raen's hearts, and the ruler of all their motions.
He hath them liraited while they seera most free, and works His own
glory out of their attempts, while they strive most to dishonour Him.
Surely, the wrath of man shall praise Thee.
This Psalm is made up of two different sorts of thoughts ; the one
arising out of particular experience, and the other out of a general
doctrine. Those drawn from experience, are set down in the verses
preceding the text ; and in it, with those that follow, is contained the
doctrine, with a duty annexed to it, which two are faith's main sup
porters. Past experiences verify the doctrine, and the generality of the
doctrine serves to explain the particular experiences to all wise ob
servers. There is not a treasure of the merits of saints in the Church,
as some dream, but there is a treasure of the precious experiences of
the saints, which every believer hath right to raake use of; and these
we should be versed in, that we may have them in readiness at hand,
in time of need, and know how to use them, to draw both comfort from
thera to ourselves, and arguments to use with God.
The words contain clearly two propositions, both of them concern
ing the wrath of man : the former hath the event of it. Surely ihe
wrath of man shall praise Thee : the latter, the limitation of it. The
remainder of wrath Thou wilt restrain.
That the virtues and graces of raen do praise the Lord, all men
easily understand, for they flow from Him: His iraage and super
scription is upon them, and therefore no wonder if He has from them
a tribute of glory. Who knows not that faith praises Him ? Abraham
believed and gave glory to God, Rom. iv. 20. Good works, the
fruits of faith, praise Him too. Herein is my Father glorified, says
our Saviour, that ye hear much fruit. John xv. 8. But that the inor
dinate wrath of man should praise Him, may seem somewhat strange.
Were it God's own wrath, (since wrath is attributed to Him in Scrip
ture,) that raight praise Him, for itis always raost just. Or were it a
due and moderate anger of man, upon just cause, that were fit for
praising Him too, in despite of the Stoics, But that wicked and dis-

140 GRAPES FROM THORNS. [Ser. XI.
ordered wrath (which is undoubtedly here meant,) that the wrath of
Tnen, which is both uncomely and dishonourable for themselves, though
they' think otherwise, that even such a wrath should honour God and
praise Him, argues well both that He hath good right to praises, when
every thing, even things that seem contrary to His nature as well as
to His law, do pay tiiem to Hira; and that he hath great power and
wisdora, who obtains what is due to Him even from those persons and
things which of themselves are most unwilling and unfit to pay it.
This is the exceUent skill of His wisdom, to draw that which shall go
into the making up of the precious composition of His praise, out of
ihis poison: for so the word here used for wrathful heat, doth" sorae
tiraes signify. And this wrath often proves so, a deadly poison both
to those it is incensed against, and to the very breast that breeds it,
and wherein it is kindled.
But for the clearer understanding of this, I conceive it will be requi
site to consider more distinctly, first, what this wrath of man is ;
secondly, how it can 7j;-f«se Gorf; and lastiy, the infallibility of this
event. Surely the wrath of Tnan shall praise Thee.
I. In the cxlviiith Psalm, where David summons the creatures to
raeet in that song of praise, to keep that full concert, he calls not only
the heavens and the inhabitants of it, angels and lights, but those of
the lower world to bear their part in it; and not only raen, beasts,
cattle, creeping things, and the flying fowl, but those creatures which
do raost reserable this wrath here spoken of, fire, storray terapest, and
dragons, c*)-c. The tenor of this Psalra doth show, that by the wrath
of man is to be understood the undue rage of evil and ungodly raen
against those whora God owns for His people. The word here used,
signifies a hot or inflaming wrath ; and indeed such is the feverish,
disterapered anger of the Church's enemies. And as too much heat
is an enemy to solid reason, this hot wrath of theirs raakes them inca
pable of wise deliberation in themselves, and inflexible to the good
advice of others. It is true, they take counsel how to execute their
wrath, as we shall hear anon, but they take no counsel that may cool it.
Anger, described by its material cause, is called a boiling ofthe blood
about the heart ; but this ariseth from the apprehension of something
ofl'ensive, kindling a desire of revenge. Now it is a wonder what the
powers of the world find in Christ and his harmless flock, that can
incense thera. St. Jaraes says ofthe tongue, that it is set on flre of
hell. The sarae is the origin of this wrath. Why do the heathen
rage? saith the Psalmist, Psal. n. 1. That is, not only to what pur
pose, intimating that it is a fruitless rage, and void of success, in
regard of God's power, but fl^hy, that is, itpon what occasion, check
ing the rage as groundless and without cause, in regard of Christ and
his Church's innocency. The cause is only within themselves, to wit,
that unhappy antipathy of the serpent's seed against the seed ofthe
woraan. Thus, this wrath of ma7i is, the causeless, malicious enmity
of the wicked against the Church of God. And under the name of
this passion I take to be here comprised likewise, all the attendants of
it, all their crafty complotraents and devices for the acting of their
wrath. As there is mention of the nations' rage against Christ, in the
second Psalm, so, likewise, of the consultations ofthose who are of

Psal. Ixxvi. 10.] GRAPES FROM THORNS. 141
quality fit for it : The rulers take counsel together. Further, this wrath
is not barely their inward fire, but the vent of it, when it flames into
cruel and outrageous practices, including likewise all the instruraents
they make use of. And of all these it is true, that God shall gain
glory by them. Surely, the wrath of man shall j)raise Thee,
The wrath of Tnan, says the Apostle, accomplisheth 7iot the righte
ousness of God. Jam. i. 20. How then can it accomplish His praises?
And this is the I Ind thing propounded.
Are grapes gathered of thorns, or flgs of thistles? Surely not. There
fore I called this praise, not the fruit or proper effect of raan's wrath,
but the event or consequent of it, by the efficacy of Divine providence.
The wrath of man shall praise Thee. That is, the use which Thou
¦wilt raake of it, shall tend to Thy praise. Thou wilt produce such
effects frora it, both in the Church and upon Thine eneraies, when thou
sufferest Thy wrath to break forth, as shall furnish raore raatter of Thy
praises than if Thou hadst altogether restrained it. To instance this
in some few particulars : —
It is the fury of the Church's eneraies, that has raade known to the
world the invincible courage and patience of the saints. Those ages
which have been most monstrous in persecution, have most of all graced
Christianity. Had there been no persecuting emperors, who would have
heard of those priraitive martyrs who triumphed over the cruelty of
their torments ? Were there no persecution, or peril, nor sword, against
befievers, we should not have heard the Apostle say, immediately after
the mention of those, Iji all these we are more than conquerors. They
could not have been so much as conquerors, had there been no conflict.
Again, as the wrath of man praises God in the invincible patience
ofthe saints, so, hkewise, in the immoveable stability ofthe Church.
Is it not wonderful how so small and weak a company as the Chureh
hath often been reduced to, vea, hath always been in respect of the
world, could escape the raouths of so raany lions, so raany enraged
enemies that were ready to devour it? And that we raay see that this
tends solely to the praise of her great Protector, look to the Church's
song penned by the royal prophet ; it is the cxxivth Psalra : If it had
not been the Lord thai was on our side, when men rose up against us,
then ihey had swallowed us up quick. The great raonarchies and
kingdoras of the world, which have risen with so much splendour,
have had their periods and been buried in the dust. That golden-
headed and silver-bodied image degenerated into worse metal as it
went lower, and the brittle feet was the cause ofthe fall and breaking
of all the rest. But the kingdom of Jesus Christ, though despicable
in the world, and exposed to the wrath of the world in all ages, stands
firm and cannot be removed. There is a comraon emblem of the
winds blowing from all quarters, and upon the globe of the earth, be
ing in the middle of them, is written Immobilis. This fitly resembles
the Church. Why, it seems to be the sport of all the winds, but is
indeed so established, that all of thera, yea, the very gates of hell can
not prevail against it. Now, the raore the Church's eneraies labour
and moil themselves to undo her, the more do their weakness aud the
power ofher Lord appear; so that thus the wrath of man doth praise
Him.

142 GRAPES FROM THORNS. [Ser, XI.
When was the Church free from the worid's wrath ? To say nothing
of the Church of the Jews, did not those wicked emperors of Rome
think to have made the Christian Church short-lived, to have drowned
her newly born, in floods ofher own blood? And in latter ages, who
knows not the cruelties that have been practised by the Turk in the
East, and the proud prelate of Rome in the West ? By which she hath
sometimes been brought to so obscure and low a point, that if you can
follow her in history, it is by the track of her blood ; and if you would
see her, it is by the fight of those fires in which her martyrs have been
burnt. Yet hath she still corae through and survived all that wrath,
and stifl shall survive, tifl she be made perfectly triumphant.
Further: men's wrath tends to God's praise in this, that God, giving
way to it, doth so manage it by His subUme providence, that it
often directly crosses their own ends, and conduces manifestly to His.
Pharaoh thought that his dealing more cruelly with the Jews in their
tasks and burdens, was wisdom : Let us work wisely, says he. But
whereas their ordinary servility was become familiar to them, and they
were tamed to it, that sarae accession of new tyranny did prepare and
dispose the Israelites for a desire of departure, and their departure
raade way for Pharaoh's destruction. Undigestible insolency and
rage, hastening to be great, makes kingdoms cast them off, which
would have been far longer troubled with their wickedness, had it been
more moderate. Surely, then, the wrath of raan comraends the wisdom
of God, when He raakes him by that contrive and afford the means of
his own downfall. The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and
his own counsel shall cast him down, says Bildad. Job xviu. 7. And
that is a sad fall : as that eagle that was shot with an arrow trimraed
with her own feathers.
But to close this point. It is out of all question, that the deserved
punishraent of raan's unjust wrath, doth always glorify the justice of
God ; and the more He gives way to their wrath, the more notable
shall be both their punishraent and the justice of it. And though God
seems neglective of His people and of His praise, while man's wrath
prevails, yet the truth is, He never comes too late to vindicate His
care of both ; and when he defers longest, the enemy pays dear interest
for the time of forbearance. In his eternal decree. He resolved to
perrait the course of man's wrath for His own glory, and when the
period which he hath fixed is come. He stops man's wrath, and gives
course unto the justice of His own. Nor is there, then, any possibility
of escaping. He will right Hiraself, and be known by executing judg
ment. Surely, the wrath of man shall praise Thee.
And that is the Ilird thing propounded, the infallibility' of the
event. The Author of nature governs all His creatures, each in a suitable
way to the nature He hath given them. He maintains, in some things,
a Tiatural necessity of working, contingency in others, and in others,
liberty ; but all of them are subject to this necessity of effecting inevit
ably His eternal purposes. And this necessity is no way repugnant
to the due liberty of man's will. Some entertain and maintain the
truth ; some plot, others act and execute, against it ; some please
themselves with a wise neutrality, and will appear so indifferent that

Psal. Ixxvi. 10.] GRAPES FROM THORNS. 143
it would seem they might be accepted of all sides for judges of con
troversies. And all these find no less liberty to wind and turn them
selves whither they please, than if no higher hand had the winding of
them. Yet shall not only the zeal of the godly, but even the wrath of
the enemy, and the cold discretion of the neutral, all tend to His praise
whose supreme will will have a secret, but a sure and infallible sway
in all their actions. \^ hilst sorae passengers sit, sorae walk one way,
some another, sorae have their faces towards their journey's end, sorae
their back turned upon it, this wise Pilot does most skilfiilly guide the
ship to arrive with them all at His own glory. Happy they who pro
pound and intend His glory as He Hiraself does, for in them shall
the riches of His mercy be glorified ! They who oppose Hira, lose
this happiness, but he is sure not to lose His glory for all that, to wit,
the glory of His justice. His right hand shall find out all His ene
raies. Surely, ihe wrath of man shall p false Thee,
The consideration of this truth, thus in sorae measure unfolded,
may serve to justify the truly wise dispensation of God against our
imaginary wisdora. Were the matter referred to our modelling, we
should assign the Church constant peace and prosperity for her por
tion, and not consent that the least air of trouble should come near
her ; we would have no enemies to raolest her, nor stir against her, or
if they did stir, we would have them to be presently repressed ; and
these, in our judgment, would be the fairest and most glorious tokens
of His love and power whose spouse she is. But this camal wisdora
is enmity against God, aud is opposed to the glory of God, which rises
so often out of the wrath of His eneraies. Had God caused Pharaoh
to yield at the very first, to the release of His people, where had been
the farae of those rairaculous judgraents in Egypt, and those mercies
on the Israelites, the one setting out and iflustrating the other?
Where had been that name and honour which God says He would
gain to Himself, and which he did gain out of Pharaoh's final destruc
tion, making that stony-hearted king and his troops sink like a stone
in the waters, as Moses sings ? Observe his proud boastings imme
diately foregoing his ruin: Twill pursue, says he, I unll overtake, I
will divide the spoil ; my lust shall be satisfled on them : T will draw
my sword, and my hand shall destroy them. Soon after, the sea
quenches all this heat. Commonly, big threatenings are unhappy
presages of very ill success. That historian [Herodotus] says well of
God, Deus neminem alium, qTiam seipsum, siTiii de se magniflce sen-
tire: — God suff'ers no other to think highly ofhiTnself than Himself
alone. And indeed, as He abhors these boastings, so He delights in
the abasing ofthe lofty heart whence they flow, and it is His preroga
tive to gain praise to Himself out of their wrath. Hast thou an arm
like God ? says the Lord to Job, then, look upon ihe proud and bring
ihem low. Job xl. 9, 12. When Sennacherib came up against Jerusa
lem, his blasphemies and boastings were no less vast and raonstrous
than the nuraber of his men and chariots. Good Hezekiah turned
over the matter unto God, spreading the letter of blasphemies before
Him, upon whieh God undertook the war, and assured Hezekiah that
the Assyrian should not so rauch as shoot an arrow against the city,
but return the same way he came. 2 Eings xix. 33. And the de-

144 GRAPES FROM THORNS. [Ser. XI.
liverance there promised and effected, is conceived to have been the
occasion of penning this very Psalm. Surely, when an angel did in
one night slay 185,000 in their caraps, that wrath and those threats
tended exceedingly to the praise of the God of Israel. The hook that
he put in Sennacherib's nostrils, (as the history speaks,) to pull him
back again, was more reraarkable than the fetters would have been, if
He had tied him at horae, or hindered his raarch with his army.
Who is he then that will be irapatient because of God's patience, and
judge Hira slack in judgraent, while the rage of the wicked prevails
awhile ? Know, that He is raore careful of His own glory than we
can be, and the greater height man's wrath arises to, the more honour
shall arise to Hira out of it. Did not His oranipotency shine brighter
in the flaraes of that furnace into which the three children were cast,
than ifthe king's wrath had been at first cooled ? Certainly, the more
both it and the furnace had fheir heat augmented, the more was God
glorified. Who is that God, saith he blasphemously and proudly, ihat
can deliver you out of Tny hands? Dan. iii. 15. A question, indeed,
highly dishonouring the Almighty, but stay till the real answer come ;
and then, not only shall that wrath praise Him, but that very sarae
tongue, though inured to blasphemy, shall be taught to bear a main
part in the confession of those praises. Let that apostate eraperor
[Julian] go taunting the Head and tormenting the members, of that
mystical body, his closing with 'EviKrjaa? TaXiXaie, Thou hast over
come, O Galilean, (raeaning Christ,) shall help to verify that, whether
its course be shorter or longer, man's wrath ends always in God's
praise. In like manner, the closing ofthe lions' mouth, spake louder
to His praise who stopped them, than if He had stopped Daniel's
enemies in the beginning of their wicked design. So hot was their
rage, that the king's favourable inclination to Daniel, (of which, in
other cases, courtiers used to be so devout observers,) yea, his contest
ing and pleading for him, did profit hira nothing, but they hurried
their king to the execution of their unjust malice, though theraselves
were convinced that nothing could be found against him, but only con
cerning the law of his God. Dan. vi. 5. It is said, ver. 14, that king
Darius set his heart on Daniel to deliver him, and he laboured to do it
till ihe going down ofthe sun, and then those counsellors and counsels
of darkness overcame hira. But upon this black night of their prevail
ing wrath, followed iraraediately a bright raorning of praises to Daniel's
God, when the lions that were so quiet company all night to Daniel,
made so quick a breakfast of those accursed courtiers who had mali
ciously accused him. Even so lei thine enemies perish, 0 Lord, and let
those that love Thee, be as the sun when he goes forth in his might!
The other proposition concerns the limiting of this wrath ; The re
mainder of wrath Thou wilt restrain.
To take no notice, for the present, of divers other readings of these
words, the sense of thera, as they are here very well rendered, may be
briefly this ; that whereas the wrath of man to which God gives way,
shaU praise Hira, the rest shall be curbed and bound up, as the wort!
is ; no more of it shall break forth than shall contribute to His glory.
Here should be considered divers ways and means by which God
useth to stop the heady course of man's wrath, and hinder its proceed-

Psal. Ixxvi. 10.] GRAPES FROM THORNS. 145
ing any further ; but only, for the present, let us take out of it this
lesson. That the most compendious way to be safe from the violence
of men, is to be on terms of friendship with God.
It is not an incoraparable privilege, to be in the favour and under
the protection of One, whose power is so transcendent that no eneray
can so much as stir without His leave ? Be persuaded then. Chris
tians, in these dangers that are now so near us, every one to draw near
to Him. Remove what may provoke Him. Let no reigning sin be
found either in your cities or in your villages, for He is a holy God.
Is it a tirae to raultiply provocations now, or is it not rather high tirae
to be humbled for tfie former ? A^ hat shameless impiety is it, to be
now licentious or intemperate, to be proud, to oppress or extort, to
profane God's dav, and blaspheme His name! All these sins, and
many others, abound araongst us, and that avowedly. Without
abundance of repentance for these, we shall smart, and the -wrath of
our enemies, though unjust in them, shall praise God in our just pu
nishment ; though, doubtless, he will own His Church, and be praised
likewise in the final punishment of their wrath who rise against it.
There is a reraarkable expression in the ninety-ninth Psalm, of God's
dealing with His people : Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though
thou tookest vengeance on their inventions, A good cause and a cove
nant with God, will not shelter an impenitent people from sharper
correction. It is a sad word God speaks by Kis prophet to His own
people: I myself will flght against you. Jer. xxi. 5. A dreadful
enemy ! and none, indeed, are truly dreadful but He. Oh ! prevent
His anger, and you are safe enough. If perverse sinners will not hear,
yet, let those who are indeed Christians, raourn in secret, not only for
their own sins, but let thera bestow sorae tears likewise upon the sins
of others. Labour to appease the wrath of God, and He will either
appease raan's -wrath, or, fiowsoever, will turn it jointly to our benefit
and His own glory. Let the fear ofthe most high God, who hath no
less power of the strongest of His enemies than over the meanest of
His servants ; let His fear, 1 say, possess all our hearts, and it will
certainly expel that ignoble and base fear of the wrath of man. See
how the Prophet opposes them, Isa. viii. 12. Fear Tiot their fears,
says he, nor be afraid; but sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, and let
Him be your fear, and let Him he your dread. Fear not, yet fear.
This holy fear begets the best courage : the breast that is most filled
with it, abounds most in true magnaniraity. Fear thus, that you may
be confident, not in yourselves, thougfi your policy and strengtfi w ere
great, for cursed is ihe man that trusteth in Tnan, and maketh flesh his
arm, but confident in that God who is too wise and vigilant to be sur
prised, too mighty to be fofled, and too rich to be out-spent in pro
vision ; who can suffer His enemy to come to the highest point of
apparent advantage, without any inconvenience, yea, with more re
nown in His conquest. And so, a Christian who is made once sure
of this, (as easily he may,) is little careful about tfie rest. His love to
God prevailing over all his affections, makes him very indiff'erent what
becomes of hiraself or his dearest friends, so God may be glorified !
What though many fall in the quarrel, (which God avert !) yet, it is
sufficient that truth in the end shall be victorious. Have not the saints
Vol. II. L

14(5 GRAPES FROM THORNS. [ScT. XII.
in all ao-es been content to convey pure religion to posterity, in streams'
of their°own blood, not of others ? Well, hold fast by this conclusion,
that God can limit and bind up the most violent wrath of man, so that,
thouo-h it swell, it will not break forth. The stiffest heart, as the
curreiit of the most impetuous rivers, is in His hand, to appoint its
channels, and turn it as he pleaseth. Yea, it is He that hath shut up
the very sea vv'ith bars and doors, and said. Hitherto shalt thou come
and 710 further, here shall thy proud waves he stayed. Job xxxviii. 10, II.
To see the surges of a rough sea come in towards the shore, a man
would think that they were hastening to swallow up the land ; but they
know their limits, and are beaten back into foam. Though the waves
thereof toss themselves, as angry at their restraint, yet, the small sand
is a check to the great sea, yet can ihey 7iot prevail: though ihey roar,
yet ca7i they not pass over it. Jer. v. 22.
The sum is this : what God perraits His Church's eneraies to do, is
for His own further glory ; and reserving this, there is not any wrath
of raan so great, but He will either sweetly calra it, or strongly restrain
it. To Hira be praise and dominion for ever.

SERMON XII.
Psalm cxii. 7.
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings ; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
All the special designs of men agree in this ; they seek satisfaction
and quietness of mind, that is, happiness. This, then, is the great
question. Who is the happy man ? It is here resolved, ver. 1 : Blessed
is the 7nan that feareth the Lord, that delighteth in his commandments.
The blessedness is unfolded, like a rich landscape, that we may view
the well mixed colours, the story and tissue of it;, through the whole
alphabet in capital letters. And take all and set them together, it is
a most full and complete blessedness, not a letter wanting to it *.
Amongst the rest, that which we have in these words, is of a greater
magnitude and brightness than raany of the rest. He shall Tiot be afraid
of evil things.
Well raay the Psalm begin with a Hallelujah, a note of praise to
Hira in whom this blessedness lies. Oh, what a wretched creature were
man, if not provided with such a portion! Without which there is
nothing but disappointment, and thence the racking torment and vex
ation of a disquieted mind, still pursuing somewhat that he never over
takes. The first words are the inscription. The blessedness of that man, &c.
So, the particulars follow ; where outward blessings are so set, as that
they look and lead higher, pointing at their end, the infinite goodness
* This Psalm, in the Hebrew, consists of twenty-two short verses, each of which
begins witii one of the letters of the alphabet in their order, till they are all ended. No
one letter is hero omitted, as is the case in the xxvth Psalm, where the same order is
observed.

Psal. cxu. 7.] the believer a hero. 147
whence they flow, and whither they return and carry along with them
this happy raan.
And these promises of outward things are often evidentiy accom
plished to the righteous, and their seed after thera, and that, comraonly,
after they have been brought very low. But when it is otherwise with
thera, they lose nothing. It is good for Tnany, yea, it is good for all
the godly, that they should have less of these lower things, in order to
raise their eye to look after higher,- — fhe eye of all, both of those who
are held soraewhat short, and of those that have abundance in the
world. These teraporal proraises were more abounding, and more frequently
fulfifled in their very kind, in the times of tfie Law ; yet, stifi the right
is constant, and all ages do give clear exaraples of the truth of this
word. Where it is thus, it is a blessing created by its aspect to this
proraise, and so differs from the prosperity of ungodly men ; and where
it is otherwise with the righteous and their seed, it is no shift, but a
most solid comfort, to turn their eyes to a higher compensation.
But, howsoever it go with them, this stiff holds. He shall 7iot be
afraid of evil tidings. Notwithstanding the hardest news that can
come to his ears, of any thing- that concerns either himself, or his chil
dren, or the rest of God's children in his charge, in the world, his heart
is fixed, trusting in ihe Lord.
First, let us take a view ofthe character of this blessed man. Who
is it that is thus undaunted ? The man ihat feareth God.
AU the passions are but several ebbings and flowings of the soul,
and their raotions are the signs of its teraper, which way it is carried ;
that is raainly to be reraarked by the beating of its pulse. If our
desires, and hopes, and fears, be in the things of this world, and the
interests of flesh, this is their distemper and disorder, the soul is in a
continual fever. But if they move Godwards, then is it coraposed and
calra, in a good teraper and healthful state, fearing and loving Him,
desiring Him, and nothing but Him, waiting for Him, and trusting in
Him. And when any one affection is right and in a due aspect to God,
all the rest are so too ; for they are radically one. And He is the life
of that soul which is united to Him ; and so, in Him, it moves in a
pecufiar spiritual manner, as all do naturaUy in the dependence of
their natural life on Him who is the Fountain of life.
Thus we have here this fear of God, as often elsewhere, set out
as the very substance of holiness and evidence of happiness. And that
we raay know there is nothing either base or grievous in this fear, we
have joined with it, delight and trust : That delighteth greatly in His
commandments : which is that badge of love to Hira, to observe thera,
and that with delight, and with exceeding great delight. So then, this
fear is not that which love casts out, but that which love brings iu.
This fear follows and flows from love. It is a fear to offend, whereof
nothing is so tender as love, and that, in respect of the greatness of
God, hath in it withal a humble reverence. There is in all love a kind
of reverence, a cautious and respective wariness towards the party-
loved ; but especially in this, where not only we stand in a lower rela
tion, as children to our Father, but the goodness which draws our love
doth infinitely transcend our measures and reach ; therefore, there is
L 2

148

THE BELIEVER A HERO. [Scr. XII.

a reioicin" with trembling, and an awful love, a fearing ihe Lord and
His "oodness. Hos. iii. 5. This is both fear and trust. The heart
touched by the Spirit of God, as the needle touched with the loadstone,
looks straight and speedily to God, yet still with trembling, being
filled with this holy fear.
That delighteth. Oh ! this is not only to do them, but to do them
with delight : there is somewiiat within that is connatiiral and sym
bolical with thera. Yea, this very law itself is writ within, not stand
ing as a hard taskmaster over our head, but impressed within, as a
sweet principle in our hearts, and working from thence naturafly.
This makes a soul find pleasure in the purging out of sensual plea
sures, and ease in doing violence to corrupt self, even undoing it for
God, having no will but His. The remainders of sin and self in our
flesh, will be often rising up, but this predorainant love dispels thera.
So, this fear works with delight.
And further, that we may know how serene and sweet a thing it is,
it is here likewise joined witli confidence, trusting m ihe Lord; a
quickening confidence always accompanying it, and so, undoubtedly,
it is a blessed tfiing. Blessed is he thai feareth. Fear sounds rather
quite contrary, hath an air of raisery; but add, whom? That feareth
the Lord. That touch turns it into gold. He that so fears, fears not:
He shall not he afraid. All petty fears are swallowed up in this great
fear, as a spirit inured with great things, is not stirred nor affected at
all with small raatters. And this great fear is as sweet and pleasing
as those little fears are anxious and vexing. Secure of other things,
he can say. If ray God be pleased, no matter who is displeased. No
matter who despise me, if He account me His. Though all forsake
me, my dearest friends grow estranged, and look anotiier way, if He
reject me not, that is my only fear, and for that I am not perplexed ;
I know He vrill not. As they answered Alexander, when he sent lo
inquire what they most feared, thinking possibly they would have said,
lest he should invade them, but their answer was, We fear nothing but
lest Heaven should fall upon us; which they did not fear neither: so, a
believer fiath no fear but of the displeasure of Heaven, lest the ang-er
of God should fall upon hira ; he fears that ; that is, accounts thai
only terrible ; but yet, he doth not fear, doth not apprehend it will fall
upon hira, he is better persuaded ofthe goodness of his God. So this
fear is still joined with trust, as here, so often elsev/here. Psal. xxxiii.
18, xl. 3, and cxlvii. II.
There is no turbulency in this fear ; it is calra and sweet. Even that
most terrible evfl, that which this fear properly apprehends and flies,
.sin, yet, the fear of that goes not to a distraction. Though there is
littie strength, and many and great enemies, mighty Anciki7ns of
temptations from without, and corruptions within, and so, good reason
for a holy, humble fear and self-distrust, yea, this should not beat us
off: yet, it is raost fit to put us on to trust in Him who is our strength.
Courage ! the day shall be ours. Though we may be often foiled and
down, and sometimes almost at ahopeless point, yet, onr Head is on high.
He hath conquered for us, and shall conquer in us. Therefore, so fear
as not to fear. Why should I fear in the days of evil, says the Psalmist,
when the iniquity of Tny heels shall compass me about ? Psal. xlix. 5,

Psal.exii. 7.] the believer a hero. 149
(Which I take is some gi-ievous aflliction, and that with a visage of
punishment of sin : guiltiness is to be read in it, yet does he not fear.)
If I trusted in wealth, and boasted 7nyself in the Tiiultitude of riches,
then that being in hazard, I must fear : leaning on that, it failing, I
might fall. But this is my confidence (ver. 15), God will redeem Tiiy
.soul from the poicer ofthe grave, for he shall receive me. Wealth can
not, but He can. It buys not a man out frora his hand, but He buys,
from the hand of the grave ; so the word is. For the visible heavens
even in their fall, and the dissolution of nature, would not affright a
believer. Si fravius illabatur orbis, &c,
Alas ! most persons have dull or dim apprehensions and shallow
impressions of God; therefore they have little either of this /ear or of
this trust, God is not in all their thoughts, but how to compass this
or that design, and if they miss one, then how to compass another :
thev are cast from one wave upon another. And if at any tirae they
attain their purpose, they find it but a wind, a handful of nothing, far
frora what they fancied it.
Oh, my brethren, mv desire is, that the faces of your souls were but
once turned about, that they were towards Him, looking to Him, con-
tinuallv fearing Him, deligfiting, trusting in Hira, raaking Him your
all. Can any thing so elevate and ennoble the spirit of a man, as to
contemplate and converse with the pure, ever-blessed Spring and
Father of Spirits ? Beg that you may know Hira, that He would
reveal Hiraself to you ; for otherwise, no teaching can raake Him
known. It is to light candles to seek the sun, to think to attain to
this knowledge without His own revealing- it. If He hide His face,
who then may behold Hira ? Pray for this quickening knowledge,
such a knowledge as will effectually work this happy fear and trust.
You who have attained any thing of it, desire and follow on io know
ihe Lord; particularly, so that your hearts may repose on Him. So
fear that you may not fear. He would have our spirits calm and
quiet; for when they are in a hurry and confusion, they are then fit
for nothing: all within makes a jarring, unpleasant noise, as of an
instrument quite out of tune.
This fear of God is not, you see, a perplexing doubting and distrust
of His love : on the contrary, it is a fixed resting and trust on His love.
Many who have some truth of grace, are, through weakness, filled
with disquieting fears ; but possibly, though they perceive it not, it
raay be in some, a point of wilfulness, a little latent, undiscerned
affectation of scrupling; and doubting, placing much of religion in it.
True, where the soul is reaUy solicitous about its interest in God, that
argues some grace ; but being vexingly anxious about it, argues that
grace is low and weak. A spark there is, even discovered by that
smoke ; but the great sraoke stfll continuing, and nothing seen but it,
argues there is little fire, little faith, fittle love.
And this, as it is unpleasant to thyself, so is it to God, as smoke to
the eyes. What if one should be always questioning with his friend,
whether he loved hira or not, and upon every little occasion were ready
to think he doth not, how would this disrelish their society together,
though truly loving each other I The far raore excellent way, and
more pleasing both to ourselves and to. God, were to resolve on

150 the believer a hero. [Ser. XII.
humble trust, reverence, and confidence, being raost afraid to offend,
delighting to walk in His ways, loving Him and His will in all, and
then, resting persuaded of His love, though He chastise us. And even
though we offend Ilim, and see our offences in our chastisements, yet.
He is good, plenteous in redemption, ready to forgive ; therefore let
Israel trust and hope. Psal. cxxx. 7. Let my soul roll itself on Him,
and adventure there all its weight. He bears greater matters, uphold
ing the frame of heaven and earth, and is not troubled nor burdened
with it.
The heart of a man is not sufficient for self-support ; therefore,
naturally, it seeks out sorae other thing to lean and rest itself on.
The unhappiness is, for the raost part, that it seeks to things below
itself; but these, being both so mean and so uncertain, cannot be a
firra and certain stay to it. These things are not fixed themselves :
how can they then fix tfie heart? Can a man have firra footing on a
quagmire, or moving sands ? Therefore, men are forced in these
things, still to shift their seat, and seek about frora one to another,
still rolling and unsettied. The believer only hath this advantage ; he
hath a rest high enough and sure enough, out of the reach of afi
hazards, His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
The basis of this happiness is. He trusteth in the Lord. So the
heart is fixed; and so fixed, it fears no ill tidings.
This trust is grounded on the word of God, revealing the power and
all-sufficiency of God, and withal His goodness. His offer of Hiraself
to be the stay of souls, His coraraanding us to rest on Him. People
wait on I know not what persuasions and assurances, but I know no
other to build faith on, than the word of promise, the truth and faith
fulness of God opened up. His wisdora, and power, and goodness, as
the stay of all those who, renouncing all other props, will venture on it,
and lay all upon Him. He that believes, sets to his seal that God is true,
John iii. 33, and so, he is sealed for God; his portion and interest are
secured. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall 7wt be established. Isa. vii. 9.
This is the way to have peace and assurance, which raany look for
first, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose 7nind is stayed on Thee,
because he trusteth in Thee. Isa. xxvi. 3. So here, the heart is fixed
by trusting.
Seek, then, clearer apprehensions ofthe faithfulness and goodness of
God, hearts more enlarged in the notion of free grace, and the abso
lute trust due to it; thus shall they be more established and fixed in
all the rollings and changes of the world.
His heart is fixed, or prepared, ready-dressed and in arms for all
services, resolved not to give back, able to meet all adventures, and
stand its ground. God is unchangeable, and therefore faith is in
vincible. That sets the heart on Hira, fastens it there on the rock of
of eternity ; then, let winds blow, and storms arise, it cares not.
This firm and close cleaving unto God hath iu it of the affection
which is inseparable from this trust, love, joined with faith, and so, a
hatred of all ways and thoughts that alienate and estrange from God,
that remove and unsettle the heart. The holiest, weariest heart is
surely the raost believing and fixed heart. If a believer wfll adventure
on any way of sin, he shall find that it will unfix him, and shake his

Psal. cxii. 7.] the believer a hero. 151
confidence, more than ten thousand hazards and assaults from w ithout.
These are so far from raoving, that they settle and fix the heart com
monly more, causing it to cleave the closer and nearer unto God ; but
sinful libertv breeds disquiet, and disturbs all. Where sin is, there
wfll be a storm : the wind within the bowels of the earth, makes the
earthquake. Would you be quiet, and have peace within in troublous times?
keep near unto God, beware of any thing that m.uy interpose betwixt
you and your confidence. It is good for me, says the Psalmist, to he
near God : not only to draw near, but to keep near, to cleave to Him,
and dwell in Him: so the word imports. Oh, the sueet calm of such
a soul amidst all storms ! Thus, once, trusting and fixed, then no
more fear : he is noi afraid of evil tidings, not of any ill-hearing.
Whatsoever sound is terrible in the ears of men, the noise of war, new s
of death, or even the sound of the trurapet in the last judgment, he
hears all this undisquieted. Nothing is unexpected. Being once
fixed on God, then the heart may put cases to itself, and suppose all
things imaginable, the raost terrible, and look for them ; not trouble
before trouble comes, with dark and disraal apprehensions, but satis
fied in a quiet, unmoved expectation ofthe hardest things. Whatsoever
it is, though particularly not thought on before, yet the heart is not
afraid of the news of it, because it is fixed, trusting on the Lord:.
Nothing can shake that foundation, nor dissolve that union ; therefbre,
no fear. Yea, this assurance stays the heart in all things, how strange
and unforeseen soever to it. All are foreseen to my God on whom I
trust, yea are forecontrived and ordered by Him. This is the impreg
nable fortress of a soul. All is at the disposal and command of my
God; my Father rules all : what need I fear?
Every one trusts to somewhat. As for honour, and esteem, and
popularit) , they are airy, vain things ; but riches seem a more solid
work and fence, yet they are but a tower in conceit, not really. Prov.
svifi. 11. The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall
is his own conceit. But, (ver. 10,) ihe name ofthe Lord is a strong
tower, indeed. This is the thing that all seek, sorae /encs and fixing ;
here it is. We call you not to vexation and turraoil, hut from it, and,
as St. Paul said. Whom ye ignorantly worship. Him declare I unto
you. Ye blindly and fruitlessly seek after the show. The tme aiming
at this fixedness of mind will secure that, though they fall short, yet,
by the way they will light on very pretty things that have some virtue
in them, as they that seek the philosopher's stone. But the believer
hath the thing, the secret itself of tranquillity and joy, and this turns all
into gold, their iron chains into a crown of gold : While we look not at
ihe things which are seen, hut ai ihe things which are noi seen. 2 Cor.
iv. 17, 18.
This is the blessed and safe estate of believers. Who can think they
have a sad, heavy fife ? Oh ! it is the only lightsome, sweet, cheerful
condition in the world. The rest of men are poor, rolling, unstayed
things, every report shaking them, as the leaves of trees are shaken
with tfie wind; yea, lighter than so, as the chaff that the wind drives
to and fro at its pleasure. Isa. vii. 2 ; Psal. i. 4. Would men but
reflect and look in upon their own hearts, it is a wonder what vain,

152

the believer a hero. [Ser. XII.

childish things the most would find tfiere, glad and sorry at things as
fio-ht as the Toys of children, at which they laugh and cry in a breath.
How easily is the heart pufl'ed up with a thing or a word that pleaseth
us bladder-fike, sweUed with a littie air, and it shrinks again in dis-
coura"-eraents and fear, upon the touch of a needle's point, which
gives that air some vent.
What is the life ofthe greatest part but a continual tossing betwixt
vain hopes and fears ? All their days are spent in these. Oh ! how
vain a thing is a raan even in his best estate, while he is nothing but
himself, — while his heart is not united and fixed on God, and he is
disquieted in vain. How small a thing will do it ! He needs no
other than his own heart ; it may prove disquietment enough to itself:
his thoughts are his tormentors.
I know, sorae men are, by a stronger understanding and by moral
principles, soraewhat raised above the vulgar, and speak big ofa con
stancy of raind ; but these are but flourishes, an acted bravery. Some
what there may be that wfll hold out in some trials, but it will faU far
short of this fixedness of faith. Troubles may so multiply, as to drive
them at length from their posture, and raay corae on so thick, with
such violent blows, as will sraite thera out of their artificial guard, dis
order all their Seneca and Epictetus, and all their own calra thoughts
and high resolves. The approach of death, though they make a good
mien, and set the best face on it, or if not, yet, some kind of terror, may
seize on their spirits, which they are not able to shift off. But the
soul trusting on God, is prepared for all, not only for the calamities of
war, pestilence, famine, poverty, or death, b-at, when in the saddest
apprehensions of the soul, beyond hope, believes against hope ; even
in the darkest night, casts anchor in God, reposes on Him when he
sees no light. Is. 1. 10. Yea, though He slay me, says Job, yet will
I trust on Him, — not raerely, though I die, but, though He slay me :
when I see His hand lifted up to destroy me, yet, frora that same hand
will I look for salvation.
My brethren, my desire is, to stir up in your hearts an ambition
after this blessed estate of the godly who fear the Lord, and trust in
Him, and so fear no other thing. The coramon revolutions and
changes ofthe world, and those which in these late tiraes we ourselves
have seen, and the likelihood of raore and greater coming on, seem
dreadful to weak rainds. But let these persuade us the more to prize
and seek this fixed, unaffrighted station: there is no fixing but here.
Oh ! that you would be persuaded to break off from the vile ways of
sin, which debase the soul and fill it full of terrors, and to disengage
thera frora the vanities of this world, to take up in God, to live in Hira
wholly, to cleave to and depend on Hira, to esteem nothing beside
Hira ! ExceUent was the answer of that holy man to the Emperor,
on his first essaying him with large proffers of honour and riches to
draw hira frora Christ : Off'er these things (says he) to children, I re
gard them noi. Then after he had tried to terrify him with threaten
ing : Threaten (says he) Tjour effiTninate courtiers, I fear none of these
things. Seek fo have your hearts established on Hira by the faith of eternal
life, and then it will be asharaed to distrust Him in any other thing.

Psal. cxii. 7.] the believer a hero. 153
Yea, trulv, you will not much regard, nor be careful for other things
how they be. It will be all one, the better and the worse of this
moment ; the things of it, even the greatest, being both in theraselves
so little and worthless, and of so short continuance.
Well, choose you ; but all reckoned and examined, I had rather be
the poorest believer than the greatest king on earth. How sraall a
commotion, small in its beginning, may prove the overturning of the
greatest kingdom ! But the believer is heir to a kingdom that can
not be shaken. The mightiest and raost victorious prince, who hath
not only lost nothing, but hath been gaining new conquests all his
days, is stopped by a small disteraper in the middle of his course ; he re
turns to his dust, and then his vast designs fall to nothing. In that
very day his thoughts perish. Butthe believer, in that very day, is
sent to the possession of his crown : that is his coronation day ; all his
thoughts are accomplished.
How can you affright hira? Bring hira word, that his estate is
ruined. Yet, my inheritance is safe, says he. " Your wife, or child,
or dear friend, is dead." Yet, my Father lives. " You yourself raust
die." Well then, I go home io my Father, and io my inheritcmce.
For the public troubles ofthe Church, doubtless, it is both a pious
and a generous temper, to be raore deeply affected for these than for
all our private ones ; and to be alive to tfie coramon calamities of any
people, but especiaUy of God's own people, hath been the character of
men near uuto Him. Observe the pathetical strains of the prophet's
bewailing-, when they foretell the desolation even of foreign king
doms, much more when foretelling that of the Lord's chosen people ;
they are still mindful of Sion, and mournful for her distresses. See
Jer. ix. 1, andthe whole book of Laraentations. So the Psalraist: If
I forget thee, O Jerusalem, &c. Psal. cxxxvii. 5. Pious spirits are
always public-spirited, as even brave Heathens were for the coraraon
wealth. So he, in that passage of Horace* : Little regarding himself,
but much solicitous for the public. Yet even in this, with much
compassion, there is a calra in a believer's raind. How these agree,
none can tell but they who feel it. He finds amidst all hard news, yet
still, a fixed heart, trusting, satisfied in this, that deliverance shall
come in due time, (Psal. cii. 13.) and that in those judgments that are
inflicted, man shall be humbled and God exalted, (Isa. ii. II ; v. 16.)
and that in all turaults, and changes and subversions of states,' still,
His throne is fixed, and with that the believer's heart likewise. So
Psal. xxix. 10 : The Lord sitteth ttpon the fiood : yea, the Lord sitteth
king for ever. Or, sat in the fiood, possibly referring to the general
deluge ; yet, then, God sat quiet, and stiff sitteth king for ever. He
steered the ark, and still guides his Church through all. So Psalm
xlvi., throughout that whole Psalra. In all coraraotions, the kingdora
of Christ shall be spreading and growing, and the close of aU shall be
full victory on his side ; and that is sufficient for the behever.
Of this, a singular exaraple is in Job, who was not daunted with so
many iU-hearings, but stood as an unmoved rock araidst the winds and
waves : Ille velut rupcs immota manebat.
* Invenit insomni volventem puUica cura
Fata virum, casusque urbis, cunctisque timentem,
Securumqufi sui.

]^54 THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER. [Ser. XIII.
In this condition there is so much sweetness that, if known, a man
might suspect himself to be rather selfishly taken with it, than to be
purely loving God. Such joy in believing, or at least, such peace,
such a serene calmness, is in no other thing in this world. Nothing
either without or within a man is to be named with this trusting on
His goodness, who is God, and on His faithfulness, who, giving His
promise for thy warrant, comraands thee to rely on Him. The holy
soul still trusts under the darkest apprehensions. If it is suggested
that thou art a reprobate, yet, will the soul say, I will see the utmost,
and hang by the hold 1 have, till I feel myself really cast off, and will
not wiUingly fall off'. If 1 must be separated frora Him, He shall do
it Himself; He shafi shake rae off while I would cleave to Hira. Yea,
to the utraost, I will look for mercy, and will hope better : though
I found Him shaking me off, yet will I think He will not do it. It
is good to seek after all possible assurance, but not to fret at the want
of it; for even without those assurances which sorae Christians hang-
too rauch upon, there is in simple trust and reliance on God, and in a
desire to walk in Flis ways, such a fortress of peace, as all the assaults
in the world are not able to make a breach in. And to this add that
unspeakable delight in walking in His fear, joined with this trust. The
noble ambition of pleasing Him, raakes one careless of pleasing or dis
pleasing all the world. Besides, the delight in His coraraandments, in
so pure, so just a law, holiness, victory over lusts, and temperance,
hath a sweetness in it that presently pays itself, because it is agreeable
to His will.
It is the godly man alone, who, by this fixed consideration in God,
looks the grim visage of death in the face with an unappalled raind,
which daraps all the joys, and defeats all the hopes of the most pros
perous, proudest, and wisest worldlings. As Archimedes said, when
shot, Avocdsti ab optima demonstratione, so it spoils all their figures
and fine devices. But to the righteous, ihere is hope in his death. He
goes through it without fear, without Caligula's Quo vadis. Though
riches, honours, and all the glories of this world, are with a man, yet
he fears ; yea, he fears the more for these, because here they must end.
But the good raan looks death out of countenance, in the words of
David, Though I walk through the valley and shadow of death, yet
will I fear 710 evil, for thou ari with Tne. Psal. xxiii. 4.

SERMON XIII.
Matt. xin. 3.
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold a sower went forth to
sow.
The rich bounty of God hath furnished our natural life, not barely for
strict necessity, but with great abundance : many kinds of beasts, and
fowls, and fishes, and herbs, and fruits, has He provided for the use
of man. Thus our spiritual life likewise is supported with a variety :
the word, the food of it, hath not only all necessary truths once simply

Matt. xin. 3.] the parable of the sower. l.'iS
set down, but a great variety of doctrine for onr more abundant in
struction and consolation. Araongst the rest, this way of similitudes
hath a notable comraixture of profit and delight.
Parables not unfolded and understood, are a veil (as here) to the
multitude, and in that view, tiiey are a great judgment ; (as Isa. vi. 9,
cited here ;) but when cleared and raade transparent, then tiiey are a
glass to behold Divine things in more coniraodiously and suitably to
our way. All things are big with such reserablances, but they require
the dexterous hand of an active spirit to bring them forth. This way,
besides other advantages, is much graced and comraended by our
Saviour's frequent use of it.
That which is siven here, is fitted to the occasion : multitudes were
coraina- to hear hira, and many were not a whit the better for it. He
instructs us in this point, the great difference between the different
hearts of men, so that the same word hath very different success in
thera. In this parable we shall consider these three things : 1. The nature
of the word itself 2. The sameness and comraonness of the dispen
sation. 3. The difference of the operation and production.
The word, the seed, hath in it a productive virtue to bring forth fruit
according to its kind, that is, the fruit of a new life; not only a new
habitude and fashion of life witiiout, but a new nature, a new kind
of fife within, new thoughts, a new estiraate of things, new defights
and actions. When the word reveals God, His greatness and holiness,
then it begets pious fear and reverence, and study of conforraity to
Hira. When it reveals His goodness and raercy, it works love and
confidence. When it holds up to our view Christ crucified, it crucifies
the soul to the world, and the world to it. When it represents those
rich things which are laid up for us, that blessed inheritance of the
saints, then it makes all the lustre of this world vanish, shows how
poor it is, weans and calls off the heart from them, raising it to those
higher hopes, and sets it on the project of a crown. And so it is a seed
of noble thoughts andof a suitable behaviour in a Christian, as in the
exposition of this parable, it is called the word of the kingdom ; seed,
an immortal seed, as St. Peter caUs it, I Pet. i. 23, springing up to
no less than eternal life.
This teaches us, 1. Highly to esteera the great goodness of God to
those places and times which have been most blessed with it. He
showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.
He hath not dealt so with any nation ; and as for his judgments, ihey
have not known them. Psal. cxlvii. 19.
2. That the same dispensation is to be preached indifferently to all
where it comes, as far as the sound can reach. And thus it was very
rauch extended in the first promulg-ating of the gospel ; their sound
went out through all the earth, as the Apostle allusively applies that
ofthe psalmist. Rom. x. 18. — Psal. xix. 4.
3. This teaches also rainisters liberally to sow this seed at all times,
according to that. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening
withhold not thine hand, &c., (Eccl. xi. 6.) praying earnestly to Him
who is the Lord, not only of the harvest, but of the seed tirae, and of
this seed, to make it fruitful. This is His peculiar work. So the Apostle

136 the parable of the sower. [Ser. XIII.
acknowledges, I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the in
crease, 1 Cor. iii. 6.
4. Hence we also learn the success to be very different. This is
most evident in men : while one is cast into the mould and fashion of
the word, and so moulded and fashioned by it, another is no whit
changed ; while one heart is melting before it, another is still hardened
under it.
So, then, this is not all, to have fhe word and to hear it, as if that
would serve our tum and save us, as we coraraonly fancy. The temple
of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we. Multitudes under the
continual sound ofthe word, yet reraain lifeless and fruitless, and die
in their sins. Therefore, we must inquire and exaraine strictly, what
becoraes of it, how it works, what it 'brings forth; and for this very
end, this parable declares so raany are fruitless. We need not press
thera, they are three to one here ; yea, that were too narrow, the odds
is far greater, for these are but the kinds of unfruitful grounds, and
under each of these are coraprised huge multitudes of individuals, so
that there raay be a hundred to one, a.nd it is to be feared, that in
many congregations, it is raore than so.
Whence is then the difference ? Not frora the seed ; that is the
sarae to all. Not frora the sower neither, for though these be divers,
and of different abilities, yet it hangs little or nothing on that. In
deed, he is the fittest to preach, who is hiraself raost like his message,
and coraes forth not only with a handful of this seed in his hand, but
with store of it in his heart, the word dwelling richly in him; yet,
howsoever, the seed he sows, being this word of life, depends not on
his qualifications in any kind, either of coraraon gifts, or special grace.
People mistake tfiis rauch, and it is a carnal conceit to hang on the
advantages of the rainister, or to eye that much. The sure way is, to
look up to God, and to look into thine own heart. An unchanged,
unsoftened heart, like an evil soil, disappoints the fruit. What though
sown by a weak hand, yea, possibly a foul one, yet if received into a
clean and honest heart, it will fructify much. There is in the world a
needless and prejudicial distinguishing of men, out of which people
will not corae, for all we can say.
'rhe first bad ground is a highway. Now we have a coraraentary
here, whence v:e m.ay not, and will not depart : it is authentic and
full. It is those who hear the word and understand it not. Ver. 19.
Gross, brutish spirits, who perceive not what is said, are as if they
were not there, sit like blocks, one log of wood upon another ; as he
said. Lapis super lapidem in theatro. This is our brutish multitude.
What pity is it to see so raanj', such as have not so rauch as a natural
apprehension of spiritual truths ! Their hearts are the comm.on road
of all passengers, of all kinds of foolish, brutish thoughts ; seeking
nothing but how to live, and yet they know not to what end, have no
design ; trivial, highway hearts, which all temptations pass through at
their pleasure ; profane as Esau, which some critics draw from a word
signifying the threshold, the outer step that every foul foot treads on.
These retain nothing ; there is no hazard of that ; and yet, the
enemy of souls, to make all sure, lest peradventure some word
might take root unawares, some grain of this seed, is busy to pick it

Matt. xiii. 3.] the parable of the sower. 157
away ; to take thera off from all reflection, all serious thoughts, or the
remerabrance of any thing spoken to thera. And if any common
word is remerabered, yet it doth no good, for that is trodden down
like the rest ; though the raost is picked up, because it lies on the
road. So it is expressed, Mark iv. 4.
The second is stony ground; hard hearts, not softened and raade
penetrable to receive in deeply this ingrafted word with meekness,
with humble yielding aud suliniission to it ; the rocks. Yet, in these,
there is often some receiving of it, and a little slender moisture above
them, which the v/arm air raay raake spring up a littie : they receive
with joy, have a little present delight in it, are raoved and taken with
the serraon, possibly even to the shedding of sorae tears ; but the
misery is, there is a want of depth of earth, it sinks not.
No wonder if there is sorae present delight in these. Therefore,
the word ofthe kingdom, especially if skflfuUy and sensibly delivered
by sorae more able speaker, pleases. Let it be but a fancy, yet it is a
fine pleasant one ; such love as induced the Son of God to die for
sinners ; such a rich purchase made as a kingdom ; such glory and
sweetness. Therefore the description of the new Jerusalera, Rev. xxi.,
suppose it to be but a dreara, or one of the visions of the night, yet it
is passing fine ; it must needs please a raind that heeds what is said
of it. There is a 7iatural defight in spiritual things, and thus the
word of the Prophet, as the Lord teUs him, (Ezek. xxxiii. 32,) was
as a minstrel's voice, a fine song so long as it lasted, but which dies
out in the air. It may be, the relish and air of it will reraain awhile
in the iraagination, but not long- ; even that wears out and is forgotten.
So here, it is heard with joy, and some is springing up presently:
they coraraend it, and, it may be, repeat some passages, yea, possibly
desire to be like it, to have such and such graces as are recomraended,
aud upon that think they have thera, are presentiy good Christians in
their own conceit. And to appearance, sorae change is wrought, and
it appears to be all that it is ; but it is not deep enough. They talk,
possibly, too rauch, more than those whose hearts receive it more
deeply: there it lies hid longer, and little is heard of it; others raay
think it is lost, and, possibly, themselves do not perceive that it is
there ; they are exercised and humbled at it, and find no good in their
ov/n hearts ; yet, there it is hid ; as David says. Thy word have I hid
in my heart. And as seed in a manner dies in a silent, smothering
way, yet, it is in order to the fructifying and the reviving of if, so it
-will spring up in time, and he fruitful in its season — with patience, as
St. Luke hath it of the good ground ; not so suddenly, but much
more surely and solidly.
But the most are present raushroom Christians, soon ripe, soon
rotten. The seed goes never deep : it springs up indeed, but any thing
blasts and withers it. There is littie root in some. If trials arise,
either the heat of persecution without, or a temptation within, this
sudden spring-seed can stand before neither.
Oh, rocky hearts I How shallow, sliallow, are the impressions of
Divine things upon you ! Religion goes never further than the upper
surface of your hearts. You have but few deep thoughts of God, and
of Jesus Christ, and the things of the world to come ; all are but
slight and transient glances.

158 the parable op the sower. [Ser. XIII.
The third is, thorny ground. This relates to the cares, and plea
sures, and all the interests of this life. See Mark iv. 1; and Luke
viii. 5. All these together are the ihor7is. And these grow in hearts
which do more deeply receive the seed, and send it forth, and in which
it springs up more hopefully than in either of the other two, and yet
they choke it. Oh, the pity !
Many are thus almost at Heaven ; there is so much desire of reno
vation, and sorae endeavours after it, and yet, the thorns prevail.
Miserable thorns, the base things of a perishing fife, drawing away the
strength of aff'ections, sucking the sap of the soul ! Our other seed
and harvest, our corn and hay, our shops and ships, our tradings and
bargains, our suits and pretensions for places and employments of
gain or credit, husband or wife, and children, and house, and train,
our feastings and entertainments, and other pleasures of sense, our
civilities and compfiments, and a world of those in all the world, are
these thorns, and they overspread all : The lust of the eye, the lust of
the flesh, and the pride of life.
And for how long is all the advantage and defight of these ? Alas !
that so poor things should prejudice us against the rich and blessed
increase of this Divine seed !
The last is, good ground, a good and ho7iesi heart. There is not
much fineness here, not many questions and disputes, but honest sim
phcity, sweet sincerity, that is all ; a humble, single desire to eye and
to do the wfll of God, and this from love to Himself. This makes the
soul abound in the fruits of holiness, receiving the word as the ground
of it. Different degrees there are indeed, some thirty, some sixty, and
.some an hu7idred fold ; yet, the lowest are airaing at the highest, not
resting satisfied, still growing more fruitful ; if tfiirty last year, desir
ing to bring forth sixty this.
This is the great point, and we ought fo examine it ; for much is
sown and little brought forth. Our God hath done much for us ;
(what raore could be done ?) yet, when grapes were expected, wild
grapes are produced. What becoraes of all ? Who grow to be more
spiritual, more hurable and meek, more fike Christ, more self-denying,
fuller of love to God and one to another ? Some, but alas ! how few.
All the land is sown, and that plentifully, with the good seed ; but
what comes for the raost part ? Cockle, and no grain. Lifelix lolivm.
We would do all other things to purpose, and not willingly lose our
end : we would not trade and gain nothing, buy and sell, and live by
the loss ; we would not plough and sow, and reap nothing. How
sensibly do we feel one ill year ! And shall this alone be lost labour,
which, well iraproved, were worth all the rest ? Oh ! how much raore
worth than all ! Shall we do only the greatest business to the least
purpose ? Bethink yourselves, what do we here ? Why come we
here ? If we still remain as proud and passionate, as self-willed as
before, what will all great bargains, and good years, and full barns,
avail within a while ? That word. Thou fool, ihis night shall ihey
fetch away thy soul, how terrible will it be !
We think we are wise in not losing our labour in other things ; why,
it is all lost, even where most is gained. What amounts it to, when
cast up ? Vanity and vexation of spirit, is the total sura. And in

Matt, xiii. 3.] the parable of the sower. 159
all our projecting and bustling, what do we but sow ihe wind, and reap
the whirlwind, sow vanity, and reap vexation ?
This seed alone, being fruitiul, makes rich and happy, springs up to
eternal life ! Oh ! that we were wise, that wc would at length learn
to hear every serraon as ou the utraost edge of tirae, at the very brinii
of eternity ! For any thing we know for ourselves, of any of us it
may be really so. However, it is wise and safe to do as if it were so.
Will you be persuaded of this ? It were a happy Serraon, if it could
prevail for the more fruitful hearing of aU the rest henceforward. We
fiave lost too much of our little time ; and thus, with the Apostle, JT
beseech you, I beseech you, receive not the grace of God in vain.
Now, that you raay be fruitful, examine well your own hearts ;
pluck up, weed out, for there are still thorns. Some will grow, but
he is the happiest man who hath the sharpest eye and the busiest
hand, spying thera out, and plucking thera up. Take heed how you
hear ; think it not so easy a raatter. Plough up, aTid sow Tiot among
thorns. Jer. iv. 3.
And above all, pray, pray before, after, and in hearing. Dart up
desires to God. He is the Lord ofthe harvest, whose infiuence doth
all. The difference of the soil makes indeed the difference of success:
but the Lord hath the privflege of bettering the soil. He who framed
the heart, changes it when and how he will. There is a curse on all
grounds naturally, which fell on the earth for man's sake, but fell more
on the ground of man's own heart within him : Thorns and briers shalt
thon bring forth. Now it is He that denounceth that curse, who alone
hath power to remove it. He is both the sovereign owner of the seed,
and the changer of the soil ; He turns a wilderness into Carrael by His
Spirit ; and no ground, no heart, can be good, till He change it.
And being changed, rauch care raust be had still in raanuring ; for
still that is in it, which will bring forth raany weeds, is a raother to
them, and but a step-mother to this seed. Therefore,
Consider it, if you think this concerns you. He that hath an ear
io hear, as our Saviour closes, let Imn hear. The Lord apply your
hearts to this work ; and though discourageraents should arise without,
or within, and little present fruit appear, but corruption is rather
stronger and greater, yet, watch and pray. Wait on ; it shall be better.
This fruit is to be brought forth with patience, as St. Luke hath it.
And this seed, this word, the Lord calls by that very name, the very
word of His patience. Keep it, hide it in thy heart, and in due time
it .shall spring up. And this patience shall be put to it but for a little
while. "The day of harvest is at hand, when aU who have been in any
measure fruitful in grace, shall be gathered into glory.

160 the promises an [Ser. XIV.
SERMON XIV.
2 Cor. vii. 1.
Having- therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthi
ness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the i'ear ot God.
It is a thing both of unspeakable sweetness and usefulness, for a Chris
tian often to consider the excellency of that estate to which he is called.
It cannot fail to put hiin upon very high resolutions, and carry him on
in the Divine arabition of behaving daily raore suitably to his high
calling and hopes. Therefore, these are often set before Christians in
the Scriptures, and are pressed here by the Apostle upon a particular
occasion, the avoidance of near combinements with unbelievers. He
mentions some choice promises which God makes to His own people,
and speaks of their near relation to, and comraunion with. Himself;
and upon these, he enlarges and raises the exhortation to the universal
endeavour of aU holiness, and that as airaing at the very top and
highest degree of it.
In the words are, I. The thing to which he would persuade. II.
The motive.
I. The thing is, holiness in its full extension and intention. Purg
ing ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.
The purging out of filthiness, and the perfecting of holiness, express
those two parts of renewing grace, moriiflcation and viviflcaiion, as
usually they are distinguished. But I conceive they are not so truly
diff'erent parts, as a different notion ofthe same thing, the decrease of
sin and the increase of grace, being truly one thing, as are the dispell
ing of darkness and the augraenting of light. So here, the one is ren
dered as the necessary result, yea, as the equivalent of the other, as
the sarae thing indeed : purging from fllthiness, and, in so doing, per
fecting holiness; perfecting holiness, and, in so doing, purging from
filthiness. By perfection is raeant a growing, progressive advance
towards perfection.
The words, without straining, give us as it were the several dimen
sions of holiness. The breadth — cleansing from all fllthiness ; the
length, parallel to man's composition, running all along through his
soul and body, — frora a\\ fllthiness of the flesh and spirit; tiie height —
perfecting holiness ; the depth, that which is the bottom whence it rises
us, — a deep impress of the fear of God, perfecting holiness in the fear
of God,
Let 7is cleanse ourselves,] It is the Lord who is the sanctifier of His
people; He purges aioay iheir dross and tin, Ue pours clean water,
according to His proraises ; yet, doth lie call to us to cleanse our
selves. Even, having such promises, let us cleanse ourselves. He puts
a new life into us, and causes us to act, and excites us to excite it and
call it up into act in the progress of sanctification. Men are strangely
inclined to a perverse construction of things. Tell them that we are
to act and work, and to give all diligence, then they would fancy a

2 Cor. vii. 1.] encouragement to holiness. 161
doing in their own strength, and be tiieir own saviours. Again, tell
tliera that God works all our works in us, and for us, tiien they would
take the ease of doing nothing : if they cannot have the praise of doing
all, they will sit still with folded hands, and use no diligence at all.
But this is the corrupt logic of the flesh, its base sophistry. The
Apostle reasons just contrary, Phil. ii. 12: It is God that worketh in
us, both to will and do ; — therefore, would a carnal heart say, we need
not work, or at least, raay work very carelessly. But Ae infers. There
fore lei MS work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, that is,
in the raore humble obedience to God, and dependence on Him ; not
obstructing the influence of His grace, and by sloth and negligence
provoking Him to withdraw or abate it. Certainly, raany in whom
there is truth of grace, are kept low in the growth of it, by their own
slothfulness, sitting still, and not bestirring theraselves, and exercising
the proper actions of that spiritual life by which it is entertained and
advanced. From all filthiness,] All kinds of sinful pollutions. Not as men
comraonly do, reform sorae things, and take to theraselves dispensa
tions in others, at least in sorae one peculiar sin, their mistress, their
Herodias, or their Delilah: no parting with that; yea, they rather
forego raany other things, as a kind of coraposltion for the retaining
of it.
Of fiesh and spirit,] The whole raan raust be purified and conse
crated to God ; not only refined frora tfie gross outward acts of sin,
but frora the inward affection to it, and frora the secret motions of it»
that so the heart, like a weaned child, (Psal. cxxxi. 2,) go not after it,
which when restrained from the outward coraraission of sin, it raay do,
and very often does ; as the Israelites lusted after the flesh pots, their
hearts reraained in Egypt still, though their bodies were brought out.
This, then, is to be done ; affection to sin is to be purged out. That
is, we are to cleanse the ground; not only to lop off the branches, but
to dig about, and loosen and pluck up the root. Though still fibres of
it wfll stick, yet we ought still to be finding thera out, and plucking
thera up.
Further, this applies not only to the inner part of all sins, but to
sorae sins that are almost or wholly inward, that hang not so rauch on
the body, nor are acted by it; those fllthinesses ofthe spirit which are
less easily discerned than those ofthe flesh, and, as raore hardly dis
cerned, so, when discerned, raore hardly purged out : pride, self-love,
unbelief, curiosity, &c., which, though more retired and refined sins,
yet are pollutions and defileraents, yea, of the worst sort, as being
more spiritual, fllthiness ofthe spirit. Fleshly pollutions are things of
which the devils are not capable in theraselves, though they excite
men to them, and so they are called unclean spirits. But the highest
rank of sins, are those that are properly spiritual wickednesses. These
in men are the chief strengths of Satan, the inner work's of his forts,
and strong-holds. 2 Cor. x. 4. Many who are not much tempted to
the common gross sensualities, who have, possibly, though an inclina
tion to them, yet, a kind of disdain of them, and through education,
and morality, and strength of reason, with somewhat of natural con
science, are carried above thern, yet, have many of those heights the
Vol. II. M

162 THE promises an [Ser. XIV.
Apostie speaks of, those lofty imaginations that rise against God and
the obedience of Christ, all wfiich must be demolished.
Perfecting holiness.] Not content with low measures, with just so
rauch as keeps from hell, but aspiring towards perfection ; airaing
high at self-victory, self-denial, and the love of God becoming purer
and hotter, like a fire, growing, and flaming up, and consuming the
earth. Thougfi men fall short of their aira, yet, it is good to aim
high : they shall shoot so much the higher, though not full so high as
they aim. Thus we ought to be setting the state of perfection in our
eye, resolving not to rest content below that, and to come as near it
as we can, even before we come at it. Not as though I had already
attained, says the Apostle, but this one thing I do : forgetting ihe
ihiTigs which are behind, and reaching forth unto those which are
before, I press towards the mark. Plul. iii. 11, 12. This is to act as
one who hath such a hope, such a state in view, and is stfll advancing
towards it.
In the fear of God.] There is no working but on firm ground;
there are no solid endeavours in holiness where it is not founded in
a deeply-felt reverence of God, a desire to please Him and to be like
Hira, which springs frora love. This, most men are either wholly
strangers to, or are but slight and shallow in it, and therefore make so
little true progress in holiness.
II. Then there is the raotive. Having these pro7nises. Being called
to so fair an estate, so excellent a condition, to be the people, yea, the
sons and daughters of God, therefore they are called to the coming
forth frora Babel, and the separating theraselves from sin and purging
it out. Holiness is His iraage in His children : the raore there is of it,
the raore suitable are they to that blessed relation and dignity, and the
firraerare their hopes ofthe inheritance of glory.
Consider sin as a filthiness : hate it. Oh, how ugly and vile is lust,
how deforraed is sweUing pride ! And all sin is an aversion from
God, a casting of tfie noble soul into the mire, the defacing of aU its
beauty. Turning to present things, it pollutes itself with thera : he
who is clad in scarlet, embraces ihe dunghill, as Jeremiah in another
sense laments.
The purity of things is, an unmixture and simplicity corresponding
with their own being; and such is the purity ofthe soul when elevated
above the eartii aud sense, and united unto God, contemplating Him,
and delighting in Hira. All inordinate bent to the creatures, or to
itself, (which is the first and main disorder,) doth defile and debase it.
And the more it is sublimed and freed frora itself, the purer and more
Heavenly it grows, and partakes the more of God, and resembles Hira
the raore.
This, then, is to be our main study; first, to search out our iniqui-
iies, the particular defileraents ofour nature ; not only gross filthiness,
drunkenness, lasciviousness, &c., but our love of this earth, or of air,
our vanity of raind, our self-will and self-seeking. Most persons, even
most Christians, are short-sighted in respect to their own secret evfls,
the fllthiness of the spirit especially, and use littie diligence in this
inquiry. They do not seek light from God, to go in before Him, and
to lead them into themselves, as the Prophet had in the discovery of

2 Cor. vii. 1.] ENCOURAGEMENT TO HOLINESS. 103
idolatries at Jerusalem. Ofi! that we could once see what heaps
of abominations lie hid in us, one behind another 1
Then, having searched out, we must follow on to purge out : we are
not to pass over, nor to spare any, but to delight most in casting out
the best beloved sin, the choicest idol, that hath had raost of our service
and sacrifices, to raake room for Jesus Christ.
And never cease in this work, for still there is need of more purify
ing. One day's work in this, disposes for and engages to a further,
to the next ; for, as sin is purged out, light comes in, and more clear
discoveries are raade of reraaining pollutions. So, then, still there
must be progress, less of the world, and more of God in the heart every
day. Oh ! this is a sweet course of life. Wliat gain, what preferment
is to be compared to it ?
And in this, it is good to have our ambition growing ; the higher we
rise, to aspire still the higher, looking further than before, even to
wards the perfection of holiness. It is not much we can here attain
to, but surely, it is comraonly far less than we might ; we improve not
our condition and advantages as we might do. The world are busy
driving forwards their designs. Men of spirit are animated both by
better and by worse success : if any thing miscarry, it sets them on the
more eagerly to make it up, in the right management of sorae other
design : and when they prosper in one thing, that enables and encou
rages them to atterapt further. Shall all other things seera worth our
pains ? Are only grace and glory so cheap in our account, that the
least diligence of all goes that way ? Oh, strange delusion !
Now, our cleansing is to be raanaged by all holy means : the word
and sacrament more wisely and spiritually used than coraraonly they
are with us ; and private prayer, which purifies and elevates the soul,
takes it up into the mount, and makes it shine ; and particularly, sup
plicating for the Spirit of holiness and for victory over sin, is not in
vain ; — the soul obtains its desires of God, becoming that which it is
fixedly set upon ; holy resolution ; — Cfiristians are mucfi wanting in
this, are faint and loose in their purposes ; — the consideration of Divine
truths, the mysteries of the kingdora, the hope of Christians, yea, rich
and great proraises, that is particularly here the motive : — these are all
the means, and holy means they are, as their end is, the perfection of
holiness. Having these proTnises.] Nov/ consider whether it is better to be the
slaves of Satan, or tbe sons of God. Measure delight in God, with the
low, base pleasures of sense. Blessed are ihe pure in heari,for they shaU
see God : these gradually go on together, and are perfected together.
Why, then, is there such an invincible love of sin in the hearts of
men? At least, why so little love of holiness, and endeavour after it,
so mean thoughts of it, as a thing either indecent or unpleasant, when
it is the only noble and the only delightful thing in the world ? The
soul by other things is drawn below itself, but by holiness it is raised
above itself, and made Divine. The pleasures of sin are for a season :
they are the pleasures of a moment exchanged for those of eternity.
But even in the mean tirae, in this season, the holy soul is fed with
coraraunion with God, one hour of which is of more worth than the
longest life of the highest of the worid's delights.
M2

164 DIVINE GRACE, [Scr. X^ ¦
SERMON XV.
Psalm cxix. 32.
I will run the way of Thy commandments, when Thou shalt enlarge roy heart.
To desire ease and happiness, under a general representation of it, is
a thing of more easy and general persuasion ; there is somewhat in
nature to help the argument. But to find beauty in, aud be taken
with, the very way of holiness that leads to it, is more rare, and
depends on a higher principle. Self-love incUnes a raan to desire the
rest of love, but to love and desire ihe labour of love, is love of a higher
and purer strain. To delight and be cheerful in obedience, argues
much love as the spring of it. That is the thing the holy Psalraist
doth so plentifully express in this Psalra, and he is still desiring more
of that sweet and lively affection that might raake hira yet more abun
dant in action. Thus here, I will run, &c. He presents his desire
and his purpose together, q. d., The raore of this grace Thou be-
stowest on rae, the raore service shall I be able to do Thee.
This is the top of his ambition, while others are seeking to enlarge
their barns, their lands or estates, or their titles ; and kings to enlarge
their territories or authority, to encroach on neighbouring kingdoms,
or be more absolute in their own ; instead of all such enlargements,
this is David's great desire, a?i enlarged heart to run the way of Goi^s
commandments. And these other (how big soever they sound) are poor narrow
desires : this one is larger and higher than them all, and gives evidence
of a heart already large. But as it is miserable in those desires, so it
is happy in ihis, that Tnuch would still have more.
Let others seek more Tuoney, or more honour. Oh I the blessed
choice of that soul that is stfll seeking raore love to God, raore affec
tion, and raore ability to do Him service ; that counts all days and
hours for lost, which are not eraployed to this improvement; that hears
the word in public, and reads it in private for this purpose, to kindle
this love, or to blow the spark, if any there be already in the heart, to
raise it to a clear flame, and frora a little flarae to make it burn yet
hotter and purer, and rise higher : but, above all means, is often pre
senting this in prayer to Him on whose influence all depends, in whose
hand our hearts are, much more than in our own. It follows Him
with this desire, and works on Hira by His own interest. Thouo-h
there can be really no accession of gain to Hira by our services, yet.
He is pleased so to account with us as if they were. Therefore we
may urge this : Lord, give more, and receive more : I will run the
way of Thy comTnandments, when Thou shalt enlarge my heart.
We have here in the words, a required disposition, and a suitable
resoluiioTi. The disposition relates to the resolution, as the means of
fulfilling it ; and the resolution relates to the disposition, both as the
end of desiring it, and as the motive of obtaining it. The resolution
occurs first in the words,
I will run, &c.] The way resolved on, is, that of God's command-

Psal. cxix. 32.] and holy obedience. 105
ments; not the road of the polluted world, not the crooked ways of
bis own heart, but the high-way, the royal way, the straight way of the
kingdora, and that in tiie notion of subjection and obedience, the way
of Thy commandments. This, Man naturally struggles against, and
repines at. To be liraited and bounded by a law, is a restraint; and
vain raan could possibly find in his heart to do many of the sarae
things that are coraraanded, but he would not be tied, -vvould have his
liberty, and do it of his own choice. This is the enTnity ofthe carnal
Tiiind against God, as the Apostle expresses it : it is not subject io the
law of God, neither can ii he ; it breaks these bonds, and casts away
the cords of his authority. This is sin, the transgression of the law ;
and this raade the first sin so great, though in a raatter one would think
sraall, the eating of the fruit of a tree : it was rebellion against tlie
raajesty of God, casting off his law and authority, and aspiring to an
imagined self-deity. And this is still the treasonable pride, or inde
pendency, and wickedness of our nature, rising up ag-ainst God who
formed us of nothing-.
And this is the power and substance of religion, the new impress
of God upon the heart, obedience and resignment to Him. To be
given up to Hira as entirely His, to be raoulded and ordered as He
will, to be subject to His laws and appointraents in all things, to have
every action, and every word, under a rule and law, and the penalty to
be so high, eternal death ; all this to a carnal or haughty raind is hard.
Not only every action and every word, but even every thought too,
raust be subject ; the soul is not so rauch as thought-free. Every
thought is brought into captivity, as the Apostle speaks, 2 Cor. x. 5 ;
and so the licentious mind accounts it. Not only the affections and
desires, but the very reasonings and iTnaginations are brought under
this law.
Now, to yield this as reasonable and due to God ; to own His
sovereignty, and to acknowledge the Law to be holy, just, and good ;
to approve, yea, to love it, even where it most contradicts and controls
our own corrupt will and the law of sin in our flesh ; this is true spi
ritual obedience ; — to study and inquire after the will of God in all
our ways, what wfll please Hira, and having found it, to follow that
which is here called the way of His commaiidmenis ; to make this our
way, and our business in the world, and all other things but accesso
ries and by-works, even those lawful things that may be taken in,
and used as helps in our way : as the disciples passing through
the corn, plucked the ears and did eat it passing, as a by-work, but
their business was to follow their Master. And whatsoever would
hinder us in this way, raust be watched and guarded against. To
eff'ect that, we raust either remove and thrust it aside, or if we cannot
do that, yet we must go over it, and traraple it under foot, were it the
thing or the person that is dearest to us in the world. Till the heart
be brought to this state and purpose, it is either wholly void of, or
very low and weak in the truth of, religion.
We place religion much in our accustomed perforraances, in
coraing to church, hearing and repeating of sermons, and praying at
horae, keeping a road of such and such duties. The way of God's
com7nandments is more in doing than in discourse. In raany, relig'ton

leg DIVINE GRACE, [Ser. XV
evaporates itself too much out by the tongue, while it appears too little
in their ways. Oh ! but this is the raain: one act of charity, meekness,
or liuinility, speaks more than a day's discourse. All the means we
use in religion, are intended for a further end, which if they attain not,
they are nothing. This end is to mortify and purify the heart, to mould
it to the way of God's commandments in the whole track of our
lives ; in our private converse one with another, and our retired secret
copverse with ourselves, to have God still before us, and His law our
rule, in all we do, that He may be our raeditation day and night, and
that His law raay be our counsellor, as this Psalra hath it ; to regulate
all our designs and the works of our callings by it ; to walk soberly,
a7id godly, and righteously, in this present world ; to curb and cross
our own wills where they cross God's ; to deny ourselves our own
humour and pride, our passions and pleasures, to have all these sub
dued and brought under by the power of the law of love within us ; —
this, and nothing below tfiis, is the end of religion. Alas ! amongst
multitudes who are called Christians, sorae there raay be who speak
and appear like it, yet how few are there who raake this their business,
and aspire to this, the way of God's command7nenis !
His intended course in this way, the Psalmist expresses by running.
It is good to be in this way even in the slowest motions. Love wiU
creep where it cannot go. But if thou art so indeed, then thou wilt
long for a swifter motion. If thou do but creep, be doing, creep on,
yet desire to be enabled to go. If thou goest, but yet halting and
lamely, desire to be strengthened to walk straight ; and if thou walkest,
let not that satisfy thee, desire to run. So here David did walk in
this way but he earnestiy wishes to mend his pace ; he would will-
iiigly run, and for that end he desires an enlarged heart.
Sorae dispute and descant too rauch whether they go or not, and child
ishly tell their steps, and would know at every pace whether they advance
or not, and how rauch they advance, and thus amuse theraselves, and
spend the tirae of doing and going, in questioning and doubting. Thus it
is with raany Christians. But it were a more wise and corafortable way,
to be endeavouring onwards, and, if thou raake little progress, at least
to be desiring to make more ; to be praying and walking, and pray
ing that thou raayest walk faster, and that in the end thou mayest run;
not to be satisfied with any thing attained, but yet, by that unsatisfied-
ness, not to be so dejected as to sit down, or stand still, but rather
excited to go on. So it was with St. Paul, Philip, iu. 13. Forgetting
the tilings which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which
are before, I press forward. If any one thinks that he hath done well
and run far, and will take a pause, the great Apostie is of another
mind : Not as if I had already attained. Oh, no ! far from that, he
still sets forward, as if nothing were done : like a runner, not still
looking back to see how much he hath run, but forward to what he is
to run, stretching forth to that, inflamed with frequent looks at the
mark and end. Some are retarded by looking on what is past, as not
satisfied : they have done nothing, as they think, and so stand still
discontented. But even in that way, it is not good to look too much
to things behind : we must forget them rather, and press onwards.
Some, if they have gone on well, and possibly run for a while, yet^

Psal. cxix. 32.] and holy obedience. 167
if they fall, then tiiey are ready, in a desperate malcontent, to lie still,
and think all is lost; and iu this peevish fretting at their falls, some
men please themselves, and take it for repentance, whereas indeed it
is not that, but rather pride and humour. Repentance is a more sub
missive, hurable thing. But this is what troubles some men at their
new falls, (especially if after n long time of even walking or running,)
they think their project is now spoiled, their thoughts are broken off:
they would have had somewiiat to have rejoiced in, if they had still
gone on to the end, but being disiippointed of that, they think they
had as good let alone, and give over. Oh ! but the humble Christian
is better taught : his falls teach hira indeed to abhor himself; they
discover his own weakness to him, and empty him of sclf-tru.st ; but
they do not dismay him to get up and go on, notbuldly and carelessly
forgetting his ftill, but in the hurable sense of it, walking the raore
warily, yet not the less swiftly ; yea, the raore swiftly too, making the
more haste to regain the time lost by the fall. So then if you would
run in this way, depend on thestrengthof God, and on His Spirit lead
ing thee, that so thou raayest not fall. And yet if thou dost fall, arise,
and, if thou art plunged in the mire, go to the Fountain opened fur
sin and uncleanness, aud wash there; bemoan thyself before thy Lord;
and if hurt and bleeding by thy fall, 3'et look to Him, desire Jesus to
pity thee, and bind up and cure thy wound, washing off thy blood,
and pouring in of his own.
However it is vvith thee, give not over, faint not, run on. And that
thou mayest run the more easily and expeditely, raake thyself as light
as raay be, lay aside every weight. Heb. x. 1, 2. Clog not thyself
with unnecessary burdens of earth, and especially lay aside that which,
of all things, weighs the heaviest, and cleaves the closest, the sin that
so easily besets us, and is so hardly put off us, that folds so connaturally
to us, and we therefore think will not hinder us rauch. And not only
the sins that are more outward, but the inner, close-cleaving sins, the
sin that most of all sits easily to us ; not only our cloak, but our in
ner coat, away with that too, as our Saviour says in another case ; and
run ihe race set before us, our appointed stage, and that with patience,
under all oppositions and discouragements frora the world without,
and frora sin within. And to encourage thee in this, look to such a
cloud of witnesses, that corapasseth us about to further us, as troubles,
temptations, and sin, do to hinder us. They encountered the like
sufferings, and were encumbered with the fike sins ; and yet, they ran
on, and got home. Alexander would have run in the Olympic games
if he had had kings to run with : now, in this race, kings, and pro
phets, and righteous persons, run ; yea, all are indeed a kingly gene
ration, each one heir to a crown as the jjrize of this race.
And if these encourage thee but little, then look beyond them, above
t,hat cloud of witnesses, to the sun, the Sun of Righteousness ; looking
off from all things here, that would either entangle thee or discourage
thee, taking thine eye off from them, and looking to Him who wilj
powerfully draw thee and animate thee. Look to Jesus, not only as
thy forerunner in this race, but also, as thy undertaker in it, ihe author
and finisher of our faith. His attaining the end of the race, is the
pledge of thy attaining, if thou follow him cheerfully on the sarae en-

168 DIVINE GRACE, [Scr. XV.
courageraents that he looked to : IFlio for the joy ihat was set before
him, endured ihe cross, and despised the shame, and is now sei down at
the right hand of God.
When thou shalt enlarge my heart.] In all beings, the heart is the
principle of raotion, and according as it is raore or less perfect in its
kind, tiiose motions which flow frora it, are more or less vigorous.
Therefore hath the Psalraist good reason, to the end his spiritual course
may be the steadfaster and the faster, to desire that the principle of it,
ihe heart, may be raore enabled and disposed, which here he ex
presses by its being enlarged.
What this enlargement of the heart is, a, raan's own inward sense
should easily explain to hira. Surely it would, did men reflect on
it, and were they acquainted with their own hearts ; but the most are
not. They would find tiie carnal natural heart, a narrow, contracted,
harapered thing, bound with cords and chains of its own twisting and
forging, and so incapable of walki7ig, much less of running, in this
way of God's commandments, tiff it be freed and enlarged.
The heart is taken generally in Scripture for the whole soul, the
Tutderstanding and the will, in its several aff'ections and motions ; and
the phrase being here of an enlarged heart, it seems very congruous to
take it in the most enlarged sense.
It is said of Soloraon, that he had a large heart, (the same word
that is here,) a.s the sand on ihe sea-shore, 1 Kings iv. 29 ; that is, a
vast comprehensive spirit, that could fathom much of nature, both its
greater and lesser things. He spake of trees, from ihe cedar in Leba-
71071, io the hyssop on the wall, and of great beasts, and small creeping
things. Thus, I conceive, the enlargcTnent of the heart corapriseth
the enlightening of the understanding. There arises a clearer fight
there, to discern spiritual things in a raore spiritual raanner; to see
the vast difi'erence betwixt the vain things tiie world goes after, and
the true, solid delight that is in the way of God's comTnandments; to
know the false blush of the pleasures of sin, and what deformity is
under that painted mask, and not be allured by it ; to have enlarged
apprehensions of God. His excellency, and greatness, and good
ness ; how worthy he is to be obeyed and served. This is the great
dignity and happiness of the soul : all other pretensions are low and
poor, in respect of this. Here then is enlargement, to see the purity
and beauty of His law, how just and reasonable, yea, how pleasant
and amiable it is ; that His coTumandmenis are not grievous ; that they
are beds of spices, the more we walk in thera, still the raore of their
fragrant smell and sweetness we find.
And then, consequentiy, upon the larger and clearer knowledge of
these things, the heart dilates itself in affection : the raore it knows
of God, still tiie raore it loves Hira, and the less it loves this present
worid. Love is the great enlarger of the heart, to all obedience.
Then nothing is hard, yea, the harder things become fhe more de
lightful. All love of other things doth pinch and contract the heart, for they
are all narrower than itself It is framed to that wideness in its first
creation, capable of enjoying God, though not of a full comprehending
oi' Him. Therefore, all other things gather it in, and straiten it

Psal. cxix. 32.] and holy obedience. 169
frora its natural size ; only the love of God stretches and dilates it. He
is large enough for it, yea, it, in its fullest enlargement, is infinitely
too narrow for Him. Do not all find it if they will ask themselves,
that in all other loves and pursuits in this world, there is still somewhat
that pinches ? The soul is not at its full size, but, as a foot in a strait
shoe, is somewhere bound and pained, and cannot go freely, rauch less
run : though another who looks on, cannot tell where, yet, each one
feels it. But when the soul is set free frora these narrow things, and
is raised to the love of God, then is it at ease and at large, and hath
roora enough; it is both elevated and dilated. And this word signifies a
high-raised soul, and is soraetimes taken for proud and lofty ; but there
is a greatness and height of spirit in the love of God and union with
Hira, that doth not vainly swell and lift it up, but with the deepest hurai-
fity, joins the highest and truest magnanimity. It sets the soul above the
snares that lie here below, in which raost raen creep and are entangled,
in that way of Ufe, which is on high to the just, as Solomon speaks.
Good reason hath David to join these together, and to desire the
one as the spring and cause of the other ; an enlarged heart, that he
might run ihe way of God's commandments.
Sensible joys and consolations in God do encourage and enlarge
the heart; but these are not so general to all, nor so constant to any.
Love is the abounding, fixed spring of ready obedience, and will make
the heart cheerful in serving God, even without those felt comforts,
when He is pleased to deny or withdraw them.
In that course or race, are understood constancy, activity, and
alacrity ; and all these flow from the enlargement of the heart,
1. Constancy. A narrow, inthrafled heart, fettered with the love of
lower things, and cleaving to sorae particular sins, or but sorae one,
and that in secret, raay keep foot a while in the way of God's cora
raandraents, in sorae steps of thera ; but it must give up quickly, is
not able to run on to the end of the goal. But a heart that hath laid
aside every weight, and the most close-cleaving and besetting sin (as
it is in that forecited place in the Epistle to the Hebrews), hath
stripped itself of all that may falter or entangle it, it runs, and runs
on, without fainting or wearying ; it is at large, hath nothing that pains
it in the race.
2. Activity, Not only holding on, but running, which is a swift,
nimble race. It stands not bargaining and disputing, but once know
ing God's mind, there is no more question or demur. I made haste
and delayed not, as in this Psalm the word is, did not stay upon why
and wherefore : he stood not to reason the matter, but ran on. And
this love, enlarging the heart, raakes it abundant in the work of the
Lord, quick and active, despatching much in a littie tirae.
3. Alacrity. All is done with cheerfulness, so, no other constraint
is needful, where' this overpowering, sweet constraint of love is. I
will run, not be hauled and drawn as by force, but skip and leap ; as
the evangelic proraise is, that the lame shall leap as a hart, and the
tongue ofthe dumb sing ; for in ihe wilderness shall waters break oui,
and streams in the desert. Isa. xxxv. 6. The Spouse desires her Be
loved to hasten as a roe and hind on ihe mountains of spices, and she
doth so, and each faithful soul runs towards hira, to meet him in his
way.

170 divine grace, and holy obedience. [Ser. XV.
It is a sad heavy thing to do any thing as in obedience to God,
whfle the heart is straitened, not enlarged towards Hira by Divine
love ; but that once taking possession and enlarging the heart, that
inward principle of obedience raakes the outward obedience sweet ; it
is then a natural raotion. Indeed the soul runs in the ways of God,
as the sun in his course, which finds no difficulty, being naturally fitted
and carried to that motion ; he goes forth as a bridegroom, and re
joiceth as a strong man to run a race.
This is the great point which our souls should be studious of, to attain
more evenness, and nimbleness, and cheerfulness. In the ways of God ;
and for this end we ought to seek above all things this enlarged heart.
It is the want of this raakes us bog, and drive heavily, and run long
upon little ground. Oh, my beloved, how shallow and narrow are our
thoughts of God ! Most even of those who are truly godly, yet, are
led on by a kind of instinct, and carried they scarcely know how, to
give sorae attendance on God's worship, and to the avoidance of gross
sin, and go on in a blaraeless course. It is better thus, than to run to
excess of riot and open wickedness, with the ungodly world. But,
alas ! this is but a dull, heavy, and languid raotion, where the heart is
not enlarged by the daily growing love of God. Few, few are ac
quainted with that delightful contemplation of God, which ventilates
and raises this flame of love. Petty things bind and contract our
spirits, so that they feel little joy in God, little ardent, active desire to
do Him service, to crucify sin, to break and undo self-love within us,
to root up our own wills to make roora for His, that His alone raay
be ours, that we raay have no will of our own, that our daily work
may be to grow more like Hira in the beauty of holiness. You think
it a hard saying, to part with your carnal lusts and delights, and the
comraon ways of the world, and to be tied to a strict, exact conversa
tion all your days. But Oh ! the reason of this is, because the heart
is yet straitened and inthrafled by the base love of these mean things,
aud that arises from the ignorance of things higher and better. One
glance of God, a touch of His love, will free and enlarge the heart, so
that it can deny all, and part with all, and raake an entire renouncing
of all, to follow Him. It sees enough in Him, and in liim alone, and
therefore, can neither quietly rest on, nor earnestly desire any thing
beside Him.
Oh ! that you would apply your hearts to consider the excellency of
this way of God's commandments ! Our wretched hearts are preju
diced ; they think it melancholy and sad. Oh ! there is no way truly
joyous but this. They shall sing in ihe ways of ihe Lord, says the
Psalmist. Psal. cxxxviu. 5. Do not men, when their eyes are opened,
see a beauty in raeekness, and teraperance, and humility, a present
deligfitfulness and quietness in them ? Whereas in pride and passion,
and intemperance, there is nothing but vexation and disquiet. And
then, consider the end of this way, and of this race in it, rest and peace
for ever. It is the way of peace, both in its own nature, and in respect
of its end. Did you believe that joy and glory which are set before
you in this way, you would not any of you defer a day longer, but
forthwith you would break from all that holds you back, and enter into
);his way, and run on cheerfully in it. The persuasion of those great

Rom. vin. 33, 34.] the chkisti.\n triumph. 171
things above, would enlarge and greaten the heart, and make the
greatest things here very little in your eyes.
But would you attain to this enlarged heart for this race, as you
ought to apply your thoughts to these Divine things, and stretch thera
on the proraises made in the world, so, above all, take David's course,
seek this enlargement of heart from God's own hand. For it is here
propounded and laid before God by way of request : See what is ray
desire, I would gladly serve Thee better, and advance more in the way
of Thy commandments ; now, this I cannot do till ray heart be raore
enlarged, and that cannot be but by Thy hand. When Thou shalt en
large my heart. Present this suit often : it is in His power to do it
for thee. He can stretch and expand thy straitened heart, can hoist
and spread the sails within thee, and then carry thee on swiftly ; filling
them, not with the vain air of raan's applause, which readily runs a
soul upon rocks and splits it, but with the sweet breathings and soft
gales of His own Spirit, which carry it straight to the desired haven.
Findest thou sin cleaving to thee aud clogging thee ? Cry to Him :
— Help, Lord ! set me free from ray narrow heart. — I strive but in
vain without Thee ; still it continues so. — I know little of Thee ; ray
affections are dead and cold towards Thee. — Lord, I desire to love
Thee, here is ray heart ; and lest it fly out, lay hold on it, and take
Thine own way with it : though it should be in a painful ^vay, yet,
draw it forth, yea, draw it that it raay run after Thee. All is His own
working, and all His motive is His own free grace. Let who wfll
fancy themselves masters of their own hearts, and think to enlarge
them by the strength of their own stretches of speculation ; they
alone, they alone are in the sure and happy way of attaining it, who
humbly sue and wait for this enlargement of heart from His hand
who made it.

SERMON XVI.
Romans viu. 33, 34.

¦Who shall lay any thing to fhe 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 i^ain, who
is even at the right hand of God, who also malieth intercession for us.
Other men may fancy and boast as they please, but there are none in
the world but the godly alone, that are furnished with sufficiently
strong supports and comforts against all possible hazards. And of
these doth the Apostle treat most freely, sweetly, and plentifully, in
this chapter. He secures believers in their Christ, touching these two
great evils, after condemnation, and present affliction, that the one
cannot befall them, and the other cannot hurt them.
For their immunity from the forraer, they have the clear word of the
Gospel, and the seal of the Spirit ; and that former privilege made
sure, as the far greater, doth secure the other as the less.
They are freed from condemnation, and not only so, but entitled and
ensured to a kingdora. And what hurt then can affliction do ? Yea,
it doth good ; yea, not only it cannot rob thera of their crown, but it
carries them on towards it, is theiihighvi ay to it: If we suffer with

17^ the christian triumph. [Ser. XVL
Him, we shall also be glorifled together. Yea, all things to the children
of God do prove advantageous : severally taken in their present sense,
they raay seera evfl, but taken jointiy in their after issue, their working
together is afl for good. In their siraple nature, possibly they are
poison, yet, conterapered and prepared, they shall prove raedicinal.
All these things are against me, said old Jacob, and yet he lived to see
even all these were for hira. The children of God are indeed so
happy, that the harshest things in their way change their nature, and
becorae sweet and profitable. This much is effected by their prayers,
whieh have a divine incantation in them. They breathe forth the ex
pressions of their love to God, by which they are characterized, ver. 28,
them that love God ; and that is put on their hearts, the impression of
His love to them, to which they are here led by the Apostle, as to the
spring-head of all. All their comforts and privileges flow thence, yea,
all their love and their faith, appropriating those coraforts and privi
leges. Yea, the very treasury of afl together, Jesus Christ hiraself, is
the free gift of this free love. He, as the greatest, ascertains all things
besides as unspeakably less.
These two are such mighty arguments, that no difficulty nor grief
can stand before them. The love of God, He is with us ; who then
can be against us ? All the world it raay be, but that all is nothing.
Once it was nothing: it was that God who is our God, who loves us
and is for us, who raade it soraething ; and if He will, it raay again be
nothing. And as it is at its best, it is nothing, being corapared with
another gift which he hath bestowed on us ; and having bestowed that,
surely, if there be any thing in this world can do us any good, we shall
not want it. He that spared not his own Son, hut gave Him io ihe
death for us, will he not with him give tis all things?
And to close all. He raakes these two great iramunities good to us
in Christ. He fixes there. There we are freed from all fear of con
demnation, or of being hurt by affliction. No accusation nor guilti
ness can annul the righteousness of Christ, and that is raade ours.
No distress nor suffering can cut us off frora the love of God ; and if it
cannot do that, we need not fear it: all other hazards are no hazard,
that being sure.
And in confidence of this, the Apostle gives the defiance, casts a
challenge to angels, to raen, to all the world, upon these two points.
Who shall accuse? — Who shall separate? — Accuse to God, or separate
frora Him? Whatsoever times may corae, the hardest that any can
apprehend or foretel, if these two be not sufficient furniture against
them, I know not what is.
Men are comraonly busied about other events concerning them and
theirs, what shall become of this or the other, and wfiat if this or that
fall out. But the conscience once raised to this inquiry, the soul being
awake to discern the hazard of eternal death, all other fears and ques
tions are drowned and lost in this great question. Am I condemned or
not ? Is my sin pardoned or not ?
And then, a satisfying answer received concerning this, aU is quiet ;
the soul reposes sweetly on God, and puts all its other concernments
into His hands. Let Him make rae poor and despised, let Him smite
and chastise me, He hath forgiven my sin ; all is well. That burden

Rom. viii, 33, 34.] the christian triumph. 173
taken off, the soul can go light, yea, can leap and dance under all
other burdens. Oh, bow it feels itself nimble, as a man eased of a
load that he was even fainting under ! Oh ! blessed the man whose
sin is taken off, lifted from his shoulders, (that is the word, Psal.
xxxii. I.) laid over upon Christ, who could hear the whole load, and
take it away, take it out of sight, which we could never have done ;
no, they would have sunk us for ever. That one word, utpei,John i. 29,
signifies both and answers to the two, Isa. liii. 4, He hath borne our
grief and carried our sorrows ; lifted tfiem away. Oh how sweet a
burden, instead of this, is that engagement of obedience and love to
him as our Redeemer, and which is all he lays on us ! If we follow
him, and bear his cross, he is our strength, and bears both it and us.
So then, this is the great point, the heart's ease, to be delivered from
the condemning weight of sin.
And certainly, while raen do not think thus, their hearts have very
slight irapressions of the truth of these things. I fear the raost of us
scarcely believe this condemnation to corae, at least very shallowly,
and so they cannot rauch consider the deliverance frora it provided
for us in Jesus Christ. 1 cannot see how it is possible for a heart
persuaded of these things, to be very careful about any thing beside.
You who eat and drink, and labour and trade, and bestow all your
tirae either in the pains or the pleasures of this earth, what think you
of eternity ? Is it a light thing for you to perish for ever ? After a
few days vainly spent, to fall under the wrath of God for ever? ©li,
that you would be persuaded to think on these things !
And you who have an interest in this free and blessed estate, why
are your spirits so cold, so infrequent in the thoughts of it ? Why are
you not rejoicing in the Lord, gladdening yourselves in secret when
you reraeraber this ? — Go the world as it will, ray sin is forgiven rae.
Mistake rae, accuse me whoso will, ray God hath acquitted me in His
Christ, and he loves me, and lives to intercede for rae.
Methinks I hear sorae say. Ay, they who could say that, might be
raerry indeed ; but alas ! I have no such assurance. Who can lay
any thing to the charge of God's elect ? That is true, but here is the
great point of so hard a resolution. Am I one of these ?
That the Apostle doth thus specify the owners of this consolation,
by this high and hidden character of their election, is not to render it
doubtful and dark ; for his raain aira, on the contrary, is, both to ex
tend it as far as it can go, and to make it as clear as may be to all
that have interest in it: but he designates thera by the priraitive act of
love fixing on them, so as it is now manifested to them in the subse
quent effects which flow frora their election : called, and sanctified,
and conforraed to Jesus Christ, both by his Spirit with thera, and by
the sufferings that without arise against thera in the world. They are
such as, being ihe sotis of God, are led by ihe Spirit of God, and walk
not after the flesh, hut after the Spirit.
And these things, indeed, considered as their characters, the starap
of God on thera, the impressions of their election to life, do check the
vain confidence of all carnal, ungodly professors ofthe name of Christ,
and tell thera that their pretended titie to hira is a raere delusion. Cer
tainly, whosoever lives in the love of sin, and takes the flesh for his

174 the christian triumph. [Ser. XVI.
"-uide, that accursed, bfind guide is leading him into the pit. What
gross'folly and impudence is it for any man, walking in the lust of his
own heart, to fancy and aver hiraself to be a partner of that redemp
tion whereof so great a part is, to deliver us from the power of our
iniquities, to renew our hearts, and re-unite them to God, and possess
them with His love !
The great evidence of thy election is, love. Thy love to Him, gives
certain testimony of His preceding, eternal love to thee : so are they
here designated, they thai love God. Thy choosing Hira, is the effect
and evidence of His choosing thee. Now, this is not laborious, nor
needs to be disputed. Araidst all thy frailties, feel the pulse of thine
affection, which way it beats, and ask thy heart whether thou love Him
or not ; in this thou hast the character of thy election.
Know you not, that the redeemed of Christ and he are one ? They
live one life, Christ lives in thera, and if any Tnan hath noi the Spirit
of Christ, he is none of his, as the Apostle declares in this chapter. So,
then, this we are plainly to tell you, and consider it, you that wfll
not let go your sins and lay hold on Christ, have as yet no share in
hira. But on the other side, the truth is, that when souls are once set upon
this search, they coraraonly wind the notion too high, and subtifize too
much in tfie dispute, and so entangle and perplex themselves, and
drive themselves further off frora that corafort that they are seeking
after : such measures and marks of grace, they set to theraselves for
their rule and standard ; and unless they find those without all con
troversy in themselves, they will not believe that they have an interest
in Christ and this blessed and safe estate in him.
To such I would only say. Are you in a wflling league with any
known sin ? Yea, would you willingly, if you might be saved in that
way, give up yourself to voluptuousness, and ungodliness, and not at
all desire to follow Jesus Christ in the way of holiness? Then truly,
I have not any thing as yet to say for your corafort ; only there is a
salvation provided, and the door is yet open, and your heart raay be
changed. But, on the other side, are the desires of thy soul after
Christ, a whole Christ, to be righteousness, and withal sanctification to
thee? Wouldst thou willingly give up thyself fo be ruled by hira, and
have him for thy king? Hadst thou rather choose to suffer the
greatest afiliction fur his sake, to honour hira, than to commit the least
sin to displease hira ? Doth thy heart go out after him, when thou
hearest him .spoken of? Dost thou account him thy treasure, so that
all the world sounds but as an empty shell to thee, when he is naraed?
Says thy soul within thee, Oh, that he were raine ! and, Oh, that I
were his, that I could please him, and live to him ! Then, do not
toss thy spirit, and jangle and spin out thy thoughts in fruitiess, end
less doubtings, but close with this as thy portion, and be of good com
fort ; thy sins are, or will be, forgiven thee.
I add furtiier : if thou sayest still, that thou findest none of all this,
yet, I say, there is warrant for thee to believe and lay hold on this
righteousness here held forth, to the end that thou mayest then find
those things in thee, and find corafort in tfiem. Thou art convinced
pf ungodfiness ; then believe on hira who justifies the ungodly. Thou

Rom. vui. 33, 34.] the christian triumph. 175
art conderaned ; yet Christ is dead and risen. ' Flee to him as such,
as the Lamb slain, he who Teas dead and is alive; and then say, IFIw
is he thai condemneth? It is Christ that died, or rather, that is lisen.
Who shall accuse ? It is true, they raake clamour and make a noise,
both Satan and thy conscience, but how can they fasten any accusa
tion on thee? If they dare accuse, yet they cannot condemn, when
the Judge hath acquitted thee, and declared thee free, who is greater
than all, and hath tiie absolute power of the sentence. All charges
and libels corae too late, after he hath once pronounced a soul
righteous. And who shall condemn ? It is Christ that died. If the
sentence of the law be brought forth, yet, here is the answer, it
ought not to be twice satisfied ; now, once it is satisfied in Christ, he
hath died, and that stands for the believer. Whosoever flees to him,
and lays hold on him for life. He cannot die again, nor canst thou die,
for whom he died once. Or rather is risen ; that raises the assurance
higher, and sets it firmer, for this evidences that in his death all was
paid. When he, being the surety, and seized on for the debt, and
once death's prisoner, yet, was set free, this clears the matter that
there is no more to be paid. And yet further, in sign that all is done,
he is raised to the height of honour above all principalities and
powers, is set at the right hand of the Father, and there he sits and
lives to Tnake intercession, to sue out the fulfilling of all for believers,
the bringing of thera horae, lives to see all raade g'ood that he died
and covenanted for. So, now that his righteousness is thine who be
lievest, any challenge raust meet with Christ first, and if it seize not
on him, it cannot light on thee, for thou art in him, married to him.
And the sarae triumph that he speaks, Isa. I. 8, whence these words
are borrowed, is made thine, and thou mayest now speak it in him. I
know not what can cast hira down, who hath this word to rest upon,
and to comfort hiraself in.

SERMON XVII.
Romans viii. 35, &c.

Wlio shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecu
tion, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ? &;€.
Is this he who so lately cried out, O wretched Tnan thai I am ! who
shall deliver me? who now triumphs, O happy man! Who shall sepa
rate us from the love of Christ?
Yes, it is the same. Pained, then, with the thoughts of that miser
able conjunction with a body of death, and so crying- out, who will
deliver, who wifi separate rae from that? now, now, he hath' found a
Deliverer to do that for him, to whom he is for ever united, and he
glories now in his inseparable union and unalterable love, whicli
none can divide him frora. Yea, it is through hira, tiiat presently
after that word of coraplaint he praises God ; and now, in him he
triumphs. So vast a difference is there betvi'ixt a Christian taken in
himself, and in Christ ! When he views himself in himself, then he is

176 THE christian triumph. [Ser. XVII.
nothing but a poor, raiserable, polluted, perishing wretch ; but then
he looks again, and sees hiraself in Christ, and there he is rich, and
safe, and happy ; he triuraphs, and he glories in it, above all the
painted prosperities, and against all the horrid adversitiesof the world;
he lives in his Christ, content and happy, and laughs at all enemies.
And he extends his triumph ; he makes a coraraon good of it to all
believers, speaks it in their name. Who shall separate us ? and would
fiave them partake ofthe same confidence, and speak in the same style
with hira. It is vain that raen fancy these to be expressions of reve
lations, or some singularly-privileged assurances ; then, they would
not suit their end, which is clearly and undoubtedly, the encourage
raent of all the children of God, upon grounds that are peculiar to
thera frora all the rest of the world, but coraraon to thera all, in all
ages, and all varieties of condition.
It is true, all of thera have not alike clear and firm apprehensions
of their happy and sure estate, and scarcely any of them are alike at
all times ; yet, they have all and always the same right to this estate,
and to the comfort of it, and when they stand in a right light to view
it, they do see it so, and rejoice in it.
There be indeed some kinds of assurance that are raore rare and
extraordinary, sorae iraraediate glances or coruscations of the love of
God upon the soul of a believer, a smile of His countenance ; and
this doth exceedingly refresh, yea, ravish the soul, and enables it
mightily for duties and sufferings. These He dispenses arbitrarily and
freely, where and when He will. Some weaker Christians sometimes
have thera, while stronger are strangers to thera, the Lord training
them to live raore contentedly by faith tfll the day of vision corae.
And that is the other, the less ecstatical, but the raore con.stant and
fixed kind of assurance, the proper assurance of faith : the soul, by
believing, cleaves unto God in Christ as he offers himself in the
gospel, and thence is possessed with a sweet and calra persuasion of
his love ; that being the proper work, to appropriate hira, to make
Christ, and in him, eternal life, ours. So that it is the proper result
and fruit of that its acting, especially when it acts any thing strongly,
to quiet the soul in hira. Then, being justified hy faith, we have peace
with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and frora that peace, joy,
yea, even glorying in tribulation, as there follows. And these spring
ing, not frora an extraordinary sense or view, but from the very innate
virtue of faith working kindly and according to its own nature.
Therefore raany Christians do prejudice their own corafort and
darken their spirits, by not giving freedom to faith to act according to
its nature and proper principles. They will not believe till they find
some evidence, or assurance, wfiich is quite to invert the order
of the thing, and to look for fruit without setting a root for it to grow
frora. Would you take Christ upon the absolute word of proraise, tender
ing hira to you, and rest on hira so, this would ingraft you into life
itself, for that he is, and so those fruits of the Holy Ghost would bud
and flourish in your hearts. From that very believing on hira, would
arise this persuasion, yea, even to a gloriation, and an hurable boast
ing in his love. WJio shall accuse — Who shall condemn — Who shall
separate ?

Rom. viii. 35.] the christian triumph. 177
The undivided companion and undoubted helper and preserver of
this confidence of faith, is an active love to Christ, leading to a
constant study of holiness and strife against sin, which is the grand
eneray of faith, which obstructs the very vital spirits of faith, which
makes it sickly and heavy in its actings, and causes the palsy in the
hand of faith, so that it cannot lay so fast hold. Therefore, this you
should be careful of; yea, know that of necessity it attends faith, and
as faith grows, holiness will grow, and fioliness growing wfll mutually
strengthen and establish faith. The comforts of the Holy Ghost are
holy, purifying coraforts, and the more the soul is purified and raade
holy, the raore is it cleared and enlarged to receive much of these com
forts. Blessed are the pure in heart, for ihey shall see God. Unholi
ness is as damps and filthy mists in the soul ; it darkens it all.
Hence it is evident in what way Christians may and ought to aspire
to this assurance. It is their portion, and in this way they are to
aspire to it, and shall find it ; if not iraraediately, yet, let tfiera wait
and go on in this way, they shall not miscarry.
Again, it appears that this assurance is no enemy to holy dilio-ence,
nor a friend of carnal security ; on the contrary, it is the only thino-
that doth erainently ennoble and embolden the soul for all adventures
and services. Base fears and doubtings, wherein sorae place much of
religion, (and many weak Christians seera to be in that raistake, to
think it a kind of holy, spiritual teraper to be questioning and doubt
ing,) I say these base fears can never produce any thing truly generous,
no height of obedience: they do nothing but entangle and disable the
soul for every good work. Perfect love casts oui this fear, and works
a sweet unperplexing fear, a holy weariness not to offend, which fears
nothing else. And this confidence of love is the great secret of cora
fort, and of ability to do God service. Nothing makes so strong and
healthful a constitution of soul, as pure love : it dares submit to God,
and resign itself to Him ; it dares venture itself in His hand, and trust
His word, and seeks no more than how to please Hira. A heart thus
coraposed, goes readily and cheerfully unto all services, to do, to
suffer, to live, to die, at His pleasure ; and firraly stands to this, that
7ioihing can separate it from that which is sufficient for it, which is all
its happiness, ihe love of God in Christ Jesus. Ver. 39. That is,
indeed. His love to us, but it is so as it includes inseparably the inse-
parableness of our love to Hira. For observe the things specified as
most likely, if any tfiing, to separate us: Shall tribulation, or distress,
&c. Now these especiaUy, being endured for His sake, cannot irarae
diately have any likely visage of altering His love to us, but rather
confirra us in it; but these shall not separate us, by altering our love
to Him, by driving us from Him, and carrying us into any way of
defection, or denial of His name, and so cut us off frora our union with
Hira, and interest in His love ; and that is the way wherein the weak
Christian will raost apprehend the hazard of separation. Now, the
Apostle speaks his own sense, and would raise in his brethren the
sarae confidence, as to that danger. Tfiere is no fear ; not one of
these things shall be able to carry us away. These mighty waves
shall not unsettle our faith, nor quench the flarae ofour love. We
shall be victors, and more than victors, in all. But how ? Ver. 37 :
Vol. II. N

178 THE christian triumph. [Ser. XVII
Through Hi7n ihat hath loved us. Thus His love makes sure ours.
He hath such hold of our hearts as He wfll not let go, nor suffer us to
let go our hold : aU is fast by His strength. He will not loose us, nor
shall any be able to pluck us out of His hand.
Jesus Christ is the medium of this love, the raiddle fink that keeps
all safe together betwixt God and raan, being so closely united in his
personal nature, and the persons of raen in and by him, to the Father.
So here, it is first called the love of Christ, ver. 35, and then, in the
close. The love of God in Christ ; the soul being first carried to hira as
nearest, but so carried by film into that primitive love of God that
flows in Christ, and that gave even Christ to us as before. And this
is the bottom-truth, the firm ground of the saints' perseverance,
which raen not taking aright, raust needs question the matter. Yea,
we may put it out of question upon their suppositions, for if our own
purposes and strength were all we had to rely on, alas ! how soon
were we shaken !
So the love of God in Christ is not only here mentioned as the
point of happiness, frora which we cannot be removed, but as the
principle of firmness that raakes itself sure of us, and us of it, and will
not part with us.
Now, it is no pride in a Christian, but the truest huraflity, to tri
uraph and glory in this. This is it that makes all sure ; this is the great
comfort and the victory of the saints. He that loved us and bought
us so dear, will not lightly sUp from us ; yea, upon no terras will he
let us go, unless some stronger than he is, meet with him, and by
force bereave him of us ; which we know is impossible. He and his
Father, who are one in theraselves, and in their strength, and one in
this love, are greater and stronger than all ; and he that once over-
carae for u.s, always overcomes in us.
Thus he lets temptation and tribulations assault us, and thus neither
disproves his love, nor endangers his right to us ; yea, it doth but
give proof and evidence of the invincible firmness of both. He suffers
others to lie soft, and sit warm, and pamper their flesh at leisure; but he
hath nobler business for his charapions, his worthies, and raost of all
for the stoutest of thera : he calls them forth to honourable services,
to the hardest encounters ; he sets them on, one to fight with sickness,
another with poverty, another with reproaches and persecutions, with
prisons and irons, and with death itself. And all this while, loves he
them less, or they hira ? Oh, no. He looks on and rejoices to see
thera do valiantiy ; it is the joy of his heart, no sight on earth so
sweet to him ; and it is all the while by his subduing, and in his
strengtii, that they hold out in the conflict, and obtain the conquest.
And thus they are the raore endeared to hira by these services and
these adventures of love for him, and he stfll likewise is the raore
endeared to thera. Certainly, the raore any one suffers for Christ,
the raore he loves Christ: as love doth grow and engage itself by all
it does and suffers, and burns hotter by what it encounters and over
coraes, as by fuel added to it. As to Jesus Christ, by what he suffered
for us we are the dearer to him, so he is to us by all we suffer for
his sake.
Love grows most by opposition from others whosoever, when it is

Rom. viii. 35.] the christian triumph. 179
sure of acceptance and the correspondence of mutual love in the party
loved. Above all, tiiis heavenly. Divine love is, strong as death, a
vehement flame, afiameofGod, indeed, as the word is. Cant. viii. 6,
and many waters cannot quench if ,- not all these that here foUow one
another, tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, Tiakedness, peril,
sword. Yea, in the raidst of these, 1 say, it grows: the soul cleaves
closer to Christ, the more attempts are made to reraove it frora hira,
though killed all the day long. This passage fi-om the Psalras is raost
fit, both to testify that persecution is not unusually the lot of the saints,
and to give instance of their firra adherence to God in all troubles, as
the Church there professeth. And if the saints in that dispensation
could reckon in such a raanner, rauch more ought Christians, upon a
clearer discovery of the covenant of grace and their union mth God in
Christ. The saints are as in a comraon butchery in the world ; yea,
not only as sheep for ihe slaughter, but soraetiraes as sheep for the
altar, raen thinking it a sacrifice. They thai kill you, says our Saviour,
shall think they do God service. Yet even this pulls not frora hira.
They part with life ; ay, why not ? This life is but a death, and He is
our life for whom we lose it.
All these things do but increase the victories and triumphs of love,
and raake it raore glorious : as they tell of her multiplying labours to
that champion, they are not only conquerors, but more than conquerors,
by multiplied victories, and they gain in thera all both more honour
and raore strength ; they are the fitter for new adventures, and so
raore than siraple conquerors. We overcorae, and are sure not to
lose forraer conquests, but to add more, and conquer on to the end ;
which other conquerors are not sure of. Oftentiraes they outlive their
own successes and renown, and lose on a sudden what they have been
gaining a whole lifetime. Not so here : we are secured in the Author
of our victories. It is through Him that hath loved us ; and he can
not grow less, yea, he shall still grow greater, till all his enemies be
made his footstool.
Having given the challenge and finding none to answer, and that
all, the most apparent, are in a most rhetorical accumulation silenced,
tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, &c.,
he goes on confidently in the triumph, and avers his assurance of full
and final victory against all iraaginable power of all the creatures :
Neither death nor Ufe, not the fear of the raost terrible death, nor the
hope or love of the raost desirable life. And in the height of this courage
and confidence, he supposes impossible enemies. Nor angels, nor princi
palities, nor powers ; — unless you take it of the angels of darkness
only ; but if it could be possible that the others should offer at such a
thing, they would be too weak for it. No sense of any present things,
nor apprehensions of things io come; not any thing within the vast
circle of the world above or below ; nor any creature, can do it.
Here sin is not specified, because he is speaking of outward opposi
tions and difficulties expressly, and because that is removed by the for
mer challenge. Who shall accuse? that asserting a free and final acquit
tance of all sin, a pardon of the curse, which yet -will never encourage
any of those to sin who live in the assurance of this love. Oh, no ;
and these general words do include it too, Nothing present, nor to come,
N 2

180 the goodness of god, [Ser. XVIII.
&c. So it is carried clear, and is the satisfying corafort of all whom
Jesus Christ hath drawn after hira, and united in his love.
It is enough ; whatsoever they may be separated frora, the things
or persons dearest in this world, it is no matter ; the jewel is safe.
None can take my Christ frora me, and I am safe in him, as his pur
chase. None can take me frora him, and being stfll in his love, and
through him in the Father's love, that is sufficient. What can I fear ?
What can I want? AU other hazards signify nothing. How little
value are they of I And for how littie a while ara I in danger of them !
Methinks, all should look on a believer with an emulous eye, and wish
his estate more than a king's.
Alas, poor creatures ! rich men, great men, princes and kings, what
vain things are they that you embrace and cleave to ! Whatsoever
tfiey be, soon must you part. Can you say of any of them. Who shall
separate tis ? Storras may arise and scatter ships that safl smoothly
together in fair weather. Thou mayest be removed, by public com
motions and calamities, from thy sweet dwellings, and societies, and
estates. You may even live to see and seek your parting. At last
you must part, for you must die. Then, farewell parks and palaces,
gardens and honours, and even crowns theraselves. Then, dearest
friends, children and wife must be parted with. Linquenda tellus, et
domus, et placens uxor. And what hast thou left, poor soul, who hast
not Christ, but that which thou wouldst gladly part with and canst
not, the condemning guilt of all thy sins ?
But the soul that is in Christ, when other things are pulled away,
feels littie or nothing : he cleaves to Christ, and these separations pain
him not. Yea, when that great separatist, death, comes, that breaks
all other unions, even that of the soul and body, yet, so far is it from
separating the befiever's soul from its beloved Lord Jesus, that, on
the contrary, it carries it into the nearest union with him, and the
fuUest enjoyment of him for ever.

SERMON XVIII.
Isaiah lix. 1, 2.

Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, neither His ear heavy,
that it cannot hear.
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid
His face from you, that He will not hear.
Our vain minds are naturally fruitful in nothing more than in mistakes
of God. For the most part we think not on Him, and when we do
it we fancy Him according to our own affections, which are wholly
perverse and crooked.
Men commonly judge it a vain thing to spend much pains and tirae
in worshipping Hira ; and if they are convinced of this, and tied to it
by the profession of His narae, then they think all refigion is a shell
of external diligences and observances, and count it strange if this be
not accepted. In the former chapter we find this, in the Prophet's

«

Isa. lix. 1, 2.] AND the wickedness of man. 181
contest with the people about their fasting, and their opinion of it; he
cuts up their sacrifices, and lets thera see what was within ; the skin
was sound and looked well, but being opened, the entrails were found
rotten. And here he enters into another contest, against the latent
atheism of their hearts, who after their manner of seeking God, not
finding Him, and not being delivered, are ready to think that He either
cannot, or will not help, and rather rest on that gross mistake, than
inquire into themselves for the true cause of their continuing calami
ties : they incline rather to think it is some indisposition in God to
help, than what it truly is, a want of reforraation in themselves that
hinders it. It is not fikely that they would say thus, or speak it out
in plain terms ; no, nor possibly speak it formally and distinctly within,
not so much as in their thoughts ; and yet, they might have a con
fused, dark conceit of this. And much of the atheism of raan's heart
is of this fashion : not formed into resolved propositions, but latent*.
in confused notions of it, scarcely discernible by himself; at least, not
searched out and discerned in his own breast : there they are, and he
sees them not, not written assertions, but flying fumes, filling the soul,
and hindering it to read the characters of God that are writ upon the
conscience. The impenitency of men, in any condition, and particularly under
distress, is frora the want of clear apprehensions and deep persuasions
of God, of His just anger provoked by their sin, and of His sweetness
and readiness to forgive and erabrace a returning sinner ; of His
sovereign power, able to rid thera out ofthe greatest trouble. His ear,
quick enough to hear the cries, yea, the least whispering of a hurabled
heart in the lowest deep of his sorrow, and His arra, long enough to
reach thera, and strong enough to draw them forth. He thai comes
unto God, must believe that he is, says the Apostle, Heb. xi. 6. So,
certainly, he who believes that, raust come ; it will sweetly constrain
hira : he cannot but come, who is so persuaded. Were men's hearts
much impressed with that belief in all their troubles, they would eye
men less, and God more, and without delay they would fasten upon
the Church's resolution, Hos. vi. 1 : Come 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. And this is the very thing that the Prophet
would here persuade to by his present doctrine ; and having impleaded
them guilty, he sets them a copy of humble confession, ver. 12, &c.
Hence the frequent coraplaints in the Psalras, Why hidest Thou Thy
self? So Psalm XXU. 2 : I cry, hut Thou hearest noi.
In the words of these two verses, these two things appear ; a sad
condition, and ihe true cause of it.
The condition, I think, I have reason to call sad : it is God hiding
His face that He will not hear. This may be either the personal estate
of His children, or the public estate of His Church. From a soul. He
hides His face, not so much in the withdrawing of sensible comforts
and sweet tastes of joy, which to many are scarcely known, and to such
as do know them, commonly do not continue very long, but it is a
suspension of that lively influence of His Divine power, for raising the
ipind in the contemplation of Hira and communion with Him in prayer
? Ezek. viii, 7, BehinJ, the wall.

182 the goodness of god, [Ser. XVIII.
and meditation, which yet may be, where those relishes and senses of
joy are not. And the returns of it appear in beating down the power
of sin, or abating and subduing it, raaking the heart raore pure and
heavenly, making it more to five by faith in Christ, to be often at the
throne of grace, and to receive gracious answers, supplies of wants,
and assistances against temptations. Now, wfien tfiere is a cessation
and obstruction of these and such fike workings, the face of God is hid;
the soul is at a loss, seeks stfll and cannot find Hira whora it loveth.
And in this condition it cannot take comfort in other things ; they are
too low. It is a higher and nobler desire than to be satisfied, or di
verted, with the childish things that even men defight in who know
not God. It is a love- sickness, which nothing can cure but the pre
sence and love of the party loved. Yea, nothing can so much as allay
the pain, and give an interval of ease, or recover a fainting fit, but
some good word or look, or at least sorae kind message, from Hira.
Set thee in a palace, and all delights about thee, and a crown on thy
head, yet, if His love has ceased on thy heart, these are all nothing
without Him. It was after David was advanced to his kingdom, and
is in the Psalm ofthe dedication of his royal house, that he said, Thou
did.si hide Thy face, and I was troubled. Psal. xxx. 7. q. d. All is
dark ; all the shining marble, and the gold, and the azure, lose their
lustre, when Thou art not here dwelling with me.
And thus for the Church ; God is the proper light, the beauty, the
life of it. Deck it with all this worid's splendour, with all the dresses
of pompous worship, these are not its genuine beauty ; and they pro
voke Him who is its ornament, (as is Jer. ii. 32,) to depart. But give
it the native purity and beauty of holy rainisters and ordinances well
regulated, yet, even that is but a dead coraeliness, proportion and
feature without life, when God is absent.
And as for the matter of deliverances and working for her, which is
here the thing in hand, none can do any thing in that, not the wisest,
nor the best of men, with all their corabined wit and strength, when
He retires and coraes not forth, doth not show Hiraself on the behalf
of His people, and work their works for thera. These have, it may be,
some kind of prayer possibly ; they offer at extraordinaries, and yet
obtain nothing, are not heard. The saddest note in all the Song of
Laraentations, is that at chapter in., ver. 43, 44. Thou hast covered
with anger, and persecuted us ; Thou hast slain. Thou hast not pitied.
Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, ihat our prayer should not
pass through. Still, whfle that door stands open, there is hope and
remedy for other evfls ; but that being shut, what can a people, or a
soul expect, but growing troubles, one sorrow upon the back of another?
Yea, that is the great trouble, the hiding of His face, and His refusing
to hear. Observe Job xxxiv. 29 : When He giveth peace, who then
can Tnake irouble ? Now the other in the sarae terms, would have
been. When He makes irouble, who can give peace? But instead of
this, it is. When He hides His face, who then can behold Him ? No
peace but in beholding Him, and nothing but trouble, ihat is the grand
trouble, when He hides His face. And it is expressed in both cases,
whether it be personal or national, whether against a Tiation or a man
only.

Isa. lix. 1, 2.] AND the wickedness op man. 183
This is the thing wherein the strength of other troubles lie, that
which gives thera weight, when they irapart and signify thus much,
that the face of God is hid frora a soul or a people.
We ought to inquire if this be not our condition at this tirae. Hath
He not hid His face from us? Arc we not left in the dark, that we
know not which way to turn us? Either we raust sit still and do nothing,
or, if we stir, we do but rush one upon another, aiii4Jn darkness, con
testing each to have the way, and yet, when we have it given us, we
know not well which way to go. And we think to be cleared, but it
fails us : as in this chapter, ver. 9 : We wait for light, hut behold ob
scurity, for brightness, but we walk in darkness: we grope for the wall like
ihe blind, and stumble at noon-day as in the night. Our counsels are
strangely darkened, and there is no right understanding one of another.
By ail our debates, littie or no clearing of things is attained, but our
passions are raore inflaraed, and parties are further off; the light of
sound judgraent gone, and with it the heat of love, instead of which,
that raiserable infernal heat, heat without light, mutual hatreds and
revilings ; both sides (verbally at least) agreeing in tfie general terms
both of their desires and designs, and yet, falling out about modes and
fashions of them. And to say no raore of parties, the eneraies of re
figion on both hands, right and left, are in action and in power, and
only those who love that which we conceive is the way of truth, stand
ing as a naked prey to whether of the two shall prevail. Desires and
prayers we have presented, and see as yet no appearance of an issue,
but further confusions, even fasting to strife and debate. And where
are there any that look like persons to stand in the gap, lifting up holy
hands, w'llhout wrath or doubting? Hearts are stfll as unhurabled,
and live as unreforraed as ever ! New intestine troubles are most
likely to arise, few or none laying it to heart, and with calm, lowly
spirits mourning before God for it. Ephraim against Manasseh, and
Manasseh against Ephraim, and they hoth against Judah ; andfor all
this. His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.
Isa. ix. 21.
But generally, men ought to be less in descanting one on another,
and more in searching and inquiring each into himself. Even where
it may seem zeal, yet, nature and passion raay raore easily let in the
other ; but this self-search and self-censure is an uneasy task, the raost
unpleasant of all things to our carnal self-loving hearts. But the heavy
hand of God shall never turn frora us, nor His gracious face tum to
wards us, till there is raore of this araongst us. Most say their prayers,
and as they are fittie worth, they look fittie after thera, inquire not
what becoraes of thera. But, my brethren, would we continue to call,
and find favourable answers, we raust be raore within. The heart
must be made a temple to God, wherein sacrifices do ascend ; but that
they may be accepted, it raust be purged of idols, nothing left in any
corner though never so secret, to stir the jealousy of our God, who
sees through all. Oh, happy that heart that is, as Jacob's house,
purged, in which no raore idols are to be found, but the Holy God
dwelling there alone as in His holy teraple !
Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened.] Much of all knowledge
lies in the knowledge of causes ; and in practical things, rauch of the

184 the goodness of god, [Ser, XVIII.
right ordering of them, depends on it. The true cause of a disease
found out, is half the cure. Here we have the miseries of an afflicted
people reduced to their real cause : that which is not the cause, is first
removed. Behold, the Lord's hand is Tiot shortened, that ii caTinot
save ; but your iTiiquiiies have separated between you and your God.
We are not only to be untaught this error, that we think not so, but
are to be taught tobelieve and think on that truth, that God is still the
sarae in power arW goodness, to keep up the notion of it in our hearts.
So we raay call in past experiences and relations of God's forraer work
ings for flis people, and that wifh rauch use and corafort. He who
brought forth His people out of Egypt with an outstretched arm, (as
still they are rerainded of that deliverance by the prophets, and called
to look on it as the great instance and pledge of their restoration by
the same Hand,) can again deliver His people when at the lowest.
Isa. 1. 2.
And with this belief we shafi not faint in the tirae of deep distress,
whether our own, or the Church's, knowing the unalterable, invincible,
infinite power of our God ; that all the strength of all enemies is
nothing, and less than nothing, to His : their devices, knots of straw.
What is it that is to be done for His Church, if her and His glory be
interested in it ? There reraains no question in point of difficulty ;
that hath no place with Hira. The raore difficult, yea, if impossible
for us or any huraan strength, the more fit work for Hira. Because it
is hard for you, shall ii also he hard for Me ? saith the Lord in the
prophet. And where Jereray uses that arguraent in prayer, he hath
his answer returned in the sarae words, as the echo to the prayer, re
sounding from Heaven, (ch. xxxii., ver. 17, compared with ver. 27,)
and that in relation to the great restoration of the Jews from Babylon,
as is expressly promised, ver. 36, &c. And there the Prophet gives
that first great exaraple of Divine power, the forraing ofthe world,
ver. 17 : Behold, Thou hast Tnade the heaven and the earth by Thy
great power.
Men think it is an easy, coraraon belief, and that none doubt of the
oranipotency of God. But Oh, the undaunted confidence it would
give to the heart, being indeed firraly believed, and wisely used and
applied to particular exigencies ! Men either doubt, or (which, upon
the raatter, for the use of it, is all one) they forget who the Lord is,
when their hearts raisgive thera because ofthe Church's weakness, and
the eneray's power. What is that upon the raatter ? Reraeraber
whose is the Shurch, God's, and what His power is, and then see if
thou canst find any cause of fear. See Isa. xii. 14. Fear not, thou
worm Jacob, and ye men — few or weak Tnen — (so the word is,) of
Israel : I will help thee, saith ihe Lord, and thy Redeemer, ihe Holy
One of Israel. So, Isa. fi. 12, 13. /, even I, am he thai comforteth
you. There is the strength of it. Who art thou, ihat thou shouldest
be afraid of a Tnan that shall die, and ofthe son ofTnaTi, which shall
be made as grass ; and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, that hath
.stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth ? Do
but think aright on Hira, and then see if it be possible for thee to fear.
All thy little doubts and despondencies of raind will fly and vanish
away before one clear thought of thy God. Though the world were
turning upside down, it shall go well with them who fear Him,

Isa. lix. 1, 2.] AND the wickedness of man. 185
And as this apprehension of God strengthens faith, so it quickens
prayer. It stirs thee up to seek to Hira for help, when thou knowest
and reraeinberest that there it is. There is help in Hira, power enough,
and no want of readiness and good will neither. If we apply ourselves
to seek Him aright. His hand is as strong to save, and His ear as
quick to hear, as ever. And in this, that His ear is not heavy, is sig
nified both His speedy and certain knowiedge of all requests sent up
to Him, and His gracious inclination to receive thera. Now, these
persuasions do undoubtedly draw up the heart towards Hira.
Again, as they strengthen faith, and quicken prayer, so, they teach
us repentance, direct us inward to self-exaraination, to the searching,
and finding out, and purging out of sin, wfien deliverance is delayed ;
for we are sure it stops not upon either of these on God's part, either
the shortness of His hand, or the dulness of His ear. Whence is it
then ? Certainly, it raust be soraewhat on our side, that works against
us, and prejudices our desires. So here, thus you see the clear aim
of it : Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, Tior
His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. What is it then that hinders ?
Oh ! it is this, out of all doubt, — Your iniquities separate, old sins
unrepented of, and new sins still added, as all impenitent sinners do.
Now this separates between you and God, for He is a holy God, a
just God: who hates iniquity. And between you and your God:
that pleads no connivance at your sins, but rather calls for nearer in
spection and sharper punishraent. He will be sanctified in those ihat
are near Him, in them especially. Their sin is aggravated rauch by
that relation, your God. To sin against Hira so grossly, so conti-
nuedly, with so high a hand, and so irapenitent hearts ; not reclaimed
by all His mercies, by the remerabrance of His covenant raade with
you, and raercies bestowed on you, nor by the fear of His judgraents
threatened, nor by the feeling of them inflicted ; no returning or re
lenting, not of His own people to their God — surely, you raust be yet
more punished. Amos iii. 2 : You only have I known of all the fami
lies of ihe earth ; therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities.
q. d. I let others escape with many things that I cannot pass over
in you. You fast and pray, it may be, you howl and keep a noise, but
you amend nothing, forsake not one sin for all your sufferings, and for
all your meanings and cries. You would be delivered, but do not
part with one of your lusts or wicked customs, even for a deUverance ;
and so the quarrel reraains still. It is that which separates, is as a
huge wall betwixt us, betwixt Me and your prayers, and betwixt you
and My helping hand ; and though I do hear, and could help, yet, I
wfll not : till this wall be down, you shall not see Me, nor fintl by any
gracious sign that 1 hear you. — This hides His face, that He will not
hear. This way God hath established in His ordinary raethods witii His
people : though soraetiraes He uses his own privflege, yet, usually He
links sin and calamity together, and repentance and deliverance together.
Sin separates and hides His face, not only frora a people that pro
fesses His name, but even from a soul that really bears His narae
stamped upon it. Though it cannot fully, and for ever, cut off such a
soul, yet, in part, and for a time, it may, yea, to be sure, it will separate.

Ig5 THE goodness OF GOD, [Scr. XVIII.
and hide the face of God from them. Their dafly inevitable frailties
do not this : but either a course of careless walking, and raany little
unlawfiil fiberties taken to theraselves, that wfll rise and gather as a
cloud, and hide the face of God ; or sorae one gross sin, especially if
often reiterated, will prove as a firra stone-wall, or rather as a brazen-
wall, built up by their own hands betwixt them and Heaven, and will
not be so easily dissolved or broken down ; and yet, till that be, the
light of His countenance, who is the life of the soul, will be eclipsed
and withheld from it.
And this considered, besides that law of love that will forbid so foul
ingratitude, yet, I say, this considered, even our own interest will
make us wary of sinning. Though we were sure not to be yet alto
gether separated frora the love of God by it, yet, thou who hast any
persuasion of that love, darest thou venture upon any known sin ?
Thou art not hazardless and free from all damage by it, if thou hast
need of that arguraent to restrain thee. Then, before thou run upon
it, sit down and reckon the expense ; see what it will cost thee if thou
do coramit it. Thou knowest that once it cost the heart-blood of thy
Redeemer to expiate it, and is that a light matter to thee ? And though
that paid all that score, nothing thou canst suffer being able to do any
thing that way, yet, as an unavoidable present fruit of it, it will draw
on this damage ; thou shalt be sure for a time, it may be for a long
time, possibly raost of thy tirae, nearly all thy days, it may darken
much that love of God to thee, which if thou dost but esteem, think
on it. It changes not in Hira, but a sad change will sin bring on thee,
as to thy sight and apprehension of it. Many a sweet hour of blessed
coraraunion with thy God shalt thou miss, and either be dead and
.stupid in that want, or raourn after Hira, and yet find, though sighs
and tears continue, the door shut, yea, a dead wall raised betwixt thee
and Hira, and at best rauch straitening and pains to take it down
again ; contrary to other walls and braidings, which are far more
easily puUed down than built up, but this is a great deal easier buflt
up than pulled down. True, thy God could cast it down with a word,
and it is His free grace that must do it, otherwise thou couldest never
reraove it : yet will He have thee feel thy own handy-work, and know
thy folly. 'Thou must be at pains to dig at it, and may be it wfll cost
thee broken bones in taking it down, pieces of it faUing heavy and sad
upon thy conscience, and crushing thee ; as David cried out at that
work, for a healing word from God, Make me io hear joy and glad
ness, ihat the hones which Thou hast broken Tnay rejoice, Psal. 11. 8.
It will force thee to say, O fool that I was, what meant I ! Oh ! it is
good, keeping near God, and raising no divisions. What are sins?
False delights, by which a man but provides his own vexation. Now,
this distance frora God, and all this turraoiling, and breaking, and
crying before He appears again, consider if any pleasure of sin can
countervafl this daraage. Surely, when thou art not out of thy wits,
thou wilt never raake such a bargain for all the pleasure thou can.st
make out of any sin, to breed thyself all this pains, and all this grief,
at once to displease thy God, and displease thyself, and raake a parti
tion between Hira and thee. Oh, sweet and safe ways of holiness,
walking with God in His corapany and favour ! He that orders his

Lsa. lix. 1, 2.] AND THE wickedness of man. 187
conversation aright, he sees the loving-kindness of ihe Lord : it is shown
to hira ; he lives in the sight of it. Psal. 1. 23.
But if any such separation is raade, yet, is it thy great desire to have
it removed ? Why then there is hope. See to ft, labour to break it
down, and pray to Him to help thee, and He will put forth His hand,
and then it must fall. And in all thy sense of separation, look to him
who brake down ihe middle wall of partition, Eph. ii. 14. There it is
spoken of as betwixt men, Jews and Gentiles, but so as it was also
between the Gentiles and God, who were separated from His people,
and from Himself. See ver. 16 : That he might reconcile both to God
in one body; and ver. 18: Through him we have access by one Spirit
io the Father. And then he adds, that they were no more strangers
and foreigners, dwelling on the other side ofthe wall, Trapoiicoi, as the
word is, hut fellow-citizens with the saints, andof the household of God.
Oh, that we knew more what it were to live in this sweet society,
in undivided fellowship with God ! Alas ! how little is understood this
living in Him, separated from sin and this world, which otherwise do
separate from Hira ; solacing our hearts in His love, and despising the
base muddy delights that the world adraires ; hoping for that New
Jerusalem, where none of these walls of sin are, nor any one stone of
thera, and for that bright day wherein there is no cloud nor mist to
hide our Sun frora us.
Now-, for the condition of the Church, know sin to be the o-reat
obstructor of its peace, making Him to withdraw His hand, and hide
His face, and to turn away His ear from our prayers, and loath our
fasts: as Isa. i. 15, and Jer. xiv. 12. The quarrel stands; sin not
repented of and reraoved. The wall is stfll standing; oaths, and
sabbath-breaking, and pride, and oppression, and heart-burnings still
reraaining. Oh, what a noise of religion and reforraation ! All sides
are for the narae of it, and how little of the thing ! The Gospel itself
is despised, grown stale, as trivial doctrine. Oh, ray beloved, if I
could speak many hours without intermission, all my cry would be.
Repent and pray. Let us search and try our ways, and turn unto the
Lord our God, Oh, what walls of every one's sin are set to it ! Dig
diligently to bring down thine own ; and for those huge walls of public
national guiltinesses, if thou canst do nothing to them raore, corapass
tfiem about as Jericho, and look up to Heaven for their downfall.
Cry, Lord, these we ourselves have reared, but without Thee who can
bring them down ? Lord, throw thera down for us. A touch of Thy
hand, a word of Thy raouth, will raake thera fall. — Were we less
busied in irapertinencies, and more in this raost needful work, it raight
do sorae good. Who knows but the Lord might make His own way
clear, and retum and visit us, and make His face to shine, that we
might be saved !

188 TIME TO .\-wake. [Ser. XIX.
SERMON XIX.
Romans xiii. 11, 12, 13, 14.
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awalie out of sleep ; for now is
our salvation nearer than when we believed.
The night is far spent, the d.ay is at hand ; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness,
and let us put on the armour of light.
Let us wallt honestly as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering
and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the
lusts thereof.
The highest beauty of the soul, the very iraage of God upon it, is
holiness. He that is aspiring to it hiraself, is upon a raost excellent
design ; and if he can do any thing to excite and call up others to it,
he performs a work of the greatest charity.
This, St. Paul doth frequentiy and pressingly in his writings. This
epistle, as it doth admirably clear the doctrine of justification, it doth
not less earnestiy urge the doctrine of sanctiflcation. That one sen
tence about the middle thereof, does excellently unite them, and so is
the sumraary of all that goes before, and all that follows : Ch. viii.
ver. 1 : There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in
Christ Jesus, who walk noi after ihe flesh, hut after ihe Spirit.
The present words are as an alarra, or raorning watch-bell, of sin
gular use, not only awaking a Christian to his day's work, but withal
reminding hira what it is. And these two shall be all our division of
thera. 1. Our awaking sounded. 2. Our walking directed. The
forraer, ver. 11, 12, tells us, it is time to rise, and calls us up to put
on our clothes, and, being soldiers, our arms. The latter, ver. 13,
directeth our behaviour and employment throughout the day. The last
verse doth shortiy, and that fiiUy and clearly, fold up both together.
We shall take the words just as they lie.
And ihat, knowing the time. This imports rauch in all actions, and
here it is the Apostle's great arguraent. Now it is unfit to sleep,
knowing the time : however it raight have been before, now it is very
unseasonable and unsuitable, that you lie snoring as at midnight. Do
you know what o'clock it is (y wpa) ? It is time to rise ; it is raorn
ing, the day begins to appear.
[Observation.] All the days of sinful nature are dark night, in
which there is no right discerning of spiritual things. Some light
there is of reason, to direct natural and civil actions, but no daylight.
Till the sun arise it is night stiU, for all the stars, and the raoon to help
thera. Notwithstanding natural speculations, that are raore reraote,
and all prudence and policy for affairs, that corae somewhat nearer to
action, yet we are stiU in the night. And you do think that a sad life,
but the truth is, we sleep on in it, and our heads are still full of new
dreams which keep us sleeping. We are constantiy drunk with cares
or desires of sense, and so our sleep continues. Sometimes it is called
death — dead in sins, &c. Now sleep is brother to death ; and so, by
it not unfitly is the same state resembled. No spiritual life we have
at all, and therefore in that sense are truly dead. But because

Rom. xiii. 11 — 14.] time to awake. 189
there is in us a natural life, and in that, a capacity of spiritual life,
therefore we are said to be asleep. As in a deep sleep, our soul is
bound up and drow ned in fiesh, through a surcharge of the vapours of
gross, sensible things that we glut ourselves withal ; and the condition
of our wisest thoughts, in relation to our highest good, are notiiing but
dreams and reveries. Your projectings, and bars-ainings, and build
ings, these be a better sort of dreams ; but your envyings, and mutual
despisings and discontents, your detracting and evil-speaking, these
are more impertinent, and to yourselves raore perplexing. And your
sweetest enjoyraents in this life, which you think most real, are but
shadows of delight, a raore pleasant sort of drearas. All pomps and
royal solemnities, the Scripture calls (pav-ainas, phantasies. Acts xxv.
23. A man wfll not readfly think so while he is in them. Somnium
narrare vigilantis est. We do not perceive the vanity of our dreams,
and know that they are so, till we be awaked. Soraetiraes in a dream
a man will have such a thought that it is but a dream, yet doth he not
thoroughly see the folly thereof, but goes on in it. The natural man
may have sometimes a glance of such thoughts, that all these things he
is either turraoiling or delighting in, are vanity and nothing to the pur
pose ; yet, he awakes not, but raves on still in thera ; he shifts a little,
turns on his bed as a door on its hinges, but turns not off, does not rise.
But the spiritual-minded Christian, who is indeed awake, and looks
back on his former thoughts and ways. Oh how does he disdain him
.self, and all his forraer high fancies that he was raost pleased with,
finding them drearas ! Oh what a fool, what a wretch was I, while
my head was full of such stuff, budding castles in the air, imagining
and catching at such gains, and such preferraents and pleasures, and
either they stfll running before me, and I could not overtake them, or,
if I thought I did, what have I now, when I see what it is, and find
that I have erabraced a shadow, false hopes, and fears, and joys ! He
thinks he hath eaten, and his soul is empty. Isa. xxix. 8. And you that
-will sleep on, may ; but sure I am, when you corae to your deathbed,
if possibly you awake then, then shall you look back, with sad regTet,
upon whatsoever you raost esteeraed and gloried in under the sun.
Whfle they are coming towards you, they have some show ; but, as a
dream that is past, when these gay things are flown by, then we see
how vain they are. As that luxurious king who caused to be painted
on his tomb two fingers, as sounding one upon another, with that
word. All is not worth so much, Non tanti est, I know not how men
make a shift to satisfy theraselves ; but, take a sober and awakened
Christian, and set him in the midst of the best of all things that are
here, his heart would burst with despair of satisfaction, were it not for
a hope that he hath, beyond all that this poor world either attains or
is seeking after, and that hope is, indeed, the dawning of the day that
is here spoken of.
It is time io awake, says he ; your salvation is nearer than when ye
believed. That bright day you look for, is hastening forward; it is
nearer than when you began to believe. The night is far spent, the
gross darkness is already past, sorae daylight there is, and it is every
moment growing, and the perfect, fiill morning-light of it is very near.
lObservation,] Grace, and the Gospel that works it, compared with

190 TIME TO AWAKE. [Scr. XIX.
the dark night of nature, is the day, and it is often so called: the
Apostie here calls it so. Let us walk honestly as in ihe day. But yet,
that sarae light of the Gospel shining to us in the word, and within
us by the Spirit, is but the appearance or approacfiing of the day,
a certain pledge of it, yea, a kind of beginning of it, telling us that
it is near. It is one and the same light, and where it enters into
any soul, it makes sure that eternal full day to it, that it shall not be
disappointed of, more than the day can go back, and the sun fail to
rise when the dawn is begun. And this begun light is still growing-
clearer, and tending to the perfect day. Prov. iv. 18. And at the first
peep or appearance of it, so mucfi it is, that the soul is called to awake
and arise, and put on day*clothes, and apply itself to the actions of the
day ; and that is the thing the Apostle here presses by it.
Oh, the blessed Gospel, revealing God in Christ, and calling up
sinners to coraraunion with Him, dispelling that black night of ignor
ance and accursed darkness that otherwise had never ended, but passed
on to an endless night of eternal misery! Says not Zacharias with
good reason in his song, that it was through ihe tender mercy of God
ihat ihis dayspring from on high did visit us?
Now, says the Apostle, this day appearing, ii is time io awake.
And the longer it is since it began to appear, and the clearer the light
grows, the more high tirae is it to awake and rise, and cast off night-
clothes and night- works, works of darkness, and to put on garments,
yea, armour of light. He that is a soldier, his garments are not on
till his arras be on and his sword about hira ; then he is ready : espe
cially in a time and posture of war, and the enemy lying nigh, even
round about hira ; and this is every Christian's state while he is here.
An armour of light, not only strong and useful, but coraely and grace
ful, fit to walk abroad in, bright shining armour ; as your old poets
describe their charapions, dazzling their eneraies' eyes.
And thus apparelled, we are to behave ourselves suitably, to walk
honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness. That is a
night-work, as the Apostle hath it, 1 Thess. v. 7. To stagger and reel
in the streets in daylight, to be drunk in the morning, is most shame
ful : so is that spirit of drunkenness as unbeseeming a Christian ; to
see thera hurrying and justling one another, as drunk with love of
earthly things, and their spirits by that besotted and unfitted for spi
ritual things, that they find no pleasure in thera.
Chambering and waTiionness. All impure, lascivious conversation,
how vile are these, and unfit for the ligfit ! Even Nature is asfiamed
to be seen in these things, in the natural light of the day ; much more
wfll Grace in the spiritual light of the Gospel.
Strife and envy. As shuffles and hot quarrels are most of afl
unseemly in the streets in daylight, so, the c[uarrels and jarrings of
Christians are very sharaeful before the light wherein they walk. The
Gospel of Christ, the grand doctrine thereof, is meekness and love.
Eut Oh, where are they, those graces that so abound in the doctrine
of Christianity, and yet are so scarce in the fives of Christians ? Where
are they who look gladly on the good of others, and bear evfls and
injuries from their neighbours patiently, and repay evil with good ?
Thus it ought to be; but, on the contrary, how ready are the most to

Rom. xiii. 11 — 14.] time to awake. 191
part on the least occasions, to bite and snari at each other ! There is
more still of the spirit of the dragon, than ofthe dove. My brethren,
remember and consider, that tiie Gospel-light shines amongst us, and
that raore cleariy than in forraer times, and raore clcariy than to most
people in the worid in these times ; and do not outface and affront the
blessed fight vvith the accursed works of darkness. You might have
been profane in forraer tiraes, or in some other place, at a cheaper rate.
Know, that if this glorious light do not break off your course of sin,
it will increase your load of judgraent. The heaviest of all condem
nations, is to live in darkness, and to live and die in it, in tiie midst
of light. Amongst afl your desperate accursed wishes, this shall be
one, and a chief one, that either the Son of God had never come into
the world, or that you had never heard of hira.
Much of what we aim at, were gained, if Christians could be
brought to consider who they are, and to walk like themselves : it
would raise them above the base pleasures of sin, and the snares of
the world. The way of life is on high io the just : there is a holy
loftiness, a disdain of all impure sordid ways. It is said of Jeho-
shaphat, that his heart was lift up in ihe ways of ihe Lord. 2 Chron.
xvii. 6. As a vain, self-conceited lifting up of the heart is the great
eneray of our welfare ; (as it is written of another, even of a good
king, Hezekiah, ihat his heart was lift up, therefore was wrath tipon
him;) so there is a happy exaltation of the heart, when it is raised in
God, to despise all coraraunion with the unholy, and the unholy ways
of the world. This, ray brethren, is that which I would were wrought
in you by the consideration of our holy calling. We are called to
holiness, and Tiot io uncleanness. — Ye are ihe children of Ihe light and
ofthe day. 1 Thess. iv. 7 ; v. 5. Base night ways, such as cannot en
dure the light, do not becorae you. O that coraeliness which the
saints should study, that decorum which they should keep in all their
ways, ivax^ft.oi'ws, one action like another, and all like Christ, living
as in the light. They that converse with the best corapany, such per
sons are obliged to raore decency in apparel. We five in the light, in
the corapany of angels of God, and Jesus Christ; and therefore should
not act any thing that is low or raean, unbeseeming the rank we keep,
and the presence of those with whom we associate. When the king
passes through the country in progress, they who see him seldom,
being either to attend hira in his way, or to receive him into their
houses, will labour to have all things in the best order they can for the
tirae ; but they that live at court, and are daily in the king's presence,
are constantly court-like in their habit and carriage, and all about
them. O followers of the Lamb, let your garments be always white;
yea, let Hira be your garraent ; clothe yourselves with Hiraself; have
your robes raade of his spotless fleece.
Put on the Lord Jesus. No reserablance is more usual than tiiat
of people's customs to their clothes, their habitudes to their habits.
This the Apostie used in the foregoing words. Put on ihe [furniture,
or] armour of light, having casi off ihe works of darkness, as clothes of
darkness, night clothes. And the word, walking decently, has sorae
thing of the same reserablance contained in it. And here we have the
proper beauty and ornament of Christians, even the Lord Jesus, re-

192 TIME TO AWAJiE. [Ser. XlX.
commended to them under the same notion, Put on the Lord Jesus
Christ. Him we put on by faith, and are clothed with him as our
righteousness. We corae unto our Father in our Elder Brother's per
furaed garments, and so obtain the bles.sing which he, in a manner,
was stripped of for our sakes. He did undergo the curse, and was
Tnade a curse for our sakes : so the Apostle speaks of him, Gal. iii. 13.
We put hbn on, as the Lord our righteousness, and are made ihe
righteousness of God in hi7n. This investiture is first, when our per
sons are made acceptable, and we come into court. But there is
another putting of him on, in the conforraity of hohness, which always
accorapanies the forraer ; and that is it which is here raeant. And this
I declare unto you, that whosoever does not thus put hira on, shall find
themselves deceived in the other, if they imagine it belongs to them.
They who are the sons of God, and have the hope of inheriting with
Christ, do really becorae like Hira, are even heirs in sorae degree now ;
and that blessed expectation they have, is to be fully like hira. 1 John iii. 3.
When he appears, we shall be Uke Him, saith the Apostle. And in the
mean while, they are endeavouring to be so, and soraewhat attaining
it ; as he adds. Every one that hath ihis hope, purifleth himself, as He
is pure. He is the only begotten Son, and we are so restored in him
to the dignity of sons, that withal we are really changed into his like
ness. He is the hnage ofthe Father that is renewed upon us.
It is the substance of religion, to be like hira whora we worship*.
Man's end and perfection is likeness io God. But Oh, the distance,
the unlikeness, yea, the contrariety, that is fallen upon our nature.
The carnal mind is emnity to God : the soul is, as it were, becorae
flesh, and so raost unsuitable to the Father of Spirits ; it is becorae
like the beast that perishes. Now, to repair and raise us, this was the
course taken : we could not rise up to God, He carae down to us, yea
into us, to raise and draw us up again to Hira. He becarae like us,
that we might becorae like Hira. God first put on man, that man
might put on God. Putting on the Lord Jesus, we put on man ; but
that man is God, and so, in putting on man, we put on God. Thus,
putting on Christ, we put on all grace : we do this, not only by study
ing hira as our copy and exaraple, but by real participation of his
Spirit ; and that, so as that daily the likeness is growing, whfle we
are carried by that Spirit to study his exaraple, and enabled in some
measure to conforra to it ; so that these two grow together, growing
in grace, and in the knowledge ofour Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
He is the armour of light before spoken of: all our ornament and safety
is in him. Sorae pictures of great persons you have seen, with arms
and robes on at once : thus we, when clothed with Christ, have our arms
and robes both on at once, yea, both in one, for He is both. So this
is the great study of a Christian, to eye and read Christ much, and,
by looking on hira, to becorae more and raore like hira, raaking the
impression deeper by each day's meditation and beholding of him.
His Spirit in us, and that love his Spirit works, raake the work easy,
as syrapathies do. And still the more the change is wrought, it be
comes still the more easy to work it. This is excellently described by
this Apostie, 2 Cor. iii. 18.
* Summa religionis imilari quem colis

Rom. xiii. 11 — 14.] TIME TO AWAKE. 193
Now we see our business : Oh that we had hearts to it ! It is high,
it is sweet, to be growing more and raore Christ-like every day. What
is the purchase or conquest of kingdoms to this ? Oh, what are we
doing, wiio raind not this more? Even they whose proper work it is,
how reraiss are they in it, and what small progress do they make !
Are we less for the worid and ourselves, and more for God, this year
than the former? — more meek and gentie, abler to bear wrongs, and
to do good for them, more holy and spiritual in our thoughts and
ways, more abundant and fervent in prayer ? I know there will be
times of deadness, and winter seasons, even iu the souls of fiving
Christians ; but it is not always so, it will corae about yet ; so that, take
the whole course ofa Christian together, he is advancing, putting on
still raore of Christ, and living more in Hira. There is a closer union
betwixt the soul and this its spiritual clothing, than betwixt the body
and its garraents : that doth iraport a transforraation into Christ, put
on as a new life, or a new self. The Christian by faith doth this : he
puts oif himself, old carnal self, and instead thereof, puts ou Jesus
Christ, and thenceforward hath no more regard of that old self, than
of old cast clothes, but is all for Christ, joys in nothing else. This is
a raystery which cannot be understood but by partaking of it.
My brethren, learn to have these thoughts frequent and occurrent
with you on all occasions. Think, when about any thing, how would
Christ behave hiraself in this ? Even so let me endeavour.
You will possibly say, they that speak thus, and advise thus, do not
do thus. Oh, that that were not too true ! Yet there be sorae that be
sincere in it, and although it be but little that is attained, yet the very
aira is exceUent, and soraewhat there is that is done by it. It is
better to have such thoughts and desires, than altogether to give it
up ; and the very desire, being serious and sincere, does so much
change the habitude and usage of the soul and life, that it is not to be
despised. Now follows. And make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil ihe lusts
thereof And it will follow necessarily. We hear much to little pur
pose. Oh, to have the heart touched by the Spirit with such a word
as is here ! It would untie it frora all these things. These are the
words, the very reading of which wrought so with Augustine, that, of a
licentious young man, he turned a holy faithful servant of Jesus Christ.
While you were without Christ, you had no higher nor other business
to do, than to attend and serve the flesh ; but once having put Him
on, you are other men, and other manners do become you. Alia cetas
alios mores postulat.
This forbids not eating, and drinking, and clothing, and providing
for these, nor decency and comeliness in them. The putting on of
Christ does not bar the sober use of them : yea, the moderate provid
ing for the necessities of the flesh, while thou art tied to dwell in it,
that may be done in such a way as shall be a part of thy obedience
and service to God. But to lay in provisions for the lusts of it, is to
victual and furnish His enemy and thine own ; for the lusts of ihe flesh
do strive against God's Spirit, and war against thy soul. Gal. v. 17 ;
1 Pet. ii. 11.
This was the quarrel betwixt God and His own people in the wil-
VOL. II. O

194 TIME TO AWAKE. [Ser. XlX.
derness. Bread for their necessities. He gave them, but they required
meat for their lusts, (which should rather fiave been starved to death
than fed,) and raany of thera fell in the quarrel. He gave thera their
desire, but gave thera a plague with it, and they died with the meat
between their teeth. Many who seem to foflow God, and to have put
on Christ, yet continuing in league with their lusts, and providing for
them, they are permited awhfle so to do, and are not withheld from
their desire, and seera to prosper in the business ; but, though not so
sudden and sensible as that of the Israelites, there is no less certain
a curse joined with all they purchase and provide for that unhallowed
use. It is certainly the posture and employment of most of us, even
who are called Christians, to be purveyors for the flesh, even for
the lusts of it ; (ad supervacuum sudare ;) these lusts comprehending
all sensual, and all worldly, fleshly, self-pleasing projects. Even some
things that seem a little more decent and refined, come under this ac
count. What are raen coraraonly doing but projecting and labouring,
beyond necessity, for fuller and finer provision for hack and belly, and
to feed their pride, and raise theraselves and theirs somewhat above
the condition of others about them ? And where men's interests meet
in the teeth, and cross each other, there arise heart-burnings and de
bates, and an evil eye one against another, even on fancied prejudice,
where there is nothing but crossing a huraour. So the grand idol is
their own wfll, that must be provided for and served in all things, that
takes them up early and late, how they raay be at ease, and pleased,
and esteemed, and honoured. This is tiie Tnaking provision for the
flesh and its lusts, and from this are all they called who have put on
Christ; not to a hard, mean, unpleasant life, instead of that other,
but to a far more high and more truly pleasant life, that disgraces
all those their former pursuits which they thought so gay whfle they
knew no better. There is a transcendent sweetness in Christ, that
puts the flesh out of credit. Put on Christ, thy robe royal, and make
no provision for the flesh ; surely thou wilt not then go and tur
moil in the kitchen. A soul clothed with Christ, stooping to any
sinful delight, or an ardent pursuit of any thing earthly, thougfi law
ful, dotli wonderfully degrade itself. Methinks it is as a king's son in
his princely apparel, playing the scullion, sitting down to turn the
spits. A soul fiving in Christ indeed, hath no vacancy for the .super
fluous, luxurious deraands of flesh, yea, supplies the very necessities of
it with a kind of regret. A Tiecessitatihus meis libera me, Domine, said
one : Deliver me. Lord from my Tiecessiiies.
Oh, raise up your spirits, you that pretend to any thing in Christ ;
delight in hira, and let his love satisfy you at all times. What need
you go a begging elsewhere ? All you would add, raakes you the
poorer, abates so rauch of your enjoyment of him ; and what can com
pensate that? Put on the Lord Jesus, and then view yourselves, and
see if you be fit to be slaves to flesh and earth.
These two. Put on the Lord Jesus, and Make no provision, are
directly the representation ofthe Church, Apoc. xn. A woraan clothed
with the sun, and having the raoon under iher feet, needed borrow no
beauty frora it, or any thing under it. She left the scarlet and the
purple, and the gold, to the harlot after spoken of, for her dressing.

Psal. CVU. 43.] THE OBSERVATION OF PROVIDENCE. 195
The service of the flesh is a work the Christian cannot fold to, till
he forgets whut clothes he has on. This is all, my brethren. Oh that
we could be once persuaded to pul on Christ, and then resolve and
remember to do nothing unbeseeming that attire !

SERMON XX.
Psal. cvii. 43.
Whoso is ^^ ise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-
kindness of the Lord.
Most men live in a brutal sensitive life, live not so much as the life of
reason ; but far fewer the Divine life of faith, which is further above
comraon reason than that is above sense. The spiritual light of Grace
is that which raakes day in the soul : all other wisdora is but night-
light. Then I saw ihat wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth
darkness. Eccl. ii. 13. This higher sort of knowledge is that the
Prophet speaks of.
Having discoursed excellently through the Psalra, of the wisdora,
power, and goodness of God, so legible in His providence towards men,
and often called up the dull rainds of men to consider these His works,
and bless Hira for thera, he closes with this applaudment of their hap
piness that truly do so. Whoso is wise, &c.
They that spake it, knew not how true their speech is, who have
called the world a nest of fools. It is true, there is very little even
of natural clearness of judgment araongst raen, but surely far less of
tins true spiritual wisdom. So that if we read this as a question.
Whoso is wise ? — Oh, how few are there ! And yet, most iraagine
they are ; few are con-vinced they are fools, and that is the height of
their folly. Tfiat word is most true. Job xi. 12 ; Vain man would be
wise, though he be born as ihe wild ass's coli. In youth, he runs wild,
unbroken, and unuseful ; and in fuller age, hath but a brutish, slavish
life, yokes in with beasts in the sarae kind of labour, or in little better ;
turraoiling and drudging to serve his base lusts, his gain, his pleasure,
and forgets quite what high condition the soul that sparkles within him
is born to, and made capable of In a word, he knows not God.
That is both his folly and his misery. How much of life passes ere
we consider what we live for ! And though all applied, how incapable
are a great many to know any thing ! Inter homines quid homine
rarius ! Among men what more rare than man, a truly rational being?
To this purpose there is a notable word. Job xi. 8, 9.
Now, to stir up your desires and endeavours after this wisdom, con
sider, that it is the proper excellency of the rational nature, the true
elevation of human nature, to be wise. And they that are not such,
and know somewhat of their own defect, yet would wfllingly pass for
such, and had rather be accounted uncomely, yea, even dishonest, than
unwise ; (call a man any thing rather than a fool ;) but yet, if they
could, would rather have the thing than the reputation of it, and desire.
really to be wise if it were in their power.
03

196 THE OBSERVATION [Ser. XX-
Now, it were good to work on this design within us, and to have it
drawn into the right channel. Would you be wise? Then, seek true
wisdora. What raost raen seek and adraire in theraselves and others,
are but false shadows and appearances of wisdora ; the knowledge
either of base, low things, as to scrape and gather together, or else of
vain, unprofitable things, and such knowledge as is for the most part
but imaginary. For most things in state-aff'airs take another bias and
course, are not so much modelled by wit, as most raen imagine. And
for the secrets of nature, we have little certain knowledge of thera.
How short is our life to attain any knowledge ! That is an excellent
word. Job vin. 9. But the knowledge here set before us, is the best
kind of knowledge, that of the highest things. Divine things. I say,
the best kind of knowledge of thera, for there are notions even of these
things, that have little in them; either curious, fruitless disputations
of such points as are most reraoved both from our notice and our use,
or a useless knowledge of useful things. But this is a well-regulated
and sure-footed knowledge of Divine things, as God himself hath
revealed them.
This wisdom descends from above ; therefore, for the attainraent of
it, these two things are necessary: 1st, To know that we want it,
sensibly and feelingly to know this, that we know nothing ofthe things
of God. Multi ad sapieniiam pervenirent, nisi se jamjam pervenisse
arhitrarentur : Many men would have attained to wisdom, if they
had not fancied or imagined ihat ihey had already attained it. I
speak not now of the lowest sort, the grossly, the brutishly ignorant even
of the letter of Divine truths, but such as can give theraselves or
others, if put to it, a good account of the principles of faith and
holiness, have read and heard rauch, and possibly learned and retained
not a little that way, yet still are but ignorants, strangers to this
heavenly wisdora. Therefore men must first know this, that they
must go anew to school again, and become as little children. Wisdom
invites no other. Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. Prov. ix. 4.
The strange woman, and so, all the enticements to sin, they invite the
sarae persons, (ver. 16.) but to a directly opposite end: sfie calls the
fools to befool them, to drown them in folly and wretchedness ; but
Wisdom calls them, to unbefool them, to recover them and teach them
the way of life.
2dly. Being convinced and sensible of the want of it, to use the
right way to attain it, to give all diligent attendance on the word and
ordinances of God, to desire it of Hira. Desire is all : if you desire
much, you shall have much. Vent thy desire this way Heavenwards,
whence this wisdom descends. This light springs from on high.
Man cannot raise himself to it without Another. James i. 5. If any
man lack wisdom, — if he is but once sensible of that, why then the
sweetest, easiest way to attain it that can be desired, is pointed out, —
let him ask it of God, who giveth liberally, and upbraideth noi ; does
neither harshly refuse, nor upbraidingly give it, but delights to give it
to them that ask it, even His own Holy Spirit, the spring of this
wisdom, as he hath proraised.
We are all too fittle in this humble seeking and begging of this
Divine knowledge, and that is the cause we are so shallow and small

Psal. cvii. 43.] of providence. 197
proficients. If thou cry, and lift up thy voice for understanding,
if thou search for it as for hid treasures. Prov. ii. 3. Sit down upon
thy knees and dig for it ; that is the best posture to fall right upon the
golden vein, and go deepest to know the raind of God, in searching
the Scriptures, to be directed and regulated in His ways, to be made
skilful in ways of honouring Him and doing Hira service. This,
neither raen nor angels can teach him, but God alone. For ihe Lord
giveth wisdom, Ver. 6.
Of this wisdom we have here the character and the privilege,
I. The character : Whoso will observe these things. That looks
back to the doctrine ofthe Psalmist, which is very divinely sweet. He
had been extolfing the goodness of God in general, in His dealings
with raen, and instancing in divers occurrent and reraarkable par
ticulars, the fitness and raildness of His chastiseraents, the seasonable-
ness and sweetness of His deliverances, as correcting us for our
greater good, and relieving us in our greatest need, when we are
nearest despairing of relief. This is exeraplified in travellers and
prisoners, in sick men and seamen, and in the various disposal ofthe
state of all sorts of persons, the highest and the meanest ; and the
repeated sweet burden of the song is, 0 ihat men would praise ihe
Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of
men ! And in the end, he declares the result of afl, ver. 42, the joy
of the godly, the sharae and silencing of the wicked, who usually either
mistake, or slight, or despise the providence of God in the rule of
huraan affairs, who readfly speak big their own thoughts, which are
vain, promising themselves continual success. In the end He shall
clear Hiraself, and gladden the souls of His people, and clothe His
eneraies with sharae. Wait a while, and thus it shall be ; they shall
change places. He pours contempt upon princes, and sets the poor on
high from affliction, and so rights Hiraself and thera that wait on
Him. Then ihe lighieous shall see ii and rejoice, and all iniquity shall
stop hex mouth. And it is a great point of true wisdom, rightly to
observe these things.
This observing hath in it, first a befieving notice of these things, to
take such instances aright, when they meet our eye, to know these
things to be indeed the Lord's doings ; and so, when we are in any
present strait, to believe, accordingly, the sarae inspection of His eye,
and secret conduct of His hand, to be in all. Now, it is a great point
to have the heart established in these persuasions. We are generally
much defective in this, and they most who least suspect theraselves of
it. But withal, the observing or keeping of these things, (so the word
is,) this firm believing, hath in it these two following on it, and flowing
from it, serious contemplation and suitable action.
1. To observe these things, is often to turn our eye to the view of
these things, and to keep it on them, so as to have our hearts warmed
with them, to be deeply taken with wonder and love. But alas ! our
souls are drowned in flesh, dragged down from things that becorae
thera, aud are worthy of them, to drudge and weary themselves in
the mire and clay. How few are there who make it a great part of
their daily business to behold God in His works and ways with them
selves and others ! Some, in respect pf others, are called great spirits ;

198 THE OBSERVATION [Scr. XX.
but Oh, what are they ? What a poor greatness is it to project, for a
great estate, or great places and titles, or to conceive great revenges
of little wrongs ! There is soraething, even in nature, of greatness of
.spirit, very far beyond the bastard, false character that raost take of it,
and that is above raost things others iraagine great, and despises them.
But true greatness is this, to have a mind rauch taken up with the
greatness of God, admiring and adoring Him, and exciting others to
do so ; grieved, and holily angry, that men regard Hira so little,
breathing forth such wishes as these of the Psalraist, both to express
their own thoughts, and to awake sleeping besotted men about thera,
O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, &c. They could
wish a voice that could reach many thousands ; and if they had one
audible to all the world, would use it no otherwise than to be pre
centors of the praises of God, to call up and begin the song, 0 that
men would praise, &c.
Consider yourselves, my brethren, and trace yourselves into your
own hearts, whether often in the day your thoughts run this way,
finding the meditation of God sweet to you, or whether they do not
run out much more to vain things, and are seldora here ; either
hurried and busied in a surcharge of affairs, or, if vacant, yet .spinning
themselves out in frothy, foolish fancies, that you would be ashamed
to look back upon. You raight entertain Divine and heavenly
thoughts, even while about your earthly eraployraents and refresh
ments ; but this is little known and littie sought after. Make it your
business to learn raore of this wisdora. Call in your hearts, coraraune
often with yourselves and with God ; be less abroad, and raore within,
and raore above. It is by far the sweetest fife. Beg of God to wind
up your hearts, when you find thera heavy and dull, that they follow
you slowly in this, and need rauch pulfing and hauling from your
hand : a touch from His hand will raake thera raount up easily and
nimbly. Oh! seek His drawing: Draw me, I will run after Thee.
And when you meet together, let this be your business, to speak of
Him who alone is to be exalted, who doth and disposeth all as He
pleases. Say to friends, and kindred, and neighbours. Oh, how great
and how gracious a God have we ! Oh, that we could bless Hira !
2. To keep these things, is, to walk according to the firra belief and
frequent thoughts of thera ; to fear Him, and to walk humbly and
warily, because our follies draw on His rods, and to study to please
Hira, and no raatter who be displeased ; and when he corrects, to fall
down humbly under His hand, who hath our sickness and health, our
life and death, and all that concerns us, in His absolute power. If
any thing advance or advantage us before others, endeavour to be the
more lowly and serviceable to Him. If in a low condition, stfll bless
and reverence Him, for His presence will turn the meanest cottage,
yea, the darkest dungeon, into a palace.
The chief delight of the saints, is, to oflTer praises to God, to gather
thera in frora all His works, to send up to Him. And His chief delight
in all His work.s, is to receive these praises of thera from their hands :
they articulate them, make a reasonable sacrifice of them. Psal.
cxlv. 10. All Thy works shall praise Thee, a7id Thy saints shall bless
Thee. We are called to this high vvork, yet he behind, and most un-

Psal. cvn. 43.] op providence. 199
worthily and foolishly debase ourselves in otiier things. But they
that are wise, if there be any, will raind this, will not let the Lord's
marvellous and gracious doings pass without notice.
II. The privilege of this wisdora. Itis a high proof of His love to us,
that He loves to be seen working by us, and stoops to take our accla
mations and approbation, hatii such regard to thera, and rewards thera
so richly, even thus ; TVhoso is wise, and will observe these things, ihey
shall understand the loving-kindness ofthe Lord. Observe, They that
are wise, and observe, shall understand further. To him thai hath,
shall he given ; to hira that Tisefully hath. That is to have, and so it is
there meant ; — to hira that improves it to His advantage who gave it.
The greatest difficulty is to begin: as one said of his growing rich.
" That he carae hardly by a little riches, and easily by great riches."
Having- once got a stock, he grew rich apace. So once taking, be it
but the first lessons of this wisdom, learning these well, shall facilitate
thy knowledge exceedingly. The wise increaseth learning. Prov. i. 5.
Wouldst thou but receive and hearken to the easiest tilings represented
by God, these would enlighten and enlarge thy soul to receive more ;
especially, walking by the light thou hast, be it ever so little, that in
vites and draws in raore. Be diligent in the practice of what you
know, if you would know more. Believe it, that is the way to grow.
Whoso observes, keeps these things, acts according to the knowledge
of them, (as John vii. 17) he shall understand, shall understand it by
finding it. They shall understand it in themselves; (tfie word is in
the reciprocal mood, Hiihpahel ;) it shall be particularly and effec
tually shewn unto them ; they shall experience it, and so understand
it, and that is the only lively understanding of it. Men may hear,
yea, deliver large discourses of it, and yet not understand the thing.
Happy are they to whora this is given ! Solus docet qui dat, et discit
qui recipit : He alone teaches, who gives, and he learns who receives.
Loving kindness. (Heh. graciousness). All sorts of kindnesses, even
outward and coraraon raercies, in those shall he understand His good
ness : in recoveries and deliverances frora dangers, and teraporal bless
ings, be their portion in them less or more, though the things be com
mon, yet they corae to be his own by a particular starap of love, which
to others they have not. And the children of God know it, they can
find it out, and can read it, though the world that looks on it cannot.
And indeed, to thera, the lowest things are disposed of, in order to
the highest : their daily bread is given them by that same love that
gives thera Christ : all is given in Hira. So the curse is taken away,
and all is sweetened with a blessing. A little ihat a righteous man
hath, is better than the abundance of the wicked.
But the things they chiefly prize and desire, as indeed they deserve
so to be, are of another sort: in their very being and nature, are love-
tokens, effects of that peculiar free-grace that chose them to life. And
this is called the light of God's countenance. His everlasting love.
Now they that are wise, and observe these things, ihey shall understand
this loving-kindness. Not that they first are thus wise, before they par
take of this loving-kindness ; no ; by it this wisdom was given them ;
but this promise is made to their improvement of that gift, and walk
ing in those ways of wisdom. Not only are they loved of God, but

200 the observation [Ser. XX.
they shall Tinderstand it. He wfll manifest Hiraself to them, and tell
thera He loves them. And the more they walk in these ways, the more
clearly shall they perceive and powerfully find His love manifested to
them. This is the highest inducement that can be to such as have any in
terest in it. When this love hath but once touched them, though as
yet they know it not certainly, yet it works that esteem and affection
that nothing can be admitted into comparison with it. While carnal
men wallow in the puddle, these are the crystal streams a renewed soul
desires to bathe in, even the love of God. O ! let rae find that ; no
matter what I have, or what I want. In poverty, or any distressed,
forsaken condition, one good word or good look from Hira, makes me
up. I can sit down content and cheerful, and rejoice in that, though
all the world frown on me, and all things look dark and corafortless
about me, that is a piece of Heaven within the soul. Now, of this
experimental, understanding knowledge of this love, there are different
degrees ; there is a great latitude in this. To sorae are afforded, at
sorae tiraes, littie glimpses and inlets of it in a more immediate way ;
but these stay not : suavis hora, sed brevis mora. Others are upheld
in the belief of it, and live on it by faith : though it shine not so clear,
yet, a light they have to walk by. Though] the sun shines not bright out
to them all their life, yet, they are led home, and understand so rauch
love in their way, as shall bring thera to the fulness of it in the end.
Others, having passed raost of the day, have a fair glimpse in the very
evening or close of it. But, howsoever, they that walk in this way by
this fight, whatsoever measure they have of it, are led by it to the land
of light. The connexion here made, you see. They thai wisely observe
these things, shall understand this loving-kindness. A wise man observ
ing of God's ways, and ordering our own to His mind, is the certain
way to attain much experienced knowiedge of his love.
'This love is most free, and, from the beginning to the end, works of
itself; but in the raethod of it, God hath thus finked things together,
made one portion of grace, in the use of it, draw on another. And
this His children should prudently consider. There is such a like
speech, Psal. 1. 23. Whoso off'ereth praise, glorifleth Me : audio him
that ordereth his conversatio7i aright, will I shew the salvation of God.
The contemplatioTi of God in His works, sets the soul open to re
ceive the influences of this love : by looking towards Him, it draws His
eye towards it, as one look of love draws on another. Certainly, many
that have some desire of the light of God's countenance, and evidences
of His love, yet, in not applying their souls to consider Him, do much
injure themselves.
Heavenly thoughts do refine the soul, as fire works itself higher and
to a purer flame by stirring. To be blessing God for His goodness,
giving Him praise in tiie view of His works in the world, and for His
church, and particularly for ourselves, this both disposes the heart to
a more suitable temper for receiving divine comforts, and invites Hira
to let them flow into it. For if He have such acknowledgraents for
general goodness and coraraon raercies, how rauch larger returns shall
He have upon the discoveries of special love ! Is it a sight of God as
reconciled, thou wouldst have ? Now, praise sets a raan araongst the
angels, and they behold His face.

Psal. cvii. 43.] of providence. 201
Again, action, walking in His ways hurably and carefiifly, and so
waiting, never wants a successful return of much love. How can He
who is goodness itself, hide and reserve Himself frora a soul that yields
up itself to -Hira, hath no delight but to please Hira, hates and avoids
what may offend Him ? This, surely, is the way, if there is any under
Heaven, to enjoy communion with Hira.
They that forget Hira, and disregard their ways, and are no way
careful to order them to His liking, do but delude theraselves with mis
taken fancies of mercy. I beseech you, be warned. There cannot
be solid peace in the ways of sin : no peace io ihe wicked, saith my God.
Outward common favours you may share for a tirae ; but these have
a curse with thera to you, and you shall quickly be at an end of these
receipts ; and then you would look towards Him for some persuasions
of His loving-kindness, but are likely to find notfiing but frowns and
displeasure. O ! consider this, ye thatforget God, lest He tear you in
pieces, and ihere be none to deliver you.
Even they who have some title to this love of God, and are desiring
further evidence of it, yet, do ofterf sit exceedingly in their own light,
and work against their end, still bent on that assurance they would
have, and yet neglecting the way to it, which certainly is in a manner
to neglect itself. Were they raore busied in honouring God, doing
Him what service they can in their station, striving against sin,
acknowledging His goodness to the world, and even to themselves,
that they are yet in the region of hope, not cut off in their iniquities,
thus offering praise, and ordering iheir conversation aright, .submitting
unto Him, and giving Hira glory ; their assurances and coraforts, in
the measure He thinks fit, would come in due time, and sooner in this
way than in any other they could take.
Observe these things, beware of sin, and ye shall understand ihe
loving-kindness ofthe Lord. It is true, this love of God changes not,
nor hangs on thy carriage, nor on any thing without itself ; yea, all
our good hangs on it : but know, as to the knowledge and apprehen
sion of it, it depends much on the holy frarae of thy heart and the
exact regulation of thy ways. Sin obstructs and darkens all; those
are the clouds and mists ; and where any believer is adventurous on
the ways of sin, he shall smart for it. Where sin is, there will be a
storm, as Chrysostom's word is of Joshua*. The experience of all
witnesseth this. No strength of faith -will keep out floods of doubting
aud troublous thoughts, where any novel sin hath opened a gap for
thera to rush in by. See David, Psalm li., expressing fiimself as if all
were to begin again, his joy taken away, and his bones broken, and
to sense all undone : nothing will serse but a new creature. Create in
me a clean heart, 0 God, and renew a right spirit within me.
There is a congruity in the thing itself, and God hath so ordered it,
that vexation and anguish should still attend sin, and the ways of holi
ness be ways of peace. Say men what they will, great falls leave
wounds and smart behind them, and they must be washed with sharper
liquor before balra and oil be poured into thera. And not only will
more notorious breaches disturb thy peace, but a tract of careless
* "OiTfly KfiX^rix 'lx{i ^zii^uy.

202 imperfection, and perfection. [Ser. XXI.
and fruitiess walking. If thou abate of thy attendance on God, and
thy fear cool towards Him, lagging and faUing downwards to some
thing you are caring for and taken with, you shall find an estrange
ment : it raay be insensible at first and for a whfle because of thy sloth,
that thou dost not observe diligently how it is with thee ; but, after a
tirae, it shall be raore easily known, but raore hardly raended. And
there are none of us but raight find rauch raore of God in this our way
homewards, ifthe foolishness and wanderings of our hearts did not
prevent us.
Be persuaded, then, you whose hearts He hath wrought for Hiraself,
to attend better on hira, and the advantage shall be yours, doubt it
not. And though for a time you find it not, yet wait on, and go on in
tfiat way ; it shall not disappoint you. The more you let go of the
false, vain comforts ofthe world fot His sake, the more richly you shall
be furnished with His. Oh ! we raake not roora for thera ; that is the
great hinderance. Consider Hira, behold His works, bless Hira, con
fess Him always worthy of praise for His goodness, and His wonderfiil
works to the children of men, however He deal with thee in particular;
and assuredly. He shall deal graciously with thee, and ere long thou
shalt find it, and be forced to acknowledge it. Though it may be thou
want these bright shinings of coraforts thou wouldst have, yet, looking
to Hira, and walking before Him, observing these things, thou shalt
have of His light to lead thee on, and a calm within; sweet peace,
not that height of joy thou desirest.
There are often calm, fair days without storra, though it be not so
clear sun-shine ; and in such days a raan may travel comfortably. I
would have Christians called off from a perplexed over-pressing of this
point of their particular assurance. If we were raore studious to please
Hira, forgetting ourselves, we should find Hira remember us the more;
yet, we should not do so for this neither, but simply for Himself. In
a word, this is thy wisdom ; mind thy duty, and refer to Him thy
corafort.

SERMON XXI.
Ps.vi. cxix. 96.
I have seen an end of all perfection ; but Thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Grace is a Divine light in the soul, and shows the true colours of
things. The Apostie overshoots not when he says, The spiritual man
judgeth all things. He hath undeniably the advantage : he raay judge
of natural things, but the natural raan cannot judge of spiritual things.
Yea, the truest judgraent of natural things, in respect to our chiefest
end, springs particularly from" spiritual wisdom : that raakes the true
parallel of things, and gives a just account of their differences, as here,
I have seen an end, &c.] AU that have any raeasure of spiritual fight,
are of this mind ; but certainly, they that are more eminently blessed
with it, have a raore high and clearer view of both parts. David, who
is generally, and with greatest likelihood, supposed to be the author of

Psal. cxix. 96.] imperfection, and perfection, 203
this Psalm, was singularly advantaged to raake this judgraent of things.
He had, no doubt, a large measure of the knowledge of God and of
His law, which here he declares to be so large ; and being both a wise
and a great raan, might know more than raost others, even of afi other
perfections — might trace them to their utraost, and see their end, as he
expresses it. 'This same verdict we have frora his son Soloraon, after
much experience in all things ; who, having the advant-age of peace
and riches, did particularly set himself to this work, to a raost exact
inquiry after all things of this earth. He set nature on the rack, to
confess its utraost strength for the delighting and satisfying of raan;
with rauch pains and art he extracted the very spirit of all, and after
all, he gives the sarae judgraent we have here ; his book writ on that
subject, being a paraphrase on this sentence, dilating the sense, and
confirraing the truth of it. It carries its own sura in those two words
which begin and end it ; the one. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, and
the other. Fear God and keep His commandments, for that is the whole
duty of man. And these here are just the equivalent ofthose two ;
the former of that beginning word, I have seen an end of all perfection ;
and the latter of that concluding one. But Thy commandment is ex
ceeding broad.
When raean raen speak of this world's greatness, and poor men cry
down riches, it passes but for a querulous, peevish humour, to discredit
tilings they cannot reach, or else an ignorant contempt of things they
do not understand ; or, taking it a little further, but a self-pleasing
shift,~a willingly undervaluing of those things of purpose to allay the
displeasure of the want of thera ; or at the best, if soraething of truth
and goodness be in the opinion, yet, that the assent of such persons is,
(like the teraperance of sickly bodies,) rather a virtue raade of necessity,
than embraced of free choice. But to hear a wise raan, in the height
of these advantages, proclaira their vanity, yea, kings frora the very
thrones whereon they sit in their royal robes, give forth this sentence
upon all the glories and delights about thera, is certainly above all ex
ception. Here are two, the father and the son ; the one raised frora a
mean condition to the crown, instead of a shepherd's staff, to wield a
sceptre, and that, after many afflictions and dangers in the way to it,
which, to some palates, gives a higher refish and sweetness to honour,
than if it had slid on thera before they could feel it, in the cheap, easy
way of an undoubted succession. Or, if any think David's best days
a little cloudy, by the reraains of insurrections and oppositions, in that
case usual ; as the jurabling of the water is not ftiUy quieted for a
while after the same is over ; then, take the son, succeeding to as fair
a day as heart can wish, both a complete calra of peace, and a bright
sunshine of riches and regal porap, and he able to iraprove these to
the highest. And yet, both these are perfectly of the same raind in
this great point. The son having peace and tirae for it, though a king,
would raake his throne a pulpit, and be a preacher of this one doctrine,
to which the father's sentence is the fittest text I have seen.
The words give an account of a double prospect ; the latter being,
as it were, the discovery of a new world after the travelling over the
old, expressed in the forraer clause : I have seen an end of all perfec
tion, i. e., taken an exact view of all other things, and seen their end;

204 imperfection, and perfection, [Ser, XXI.
but Thy co7nmandment is of exceeding extent and perfection, and I
see but a part, and there is no end of it.
I have secTi an end.] I have tried and made experiment of rauch of
what this world affords, and the rest I see to the uttermo.st of it, how
far it reaches. The Psalraist, as standing on a vantage ground, sees
clearly round about hira the furthest horizon of earthly excellencies and
advantages, and finds thera not to be infinite or unmeasurable ; sees
that they are bounded, yea, what their bounds are, how far they go at
their very farthest, a7i end of all, even of perfection. And this is in
effect what I find, that their end stops short of satisfaction. A raan
may think and desire beyond them, yea, not only may, but 7nust : he
cannot be terminated by their bounds, will still have a stretch further,
and feels them leave him, and then finds a void. All wfiich he says
raost ponderously in these short words, giving the world the slight
thus : It is not so great a raatter as raen iraagine it ; the best of it I
have exarained, and considered it to the full, taken the whole diraen
sion : all the profits and pleasures under the sun, their utraost goes but
a short way ; the soul is vaster than all, can look and go rauch farther.
I wfll not atterapt the particulars, to reckon all, or be large in any:
the Preacher, Solomon, hath done this matchlessly, and who is he ihat
can come after ihe king? If any be .sick of that poor disease, esteem
of riches, he can tefl you the utmost of these, that when they increase,
they are increased that eat ihem, and what good is to the owners thereof,
save the beholding of ihem with their eyes? Eccl. v. II. Yea, locking
thera up, and not using thera, and still gathering, and all to no use,
this is a raadness : it is all one as if they were still in the raines under
the ground, and the difference none, but in turraoiling pains in gather
ing, and torraenting care in keeping. But take the best view of them,
supposing that they be used, that is, spent on family and retinue, why
then, what hath the owner but the sight of thera for hiraself? Out of
all his dishes, he fills but one belly. Of all his fair houses and richly-
furnished rooras, he lodges but in one at once. And if his great rent
be needful for his great train or any other ways of expense, is it an ad
vantage to need rauch ? Or is he not rather poorer who needs five or
six thousand pounds by year, than he that needs but one hundred ?
Of all the festivities ofthe world and delights of sense, the result is,
laughter is Tnad ; and rairth, and orchards, and music, these things
pass away as a dream, and are still to begin again. And so gross and
earthly are they, that for the beasts they may be a fit good, but for the
divine, imraortal soul, they cannot. A horse lying at ease in a fat pas
ture, raay be corapared with those that take delight in thera.
Honour and esteem are yet vainer than those pleasures and riches
that furnish them. Though they be nothing but wind, compared to
solid soul-delights, yet, as to nature, there is in them somewhat more
real than in the fame of honour ; which is no more, indeed, than an
airy, imaginary thing, and hangs more on others than any thing else,
and not only on persons above them, but even those below ; especially
that kind which the vanity of raan is rauch taken with, all popular opi
nion, than which there is nothing more light and poor, and that is
raore despised by the elevated sort of natural spirits, a thing as un
worthy as it is inconstant. No slavery like the affecting of vulgar

Psal. cxix. 96.] imperfection, and perfection. 205
esteem ; it enthrals the mind to aU sorts. Often the worthiest share
least in it. Sec Eccl. ix. 11 — 15. True worth is but soraetiraes ho
noured, but always envied. Eccl. iv. 4, Again, I considered all travail,
and every right work, ihat for this a Tnan is envied of his neighbour.
And with whorasoever it is thou seekest to be esteeraed, be it with the
multitude, or raore chiefly with the wiser and better sort, what a nar
row thing is it at largest ! How raany nations know neither thee nor
those wiio know thee !
Beyond all these things is inward worth, and even that natural wis
dom, such as sorae rainds have to afar more refined height than others.
A raan by it sees round about hira, yea, and within himself That Solo
mon grants to be an excellent thing, Eccl. iv., yet, presently finds the
end of that perfection, ver. 16. That guards not from disasters and
vexations ; yea, there is in it an innate grief, araidst so raany follies.
Eccl. i. 18. In Tnuch wisdom is much grief, and he thai increaseth
knowledge, increaseth sorrow. Yea, give a man the confluence of all
these, which is so rare, make him at once rich, and honourable, and
healthful, and encorapassed with all the defights of nature and art, and
wise to make the best iraproveraent of all they can well afford, (and
there is rauch in that,) yet, there is an end of all these perfections. For
there is quickly an end of hiraself who hath them: he dies, and that
spoils all. Death breaks the strings, and that ends the music. And
the highest of natural wisdom, whicli is the soul of all nature's advan
tages, that ends thera, whether practical or political. In that day are
all state projects and high thoughts laid low, if speculative. For, in
spite of all sciences and knowledge of nature, a raan goes out in the
dark ; and if thou art learned in raany languages, one death silences all
thy tongues at once. So says Soloraon, Eccl. ii. 16, And how dieth
the wise man ? as ihe fool. Yea, suppose a raan were not broken off,
but continued still in the top of all these perfections ; yea, iraagine
rauch more, the chiefest delights of sense that have ever been found
out, raore solid and certain knowledge of nature's secrets, all raoral
composure of spirit, the highest dominion, not only over men, but a
deputed comraand over nature's frame, the course of all the heavens,
and tiie affairs of all the earth, and that he was to abide in this estate ;
yet would he see an end of ihis perfection, that is, it would corae short
of raaking hira happy. It is an union with a Higher Good by that
love that subjects all things to Him, that alone is the endless perfec
tion : Thy commandment is exceeding broad.
You may think this a beaten subject, and possibly, that sorae other
cases or questions were fitter for Christians. I wish it were more
needless. But Oh, the deceitfulness of our hearts ! Even such as
have shut out the vanities of this world at the fore-gate, let them in
again, or sorae part of them at least, at the postern. Few hearts
clearly come off untied from all, but are still lagging after somewhat;
and thence so little delight in God, in prayer and holy things. And
though there be no fixed esteem of other things, yet that indisposition
to holy ways, argues some sickly humour latent in the soul ; and
therefore this is alraost generally needful, that men be called to con
sider what they seek after. Amidst all thy pursuits, stop and ask thy
soul. For what end is all this ? At what do I aim ? For surely, by

206 imperfection, and perfection. [Ser. XXI.
raen's heat in these lower things, and their cold indifference for
Heaven, it would seera we take our portion to be here. But, Oh,
miserable portion at the best ! Oh, short-lived happiness ! Look on
thera, and learn to see this, the end of all perfections, and to have an
eye beyond thera, till your hearts be well weaned from all things under
the sun. Oh ! there is fittie acquaintance with the things that are
above it, little love of them, still sorae pretensions, sorae hopes that
flatter us, — "I will attain this or that; and then" — Then what?
What if this Tiighl, thou fool, thy soul .shall be required of thee ?
But Thy coTnmandment.] 'The forraer part of this sentence hath
within every raan's breast soraewhat to suit with it and own it. Readily,
each man according to his experience and the capacity of his soul,
hath his sense, if awake, of the unsatisfactoriness of all this world.
Give him what thou wilt, yet, still there is empty roora within, and a
pain in that eraptiness, and so, vexation, a torraenting windiness in
all. And raen of raore contemplative minds have higher and clearer
thoughts of this argument and matter, and raay rise to a very high
moral contempt ofthe world ; and some of thera have done so. But
this other part is raore sublime, and peculiar to a Divine iUuraination.
That which we find not without, we would have within, and would
work out of ourselves what cannot be extracted from things about us.
Philosophy is ranch set on this, but it is upon a false scent, and so
still deluded. No, it is without us ; not within us, but above us. That
fulness is in God, and there is no coramunion with Him, or enjoyment
of Him, butin the way of his coraraandraent. Therefore, this is the dis
covery that answers and satisfies. Thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Commandment.] He speaks of all as one, I conceive, for that tie
and connexion of thera all, on account of which he that breaks one, is
guilty of all. A rule they are, and are so one, as a rule raust be.
One authority runs through all : that is the golden thread they are
strung on. Break that any where, and all the pearls drop off. Psal.
cxix. 6 : Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect to all Thy
commandments. Otherwise, one piece shames another, like uneven
and incongruous ways. The legs of the lame not being even, make
an unseemly going. And as it is here, so a plural word is joined with
the singular, ver. 137, and Psal. cxxxii*. And it is fitly here spoken
of as one, opposed to all varieties and raultitudes of things beside.
Thy coTnmandmeTit, each linked to one another, and that one chain
reaches beyond all the incoherent perfections in the world, if one were
added to another, and drawn to a length. This comTnandTnent is ex
ceeding broad ; the very hreddth immense, and therefore the length
must be rauch more so, no end of it. That good to which it leads and
joins the soul, is enough for it : it is complete and full in its nature,
and endless in its continuance, so that there is no measuring, no end
of it any way. But all other perfections have their bounds of being,
and period of duration, so that each way an end is to be found of them.
* Deum tradunt Hebrasi, unJt voce, eloquio uno, hoc est, uno spiiitu et halitu, sine
uUil interspiratione, morS, pausa, vel distinctione, ita ut omnia verba, tanquam verbum
unum, et vox una, fuerant, elocutum. Atque hinc volunt duplicem illam accentuum
rationem in Decalogo ortam, ut altera una, ilia Dei continuata elocutio, altera hominum
tarda et distincta, judi.cetur.

Psal. cxix. 96.] imperfection, and perfection. 207
Now, in this, the opposition is the more adrairable, that he speaks not
expressly of the enjoyment of God, but ofthe commandment of God :
he extols that above all the perfections ofthe worid. Which is much
to be remarked, as having in it a clear character of the purest and
highest love. It had been raore obvious to all, had he said, 1 have
seen the utraost of all besides Thee, but Thou, O God, the light of
Thy countenance, the blessed vision of Thy face, that alone is bound
less and endless happiness. Or, to have taken it below the full perfect
enjoyraent of glory, but sorae glances let into the soul here, a comfort
able word from God, a look of love, Ofi, how far surpassing all the con
tinued caresses and defights of the world ! He speaks not of that neither,
but. Thy commandment is exceeding broad. As the Apostie says. The
foolishness of God is wiser than men's wisdom, 1 Cor. i. 25, so here,
that of God which seeras lowest and hardest, is infinitely beyond what
soever is highest and sweetest in the world. The obeying of His com
mands. His very service, is more profitable than the world's rewards ;
His coramands more exceUent than the perfection of the world's enjoy
ments. To be subject to Him, is truer happiness than to command
the whole world. Pure love reckons thus : Though no further reward
were to follow obedience to God, the perfection of His creature and its
very happiness, carries its full recorapense in its own bosora. Yea,
love delights raost in the hardest services. It is self-love, to love the
embraces and rest of love; but it is love to Hira indeed, to love the
labour of love, and the service of it, and that, not so rauch because it
leads to rest, and ends in it, but because it is service to Hira whom we
love. Yea, that labour is in itself a rest, it is so natural and sweet to
a soul that loves. As the revolution ofthe heavens, which is a raotion
in rest, and rest in raotion, changes not place, though running stfll ; so,
the raotion of love is truly Heavenly, and circular still in God, begin
ning in Hira, and ending in Hira, and so, not ending, but still moving
without weariness.
Let us see what the comraandraent is, and that will clear it, for it
is nothing but love. All is in that one, Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, &c. So, the command that is here called so
broad, is love. There is no raeasuring that, for its object is immea
surable. We readily exceed in the Inve of any other thing ; but in
the love of God, there is no danger of exceeding. Its true measure is,
to know no measure.
According as the love is, so is the soul : it is made like to, yea, it
is made one with, that which it loves. Si terram amas, terra es; si
Dewn amas, quid vis ut dicam, Deus es? [Augustine.] By loving-
gross, base things, it becomes gross, and turns to fiesfi, or earth ; and
so, by the love of God, it is made divine, is one with Him. So this is
the excellency of the command enjoining love. God hath a good-will
fo all His creatures ; but that He should make a creature capable of
loving Him, and appoint this for His comraand. Oh! herein His good
ness shines brightest. Now, tfiough fallen from this, we are again
invited to it; though degenerated and accursed in our sinful nature,
yet we are renewed in Christ, and this command is renewed in him,
and a new way of fulfilling it is pointed out.
'rhis command is broad. There is room enough for the soul in

208 imperfection and perfection. [Ser. XXI.
God, that is hampered and pinched in all other things. Here, love
with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all 'thy mind, and with all
thy strength. Stretch it to the utmost ; there is enough for it here,
while it must contract and draw itself to other things. I will ivalk at
liberty, says David, for I seek Thy precepts. That which perverse
nature judges thraldom, once truly known, is only freedom. This is
because the law is love, and such a love as brings full content to the
soul. Man hath not an object of love besides God, — too many he
hath that can torraent and trouble hira, but not one that by being loved
by hira, satisfies and quiets hira. Whether he loves things without
hira, or hiraself, still he is pained and restless. All other things he
loves naturaUy, in reference to hiraself: but hiraself is not a sufficient
object for him. It must be soraething that adds to, and perfects his
nature, to which he raust be united in love; soraewhat higher than
hiraself, yea, the highest of all, the Father of Spirits. That alone cora-
pletes a spirit and blesses it, to love Him, the Spring of spirits.
Now this love, as including obedience to His comraands, is a thing
in itself due, and expressly coraraanded too. This is the thing which
surpasseth all pursuits and all enjoyraents under heaven, not only to
be loved of God, but to love Him. Yea, could these be severed, this
rather would be the deformity and raisery of the creature, to hate Hira :
this is the hell of hell.
And to love Hira, not only with complacency, a desire to enjoy Hira,
but, raoreover, wishing Hira glory, doing Hira service, desiring He
may be honoured by all His creatures, and endavouring ourselves to
honour Hira, that is our work ; applauding the praises of angels and
all creatures, and adding ours, (as Psal. ciii. 22,) sweet, wflling, entire
submission to His will, ready to do, to suffer any thing for Hira. Oh !
away all base, rauddy pleasures, all false night-shows of earthly glories,
all high atterapts and heroic virtues ! These have their measure and
their close, and prove in the end but lies. This command, this love
alone, is the endless perfection and delight of souls, vvhich begins here,
and is corapleted above. The happiness of glory is, the perfection of
holiness : that is the full beauty and loveliness of the Spouse, the
Larab's wife.
Oh I how rauch are the multiudes of raen to be pitied, who are
hunting they know not what, still pursuing content, and it still flying
before, and they at as great a distance as when they promised thera
selves to lay hold on it ! It is strange what men are doing. Ephraim
feedvtli on the wind. Hos. xii. 1. The most serious designs of men
are raore foolish than the play of children ; all the difference is, that
these are trisies ineptice, sourer and raore sad trifles.
Oh, that ye would turn this way, and not still lay out your money
for thai which is not bread! You would find the saddest part of a
spiritual course of life hath under it raore true sweetness than all your
erapty rairths, which sound much, and are nothing, like the crackling
of thorns under the pot. There is raore joy in enduring a cross for
God, than in the srailes ot the world ; in a private, despised affliction,
without the narae of suffering for His cause, or any thing in it like
martyrdom, but only as coming from His hand, kissing it, and bear
ing it patientiy, yea, gladly for His sake, out of love to Him because

Psal. cxix. 96.] i.mperfection, and perfection. 209
it is His will so to try thee. What can come amiss to a soul thus
composed ?
I wish that even they who have renounced the vain v, orld, and have
theflice of their hearts turned Godwards, would learn raore this happy
life and enjoy it more, not to hang so rauch upon sensible comforts, as
to delight in obedience, and to wait for those at His pleasure, whether
He gives much or little, any or none. Learn to be still finding the
sweetness of His commands, which no outward or inward change can
disrelish, rejoicing in the actings of that Divine love within thee. Con
tinue thy conflicts with sin, and though thou raayest at tiraes be foiled.
yet, cry to Him for help, and getting up, redouble thy hatred of it and
atterapts against it. Still stir this flarae of God. That will overcorae:
Many waters cannot quench it. It is a renewed pleasure, to be offer
ing up thyself every day to God. Oh! the sweetest fife in the world,
is, to be crossing thyself, to please Hira ; trarapling on thy own will,
to follow- His.

SERMON XXII.
Habakkuk iu. 17, 18.

Although the B»-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine ; the labour of
the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat ; the flocks shall be cut off
from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls :
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Most raen's industries and employments are chiefly without them, but
certainly our main and worthiest business lies within us ; nor is ever a
man fit for the varieties and vicissitudes of tirae and affairs without, till
he have taken some pains to some good purpose within himself. A dis
tempered, discomposed rauid is as a limb out of joint, wfiich is fit for
no action, and moves both deformedly and painfully. That which we
have to do, my brethren, for which these our meetings are coraraanded
of God, and should be attended by us, and v/hich we should follow out
-nhen we are gone from hence, is this, the reducing of our souls to
God. Their disunion from Hira is their disjointing, and they are never
rig'nt till they refix on Him ; and being there, they are so right, that
nothing can corae wrong to thera. As they are not readily ensnared
with ease and plenty, so, neither are they lightly astonished with want
and trouble, but, in the ebb of all other comforts, they can hold tbe
Prophet's purpose, to joy in the Lord, and rejoice in the God of their
salvation. This, we raay hear and speak of, but truly, few attain it. I fear,
raany of us are not so rauch as seeking after it and aspiring to it. A
soul really conversant with God, is taken up with Hira, all its affections
work and raove towards Him, as the Prophet's here ; his fear, \ns joy,
his trust, ver. 16 — 19. This is a prayer, as it is entitled, but it is both
a prophetical and an unusual one ; a propheey and a song- (as the
word added iraports) of Habakkuk the prophet on Neginoth. The
strain of it is high, and full of sudden raptures and changes as that
word signifies ; as here, having expressed much fear in the foregoing
Vol. II. P

210 THE CONFIDENCE OF FAITH. [Scr. XXII.
words, a shivering, trerabling horror, he yet adds such a height of an
invincible kind of joy, — like the needle ofthe compass, fixedly looking
towards Hira, yet, not without a trerabling motion. Thus, we have
the temper -of the Psalraist, Psal. ii. 11 : Rejoice with trembling.
Which suits well to so sublirae an object ; joying in God, because He
is good, yet with joy still raixed with holy awe, because He is great.
And this especially in a time of great judgments, or in the lively
apprehensions or representations of thera, whether before or after their
inflicting ; whetfier they be on the people of God for their iniquities,
or on the eneraies of God for their oppressions and cruelties to His
people while he raade them instruraents for their correction. In both,
God is formidable, and greatly to be feared, even by those that are
nearest to Him. This we find in the prophets when seeing judgments
afar off, long before their day, which they had coraraission to denounce.
So, this prophet here not only discovers great awe and fear at what he
saw and foretold concerning God's own people, the Jews, but at the
after-reckoning with the Chaldeans, His and their eneraies. When
God coraes to do judgraent on the wicked, this will raake them who
stand by and suffer not with them, yet to trerable ; yea, .such as are
advantaged by it, as usually the people of God are, their eneraies'
ruin proving their deliverance. The majesty and greatness of God,
and the terribleness of His march towards them and seizing on thera,
as it is here highly set forth, this works an awful fear in the hearts of
His own chfldren. They cannot see their Father angry but it makes
thera quake, though it be not against them, but on their behalf. And
this were our right teraper, when we see or hear of the hand of God
against wicked men, who run their own courses against all warning ;
- — not to entertain these things with carnal rejoicings and lightness of
mind, or with boasting insults ; to applaud indeed the righteousness
of God, and to give Him His glory, but withal, to fear before Hira,
though they were strangers and no way a part of ourselves, and to
have a hurable sense of the Lord's dealing in it; (so, Psal. lii. 6.)
and to learn to reverence God; in all our ways to acknowledge Him;
to be sure to take Hira along- with us, and to undertake nothing with
out Him.
And this fear of judgments falling upon others, is the way not to
feel them on ourselves. When God sees that the sound of the rod on
others' backs will humble a soul or a people, He will spare the stroke of
it. They who have most of this holy fear of God's anger, fall least
under the dint of it. Blessed is he that feareth always ; but he that
hardens his heart, shall fall into mischief . Prov. xxviii. 14. He that
fears it not, shall fall into it ; he that fears and trembles at it, shall
escape. So the Prophet here trusts for himself: ver. 16: I trembled
in Tnyself ihat I might rest in the day of irouble, and upon this
confidence, he rises to this high resolution. Yet I will rejoice in ihe
Lord. The words, to make no other division of thera, are a conjuncture of
a sad suppositioTi, and a cheerful position, or purpose.
Although the flg-tree shall Tiot blossom.] This is a thing that may
corae, and, possibly, which the Prophet did foresee would come,
amongst other judgments ; and it is of all other outward scourges the

Hab. ni. 17, IS.] the confidence of faith. 211
sorest, raost smarting, and raost sweeping ; cuts off' raost people, and
can least be suffered and shifted. It lieth amongst the rest in tiie store
house of Divine judgraents. He who tiirnished the earth, and gave
being by the word of His raoutii to all these tilings, hath still the sole,
absolute power of thera : they obey His word of comraand, and, rightiy
looked upon, in our use of thera, and the sweetness we find in thera,
lead us to Him as the spring of being and goodness. He is invisible
in His nature ; in His works, most visible and legible. Not only tht
spacious heavens and the glorious lights in them, but the meanest
things on earth, every plant and flower in their being and growing
yea, every pile of grass, declare God to us.
And it is a supernatural light in natural things to see and taste Him
in them. It is more pleasant than their natural relish ; it is the chief
inner sweetness, the kernel and marrow of all ; and they that take not
the pains, and have not the skill to draw it forth, lose the far better
half of their enjoyments, even of the things of this earth. To think,
how wise He is who devised such a frame, how powerful He who
made all these things, how rich He must be who still continues to
furnish the earth with these varieties of provisions, how sweet raust
He be, whence afl these things draw their sweetness ! But, alas ! we
are bruitish, and in our use of these things, we differ little or nothing
frora the beast. We are called to a higher fife, but we live it not.
Man is in honour, but he understands it not ; he is as ihe beast ihat
perishes. Psal. xlix. 20.
Now, because we acknowledge God so little in the use of these
things, therefore He is put to it (so to speak) to teach us our lesson in
the want and depriveraent of them, which our dulness is more sensible
of. We know things a great deal better by wanting thera, than by
having them, and take more notice of that Hand which hath power of
them, when He withdraws, than when He bestows thera.
Besides all other provocations, and particular abuses of these things
by intemperance and luxury, were it no more than the very neglecting
of God in His goodness, this calls for a famine, to diet us into wiser
thoughts, and to remind us of our own and all other creatures' de
pendence on that God whom we so forget, as to serve our idols and
lusts upon His bounty. This was the case of Judah and Israel. See
Hos. ii. 8 — 13. But when more sparingly fed, and better taught, in
the wilderness, those mercies were restored again, and then, all
acknowledged the dowry of that blessed marriage with Himself, which
is so far beyond all account. Ver. 14 — 16.
How wretched ingratitude is it, not to regard and love Him in the
use of all His mercies ! But it is horrid stupidity, not to conside- and
seek to Him in their witfidrawment, or in the threatening of it. 'Few
have a right sense of His hand in any thing. They grumble and cry
out, but not to Hira. As in the case of oppression, it is said. Job
xxxv. 9, 10, By reason of the multitude of oppressions, they make
ihe oppressed to cry ; ihey cry out by reason ofthe arm ofthe mighty ,
but Tione sayeth. Where is God my maker ? — so, of this very judgment
of faraine, the Prophet speaks, Hos. vii. 14 : And ihey have not cried
Tinto me with their hearts, when ihey howled vpon their beds : they
assembled themselves for corn aTid ivine, and they rebel against me,
P 2

312 the confidence of faith. [Ser. XXII.
They did not hurably and repentingly seek to God by prayer, but
a natural brutish sense of their wants pressed out complaints ;
they howled as a hungry dog would do for bread. This is all the
most do, in years of dearth, or harvests threatening it. No beast
in the mountain or wflderness is so untamed as the heart of man,
which, when catched in God's judgraents, lies and cries as a wild bull
in a net. It is true, they are soraewhat nearer sober thoughts in dis
tress ; and their grief though merely natural, yet is nearer spiritual
grief, than their mirth and laughter ; but it must have a touch of that
Spirit above, to raake it spiritual, to raake it change to gold, to turn
it to godly sorrow. No scourge carries a power of changing the heart
with it; that is a superadded work. Many people, and particular
persons, have been beat as in a mortar with variety of afflictions, one
coming thick upon another, and yet, are never the wiser, and yet,
have Tiot returned unto me, saith the Lord.
Therefore, if you be afflicted, join prayer with your correction, and
beg by it, that God would join His Spirit with it. Seek this in
earnest, else you shaft be not a whit the better, but shall stfll endure
the sraart, and not reap the fruit thereof Yea, I believe, sorae are
the worse, even by falsely iraagining they are better, partly presuming
it raust be so, and partly, raay be, feeling sorae present raotions and
meltings in tfie tirae of afflictions, which evanish and presently cool
when they are off the fire. Ay, but these two together raake a happy
man ; Blessed is he whom thou correctest, a7id teachest out of thy law.
Psal. xciv. 12.
Although the flg-tree shall not blossom.] This soraetimes does, and
at any tirae may, befal a land ; but, however, it is very useful to put
such cases. It is true there is great odds betwixt real and imagined
distresses ; yet, certainly, the frequent viewing of its picture, though
it is only in the imagination, hath so much likeness as soraewhat
abates the strangeness and frightfulness of its true visage when it
coraes. There is a foolish pre-apprehension of possible evils, which, whether
they corae or not, does no good, but raakes evils to corae perplexingly
beforehand, and antedates their misery, and adds the pain of many
others that will never corae. These are the furaes of a dark, dis
terapered huraour, vain fears, which vex and trouble some minds at
present, and do not waste any thing of any grief to come after. But
calmly and composedly to sit down and consider evil days coraing,
any kind of trials that probably, yea, or possibly, may arrive, so as
to be ready to entertain them without astonishment : this is a wise and
useful exercise of the raind, and takes off rauch of the weight of such
things, breaks them in falling on us, that they come not so sad down,
when they light first upon the apprehension. Thus, it is true, nothing
comes unawares to a wise raan. He hath supposed all, or as bad as
any thing that can corae, hath acquainted his mind with the horridest
shapes, and therefbre, when such things appear, will not so readily
start at thera.
This I would advise to be done, not only in things we can more
easily suffer, but in those we think would prove hardest and most
indigestible, to inure thy heart to them ; not to be like some, who are

Hab. iii. 17, 18.] the confidence of faith. 213
so tender-fancied, that they dare not so rauch as think of sorae things,
the death of a dear friend, or husband, or wife, or child. That is
oftener to be viewed, rather than any other event. Bring thy mind to
it, as a starting-horse to that whereat it does raost startie— What if I
should be bereft of such a person, such a thing? This would make it
much more tolerable w hen thou art put to it. What ifthe place where
I live, were visited -with all at once in sorae degree, pestilence, and
sword, and faraine ? How should I look on thera ? Could ray raind
keep its own place aud standing, fixed on God in such a case ? \Vhat
if I were turned out of ray good furniture and warra house, and
stripped not only of accessory, but necessary things ; (as here he
supposes not only the faffing of delicacies, the fig-trees, wine, and
olives, but of common necessary food, tfie fields not yielding meat,
and the flocks cut off":) thy little ones crying for bread, and thou hast
none for thera ? You little know what the tenderest and delicate.st
araong you raay be put to. Tfiese times have given raany real in
stances, within these kingdoras, of strange changes in the condition of
all ranks of persons. Or think, if t!;ou abhorrest that, V*'hat ifl were
smitten witfi blotches or loathsome sores on my flesh, or if, by any
accident, I should lose an arm, or an eye, or both eyes? Vi'hat if
extreme poverty, and sickness, and forsaking of friends, come all at
once ? Could I welcorae these, and raake up all in God, — find riches,
and friends, and fulness in Him? Most men, if they would speak
truly to such cases, raust declare them insufferable : — I were undone
if such a thing befel me, or such a corafort were taken frora rae.
Most would cry out, as !Micah did, Judg. x-viii. 24, Ye have taken
away my gods ; for so are these things our hearts cleave to and prin
cipally delight in. He that worships maramon, his purse is the
sensiblest piece of him : he is broke, if fire, or ravage of war, throw
him out of his nest, and erapty it. He that raakes his belly his god,
(such they are the Apostle speaks of, Phil. iii. 19.) how could he
endure this case the Prophet puts here, the failing of vines, of flocks
and herds ?
It were good to add to the supposition of want, soraewhat of the
reality of it; sometimes to abridge thyself of things thou desirest and
lovest, to inure thy appetite to a refusal of wfiat it calls for ; to practise
somewhat of poverty, to learn to need few things.
It is strange, men should be so foolish as to tie themselves to these
things, which have neither satisfying content in them, nor certain
abode. And why shouldst thou set thine eyes on things which are not,
says Solomon, Prov. xxiii. 5, — a nonens, a fancy? How soon may
you be parted ! He who is the true God, God alone, how soon can
He pull the false gods from you, or you from thera ! — as in that word.
Job xxvii. 8 : What is ihe hope ofthe hypocrite, though he hath gained,
when God taketh away his soul? Like that case in the parable, Luke
sii. 19 : Soul, take thine ease. A strange inference from full barns !
That were sufficient pro-vision for a horse, a fit happiness for it ; but
for a soul, though it were to stay, how gross and base a portion ! But
it cannot stay neither : This night thy soul shall be required of ihee.
The only firm position is this ofthe Prophet, Yet will I rejoice in the
Lord. And such times indeed are fit to give proof of this, to tefl thee

214 THE CONFIDENCE OF FAITH. [Ser. XXII.
whether it be so indeed, where thy heart is built. While thy honour,
and wenlth, and friends are about thee, it is hard to know whether
these props bear thee up, or another, an Invisible supporter ; but when
these are plucked away, and thou art destitute round about, then it will
appear if thy strength be in God, if these other things were but flou
rishes about thee, aud thou laidst no weight on thera at all. He that
leans on these, must fall when these fall, and his hope is cut off, and
his trust as a spider's web. He shall lean upon his house, but ii shall
not stand. Job viii. 14, 15. They that clasp their hearts about their
houses or estates, within a while they are either sadly pulled asunder,
or swept away together.
But, Oh ! the blessed, the high condition of a soul set on God, un
tied, independent from all things beside Hira, its whole dependence
and rest placed on Hira alone, sitting loose to all the world, and so
not stirred with alterations ! Yea, araid the turnings upside-down of
human things, if the frarae of the heaven and earth were falling to
pieces*, the heart founded on Him who made it, abides unmoved;
ihe everlasting arms are Tinder it, and bear it up.
Do ye believe, ray brethren, that there is such a thing, that it is no
fancy ? Yea, all is but fancy beside it. Do you beheve this ? Why,
then, is one day after another put off, and this not attained, nor the
soul so much as entered or engaged to a serious endeavour after it,
looking on all things else, corapared to this noble design, as vanity ?
How often and how easily are their joys daraped, who rejoice in other
things, and their hopes broken ! What they expected most, soon
proves a lie, as the word spoken of the olive, here signifies ; as if the
labour of it should lie {spe7n mentita .seges),—a fair vintage or harvest
promised, and eitiier withered with drought, or drowned with rain :
indeed, it lies at the best ! But the soul that places its joy on God, is
still fresh and green when all are withered about it. Jer. xvii. 8 : Ac
quaint thyself with Him betimes in ease. It is a sad case, to be
making acquaintance with Him, when thou shouldest raost make use
of His friendship, and find comfort in His love.
Now, this joy in God cannot remain in an impure, unholy soul, no
more than Heaven and Hell can mix together. An impure, unholy
soul, I call not that which is stained with sin, for no other are under
the sun ; all must then quit all pretensions to that estate ; but such a
one as wfllingly entertains any sinful lust or way of wickedness. That
delight and this are directly opposite. And certainly, the raore the
soul is refined from all delights of sin, yea, even from sinless delights
of sense and of this present world, it hath the more capacity, the fitter
and the larger room, for this pure, heavenly delight.
No language can make a natural raan understand what this thing
is, to rejoice in God. Oh ! it is a raystery. Most raen mind poor
chfldish things, laughing and crying in a breath, at trifles ; easily
puffed up, and as easily cast down. But even the children of God are
too little acquainted with this their portion. Which of you find this
power in the reraerabrance of God, that it doth overfiow and drown all
other things, both your worldly joys and worldly sorrows, that you
* Si fractus illabatur orbis.

Hab. in. 17, IS.] the confidence of faith, 215
find them not ? And thus it would be, if we knew Hira. Is He, then,
our Father, and yet we know Him not ?
Although all should fail, yet, rejoice in Him who fails not, who alters
not. He is still the sarae in Hiraself, and to the sense ofthe soul that
is knit to Him, is then sweetest when the w-orld is bitterest. When
other comforts are withdrawn, the loss of thera brings this great gain,
so rauch the raore of God and His love iraparted, to raake all up.
They that ever found this, could alraost wish for things that others are
afraid of If we knew how to iraprove them. His sharpest visits would
be His sweetest : thou wouldest be glad to catch a kiss of His hand
while He is beating thee, or pulling away something from thee that
thou lovest, and bless Him while He is doins: so.
Rejoice in God, although ihe flg-tree blossom not, &c. Yea, rejoice
in these hardest things, as His doing. A heart rejoicing in him, de
lights in all His will, and is surely provided for the most firm joy in all
estates ; for if nothing can come to pass beside, or against. His will,
then cannot that soul be vexed with delights in Him, and hath no will
but His, but follows Him in all times, in all estates, not only when He
shines bright on them, but when they are clouded. That flower which
follows the sun, doth so even in cloudy days : when it doth not shine
forth, yet it foUows the hidden course and motion of it. So, the soul
that moves after God, keeps that course when He hides His face ; is
content, yea, is glad at His will in all estates, or conditions, or events.
And though not only all be withered and blasted without, but the face
of the soul little better within to sense, no flourishing of graces for the
present, yet, it rejoices in Hira, and in that everlasting covenant that
still holds, ordered in all things and sure, as the sweet singer of Israel
sweetlv expresses it, 2 Sam. xxv. 5 : For ihis, says he, is all my sal
vation, and all my desire, although He make it not to grow. That is
a strange although, and yet is he satisfied even in that.
This joy in God, as my God, the God of my salvation, ought to
exercise the soul in the darkest and worst tiraes ; and it ought to stick
to it, not to let go this confidence, stfll expecting salvation frora Him,
and resting on Him for if, tfiough not hav ing those senses and assur
ances that thou desirest. This, weak believers are easily beaten from,
by temptation. But we are to stand to our right in Him, even when
we see it not. And when it is said to thee, as in Psalra iii., that there
is no help for thee in God, tell all that say so, they lie : He is my God,
my glory, and the lifter up of my head; as there he speaks.
Rejoice in Hira still as thy God ; and, however, rejoice in him as
God. / will rejoice in Jehovah, glad that He is God, that His enemies
cannot unsettle nor reach His throne, that He rules, and is glorious in
all things, that He is self-blessed, and needs nothing. "This is the
purest and highest kind of rejoicing in Him, and is certainly raost
distant and most free from alteration, and hath, indeed, most of
Heaven in it.

216 A suMjiARY OF [Ser. XXIII.

SERMON XXIII.
1 Cor. i. 30.
But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, -who of God is made unto us, -wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption.
The great design of the Gospel, is, to bring men to Jesus Christ;
and, next to that, to instruct those who are brought to hira, in the
clearest knowledge, and to keep thera in the fresh remerabrance ofthe
privileges and happiness they have in him. This the Apostles, writing
to new converts, much insist upon, and Paul most abundantly ; but
no where raore excellently and fully than in these words.
As that is a great and much commended oracle, r/viiOi aeaxnov
Know thyself, so, also, there can be nothing more comfortable and
profitable for a Cfiristian than this point, to understand his new being,
to know himself as out of hiraself in Christ, to study what he is there.
Oh ! what joy, what humility, -what holiness would it work, were we
well seen and much conversant in this subject, viewing ourselves in
this light, as here the Apostle represents a believer to himself. Of him
are ye in Christ Jesus, &c.
If we look back a little, we see his aira is, to vindicate the doctrine
of Christ frora contempt in that chief point which is the believer's
greatest comfort and glory, yet, lies openest to the world's misprision,
the doctrine of the cross, Christ crucifled. Hira we preach, says he,
let raen take it as they please : be he a stTimbling-hlock to the Jews,
and foolishness io ihe Gentiles, yet, io them thai believe araong both, he
is ihe power of God, and the Tuisdom of God.
As, in the person of Christ, glory was wrapped up in raeanness, so
it was in his sufferings and death. And in the doctrine of it, and in
the way of preaching of it, they are not dressed with hu7na7i wisdo7n,
or excellency of speech : this would be as incongruous as that rich,
gaudy attire they cover the image of the Virgin with, and her Child
lying in a stable. And that all might be suitable, so is it in the per
sons ofthose that believe on him. Brethren, you see your calling, hoio
that not 7nany wise men after the flesh, Tiot Tnany mighty, Tiot Tnany
noble, are called. And God's purpose in this, is, that tio flesh should
glory before Him.
This is the grand disease of flesh, to swell in conceit of any littie
advantages, real or imagined, forgetting itself and Hira from whom it
receives all, receives its very self, the being- it hath, and all superadded
good. Now, God is pleased, in justice on sorae, and in great mercy
to others, so to order raost things in the world, as to allay this tumour ;
often bringing down high things, and raising the low, and so attem
pering and levelling disparities as to take men off" from self-glorying.
Proud undertakings, we see, are comraonly most disgracefully broken.
Nor is there any surer presage of the speedy ruin of any affairs or per
sons, than presumptuous boasting. This is God's work amongst men,
as even natural raen have observed, to abase high things, to exalt low
things. He goes frora one thing to another, pulling down the crest
and blasting the glory of afi human excellency, breaking the likeliest

1 Cor. i. 30.] spiritual privileges, 217
projects, and effecting what is least to be expected, withdrawing man
from his purpose, io hide pride from his eyes, as Elihu speaks. Job
xxxiii. 17. "To this purpose, see Job x. II, 12; 1 Sara. ii. 4, 5; and
the Virgin in her song, Luke i. 51. Whatsoever raen bear theraselves
big upon, and begin to glory in, they call the hand of God to crush it,
raising an idol of jealousy in his sight. All high things have their day :
the day of ihe Lord shall be on all ihe cedars of Lebanon, and He alone
exalted. Isa. ii. 13, 17. If ever this was the case in any tirae, we raay
see it is legible in ours, in great letters. This is the very result of
His ways, staining the pride of all glory, defeating witty counsels,
making counseUors mad, throwing down all plumes and trarapling
thera in the raire, that no party or persons in the kingdora can set out
for any triuraph of courage, or wit, or any other excellency, but sorae
what shall be clearly seen to meet and dash it in pieces, that 7io flesh
may glory before Him. And this, to soifls that love God, is the main
happiness of the tiraes, and that wherein they will chiefly rejoice.
The particular here spoken of, is erainently suited to this end, the
choice and calling of persons to the dignity of Christians : Not many
wise, not Tnany mighty, or noble, but the mean things, the foolish things,
and the raost insignificant, things that are not, non-entia, very no
things, to annul things that seera raost to be soraething. Thus it was
in the first tiraes ; and though afterwards, by raeans of these meaner
persons, greater were caught and drawn into Christ, philosophers and
kings, yet still it reraains true in all tiraes, that predorainantly the
choice is of the raeaner sort; God testifying how little He esteeras
those things whieh raen account great. Those endowraents of wit
and eloquence which raen adraire in sorae, alas ! how poor are they to
Hira ! He respectetli not any who are wise in heart : they are nothing,
and less than nothing in His eyes. He is the author of all these. Will
He esteem thy riches ? No, Tiot gold, nor all the forces of strength.
Job xxxvi. 19. Even wise raen adraire how little it is that men know,
how sraall a raatter fies under the sound of those popular wonders, a
learned man, a great scholar, a great statesman : how rauch more
doth the all-wise God meanly account of these I He often discovers,
even to the world, their meanness ; He befools thera. So valour, or
birth, or worldly greatness, these He gives, and gives as things He
raakes no great reckoning of, to such as .shall never see His face ;
and calls to the inheritance of glory poor despised creatures, who are
looked on as the offscourings and refuse of the world : these are
raised from the dunghill and set with princes, made the sons and
daughters of God, entitled each of them to a crown that fades not. Oh
the wonder !
Now, they are not puffed up with this, but the raore assurance they
have, and the clearer their view is of the state they are called to, the raore
hurable they are ; still laying these together, What was I in rayself?
and. What am I in Christ? And, in comparing these, they are swal-
lov/ed up with amazeraent at that,. love which made this change ; and
for this very end doth the Apostle express thus their estate, Ye are of
Him in Christ Jesus.
This is a new being, a creation ; for, in relation to this being, we
are nothing in our state of nature ; and then, considering that in rela-

218 A summary of [Ser. XXIII,
tion to others, the meanest are often chosen and made partakers of
this being, such as have nothing naturally great of nobflity, or moral
ity, or high intellectuals ; the most nothings are often chosen and
raade partakers of this being, to illustrate the power of Him who
makes them exist. In kings soraewhat may be observed of this in
their choice of favourites, and raising men who are not of highest
deserving, as affecting- to shew their freedora in choice, and their power
in raaking out of nothing, and so they love to have them called their
creatures. But these are but shadows; both are poor creatures, both
are easfly thrown down. But God doth indeed shew, in His choice.
His freedom and power in His new creature : He draws thera out of
the lowest bottom of nothing, and raises thera to the raost excellent
kind of being that creatures are capable of, to be ihe sons of God, and
so heirs, joint-heirs with Christ Jesus. Rora. viii. 17.
Ye are of Him in Christ Jesus.] This raust be taken in an eminent
sense. All the creatures are of God ; but man, even in his first crea
tion, for the dignity of his being, and the slow way of forraing hira,
was accounted to be of God, in a peculiar manner ; formed to His
own likeness, and therefore caUed the Son of God, called His offspring.
Acts xvii. 28. But in this new being, much more are we so : we are
of Him as His chfldren, partakers of the Divine nature, and that so
fastened, that it abideth. And the medium of this excellent and per
manent being is primarily to be considered ; for in him it becoraes so.
It is both high and firra, being in the essential Son, as the foundation
of it ; therefore here expressed, as bearing the whole weight of this
happy fabric.
Of Him ye are in Christ Jesus. The life which believers derive
frora God is through Him. He is that eternal Word, by which all
things were made in their first creation, and do stfll subsist. Heb. i. ;
John i. And he is raade the basis of the second creation, in a won
derful way, becoming himself a creature ; and so, the root of the new
progeny is from Heaven, the sons of God: so it follows in both these
cited scriptures. John i. 12 — 14. The Word was made flesh, and so,
they that receive Him are raade the Sons of God. And so, Heb.fi.
10, II, amply and excellently is that mystery unfolded. The first frarae
of raan, at least the excellency and beauty of it, was broken by his fall;
therefore a new raodel is framed of a selected number, to be a new
world, raore firm than the forraer, united unto God so close, as never
to be severed again. Man, though he was raade holy and God-like,
continued not in that honour. Now, God hiraself becoraes a raan, to
raake all sure : that is the foundation of an indissoluble union. Man
is knit to God in the person of Christ so close, that there is no possi
bility of dividing thera any more ; and this union of our nature in his
person is raade the ground of the union of our persons with God.
We find our own fiesh catch hold in Christ ofa raan, and in that raan
may find God, and are raade one with Him by faith in Christ. And
this all the powers of hell cannot dissolve. Our life none can cut off'
from His, raore than a raan can cut a beam from off the sun. We are
and subsist of God in Christ. This is an unknown mystery, but, were
it known, it would prove a depth of rich, inexhaustible consolation.
The world doth not know what Christians are. This is no wonder ;

1 Cor. 1.30.] spiritual privileges. 219
for truly they know not theraselves, or but very little. How would it
elevate their spirits, but not in pride ! Oh ! nothing is raore hurabling
than this, as the .\pnstle here implies. But it would raise them above
the world, and suit their desires and their actions to their condition,
having all under foot that the world accounts great, walking as heirs
of Heaven, led and moved by the Spirit of Christ in thera; thinking,
when solicited to any base way. How doth this becorae the sons of
God ? Shall one who lives in Christ, degrade Hira so rauch, as to
borrow corafort or pleasure frora any sin, for the kiUing and destruc
tion w^hereof He laid down His precious fife?
Oh, mv brethren, that this Di\ine arabition were kindled in your
breasts, to partake of this high and happy being, and leave all your
pursuits to follo\v this, restless till you be in Christ ! For solid, abid
ing rest, sure I am, out of him there is none. And then, being in
him, remeraber ^vhere you are, and ^vhat you are. Walk in Christ,
and live like him, as one with him indeed : let his thoughts and de
sires be yours. AVhat was his work, yea, what his refreshment, his
meat and drink ? To do his Father's will. Oh ! when shall we find
ourselves so minded, as the Apostle's word is, the saTUe mind in us
that was in Christ ?
Who of God is made unto tis wisdom.] Known unto God are all His
works from the beginning. It was not an accidental after-device in
God, (for in Him there can be no such thing,) but was his great fore
thought project, out of the ruins of man's first estate, to raise a fairer
and firmer fabric, new from the very foundation. And in the new
foundation lies the model, and excellency, and stability of the whole
structure. This is the choicest of all His works, wherein He chiefly
glories ; His master-piece, which great angels adraire ; and this is if.
Who of God is made unto us, wisdom. And this is one letter of His
name. He is called Wonderful, who is here spoken of; so all is
wonderful in this work: wonderful, first, that He should be made any
thing, the ]Maker of all things Himself made something which before
He was not ; then made io us — that He should be made any thing to
our interest and advantage, who are a companv of traitors ; and made
unto us of God, the God against whora we rebelled and continued
naturally enemies ! The purpose was bred in the Father's own breast,
to give out His Son, from thence to recover us and bring us back.
Oh, astonishing depth of love ! Then, made unto us what? Rather,
what not ? We are made up in Him for ever rich and happy ; He
being made all unto us, all we need, or can desire, wisdom, righteous
ness, sanctiflcation, and redemption. Without Him, we are undone,
forlorn caitiffs, masses of raisery, as you say, having nothing either in
TIS or on us, nothing but poverty and wretchedness, blindness and naked
ness, altogether ignorant of the way to happiness, yea, ignorant of our
very misery, a nest of fools, natural fools, children of fofly, (as they who
are renewed by, and provided with, this wisdora, are called children of
wisdom,) guilty, filthy, condemned slaves.
This is the goodly posture we are in, out of Christ ; yet, who is sen
sible of it ? How few can be brought to serious thoughts about it !
Nay, are not the most in the midst of this misery, yet full of high
conceits of their worth, -svit, freedom, &c.? As frantic bedlandites.

220 A SUMMARY OF [Ser. XXIII.
lying naked and filthy in their chains, yet dream they are great and
wise persons, coraraanding and ordering all about them ; fancying,
possibly, that they are kings, a stick in their hands a sceptre, and their
iron chains of gold. This is a pleasing madness for the time ; yet,
who does not pity it that looks on?
Methinks I see one of this sort, when I see one evidently destitute
of Christ, bearing hiraself big upon the fancy of his parts, and birth,
and riches, or stoutness ; see such, upon any cross word, swelling
against others, threatening high, and protesting they will be slaves to
none ; not knowing that, even while they speak thus, they are wretched
caitiffs, under the hardest and basest kind of slavery. Inquire, my
brethren, if ever you had a right and clear view of your natural raisery ;
otherwise you are, it is likely, still in it, and though you profess to
believe in Christ, are not yet gone out of yourselves to hira, and not
knowing your great need of hira, do certainly raake little esteera and
little use of hira. You are full, and reign without him ; all is well and
in quiet ; but it is owing to the strong man's yet possessing the house,
and keeping you captives as quiet as he can, that you look not out, or
cry for a defiverer. He is afraid of Hira, to be dispossessed and turned
out by Hira who is stronger, the mighty Redeemer that came out of
Zion. Oh, that many amongst you were crying to Hira, and waiting
for Hira, to corae unto you for your rescue !
Made unto txs wisdom., righteousness, sanctiflcation, and redemption,]
To supply and help all. He is our magazine whither to have recourse
to : for this end. He is replenished with all the fulness of God, the
very fulness of the Godhead dwelling in Him, the Spirit being not
given to Him by measure. He is fit to be made our wisdom, who is
the wisdom of ihe Father ; as here in this place, the Apostle lately
called him, ihe wisdom of God, In him are hid all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge. Col. ii. 3. They that find him, and corae unto
him, find it so ; but the raost look but on the surface ; they hear his
name, and know not what is under it.
Made unto us righteousness. By fulfilling the whole law, and all
righteousness. Matt. in. 15, and yet, suffering the rigour of it, as if he
had transgressed it. No guile, no spot was found on him : he was
holy, harmless, undeflled, separate frcmi siuTiers, and yet, the greatest
sinner by imputation: The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all,
Isa. liii. 6. And so, Psalra xl. 12, wfiich is prophesied of him : Mine
iniquities have taken hold of me. He owns them as his, though not
his. He endured all that justice could require, entered and paid the
debt, and is acquitted and set free again, and exalted at the right hand
of God. So it is evident that he is righteous, even in that representa
tive and sponsional person he put on.
Sanctiflcation. Christ is a living spring of that ; anointed above his
fellows. In him is no raixture of any iniquity. The Holy Ghost de
scended on the Apostles in the shape of fire ; there was somewhat to
be purged in thera; they were to be quickened and enabled by it for
their calling. But on hira, it descended as a dove : there was no need
of cleansing or purging out any thing. That was a symbol ofthe spot
less purity of his nature, and of the fulness of the Spirit dweUing in
him.

1 Cor. i. 30.] spiritual privileges. 221
And redemption. Christ is mighty to save, and having a right to
save ; a kinsman, a brother. Aud as he hath bought freedom for sin
ners, so, he will put thcm in possession of it, willeH'ect and coraplete
it. All that are in him, are really delivered from the power of sin and
death, and shall, ere long, be perfectiy and fully so : they shall bo
lifted up above them, no longer to be molested with any remainders of
either, or with the fear of them, or so much as any grief for them.
And that day is called the day of rede7nption, to which we are before
hand raade sure and sealed hy the Spirit. Ephes. iv. 30.
We cannot then doubt of his fitness and fulness to be these, and
these for us ; but withal, we raust know that he is designed so to be
Tnade unto us. and that he carae, and did, and suffered all for this pur
pose, and having done, returned, and now lives, to be these to us. It
is his place and offics, and so, his delight ; he loves to be put upon
the perforraance of this, to be their wisdom and righteousness. Made
of God to us. It is agreed betwixt the Father and him, that he should
'be so. He is the wisdom of God, and made of God our wisdom.
Wonderful ! that the same which is His own wisdom, and no less. He
would make ours. And now, under a sense of all otir ignorances and
follies, it becoraes us to go to him, to apply ourselves to him, and apply
him to us. He is called our Head, and called so most fitly, for it is
the place of all our wisdom ; that lies in our head. And so, as to all
the rest, righteousness, sanctiflcation, and 7-edempiion. If he be righ
teousness in himself, and holy, and victor over his eneraies, and set
free from wrath and death, then are we so too, in him ; for he is ours,
and so ours, that we becorae what he is, are inrighted to all he hath,
and endowed with all his goods ; though poor and base in ourselves,
yet raarried to him : that is the title. We are made rich, and noble,
and free, we are righteous and holy, because he is. Uxor fidget radiis
mariti. The wife shines with the rays ofher husband. All debts and
pleas are taken off, he stands betwixt us and all hazard, and in him
we stand acquitted and justified before God.
That which makes up the match, and ties the knot of this union, is
faith. He is made of God unto tis wisdom, righteousness, &c. He is
tendered and held out as all these, in the promise of the Gospel ; not
only declared to be really furnished and fit so to be, but offered to be
so, and we warranted, yea, invited and entreated, to receive him as
such. But he is effectuaUy made to be this io us, to 7ne, by believ
ing, the promise being brought horae and applied of God, and faith
wrought in the heart to entertain and unite to hira. "H iria-n^ laowolei :
Faith closes the bargain, and makes him ours. Now, in that, he is
made unto 7is, not of ourselves, but God, for that is His gift and work:
we cannot believe, any raore than we can fulfil the whole law. And
though raen think it a coramon and easy thing, to accept of so sweet
an offer at so cheap a rate, nothing being required but to receive hira,
yet, this is a thing that naturally all refuse. No man cometh, says he,
except ihe Father draw him, John vi. 44. Though raen be beseeched
to come, yet, the raost will not co7ne unto hira, that they Tnay have
life. To as many as received him, he gave the privilege io become ihe
sons of God, John i. 12 ; and yet, for all that, many did not receive
him ; yea, as there it is expressed. He came to his own, but his own

222 A summary of [Ser, XXIII.
received him Tiot, They who were nearest to him in natural relation
and interest, yet refused him, for the most part, and attained not this
blessed spiritual interest in him unto life.
It should be considered, my brethren, Christ is daily held out, and
none are excluded or excepted, all are invited, be they what they wfll,
who have need of hira and use for hira ; and yet, who is persuaded ?
Oh, who hath believed our report ? One hath his farTn, another his
oxen, each sorae engageraent or another. Men are not at leisure for
Christ. Why? You think, may be, you have received him. If it be
so, you are happy. Be not deluded. Have you received him ? Do
you find him then living and ruling within you? Are your eyes upon
hira ? Do you wait on hira, early and late, to see what his will is? Is
your soul glad in hira ? Can you, in distress, sickness, or poverty,
clasp to hira, and find him sweet, and allay all with this thought.
However things go with me, yet, Christ is in me ? Doth your heart
cleave to hira ? Certainly, if he be in you, it will be thus ; or, at least,
your most earnest desire will be, that it may be thus.
Men wiU not believe how hard a raatter it is, to believe the fulness
and sufficiency of Jesus Christ, till they be put to it in earnest to raake
use of hira, and then they find it : when sin and death are set before
their view, and discovered in their native colours unto the soul, when
a raan is driven to that. What shall I do to he saved ? then, then is the
tirae to know what notion he hath of Christ. And as the difficulty
lies in this, in the first awakening of the conscience frora sin, so, in
after-tiraes of teraptation and apprehension of wrath, when, upon some
new-added guiltiness, or a new sight of the old, in a fiightfiil raanner,
sin revives aTid the soul dies, it is struck dead with the terrors of the
law, — then to keep thy hold, and find another life in Christ, the law
and justice satisfied, and so the conscience quieted in him ; this is
indeed to believe.
It is a thing of huge difficulty, to bring raen to a sense of their na
tural raisery, to see that they have need of a saviour, and to look out
for one : but then, being brought to that, it is no less, if not more
difficult, to persuade them that Christ is he ; that, as they have need
of hira, so they need no more, he being able and sufficient for them.
All the waverings and fears of misbelieving minds, do spring from dark
and narrow apprehensions of Jesus Christ. All the doubt is, not of
their interest, as they iraagine: they who say so, and think it so, do
not perceive the bottora and root of their own raalady. They say,
they do no whit doubt but that he is able enough, and his righteous
ness large enough, but that all the doubt is, if he belong to me. Now,
I say, this doubt arises from a defect and doubt of the former, wherein
you suspect it not. Why doubtest thou that he belongs to thee ? Dost
thou flee to hira, as lost and undone in thyself? Dost thou renounce
all that can be called thine, and seek thy life in hira ? Then he is
thine. He came to seek and to save ihat which was lost. Oh, but I
find so rauch, not only forraer, but still daily renewed and incrensing
guiltiness. Why, is he a sufficient Saviour, or is he not ? If thou dost
say, he is not, then it is raanifest that here lies the defect and mistake.
If thou sayest, he is, then hast thou answered all thy objections of that
kind : much gufltiness, much or littie, old or new, neither helps nor

1 Cor. i. 30.] spiritual privileges. 223
hinders, as to thy interest in hira and salvation by hira. And for dis
pelling of these mists, nothing can be more effectual than the letting in
of those Gospel bearas, the clear expressions of his riches and fulness
in the Scriptures, and eininentiy this. Made of God, wisdom, righleoiis-
7iess, sanctiflcation, and redemption.
Wisdom. Both objectively and effectively. Objectively, I raean, our
wisdom, as all our wisdom lies in the riglu knowledge and apprehen
sion of him. And this suits to the Apostle's present discourse. The
Jews would have a sign, and the Gentiles, wisdoTn ; but JFe, sa^¦s he,
preach Christ. So, ch. ii., ver. 2 : I determined to know nothins, save
Christ crucifled. He was learnedly bred, and knew raany things beside,
much of nature, and much ofthe law; but all this was, to hira, obsolete,
useless stuff: it was as if he never had heard of or known any thing-
else but Jesus Christ. We may know other things, but this, and this
alone, is our wisdora, to know him, and hiin crucifled. Particularly,
we may have knowledge of the law, and by it the knowledge of sin ;
but in relation to our standing before God, and so, our happiness,
which is the greatest point of wisdora, Jesus Christ is alone, and is all.
And the more firmly a soul eves Cfirist, and loses all other knowledge
and itself in contemplating him, the more truly wise and heavenly it is.
And eff'ectively he is our wisdom. All our right knowledge of hira
and befief in him, flow frora himself, are derived frora hira, and sent
into our souls. His Spirit is conveyed into ours ; a beara of himself,
as of the sun. This Sun of righteousness is not seen but by his own
light ; so that every soul that is made wise unto salvation, that is
brought to apprehend Christ, to cleave to him, and repose on hira, it
is by an emission of Divine light from himself, that shows him, and
leads unto hira. And so we know God in hira. There is no right
knowledge of the Father but in the Sou. God dwelling in the Tnan,
Christ, will be found or knowii no where else ; and they that consider
and worship God out of Christ, do not know or worship the true God,
but a false notion and fancy of their own.
The Sheehinah, the habitation ofthe Majesty, is Jesus Christ: there
He dwells as between the cherubiras over the raercy-seat. To appre
hend God so as to love Him and trust in Him all our life, to hope to
find favour and bliss witfi Him, this is the only wise knowledge of
Hira. Now, this alone is in Christ, and from him. lie contains this
representation of God, and gives his own fight to see it. So that a
Christian's desire should be, in relation to Jesus Christ, that of David
in reference to the Temple, as a figure of hira. One thing have I desired
of Him, and thai will I seek after, thai I may dwell in the house of the
Lord; that I raay get in to Christ, to know God there, io behold the
beauty ofthe Lord. There we see beauty indeed, the Father's glory,
and so, as our Father reconciled to us, we see Hira merciful and
gracious. And as we should desire to behold, so, still, to inquire in
His Temple, to advance in the knowledge of God, studying Him in
Christ : we are to admire what we see, and to seek still to see more.
And know, that this knowledge of God, as we have it in Christ, so it
is from him. He reveals the Father : he carae frora His bosora for
that purpose. We cannot believe on hira, cannot corae near God
through him, but as he lets forth of his light, to conduct and lead us

224 A summary op [Ser. XXIII.
in, yea, powerfully to draw in, for his light does so. Now, knowing
and apprehending hira by his own light, his Spirit, the Apostle clears
it, that this is our wisdom, by those rich tities added, according to which
we find him to us, when we receive from hira that wisdora by which we
apprehend hira aright and lay hold on him, then made unto tis righte
ousness, sanctiflcation, and redemption.
Righteousness. This doubtless is meant of the righteousness by which
we are justified before God. And he is Tiiade this to us: applied by
faith. His righteousness becomes ours. That exchange made, our sins
are laid over upon hira, and his obedience put upon us. This is the
great glad tidings, that we are made righteous by Christ. It is not a
righteousness wrought by us, but given to us, and put upon us. This
carnal reason cannot coraprehend, and being proud, therefore rejects
and argues against it ; says, How can this iliijig be ? But faith closes
with it, and rejoices in it. Without either doing or suffering, the sin
ner is acquitted and justified, and stands as guiltless of breach, yea, as
having fulfilled the whole law. And happy they who thus fasten upon
this righteou.sness ! They raay lift up their faces with gladness and
boldness before God; whereas the raost industrious, self-saving justi
ciary, though in other men's eyes and his^wn, possibly, for the present,
he makes a glittering show, yet, when he shall corae to be examined
of God, and tried according to the Law, he shall be covered with
shame, and confounded in his folly and guiltiness. But faith triumphs
over self-unworthiness, and sin, and death, and the Lav/, shrouding
the soul under the mantle of Jesus Christ ; and there it is safe. All
accusations fall off", having no where to fasten, unless sorae bleraish
could be found in that righteousness in which faith hath wrapt itself.
This is the very spring of solid peace, and fills the soul with peace and
joy. But still men would have soraething within theraselves to raake
out the matter, as if this robe needed any such pieceing ; and not find
ing what they desire, thence disquiet and unsettlement of mind arise.
True itis, that this faith purifies the heart, and works holiness, and
all graces flow frora it ; but in this work of justifying the sinner, it is
alone, and cannot adrait of any mixture. As Luther's resemblance is,
" Faith is as the bride with Christ in the bed-chamber alone ; but
when she cometh forth, hath the attendance and train of other graces
with her." This well understood, the soul that believes on Jesus
Christ, will not let go for all deficiency in itself; and yet, so resting
on hira, will not be slothful nor regardless of any duty of holiness.
Yea, this is the v/ay to abound in all the fruits of the Spirit, first to
have that wisdom frora hira, rightiy to apprehend and apply hira as
our righteousness, and then shall we find all furniture of grace in hira;
he will likewise be sanctification. Say not. Unless I find sorae
raeasure of sanctiflcation, what right have I to apply hira as my
righteousness? This inverts the order, and disappoints thee of both.
Thou must first, without finding, yea, or seeking any thing in thyself
but raisery and guiltiness, lay hold on hira as thy righteousness ; or
else thou shalt never find saTictification by any other endeavour or
pursuit. He it is that is made sancliflcation to us, and out of hira we seek it
jn vain. Now, first he must be thy righteousness, before thou find him

1 Cor. i. 30.] spiRiTU.VL privileges. 225
thy sanctification. Siraply, as a guilty sinner, thou must flee to him
for shelter; and then, being come in, thou shalt be furnished out of
his fulness, w ith grace for grace. As a poor man pursued by the
justiciarv, fleeing to a strong castle for safetv, and being in it, finds it
a rich palace, and all his wants supplied there.
This misunderstanding- of that method, is the cause of that darkness
and discorafort, and withal of that deadness and defect of graces, that
many persons go drooping under, who will not take this w-ay, the only
straight and sure way of Ufe and corafort. Now,
Sanctification he is to us, not only as a perfect pattern, but as a
powerful principle. It is really the spirit of Christ in a believer, tfiat
crucifies the world, and purges out sin, and forms the soul to his
likeness. It is irapossible to be holy, not being in hira ; and being
truly in hira, it is as impossible not to be holy. Our pothering and
turraoiling without him, raakes us lose our labour ; and in this point,
indeed, little wit makes much labour.
Redemption. Sin is often prevailing even in believers, and there-
¦withal discoraforts and doubts arising, as it cannot otherwise choose.
Oh, how do they groan and sigh as captives still to the law of sin and
death ? Well there is in our Lord Jesus help for that too. He is
redemption; that is the corapleraent and fulness of deliverance. The
price he paid once for all : now he goes on to work that deliverance
by conquest, which he bought by ransora. It is going on even when
we feel it not, and within a little while, it shall be perfected, and we
shall see all the host of our eneraies who pursued us, as Israel saw the
Egyptians, lie dead upon the shore. Courage ! that dav is coraing.
And all this is. That he that glories, may glory in ihe Lord. Is it
reasonable ? No self-glorying : the more faith, the less will there be
still of that. A believer is nothing in himself: all is Christ's, Christ is his
all. That treasurer who, being called to an account, because that out
of nothing he had enriched hiraself suddenly, raany thought he would
have been puzzled -with it ; but he, without being rauch raoved, next
morning came before the king in an old suit that he wore before he
got that office, and said, " Sir, this suit on my back is mine, but all
the rest is thine." So, our old suit is ours, all the rest Christ's,
and he allows it well. And in the full and pure glory that ascends to
God in this work, are we to rejoice more than in the work itself as our
salvation. There is an hurable kind of boasting that becoraes a Chris
tian. My soul shall glory (or make her boast) in God, says David
all ihe day long. What was I before I met with Christ, thinks a
believer, and now what am I ? And, upon that thought, he wonders
and loves. But most of the wonder is yet to come ; for he conceives
but little what we shall he.

Vol. II.

226 the folly of man, [Ser. XXI'V.

SERMON XXIV.
Jeremiah x. 23, 24.
O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself : it is not in man that -walketh, to
direct his steps.
0 Lord, correct me, but vvith judgment; not in thine anger, lest Thou bring me to
nothing.
It cannot be expressed, what an advantage a heart acquainted with
God hath, in all the revolutions and clianges of the world, when it
turns unto Hira, and gives vent to its griefs and desires into His
bosora, and so finds ease. This the Prophet does here : after the de
nouncing of a heavy judgraent, he turns towards hira frora whora he
brought that raessage, to entreat for them to whom he brought it.
After a very sad close of his sermon, he adds this short but very sweet
prayer ; presents himself, and speaks in that style, as representing the
whole people ; Correct Tne, 0 Lord : he makes their calaraity, as it
were, all his own ; bears their person, and presents his petition for
thera in his own name. The prophets, though they could not but
applaud and approve the justice of God who sent thera, in the harshest
news they brought, yet, withal, could not be insensible to the miseries of
His people ; and so we find thera mixing pathetical coraplaints and
prayers for thera, with the predictions of judgraents against them.
Observe. And thus are all His faithful ministers affected towards His
Church. The Lord hiraself is pleased to express a kind of regret,
ometiraes, in the punishing of thera ; as the tender-hearted father feels
the lashes he lays on, though highly deserved by the stubbornness of
His children. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I
deliver thee, Israel? How shall I Tnake thee as AdTnah? How shall
I Tnake thee as Zehoim ? Mine heart is turned wiihiTi Tne, my re-
pentings are kindled together. Hos. xi. 8. So it well becoraes His
servants to be thus aff'ected when they deliver sad news to His people,
to return praying for thera ; thus going as angels betwixt Heaven and
Earth, beseeching the people to return unto God, and beseeching God
to return to His people, and spare thera.
The Prophet, in this prayer, first premises a position suiting his
purpose, and then, upon th-at, presents his supplication. The position
he lays, to raake a double benefit of it in order to his petition. It is
both a sure ground for hiraself to stand on, and a fit arguraent to raove
God by. 'Thus it is, and thus he intends and uses it, at once to sup
port his own faith, and to work on the goodness of God by it. Be
sides the fitness of the tmth itself for both these ends, we find sorae
print of both in the very way of expressing it, O Lord, I know that the
way of Tnan is tioI hi himself; so expressing both his own persuasion
of the truth of it, I know, and representing it to God as a fit truth to
urge his suit by, O Lord, I know.
Observe, A great part of the strength and art of prayer, lies in this :
first, to have the raind furnished with fit conceptions of God, and
established in the firra persuasions of them ; in that is rauch of the
strength of prayer : then, fitly to call up and use these conceptions

Jer. X. 23, 24.] .and the teaching of god. 227
and persuasions for our own supporting and prevailing with God ; in
that lies the art of it.
We possibly think that we do sufficiently believe both the goodness
and power of God, especially His pow er, none suspecting himself of
the least doubt of it ; yet our perplexing doubts and fears, our feeble
staggerings in faith and prayer, upon particular pressing difficulties,
discover evidently a defect here, though still we will not own it. And
alas ! how little faculty have we in the raost needful times, to rest on
His strength, and to stir up ourselves to stir Him up by prayer, to do
for us, holding firm to that great point of His absolute sovereignty
and power over all things, and holding it up to Hira, entreating Him
bv it to appear and work for us. Lord, it is in Thy hand ; that I
know, and that is enough to me : thy good-will I dare trust. (For
there is implied a secret confidence of that.) This contents me, that
Thou hast full power of the business. That is the thing which here
the Prophet fixes on. 0 Lord, I know thai the way of man is 7iot in
himself, q. d, -\s there is in us no power to turn off the judgment
determined, all our wit and strength can do nothing to that, so we
are sure there is no power in our eneraies to do any thing either
bevond or beside Thy appointraent, in the execution of it. And upon
this. Lord, we come to supplicate Thee for mitigation. With raen it
often falls out, either in just punishraents, or unjust oppressions, that
the rainisters and under-officers do exceed their coraraission, and
overdo their business ; yea, sometimes add little less of their own,
than afl that comes to which is appointed to them. But with Thee,
O Lord, it is not so. As our enemies cannot stir of themselves
without order from Thee, and as Thy commissions are always all
just, so Thou seest to the perforraance, art present at it, which often
men cannot be ; and so nothing is, or can be, done beside Thy notice
and allowance.
I. His position is this. The way of man is not in him.self, and re
peated more plainly, Ii is noi in man ihat walketh, io direct his steps ;
thus, by a double negation, putting it altogether out of his power.
And under this, the positive truth is couched, that ihe absolute disposal
of all the ways of men is wholly in ihe supreme hand of God ; accord
ing to that, Prov. xx. 24, Man's goings are of ihe Lord ; how can a
man, then, understand his own way ? He doth not certainly know
any thing of his own doings. Even he who seems to know raost, to
advise and deliberate upon all he does, yet hath no power of his
contrivements, knows not which way they will turn, tfll the event
doth clear it, and even then, on looking back, is often amazed at the
strange course of things, so far different frora, and possibly contrary
to all his witty projectings and models. He often does not attain his
own, but he never fails to accomplish God's purpose even when his
intentions are least from it, yea, when they are raost against it. Let
us build a tower, said they, lest we he scattered abroad. Gen. xi. ; and
that was the very thing which caused their scattering. Joseph was
sold bv his brethren, that they might not bow before him, as he had
dreamed ; and this brought it to pass. Pharaoh savs. Let us deal
¦wisely ; and that way of oppressing thera, lest they should go away,
both stirred up God to deliver them, and disposed them to depart.
Q 2

228 the folly of man, [Scr. XXIV
And not to mifltiply instances, generally in all the ways of men, they
have their designs at most tiraes eccentric to God's, but His design
holds always, and theirs no further than they are His. Have we not
ourselves seen instances of this ?
Man consults and determines freely, yet even those inward actings
of the mind and will, are ordered and framed by the hand of God ; and
it cannot otherwise be. It is a most vain fancy, to imagine that any
thing in this is inconsistent with the natural liberty of tfie will, or that
any such liberty can be in any creature, as consists not with His. But
because, in these inward actings, man finds fiimself more at fiis choice,
though all is secretiy overruled, and in the event of things, God's
sovereign disposal is more legible ; therefore, these two are expressed
with some kind of difference, Prov. xvi. 9 : A 7naris heart deviseth his
way, hut the Lord directs his steps. That is, when he hath devised,
that does not carry it: he may devise and fancy things twenty ways,
and think he is taking freely his own course, but he shall find in the
issue Another Hand than his own. It is not in 7nan thai walks, as
the word is here : he walketh, and yet the direction of his steps is in
Another Hand. But in the devisings too, the Lord so acts upon man,
that he is turned which way it pleaseth him. Even the heart, and that
of the most uncontrolled, the most impetuous torrent, the king's heart
is in His hand, as ihe rivers of waters : He turneth it whithersoever He
will, Prov. xxi. 1. When raen either deterraine theraselves, or follow
unallowed ways for deterraination (as those, Ezek. xxi. 21), yet are
they ordered of God. This He does infallibly and uncontrollably, yet
in such a way as there is nothing distorted or violented. Fortiter et
suaviter, — all is so done. Things are in their own course, and men
are in tiieir voluntary choices ; yet, all subserving the great Lord, and
His ends, and His glory, who made thera all for hiraself: as the lower
orbs have each their raotion, but are all wheeled about with the first.
Men know not what He is doing by thera, and what in the end He wfll
do with thera. With the i-od of Assyria He scourges His children,
and then throws tlie rod in the fire. Isa. x. 5, and 16. The horse
leech draws the blood to fill itself, but the physician intends the
patient's health. Men are drawn on by temporal prosperings and
successes to drive proudly and furiously, till they drive themselves
over the edge of the precipice appointed for their ruin ; and all His
exalting them for a season, is, in the end, to exalt Himself in their
greater and raore reraarkable destruction. I will get Me a 7iame upon
Pharaoh, and all his host. Men are busy, consulting or acting with
or against one another, and He sits and laughs at their wisest plots :
He alone is in all affairs, doing all His own will in Heaven and in
earth. Oh ! the folly and blindness of men, who think to carry afl to their
minds, and walk as masters of their own designs, and never have any
serious thought of Him in whose hands both they and all their business,
and all the affairs of states and kingdoras of tiiis world, are as a piece
of wax, to frarae them to what He pleases, — He who destroys the coun
sels ofthe wise, and makes the diviners mad, who pours contempt upon
princes, leads counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools ; He
who hath set limits to all things, to the raging of the sea, making the

Jer. X. 23, 24.] and the teaching op god. 229
sraall sand give check to fhe great ocean : wheu it brake oui of the
womb. He had a cradle provided for it, and swaddling bands, Job
xxxviii., and there, though it rolls to and fro, jet it cannot get out.
Oh ! it is ignorance of God makes men rush on, and not inquire
whether He be with thcm or no. I\Ioses was wise and stout, and
leader of a numerous people, yet he would not stir on other terms : If
Thou go not with us, let tis Twt go up hence. Well, if raen will on their
peril, be it ; let us reverence God. For even this is for Hira, and He
will gain His glory out of it. The way of man is noi in himself. If
We see their folly, let us learn to be wiser, to keep close to Him, and
desire His gracious direction to our ways ; for it is not in our hands,
even when we intend best. And for pu'blic affairs, let us rest satisfied
in His part. Amidst all disorders. He is ordering all wisely and
justly, and to thera who love Hira, graciously ; therefore we ought not
to be disraayed. Let us calm our thoughts with this, remember who
it is that rules all, and disposes of peace and war, and all affairs, and
we cannot wish thera in a better hand. I am persuaded, that in all the
coraraotions ofthe world, when a believer thinks on this, it cannot but
calra and compose his spirit exceedingly : My Father rules all. Let
this so quiet our fears, as that withal it quicken our prayers, and stir
us up to the work of this day, — repentant, hurable seeking unto God ;
seeing all is in His hands, our peace, our liberties, and our enemies,
that threaten to bereave us of both. Oh ! that the effect of all our
troubles and dangers were to drive us more to God, to make us throng
more about the throne of grace, to draw forth our King for our help !
Oh, our impenitence and unreformedness! That turns Him to be our
eneray, and that only. Men are nothing. And now, in so great
straits, yet, so little calfing on Hira ! Oh, my brethren what are we
doing? Oh ! pray, pray. It is our God that comraands all, and we
may say it upon His own warrant, it is prayer thai commands Him.
II. The petition : Correct me, &c. When the hand of God is
stretched out against a people or a person, certainly there is no
running frora Him. The only wise and safe course is, to run unto
him. This the Prophet does in behalf of his people, and by his ex
ample teaches thera so to do. As the Prophet utters his own sense
and desires in this prayer, so he sets it as a copy to the people of God
in tirae of judgment to pray by ; shews them the way, which is, not
vainly to off'er to fiee frora Hira, or proudly to stand out against Him,
to their undoing, but to humble themselves under His mighty hand,
supplicating Hira, yielding theraselves, and begging quarter. Correct
me, O Lord, with judgment, not in anger, lest Thou bring me to nothing.
That I should suffer for my rebellion, there is good reason ; yet, Lord,
do not utterly destroy rae, which will be, if the weight of 'Thine anger
faU upon me. And for that, though indeed we have deserved it, yet
there is another vent for it, and, pardon us to say so, fitter raatter for
it : Pour out Thy wrath upon ihe Heathen : ver. 25 : let it go out that
way. — So we see the supplication hath these two particulars in it, an
aversion, and a diversion ; an aversion of the anger of God upon His
own people under correction, and a diversion of it upon His and their
eneraies ; Lord, turn from us, and pour it out there. The aversion is
presentedj qualified with a humble submission, declaring expressly

^30 THE FOLLY OF MAN, [Scr. XXIV
they decline not that correction of God, but only deprecate His con
suming anger. Correct Tne, O Lord, but with judgment, that is, with
measure; such as the discretion and love of a father resolves on
towards his chfld. Thus rauch will I correct hira for his good, and no
further. Not in Thine anger. God is pleased to express His displeasure
against sin, by wrath and anger, even towards His own children.
But the anger which here the Prophet entreats exception frora, for the
Church, is anger opposed to judgment, unbounded, destroying anger,
that knows no liraits nor stop, but the devouring of those against whora
it is kindled. This is spoken in our language, but it is to be under
stood in a way suiting the purity of God. In Hira truly is no passion
at all, rauch less any that is not ordered by wisdom and judgment.
He is not carried in heat beyond His purposed raeasure, but knows
well how far He intends to go with any, and goes no farther. But as
His anger raeans His just punishing of sin, so His unliraited anger
signifies no other than His just proceeding in punishment, to the utter
destruction of inflexible sinners ; and to this is opposed here. His cor-
reding with judgment, that is, in a fatherly, gracious raoderation, such
as does not utterly ruin and cut off, but indeed reclaims and converts
sinners unto Him.
This submission and yieldance to a measured correction, is a thing
most reasonable : they that know any thing aright of themselves and
God, will not refuse it.
First, reflecting on their own sinfulness, which, when truly disco
vered, even where there is least, yet is there enough of it to justify
even utter destruction. Therefore have we good reason unrepiningly
to receive .such moderate correction frora the hand of God as He thinks
fit, and to wonder that it is no raore. It is one true character of
repentance under the rod, to accept the punishment ofour iniquity, to
have our untaraed spirits brought low, to stoop to God, to acknow
ledge our punishraent to be far less than our iniquity, and that it is of
His goodness that we are Tiot consumed, as the Church confesses. Lam.
ni. 22. Though we feel it heavy, and the raeasure hard, yet self-
knowledge and conscience of sin wfll lay the soul low, and make it
quiet, so that it will say nothing, or if any thing, it will be confession
of its own guiltiness and the righteousness of God ; still clearing Hira
in all, as it is, Psal. li. 4, and using that other, Psal. cxix. 137 ; what
soever is so inflicted. Righteous ari Thou, O Lord, and just are Thy
judgments. Which words a good king used, being put in prison, and
hardly dealt with. So the Psalraist, Psal. xxxviii. 3: 2'here is no
soundness in Tny fiesh, because of Thine anger ; Tieither is there any rest
in Tny bones, because of Tny sin. He justifies God's anger by his own
sin. Thus Daniel raakes confession for this people, under the very
captivity here threatened, when it had lasted out the full term. See
Dan. ix.
And knowing our sin, ought we not to allow God the clearing of
His own justice, His purity and hatred of sin, in punishing it? And,
possibly. He will punish sin raost exeraplarily here, in those who are
nearest Him, His own people and children ; He can least endure it
there. This, especially, when we consider His sovereignty and great-

Jer. X. 23, 24.] and the teaching of god. 231
ness, that He is tied to no account of his actings ; and though wo did
not see so clear reason for our sufferings in our deservings, there is
reason enough in His will. And this, well considered, would bring us
to much humble subraission in all. I was dumb, says David, I opened
not my mouth, because Thou didst it. Psal. xxxix. 9. The bishop of
Troyes raeeting Attila marching towards the city, asked who he was.
I am, said he, the scourge of God. Upon this, he set open the gates
to him ; but God marvellously restrained the soldiers in that city.
But yet further, as our own guUtiness, and God's righteousness and
greatness, plead for this compliance with His chastisements, so even
His goodness, and our own profit in them. There is in His chastising
of His own people very much mercy, that they Tnay not be condemned
with ihe world. I Cor. xi. 32. Their afflictions have a secret starap of
love on thera; By ihis is the iniquity of Jacob purg'^d, &c. He puri
fies a people in His furnace, that they may be holy unto Hira ; gives
His own many sweet experiences of secret support and corafort in
affliction, and seasonable delivery out of it, and brings thera forth with
advantage. The peaceable fruits of righteousness. Heb. xii. 11. He
humbles and purges a people, or a person, by His rods, and prepares
them for greater mercies, to enjoy thera both more sweetly aud use
fully ; renews His covenant and the mutual endearraents of love be
twixt Himself and His people, according to the gracious promises
made to His people, in relation to this very judgraent here threatened,
and after inflicted on thera. See Isa. liv. ; Ezek. xxx^i.
We, possibly, think it strange that our pressures and troubles stUl
continue, and rather grow upon us than abate ; but we judge not
-wisely concerning this, the raost part cursing and repining, others fall
ing into a dead, hopeless stupidness, not caring what becomes of
things. But our best course were, to turn to Him who smites us, to
acknowledge our rebeflions and His justice, to eye men less and God
more, in our sufferings, and to confess that our provocations exceed
all that is corae upon us ; to fall down humbly before God, and take
submissively His chastisements, sa\ing. Correct me, O Lord, but with
judgment; and -with the Church, / will bear ihe indignation of ihe
Lord, because I have sinned against Him. Mic. vii. 9.
Thus, likewise, in private personal correctings, let us learn to behave
ourselves meekly and humblv, as tfie chfldren of so great and good a
Father ; whatsoever He inflicts, not to murmur, nor entertain a fretful
thought of it. Besides the undutifulness, and unseemliness of it, how
vain is it I What gain we by struggling and casting up our hand to
cast off the rod, but the raore lashes ? Our only way is, to kneel and
fold under His hands, and kiss His rod, and, even whfle He is sraiting
us, to be blessing Him, sending up confessions of His righteousness,
and goodness, and faithfulness, only entreating for the turning- away
of fiis wrath, though it should be with the continuing of our affliction.
That is here the style ofthe Prophet's prayer, Correct me, O Lord, but
not in anger. And, according to this suit, even where troubles are
chastiseraents for sin, yet a child of God may find mucfi sweetness,
reading much of God's love in so dealing w ith him, in not .suffering
him to grow wanton and forget Him, as, in much ease, even His own
children sometimes do. And as they may find much of God's love to

232 THE FOLLY OF M.w, [Ser. XXIV.
them in sharp corrections, they may raise and act much of their love
to Him in often-repeated resignraents and submissions of themselves,
and ready consenting to, yea, rejoicing in His good pleasure, even in
those things which to their flesh and sense are most unpleasant.
Now, to the petition, the averting of His anger. That is the great
request of them who know and fear Ilim ; and there is high reason for
it. The heaviest sufferings are light without it, but the least ingre
dient of that adds inexpressible weight to the smallest affliction. 'This
was the thing, it is likely, which made the visage of death so sad
to holy men in Scripture, David, Hezekiah, ^-c, that in those times it
had sorae character of God's anger against thera upon it ; carae to
thera as a raessenger of displeasure. So a thing, sraall in itself, raay be
a great curse. To be cast out unburied is no great raatter. Natural
men slight it : Cwlo tegifur, qui non habet urnam. There is little differ
ence, to lie eaten of beasts above ground, or of worras beneath. Yet,
when foretold to a raan as a judgment denounced frora God, as against
that king, Jer. xxii. 19, it hath its own weight, carrying sorae starap of
God's despising hira. And though a man feels it not when it is done,
yet he feels it, looking on it beforehand, especially as threatened of
God; sees himself, as it were, dragged about and torn.
Now, if any little particular cross, marked with God's present anger,
becomes so heavy, how much more is His abiding, prolonged wrath,
the thing here spoken of — anger, to which no bound is set ! That, says
he, in the narae of his people, woidd bring Tne io nought. There is no
standing before it ; it will make the stoutest and proudest to shake,
yea, shakes them to pieces. Ifthe wrath ofa king be to meaner men
asihe roaring of a lion, (Prov. xix. 12,) how much raore terrible, even
to kings themselves, is the wrath of God! This great King, whose
voice shakes the mountains, and makes tbe earth to trerable, arraies
of terrors and deaths are nothing to a look of His angry countenance.
If He withdraw Tiot His anger, the proud helpers stoop under Him.
Job ix. 13. The helpers of pride, the great Atlases of the world,
who are thought to bear up all, those who, for their wit and power,
are thought the supporters of the kingdoras, how soon are they crushed
to pieces by a touch cf this anger of God, and perish at the rebuke of
His countenance ! 0 Lord, says that holy raan, Psal. xc. II, consider
ing the fraUty of poor raan, and the power of God, who knows the
power of Thine anger? Even according to Thy fear, so is Thy wrath ;
full as much, yea, far more terrible than we can apprehend it.
They who dare go on in v/ays wherein it may be but suspected that
He is against them. Oh ! they know Him not. Let us consider, and
fear before Hira ; and, for the land, still entreat the turning away of
His wrath, rather than deliverances frora any pressures : Lord, whfle
Thou thinkest good further to afflict us, so as to draw us nearer to
Thee, we are content, yea, we will bless Thee ; but whatsoever Thou
do with us, suffer not Thy hot displeasure to arise against us, for then
we are undone. So this is all a soul under His hand, in affliction,
ought to say. Correct me, but not in Tjbrath, lest thou bri.Tig me to no
thing: Thou knowest I cannot stand before that. He is pleased to look
to this, and to express it as that which moderates His anger, even when
justly incensed ; Isa, Ivn, 16: I will not contend for ever, neither will

Jer. X. 23, 24.] and the teaching of god. 233
I he always wroth ; for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls
which I have made. Lord, if Thou wilt, how quickly and how easily
couldst Thou break into pieces, or sink into notiiing, not only me, a
little atom of it, but the entire frame of this w hole world ; aud, there
fore, strive not with me. This Job often represents, and God is
pleased to move Himself to restrain His wrath, and draw forth His
mercy by it. His great corapassion lays bold ou such considerations.
See Psal. Ixxviii. 38, 39, and Psal. ciii. 14. And this may furnish
irreat confidence to souls under a sense of wrath, that do but fall down
and entreat for mercy. He who so often prevents us, when we seek
it not, will he cast any one away who seeks and sues for it?
The diversion of this anger, briefly relates to the heathen, the pro
fessed and obdurate enemies of God and His Church : q. d. Thy
wrath, O Lord, may have its course, and yet spare Thy people. There
is matter enough for it round about, that is good for nothing else ; and
good reason for it, besides all other wickedness, their spite and cruelty
against Thy people : For they have eaten up Jacob,
Note the character of the ungodly, who are fit fuel for this fire. That
know noi, and call Tiot on Thy name; that profess not, pretend not
to be Thine. Tremble, you who are too like these, though reputed
amongst the people of God. Seek the knowledge of God, and wor
ship Him, families and persons, lest this curse corae upon you.
Now, this is a prophetical foretelling ofthe utter destruction ofthe
Church's eneraies, whereas the Church is corrected i7i measure, and
not destroyed. She is first punished ; but they that come last, the
eneraies, the heaviest wrath falls down there, and sraothers thera, ends
on thera, and makes a full end of thera. Jer. xxx. II. The belief
of this raay uphold the faithful in the Church's greatest distresses.
When at the lowest, then the wrath is nearest changing place and
removing to her eneraies.
And this is to be so desired and prayed for, in reference to the irapla-
cable eneraies of God, that we should beware we raix nothing of our
own interest or passion with it. As wrath iu God is without any disturb
ance, cesiuas et tranquillus es, so soraewhat like is the desire of it in
the godly, a calra, undisterapered love of the narae of God. And so
shall the saints rejoice in the final victory and triuraph of Christ over
all his enemies, and their final ruin in that day when they shall be
made his footstool. Then they shall have a pure complacency and
delight in his justice; that shall raake all even. And why are we dis
quieted, if we hope for that day ?

SERMON XXV.
Isaiah xxx. 15 — 18.

For thus saith the Lord God, the holy One of Israel, In returning and rest shall ye be
saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength^ and ye would not.
But ye said. No, for we will flee upon horses, therefore shall ye flee: And we will ride
-upon the svyift, therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.

234 MERCY DESPISED, [Sfir. XXV;
Qne thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one : at the rebuke of five shall ye flee, till ye
be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.
And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will
he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judg
ment ; blessed are all they that wait for him.
In the sentence of that greatest and biggest judgment that ever yet
carae on the world, the universal deluge, as we have it Gen. vi., that
word doth raost lively express the reason of it, My Spirit shall not
always strive with man. For thus it is, whfle He spares even His
own people. He is at a continual strife with thera by gracious entrea
ties and mercies, by advices, and warnings, and threatenings, still con
testing; that is the way He uses in the contest, on His part, against
refusals, and revolts, and rebellions on their part. Thus here.
The question betwixt Hira and His people here, is about the help of
Egypt : this God often declares to be wholly against His raind and
their own good ; yet they on all occasions had so strong a raind to it
that they could not be diverted. The Prophet here hath his raessage
concerning this point, to preach it, and to write it, to reraain ad per-
petuam rei memoriam, as they speak, that it may be for the time to
come, for ever and ever; ver. 8; shews thera plainly, that this course was
wholly without the counsel and consent of God, yea, directly against
it, and that it should succeed accordingly : The strength of Pharaoh
shall he your shame, and the trust in ihe .shadow of Egypt your con
fusion ; it shall prove to you according to its narae, a land of distress
and trouble, instead of help. And if you would know what would suit
that other narae of Egypt better, that were hurable yieldance to God,
and confidence in Hiin: your Raliab, your best Egypt, your truest
strength were, io sit still. Ver. 7. This is here again represented to
thera, so gladly would he reclaim them.
For thus saith the Lord.] The words have, 1st. God's express
advice to His people. 2dly, Their peremptory refusal of it. 3dly, His
just sentence passed upon their obstinacy. The advice is prefaced with
the usual words ofthe prophets. Thus saith the Lord ; for in that lies
the dignity and authority ofthe raessage. His advices, doubtless are
the choicest and the safest ; yea. His counsels are all coramands, re
quiring duly the raost absolute obedience.
The Lord Jehovah.] Were but His word known to be His, and
taken so, how would our souls raelt, and yield to the irapressions of it,
when we read or hear ! Oh ! learn to hear Him, to take every word
of His as from His own mouth, every time the law is read, as if thou
heard it from Mount Sinai. So think. Now God coraraands me to
fear Hira, as if you heard Hira speaking frora heaven. That would
level raore our opinion of men, and make less difference of his mes
sengers. Another word of His style is here added. The holy One of Israel,
This is much to be considered by His people, the hohness of His
nature, and withal, the nearness of His relation to them, and so, the
reverence and obedience we owe Hira, our deep engagement to holi
ness, as His people, His children. This is His iraage in us, if we are
truly such. All His sons and daughters are like Him, holy as He is
holy. The blind, base world thinks it a word of tlisgrace, but the

Isa. xxx. 15  18.] AND THE CONTEMPT PUNISHED. 235
great God owns it as a chief point of His glory, a diaraond of His
crown, and frequently expresses it as one ofthe tities He raost delights
to be known by, Holy, Holy, Holy. And as this is beheld, tiie heart
cannot but be filled with reverence, and holy fear, and self-abaseraent;
as this Prophet here, in seeing the vision, and hearing that voice, Then
said I, Wo is me, for I am undone. Isa. vi. 5.
This is here used fitly to scare His people frora rebellion, the un
holy way on \vliich they w-ere so bent ; and the rather because they
were grown weary of it, and desired not to hear this word. Ver. 9.
Therefbre it is the raore repeated ; Because ye despise this word, ye
shall hear it the more. Ver. 12. The prophet will neither be mocked
nor threatened out of it ; he will both deliver lis raessage, and give
the King who sent hira His ovvn title. .\nd Oh, that we knew Him
according to it, and understood what this raeans. The holy One of
Israel ! He was a holy raan, and knew something, who yet confesses
his own ignorance in that point : (there must be sorae knowledge of
it, to discover ignorance of it :) / neither learned wisdom, 7ior have the
knowledge of ihe Holy. Prov. xxx. 3.
In returning and rest.] In leaving off the pains ye take in messages
and journeys to Egypt, in humbly and quietly composing yourselves to
wait on Me, and trust in Me ; submitting to My hand, in what I bring
upon you, and from the same hand. Mine alone, expecting deliverance
in due time. — This does not bar the use of all lawful raeans, but as it
shuts out perplexing cares and turraoil even in those good raeans, so
it expressly forbids all intermeddling with all unwarranted ways, such
as God doth not direct us to, but rather dissuades us from.
And if this be the safest way, surely it is the sweetest, easiest way.
There cannot be any thing ea.sier than to be quiet and sit still, to rest
and trust, and so be safe and strong. And as it is in this particular, so
generally, it is in all the ways of God ; they are the only easy, peace
able, sweet ways, with the least pains, and the surest advantage. And
the ways of disobedience, besides what comes after, are, even for the
present, more turbulent, laborious, perplexed ways. What a hurry
and pother are men put in, to serve their lusts, or their ambition,
when, if they attain their object, it does not quit the cost and the
pains ; besides that of their hopes mock thera, and after long pursuit,
they embrace a shadow. Thus raen woo their own vexation, and take
a great deal more pains to be miserable, than they would be put to, to
raake them happy. What a pity to pay so dear for nothing, to give
their riches and treasures, and to be at pains too to carry them to a
people that shall not profit them (et oleum et operam), both their ex
pense and travel laid out to no purpose ! The voluptuous, or covet
ous, or ambitious, how do they project, and drudge, and serve their
wretched lusts, who, when they have done one piece of service, are still
to begin another 1 And what is the profit of all, but sharae and sor
row at last ? The hurable, sober-minded Christian saves all that
pains, and hath his heart's desire in quietness and confidence*. His
great desire and delight is, God ; and, by desiring and delighting, he
hath Him. Psal. xxxvii. 4 : Delight thou in the Lord, and He shall
* Vacat temperantia. Sed non habebunt requiem, qui bestiam adorant. Seneca.

236 MERCY DESPISED, [Ser. XXV.
give thee thy heart's desire — himself ; and then, surely, thou shalt
have all. Any other thing commit to Him, and He shall bring it to
pass. Strange ! raen raight have God at an easier rate than the poorest
vanities they are hunting after, and yet they will not : a full fountain
of living waters is ready provided, yet they will be at pains to hew
out little cisterns, which, after all their pains, are but broken cisterns,
and can hold tio water,
I know not what raen are doing, still at work, when they might
better sit still, troubling theraselves and all about them, and cannot
well tell for v/hat. Oh, the sweet peace of believing and obeying
God I They truly conquer, sitting still : Sedendo vincehant. In all
tiraes, they are safe under the shadow of the Almighty ; are strong in
the Lord, and in the power of His might.
And ye would not, but said, Nol] Thus raen soraetiraes flatly reject
His counsels, and when they are not so gross as plainly to speak it
out, yet say so in doing so, and for good raanners' sake wfll blanch it
with reproaching the messengers ; will have it to be not God's mind,
but men's own f'ancy, a false vision ; will own nothing for truth but
what suits their humour and design. First, they resolve on their
course without acquainting God, ask not His advice; then, when He
is pleased to give it by His messengers, they reject it, not under that
name, as God's advice, but will not have it pass for this, because it
crosses their already-determined course. If it favoured that, then, no
question, it were welcorae enough as His word. That is raeant by
those words, ver. 10 : Which say io the prophets. Prophecy not Tinio
us right things ; speak unto us smooth things, prophecy deceits. And
so they used Jeremiah long after, in this very point. Jer. xiii. 2. And
so they go on to take their own course : No, hut we will fiee upon
horses. And this is the nature of carnal hearts ; they are generally inclined
to rebel, and take a way of their own, casting away the counsels
of God, as not suiting with the State, or with wit, or points of
honour. They find raore feeling and real substance in sensual things
than in the promises of God : these seera airy, unsure things to thera ;
therefore, they would still see apparent raeans, and where these fail,
think it but a fancy to rest on God. They dare not trust Hira so but
as withal to do for theraselves, although nothing can be done but what
He forbids, which therefore cannot be done without giving up with
Hira, and departing from their trust on Him. AU this cleaves to usi
and much cause have we to suspect ourselves, when it is but doubtful
that there appears fittle or no evidence of God's counsel or good-will
to a business, but rather clear characters of His dislike, and much of
our own will, a stout, uncontrollable bent to it ; when we are conscious
to ourselves of this, that either we have not asked advice of God
at all, or very slightly, not being rauch upon our knees with it ; or,
possibly, in asking His advice, have brought our answer with us, in
our own breasts, the lying oracle that raaking answer, and we consent-
in"- to delude ourselves, not hearkening to any thing that does not
clink and sound to our purpose.
Our hearts are exceedingly deceitful, and particularly in this point

Isa. xxx. 15 — 18.] and the contempt punished. 237
of witiidrawing our trust from God, and leaving off to follow Him in
His ways, to trust on the arm of flesh, on policy and strength, and
self-resolved undertakings, rather tiiaii on Ilim witiiout these. Evil
men think that those who advise them to trust on God are silly fellows,
who know not what belongs to policy and reasons of state. A fancied
wisdom it is, that men are enaraoured with, and look not to a higher
wisdora, consider not God, that He also is ivise. Isa. xxxi. 2. There
is, I think, in that word a tart scorn of the folly of their seeming wis-
dotn. Be it that you are wits, yet you will not deny some wisdom to
God : Yet He also is wise. So they think not on His power neither ;
therefore He puts them in mind, (ver. 3,) that the Egyptians are Tnen.
Well, if you be resolved on that course, says God, then, know mine
too, that I am resolved upon : Therefore ye shall flee, shall have fleeing
enough : aud if you be swift, they that pursue you shall be swifter,
and one shall serve to cAa.se a thousand, the rebuke the very terror of
one. This is the condition of the mightiest people and the best ap
pointed armies, when forsaken of God. There is no strength nor
courage, nor any thing of worth in any of the creatures, but as it is
derived from God : it is dependent on Him in the continuance and use
of it. Why are thy valiant men sivept away ? They stood 7iot, because
the Lord did drive them. Jer. xlvi. 15. We have seen this, and
the turn of it on both sides, how raen becorae a prey to any party,
when the terror frora God is upon them.
Therefore, learn we to fear Him, to beiware of all ways wherein we
may justly apprehend Him to be against us. Cleave to Him and to
His truth, when it is lowest, and when no huraan means of help appear,
then think you hear Him saying to you. Stand still, and see the salva
tion ofthe Lord.
Ver. 18. Therefore will ihe Lord wait.] There is no language of
men nor of angels fit to express the graciousness of God's punish
ments and the threatenings of them ; as if they were violently drawn
and forced from Him, but mercy, and the sweet promises thereof,
naturally fiowing from Him. Thus here. He is forced to give up His
people to their own counsels, because they will not follow His advices.
He entreats them to be quiet, and let Him do for them ; but seeing
they will not .sit still, and be safe at His direction, they must run their
own course, and fall in it. But it cannot pass so, they must not be
quite given over ; the Lord hath an interest in them which he will
not lose. They must, indeed, for a time eat the fruit of their own
ways, and that is not a season to shew them favour ; but the Lord
will wait a better hope. He is resolved to shew them raercy, and will
find His own time for it : Therefore will He wait, that He may be
gracious. And this is He raoved to, according to His gracious nature, by the
greatness of their distress and desolation. Though procured by them
selves, by their great, their inflexible stubbornness, yet 11 e pities to
see them so left as a beacon on ihe top of a mountain, and as an
ensign on a hill. And therefore will the Lord wait. Thus we
have the proper arguings of free raercy, which otherwise, to our
narrow thoughts, raay seem strange and soraewhat inconsequent.
Such a Therefore as this, so unexpectedly changing the strain, doth

238 mercy DESPISED, [Ser. XXV.
genuinely and sweetly follow upon the premises, when free love is the
medium : that intervening in the raidst, makes the sweet turn. Your
iniquities prevail to bring you low, and lengthen out your calamities ;
therefore, I will let that have its course, and will stay till my fit time
come to do you good. Meanwhile I will lie hid, and be as sitting still;
but when that time comes, I will get up and shew rayself He will be
exalted, thai He may have mercy on you ; for ihe Lord is a God of
judgment. He is wise, and just, and good, and knows His measures
of afflicting His people. His times and ways of delivering them, and
of bringing destruction on his enemies, and will not .slip this season ;
and it being so, this certainly follows, that they are blessed ihat wait
on him.
Observe, 1. The strong inclination of God to shew mercy. He
would willingly have his people to find nothing but ease ; He de
fights in the prosperity of His servants, would have thera constantly
have a sweet, peaceful, yea, cheerful life, by constant walking in His
ways ; but they are often the eneraies of their own peace, grieve His
Spirit, and tum Him to be their own enemy. But He cannot persist
in that to His own ; He longs to be at His way of raercy and loving
kindness again. He retai7is not His anger for ever, because raercy
pleases Him. He inflicts judgraent for sin, but what He delights in
is raercy. Therefore, says the prophet, Lara. iii. 32, 33, Though He
cause grief, yet He will have compassion according to ihe multitude of
His mercies : For He doth 7iot willingly afflict the children of men.
Though He doth grieve the7n, yet, 7iot willi7igly ; they theraselves pro
cure and draw on that, by grieving His Spirit. But He willingly
shews raercy, for that abounds : there is such raultitude and plenty of
it, that, as to full breasts, it is a pleasure to Him to let it forth. The
two words, gracious and merciful, which stand first in the name of
God, Exod. xxxiv. 6, the one signifies free grace, the other, tender
bowels of mercy. This is no emboldraent to continue in sin, yea, it is
of all things the most fit encourageraent and induceraent to a sinner
to return from sin ; and so it is used and urged throughout the Scrip
tures. See Isa. xxxi. 5, 6, and Iv. 7 ; Jer. iii. 12. In public calamities,
where a people are charging the cause thereof upon themselves,
searching their hearts and their ways, and turning unto God, humbly
acknowledging their iniquity, and entreating pardon, Oh ! this is
the thing He would not despise. Yea, it is what He looks and
longs for, and upon that would readily forget all past disloyalties. See
Jer. iii. 1. Yea, at the sound of their repentings. His bowels would
resound with compassion by a secret syrapathy and harraony, as one
string, well tuned to another, stirs when it is touched. Thus, Jer. xxxi.
18—20. This a sinner shall find in his returning unto God, raore than we
can express or promise in His name. Oh, He waits to be gracious,
raeets thee graciously. Yea, He hath first touched thy heart secretly,
hath first drawn it towards Hiraself, before it stirred, or had a thought
that way. Now no raore upbraidings or remembrance of all thy wan
derings : an act of perfect oblivion is past. For J will forgive their
iniquity, a7id I will remember iheir sm -no more. Jer. xxxi. 34. Is thy
heart any little softened, and relents it towards Him ? Th«n, the con-

Isa. xxx. 15 — 18.] AND THE CONTEMPT PUNISHED. 239
troversy is ended, and His thoughts are now, how to comfort thee.
Art thou busy indicting accusations against thyself? Then makes He
it His part to wipe away and blot out. Comest thou home with a
heart full of holy sharae and grief, and thy mouth full of humble con
fessions of thy disobedience ? Then know, it is thy tender-hearted
Father meets thee, raost ready to forgive thee, yea, to interrupt thy con
fessions in the raiddle with embraces and kisses of love.
But, alas ! we preclude ourselves from the sweet experiences of
these tender raercies, by the hardness of our hearts, and by the light
ness and vanity of them. Oh that indignity, our God still waiting to
be gracious, to heap up more of His love to us, but we are busied in
other things, and not at leisure to wait on Him ! Oh ! what are they,
these things that take us up ? Great matters ? Alas ! sorry trifles, all
day long. And when we are at leisure, yet we are not at leisure ; for
then we raust take our ease, raust go to sleep, and so still He is put
off and forced to retire, after he has stayed till His head be fllled with
dew, and His looks with the drops ofthe night. Cant. v. 2.
Observation 2. The Lord doth most exactly and wisely mea.sure
both the degree and the tirae of His people's afflictions. Though they
have brought thera upon theraselves, and justly He might leave them
so, this He will not do : He is a God of judgment. This is largely and
sweetly expressed, in a reserablance of husbandry, Isa. xxvni. 24 — 29.
He knows how rauch and how long outward or inward trouble is fit
for everv one, and where the less wfll serve, will not use the raore.
He knows what need sorae spirits have to be bruised and broken be
yond others, either under disgrace or poverty, or the proper pressures
of the spirit within, apprehensions of wrath, or withdrawraents, at least,
of coraforts ; and hath set His days for deliverance of His church, and
of every believer under affliction. So, the style of the prophet. In
ihat day, speaking as of a certain prefixed day, and that, no power or
wit of raan can disappoint. And it is so chosen, as it shall be evident
to be the fittest, that it could not so well either have been sooner or
later ; all things concurring to make it most seasonable to His people,
and honourable to his own name. Hab. ii. 3, The vision is for the
appointed time : though it tarry, wait for it ; it shall come, and shall
noi tarry. That is strange. Though ii tarry, it shall Tiot tarry. But
in the original, there are two words, the one importing an undue slow
ness, or constrained retardment : that cannot be so, it shall not tarry,
though ii tarry ; that is, though it stay itself, and come not till the
appointed time : so the other word signifies. Thus, Psal. cii. 13,
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion ; for the set time is come.
Now, for this the Lord waits. It is not through want of love, but
from abundance of wisdom, that He delivers not sooner. He hath
chosen the fittest time, in His all-discerning wisdom ; yet, there is in
His love, an earnest kind of longing that the time were come. Thus
here. He waits io be gracious, and He will be exalted, will cheerfully
and gladly raise up Hiraself, and appear to shew raercy to His people,
and bring His eneraies low ; coming forth, as it were, to judgment,
and sitting down on His throne. In which posture He was not seen
jfhfle they prevailed and triumphed, and His Church were under their
oppression ; but when the time of their restoring and consolation

240 MERCY DESPISED, [Ser. XXV.
comes. He then is to sit on His throne, and so is exalted to shew thera
mercy. Hence the Psalraist so often desires that the Lord would arise,
and utters predictions, assuring that He wUl arise, and exciting his
people to rejoice in that. Psal. ix. 7, 8, and Psal. xcvi., xcvii., and
xcviii. Thus, the Church, in her saddest condition, ought hopefully to
remeraber and rest on it, that the day is deterrained, and cannot fail.
Our salvation is in God. He laughs at His eneraies, when they are
at the top of prosperity and pride; sees that their day is coraing.
Now, certainly, the firm persuasion of this would much stay our
minds ; but either we do not believe, or we do not improve and use
these truths, and draw that comfort frora them which abounds in them.
Our God loses no tirae : He is waiting till His appointed tirae. And
if He wait, it becoraes us so to do. That is our duty here, to wail on
Him. This faith does, and so, raakes not haste; neither goes out to
any tindue raeans, nor frets irapatiently within at the deferring of deli
verance, but quietly rests on God, and waits for Hira. This, as it is our
duty, is also our happiness ; and thus it is here expressed. Upon
consideration that ihe Lord waits to be gracious, and will be exalted
ia shew mercy, the prophet is carried to this acclamation, in respect to
the happiness of believers, 0 .' blessed are they that wait for Him !
Their thoughts fall in and meet with His ; for He is waiting for the
same day they wait for, and if he be not disappointed, tfiey shall
not. We are naturaUy irregular in our affections and notions, and the
only right ordering of them, is, by reducing thera to conforraity with
the ways and thoughts of God, which keep an unalterable, fixed course,
as the heavens : the way, I say, to rectify our thoughts is, to set them
by His, as clocks and watches, which so readily go wrong-, too slow or
too fast, are ordered by the sun, which keeps its course. Oh ! that we
were more careful to set and keep our hearts in attendance on God,
-winding them up in raeditation upon Hira, and conforraing them in
their raotions and desires to His disposal in all ; for all that concerns
us, and for the tiraes of all, being quiet, yea, glad in this, which the
Psalraist makes his joy. My times are in Thy hand, O Lord. Psal.
xxxi. 15. And surely, that is the best. Were I to choose, they should
be in no other hands, neither raine own, nor any others. Alas ! what
silly, poor creatures are wel How fittle do we know what is fit for us
in any kind, and still less what tirae is fit for any raercy to be bestowed
upon us ! When He withholds raercies or coraforts for a season, it is
but till the due season ; it is but to ripen thera for us, which we in
childi.sh haste would pluck green, when they would be neither so sweet
nor so wholesorae. Therefore it is our wisdom and our peace, to
resign all things into His hands, to have no will nor desires, but only
this, that we raay still wait for HItu. All shall be well enough, if we
but get rid of the vain hopes and expectations of this world. None
who indulge thera are so well but they are stfll waiting for soraewhat
further. Now, araidst all that, our soul may say with David, and
speak it to God as known to Hira, that it is so indeed : And now.
Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee. My expectation or wait
ing, (the sarae word that is here,) is all placed upon Thee. Is it so,
brethren ? Are our hearts gathered in from other things, to this

Isa. xxx. 15  13.] AND THE CONTE.MPC PUNISHED. 241
attendance, while the raost about us are gaping for the wind ? Have
we laid all up in God, to desire and wait for Him, and pretend to
nothing beside Hira ?
I would do so, raay a soul think, but can I hope that He will look on
me, and bestow Hiraself on such a one as I am ? To that I say no
thing but, look on His word. If thou thinkest that warrant good
enough, here it is for thee, that they are certainly blessed that wait for
Him. This is assurance enough. Never was any one who waited for
Him, miserable with disappointment. Whosoever thou art that dost
indeed desire Him, and desirest to wait for Him, surely thou resolvest
to do it in His ways, wherein He is to be found, and wilt not willingiy
depart from these ; that were foolishly to disappoint thyself, and not
to be true to thine own end. Therefore look to that ; do not keep
company with any sin. It raay surprise thee soraetiraes as an enemy,
but let it not lodge with thee as a friend.
And mind this other thing, prescribe nothing to God. If thou hast
begun to wait, faint not, give not up, wait on still. It were g-ood
reason, were it but upon little hope at length to find Him : but since
it is upon the unfailing assurance, that in the end thou shalt obtain,
what folly were it, to lose all for want of waiting a little longer ! See
Psal. xl. 1. In waiting I waited — waited, and better waited — but all
was over paid: He did hear me. So Psal. cxxx., I wait and wail
until the morning. These two joined are all, and may well go toge
ther, earnest desire, and patient attendance.
These words, as others ofthe prophet, which we call consolations, I
conceive, look beyond the deliverances from outward troubles, to the
great promise of the Messiah. Sure 1 ara, the strain of soraething
following is too high for that, and cannot but have an aspect to the
days ofthe Gospel, as that ver. '36. Now, the Lord had set His tirae,
that_^?wess of time for the coraing of the blessed Son in the flesh ; and
till that tirae came, the Lord was waiting to be gracious, to open up
His treasures more fully than ever before ; which when He did, then
was He exalted to shew Tnercy, and exalted in shewing raercy. Christ
himself was lifted up on the cross, there to shew that rich mercy that is
for ever to be admired : lifted up to shew his bowels, as the word is here.
Did he not let us see into his heart, there to read that love that can
no otherwise be uttered ? And in that, the Lord was most erainently
manifested a God o/'yarfg-mew^, wisdora, and justice, and raercy, all
shining brightest in that contrivance. There he was lift up, and then,
after that, lift up into glory, who is the Desire ofthe 7iations, the sal
vation and joy of all ages, both before and after. Before he came, they
were frora one age to another waiting ; and raore particularly at the
time of his coraing, God stirred up the expectation of believers to wel
come him, being so near. See Luke ii. 25, 38. And in all tiraes,
before and after that, he is the happiness of souls, and they only are
blessed ihat wait for Him, Whether you do, or do not, believe it now,
the day is coming, when all the worid shall know it to be so.

Vol. n.

242 THE CONFESSION AND [Ser. XXVI.
SERMON XXVI.
Jeremiah xiv. 7 — 9.
0 Lord, though our inquities testify against us, do Thou it for Thy name's sake : for
our backslidings are many, we have sinned against Thee.
0 the Hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldst Thou be
as a stranger in the land, and as a way-faring man, that turneth aside to tarry for a
night.
Why shouldest Thou be as a man astonished, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet
Thou, 0 Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by Thy name ; leave us not.
If we look backwards and forwards in this chapter, we find the three
great executioners of God's anger on the world foretold, as having
received coraraission against this people.
In all troubles, felt or feared, this is still the great resource of them
who are acquainted with it, and can use it. Prayer. And their labour
in it is not altogether lost, even where judgment is deterrained and
unalterable, as here it was; for some mitigations of time and measure
are desirable, and by prayer attainable ; and whatsoever there is of
that kind, the prayers that have been raade long before, have had a
concurrence and influence in it. And always, at the least. Prayer
carries the personal good of them that present it : if it return unto
their bosora, as David speaks, without effect for others, it returns not
thither empty, it brings peace and safety thither with it ; they save
their own souls. The raourners, if they turn not away the destroyers'
weapons from the city, yet, they procure one sent along with them,
with an ink-horn for their own marking and sparing, Ezek. ix. 3. And
were there nothing in this, nor any following effect. Prayer hath within
itself its own reward. Did we know it, we should think so. The
very dignity and delight of so near access to God, to speak with Him
so freely, this in itself is the most blessed and honourable pri>ilege
that the creature is capable of; it is a pledge of heaven, something of
it beforehand, a standing in pretension to the life of angels : Angelo-
ruTn candidati, as Tertullian speaks : it is to be but a little lower, as
the word is, Psal. viii. 5. Many practise a form ; few know the vital
sweetness of it.
Oh, ray brethren, be aspiring to more heavenliness, and a higher
bent ofthe soul in it than as yet you know, and use it more that way ;
use it for yourselves and others, this whole land, these kingdoras, the
Church of God through the whole earth. No tiraes that we have
seen, wherein it hath been raore needful, and none wherein less plen
tiful. There is no one that stirs up himself to lay hold on God.
Sorae, no doubt, there are in these tiraes ; yet, so few, so general a
decay and negligence in the zeal and frequency of prayer, that, to
speak of, there is none. And is it not so now with us ? Many dis
course one to another, and yet, raost to little or no purpose: but
littie is spoken where nothing would be lost, in humble supplication
to God. And this is the saddest sign of that long lasting trouble.
Oh ! pity the kingdom and yourselves, and learn to pray.
This prayer of the Prophet is made up of the two usual ingredients,
confession and petition.

Jer. xiv. 7—9.] prayer of f.mth. 243
O Lord, Jehovah,] A chief point of prayer is, the presenting of the
soul before God, remembering to whom we speak, that it is to the
great King, the holy God; which this expresses, where it is indeed,
when we say, O Lord, or should remind us of, when we forget it, to
have such apprehensions as we can reach of His glorious majesty.
Consider, if we find our hearts filled with Him when we are before
Him. Oh ! how seldom think we that He is God, even while we
speak to Him, and how quickly do we forget it, and let slip that
thought! When we have any thing of it, how soon are we out of it,
and multiplying vain words ! For such are all those we utter to Him
without this. Oh ! pray to be taught this point of prayer, and watch
over your hearts in prayer, to set them thus when you enter to Him,
and to call them in when they wander, and pluck them up when they
sluraber, to think where they are, and what they are doing.
Our iniquities testify against tis,] Confession fitiy begins. All the
difference betwixt God and us lies in this, our iTiiquiiies. Now,
humble confession is one great article of pacification ; it is a thing
judgment certainly aims at, a thing mercy is mainly moved with. See
Hos. v. 15. Psal. xxxn. 5. Jer. xxxi. 18.
When we are to encounter any eneray or difficulty, it is sin weakens
us. Now, confession weakens it, takes away the power of accusa
tions, anticipates the great Accuser, leaves him nothing to say, takes
off the stroke of sins testifying against us, says. You need not, I con
fess afl, and more than you can say.
For this, a right knowledge of God's law is requisite, and then a
dfligent use. of it ; laying it to our ways, as a straight rule to shew our
unevenness, which, -without it, we discern not. Set that glass before
you, but withal beg light from Heaven to see by ; otherwise our appli
cations to this work of searching our hearts, and comparing them with
the law, is but poring in the dark, where nothing is to be seen of our
spots though we set the glass before us, and open the leaves of it.
The spirit ofa man is the candle ofthe Lord ; Prov. xx. 27 ; bnt it is
so when He lights it, and directs a man by it into himself, to see the
secret corners and pollutions that lie hid within him. Sin discovered
by this light, appears in its native vileness, and that makes lively
resentments and confessions.
Their confession of sin is varied here in three several expressions,
and no one of them is erapty ; the adding one to another, testifying a
deep sense, and each of thera having rauch under it, when issuing
from an awakened, sensible raind.
Our iniquities testify against us.] This expresses a deep and clear
conviction. Onr iniquities are undeniable ; they stand up and give in
witness against us, and we cannot except against them, nor deny the
charge they lay.
And thus it shall be with all transgressors in their day, and with
each of us. It is not far off, our particular day, it is coming, when the
most ignorant and impudent shall be forced to know, and the most
obstinate and impudent shall be forced to acknowledge their iniquities.
Such as now will not be warned and convinced, who hide their sin as
men, like Adara, who shew themselves in that his children, they (as
he was) shall be called for, and forced to corae out of the thickets,
R2

244 THE CONFESSION AND [Ser. XXVI.
and convicted of their disobedience. This men find soraetiraes in a
day of distress, when sorae outward or inward pressure seizes on thera,
lays on the arrest, and brings thera to stand and hear what these
witnesses have to say against thera. However, there is a day coming
for this at the long-run, a day of particular judgment for each one,
and that great solemn day for altogether : the light of that fiery day
shall let them see to read the biU they would not look on sooner. If
raen would consider this, when sin is speaking thera fair and enticing
thera, in how different a style it will afterwards speak, it would spoil
the charra of it. As Soloraon speaks of the strange woman, that her
end is bitter as wormwood, (Prov. v. 4.) so are all the ways of sin.
Those sarae sins which looked so pleasing and friendly, and entreat
thee, shall appear again in another tune, and with other language, to
witness against thee, and cry for vengeance. Men think sin evanishes
as it is acted, and forget it as if they were to hear no raore of it, and
know not that it shall be forthcoraing again, even thoughts, words,
and actions. All is kept for a court-day, iTiiquiiies sealed vp in a bag,
as Job speaks, as writs to be produced in the process against thee.
Oh, how little know you what the amazement is of a man's sins sur
rounding hira, and testifying against hira, that he is a rebel against
God, and to be condemned ! And no scarcity, such raultitudes of
thera, one corapany succeeding another, as that word. Job x. 17 :
Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me ; not by twos or threes, but
by thousands, arraies of them. This is raore affrightful than to be
encorapassed with drawn swords, or to see a whole army march up
upon a raan, it were nothing to these bands raustered up. So, Psal.
1. 21 : I will reprove ihee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
There is no way to escape but by prevention, taking a day before
hand to judge thyself, and call these witnesses, and hear thera, and
pass sentence. This would save the labour. God is desirous to have
the raatter thus anticipated, and turns it over to thee, to judge thyself,
that He raay not judge. Why defer we? It is not worth the while
and the pains ? And then for that day, when it would seera so terrible
to have these witnesses stand up, thy safety is, having judged and
conderaned thyself, to take sanctuary in Christ, and raake hira thy
advocate to answer all for thee. He can and will do it to the full ;
yea, he hath already answered all that thy sins, were they many raore,
can say. Oh, happy the man that takes this course ! Sin not upon
this account : none surely will do that. These ihiTigs I write unto you,
saith the Apostle, thatye sin Tiot ; but then, if any man not so minded,
do sin, here is that corafort, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John ii. 1.
Our hackslidhigs are maTiy. This is the double dye of His people's
sins; they are not siraple transgressions, but treacheries, revolts,
breaches of proraises, of covenant and vow, turnings back, goings out
frora God, adultery, prostituting their hearts to idols, to base lusts ; a
heart professed to be raarried to its Maker, running a gadding after
strange vanities. And who of us hath not this sadly to say against
hiraself? — How often have I vowed rayself Thine, and with some
kind of hopes and purpose to have been true to it ; but how soon hath
all evanished ! Oh ! the unspeakable unfaithfulness, not only of cora-

Jer. xiv. 7 — 9.] prayer of faith. 245
mon formal professors, but of real believers ! And these provoke God
highly, go raost to His heart, to be slighted by His own, to whom he
hath so particularly shewn Himself and imparted of His love.
And we have sinned against Thee.] This that coraes last seems to
sound least ; but I take it as raeaning raost : as if they would have
offered at particular confession, and then seeing such a huge multitude,
and no end, were forced to retire, and shut up all iu this general word.
We raight and would speak of raany things, but they are too many,
we are overwhelmed. What shall we say ? We have sinned against
Thee. Thws J oh, I have sinned against Thee; what shall I do unto
Thee? As in David's confession, Psal. 11. 4 : Against Thee, Thee
only have I sinned; Thee, the great, the holy God, our God. This
were our business, instead of much discourse and debate of things, to
fall down and confess unto God ; to begin at ourselves, our own
breaches and backslidings, and then to add the pubfic national guilti
ness. Oh ! we are a sinful people, and few lay it to heart. All ranks
are highly guilty ; and where are they who retire and mourn for their
abominations ? Those continued and multiplied, are the continuers
and multipliers of our plagues, sword, and pestilence, and threatenings
of famine. If you have a raind to do any thing for the land, and for
yourselves, your families and little ones. Oh ! apply to this work, to
confess and bewail our iniquities. It may be, yea, I dare say, it shall
be, the Lord will return and have raercy on us.
0 Lord, though our iniquities testify against tis.] In all our ap
proaches unto God, it is a prime thing to take Him up according to
His name. This is the very ground of access and confidence of
sinners, and there is no coming near Him without it. We have heard
it, that He is the Lord, merciful and gracious, &c. Not so much as
confessions can be raade without this, rauch less petitions presented.
Instead of coraing to fall down before Hira, to acknowledge sin, the
soul will rmi quite away, and, though that were in vain, would seek to
hide itself, that it raight not at all appear. But apprehending His
goodness and readiness to forgive, this draws the heart to Him, and
being drawn in, this raakes it melt before Hira. — In this sorae Chris
tians raistake much, when they hold off frora the apprehensions of
God's graciousness, to the end that they may be the more hurable and
deeply affected with their sins. No, no : this is that which warras,
and softens, and raakes the soul pliable, fit to receive any form from
His hand. Therefore the people of God, and the prophets in their
narae, still lay hold on that, and interweave it both with their con
fessions and their petitions, as the main ground of their confidence, in
presenting both.
The petition is in these two words, which begin and close — Do for
us — Leave us not. The rest is argument, backing and pressing the
petition with farailiar and pathetic expostulations ; and in them, the
whole strength of the arguraent lies in a mutual interest, that they
are His people, and He is their God. But take the words as they lie.
Do Thou for Thy name's sake.] It is not expressed what or how,
and it is best so : that is referred to Hira who knows what is best,
which we do not. It is an act of grace in general that is sued for,
but for the way aud time, all is put in His hand. True it is, that

246 THE CONFESSION AND [Ser. XXVI.
sorrietlmcs prayer is, and must be, somewhat more particular upon
particular warrant, or upon account of the coramon liberty that God
gives His children, to present freely the particular thoughts and de
sires of their hearts to Hira. But it is good always to close thus, or
that it be understood so when not expressed, that we resign that
raatter to Hira, to raake His own choice of things, and use His own
way. Only, we eiltreat His favour, and His owning of us and our
condition, that He be for us, and do for us. And this is safe and
sweet, to let Him choose. We often perplex ourselves about that
which fies not in our way, and is not our part to be busied in, what
things shall be done, "rhis he undertakes for, and will be careful of.
Be not afraid. Psal. xxxvii. 5. CoTmnit thy way, roll thy viay upon
the Lord, trust on ihe Lord, and He will do it ; there is no more. In
the Hebrew it is. Turn it over to Him, and be quiet, and let Him
alone. He will do well enough. Besides that there is all reason for it,
if raen knew what peace of spirit there is in this resignation, they
would choose it before any way that can be thought on, and it never
yet repented any one who chose it.
For Thy name's sake.] This is the unfailing argument, which abides
always the sarae, and hath always the same force. When nothing is
to be said for ourselves but guiltiness, yet, this name we may plead by.
Though our iniquities testify against us, though they return us harsh
answers as from Thee, speaking nothing but just refusals of our suits
and rejecting of ourselves ; yet. Lord, remeraber Thy own narae, and
frora thence we look for a better answer. Do according to that, and
for Thy naTne's sake, in regard of strangers and eneraies, who will
reproach Thy narae in the ruin of thy people ; and for Thy name's
sake, in regard of Thy people's knowledge of it, and confidence in it,
who, in all their straits, do expect their help from Thee. Thy pro
mises made to thera, and Thy covenant made with them, in these is
Thy name, and they do cast themselves, and rely on it. Now see
whether it may be for thy glory to cast thera off. 'Whatsoever we are,
look to Thine own interest, and do for that; Do, for Thy name's sake.
In the next clause, and raore particularly, a part of His narae is
expressed. The Hope of Israel. That is a piece of His royal style, by
which He is known in the world. And in this appeareth the wonder
ful condescension and bounty of God to His creatures, to choose a
nuraber of persons, that He will pass His word to engage Himself to
be theirs ; not only to forgive us who are His debtors by our sins, but
to becorae Hiraself a debtor to us by His proraises. And He loves to
be challenged on them, and pressed with them. It is a maxim of
court-flattery, that raean persons ought not to urge a king upon his
word ; but this greatest King takes nothing better frora the raeanest
of his subjects. Lord, Thou hast undertaken the protection of us Thy
people, and now it fies upon Thee, in point of honour and truth, to
save us.
The Hope of Israel.] All people, and every man, have something
they rely on and make their hope ; and they often choose the most
broken, rotten hopes, which fail while they lean upon them, and not
only fafl, but hurt them, as Egypt proved to Israel. Therefore it
proved as a broken reed, which not only flew in pieces in their hand,-

Jer. xiv. 7— '9.] prayer of faith, 247
but the splinter ran up into their hand and hurt them. How often
have we found it thus, been disappointed, yea, wounded by our vain
hopes, pierced through with Tnany sorrows, as the Apostle speaks of
those who love and trust iu riches ! Therefore Job disclaims this,
that he never made gold his god : If I made gold Tny hope. Ch. xxxi,
ver. 24. There is a word of one of his friends speaking-, chap. xxn.
ver. 25, rendered in our translation. The Almighty .shall be thy de
fence: the word is in the original. The Almighty shall be thy gold.
To those who account and make Him so. He is both ; for they are rich
enough in Him in the greatest scarcity, and safe enough in Him in
the greatest danger.
But you who would look to it, inquire each of you well, what is thy
hope, what thy heart readiest turns to, and cleaves to, to corafort itself
in any distress. Yea, in the tiraes of the greatest ease, what are thy
thoughts raost biassed and turned to, with oftenest and deepest delight?
Canst thou say. It is to God ? — that thy heart hath got that retreat,
and is inured to that, is frequently there throughout the day, turns by,
or passes over husband or wife, or chfldren, or riches, or delights, or
any thing that would stand in thy way, and stays not till it be at Hira,
and there rejoices in His love, sits down under His shadow content
and happy, willing that others should rule and share the world as they
please ? that thou dost not envy thera, yea, canst even pity thera, with
all their gay hopes and great projects? yea, though thou do not find
at all times, yea, possibly, scarcely at any tirae, that sensible presence
of God, and shining of His clear-discovered love upon thee, yet that
still He is thy hope, that thou art at a point with all the world, hast
given up all to wait on Him, and hope for Hira, and dost account thy
self richer in thy siraple hope, than the richest raan on earth is in his
possessions ? 'Then art thou truly so, for the hope of God is Heaven
begun, and Heaven coraplete is the possessing of Hira.
The Saviour thereof] Not exerapting thera frora trouble, but saving
in time of irouble. The reason for Israel's trouble lay in their own
sin and security, and their abuse of ease and peace : but yet, they were
not left to perish in trouble, but had a Saviour in time of trouble, who
was then raost eyed and considered, and found to be so. In the fur
nace, both the fait;h of His people, and the truth of His promises, are
tried. The children of God are much beholden to their troubles for clear
experiences of theraselves and of God. And in this, indeed, is the
virtue of faith, to apprehend God as a Saviour in time of trouble,
before He come forth and manifest Hiraself to be so.
Wicked men have their times of irouble too, even here, but have no
title to this Saviour, Sum fortunm fabri — if theraselves, or friends,
or means can help them, it is well ; but they can go no further. But
the Church, the Israel of God, when all help fails on all hands, has
one great resource that cannot fail, the strong God, her Hope and
Saviour in time of irouble, or straitness. When there is no way out.
He can cut out a way through the sea, can divide their enemies, or
whatsoever is their greatest difficulty, and make a way through the
middle of it. Well might Moses say, Happy art thou, O Israel ! Who
is like unto ihee, 0 people saved by the Lord, ihe shield of thy help ?

248 THE CONFESSION AND [Ser. XXVI.
Deut. xxxiii. 29. Men are under-saviours in outward deliverances;
so it is said, Neh. ix. 27 : Thou gavest ihem saviours; But He is
THE Saviour. All others have their coraraissions frora Him. All
their strength and all their success, is from Him. Without Him, no
strength, nor wit, nor courage, avail : all falls to pieces when He with
draws His hand. Give tis help from irouble, for, says the Church,
vain is the help of man. We have found this, if any people ever did,
and have had real lectures to teach us to cease from man; for wherein
is he to be accoTinied of? Yet, still we are ready to look to raultitudes,
or to the quality of raen who undertake for us. But if we do so, yet
shafl that prove our sharae and disappointment : and it shall never go
well with us, till our dependence and confidence corae clear off" from
all creatures, and we fix it entirely upon Him who is our shield and
our strength.
Thus should a soul in particular distress, especially in inward
trouble, wherein the help lies raost incoraraunicably and iraraediately
in God's own hand, learn to trust Hira. And though thou art not
clear in thy interest as a believer, yet, plead thy interest as a sinner,
which thou art sure of. God in our flesh hath enlarged the nation of
Israel ; all that will but look to him. He is their Saviour: Look unto
me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth. Now, He hath styled hira
self the Saviour of sinners ; press Hira by that: Lord, 1 do look io ihee,
do for rae, O Saviour I Help, I ara in trouble. So, in any particular
teraptation, either to sin, or to distrust because of sin, say. Now, Lord,
here is an opportunity for Thy power and Thy grace to glorify itself.
And though thou find thyself sinking, yet believe, and thou sfialt not
drown. Why shouldest Thou be as a stranger in ihe land ?] The main thing
desired was, His constant abode with thera. Some passing deliver
ances he had wrought ; but that was not enough. He came as a
stranger, to stay a night, refreshed thera with a transient visit, and away
again. Thus we raay say. He hath still done for us. When we were
in desperate straits. He carae and helped ; but then we were left to
such counsels as bred us new troubles. He hath not so evidently yet
taken up His residence, though he hath buUt Him a house araongst
us, we trust, with that intention, to dvvell with us. This we are to sue
and entreat for.
Why art thou as one astonished?] Why art thou looking on our
miseries as an araazed stranger, as not concerned in our affairs or
condition, and not caring what becoraes of us ; as a traveller, but pass
ing through, and having- no further interest nor regard ; or, «s « mighty
man ihat cannot save, as Sarason after his hair was cut, either as
wearied or bound, or soraewhat hindered, though strong enough.
Now, Lord, look not on. Own our sufferings, and bestir Thyself.
Make it appear that Thou faintest noi, neither ari weary, nor that any
thing can stand before Thee and be Thy hinderance. Break through
our sins, the greatest hinderance of afl ; let not these stop Thy way,
nor bind Thy hands. For Thou art in the midst of us : though we see
Thee not so in Thy work as we desire, yet, here we know Thou art in
Thy special good-will and power, as Thou art in our profession and
homage done to Thee as our king amongst us. That testifies Thy

Jer. xiv. 7 — 9.] pr.wer of faith. 249
presence. Thou canst not so hide Thyself, but there are still some
characters of Thy presence. And we are called by Thy name. Thy
people. If we perish. Thy name being upon us, what becomes then of
ii? Therefore leave us not. Though Thou strike us, yet stay with
us, and we shall live in hope of favour and deliverance : if Thou go
not away, our cries and prayers, at least our raiseries, will raove Thee.
These things make up our plea. We are a raost unworthy people,
yet, we are cafled by His name, are in covenant with Hira ; so, His
glory is interested. We raust not let go this. And what advantage
so great as to have our interest wrapped up in His? His glory and
our safety are in one bottom, to sink and swim together ; then, there
is no hazard. Therefore, keep close to His interest and His covenant,
and beg His staging with us, and arising for us, and lay hold on Him
for this end. It is a pleasant violence ; and were there many to use
it towards Him, our deliverance were not far off.

SERMON XXVII.
Luke xfii. 1 — 9.

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate
had mingled ^vilh their sacrifices.
And Jesus answering, said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above
all the Gahleans, because they suffered such things.^
I tell you, nay ; but except yc repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that
they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem ?
I tell you, nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
He spake also this parable ; A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and
he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
Then said he unto the dresser of the vineyard. Behold, these three years I come seeking
fruit on this fig-tree, and find none ; cut it down ; why cumbereth it the ground .¦"
And he answering, said uuto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about
it, and dung it ;
And if it bear fruit, well ,- and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
It is no easy or common thing, to give God's ways a right construc
tion. For the most part we either let them pass unobserved, or un-
frame our observations, looking through those principles and passions
of our own, which give things another shape or colour than what is
truly theirs. This was here the case. This sad accident should have
been observed by them who heard it, and raight have been spoken of
by them to very good purpose ; but our Saviour knew well what they
meant by reporting the story, and what thoughts they had of it and of
themselves, and by his answer, it would seem, all was not right with
thera. The fact here related, we have not any further account of in sacred
history, nor any thing that we can clearly and certainly call it in any
human writer. It is commonly conceived to have been done at Jeru
salem, where Pilate abode, and that his power was exercised and don?

^^0 CALAMITIES TO BE; [Ser. XXVII-
upon the foUowers of that Judas of Galflee spoken of, Acts. v. 37,
being such as denied it to be lawful to give obedience to the Roraan
erapire, or to offer sacrifice for the interest and good of it. When they,
it is likely, were coming together to offer at Jerusalera, and to main
tain and to spread their opinion, Pilate coraes upon thera, and, while
they were at the solemnity, makes a sacrifice of thera to that authority
they refused to sacrifice for: whether justly or not, we cannot deter
raine; our Saviour does not; but if it was just, surely it was very
tragical and severe, suitable to that character Philo gives of his dis
position who acted it. ['AfieiXiicjoi'.] The straining of justice, cora
raonly breaks it : a little of the other side, is, of the two, doubtless, the
safer extrerae.
However, this stroke and all others, as they corae frora the Supreme
Hand, are righteous. Whatsoever be the teraper or intent of the lower
actor, and whatsoever be the nature of the action, as from him, the
sovereign hand of God is in them, and chief in them. Amos. iii. 6:
Shall there he evil in a city, and ihe Lo7\d hath not done it ? And yet
all evils, as He doth them, are both good and well done. Actions,
whether voluntary or casual, as these two here, yet do powerfully issue
from the First Being and Worker, and, as from Him, are both unal
terably certain and unquestionably just. Thus they who here report
it seem to have judged of this passage, that it was a just punishment
of sin. And our Saviour contests not about that, but rather seeras to
agree to thera so far, and draws that warning out of it : he only cor
rects the raisconceit it seeras they were in, in thrusting it too far off
frora theraselves, and throwing it too heavy upon those who sacrificed.
Tllink ye that they were sinners ?] Tfiough it were an error to think
that all teraporal evils are intended of God as punishraents of some
particular guiltiness, and so to be taken as infallibly concluding against
either persons or causes as evfl, yet, certainly, the hand of God, either
upon ourselves or others, is wisely to be considered, and it will very
often be found a punishment pointing to the sin. And it is certainly
an argument of very great stiffness and pride of heart, not to observe
and acknowledge it, and a sure presage either of utter ruin, or, at least,
of a heavier stroke. Any one who is set against the Lord, and will
not be hurabled, whether by what he sees on others, or what he feels on
hiraself, shall find he hath an overraatch to deal with, that will either
bow hira or break hira. Isa. xxvi. II: Lord, when thy hand is lifted
up, ihey will Tiot see ; but they shall see and be asliaTned for iheir envy
nt the people ; yea, the flre of Thine enemies shall devour ihem.
Think ye ihat they were sinners above all men that dwelt at Jeru^
salem ?] Our Saviour goes not to search into the quarrel, and to con
demn or justify either the one party or the other ; that was not for
his purpose. His aira was to rectify the raistake ofthose he spoke to,
and to draw forth frora their own relation v/hat was most proper for
their use. Much of our hearing and teUing of news, hath little of this
in it ; and with most persons it doth not refish, to wind things that
way. Some, even good persons, do accustom theraselves, and take
too much Uberty, to an empty, fruitless way of entertainment in this
kind. And if we make any remark, it comraonly keeps abroad, comes
not home to ourselves. Be it a judgment, be the persons great sin-

Luke xiii. l-=-9.] cautiously interpreted. 251
ners in a sinful course, yet, they are not always the greatest of all be
cause they suffer and others escape, as we readily tllink, and fhe Jews
here concluded concerning these Galileans.
God is to be adored and reverenced, who useth His own freedom in
this ; He does injustice to none, yet chooses them on whom He wfll
do exemplary justice, and whora He will let pass, and gives no account
of this to any. Sorae less wicked have been ensamples to them who
were much more wicked than they.
Do not flatter yourselves in the conceit of exeraption frora sorae
stroke which others in the sarae way with you have fallen under, or
even frora some course which others have run and smarted in, and
bear yourselves big upon the name of God's people. But tremble be
fore the Lord, and search your own hearts. And let us think, though
we raay not be guilty of such public scandalous evils as others fall
into, and are punished for, yet fiow full are we of secret malice, pride,
and lust, &c., and let us wonder at the patience of God to ourselves,
while multitudes have been swept away round about us. Think you
that they who have died by sword or pestilence of late, were greater
sinners than we who are left behind ? Oh, no ! but except we repent,
we shall all likewise perish. Enough of these arrows are still in God's
arsenal, and though He use not these to us, yet remember, death, and
judgraent, and eternity are before us, and they call for wise and speedy
consideration and repentance.
Oh ! you that go on in your transgressions after all that is come
upon us, who were dmnkards and swearers, and are so yet, what think
you? Because the heat of pubfic judgraents is abated, is there no
more fear? Have you made a covenant with hell and death, and
gained quarter of them that they -will not seize on you ? Oh ! that
will never hold : they will not, they cannot keep to you. And if you
hold on your course when the day of visitation shall corae, how rauch
heavier shall it be by all this forbearance ! You shall wish you had
been cut off with the first. The day is at hand, when it shall be easier
for them than for you. Only, the advantage is, that there is an excep
tion yet sounding in your ears ; Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise
perish. I beseech you, my brethren, enter into your own hearts, and be not
always out of yourselves, and so out of your wits. Consider the
Lord's ways and your own, and wonder at His goodness. Why am
not I made an example to others, as well as so many have been made
examples to me ? Now let rae fall down at His feet, and beg of Hira,
that as He hath not made me an exaraple of justice all this while.
He may now make me an example of mercy and free grace to all tliat
shall look on me.
Our Saviour, to their reported instance adds another hiraself, which
was no doubt late and recent with thera, to the same purpose, and in
the same strain : Think ye ihat tliey were sinners above all men that
dwelt in Jerusalem ? I tell you nay ; hut except ye repent, ye shall all
likewise perish. Not just after the sarae particular raanner, butthe
likeness is in perishing, — You shall as certainly perish as they are
perished. And this, to many impenitent sinners, is verified in their
being cut off, even by some temporal judgment, after long-abused

252 CALAMITIES TO BE [Ser. XXVII.
forbearance, and often very like those they have seen instances
of and would not be warned by. Thus, it was fulfilled to many
of the Jews, in the death of many thousands of them, and the
destruction of their city by the Romans, in which there was much
likeness with the two explanatory judgments here raentioned. But
the universal and far more dismal perishing of unrepenting sinners, is
that death which lies unseen on the other side of that death we see
and are so afraid to look on. Oh ! saw we the other, this would ap
pear nothing : it would be the only terrible of all terribles indeed.
And how terrible soever, it is the unfailing attendant of impenitence.
These God hath linked together, and no creature can sever them, con
tinuance in sin and perishing, repentance and life. It is faith, indeed,
that lays hold on our pardon and life in Christ, and by that we are
justified and saved ; yet, so as this is still true, so that the other no
wise crosses it, that there is no life without repentance. And this
wrongs not the Gospel at all, to preach and profess repentance ; yea,
it is a prirae point of preaching the Gospel. And here we find tfie
Great Preacher ofthe Gospel, who is hiraself the great substance and
subject of the Gospel, this is his doctrine. Except ye repent, ye shall
all likewise perish. There is no right preaching of the Gospel, but
the doctrine of repentance raust be in it: the drawing and turning of
the soul to God, frora whora it is gone out by sin, this the Gospel airas
at. And there is no right preaching of repentance, without the Gospel.
The Law indeed discovers sin, but that is not enough to work repent
ance : for that, there must be a door of hope opened to a sinner, at
which he may corae in, hoping to be pardoned and accepted upon re
turning and subraitting. This the Gospel alone does. And when
soever the prophets preached repentance, there was somewhat that
always expressed or imported the notion of the Gospel, God declaring
Hiraself reconciled, ready to forgive and receive him.
Now, not to speak of the nature of repentance, which here were
pertinent, I shall only desire you to seek to know the nature of it, by
feeling the power of it within you *. Oh ! happy they that do 1 Were
the sweetness of it known, we might persuade most by that ; but that
cannot be known, till we be persuaded and brought to repentance, —
the delight there is in those tears, the pleasure iu crucifying sin, even
the most pleasant sins. The soul, then in its right raotion when turn
ing towards God, finds itself moved sweetly ; but it is thrown, and
distorted, and disappointed in turning frora Hira and following sinful
lusts. But here, necessity is the argument, the highest necessity. If
it may be necessary for you noi io perish, then it is necessary for you
to repent. Had any of you an ulcer, though painful to be lanced, yet,
if told it must be, else you would die, that would raake a man call for
it and entreat it. Lord, what is the madness of the minds of raen !
Do we believe that there is such a thing after all that is here, as
perishing and being saved, eternal death and eternal life, and can we
think on any thing else, so as to forget these, or to be negligent and
unresolved concerning thera, and yet, eat and please the flesh, and
seek to make other things sure, and leave these to their hazard ? The
God who made your hearts, persuade them ! For who else can ?
* Malo senlii'e coTnpunctionew., qiiam scire ejm dejinitionem, I would rather feel
compunction, than know its definition, [Thomas 4 Kempis.]

Luke xiii. 1 — 9.] cautiously interpreted. 253
The parable that follows, teaches the sarae doctrine of repentance,
and that upon the motive of patience -and forbearance. He spake also
this parable : A certain man had a flg-tree planted in his vineyard.
Particulars should not be overstrained and squeezed for morality.
The raain is, God's dispensation, and His expectation in His orchard,
the Church.
Our Saviour is much in this way of teaching. He calls in natural
things to serve spiritual ends ; and so all are fit to do, had we the
faculty to extract it. A spiritual raind draws that which is syrabolical
with it, out of all. Such raay fruitfully walk in gardens and orchards,
and feed on the best, though they stir nothing. The great Lord is
Himself the planter of His vineyard; His own hand sets each tree.
And the soil is fruitful, there is sap and moisture. This is to be
understood of His visible Church and ordinances ; for the planting
here signifies that. Christians are often compared to things living,
growing, and fruitful ; as to the vine and fig-tree, Isa. v., &c. There
is high engagement to be so, and real Christians are truly so.
And he sought fruit thereon.] Good reason had he so to do, having
so planted it. Those trees which are left wild in the barren wilder
ness, no fruit is to be expected on thera ; at least, no garden-fruit,
such as grows in the garden of God. Sorae natures have sorae kind
of fruit, and sorae, sweeter than others, but they are but wild figs.
God's delight is to come into His garden, and there eat His pleasant
fruits. Cant. iv. 16. Natural raen may, after their fashion, be tem
perate, aud patient, and charitable ; but to believe on God, and love
Him above themselves, and frora such principles to do all they do,
this is not to be expected.
Now, all that are planted in the Church of God, are, in name, such
trees as should have their sap in thera, that is, faith and love, and
bear answerable fmits : they are called trees of righteousness, and
planting ofthe Lord, ihat He may be glorifled. Isa. Ixi. 3. He hira
self knows who are indeed such, and knows that the rest can bear no
such fruit ; yet, in regard of outward dispensations and their own
profession. He speaks after the raanner of men ; he comes and seeks fruit.
Men who think they may live in the face of the Church, and make
use of her ordinances, and yet be as excusably barren of all the fruits
of holiness, as if they grew upon a coraraon heath, it is strange they
should not conceive their own folly, and know that God reckons other
wise, and according to the ground that he hath set them in, and the
manuring He bestows on them, looks for some suitable fruit.
But the most are thus. They consider not what they are ; think it
a kind of impertinent importunity, to press them to holiness, to meek
ness, to bearing wrongs, to heavenly-mindedness, to spiritual activity,
and usefulness to others. Why, it is strange. What think ye, ray
brethren, are we Christians, or are we not? We have a narae that we
are active, and are dead. Congregations are filled v.fith such ; and
when the Lord comes and seeks fruit, in the greatest part He finds
none. If lies, oaths, and cursings were the fmits, there are enough
of these ; but zeal for God, love to our brethren, self-denial, humility,
if these be they, alas ! where are they ? So much preaching, sabbaths,
fasts, and covenants ; and where is fmit, the fruits of ihe Spirit ? Oh !

254 the DOOM OF THE UNFRUITFUL. [Ser, XXVII.
there are empty leaves, and some promising greenness, but the most
belie the hope they give. And we of this land, who are engaged so
high, what could have been done more for us? Though lying far
north, yet have we much of the Gospel sunshine, and are bound by our
own promise, and covenant, and soleran oath to God, to be more
fruitful. Yet this is stifi broke. Who that had seen our first meltings
into tears, or fair buds of stirring zeal, could have imagined we should
have been so barren ?
Then said he unto ihe dresser of his vineyard^ Now the conference
with the vine-dresser about it, though that is rauch for the fulness of
the parable, yet may imply God's imparting of His thoughts concern
ing His Church, to His faithful rainisters. Such are included under
that narae here. For He blaraes not the vine-dresser as negligent,
but coraplains of the barrenness of the tree. In the cutting down,
there may be sorae pointing at church censure, but I conceive, it is
rather to express God's purpose concerning the barren tree, than to
give order or comraand about it. Doubtless, the Lord would have
His vine-dressers sensible of the fruitlessness of His trees, though it
be not by any notable neglect on their part.
These three years,] This expresses the great patience of God, that
spares so long, and speaks not of cutting down at the very first. Thus,
of long time hath He waited on many of us, many more years than to
the strict number here named ; on how many of us a great part of our
lifetime ! Whence is it that we are not afraid of this word here sound
ing, as it were, in our ears ? — Cut it down : why troubles it the grou7id ?
As if He should say. It takes up room, and does no good, yea, hinders
and prejudices others, as all ungodly, fruitless persons in the Church
of God do.
The vine-dresser entreats and obtains one year more. This, the
faithful labourers of God will not fail to do : to preaching to His peo
ple, they will join much prayer for them, that they may be made fruitful,
and raeantirae, be spared and not perish in their unfruitfulness. They
wfll double their endeavours in the sense of that danger ; to all other
pains will add this, the watering of them with tears. God is gracious,
aud easy to be entreated, and forbears yet, and waits. Oh ! it is not
too late. Any of you that at length are stirred up to any real desires
of fruitfulsess to Hira, I dare give you warrant to be confident, not
only of His forbearing- upon sucfi a desire, but of His favourable ac
ceptance of it as a good sign, yea, as already a beginning of fruit.
Indeed, in case of people's reraaining barren after afl, the end will be
to be cut down; and to every fruitless and godless person amongst
you, it is not long to that day ; it will be upon you before you are
aware. As John preached. The axe is laid unto ihe root ofthe trees ;
tlierefore, every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down
and cast into the flre. Matt. iii. 10. God is taking His axe, as it
were, and fetching His stroke at you, and you know not how soon it
may light, and you be cut down, and cut off from all hopes for ever,
never to see a day of grace more, nor hear a sermon more,- — cut down
and cast into the fire to burn, and that never to end. Oh for sorae
soul to be rescued, were it even now ! Oh ! To-day, To-day, if you
will hear His voice, hardeTi Tiot your hearts.

John xxi. 22.] present duty. 255
Real Christians, though not altogether barren, — that is irapossible,
yet, are not so plentifully fruitful ; there is littie of ihe increase of God,
such as He may be invited to His garden for, such as the vine-dressers
may rejoice in, yea, the Master himself. The Lord maketh a kind of
boast of us, as men will do of trees in their gardens, that they have
much fruit, though possibly a meaner appearance and show than
most of the rest. Oh, what a joy and glory were it to our God, to
have unobserved, obscure Christians abounding in sweet spiritiial fruits,
laden with fruit, and hanging down the head, stooping the lower, stiff
the raore humble for it; referring all to Hiraself, living to Hira, doing
all for Him ! But alas ! we are empty vines, bringing forth fruit to
ourselves, serving our own wills and humours, and barren to Him.
But for this end are we planted in the house of God, and ingrafted into
the Son of God, that blessed, living Root, to be fruitful to His praise.
It is His credit : Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much
fruit ; so shall ye be Tny disciples, John xv. 8.
Now, for this are requisite, Isi, Much prayer. For though here He
Speaks as an ordinary master, yet it is His secret influence whicfi does
all. Hos. xiv. 8: From Me is thy fruit found ; and prayer draws
down that. 2dly, Much faith in Christ, living to hira, and drawing sap
frora hira. Such as do all in his strength, and are rauch in application
and attraction, shall be found the most abundant in all choice and
sweet fruits ; they who abide in him, that is, who, in the very actings
of faith, are more in him than many others who yet are in hira. But,
alas ! this is a thing of which raen speak much, and know littie.

SERMON XXVIII.

PREACHED BEFORE MY LORD COMMISSIONER AND THE PARLIAMENT,
UxH NOVEMBER, 1669.
John xxi. 22.
¦  What is that to thee ? Follow thou Me.
Of all that ever lived on earth, the most blessed was this handful and
small company our Lord chose for his constant attendants, to see his
divine rairacles, enjoy his sweetest company, and to hear his divine
doctrine. What a holy flame of love must have burned in their hearts,
who were always so near the Sun of Righteousness ! It was indeed a
sad hour, wherein that was eclipsed, and the Lord of life lay dead in
the grave. And what a deluge of joy was in their hearts when he rose
again ! And what a transport was it when they saw him ascend, and
a shining cloud kissing his feet, and parting hira frora thera ! In the
interval, as he had risen hiraself so, he is raising thera frora their un
belief. St. Peter, not content with a bare forsaking of his Lord, had
also denied hira. But he falls not a quarrelling, but speaks of love to
hira, and blows up these sparks of love with this threefold question,
Lovest thou me? St. Peter answers ferventiy, but most modestiy,
whereupon his Lord gives hira a service suitable to his love, Feed my
sheep ; for which none are qualified but they tliat love hira. But when

256 PRESENT DUTY. [Ser. XXVIII,
he grows bold to ask a question, he gets a grave check, and a holy
comraand. What is that to ihee ? Follow thou Tne, This was a tran
sient stiirabling in one who, but lately recovered of a great disease, did
not walk firraly. But it is the coramon track of most, to wear out
their days with irapertinent inquiries. There is a natural desire in raen
to know the things of others, and to neglect their own, and fo be more
concerned about things to corae, than about things present. And this
is the great subject of conversation. Even the weakest rainds raust
descant upon all things ; as ifthe weakest capacities could judge of the
greatest matters, by a strange levelling of understandings, raore absurd
and irrational than that of fortunes ! Most men are beside theraselves,
never at home, but always roving. It is true, a man raay live in soli
tude to littie purpose, as Domitian catching flies in his closet. Many
noisome thoughts break in upon one wfien alone ; so that when one
converseth with himself, it had need be said, Vide ut sii cum bono viro.
A man alone shall be in worse company than are in all the world,
if he bring not into him better corapany than himself or all the world,
which is, the fellowship of God and the Holy Spirit. Yet, the matters
of the Church seem to concern all, and so indeed they do ; but every
sober raan raust say, all truths are not alike clear, alike necessary, nor
of alike concernraent to every one. Christians should keep within
their line. Whether it be the will of our Great Master, that the order
that hath been so long in the Church continue in it, or not. What is
that io thee ? It is certainly a great error, to let our zeal run out from
the excellent things of religion, to raatters wfiich have little or no con
nexion with thera. A man, though he err, if he do it calmly and meekly,
may be a better man than he who is storray and furiously orthodox.
Our business is to foUow Jesus, and to trace his life upon earth, and
to wait his return in the clouds. Had I a strong voice, as it is the
weakest alive, yea, could I lift it up as a trumpet, I would sound a
retreat frora our unnatural contentions and irreligious strivings for
religion. Oh ! what are the things we fight for, corapared to the great
things of God ? There raust be a great abateraent of the inwards of
religion, when it runs wholly to a scurf. God forbid any should think,
that except all be according to our raind, we raust break the bond of
peace. If we have no kindness to our brethren, yet, let us have pity
on our raother, and not tear her bowels. And, indeed, next to the
grave and the silent shades of death, a cottage in sorae wilderness is to
be wished for, to raourn for the pride and passion of raankind. How
do the profane wretches take advantage frora our breaches ! But, if
there be such here, because of the weakness, folly, and passions of
some men, is it folly to follow Jesus ? Are some ridiculous, and for
that, will you turn religion into ridicule ? If you do, it will at least
turn to a Sardonic laughter. Because we contend for a littie, is the
whole an invention ? Will the pillars be brangled, because of the
swarms of flies that are about thera ?
There is an Eternal Mind that raade all things, that stretched out
tfie heavens, and forraed the spirit of raan within hira. Let us tremble
before Him, and love the Lord Jesus. Our souls have indefible /cha
racters of their own excellency in them and deep apprehensions of an
other state, wherein we shall receive according to what we have done

John xxi. 22.] present duty. 257
upon earth. Was not Jesus, the Son of God, declared to be such by
his miracles, but chiefly by his resurrection from tiie dead? Hath
there not been received and transraitted to us, through all ages, raany
martyrs following him through racks and fires, and their own blood, to
his glory? And shall we throw off all these? Better be the poorest,
weakest, and most distempered person upon earth, with the true fear
of God, than the greatest wit and tughest mind in the world, if pro
fane, or, though not such, if void of any just or deep sense of the fear
of God, For a living dog is better than a dead lion. Some religious
persons are, perhaps, weak persons, yet, in all ages, there have been
greater nobles and more generous souls truly religious, than ever were
in the whole tribe of atheists and libertines.
Let us, therefore follow the holy Jesus. Our own concernments
concern us not, corapared to this. What is that to ihee ? raay be said
of all things besides this. All the world is one great irapertinency to
him who conteraplates God and his Son Jesus. Great things, coaches,
furnitm-e, or houses, concern the outward pomp or state of the world,
but not the necessities of life ; neither can they give ease to him that
is pinched with any one trouble. He that hath twenty houses, lies but
in one at once. He that hath twenty dishes on his table, hath but one
belly to fill. So it is, ad su,pervacua sudatur. All are uncertain :
sudden storms fall on, and riches fly away as a bird to heaven, and
leave those who look after them, sinking to hell in sorrow.
A Christian is solicitous about nothing. If he be raised higher,
it is that he desires not : if he faU down again, he is where he was. A
well-fixed raind, though the world should crack about hira, shall be in
qiuet. But when we corae to be stretched on our death-bed, things
will have another visage. It will pull the rich from his treasure, strip
the great of his robes and glory, and snatch the amorous gallant from
his fair, beloved mistress, and from all we eitfier have or grasp at.
Only sin will stick fast and follow us. Those black troops wiU clap
fatal arrests on us, and deliver us over to the jailor. Are these con
trivances, or the dark drearas of raelancholy ? All the subliraities of
fioliness may be arrived at, by the deep and profound befief of these
things. Let us, therefore, ask, Have we walked thus, and dressed
our souls by this pattern ?
But this hath a nearer aspect to pastors, who should be copies of
the fair original, and second patterns, who follow nearer Christ. They
should be imitating hira in huraility, raeekness, and conterapt of the
world, and particularly, in affection to souls, feeding the flock of
God. Should we spare labour when he spared not his own blood ?
How precious raust the sheep be, who were bought at so high a rate
as the blood of God ! Oh, for raore of this divine and evangelic heat,
instead ofour disterapered heat. This is the substance of refigion, to
imitate Hira whora we worship. Can there be a higher or nobler
design in the world, than to be God-like, and fike Jesus Christ ? He
becarae like us, that we might be raore like hira. He took our nature
upon him, that he might transfuse his into us. His life was a track of
doing good, and suffering ill. He spent the days in preaching and
healing, and often the nights in prayers. He was holy, harmless, and
undefiled, and separate from sinners. How then can heirs of wrath
Vol. II. S

258 present duty. [Ser. XXVIII.
follow the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins ofthe world?
Humility, meekness, and charity were the darling virtues of Christ.
He carae to expiate and to extirpate our pride ; and when that Ma
jesty did so hurable himself, shall a worm swell? No grace can be
where the mind is so swelled with this airy tumour. He was raeek,
and reviled not again ; nor did he vent his anger, though he met with
the greatest injuries. The rack of his cross could raake him confess
no anger against those who were draining him of his fife and blood :
all he did was to pray for them. Charity was so dear to hira, that he
recommended it as the characteristic by which all might know his
disciples, if they loved one another. But alas ! by this may all
know we are not his disciples, because we hate one another. But
that we raay imitate hira in his life, we raust run the back-trade,
and begin with his death, and raust die without hira. Love is a
death. He that loves, is gone and lost in God, and can esteera or
take pleasure in nothing besides Hira. When the bitter cup of the
Father's wrath was presented to our Lord, one drop of this elixir of
love and union to the Father's will, sweetened it so, that he drank it
over without raore coraplaining. This death of Jesus raystically acted
in us, raust strike down all things else, and he mast becorae our all.
Oh, that we would resolve to live to hira that died, and to be only his,
and humbly to foflow the crucified Jesus ! All else will be quickly
gone. How soon will the shadows that now amuse us, and please our
eyes, fly away !

SERMON XXIX.
Matthew xxii. 37, 39.
Jesus said unto him. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind ; and thy neighbour as thyself.
The wisdora and meekness of our Saviour is the raore reraarkable,
and shines the brighter, by the raalice of his adversaries ; and their
cavfls and tempting questions, occasion our benefit and instruction.
Thus was it here.
We see, the words are the sum of the whole Law, and they are
taken out of the book of the Law. They are called two comTnand
ments : the forraer is the sura of the first, the latter, of the second
table. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God. Thai is, says our Saviour,
the first and great commandment. Our first obligation is to God, and
then, through Hira and for His sake, to raen.
The second is like unto it.] Seeras it not rather contrary than like
to the forraer ? Whereas in the forraer, the whole streara of love is
directed in one undivided current towards God, this other command
ment seems to cut out a new channel for it, and to turn a great part
of it to men: Thy neighbour as thyself. No, they are not contrary if
we take them right ; yea, they do not only agree, but are inseparable.
They do not divide our love, but they set it in its right course ; first,
wholly to God, as the sovereign good, and only for hiraself worthy to
be loved; and then, back from Him, it is,. according to His own will,

Matt. xxii. 37, 39.] love the fulfillino of the law. 259
derived downwards to our neighbour. For then only we love both
ourselves and others aright, when we raake our love to Him the reason
and the rule of both*. Su then, our love is not to be immediately
divided betwixt Hira and our neighbour, or any creature, but is, first,
all to be bestowed on Hira, and then He diffuses, by way of reflection,
so rauch of it upon others as He thinks fit. Being all in His hands, it
is at His disposal ; and that which He disposes elsewhere, (as here.
Thou shalt love thy Tieighbour as thyself) it is not taken off from Him,
but abiding still in Hira, as in its natural place, (as ligfit doth in the
sun,) flows forth from Him by such an emanation as divides it not ;
as beams flow forth frora the sun and enlighten the air, and yet, are
not cut oft' from it.
So then, the second is like unto the first, because it springs from it,
and depends on it. It comraands the sarae affection ; love, in the
forraer, placed on God, and in this, extended frora Him to our neigh
bour. And it is like unto it in this too ; that, as the former is the
sum of the first Table, and so, the first and gTeat commandment, so
this is the sum of the second Table, and therefore next unto it in
greatness and importance.
All the precepts that can be found in the Law and the Prophets, are
reducible to these, and afl obedience depends upon this love. 1. Con
sider this, how these are the sum of this Law. 2. Consider them
particularly in themselves.
Not only because it is love that facilitates all obedience, and is the
true principle of it, that makes it both easy to us, and acceptable to
God ; but besides this, that love disposes the soul for all kinds of
obedience, this very act of love is in effect all that is coraraanded in
the Law. For the first, laid to tfie first Table, it is so rauch one with
the first coraraandraent, that it expresses most fitly the positive of it,
opposite to that which is there forbidden : Thou shalt have no other
gods before Me — ^but shalt have Me alone for thy God, or bestow all
divine affection, and all worship that is the sign and expression of it,
upon Me only. Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and, if thou lovest Me alone, thou wilt not decline to any kind of false
worship. That were to vitiate thy affection, and to break that con
jugal love and fidelity to which thou art bound by covenant, being
My people as by a spiritual marriage. Therefore is idolatry so fre
quently called, in the phrase of the prophets, adultery and uncleanness.
And, in the letter of that second comraandraent, the Lord uses that
word which in its usual sense is conjugal, and relates to marriage,
I am a jealous God ; and, in the close of that precept, expresseth
particularly this affection of love, as particularly interested in it,
though extended to all the rest, I shew mercy to ihousaTids of ihem
that love me.
Is it not a genuine property of love, to honour and respect the name
of those whom we love ? And therefore, it is altogether inconsistent
with the love of God, to vilify and abuse His name.
They that understand the tme use of that holy rest of the sabbath-
day, do know that it frees the soul, and raakes it vacant frora earthly
*¦ Minus enim te amat, qui aliquid praeter te amat, et non propter te. Incipiat homo
amare Deum, et non amabit in homine nisi Deum. [Augustine.] S 2

260 love the fulfilling [Ser. XXIX.
things for this purpose, that it may fully apply itself to the worship
and contemplation of God, and converse v/ith Him at greater length.
Then, certainly, where there is this entire love to God, this will not
weigh heavy, will be no grievous task to it : it will embrace and gladly
obey this fourth coraraandraent, not only as its duty, but as its great
delight. For there is nothing that love rejoices in more, than in the
converse and society ofthose on whora it is placed: it would willingly
bestow most of its time that way, and thinks all hours too short that
are spent in that society. Therefore not only they who profanely
break, but they who keep it heavfly and wearily, who find it rather a
burden than a delight, may justly suspect that the love of God is not
in them ; but he that keeps His day cheerfully, and loves it, because
on it he may more liberally solace and refresh hiraself in God, may
safely take it as an evidence of his love to God.
Now, that, after the same raanner, the love of our neighbour is the
sura of the second Table, the Apostle St. Paul proves it for us clearly
and briefly, Rora. xin. 9, 10. All the coraraandments touching our
neighbour, are for the guarding of hira frora evfl and injury. Now,
Love worketh no ill to his Tieighbour ; therefore. Love is the fulfilling of
the Law, He that truly loves his neighbour as hiraself, will be as
loth to wrong hira, as to wrong himself, either in that honour and
respect that is due to him, or in his life, or chastity, or goods, or good
name, or to lodge so much as au unjust desire or thought, because that
is the beginning and conception of real injury. In a word, the great
disorder and crookedness of the corrupt heart of raan, consists in self-
love: it is the very root of all sin both against God and raan, for no
raan coraraits any offence, but it is in sorae way to profit or please
himself. It was a high enormity of self-love, that brought forth the
very first sin of mankind. That was the bait which took more than
either the colour or the taste of the apple, that it was desirable for
knowledge : it was in tiiat, that the main strength of the temptation
lay. Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And was it not deep
self-love to affect that? And it is still thus: though we feel the
raiserable fruits of that tree, the sarae self-love possesses us still ; so
that, to please our own huraours and lusts, our pride, or covetousness,
or voluptuousness, we break the law of God, the law of piety, and of
equity and charity to men. Therefore the Apostle, foretelling the
iniquities and impieties of the last times, that men should he covetous,
boasters, &c., and lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God, — -sets
that on the front, as the chief, leading evfl, and the source of all the
rest — lovers of their ownselves : Men shall be lovers of themselves,
therefore, covetous ; and lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God,
because lovers of iheir ownselves, 2 Tim. iii. 2. Therefore, this is
the sum of that which God requires in His holy Law, the reforming of
our love, which is the coraraanding passion of the soifl, and wheels all
the rest about with it in good or evil.
And its reforraation consists in this, in recalling it frora ourselves
unto God, and reflecting it frora God to our brethren. Loving our
selves sovereignly by corrupt nature, we are eneraies to God, and
haters of Him, and cannot love our neighbours but only in reference to
ourselves, and so far as it profits or pleaseth us to do so, and not in

Matt. xxii. 37—39.] of the law. 261
order and respect unto God. The highest and the true redress of this
disorder, is that which we have here in these two precepts as the sub
stance of all : first, that all our love ascend to God, and then, that what
is due to men descend frora thence, and so, passing that way, it is
purified tmd refined, and is subordinated and conforraed to our love of
Hira above all, which is the first and great commandment.
Here we have the suprerae object of love to whora it is due — The
Lord thy God, and the raeasure of it, which is indeed to know no
raeasure* — Withall thy heart, all thy soul, and all thy mind. For
which, in Deut. vi. 5, we have all thy strength. Luke hath both. The
diff'erence is none, for all raean that the soul, and all the powers of it,
should unite and corabine themselves in their most intense and highest
strength, to the love of God, and that all the workings of the soul and
actions of the whole man, be no other than the acting and exercise
of this love.
He accounts not nor accepts of any thing we can offer Him, if we
give not the heart with it ; and He will have none of that neither, un
less He have it all. And it is a poor all, when we have given it, for
the great God to accept of If one of us had the affection of a hun
dred, yea, of all the men in the world, yet could he not love God in
a measure answerable fo His full worth and goodness. All the glori
fied spirits, angels, and men, that are or shall be, in their perfections,
loving Him with the utmost extent of their souls, do not altogether
make up so rauch love as He deserves. Yet He is pleased to require
our heart, and the love we have to bestow on Hira ; and though it is
infinitely due of debt, yet He will take it as a gift : My son give me
thy heart. Prov. xxiii. 26.
Tfierefore, the soul that begins to offer itself to Him, although
overwhelmed with the sense of its own unworthiness and the mean
ness of its love, yet may say. Lord, I ara asharaed of this gift I bring
Thee, yet, because Thou callest for it, such as it is, here it is ; the
heart and all the love I have, I offer unto Thee, and had I ten thou
sand tiraes raore, it should all be Thine. As rauch as I can, I love
Thee, and I desire to be able to love Thee raore. Although I am un
worthy to be adraitted to love, yet, thou art raost worthy to be loved
by rae, and besides. Thou dost allow, yea, comraandest me to love
Thee. My loving of Thee adds nothing to Thee, but it makes rae
happy ; and though it be true, the love and the heart I offer Thee is
infinitely too little for Thee, yet there is nothing besides Thee, enough
for it.
The Lord, or Jehovah, thy God.] There lie the two great reasons of
love, TO a.'^a-nrjrov andro Ihiov — Jeliovah, the Spring of being and good
ness, infinitely lovely ; all the beauty and excellencies ofthe creatures,
are but a drop of that ocean : — and. Thy God, to all of us the Author
of our life, and of all tfiat we enjoy ; who spread forth those heavens
that roll about us and corafort us with their light, and motions, and
influences, and established this earth that sustains us ; who furnisheth
us with food and raiment, and in a word, (and it is the Apostle's, Acts
xvii. 25,) who gives us fw^f koi irvoijv Kal to, ledvTa, life, and breath,
and all things ; and, to the believer, his God in a nearer propriety, by
* Modus est nescire modum, subtiliiis ista distinguere facile est magis quam solidum.

262 the law written [Ser. XXX,
redemption and peculiar covenant. But our misery is, the most of us
do not study and consider Him, what He is in Himself and what to
us ; and therefore we do not love Him, because we know Hira not.
And thy neighbour as thyself.] If we will not confess nor suspect
ourselves, how rauch we are wanting in the former, yet our manifest
defect in this latter will discover it. Therefore, the Apostle, Rom.
xiii. 10, speaks of this as all, because, though inferior to the other, yet
connected with it, and the surest sign of it. For these five and die
together. The Apostle St. John is express in it, and gives those
hypocrites the lie plainly : If any man say, I love God, and hateth his
brother, he is a liar. I John iv. 20. We have no real way of express
ing our love to God, but in our converse with men and iu the works of
love towards them.
Certainly, that sweet affection of love to God, cannot consist with
malice and bitterness of spirit against our brethren. No, it sweetens
and calms the soul, and makes it all love every way.
As thyself] As truly both wishing and, to thy power, procuring his
good, as thy own. Consider how much unwilling thou art to be in
jured or defamed, and have the sarae thoughts for thy brother ; be as
tender for Him. But how few of us aspire to this degree of charity !
Thy very eneraies are not here excluded. If self-love be still per-
dorainant in thee, instead of the love of God, then thou wilt make
thine own interest the rule of thy love ; so when thou art, or con-
ceivest thou art wronged by any one, the reason of thy love ceaseth.
But if thou love for God, that reason abides still *. God hath com
manded me to love ray enemies, and He gives me His example ; He
does good to the wicked who offend Him.
And this is indeed a trial of our love to God. One hath marred
thee ; that gives thee to think that thou hast no cause to love him for
thyself; be it so, self-love forbids thee, but the love of God commands
thee to love hira. God says. If thou lovest Me, love hira for ray sake.
And if thy love to God be sincere, thou wilt be glad of the occasion
to give so good a testiraony of it, and find a pleasure in that which
others account so difficult and painful.

SERMON XXX.
Hebrews viii. 10.

Fpr this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith
the Lord : I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts'; and
I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.
The two great evils that perplex sensible rainds, are, the gufltiness
of sin, and the power of it. Therefore, this new covenant hath in it
two promises opposite to these two evils ; free pardon to remove the
guflt of sin, and the subduing of its power by the law of God written
in the heart. Of this latter only for the present. Having spoken
somewhat of the sense of the Law in the Ten Coraraandraents, and of
the sura of it in Two, this reraains to be considered as altogether ne-
* Amicus diligendus in Deo, et inimicus propter Deum. [Auoushne.]

Heb. viii. 10.] upon the heart. 263
cessary for obedience, and without which, all hearing and speaking,
and all the knowledge of it, will be fruitless. Though it be raade
very clear and legible \vithout, we shall only read if, and not at all
keep it, unless it be likewise written within.
Observe, in the first place, the agreeraent ofthe Law with the Gos
pel. The Gospel bears the coraplete fulfilling of the Law, and the
satisfying of its highest exactness, in our surety Jesus Christ, so that,
in that way, nothing is abated ; but besides, in reference to ourselves,
though it take off the rigour of it frora us, because answered by another
for us, yet it doth not abolish the rule of the Law, but esiablisheth it,
Rora. in. 31. It is so far from tearing or blotting out the outward
copies of it, that it writes it anew, where it was not before, even urithin,
sets it upon the heart in sure and deep characters. We see this kind
of writing of the Law, is a promise for the days of the Gospel cited
out of the prophet Jeremiah, ch. xxxi. 33.
There is indeed no such writing of the law in us, or keeping of it
by us, as wfll hold good for our justification in the sight of God ;
therefore, that other promise runs combined with it, the free forgiveness
of iniquity. But again, there is no such forgiveness as sets a man
free to licentiousness and conterapt of God's Law, but, on the con
trary, binds him more strongly to obedience ; therefore, to that sweet
promise of the pardon of sin, is inseparably joined this other of the
inward -writing of the Law. The heart is not washed from the guilti
ness of sin in the blood of Christ, that it may wallow and defile itself
again in the same puddle, but it is therefore washed, that the tables or
leaves of it maybe clean, for receiving the pure characters of that Law
of God which is to be written on it.
Concerning this writing, there are three things you may mark.
1. What it is. 2. What is its necessity. 3. Who is its writer.
1. Wfiat it is. The writing of tfie Law in the heart, is briefly no
other than the renewing and sanctifying of the heart by the infusion of
grace, which is a heavenly light that gives the soul to know God
aright. And that is added here, as the same with the writing of the
law in the heart, and an illustration of it. They shall all know me,
from ihe least of them io ihe greatest. And this light bringeth heat
with it*. That right knowledge of God being in the soul, begets in
it love to Hira, and love is the same with the fulfilling of the whole
Law. It takes up the whole soul : I will put it their mind, and write
it in iheir hearts. If we will distinguish these, then it is, that they
shall both know it and love it. It shall not be written anew in their
heads, and go no deeper, but be written in their hearts. But we may
well take both expressions for the whole soul ; for this kind of know
ledge and love are inseparable, and where the one is, the other can
not be wanting.
So, then, a supernatural, sanctified knowledge of God, is the Law
of God written in the heart. When it coraes and entertains Hira as
holy within it, then it hath not a dead letter of the law written in it,
but vofiov e'/x.-f-vx'"', the Lawgiver Himself: His narae and will are
engraven on it throughout, on every part of it. All that they know
* Lux est vehiculum caloris.

264 the law written [Ser. XXX.
of God, shall not be by mere report, and by the voice of others, but
they shall inwardly read and know Hira within themselves. Which
(by the by) makes not the public teaching and work of the ministry
superfluous to any, even to those who know most of God, but signifies
only this ; that all they that do indeed receive and beheve tfie Gospel,
are inwardly enlightened by the Spirit of God to under-stand the
things of God, and have not their knowledge on bare trust of others
who instruct thera, without any particular persuasion and light within,
but what they hear of spiritual things, they shall understand and know
after a spiritual manner. And the universality of the promise signifies,
that this kind of knowledge should be more frequentiy and more largely
bestowed in the days ofthe Gospel, than it was before.
2. The necessity of writing the Law on the heart. Although there
be in the natural conscience of man, some dira characters of the Law,
convincing hira of grosser wickednesses, and leaving hira inexcusable,
of which the Apostie speaks, Piom. ii. 15 ; yet, he is so far, naturally,
from the rio-ht knowledge of God and the love of His whole Law,
that, instead of that knowledge, his raind is full of darkness, and, con
trary to that love, his heart is possessed with a natural enraity and
antipathy against the Law of God. Eph. iv. 18; Rom. viu. 7. There
is a law within him directly opposite, which the Apostle calls the law
of sin. Rom. vii. 23 ; sin ruling and coraraanding the heart and whole
man, raaking laws at its pleasure*, and obtaining full obedience.
Therefore, of necessity, before a man can be brought to obey the holy
Law of God, the inward frame of his heart raust be changed, the
corrupt law of sin must be abrogated, and the soul must renounce
obedience to it, and give itself up wholly, \eli iviruv,] to receive the
stamp and impression of the law of God ; and then, having it written
within upon his heart, his actions will bear the reserablance, and be
conforraable unto it.
In this proraise which God raakes to His people. He hath regard to
the nature of that obedience which He requires. Because He will
have it sincere and cordial, therefore He puts a living principle of it
within, writes His law in the heart, and then it is, in the words and
actions, derived frora thence, and is raore in the heart than in thera.
The first copy is in the heart, and all the other powers and parts of
a raan follow that, and so, by that raeans, as it is sincere, so it is
universal. The heart is that which comraands all the rest ; and, as
the vital spirits flow frora it to the whole body, thus, the Law of God,
being written in it, is diffused through the whole raan. It raight be in
the meraory, or in the tongue, and not in the rest ; but put it in the
heart, and then it is undoubtedly in all.
Its being written in the heart, makes the obedience likewise univer
sal in the object, as they speak, in respect to the whole law of God.
When it is written only without a man, he raay read one part and pass
over another, raay possibly choose to conform to some part of the
Law, and leave the rest ; but when the full copy of it is written in his
heart, then it is all one Law. And as in itself it is inseparable, as
St. James teacheth us. Jam. ii. 10, so, it is likewise in his esteera and
* Tolerabis iniquas interius leges.

Heb. viu. 10.] upon the heart. 265
affection and endeavour of obedience : he hath regard unto all tiie com
mandments as one. Because of his love to the Law of God, he hates,
not only some, but every false way, as David speaks, Psal. cxix. 104.
He that looks on the Law witiiout him, will possibly fiirbear to break
it while otiiers look upon him ; his obedience lies rauch in the be
holder's eye ; but he that hath the Law written within, cannot choose
but regard it as ranch in secret as in public. Although his sin
might be hid frora the knowledge and censure of raen, yet still it were
violence done to that pure Law that is within his breast, and therefore
he hates it alike as if it were pubfic. This is the constant enemy of
all sin, this law within him. Psal. cxix. II : I have hid Thy law in my
heart, says, David, that I might not sin against Thee. It makes a raan
abate nothing- of his course of obedience and holiness because unseen,
but like tfie sun that keeps on its raotion when it is clouded from our
eyes, as well as when we see it.
In a word, this writing ofthe Law in the heart, raakes obedience a
natural raotion, I raean, by a new nature: it springs not frora outward
constraints and respects, but frora an inward principle, and therefore,
not only is it universal and constant, but cheerful and easy. The Law,
only written in tables of stone, is hard and grievous ; but raake once
the heart the table of it, and then there is nothing raore pleasing. This
Law of God makes service delightful, even the painfullest of it. Psal.
xl. 8 : / delight to do Thy will, 0 my God ; yea. Thy law is within
my heart. The sun, which moves with such wonderful swiftness, that
to the ignorant it would seera incredible to hear how raany thousands
of miles it goes each hour, yet, because it is naturally fitted for that
course, it coraes, as the Psalraist speaks, like a bridegroom forth of
his chamber, and rejoices, as a strong man, to run a race. Psal.
xix. 5. Ifthe natural raan be convinced of the goodness and equity
ofthe Law of God, yet, because it is not written within, but only cora
mands without, it is a violent motion to him to obey it, and therefore
he finds it a painful yoke. But hear David, in whose heart it was,
speak of it: how often doth he call it his delight and his joy !
If any profane persons object to a godly man his exact life, that it
is too precise, as if he wrote each action before he did it, he raay an
swer, as Deraosthenes did to him that objected he wrote his orations
before he spake them. That he was not at all ashamed of that, although
they were not only written, but engraven beforehand. Certainly, the
godly raan lives by this Law which is written and engraven on his
heart, and he needs not be asharaed of it.
It is true, the renewed raan, even he that hath this Law deepest
written in his heart, yet, while he lives here, is still molested with that
inbred Antinomian, that law of sin that yet dwells in his flesh : though
the force and power of it is broken, and its law repealed in his conver
sion, and this new pure Law placed in its stead, yet, because that part
which is flesh in hira, still entertains and harbours it there, it creates
and breeds a Christian daily vexation. Because sin hath lost dorai
nion, it is still practising rebellion against that spiritual kingdora and
law that is established in the regenerate raind : as a man that hath
once been in possession of rule, though usurped, yet, being subdued,
he is still working in that kingdom to turbulent practices. But though

266 god's end and design [Ser. XXXI.
by this, (as the Apostle was, Rom. vii. 4) every godly man is often
driven to sad perplexities and complaints, yet in this is his comfort ;
that law of his God written there, hath his heart and affection. Sin is
dethroned and thrust out of his heart, and hath only an usurped
abode within hira against his wifl. He sides with the .Law of God,
and fights with all his power for it against the other. That holy Law
is his delight, and this law of sin his greatest grief.
3. The Writer: / will write. The Lord proraises Hiraself to do
this, and it is indeed His prerogative. He wrote it at first on tables
of stone, and this spiritual engraving of it on the heart, is rauch raore
peculiarly his. Other men might afterwards engrave it on stone, but no
man can at all write it on the heart, not upon his own, much less upon
another's. Upon his own he cannot, for it is naturally taken up and
possessed with that contrary law of sin, (as we said before,) and is
willingly subject to it, loves that law, and therefore, in that posture,
it neither can nor will work this change upon itself to dispossess that
law which it loves, and bring in that which it hates. No raan can
write this law on the heart of another, for it is inaccessible : his hand
cannot reach it, he cannot corae at it ; how then shall he write any
thing on it? Men, in the rainistry of the word, can but stand and call
without : they cannot speak to within, far less, write any thing within.
Though they speak never so excellently and spiritually, and express
nothing but what is written on their own hearts, (and certainly, that is
the most powerful way of speaking, and the likeliest for making an im
pression on the heart of another,) yet, unless the hand of God's own
Spirit carry it into the hearer's heart, and set on the stamp of it there,
it will perish as a sound in the air, and effect nothing *. Let this ever
be acknowledged to His glory. The voice of men raay beat the ear,
but only he who made the heart, can work upon it, and change and
mould it as it pleaseth Hira. This is His own promise, and He alone
makes it good. He writes His Law, on the hearts of His children,
and by this work of His grace prepares them for glory. They who
have this Law written in their hearts, their names are certainly written
in the Book of Life.

SERMON XXXI.
Hosea v. 15.

I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face :
in their aiHiction they will seek me early.
There is nothing we more hardly learn, and whereof we have raore
need to be taught, than to judge aright concerning our own dealing
witfi God, and God's dealing witii us ; to know and acknowledge the
perverseness and foUy ofour own ways, and the wisdom and goodness
of His ways. Therefore, the sermons of the prophets insist much on
* Sonus verborum nostrorum aures percutit, magister intus. Nolite putare quen-
quam hominem aliquid discere ab alio homine : admonere possumus per strepitum vocia
nostrae, si non estintws qui doceat, inanis strepitus est noster. [Ausustine.]

Hos. V. 15.] in affliction. 267
this, to convince the people of God, to whom they were sent, of both
these ; and by this to persuade them to repentance. This is evidently
here the prophet's aim. The whole chapter with tiie following, con
tains a pathetic remonstrance of God's just quarrel with His people,
aggravated by much long-suffering and lenity, and raany warnings,
verbal and real, on His part, and rauch stubbornness, irapenitence, and
multiplied provocation on theirs ; He using all means to reclaim and
save them, and they using all raeans to despise Hira and ruin thera
selves. The plea is against both the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
In these words we have the Lord, after much reasoning and trial of
milder ways, which prevailed not with them, concluding upon a severe
course, as being found necessary, and such as Would be more effectual
for their conversion. The words contain these three things : I. The
procuring cause of God's afflicting His people. IL His way of afflict
ing them. III. The end of it.
I. The procuring cause is made up of these two, sin and irapeni
tence. I will go till they acknowledge iheir offences. So that, if they
had not coramitted those provoking sins, or, having committed them,
had hurably acknowledged or repented of thera, this labour of afflict
ing thera had been saved ; but these sins once committed and often
repeated, and their being not so much as once acknowledged, and
all this by God's own peculiar people, cannot but draw on heavy
afflictions. 1st, We may see how unwflling God is to afflict His people. Judg
ments are terraed His strange work, but mercy is His darling attribute.
When God exercises punitive acts against His people, the Scripture
represents, as it were, a kind of reluctance and struggling in His bowels.
Hos. xi. 8. How shall I smite thee, O Ephraim ? and how shall I give
thee up 0 Manasseh ? My repentings are begun already. He delights
in their prosperity, and hath given them a rule, by which if they walk,
peace shall be upon them. He hath made them laws, the observance
of which will bring heaps of blessings upon them ; as we find what a
multitude of favours attended it, Levit. xxvi. 4 — 12. I will give you
rain in due season ; aud a little after, / will give you peace in the land,
and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. I will walk
among you, I will be your God, and ye shall be My people. So, also
Deut. xxvii. 1—12. But those laws not being observed, then it is
said, ver. 24, &c.. The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder
and dust ; the Lord shall cause thee io be smitten before thine enemies,
&c. But what is all that when opposed to the affliction here threat
ened, of God's withdrawing Himself? I will go and return to my
place, till ihey acknowledge iheir ofifence. He will not leave thera,
unless they drive Him away ; yea, and He is even then loth to leave
them, and grieved that they are such eneraies to theraselves, and will
not be persuaded to be better advised.
2dly. We see where the true blarae of the many sufferings and
miseries of the Church is to be found. The abounding of sin, and the
want of repentance, these make her troubles to abound. If God's own
people would take His counsel, it would be well for thera ; either His
first counsel of obedience, or His after counsel of repentance. When
they are running from Hira, He calls after thera. Return, return, O
backsliding Israel, Why will ye die? fhou hast destroyed thyself, says

268 god's. END and DESIGN [Ser. XXXI.
the Lord by the same prophet, but in Me is thy help to he found.
Hos. xiii. 9. His counsel and ways would be peace, but their afflic
tions and sharp punishraents are the fruit of their own ways ; bitter
fruit and wormwood, a root of bitterness. Prov. v. 4; Jer. ii. 19.
Dotii not the preaching of the word, and particularly the doctrine of
repentance, sufficiently witness for God, and against His people, when
their rebellion brings calamities upon thera ? The often repeated
warnings and entreaties, even to those who have often slighted and
despised thera, shew how unwillingly He afflicts us. He does not
surprise them, without warnings multiplied one upon another. Before
He would proceed to treat thera as enemies, to hew and slay them
with the sword. He uses His messengers of peace to deal first with the
word, sharply indeed, but graciously ; — that sword of the Spirit which
kills to make alive, to spare, if it might be, the destroying sword of
the eneray. I have hewn ihem by My prophets, (Hos. vi. 5) and if
that would have served their turn, the other hewing and slaying should
not have followed. A wise enemy who is resolved to be avenged,
conceals his rage till it be accomplished, and does not threaten before
he strikes, but raakes the execution of his purpose the first revealing of
it. Therefore, we raay know that God, who doth all things raost
wisely intends favour in threatening ; denounces indignation that He
may be interrupted. Not to inflict it, that is His desire. He would
gladly have us stay His hand. A humble penitent acknowledgraent will
do it. " Minatur ne ceedai, coidii ne occidai ;" says Chrysostom. He
threatens that He Tnay not strike, and strikes thai He may noi destroy.
If speaking either mildly or sharply, wfll prevail with His children. He
will not stir the rod to tfiem : and when the rod is in His hand, if shew
ing or shaking it wfll serve the turn. He will not strike with it. But
this is our folly, that usually we abuse all this goodness, and will not
part with our sins, tfll we sraart for thera, and be beaten from thera.
We pull punishraent out of God's hand; as Solomon says. The fool's
mouth calleth for strokes. Prov. xviii. 6. When these indulgent ways that
the Lord uses, avail nothing, then, as a physician wearied in striving
with lenitives and gentle medicines in a fixed, stubborn disease that
yields not to them, it is no wonder that he betake hiraself to sharper
reraedies, and cut and burn, if need be, that He may cure. The Lord's
complaint, in the beginning of the viith chapter of this prophecy,
sounds this way. When I would have healed Ephraim. If it be thus,
then, with the Church of God, that it is often found guilty of great
sins, and withal, great insensibleness and impenitence, it is no won
der that it is often found under great and many afflictions. There being
in the Church, in such societies as profess God's name, peculiar sins,
such as are found no where else, by reason of God's peculiar covenant
with thera, and ordinances araong thera ; viz., conterapt of the ordi
nances, and breacfi of the covenant ; and by the same reason too,
pecufiar aggravations of the coramon sins, and ingredients of such
things as make the sarae sins that other people corarait, to be of a deeper
dye araong God's people; their special relation to Hira, and the special
means and mercies they receive frora Hira, by which they are both
more instmcted and more obliged to obedience ; these things raake
the disobedience more heinous in itself, and raore offensive to God,
He cannot but take it very ill to be disregarded by his own Kai av

Hos. V. 15.] IN AFFLICTION. 269
TEifvov. — Thus the Lord raakes a great and loud coraplaint that all
may hear, Isa. i. 2 ; calls heaven and earth to hear it, that He had
Tiourished and brought up children, and ihey had rebelled against Him.
What do we deserve for our sins ? Do not our oaths and cursing, our
pride and deceit, our wonderful ignorance and profaneness, our form
ality, hypocrisy, and, above all, our deep security, threaten us with
some heavy judgment? Which cannot be avoided but by godly sorrow
and earnest prayer, by the most humble way of acknowledgment and
real araendment. This is our work this day; and unless we set about
it for ourselves, and pray for it to the whole kingdora, we know not
what we are doing. We cannot do any thing to purpose on behalf of
the Church of God, nor be fit supplicants for its deliverance, whilst we
reraain ungodly ourselves.
II. God's way of afflicting His people : I will go aTid return io my
place. The way that He will afflict thera, is indeed the heaviest, as
conveyed in this expression ; as if He should say, I will withdraw
myself frora them, and will not appear to thera at all for a tirae, yea, a
long time. Well may it be rendered by affliction in the other clause,
for they shall be truly so when the Lord is gone from thera. Upon
the -withdrawing of His gracious presence, as necessarily follows afflic
tion, as mist upon the setting of the sun. This was fieavier than all
His corrections. So long as they could but hear and see Him araongst
thera, although it were chiding, yea, scourging them, yet, stfll there
was this comfort, that they raight speak to Hira as being near them,
aud so, considering His merciful nature, might have hope, by their
complaints and cries in His presence, to move Hira to corapassionate
and spare thera, and be reconciled. But when He was out of sight
and quite gone from thera, and so could neither hear nor see thera in
their misery, this was indeed the chief misery, worse than all that they
could suffer in other punishments. In the preceding verses. He
threatens to be as a moth to them, consuming thera, though raore
slowly and insensibly ; which was by lesser judgments that befel these
kingdoras, as the history of thera shows : then, as a lion, devouring
raore suddenly : but the gradation rises to the highest in this last,
though to an ignorant creature it sounds least : 1 will return to my
place. I will retire my favourable presence from thera, and shut up
all the influences and evidences of ray grace. Which, in a public
national sense, (as here it is to be taken,) iraports, not only longer and
raore grievous troubles than any which before had befallen them, (as
indeed they were,) but God's leaving of them in those troubles, and
not giving, as before, any sign of His merciful presence. As if God
should say, I will give them up to those miseries that are to come upon
them, and leave thera to theraselves and to their cruel enemies, and
will take no notice of them, until they know what a grievous thing the
want of my presence is, and how hateful their sins are, that have de
prived them of it, and so be stirred up to seek my face;-:-they would
not regard rae, either in ray word or ui ray works, whether of raercy or
of judgment, so long as I stayed with them, was present amongst
them: — that so I may teach thera to know what is the good of ray
presence, by the evil of my absence, which is a heavier judgment than
all 1 have yet inflicted on them.

270 cod's end and design [Ser. XXXI.
And as it is thus in relation to the pubfic condition of the Church,
so is it, in a personal and more spiritual sense, to a chfld of God. No
evil he fears so much, or feels so heavy, as God's absenting and with
drawing Himself in displeasure ; nor is there any good that he will
admit to be compared with the light of God's countenance. Let others
seek any good, let them have any good they can, but, says David, for
himself and all the godly, the good we seek is this and no other. Lord,
lift upon TIS the light of Thy countenance. Psalm iv. 6. He can hear
of any distress with courage and resolution, but this he cannot endure
to hear of, but deprecates it. Hide not Thy face frora Thy servant. A
godly man may, in the most prosperous condition, have rauch concern
if the face of God be hid frora him. That is his great affliction, as it is
here called. There needs nothing else to darap all his prosperity.
Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was troubled. Psal. xxx. 7. Even in
prosperity, riches and power, and other such poor things, do not answer
the desires of a soul acquainted with God : all these are nothing
without His favour shining on thera : no, nor the graces which are
within thera, which are far raore precious than all outward things. The
displeased withdrawing of God's countenance, raakes a sad night amid
all these ; as, when the sun is absent, it is night still, notwithstanding
all the stars. Although God lay outward affliction on them, yet, if He
enlighten thera, though in a dungeon, they can rejoice. Yea, when
they are inwardly troubled for sin, and God is rebuking thera that way,
yet, that is not so bad as when He leaves thera and returns to His
place. This is raore grievous than when He chides and rebukes them,
which he may do, and yet, noi in hot displeasure, as David teaches us
to distinguish it, Psal. vi. 1 . It is a more comfortable condition, that
He stay with them, and that He reprove thera when they sin, Cyea,
that is a mercy,) than that He leave them, and speak not to them, nor
suffer them to speak to Him. They would then desire rather to find
Him present though correcting ; for then, by speaking to Hira, they
may express their repentance and requests to Him for pardon. They
would say to God, Strike me, but hear me, rather than be struck out
from all intercourse with Him, and He hold thera as His eneraies.
And thus God may sometimes deal with His own, and particularly for
sorae notable offence, until they be duly hurabled and brought to a
lowly acknowledgment, and so, to seek His face again ; to see if they
will be loth to grieve Hira again.
Though we all profess to know God, yet, the greatest part of us are
so far from duly esteeming Hfin, that we do not at all know what the
spiritual, gracious presence of God is ; how sweet the enjoyment, and
how bitter and sad the deprivement. Oh, be desirous to understand
and know this highest good, and, above all things, seek to enjoy it.
And without doubt, the experience of it will persuade you to prize it
and entertain it careluUy ; never willingly to grieve and drive away so
great and so good a guest, who brings true happiness along with Hira
to those wih whom He dwells There is solid peace, and there only,
where He ks. And for the Church of God, what other thing can we,
yea, what need we desire but this, as the assured help of alf her dl^
tresses and sorrow,s that God would return His gracious presence to
her again ? Then shall her enemies be. turned backward, and she shall

Hos. V. 15.] IN affliction. 271
sing and rejoice in the God of her salvation. You see, this is the
Church's own prayer, Psal. Ixxx. 3 ; she desires no more than this,
Cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be safe. That is the only sun
which chases away the mist ofher griefs and troubles. So then, the
ending of these confusions we are lying and labouring under, is wrapped
up in this; that the presence ofour God be both entreated and obtained.
This would raake a sweet union of hearts, and raake all attempts pros
perous, and strike a terror into the Church's enemies. But if their
Rock forsake thera, were they never so surely supported with other
advantages, yet shall they sink and fall. If He go to His place, and
shut up His power and wisdora from their help, and leave them with
theraselves, this shall suffice to undo thera, without any eneray. It
was sad news, not only to Moses, but to the whole people, Exod.
xxxiii. 3 ; notwithstanding they were bent to provoke Hira to do so,
it was very grievous for thera to hear, that He had refused thera His
own guidance and would withdraw hiraself frora them, although it was
with the proraise of an angel to lead them ; for little can any possible
supply be raade by any creature to make up that loss. It was indeed
high time for them to put off their ornaments, and be hurabled, when
their great Ornaraent and their great Strength, was gone frora thera in
displeasure. Then they put off their garbs of war, and appeared in
the penitential dress of sackcloth and ashes.
III. The end of God's thus afflicting His people. And we have
these two things to consider in it, both here clearly expressed : 1st,
God's intention in the means ; 2dly, The power of these means for
effecting it. / will go till they acknowledge their offences and seek my
face, and, in the time of ray absence, which will certainly be the time
of their heaviest affliction, they will seek me early.
1. This is God's end in scourging His people ; it is only to bring
thera to a sorrow for their offences, and an ingenuous confession of it.
And if He withdraw Himself, it is not to leave thera for ever and look
at thera no raore. On the contrary, it is, that they raay learn whether
it is better to enjoy Hira, or their sins ; and that, finding themselves
miserable without Him, they raay leave those sins with which He will
not dwell, and raay corae and entreat His return to them ; which He
is willing, being entreated, to grant them. And this He removes from
them, that, on their return to Him, and their earnest and humble seek
ing of His return to thera, they raay find Hira, and enjoy more of His
presence than before, and learn to keep it better. He throws His
people into the furnace, and goes away, and leaves them there ; yet, it
is not to let them lie still there, but He is skilful in this work, and
knows the time needful for their refining, and then returns and takes
thera out. His purpose is, to purge away the dross, but He will not
lose the gold. Isa. xxvii. 9. By ihis shall the iniquity of Jacob be
purged, and ihis will serve to take away his sin. As that sin was the
meriting cause of the affliction, it clears God's justice ; the end He
airas at, when He declares His graciousness and merey to His people,
being no other than this, to destroy the raeriting cause ofthe affliction,
by their trouble ; to take away that sin which procured it, and then to
give them peace. That is His design. He takes no pleasure in their
affliction for itself, more than they themselves do. Indeed, in punishing

272 god's end and design [Ser. XXXI.
His enemies, there is pure justice : their punishments are not for a
better end, so far as concerns them, but are appointed to torment them.
But to His own people, His purpose is, by afflicting thera, only
to draw frora thera their sins, which drive Hira away frora thera.
And as we see in this the bounty of God, so it instructs us, for our
own practice, in the just way both of preventing trouble to ourselves
that it come not, and of removing it if it be come upon us. Is this
the thing God seeks in punishing us, a sense and acknowledgment of
sin coraraitted ? Then, if we give Hira his end. He will not at all
needlessly make use of the means. If, therefore, we either carefully
shun sinful provocations, or, being guilty, speedily return and humble
ourselves before Hiai, He will not enter into displeasure against us ;
He will be appeased towards us. And on our seeing that which is
His intent in punishing, before He begins to punish. He is very well
pleased to be thus prevented. So then, if either we follow the advice
of the Psalraist, Psal. iv. 4, Stand in awe and sin not, or that other
which follows, that we examine our hearts concerning sin, before
the decree of punishraent go forth, or be put in execution on our
guiltiness, pronouncing ourselves guilty, (as the word is here in the
text,) which is indeed acknowledging our offences, this is the way to
prevent it ; and if it be begun upon us, this is the ready way to reraove
it, for this is the end of it. When the Lord sees His children grieved
for their offences and entreating pardon. He is a tender-hearted father,
the very Father of mercies. Those confessions and prayers that His
children utter, enter His paternal ears, the rod falls out of His hand,
and He turns his stripes into erabraces, and His frowns into srafling.
There may be, indeed, a confused cry from the sense of the smart,
without repentance, that moves Him not. As He directs parents in
correcting a peevish child. Thou shall not spare for his crying, (Prov.
xix. 18,) so He Himself doth not spare nor leave oft" for that kind of
crying. It is confession and subraission that He seeks, not the howlino-
and coraplaining which nature draws frora any under sharp affliction.
This, the Lord coraplains of in His people, by the same prophet, Hos.
vii. 14 : They did not cry unto me with iheir hearts : they only howled
upon their beds, A man tfiat is upon the rack for extortino- confession, he
will cry and roar when he confesses nothing ; but it is not that which is
sought of hira, pain forces him to that ; it is confession, and when he
begins the least word of that, they presentiy stay and release him.
Thus it was with David, and he tells it us, and distino-uishes these
two expressly. Psalm xxxii. 3 — 5. He tells us of his roaring under
the hand of God, but that did no good : he found no ease but that
so long as he kept silence frora this confession. But as soon as he
began, or did but offer at acknowledgment, one word of confession,
yea, the promise of it, brought him the release that a whole day's roar
ing could not obtain. / roared all day long, but Thou helpedst rae not ;
still Thine hand continued heavy upon me. But I acknowledged my
sin ; I said I would confess my transgression, and Thou forgavest ihe
iniquity of my sin.
Now, to the end we might confess aright, there raust be a
searching of our hearts for our sins, and for sorae particular one or
more which God's afflictions aim at. And, First, if we cannot easily

Hos. V. 15.] IN affliction. 273
find it out, consider the nature of the affliction. Secondly, seek the
knowledge of it frora God, wfio will readily, when He corrects His
children, tell thera what fault it is. Thirdly, however, finding so
many, be sure to spare none of them, and then ye cannot but faU on
the main one which breedeth you trouble.
2. The other thing here concerning the end of affliction is, the
efficacy ofthe means for reaching it. In their affliction ihey will seek
me early. It had been early, in a wiser sense, to have sought to Him
for a reconcilement before the affliction ; but here it expresses a most
difigent seeking, according to the original word : for things that men
are earnest upon, they will be early stirring to set about. For
besides that it is a certain prophecy of what was to corae to pass in
this people, it hath in it this general truth, with which it agrees ; to
wit, the raoral fitness of great affliction to work this diligent seeking
of God, before neglected, and acknowledgraent of sin before unfelt ;
which is expressed in the forraer clause. Together with seeking His
face, there raust be the sense and acknowledgraent of sin. There is no
returning to Hira, but frora it. In following sin, we depart from God,
and by forsaking it, we return to Him. These are inseparable ; they
are but one motion. It was their sin raade Him leave thera, and go to
His place ; and therefore it were in vain to seek Him, retaining it, for
that would drive Hira further frora thera.
Now affliction is apt to bring men to this ; such, I mean, as have
any knowledge of God. Although they be not converted, yet, it works
thera to a temporary fit of returning and seeking God, sucfi as they
are capable of. And those make up the greatest part in the public
humblings of a nation, or any multitude of people, having- most of
them no raore heat of devotion and desire of God, than the fit of
present affliction works ; and therefore, when that ceases, they have
done likewise with their repentance and regard of God. Being stirred
only by that outward principle, they act no longer that way, than while
they are acted by it. Wafer will be very hot, yea, boil and make
a noise, when it is upon the fire ; but set it off', and it returns within a
while, to its natural coldness. Thus it was often with the same people.
See Psalm Ixxviii. And there are stfll daily too raany instances
of it. Yet the Lord, to shew how much regard He hath to repent
ance, lets not the very semblance of it go to loss. He is pleased, for
the repressing of sin, and the purging of His Church of gross and scan
dalous profaneness, to make use of public afflictions to work in raany
even this kind of repentance, and to answer this repentance with the
reraoval of the affliction that wrought it. With God's own children,
this raethod holds in a way pecufiar to them. They raay, indeed, as
well as others, sometimes stand in need of the rod for their bettering,
and it may work it, but there is this difference ; their grief for sin
and seeking after God, do not wholly depend on the lash ; they are
constant in these things, as having a living principle within them ;
whence they shew in all estates, that sin is to them the greatest grief,
and the favour of God the greatest good. Again, when they are sur
prised with sin, and possibly fall into a fit of security, and raust be
awaked by some affliction, and it is sent for that purpose, that renew-
VoL. II. T

274 god's end and design in affliction. [Ser. XXXI.
ing which it works in thera, is not, as in others, a mere present violent
motion only, from the impulse of the affliction, but it is real and in
ward from the grace which is in thera, awaked and only set on work
by the correction ; and therefore it is more abiding than the other.
There is in them a special love to God, working their repentings and
returning under the sense of His hand. And it is from God's special
love to them, which others share not in, that He stirs them up to re
new repentance, and upon their repentance takes off affliction, and
shews Himself graciously reconciled to them. To some, likewise, it
may be, that God may use sorae particular cross, as a partial and con
curring means to the work of their repentance and conversion to God.
But however, there is in that some pecufiar love of God, and that
effectual working of His word and Spirit to beget grace in them, by
which afflictions are sanctioned and raade usefiil to excite and awaken
grace where it is.
Now, in afl these different ways, affliction is apt for this effect ;
Ist. Because it sets men in upon themselves, calls in their thoughts,
which, in a fair season, raore readily dissipate and scatter theraselves
abroad. As they observe, that much fight disquafifies the sight ofthe
mind, as well as that of the body, and that, in the dark, men's thoughts
are more united and deep ; thus in the darkness of affliction, we feel
readily more inwards, and that acquaints us better with ourselves and
our sins, and so, tends to the first of these two, the acknowledging of
our offences. Besides, the particular respect we speak of, is often
betwixt the kind of affliction and our own sins.
2dly. When a raan is driven by force from the coraforts of the world,
which he used to hinge upon, especially by sorae great affliction which
breaks him off from them all, then, if he have any thoughts concerning
God, those begin to work with hira. He bethinks hiraself for no other
way of help, but thinks. Could I obtain the Lord to befriend rae, and
shew rae His favour, that were enough. He could deliver me out of this
distress, and in the mean tirae support me under it. True, I have
provoked Hira, and, which is heavier than all ray other troubles, I
have raade Hira raine enemy ; yet, I know He is very compassionate
and gracious, therefore 1 will go to Him, and confess my oflPence, and
I trust He will pardon rae. This is the other thing, the seeking of
His face. So affliction hath soraething in it suitable to the work of
both. As we see the lost son by his distress carae to hiraself, and
then resolved to return to his father. Indeed, when a man is strait
ened on all hands by a crowd of troubles, and finds no way out, then
he finds his only way is upward. We know not what to do, but our
eyes are towards Thee. The Israelites went before to other helpers ;
they are reproved for it, ver. 13 ; but when once convinced of that
fofly, no more of any such way, but, as foUows in the next words con
taining a description of their purposes. Come, lei us return to the Lord
our God, they acknowledge Hira as the just inflicter of these calamities:
He hath torn, and He hath .smitten. Not a word of Salmanazer or
Nebuchadnezzar, but their off'ended God is their sraiter, and so no
recourse to other powers for this deliverance, but. Let us reUirn to
Him; He will heal us. Oh then, let us afl be persuaded to repent
ance. And certainly all they who do truly mind the honour of God,

Isa. viii. 17.] suitable exercise in affliction, 275
and the good of His Church, wifl not be negligent at such a time as
this. I trust that God who heareth prayer, will have regard to their
prayers and His own glory. Amen.

SERMON XXXII.
Isaiah viu. 17.

And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I
will look for Him.
Besides the personal trials and sorrows that are the lot of the godly
in this life, every one of thera hath a share in the calaraities and
troubles of the Church ; not only when sorae part of these troubles
reaches thera, for so they are personal and private, but, in the reraotest
and raost exempted condition, there is a living syrapathy which this
cannot divest. And for both their own and Zion's grief's, they have
but one support to stay their own souls frora fainting under the burden
of thera, but it is a great one, and strong enough to bear all the
weight that can be laid upon it. And it is this the Prophet here re
solves on. / will wait upon the Lord, and I will look for Him.
Araongst the many sins that the prophets had to contend with in
the people, one, and a main one, was, their unbelief, which indeed is
the root of all disobedience and perverseness. The very natural mo
tion of the heart possessed with it, being, as the Apostle speaks, to
depart from the living God, and to turn it aside to dead, helpless
helpers, makes it run to and confide in any thing rather than in Him,
besides whom there is nothing at all to be confided in. To this folly,
the Prophet here opposes God's comraand and his own resolution con
trary to it: ver. 11. For ihe Lord spake thus to me, and this was the
echo of His voice, resounding frora my heart, J will wait. And this
he speaks not only for himself, but in the narae of all that will adhere
to it, and subscribe to his purpose ; and he intends it as a leading
resolution to the godly both in his own and after-times. And it is
here upon record for us, as the truest character of faith, and the only
establishment of the mind in the days of trouble.
And this is the most powerfiil way of teaching, when the messengers
of God teach, by their own example, those duties they recoraraend to
others. The Lord spake thus to me, with a strong hand : not only
with the words of His mouth, but with the strength of His hand. He
makes the impression of it deep upon their hearts, that the expression
of it may come from that inward impression and persua.sion of the
truth. And that will indeed bind a man strongly (as the word signi
fies) to the discharge of that high calling, notwithstanding all his
discouragements from within and from without, which are so raany,
that they who have most sense of the nature of it, would possibly undo
themselves, were it not the strong hand of God upon their consciences,
that binds them to it.
In the words we have to consider, 1st, The trial of faith. 2dly,
T 2

276 suitable Exercise [S^''- XXXIL
The strength of it. The trial of it is in the hiding of God's face from
the house of Jacob. The strength of it, is in that fixed purpose ot
waiting for Him, even in that tirae of hiding His face.
Who hideth His face.] To a natural ear, this soundeth not so much
as fire, and sword, and pestilence and captivity ; but, being rightly
understood, it is the heaviest word, and very far weighs down all other
expressions of distress whatsoever. It is a very large, coraprenensive
word. All the good that we enjoy in any kind, is but a beara of the
face of God ; and therefore, the hiding of His face, is a high expres
sion of a dark, afflicted state. The countenance of God shining on
them in His universal providence and goodness, is that which upholds
the worid and all the creatures in their being : the least of them sub
sists by Him, and fhe greatest cannot subsist without Hira. So that
the schools say truly, " There is in the lowest, aliquid Bei, and in the
highest, aliquid nihili." He shines upon all in that sense, preserving
thera in being, which otherwise would not continue for a raoment ; as
it is exceUently expressed. Psalm civ. 29, and particulariy concerning
man. Psalm xc. 3; Job xxxiv. 13 — 15.
But the Church of God, which we have here under the narae of ihe
house of Jacob, doth after an especial raanner depend upon a special
aspect of His countenance for her being and well-being. Her out
ward peace and prosperity, with all the blessings that she enjoys, are
fruits of a raore than ordinary providence. And there are blessings in
their nature not ordinary, but pecufiar to the Church, which have more
of the face of God in thera than all outward splendour of prosperity
hath, and therefore are the special love-tokens He bestows upon His
spouse, the Church, and by which He testifies His raarriage with her.
And that is the being of a church, the oracles and ordinances wherein
God raanifests Hiraself to His church, raakes Hiraself known there as
by His face, which is hid frora the rest of the world. And though,
in coraparison of the vision of glory, the clearest, even extraordinary
manifestations of God, are but a glance of His back parts, (as that of
Moses, which was singular,) yet, in such a sense as suits our present
condition, we are said to appear before the Lord, and to stand in His
presence, and to see His face, and the beauty of it in His house and
ordinances. Psal. xiii. 2; xxvii. 4, c")-c.
It is true, that the outward distresses of the Church and people of
God are soraetiraes expressed by the hiding of His face from thera,
and so it is a part of what he raeans here ; but it is not afl the sense
of it any where, but itis a word of their affliction, carrying a reflection
upon their sin that provoked the Lord to afflict thera, and so, implies
His just anger kindled by these provocations. And it hath usually the
ingredients of spiritual judgments under it, either the depriving them
of God's ordinances in their use, or of the power and efficacy of thera,
(as was at this time, we see, the Prophet's complaint,) and possibly, a
great measure of that heavy judgment upon the people, of blindness of
mind and hardness of heart, a stupid senselessness under their cala
mities, which is one ofthe raost certain aud the saddest signs of their
continuance. And this is the Prophet's meaning in this place. For
without these, or something like them, a church may be in real afflic
tion, and yet, not uuder the ecfipse of God's face for all that. Yea,

Isa. viii. 17.] in affliction. 277
possibly it may shine clearer on the Church in a time of outward
trouble, than in the inidst of peaceable and prosperous days : as the
raoon, when it is dark towards the earth, then the half that is towards
heaven is all luminous, and, on the contrary, when it is the full to our
view, it is dark heavenward. We see it in the comraon instance of
the primitive tiraes, how the gold shined in the furnace, how holiness
and purity of religion flourished and spread in the raidst of persecu
tions, and zeal for God burnt brighter than the fires tfiat were kindled
against it, and triuraphed over thera ; and soon after they were put
out, how it began to cool and abate, and the purity of religion insen
sibly died into nurabers of superstitious and gaudy devices ; and the
Church grew downwards, outwardly more porapous, but lost as much
for that of integrity of doctrine and worship. And therefore, in the
twelfth chapter of Revelations, there is a woraan clothed with the sun,
and ihe moon under her feet, as full of heavenly ornaraents as she is
destitute of, and withal despises, those of the earth. And look, again,
to the eighteenth chapter, and see a woraan clothed in purple, and
decked with gold and precious stones, and a golden cup in her hand,
but herself, under all these dressings, a harlot, and her golden cup full
of aborainable filthiness. So, then, doubtless, the hiding of God's
face frora His Church, is soraething beyond her outward lowness and
affliction, and greater and heavier than that ; the withdrawing of His
presence, and His not appearing for their deliverance out of trouble,
and their spiritual corafort and benefit under it.
Ist. Now, as tfiat is put for the top of all distresses, we should esteem
it so. But in reference to ourselves, and to the Church of God, I am
afraid a great part of us do not know what it is to have this light. If
we did, there needed no more urging it : itself would persuade us
enough to prize it, and to fear the loss of it. The soul that knows the
sweetness of His presence and His face shining on it, wfll account no
place nor condition hard, providing it may be refreshed with that : as
the saints have been in caves and dungeons enjoying raore of that light
in those tiraes, when other coraforts have been abridged. Then they
have had a beara frora Heaven into their souls in their darkest
dungeon, far raore worth than the light of the sun and all the advan
tages the world can afford. That Rabbin who lived twelve years in a
dungeon in Francis's tirae, called a book fie wrote. The Polar Splen
dour ; iraplying that he had then seen raost intellectual light when he
had seen least sensible light. And thus it is with raany Christians, in
the darkness of distress ; if they seek after this light, they may blame
theraselves and their own neglect if they find not soraewhat of this
truth. On the other hand, to a spiritual raind, this hiding of God's
face wfll darap and distress the pleasantest outward condition which
can be allotted hira. It was in the midst of David's prosperity, enough
to unseason afl : Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was troubled.
Psal. xxx. 7.
Now, if we would have the Lord, to whom believing souls are
married in truth and righteousness, to look pleasantly on us, our great
ambition should be, to walk in all well pleasing unto Hira, and to
seek of Himself those ornaraents and that spiritual beauty which may
piake us lovely in His eyes ; as a faithful wife decketh herself only for

278 suitable exercise [Ser. XXXII.
her husband. For all these inferior things are but figures of that mys
terious life of grace which the soul hath from God, and by which it
lives in Him. There are some singular largesses and outlets of
spiritual joy which God gives not to every Christian, nor to any at all
times. "These we speak not of But if we would enjoy more abiding
influences of His love, and find Him accepting of our services at our
hands, and raeasuring His graces to us, coming to us, and giving us
access fo corae to Hira, putting a life and blessing into His ordinances,
though with different degrees at divers tiraes ; then our care should
be, to entertain this friendship and correspondence dfligently, to watch
over our hearts and ways, that we adrait of nothing that raay disturb or
interrupt it, and to be jealous ofthe least abatement ; to search and find
out the cause of it without delay. And if we do thus, we shall undoubt
edly find the Lord willing to converse and dwell with us ; and though
He give us lower measures of comfort and graces than others get, they
shall be so rauch as will enable us to go on in our journey. Above all,
study huraility. The High Lord loves to give Himself and His society
most to the lowly heart. Trust not at all to thyself, nor to any thing
below Hira. Lay all thy confidence upon His power and goodness.
Ye see here, that it was the raultitude of sins that eclipsed His face
from His own people, the house of Jacob ; as He tells them by this
Prophet, chap. lix. 1. It was particularly their distrust of God, and
running to other helps beside Hira. Ever, the more he is in thy
esteem, the more thou shalt have of Him ; and the more thou believest
His all-sufficiency, the more thou shalt find it and know it in tfiine
own experience. Yea, it raay be that when His face is hid from the
Church, in respect of public distress and desertion, yet, it may even
then shine bright upon a soul that secretly cleaveth to Him and de
lights in Him. So here, the Prophet says not that He hides His face
frora Tne, but, from the House of Jacob.
2dly. As for the Church, learn by the Prophet and other penmen of
the Holy Scriptures, to eye and consider the estate of God's Church ;
to take notice how He deals with it when He shines on it and when
He hides His face, and be deeply affected with it. Let thine eye be
looking out, and let thine eye affect thine heart, as it is. Lament, iii.
51. Far be it from thee, to judge it any irapertinence, and think it
concerns thee not. Truly most of us have both eyes, and if we had
twenty more, we should have them all, poring upon our private con
dition. Providing we raight have ease and good days, we should feel
little for the afflictions of Joseph. It were not excusable, if even our
secret devotions took us up so as to forget the Church ; how much
less excusable, to have our hearts ingrossed whoUy by our earthly
concerns ! And we see here what it is we have to do on the Church's
behalf; to bewail her sins, begging pardon for those evfls for which
God hath hid His face from her ; and what to desire, only to com
mence her own suit anew, as troubles arise. Cause Thy face to shine,
and we shall he saved ; — as the returning of the spring makes all
things to flourish, and again puts a new visage upon nature. Mark
the harraony and resound of the I^ord's returning to Israel ; the re
turning of their hopes and the sweet effects of it, Hos. xiv. 1, 5. All
those heavy indignations that are on, or might trouble, the Church

Isa. viii. 17.] in affliction. 279
and themselves, arise from security, impenitence, and the fruitiessness
of the word amongst them, which makes the Lord hide His face from
them. Our part is, therefore, to return to Him. Oh, had we hearts
to put the Lord to it. He could and would do yet greater things for us.
And this we ought earnestly to desire, and with aU patience to wait
for it ; which is the Prophet's way, / will wait.
The two wheels ofthe soul are, desire and hope. Difficulty sets an
edge upon desire ; and the appearance of obtaining upholds hope.
And both these are in the words the prophet here uses for his waiting
and expecting ; for they import an earnest desire, and yet a patient
attending upon the issue. Look to that of David, Psal. cxxx. 6 : I
wait for Thee, more than ihey that wait for the Tnorning, — that watch
until the morning, as some render it ; in the cold night that watch. —
The thing the pilot waits for, is not a private good to hiraself, for that
could not stand a counterbalance to the evil he is sensible of The
Lord's hiding His face frora the house of Jacob, was that which
troubled hira, and his waiting was answerable, for the return of that
light to the house of Jacob. Grieved that the Lord should absent
Himself from His people, he looks back upon God's frequent appear
ings and shewing of fiis face to Jacob, by such visions as gave lustre
and glory to the place. See Hosea xii. 9. We found Him in Bethel,
ihere He spake with us, — even us who have interest in these gracious
appearances. And there it is urged for a ground of hope and waiting
and calling on God. Now, for the face of God to be hid from those
who were the posterity of Jacob and God's own peculiar people, was a
sad thought to the prophet, who stays hiraself with this, that the Lord
God had made known to him His purpose of returning and restoring
the house of Jacob, and upon this he resolves to believe, and to rely
upon God's word for it : I will wait.
Hoping, waiting, and believing, are taken indifferently in the Scrip
tures, and all the difference is only iu relation to time. Faith believes
the present word, and hope looks out for the after-accomplishment ;
and the patient waiting for it, results from both. So they are but the
actings of the same faith in a different notion, and they are indeed the
test of faith. Our hearts are naturally of another temper than to take
the Lord's word and repose upon it, and, when it is deferred, yea, and
cross appearances come in betwixt, yet, still firraly to believe and
patiently to wait for the accoraplishraent. We are of a childish
huraour. That which we laugh at in children, in little things, such as
their minds are set on, we may be sorry for in ourselves as a greater
folly, being in greater affairs. We are all in haste, and would have
things come as fast as our fancying; and upon the delay of these mer
cies we look for, are almost ready to give over. That which brake
forth from that -wicked king's mouth, the seed of it is in all our hearts,
when things appear worse and worse : This evil is from the Lord ;
why should I wait for him any longer? 2 Kings vi. 23. It is strange,
in court suits and other business of a like nature, how long a man will
wait upon another, and think all is well if he speed at last ; and yet,
how briskly we deal -with God if He answers not at the first !
But faith teaches us (so to speak) spiritual civility, good manners
towards God ; it lets the soul see His greatness, and goodness, and

280 suitable e.xercise [Ser. XXXII.
truth, and persuades us to wait on Hira, and not to weary in waiting;
to wait patiently, as it is Psal. xl. 1. Faith composes the raind, cures
that light, fickle hastiness which is naturally in us. He that believeth
shall not make haste, says the sarae Prophet, Isa. xxviii. 16. And is
it not good reason that we wait for Him ? Is He not wise enough to
choose the fittest tiraes for His own purposes ? Well raay we wait tfll
He be gracious to us, for He waits to be gracious to us. Isa. xxx. 18.
He is not slack, but is staying only for the due season ; His love is
waiting for the time that His wisdom hath appointed. And, to express
His affection in our terras. He is longing for that time, as well as we
are. For the sarae word is there used for His waiting, that both here
and in that verse is used for ours, and it signifies an earnest waiting or
breathing for that thing we wait for ; and, therefore, since He waits
and longs, our waiting is in a happy conforraity to Hira. And thus,
with good reason it is concluded. They are blessed that wait for Him,
Thus there is a word very answerable, Hab. ii. 3 : The vision is for
an appointed time, — we read, Ai the end it shall speak, but it may be
rendered, — It breatheth towards ihe end; runs, as it were, so fast that
it panteth. The sarae word is used, Cant, ii., for the rising of the
morning. By fretting impatience, there is nothing gained but needless de
sire. It advances not our business, but perplexes us to no purpose.
And, on the other hand, patient waiting loses not a moment, but
attains its end in the very due time deterrained ; and hath this advan
tage in the mean tirae, that it puts the mind into a temper of peace
and contentedness, Avhich a raan raay act and profess to others, but
cannot truly have within hiraself without faith. Isa. xxvi. 3: Thou
wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because
he trusteth in Thee. This waiting is always answered ; never raarked
with disappointment, as is the ordinary cu.stom of other hopes. There
fore, that which the Prophet hath, He that believeth shall not make
haste, the Apostle Peter renders, shall Tiot be ashaTiied, I Pet. ii. 6.
Though he hasten not, but wait, and wait long, yet, his waiting shall
not sharae hira ; none shall have raatter to laugh at hira for it, for his
waiting .shall be repaid with success, his hope shall be accoraplished.
Whereas, any other expectations make raen ridiculous, and expose
thera to scorn, in that they look often for raost contentraent in those
things that deceive thera. The brooks that grow dry in suraraer, are
an emblem of worldly hopes. Thus, Job vi. 19 : The troops of Tema
looked, ihe coTnpanies of Sheba wailed for them. They were con-
foujided becaTise they had hoped; ihey came thither and were ashamed.
But this waiting on the Lord, never yet deluded any. I waited
patiently for the Lord, says the Psalmist, and He inclined to me, and
heard my cry. Psal. xl. 1. Then he makes his experience a coramon
good ; draws it to a general conclusion, v. 4 : Blessed is ihe man ihat
Tiiakelh ihe Lord his trust. Thus he confirms that general truth by his
particular experience, and, as the Apostie says of them who believe,
sets io his seal that God is true. "Thus ought every one, upon his
experience of the Lord's goodness in his deliverance, speak to the
advantage of the Lord's faithfulness, and say. As He is called abun
dant in goodness and truth, so I have found Him, and I would have

Isa. viii. 17.] in affliction. 281
others to rely upon Him : if my testimony could do any good to that,
or persuade thera, they shall be .sure fo have it wheresoever I corae.
Thus Psalm xxxiv., the Prophet will not smother the Lord's goodness
which he hath found : This poor Tnan cried, and the Lord heard him.
And verse 8, he invites all to taste and see that the Lord is good:
blessed are ihey who trust in Him. He will advise others to this upon
his own experience. Surely, he will know where to seek, when
he is again put to it. As he loves the Lord for what he hath found,
so he will make use of Him always in all his straits. Psalra cxvi. 1 :
/ love ihe Lord; and seeing He hath inclined His ear to me, I am
resolved upon this course, I will call upon Him as long as I live.
The difficulties which the Prophet's faith here encounters, and which
coraraended the strength of it, are these two : 1st, The multitude of
unbelievers round about, as a mighty torrent which he was to come
against ; that so few would rely on the Lord. But he resolves against
it, as Joshua did for obedience. Choose you whom you icill serve, so
here, for faith ; Let others take their course, each one run his own
way, ray choice is this, / will wait on the Lord, And this is no sraall
matter, to maintain the preciousness of faith against the profaneness
and atheism ofthe world. And considering the disregard of God that
there is in the society and converse of the greatest part, it is much if
a godly raind do not sometimes suff'er something by it ; and we have
need to beware of it.
2dly. The other difficulty is in the thing itself, which looks so dark
and unlikely, that many of His people are giving over trusting on
Hira, and He seems to give over helping them. He hides His face,
yet I unll wait on Him alone, says the Prophet. Though all other
hearts fail, yet I will wait on Thee. Though Thou withdraw Thyself,
and hide Thy face, yet I will look to no other, I will stay by Thee, and
wait on Thee. And although not only ray days raay pass, but ages,
before the things be accoraplished I look for, yet I will believe they
shall come to pass. I will look on them in this notion, though I
cannot live to see them. And, indeed, besides that the great teraporal
deliverances which the Prophet foresaw and here looks into, carae long
after his days, it is likely that he looks beyond these too, to the coraing
of the Messiah, of whom he speaks so clearly both in this chapter and
the forraer, and also in the following. Notwithstanding all the sins of
this people, and all the heavy judgraents their sins call for and have
brought, or shall bring on thera, yet he believed the Lord would send
thera that great Deliverer and Saviour, His only Son, whora He had
proraised. Thus the eye of faith looks over the head of raany difficul
ties and of many ages betwixt it, to fhe thing it expects, and sees it
beyond thera all (so the word here, / will look for HiTn, is to stand
upright as a line and look out, answering to that word, 'A-ofcapaSoKia,
Rom. viii.) ; desiring and confidently expecting good frora Hira to His
Church. In these kingdoras, though the outward face of aff'airs look
quite contrary, and the Lord for a time suffer our troubles to increase,
and hide His face as not regarding us, suffering things, by the per
verseness of men on all hands, to turn to a universal confusion and
disorder, yet still, you that know the Lord and His dealing, pray, and

282 SUITABLE exercise IN AFFLICTION. [Ser. XXXIL
believe, and wait, and be assured your prayer shall be answered in
due tirae.
Thus for your personal condition. You that desire the light of
God's countenance above all things, though He seera to deny and hide
His face from you for a time, yet wait on Him, leave Him not, for if
ye do, you are sure to perish ; but if ye wait on Him, ye may say. It
may be He will be gracious, but if He wifl not, I know no other to go
to ; I will still wait and try Him. What think ye of Job's purpose ?
Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him : though I saw Him ready
to throw me into hell, yet I will look for mercy. Faith cannot be
nonplus.sed. There is in it a pious obstinacy that will not yield to the
greatest opposition, nor give over so long as there is any possibility of
prevailing. I said, says Jonah, I a7n cast out from Thy presence, yet
for all that, I cannot give the raatter up for desperate ; I raust have
leave to look towards thee : Yet, I will look towards Thy holy Temple,
Jon. ii. 4. Invincible faith, as here, / will wait — I will look. His
doubfing the word is raeant to express his resolvedness, in the begin
ning of the verse, and in the end of it. And so, faith conquers the
difficulty that raakes against it. And this is the purest acting of faith,
when there is nothing of sense to support it, and yet it holds out, and,
as Abraham did, against hope believes in hope. When the soul is at
the hardest pinch, faith will say, I will lie at the footstool of the Throne
of grace until I be thrown from it. I will not away from it. I will
Wait on till the last moment.

283
A SERMON
PREACHED TO THE CLERGY.
2 Cor. v. 20.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us ; we
pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled unto God.
It is appointed unto all men once to die, and after that io come io
judgment, saith the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Two sad
necessities to sinful man. This last, nature's light discovers not ; but
the other, though it be seldom deep in our thoughts, is alraost always
before our eyes ; and though few seriously reraeraber it, yet none can
be ignorant of it. Against this known and universal evil, the chief of
heathen moralists, the stoics, have much endeavoured to arra thera
selves. And others have bent the strength of their wits to raaster the
fear of death, and have raade theraselves, and sorae of their hearers,
conquerors in iraagination : but when the king of terrors really ap
peared, he dashed their stout resolutions, and turned all their big words
and looks into appalment.
And the truth is, there are no reasonings in the world able to argue
a raan into a wiUingness to part with a present being, without sorae
hopes, at least, of one raore happy ; nor will any contentedly dislodge,
though they dwell never so meanly, except upon terms of changing for
the better.
The Christian, then, (not the nominal Christian, but he who is truly
such,) is the only man that can look death iraraediately in the face ; for
he knows assuredly that he shall reraove to a house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens.
The discourse beginning this chapter, occasioned by the end of the
former, continues to the I2th verse, where the Apostle subjoins an
apology for his high and confident manner of speaking ; which apology
serves likewise for a very pertinent re-entry to the raain discourse of
the forraer chapter, concerning the worth and work of the ministry. But
because of the Apostle's frequent, yet seasonable digressions, proleptic
and exegetic, divers may model the analysis after divers manners.
To take, then, the discourse as it lies here together, abstract from
precedent and consequent, I think, (with submission,) it may be
divided into these two heads : First, The Apostle's resolution for death.
Secondly, His course and manner of fife. Each is supported with its
proper grounds or reasons : the forraer to verse 9, the other to the end
of the chapter.
The resolution is so strong, that he expresses it by the words of
earnest desiring and groaning. And this resolution for death, springs
from his assurance of life after death : We know ihat if our earthly
house of ihis tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God not
made with hands, eternal in ihe heavens. He speaks in his own and his
cpUeague's names. And the whole -matter of both is set forth by an-

284

A SERMON TO THE CLEHGY. [2 Cor. V. 20.

elegant continued metaphor. Both the desire and the assurance
causing it, are iUustrated, First, by their chief cause, verse 5. Now he
that hath wrought tis for ihe selfsame thing is God ; who also hath
given unto tis ihe earnest of the Spirit. Both in his gracious purpose
for this, hath He made us, and in a pledge of perforraance He hath
given us earnest, even His Spirit. Then they are illustrated by their
subordinate cause, faith, verse 7. For we walk by faith, noi by sight.
His course and purpose, — for he both signifieth what he doth, and
how he intends to continue to do, — His course and purpose of life is,
in general, to walk acceptably in this absence from tlie Lord, (ver. 9).
And in particular, walking diligentiy and faithfully in the ministry.
Ver. II, 18.
One reason of this course and purpose, is irapfied in that illative,
[A(o] which knits this part with the forraer. And indeed, a good frame
of life hatha most neces.sai-y connexion with a strong resolution for
death, and assurance of life eternal ; and they mutiially cause one
another. That a pious life gives strength against death, and hope of
eternal life, none will deny ; nor is it less true, that the assurance
animates and stirs up to obedience : so far is it from causing sloth,
that it is the only spur to acceptable walking. We are confident, saith
he, (ver. 8,) wherefore, we labour io be accepted, ver. 9.
This purpose is further backed with a double reason, viz., of two
pious affections; the one of fear, ver. 11, the other of love, ver. 14:
that of fear, arising from the consideration of the judgment-seat of
Christ; that of love, from the thoughts of his death. Ver. 14. For
ihat love of God constrained us, because we thus judge, thai if one died
for all, then were all dead. And lie died for all, ihat they which live
should Tiot henceforth live nnto themselves, but unto him who died for
ihem, and rose again. These are the reasons that stir up this erai
ncnt Apostle to a study of acceptable walking in all things, particu
larly in his especial caUing, the ministry of his reconciliation : — ap
proving hiraself therein to his God, and as rauch as may be to the
consciences ofthe people ; saying and doing all things with intention
of His glory, and their good ; free from vain glory ; not speaking for
himself, nor living to hiraself, but to Hira who died for hira, and rose
again; not possessed with carnal respects touching himself or others;
no, nor entertaining carnal considerations of Christ himself as being
ascended, and therefore to be considered and conversed with after a
new raanner (spiritiially) by all those that are new creatures in him,
and reconciled to God by hira, through the ministry of the word of
reconciliation. Which reconcihation God himself hath thus effected;
(ver. 21,) He hath Tnade him to he sin for us, who knew tio sin ; ihat
we Tnight be made ihe righteousness of God in him. Who knew no sin
practically, knew none ; was altogether free from sin, not only from
commission and consent, but from the very first and least motions of
sin. And indeed no one was thus fit to be made sin, but one who
knew none, an immaculate Lamb. Made him io be sin, not by con
straint, not beside his knowledge and consent. The heathens observed,
that their sacrifices were successless and unhappy, when the beasts
carae unwillingly to the altar. We need not fear this point : our
blessed Sacrifice, who was also Priest and Altar, offered himself up

2 Cor. V. 20.] A SERMON TO THE CLERGY. 285
cheerfully: Then saiih he, Lo, I come io do Thy will, Heb. x. 7.
And I lay down my life for the sheep, saith the good Shepherd, John
X. 15. To be sin; not only to take the sirailitude of sinful flesh, but
becoraing man for raan's sake, and to be numbered with transgressors,
as the prophet speaks, Isa. liii. 12, and io bear the sin of many, but
the iraputed guilt and inflicted punishment of sin. And these sins of
raany made him imputatively an exceedingly great sinner, and therefore
he is said to have been made sin, by reason of this iraputation ; where
upon followed his suffering as a sacrifice. And I conceive, that the
reason why the word which in the first language signifies sin, is sorae^
times taken for the sacrifice, is because the confessed sins were, in a
manner, transferred and laid upon the heads of the legal sacrifices.
And so saith the prophet. He hath laid on him ihe iniquity of us all.
Isa. lui. 6.
Hewasthen made si/i priraarUy, by iraputation of, and consequently,
by suffering for, our sins, as our expiatory sacrifice. He made him sin
for us, in our stead, and for our good; to wit, our rederaption; as fol
lows. That we might be made, or become \^tivwii<Lvoi,] the righteounesss
of God in him; — but be it made IXiyu'ueOa], it is no otherwise than
Christ was raade sin iraputatively ; and if this inference need help,
each word that follows will confirra it. RighteoTisness, not righteous ;
to shew the perfection of it, not to urge its unity. Righteousness, not
righteousnesses ; as intiraating that it is but one righteousness, whereby
we are afl justified of God. Not our own, but iyi him, not in our
selves. All which makes it clear, as it were written with the sun
beams, that, by the most gracious exchange, as he took our sins, so
he hath given us his righteousness. It is true, this is always accora
panied with holiness inherent, but iraperfect. By that iraputed righ
teousness, the Spouse of Christ is clear as the sun, all lurainous ; but,
in regard of infiised righteousness, she is only fair as the moon, but
the one half ligfit and that appearing unequally too, waxing and
waning, and having spots at its fulness here below. She is holy in
this regard, but righteousness in the other righteousness of God ; His
by appointing. His by gift and application, and His by acceptance.
Of God in him; that is, its being in him who is called the Lord our
righteousness; in him in whora the Father acquiesceth, and is well
pleased. Blessed are ihey ihat trust in him.
But to the forraer, ver. 20. Now then we are ambassadors for
Christ, as though God did beseech you by us ; we pray you in Christ's
stead, be ye reconciled unto God.
Here we have all the parties requisite in the treaty of reconciliation.
God, though offended, seeking peace with raen. His creatures, and by
sin becorae rebels : As though God beseeched you. Christ the only pro
curer, and likewise the chief arabassador, of this peace. And then,
lastly, have we the sub-delegated messengers of this peace : We, as
ambassadors for Christ. We, the Aposties, and all the ministers of
the Gospel. For as in their peculiarities, they had no successors, for
that is repugnant, so, in those things wherein they have successors, all
true ministers of the word are such. The Apostle himself calls this
embassy, the ministry ofi-econciliation, ver. IS.
Ambassadors for Christ, that is, in his stead. In this verse, we

286 A SERMON TO THE CLERGY. [2 Cor. V. 20.
have the office ofthe ministry, under the name of ambassadors ; and
their message, the delivery whereof is the execution of their office, the
entreaty of men, to be reconciled to God. Both the office and the
message are backed with due authority or warrant. The office's war
rant is, that we are ambassadors for Christ, or in his stead ; that is,
subordinate to him by his own ordination : the warrant of the mes
sage is God's own will who sent them, for it is His mind to beseech
you by us.
But to resume the first division, whereof each of its two parts will
afford its proposition ; and upon these two propositions I shall insist,
in what remains to be said.
The first proposition is this : from their office, ministers of the
Gospel are true ambassadors, under Christ, from God to ma7i. As
soon as man had divested himself of God's iraage, his sharaeful naked
ness raade him run into the thickets ; nor could he ever since then
look his Maker directly in the face, nor endure to hear His immediate
voice. Therefore, when God hiraself would corae and dwell among
raen. He vailed His deity with huraan flesh : there He stood behind
the wall, and shewed Himself through the lattices. Let us not hear
again the voice, nor lei us see ihis great fire any more, that we die not,
said the people at Horeb ; and the Lord who knew their mould, saith.
They have .said well. Deut. v. 28. I will raise ihem up a prophet,
said God, froTn among iheir brethren ; like unto ihee ! and He did so.
As He came for man's good, so, for the same end, went He away
again : It is expedient for you, saith he, that I go away. John xvi. 7.
And since that tirae he hath continued to send men, men yet fiker
themselves than He was, men subject to like infirraities, sin not ex
cepted. EvcTi as my Father sent me, so send I you, saith He. John
XX. 21. But the loss in this change were intolerable, did He not allay
it soraewhat by sending His Spirit upon those men whom he sends to
men : If I depart I will send him unto you, saith he, John xvi. 7. He
is gone indeed, as was necessary, but, being ascended, he caused gifts
to descend upon men : Some he gave to be apostles, some prophets, and
some evangelists, and pastors, and some teachers ; all for the work ofthe
ministry, and th-at for the perfecting of the saints, and the edifying of
his body, Eph. iv. II, 12.
Thus, then, God treats with raan in a huraan way. He draws not
His own to Hira by iraraediate revelations, nor rejects He the rest by
express words frora heaven ; but, whfle He sends His arabassadors in
differently to both. He works differently in thera. And the admirable
variety of effects of the same raessage, after the same manner, and at
the same time delivered, do not a Uttle set forth and commend that
sarae [iroXf?ro«(A.os aacjiia -rov Geoi^,] maTvifold wisdom of God (Eph.
iii. 10); that, his word should sweetly raelt the hearts of some, and,
as it were, raore violenUy break the hearts of others ; that it should
harden and bfind some, moUify and enlighten others ; that it should
convince those whom yet it converts not, and that by its majesty,
though in the mouths of siraple men, it should bridle and restrain
many of all ranks, whom it renews not ; moulding and framing them
to an external conforraity and square carriage, whereby the world,
and the church of God in it especially, are much advairtaged.

2 Cor. V. 20.] A SERMON TO THE CLERGY. 287
And the lustre of all these effects, is exceedingly set off by the quality
of the messengers, being to the world's eye but contemptible men.
But had it not been raore congruous to the grandeur of this great
King, to have sent angels, His ministering spirits, to be the rainisters
ofthe word? Had He not better have used those precious vessels for
His chief treasure, than to have concredited it to vessels of earth, not
to say, to discredit it by so doing? No, His thoughts are not as ours;
yea, they are furthest above ours when they seera to be furthest below
them. And if we look again, we shall find it more glorious to have
conquered so many kingdoms, and brought them to our King, the Lord
Jesus, by the preaching of a few fishermen, and such like, than if He
had done it by those active spirits. The meanness of the means,
raises exceedingly the glory of the Sovereign's cause.
Thus we see how the sending of men in this embassy, was requi
site for the frailty of man, and how well it suits with the glory of God.
Hence may be deduced sorae necessary things for all in general,
something in particular for these ambassadors, and soraething for those
to whom they are sent.
First, it may persuade all to entertain more respectful thoughts of
this function than raost men do. Some speak out their disrespect ;
others, though not expressing it in words, have it lurking in their
breasts, and appearing in their practices. To instance in one error or
two, which many labour under, springing evidently from a low esteem
of this calling.
I . Are there not divers pretenders to it, who being, and possibly
finding themselves, insufficient for all other employments, have their
recourse to this, raaking no doubt of their sufficiency for it ? Yea,
such there are, too many ; their worldly friends being guilty either of
begetting in them, or of fomenting this presumption. On the other
side, be there not others, who, having some advantage of outward rank,
or inward endowments, would think theraselves, and be thought by
those who have interest in thera, to be exceedingly disparaged if this
calling were raentioned to thera, and who would count it a great abas
ing, yea, a losing of themselves to embrace it? Against these two
gross mistakes, raay very appositely be opposed this. We are ambas
sadors for Christ, Frora which expression it is most evident, that the
ministry both requires the best and ablest, and deserves them ; that
the refuse and abjects of raen cannot be worthy of it, nor it unworthy
of the choicest. It requires able men, because they are to be ambas
sadors ; and this will follow of itself. Again, consider, whose ambas
sadors, and in what business. The ambassadors of the King of kings,
in the weighty matter of treating peace betwixt Him and raankind.
Shall it be said of his arabassadors, as Cato said to those who were
sent by the Roraans to Bythinia counting that three wants were
amongst them, viz,, that they had neither feet, nor head, nor heart?
It is true God may, and soraetiraes, especially in extraordinary times,
does make use of unlettered and low-qualified men; but then He inlays
their defects by a singular supply : therefore, that is no rule for us in
the ordinary vocation. It is a piece of God's prerogative, to use un
likely means without disadvantage. Any thing is a fit instrument in
his hands ; but we are to choose the fittest and best means, both in our

288 A SERMON TO THE CLERGY. [2 CoF. T. 20.
own affairs, and in His service ; and if in any, this eminent ser-vice of
embassy, requires a special choice. If bodfly integrity was requisite
in the servers at the altar under the Law, shall we think that fhe
mentally blind and lame are good enough for the ministration under
the Gospel, which exceeds in worth and glory? Who is sufficient for
these things ? saith the great doctor of the Gentiles. Our practices
seem to answer. Any body : And it is observable, that carelessness in
this kind, is usually the companion of false worship, and too much
care of decking, triraraing, and making gay the externals of it. It is
said of Jeroboam, that he made high places, hnt priests of the lowest of
the people, I Kings xii. 31. As it was said, that the church had. As
he said of "golden cups and wooden priests," so we may say of that
church which values them so rauch, 'They are well looked to, neatly
adorned, but their priests grossly ignorant.
This function requires able raen, being a weighty charge, and is
worthy of thera, being highly honourable. And doubtless, there is
egregious profaneness in the contrary thoughts. The heathen can style
those stones raore happy than coraraon ones, which are chosen for the
building of teraples, and araongst these, the altar-stones the happiest.
And shall we not account truly happy, those living stones, which are
hewn out for God's building, and chiefly, (so to speak) the altar-stones,
the raessengers of peace ? What can be more honourable than to sei-ve
the highest Lord in the chiefest functions of His house? How ought
we to account of an arabassador's place, when King David esteemed
so highly a door-keeper's office in this King's court I
2. We are ambassadors. This may correct another error in the
world, though accounted by those that entertain it, a choice piece of
policy for God. It is this : the ministry being so mean a thing in the
world's eye, and so obnoxious to conterapt, it is expedient that it be
raised and brought into credit by annexed excessive dignities, high
titles of honour, and suitable revenues. It is true, that penury and
want of eorapetency in teraporals, in those who bring an eternal trea
sure, argues base ingratitude, and is most unworthy of well-constituted
churches. But where the remedy exceeds too far, it becoraes worse
than the disease, being corapounded of carnal prudence and arabition,
both of which are enmity to God. And this 1 take to have been one
of Germany's provoking sins, and Rome's predominant sin. For these
incongruous honours, to speak it in a word, raising some from contempt,
teach them to contemn and insult over their brethren ; to say nothing
of their affronting of higher quality, yea, of princes and kings them
selves, while they pretend to be the only supporters of their crowns.
And if this their insolency in advanceraent, devolve them back again
in conterapt, and their honour becorae their shame, they may thank
theraselves. Their Master taught them another method of attaining
due esteem. He hath given honour enough to those whom he hath
made his ambassadors ; and if raen conteran this, he takes the indig
nity as done to himself, and he is able enough to vindicate his own
honour. Let men esteem of us, as the ministers of Christ, 1 Cor. iv. 1.
Here is all the esteera St. Paul requires ; and they are unworthy of
this who are not content with it. Their best way, whom God employs,
is to study His glory, and He will not fail to honour those that honour
him.

2 Cor. V. 20.] A SERMON TO THE CLERGY. 289
And this leads me fitiy on frora the conviction of these comraon
errors, to a word of particular exhortation to those arabassadors, from
the nature of their calling so expressed. Aud it binds upon them
chiefly these four duties : 1. Piety. 2. Prudence. 3. Fidelity. 4. Mag
nanimity. Piety, in two steps or degrees : first, to look they be friends with
God ; secondly, to labour to be inward with Him.
[1.] They are to look that they be friends with God. For it noway
suits that they be ambassadors for reconciliation, who are not them
selves reconciled : it is certain, such will move both coldly and success-
lessly in the work. What He can do extraordinarily wiio doth always
what He wflls in heaven and earth, we question not. He can convey
grace by those to whom He gives none. He can cause them to carry
this treasure, and have no share in it; carry the letter and not know what
is in it ; and make thera, so to speak, equivocal causes of conversion.
But, usually. He converts those whom He raakes the happy strengih-
eners of their brethren, Luke xxii. 33. We think, that they who
savingly know not Christ, should not be fit to make other men ac
quainted with hira. He who can tell raen what God hath done for his
soul, is the fikeliest to bring their souls to God. Hardly can he speak
to the heart, who speaks not from it. Si vis mefiere, &c. Before the
cock crows to others, he claps his wings, and rouses up himself How
can a frozen-hearted creature warm his hearers' hearts, and enkindle
thera with the love of God ? But he whom the love of Christ con
strains, his lively recommendations of Christ, and speeches of love,
shall sweetly constrain others to love hira. Above all loves, it is raost
true of this, that none can speak sensibly of it, but they that have felt
it. Our raost requisite pulpit-orators, yea, speak they with the tongues
of raen and angels, without the experience of this love, are no fit am
bassadors for Christ, for his embassy is a love- treaty. Such men are
but sounding brass, and tinkling cymbals. The sublimest and best
contrived of their discourses, glow-worm like, or as those foolish fires,
raay have sorae light with thera, heat they have none. When a raan
speaks of reconciliation and happiness, as if he had sorae interest
therein himself, when his words are animated with affection, as he is
like to beget sorae affection where there is none, so, a pious hearer that
is already gained to Christ, finds the erabassy drawing him effectually
nearer Heaven : blowing that Divine fire that is within hira, and
causing it to mount upwards. As in water, face answereth to face, so
doth the heart of man io man, saith the wise man, Prov. xxvfl. 19.
There is a certain peculiar syrapathy and sweet correspondence betwixt
souls that lodge the sarae spirit. Those that are united to the sarae
Head, Christ, by reconciliation, find their hearts agreed, an'd they
relish the discourses one of another. Thus iraportant is it every way,
both for the begetting and for the strengthening of grace, that the am
bassador thereof be a reconciled person.
[2.] As he must look that he be friends with God, so, secondly, he
must labour also to be inward with God. For though the erabassy be
the same, iu great part, in the raouths of all God's ambassadors, yet,
there is a world of mysterio-as particulars contained in it, and they meet
with many intricate pieceo in their particular treaties with men's con-
VOL. II. U

290 A SERMON TO THE CLERGY. [2 Cor. V. 20.
sciences. And in these, know they the will of the King, their master,
more or less clearly, according as they are raore or less intimate with
Hira. How knew divine Moses so rauch of the Lord's will, but by
rauch converse with Hira ?
These ambassadors, to the end that they may do so, must labour for
integrity. His secret is with the righteous. For humility. He is
farailiar indeed with the lowly ; He takes up house with them : With
such a one will I dwell, saith ihe Lord. God's choice acquaintance are
humble men. For the spirit of raeekness. He whom we named was
eminent in this, and so, in familiarity with God. Christ singularly
loves the raeek and lowly, they are so like hiraself One thing they
raust raainly take heed of, if they aspire to a holy farailiarity with God;
earthly-mindedness. If no servant of the god of raararaon can serve
this God in point of coraraon service, how much less can he be fit for
an erainent eraployraent, as an embassy, and enjoy the intimacy re
quisite for that eraployraent ? These messengers should corae near
the life of angels, always beholding the face of ihe Father of lights.
But if their aff'ections be engaged to the world, their faces wfll still be
that way. Fly high they raay, soraetiraes, in sorae speculations of their
own ; but, like the eagle, for all their soaring, their eye will still be
upon sorae prey, sorae carrion here below. Upright, meek, humble,
and heavenly minds, then, must the arabassadors of this great King
have, and so obtain His intimacy, mounting tipon those wings of prayer
and raeditation, and having the eye of faith upwards. Thus shall they
learn raore of His choice raysteries in one hour, than by many days
poring upon casuists and schoolmen, and such like. This ought to
be done, I confess ; but above all, the other must not be omitted.
Their chief study should be, that of their commission, the holy scrip
tures. The way to speak skilfully from God, is often to hear Him
speak. The Lord God hath given me the to7igue of the learned, saith
the evangelic prophet, (chiefly intending Christ,) io speak a word in
season to the weary. Ay, that is the learnedest tongue when all
is done. But how ? — He wakeneth me morning by morning ; He
wakeneth mine ear io hear as the learned. Isa. 1. 4.
Thus we see how these ambassadors have need to be friends, and
intimate friends with their Lord. For if they be much with God in
the mount, their returns to raen wiU be with brightness in their faces,
and the law in their hand ; their lives and their doctrines shall be
heavenly. 2. The second requisite of these arabassadors is. Prudence, or dex
terity to manage their Master's business. Wise princes and states, in
choosing their ambassadors, above all other kinds of learning, have
respect to practical abilities ; and they that can best read the several
geniuses and dispositions of several nations and particular men, and
accordingly know how to treat with every one according to their ternper,
to speak to them in their own language, are judged the fittest men for
that eraployraent. Great is the diversity of humours araong men :
some are timorous, some rash, some avaricious, some ambitious, sorae
slow and leaden, others precipitant and mercurial, and many other
varieties. Now, to know how to deal with each of these in their own
kind, for the advancement of his master's business, is a special discre-

2 Cor. v. 20.] A SERMON TO THE CLERGY. 291
tion in an ambassador. And those ambassadors we speak of, had as
much need of it as any : they have raen of all, both outward and in
ward differences, to deal with, and the sarae raen so different frora
theraselves at divers tiraes, that they arc hardly the sarae ; sorae igno
rant, others learned, some weak, others strong, some secure with false
presumptions, others tormented with false fears. And rauch prudent
consideration of those differences, and accoraraodating theraselves
thereunto in the raatter and raanner of their discourses, is very expe
dient in their treaties. Of some have compassion, plucking them out
of the fire, making a difference, Jude xxii. What other is St. Paul's
becoming all things to all men, thai he might win soTne ? 1 Cor. ix. 22.
And this policy is far different from temporising, and compliance with
evil, which in no case can be tolerated in these ambassadors, for that
is disadvantageous to their business : it may be the way of their own
proraotion, but it is not the way to advance their Master's kingdora,
which end should be the square of all their contrivances, and with it
nothing will suit but what is upright. A kind of gufle they raay use,
but it raust carry their King's irapress ; it must be a holy guile ; and
such, the rainisters of the Gospel not only raay, but ought to study.
Fishers of men they are, and why may they not use certain baits, and
diversity of them ? But as their catching is not destructive, but saving,
so must all their baits be. They must quarter dove-like simplicity and
serpentine wisdom together, as he commanded them, who sent them
on this embassy.
3. Their third duty is Fidelity ; and that both in the matter of their
embassy, and in the manner of delivering it. In the raatter, they must
look to their coraraission, and declare the whole counsel of God, not
adding nor abating any thing. We know how heinously kings take
the presumption of their ambassadors in this kind ; though reason be
pretended, and perhaps justly, yet, even they account obedience better
than sacrifice : yea, sorae of thera have been so precise and tender of
their prerogative, that they have preferred a daraageable affront to their
coramands, before a profitable breach of them. And above all kings,
this King who is above them all, hath good reason to be punctual in
this ; for princes' instructions may be imperfect, and as things may
fall out, prejudicial to their purpose, but His are most complete, and
always so suitable to His end, that they cannot be bettered. The
raatter, then, of this embassy is unalterable : in that, these ambassadors
must be faithful. Faithftil, also, in the manner of delivering it ; with
singleness and diligence. [1.] With singleness, free from by-respects,
not seeking their own honour or advantage, but their Master's ; abasing
theraselves where need is, that He raay be raagnified ; never hazarding
the least part of His rights for the greatest benefit that could accrue to
theraselves. The treachery of an arabassador is nf all the raost intoler
able ; — to deceive under trust. If any who bear the narae of God's
legates, think to deceive Him, they deceive themselves ; He cannot
be raocked. They raust all appear before His judgraent-seat, and be
unveiled before raen and angels. Knowing, therefore, the terrors ofthe
Lord, let thera go about His work with candour and singleness of
heart. And [2.] with diligence. He that is diligent in his work, shall
stand before princes, saith the wise prince. Prov. xxii. 29. The great
U2

292 A SERMON TO THE CLERGY. [2 Cor. V. 20-
Prince of Peace shall adrait tiiose to stand erainentiy before him, who
are dfligent in his erabassy of peace. Such are they who make it their
meat and their drink, as Christ himself did, who accept all occasions,
yea, seek and raake occasions, to treat with men for God. That oracle
like preaching of one sermon or two in a year, is far from this sedulity
and instancy in treating, which are requisite in God's ambassadors.
The prince of darkness hath raore industrious agents than so : they
compass sea and land io make a proselyte; they hold to it, and are
content to lose raany a labour, that sorae one raay prosper.
And this may meet with the discontent that some rainisters take at
tiieir great pains and littie success. We see, Satan's ministers can
comport with this. Since it is no just exception against God's work,
still be in thy business, and refer the issue to thy Master. Wait on
God, and do good, saith the royal Psalraist. Psalra xxxvii. 3. Sow thy
seed in the morning, and in the evening withhold 7iot thy hand ; for iliou
knowest noi which will prosper, saith the wise .son. Eccl. xi. 6. As the
moralist speaks of benefits, a man must lose many words among the
people, that sorae one raay not be lost. I am all things to all, saith
our Apostie, that I 7nay gain some. 1 Cor. ix. 20. And though in
continuing diligent, thy dUigence should still continue fruitless to
others, to thee it shall not be so. Thy God is a discreet Lord: as He
hafh not put events into thy hand. He will not exact thera at thy
hands. Thou art to be accountable for planting and watering, but not
for the increase. Be not wanting in thy task, and thou shalt not want
thy recorapense. Shouldest thou be forced to say with the Prophet,
/ have laboured mi vain, and spent Tny strengtii for nought, in regard
of success, yet, if thou hast laboured, so laboured as to spend thy
strength in that service, thou raust add with hira. Yet surely Tny judg-
Tneni is with the Lord, and Tny work with Tny God. Isa. xlix. 4.
4. The last duty recoraraendable to these arabassadors, is Magna
nimity, which is no less needful than the preceding. Many a difficulty
and discouragement is to be encountered in this service, and, which is
worse, some teraptations of prosperity and advanceraent. If you per
sist to plead freely for your Master, you shall be the very raark of the
world's enraity. What raischief is there, that Christ hath not foretold
his disciples to expect at their hands ? For Christ circumvents no man
to his service ; he tells thera what they shall raeet with : They shall
prosecute you through iheir courts, ecclesiastical and civil ; deliver you
Tip to councils, and scourge you in their synagogues, and accuse before
governors and kings (Matt. x. 17) ; yea, ihey shall think they do God
good service when ihey kill you. His own arabassadors. Many raoun
tains are to be clirabed in going this embassy, and the rage of many a
tempest to be endured. His aTiimis opTis est, et pectore firmo. Cou
rage, then, ambassadors ofthe Most High ! See if you can rise above
the worid, and tread upon her frownings with the one foot, and her
deceitful smilings with the other. Slight her proffers, and contemn
likewise her contempts. There is honour enough in the employment,
to cause you to answer all oppositions with disdain. Let it be as im-
pos.sible to turn you aside from your integrity, as the sun from its
course. For that message which you carry, shall be glorious in the
end: it shall conquer all opposite powers. When you seem exposed

2 Cor. V. 20.] A SERMON to the clergy. 293
in your voyage to the fiiry of '\\inds and waves, remember what you
carry. Caesarem vehis, et fortunam ejus, as he said ; it cannot suffer
shipwreck. Let no sufferings dism:iy you. For a generous arabas
sador will always account it far more honourable to suffer the worst
things for doing the best service he can to his master, than to enjoy
the world's best rewards for the least point of disloyalty. And if ever
Master was worthy the suffering for, yours is. Happy are you when
they persecute you for his sake, as himself hath told. Matt. v. 10.
There are honourable examples to lookback to — So persecuted ihey the
prophets; and a precious recorapense to look forward to — Great is
your reward in heaven. Our blessed Redeeraer refused no hard.ships
for the working out of this peace, which is your embassy. He knew
what entertainment did abide him in the world, what contempts would
be put upon him by raankind which he carae to redeera ; he knew of
the full cup of his Father's wrath, that he was to drink for thera ; yet,
resolution arising frora love, cUrabed over all these raountains, and
happily conquering all these difficulties, attained the desired end.
Worthy arabassadors, follow this generous Leader in proraulgating
the peace he hath purchased. Tread his steps who endured the cross
and despised the shame, and your journey's end shall be suitable to his
-\'\'ho is set down at the right hand of ihe Father. Heb. xii. 2. Well
did St. Paul study this copy when he said, / know ihat bonds abide me
everywhere ; but I care for none of these things, so that I may finish
Tny course with joy. Acts xx. 24. The looking over to that great end,
is the great raeans of surraounting the hardest things that intervene.
The eyeing of that rauch, will make an undaunted arabassador. And
that this lesson of courage is very pertinent for thera, will appear by
Christ's own urging it upon the first legates he sent out, when he
dwelt here below : Fear not, saith he, them that can kill the body, &c.
Matt. X. 28 ; where, raethinks, he propounds, as the chief incentive of
courage to these arabassadors, the joint consideration of those to
whora they are sent, and of Hira who sends thera. For, seriously
considered, it must needs be found most incongruous, that ambassa
dors of God should be afraid to speak to men. Fear not thera ; the
utraost they can do, reacheth no further than the tabernacles of clay.
Nor can they touch that without perraission : not a hair of their head
falls without notice of their Master. But suppose the highest, let
them kill the body ; thither goes their rage and no further. But fear
Him who can kill both body and soul. Fear not, but fear. As this
fear hath better cause, so it is the only expeUing cause of the other
fear. Nothing begets so generous and undaunted spirits as the fear
of God : no other fear, none of those base ones that torment worldly
men, dare claim roora where that fear lodgeth. The only cause of
these legates' fears is the inconsideration of their Master. Would they
reraeraber him much, it would ennoble their spirits to encounter the
hardest evfls of life, and death itself, courageously in his service.
Their reward is preserved for thera, and they for it ; yea, it alone puts
thera into full posses.sion. For their Master, beyond all kings, hath
this privilege : he can not only restore life lost in his service, but, for a
life subject to death, yea, a dying Ufe, can give iraraortality, and, for
their suff'erings, light and momentary, an eternal weight of glory. Let

294 A SERMON TO THE CLERGY. [2 Cor. V. 20.
them be irapoverished in his service, it is the best bargain in the world
to lose all for him. Let them be scourged and stigmatized for the
ignominy of these sufferings, the spirit of glory shall rest upon them.
If that Persian prince could so prize his Zopyrus, who was mangled
for his service, how rauch raore will this Lord esteem those who suffer
so for hira ! He is the tenderest King over his servants in the world.
Those who touch thera, touch the apple of his eye. Let his raessen
gers, then, despise the worst the world can do against them ; yea, let
thera say of death, as he said of it to his adversaries, Anytus and Me-
litus. Kill me they may, hut they cannot hurt me.
The lessons to those to whora these arabassadors are sent, are :
Ist, Do not dishonour thera. Reraeraber David and the king of
Araraon. No king resents this so much as God : He that despiseth
you, despiseth me.
2dly. Slight not their message : know whence it comes. This not
discerning of holy things, is the pest of Christians. The Apostle spe-
cifieth it in the Lord's body. 1 Cor. xi. 29 ; it is so in the Lord's
word. He condescends, in using earthen creatures, to explain the
choicest of heavenly mysteries, and earthen vessels to convey these
treasures. And if that which He intended for their advantage, the
wretched sons of men make it a sturabling-block, and if they contemn
the grace, for the meanness of the persons that are made conveyors
and instruments of it, what may they expect?
3dly. Respect even the arabassadors for His sake whora they repre
sent, counting them worthy of double honour. For this is the will of
your Lord and their Lord, your King and their King. And to this
king imraortal, be all honour, and glory, and praise, by all the
churches, world without end. Araen.

AN
EXPOSITION OF THE CREED.

1 Tim. in. 9.
Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience.
That which was the Apostle's practice, as he expresses it, 1 Cor.
ix. 22, is the standing duty of all the ministers of the sarae Gospel ;
To the weak to become as weak, io gain the weak, and all things to all
men, that if by any means they may save some. And truly, one main
part of the observance of that rule, is, in descending to the instruction
of the raost ignorant in the principles of the Christian religion. What
I aim at, at this tirae, is, a very brief and plain exposition of the
Articles ofour Faith as we have thera in that sumraary Confession ; not
staying you at all on the antiquity and authority of it, both of which
are confessed. Whether it was penned by the Apostles, or by others
in their time, or soon after it, it doth very clearly and briefly contain
the main of their Divine doctrine.
But though it be altogether consonant -with the Scriptures, yet, not
being a part of the canon of them, I choose these words as pertinent to
our intended explication of it. They are, indeed, here, as they stand
in the context, a rule for deacons ; but without question, taken in
general, they express the great duty of all who are Christians, to keep
the mystery of faith, in a pure conscience.
You see clearly in them a rich jewel, and a precious cabinet fit for
it; the mystery of faith laid up and kept in a pure conscience. And
these two are not only suitable, but inseparable, as we see in the first
chapter of this Epistle, ver. 10 : they are preserved and lost together,
they suffer the sarae shipwreck; the casting away of the one, is the
shipwreck of the other : if the one perish, the other cannot escape.
Every behever is the teraple of God ; and as the tables of the Law
were kept in the Ark, this pure conscience is the Ark that holds the
mystery of faith. You think you are believers, you do not question
that, and would take it ill that others should. It is very hard to con
vince raen of unbefief directly and in itself But if you do beheve this
truth, that the only receptacle of saving faith, is, a purified conscience,
then, I beseech you, question yourselves concerning that: being truly
answered in it, it will resolve you touching your faith, which you are
so loth to question in itself Are your consciences pure? Have you a
living hatred and antipathy against all irapurity ? Then, surely, faith is
there ; for it is the peculiar virtue of faith to purify the heart, (Acts
XV. 9,) and the heart so purified, is tfie proper residence of faith, where
it dwells and rests as in its natural place. But have you consciences
that can lodge pride, and lust, and raalice, and covetousness, and such
like pollutions? Then, be no more so impudent as to. say, you beheve,
nor deceive yourselves so far as to think you do. The blood of Christ f

296 AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED.
never speaks peace to any conscience but the same that it purifies from
dead works io serve the living God. Heb. ix. 13, 14. As that blood
is a sacrifice to appease God's wrath, so, it is a laver lo v.-asli our
souls ; aiul, to serve both ends, it is as was the blood of legal sacri
fices, both offered up to God and sprinkled upon us, as both are ex
pressed in the Apostle's words there. Do not think that God will
throw this jewel of faith into a sty or kennel, a conscience full of
defilement and uncleanness. Therefore, if you have any raind to these
coraforts and the peace that faith brings along with it, be careful to
lodge it where it delights to dwell, in apure conscience. Notwithstand
ing the unbelieving world raocks the name of purity, yet, study you,
above all, that purity and holiness which may make your souls a fit
abode for faith, and for tfiat peace which it worketh, and for that Holy
Spirit who works both in you.
Faith is either the doctrine which we believe, or that grace by which
we beUeve that doctrine. Here, 1 conceive, it is both, met and united
in the soul. As they say ofthe understanding in the schools, Inielli-
gendoflt illud quod intelligit, so, faith, apprehending its proper object,
is made one with it. Faith is kept in apure conscience ; that is, both
that pure doctrine of the Gospel which faith receives, and that faith
which receives it, are together fitly placed and preserved, when they
are laid up in a pure conscience. The doctrine of faith cannot be
received into, nor laid up in the soul, but by that faith which believes
it; and that faith hath no being, without believing that doctrine. And
both are fi.tiy called the Tnystery of faith. The doctrine is raysterious,
and it is a raysterious work, to beget faith in the heart to receive it.
For the things we must believe, are very high and heavenly, and our
hearts are earthly and base till the Spirit renew thera. In our Con
fession of faith we have both expressed. The first word is, a profes
sion of faith, which receives the doctrine as true, / believe; and the
articles theraselves contain the sura of the doctrine believed. And if
we who profess this faith, have within us pure C07isciences, wherein
ihe mystery of faith — the doctrine of faith believed, and the grace of
faith believing it, both together as one,- — may reside, dwell, and be pre
served, then is the text completely answered in the present subject.
Reraeraber, then, since we profess this faith, which is the proper
seat of faith. Not our bocks, our tongues only, or raemories, or judg
ment, but our conscience ; and not our natural conscience defiled and
stuff'ed with sin, but renewed and sanctified by grace. Holding ihe
Tnystery of faith in a pure conscience.
I believe in God the Father.]
Not to insist here on tbe nature of faith, taking it as comprehen
sively as we can, it is no other than a supernatural belief of God,
and confidence in Him. Whether we call God, or tbe word of God,
the object of faith, there is no material difference ; for it is God in the
word, as revealed by the word, that is that object. God is that Veritas
iiicomplexa (as they speak) which faith embraces; and the word, the
Veritas complexa which contains what we are to conceive of God, and to
befieve concerning Him. As in the Gospel, the peculiar object of that
faitii which saves fallen man, it is all one Vifhether v/e say it is Christ or
the promises ; for it is Christ revealed and held forth in the promises,

AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. 297
that faith lays hold on. In Him are all the promises of God, Yea, and
in him. Amen. 2 Cor. i. 20. So that it is all one act of faith that
lays hold on Christ, and on the promises, for they are all one : he is in
them, and therefore faith rests on thera, because they include Christ
-who is our rest and our peace ; as a man at once receives a ring and
the precious stone that is set in it. This once rightly understood, any
further dispute about placing faith in the understanding or in the wfll,
is, possibly, in itself not at all needful : sure 1 am, it is no way useful
for vou. Take heed of carnal, profane presumption, for that will undo
you; and labour to be sure of such a faith as dwells in a pure con
science, and it will be sure not to deceive you.
That confidence which this expression bears, believing in God, sup
poses certainly, (as all agree,) a right belief concerning God, both that
He is, and what He is, according as the word reveals Him : especiaUy
what He is relating to us. These three we have together, Heb. xi. 6.
He that cometh io God must believe ihat God is, and that He is a
rewarder of them thai diligently seek Him. 1. That He is. •?.. To
trust His word, believing that He is true to His promises, a rewarder
of them ihat seek Him. 3. Upon these follows coTnwg to ii/i/w, whieh
is this believing in that God which the Apostle speaks of, that reliance
and resting ofthe soul upon Hira, which results frora that right belief
concerning Him, and trusting the testimonv of His word, as it reveals
Hira. \Ye have discoursed of the attributes of God elsewhere, as also of
the Trinity, which is here expressed in these words : I believe in God
ihe Father, ihe Son, and ihe Holy Ghost. That sublirae mystery is to
be cautiously treated of, and rather humbly to be admired, than curi
ously dived into. The day will corae, (trul)', a day, for here we are
beset with the gloomy nightly shades of ignorance,) wherein we shall
see Him as He is. 1 John iii. 2. In the raean tirae, let us devoutly
worship Him, as He has revealed Himself to us; for this is the true
way to that Heavenly country where we shall see Him face to face.
And it is our interest here to believe the Trinity of persons in the Unity
of the Godhead, and to trust in Thera as such : for this is the spring
of all our hope, that the Middle ofthe Three becarae our Mediator,
and the Holy Spirit our guide and teacher, and the Father reconciles
us to Himself by the Son, and renews us by the Spirit.
The Father.] First, the Father of His only begotten Son, Christ,
and through him, our Father by the grace of adoption. And so Christ
does clearly insinuate the order of our filiation : I ascend to my Father
and your Father, my God and your God. He says not, to oirr Father,
but, to my Father and your Father; first, mine, and then, yours
through rae.
Ahnighiy.] This also belongs to the attributes of God ; so we shall
be but short on it here. Almighty, able in Himself to do all things,
and the source of all power in others, all the power in the creature
being derived from Him ; so that it cannot altogether equal His, nor
resist Hira, no, nor at all he without Hira. Whosoever they be who
boast in their own strength in any kind, and swell highest in conceit
of it, they are yet but as a brittle glass in the hand of Gcd : He can
not only break it to pieces by the strength of his hand, but if He do

298 AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED.
but withdraw His hand from supporting it, it will fall and break of
itself. Maker of heaven and earth,] The Son and the Spirit were, with
the Father, authors of the Creation : but it is ascribed to the Father,
particularly, in regard of the order and raanner of Their working.
Whether natural reason raay evince the creation of the world, we will
not dispute ; we know that he who had very rauch of that, and who is
the great master of it in the schools, could not see it by that light. Yet
there is enough in reason to answer all the false cavils of profane men,
and very much to justify the truth of this we believe. However, we
raust endeavour to believe it by Divine faith, according to that of the
Apostle, Heb. xi. 3. By faith we believe thai the worlds were framed
by the word of God. And this is the first article we meet withal in
the Scriptures, and our faith is put to it in a very high point in the
very entrance. Gen. i. I. In the beginning God made the heaven and
ihe earth : — speaking like Hiraself; it is not proved by deraonstra
tions, or any kind of arguraents, but is asserted by the authority of
God. And with that which begins the Books of the Law, John begins
his gospel ; that upon his word who, by His word, made the world,
we raay believe that He did so.
This is fitly added to the title of Almighty, as a work of almighty
power, and therefore, a clear testimony of it ; and both together well
suit with our profession of believing in Him. For this is a main sup
port of our faith, to be persuaded of His power on whora we trust.
Our God is able to deliver us, said they, Dan. iii. 17. And Abraham,
the Apostle says, offered up his son, accouniiTig (or reasoning with
himself, or laying his reckoning) ihat God was able io raise him from
ihe dead. Heb. xi. 19.
We make more bold to speak out our own questioning of the love
and good-wifl of God, because we tllink we have some reason in that
from our own unworthiness ; but if we would sound our own hearts,
we should often find in our distrust sorae secret doubtings of God's
power, Psal. Ixxviii. 19. Can God prepare a table in the wilderness ?
said they ; though accustoraed to rairacles, yet still unbelieving. We
think we are strongly enough persuaded of this, but our hearts deceive
us. Quee scimus ciim necesse non est, ea in necessitate nescimus, says
Bernard : The things which we seem to know when it is not necessary
for us to know them, we find, when necessary, that we know not. The
heart is deceitful, Jer. xvii. 9 — where he is speaking of trustino-. It
is not for nothing, that God by His prophets so often inculcates this
doctrine of His power, and this great instance of it, the Creation, when
He promises great deliverances to His Church, and the destruction of
their enemies. See Isa. xiv. 12, and li. 12. What can be too hard
for Hira, who found it not too hard tb raake a world of nothing ? If
thou look on the public, the enemies ofthe Church are strong: if on
thyself, thou hast indeed strong corruptions within, and strong temp
tations without : yet, none of these are alraighty, as thy God is. What
is it thou woifldst have done, that He cannot do if He think fit? And
if He think it not fit, if thou art one of His children, thou wilt think
with Hira ; thou wilt reverence His wisdom, and rest satisfied with
His wifl. This is believing indeed; the rolling afl our desires and

.\N EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. 299
burdens over upon an almighty God. And where this is, it cannot
choose but establish the heart in the niiist of troubles, and give it a
calra within in the raidst of the greatest storms.
And try what other confidences you will, they shall prove vain and
lying in the day of trouble. He that thinks to quiet his raind and
find rest by worldly corafort, is, as Soloraon corapares his drunkard,
like one thai lies down in the midst of the sea, or, that sleepeth on the
top of a mast : Prov. xxiii. 34, he can have but unsettled rest and
repose, that lies there. But he that trusteth in ihe Lord, is as Mount
Sion that cannot be removed, Psal. cxxv. I. Wfien we lean upon
other props besides God, they prove broken reeds that not only fail,
but pierce the hand that leans on thera. Jer. xvii. 7.
There is yet another thing in this Article, which serves further to
uphold our faith. That of necessity. He who made the world by His
power, doth likewise rule it by His providence. It is so great a fabric
as cannot be upheld and governed by any less power than that which
made it. He did not frame this world, as the carpenter his ship, to
put it into other hands and look no more after it ; but as He raade it,
so He is the continual pilot of it, sits still at the helra, and guides it ;
yea. He coramands the winds and seas, and they obey Him. And
this serves much for the corafort ofthe godly, but I cannot here insist
on it.
And in Jesus Christ.]
The two great works of God, by which He is known to us, are.
Creation and Rederaption, which is a new or second creation. The
Son of God, as God, was with the Father, as the worker of the forraer ;
but as God-raan, He is the author of the latter. St. John begins his
gospel with the first, and frora that passes on to the second. In the
beginning was The Word — hy Him were all things made. But at ver.
14, the other is expressed: The Word was made flesh, and he dwelt
among us, had a tent like ours, and raade of the same materials. He
adds. He was full of grace and truth ; and for this end (as there fol
lows,) ihat we might all receive of his fulness, grace for grace. And
this is that great work of new creation. Therefore the prophet Isaiah,
foretelling this great work from the Lord's own raouth, speaks of it in
these terras. Chap. li. 16. That I may plant the heavens and lay the
foundation of the earth, and say unto Sion, Thou ari my people.
That raaking of a new people to Himself in Christ, is as the framing of
heaven and earth. Now this restoration by Jesus Christ, supposes the
ruin and raisery of man by his fall, that sin and death under which he
is born. This we all seera to know, and acknowledge, and well we
may, for we daily feel the woful fruits of that bitter root : but the truth
is, the greatest part of us are not fully convinced, and therefore, do not
consider this gulf of wretchedness into which we are fallen. If we
were, there would be more cries amongst us for help to be drawn out
and delivered from it : this great Deliverer, this Saviour would be of
more use, and of more esteem with us. But I cannot now insist on
that point.
Only consider, that this makes the necessity of a Mediator. The
disunion and distance which sin hath made betwixt God and man,
cannot be made up but by a Mediator, one to come betwixt ; so that

300 AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED.
there is now no believing in God the Father, but by this believing in
Jesus his Son ; no appearing without horror, yea, without perdition,
before so just a Judge highly offended, but by the intervention of so
powerful a Ptcconciler, able to satisfy and appease Hira. And He tells
it us plainly and graciously, that we mistake not our way. No man
cometh unto the Father hut by me. John xiv. 6.
Few are our thoughts concerning God and returning to Him ; but if
we have any, this is our unhappiness, that naturally we are subject to
leave out Christ in them. We think there is something to be done :
we talk of repentance, of prayer, and of amendment, though we have
not these neither. But if we had these, there is yet one thing necessary
above all these, which we forget ; there is absolute need of a Mediator
to raake our peace, and restore us into favour with God, One who
raust for that end do and suffer for us what we can neither do nor
suffer. Though we could shed rivers of tears, they cannot wash out
the stain of any one sin; yea, there is some pollution incur very
tears, so that they theraselves have need to be washed in the blood of
Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ.] Our anointed Saviour, anointed to be our King, our
great High-priest, and our Prophet, and in all these, our Saviour:
our prophet to teach us the way of salvation, our priest to purchase it
for us, and our king to lead and protect us in the way, and to bring us
safe to the end of it. Thus is his name full of sweetness and comfort,
Tnel in ore, in aure Tnelos, in corde medicina, as Bernard speaks :
Honey in the raouth, rausic to the ear, a cordial to the heart. It is a
rich ointraent, and, in the preaching of the Gospel, an ointment poured
forth, (Cant. i. 3.) diffusing its fragrant sraell, for which the virgins,
the chaste, purified souls of believers, lovchiTii; such as have their
senses exercised, as the Apostle speaks (Heb. v. 14.), their spiritual
smelling not obstructed with the pollutions of ihe world, but quick
and open to receive and be refreshed with the sraell of this precious
name of Jesus.
His only Son.] Other sons He hath, angels and men, by creation,
and adoption, but this His only begotten Son, as God, by eternal and
ineff'ablc generation, and as raan, peculiarly the Son of God, both in
regard of his singular unexampled conception by the Holy Ghost, and
by that personal union with the Deity which accompanied that concep
tion, and by that fulness of all grace which flowed from that union.
The unfolding of these would require a long tirae, and, after all, more
would remain unsaid and unconceived by us ; for, his generation who
can declare? Isa. liii. 8.
Let us remeraber this, that our sonship is the product of His. He
is the only begotten Son of God, and yet. To as mcaiy as receive Him,
He gave this privilege, to be the Sons of God. John i. 12 and 14.
Our Lord.] Both by our loyal subjection to hira, and our pecuUar
interest in hira : these go together. 'Wflling subjection and obedience
to his laws, is an inseparable companion, and therefore a certain evi
dence, of our interest in his grace.
Conceived hy ihe Holy Ghost.]
This is that great mystery of godliness, God Tnanifesied in ihe flesh;
the King of Glory after a manner divesting himself of his royal -robes,

AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. 301
and truly putting on the form of a servant, tho Holy Ghost framing
him a body in the virgin's womb. Not that it was irapossible to have
raade his huraan nature sinless in the ordinary way, (though the
schools usually give that reason,) but that by that rairaculous and
peculiar manner of birth, he raight be declared to be raore than man,
as being a way more congruous both to the greatness of his person
and the purity of his human nature.
Born of ihe Virgin Mary.]
He was not ouly ofthe same nature with man, wiiich he mighthave
been by a new created humanity, but of the same stock, and so, a fit
Saviour, a 7iear kinsman, as the word vt^hich in Hebrew is a RedecTuer,
doth signify ; bone ofour bone, and flesh ofour flesh. We see, then,
the person of our Mediator is very fit for that his office, having both
the natures of the parties at variance which he was to reconcile. And
this happy meeting of God and man in the person of Christ, to look no
further, was a very great step to the agreement, and a strong pledge
of its accomplishment. To see the nature of raan who was an eneray,
received into so close erabraces with the Deity, as within the corapass
of one person, proraised infallibly a reconcilement of the persons of
men unto God. There the treaty of peace began, and was exceedingly
promoted by that very beginning, so, that in it, there was a sure pre
sage of the success : it was indeed, as they say of a good beginning-,
dimidium facti, half done. Had God and raan treated any where but
in the person of Christ, a peace had never been concluded, yea, it had
broken up first ; but being in him, it could not fail, for in him they
were already one, one person, so there they could not but agree. God
was in Christ reconciling the loorld io himself. 2 Cor. iv. 19.
Considering the work to be done in this agreement, as well as the
persons to be agreed, it was altogether needful that the Undertaker
should be God and raan, Humana Divinitas et Divina Innnanitas.
The raediation was not a bare raatter of word, but there was such a
wrong done as required a satisfaction should be raade. We speak not
of what God might absolutely have done, but what was to be done
suitable to God's end, which was for the joint glory of justice and
mercy, that mercy and truth 7night meet, and righteousness and -peace
kiss each other. And because the party offending was not able for
it, he that would effectually sue for film, must likewise satisfy for him.
And this Jesus Christ did, as here follows. Now, that he might do
this, it was necessary that he sliould be God able to save, and Tnan fit
to save man ; 7nan that he might suffer, and God that his suff'erings
raight be satisfying : man that he raight die, and God that his death
might have value to purchase life to us.
The Son was fit to be incarnate for this work, the Middle Person in
the Godhead to be man's mediator with God. — That which we had
lost, was, the dignity ofthe sons of God, and therefore, His only Son
alone was fit to restore us to it. The beauty defaced in us, was, the
image of God ; therefore, the repairing and re-imparting of it, was a
fit work for his purest and most perfect iraage. His Son, the character
of His person, Heb. i. 3.
Now, this incarnation ofthe Word, the Son of God, is the founda
tion of all our hopes; the sense of that great promise. The seed ofthe

302 AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED.
woman shall bruise the serpe7it's head, and of many others of the same
substance in the Prophets ; tfie great salvation so often foretold, and
so long expected by the Jews. When this was fulfilled, that a virgin
did conceive by the Holy Ghost, then did the heavens drop down
righteousness from above, and the earth bring forth salvation, Isa.
xiv. 8. This seeras to be that which the Church did so earnestiy wish.
Oh, that thou wert as Tny brother! Cant. viii. 1.
Suffered Tinder Pontius Pilate,]
Though all his life was one continual act of suffering, frora his living
in the cratch to his hanging on the cross, yet, because of the shortness
of this Confession, as likewise because this last act was the greatest,
and most remarkable of his sufferings, and the Scripture itself doth, as
such, mention it most frequently, therefore it is here immediately sub
joined to the article of his birth.
It is not for nothing that we have the name of the Roman judge
here expressed, under whom he suffered : though it is nothing to his
credit, yet, it is to the credit of Divine wisdora, even this ; considering
the nature and end of Christ's death, it being to satisfy a pronounced
sentence of justice, though for others, it was a very agreeable circum
stance, that he should not be suddenly or turaultuarily murdered, but
be judicially, though unjustly, condemned.
Crucifled.] Besides, it raade his suffering more public and solemn;
and the Divine providence ordered this, that he should suffer under a
Roman judge, and so fall under this Roraan kind of punishraent, being
in itself a very shameful and painful kind of death, and, by the sentence
of the Law, accursed, that we might have the raore evidence of our
deliverance frora that shame, and pain, and curse, that were due to us.
The chastisement of our peace was upon him, says the Prophet, and hy
his stripes we are healed. Isa. liii. 5.
Suffered.] That he died, and what kind of death, you see, is ex
pressed. But as many particular sufferings of his body are not here
mentioned, so none of those of his soul, but all are comprehended in
this general word. He suffered. Those were too great to be duly
expressed in so short a form, and therefore, are better expressed by
supposing them, and including thera only in this. He suffered. As he
that drew the father, araong others, beholding the sacrificing of his
own daughter, signified the grief of the rest in their gestures, and
visages, and tears, but drew the father vailed ; so here, the crucifying
and death of our Saviour are expressed, but the unspeakable conflicts
of his soul are vailed under the general term of suffering. But surely,
that invisible cup which came fiom his Father's hand, was far more
bitter than the gall and vinegar frora the hand of his eneraies ; fhe
piercing of his soul, far sharper than the nails and thorns. He could
answer these sweetiy with Father, forgive theTn,for ihey know not what
they do. But those other pangs drew frora him another kind of word.
My God, Tny God, why hast thou forsaken me ?
Died.] No less would serve, and therefore he was obedient even unto
the death, as the sentence against us did bear, and the sacrifices ofthe
Law did prefigure. When the sacrifices drew back and went unwil
lingly to the place, the heathens accounted it an ill presage. Never
was sacrifice more wiUing than Christ. / lay down my life for my

AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. 303
sheep, says he, and no man taketh it from me. John x. 15, 18. As a
sheep before ihe shearers is dumb, so he opened noi his mouth. He gave
his back io ihe smiters. Isa. liii. 7. For this hour came I into ihe
world. John xviii. 37. And this his death is our life : though by it
we are not freed from this temporal death, yet, which is infinitely
more, we are delivered frora eternal deatfi, and which is yet raore,
entitled to eternal life ; and therefore, do no raore suffer this temporal
death as a curse, but enjoy it as a blessing, and raav look upon it now,
(such as are in Christ, none other,) not only as a day of deliverance,
but of coronation, the exchange of our present rags for long white
robes, and a crown that fadeth not away.
Buried.] For the further assurance of his death, and glory of his
resurrection ; as likewise, to coraraend the grave to us, as now a very
sweet resting-place : he hath warraed the cold bed of the grave to a
Christian, that he needs not fear to lie down in it, nor doubt that he
shall rise again, as we know, and are after to hear that He did.
Descended into Hell.] The raore noise there hath been about this
clause, I shall raake the less. The conceit of the descent of Christ's
soul into the place of the daraned, to say no more nor harder of it,
can never be made the necessary sense of these words ; nor is there
any other ground in Scripture, or any due end of such a descent,
either agreed on, or at all allegeable, to persuade the choosing of it as
the best sense of thera. Not to contest other interpretations, I con
ceive, with submission, that it differs not much, possibly nothing, from
the plain word of his burial. Not that the author or authors of this
so brief a Confession, would express one thing by divers words, but
that, it may be, in the more ancient copies, only the one of them hath
been in the text, and in after copies, in transcribers' hands, the other
hath crept into it out of the margin. But retaining it by all means
as it is, it may signify the abode and continuance of Christ's body in
the grave ; in which tirae he seems to have been swallowed up of
deatli, and that the pit had shut her mouth on him ; but it appeared
quickly otherwise, for. The third day he arose from ihe dead.
Refl. 1. These are great things indeed which are spoken concerning
Jesus Christ, his birth and sufferings ; but the greater our unhappi
ness, if we have no portion in thera. To hear of them only, and to
enjoy nothing of thera, is most miserable ; and thus it is through our
unbelief. Were it as comraon to believe in hira, as to repeat these
words, or to corae to church and hear this gospel preached, then you
would all make pretty good plea on it. But believe it, it is another
kind of thing to believe than all that, or than any thing that the most
of us yet know. My brethren, do not deceive yourselves. That cora
mon highway faith wiU not serve ; you are, for all that, still unbe
lievers in Christ's account ; and if so, for ali the riches of com.fort that
are in hira, you can receive none from hira. It is a sad word that he
says. Because ye believe not in Tne, ye shall die in your sins. John
viii. 21. As if he should say. Though I died for sins, not mine own
but others, yet, you remaining in ungodliness and unbelief, that shall
do you no good ; ye shall die in your sins for all that. It is such a
faith as endears Christ to the soul, unites it to him, makes Christ and
it one, that makes all that is his to become ours. Then, we shaU con-

304 AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED.
dude aright, Christ hath suffered, therefore I shall not. As he said to
thera who carae to take hira. Is i< J 1/OMseeA? Then let these go free; so,
to the Law and the justice of God, he says, seeing you have sought
and laid hold on rae, and made me suffer, let these go free who lay
hold on me by faith : if you have any thing to say to thera, I am to
answer for them, yea, I have done it already.
2. You that believe and live by this death, be often in reviewing it
and meditating on it, that your souls may be ravished with the admi
ration of such love, and warraed with a reflex love to hira. Mira Dei
dignitas, mira indignitas Tiostra. Other wonders, as you say, last for
a while, but this is a lasting wonder ; not to the ignorant, — the cause
of wonder at other things is ignorance indeed, but this is an everlast
ing wonder to those who know it best, viz., to the very angels. Let
that loved Jesus be fixed in your hearts, who was for you nafled to the
cross : Donee totus flxus in corde, qui totus flxus in cruce. St. Ber
nard wonders that raen should think on any thing else : Quantce. in
sane post tanti Regis adventum aliis negotiis ! Surely it is great folly,
to think and esteem much of any thing here, after his appearing: the
sun arising drowns all the stars. And witha], be daily crucifying sin
in yourselves, be avenged on it for his sake, and kill it because it
killed hira.
3. Will you think any thing hard to do or suffer for hira, v/ho
undertook and perforraed to the full so much for you ? If you had
rather be your own than Christ's, rauch good do it you with your
selves ; but know that if you are not Christ's, but your own, you raust
look for as little of hira to be yours. If ye be your own, you raust
bear all your own sins, and all the wrath that is due to them. But
if you like not that, and resolve to be no raore your ov/n, but Christ's,
then what have you to do bnt cheerfully to erabrace, yea, earnestly to
seek all opportunities to do him service ?
4. These are the steps of Christ's humiliation ; look on them, then,
so as to study to be like him particularly in that. Surely, the soul
that hath raost of Christ, hath raost humility. It is the lessen he
peculiarly recommends to us from his own exaraple, which is the
shortest and raost effectual way of teaching : Learn of me, for I am
meek and lowly of heart. Matt. xi. 29. He says well, Erubescat homo
superbus esse, propter quem humilis factus est Deus : Let man be
ash-amed to be any longer proud, for whora God himself hurabled
himself so low. Intolerabilis est impudentia, ui ubi se exinanivit
majestas, vermiculus infletur ei intumescat. He became humble to
expiate our pride, and yet we wfll not bani.sh that pride which undid
us, and follow that way of salvation which is huraility. Jesus Christ
is indeed the fily of the valleys ; he grows no where but in the humble
heart. Rose agai7i ihe third day.]
When hurabled to the lowest, then nearest his exaltation, as Joseph
in the prison. He could die, for he was a raan, and a raan for that
purpose, that he raight die; but he could not be overcorae by
death, for he was God : yea, by dying, he overcame death, and so
shewed himself truly the Lord of life. He strangled that lion in his
own den. The whale swallowed Jouah, but it could not digest him ;

AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. 305
it was forced to cast him up again at the appointed time, the same
with the tirae here specified, wherein the prophet was a figure of this
great Prophet, Jesus Christ. The grave hath a terrible appetite; it
devours all, and still cries, give, give, and 7iever hath enough, as Agur
says ; yet, for afl its appetite, Christ was too great a raorsel for it to
digest, too strong a prisoner for all its bars and iron gates to keep
him in. It was i7npossible he should be holden of ii, says St. Peter.
Acts ii. 24.
He hath made a breach through death, opened up a passage on the
other side of it into life, though otherwise, indeed, vestigia nulla re-
irorsian. They who believe, who lay hold on him by faith, they corae
through with hiin, follow hira out at the sarae breach, pass through
death into heaven. But the rest find not the passage out ; it is as the
Red Sea, passable only to the Israelites ; therefore, they must of ne
cessity sink quite downwards through the grave into hell, through
the first deatli into the second, and that is the most terrible of all.
That death is indeed what one called the other, the most terrible of all
terribles, — the king of terrors, as it is in Job.
Now, the only assurance of that happy second resurrection to the
life of glory hereafter is, the first resurrection here to the life of grace.
Blessed are they thai are partakers of the flrst resurrection, for on .such
ihe second death hath no power. Rev. xx. 6. For the resurrection of
Jesus Christ is, to the believer, the evidence of his rederaption cora
pleted, that all was paid by Christ, as our surety, and so, he set at
liberty : which the Apostle teaches us, when he says, He arose for our
righteousness; and again. It is God that justifles : who shall condemn ?
It is Christ that died, or rather that ia risen again. Rora. viii. 33.
Nor is it only the pattern and pledge of a believer's resurrection, but
it is the efficient cause both of that last resurrection of his body to
glory, and of the first, of his soul to grace.
The life of a believer is derived and flows forth from Christ as his
head, and is mystically one life with his, and therefore, as himself ex
presseth it. Because I live, ye shall live also. John xiv. 19. Therefore
is he called the flrst begotten from the dead and ihe beginning, 'Ev
Traaiv Trpwrevw, Col. i. 18. He is first in all, and frora hira spring all
those strearas that make glad ihe city cf God, Therefore the Apostle,
in his thanksgiving for our new life and lively hopes, 1 Pet. i. 3, leaves
not out that. Blessed be God, ihe Father ofour Lord Jesus Christ; that
is the conduit of all. And he expresses it in the sarae place, that we
are begotten again to a lively hope, hy the resurrection of Jesus from
the dead. But, alas ! we prejudge ourselves of all that rich corafort
that is wrapt up in this, 'by living to ourselves and our lusts, and to
the world, having not our consciences purified frora dead works.
How few of us are there who set that arabition of Paul before us, de
siring above all things to know him, and the power of his resurrection,
to be made conformable unto his death ! Phil. iii. 10. That is the
knowledge, as he there expresses it, a lively experienced knowledge of
that power.
This rightly considered, will answer afl our doubts and fears in the
Church's hardest tiraes. When in its defiverance there appears nothing
but irapossibifities, when so low that its enemies are persuaded to
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306 AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED.
conclude that it shall never rise again, and its friends are oppressed
with fearing so rauch, yet. He who brought up his own Sou Jesus
frora the dead, can and will restore His Church, for which He gave
His only begotten Son to the death. Son of man, says he, caw these
dry bones live ? Ezek, xxxii. 3. Thus often looks the Church s de
liverance, which is there the proper sense. The prophet answered
raost wisely. Lord, thou knowest, q. d. It is a work only for Thee to
know and to do ; and by His Spirft they were revived. And so here,
it looked hopeless as the disciples thought ; they were at the point of
giving it over, and blaraing alraost their forraer credulity : We thought
this should have been he that should have delivered Israel ; and besides all
ihis to-day is ihe third day. True, the third day was come, but it was
not yet ended ; yea, he rose in the beginning of it, though they as yet
knew it not, nor him to be present to whom they spake ; but toward
the end of it, they hkewise knew that he was risen, when he was
pleased to discover himself to thera. Thus, though the eneraies of the
Church prevafl so far against it, that it seems buried, and a stone laid
to the grave's mouth, yet, it shall rise again, and at the very fittest,
the appointed time, as Christ the third day. Thus the Church ex
presses her confidence, Hos. vi. 2 : In ihe third day he will raise us
up. Whatsoever it suffers, it shall gain by it, and be more beautiful
and glorious in its restorement. Mergas profundo, pulchrior exilit.
lie. ascended into Heaven.] He rose again, not to reraain on earth
as before, but to return to his throne of raajesty, from whence his love
drew hira, according to his prayer, John xvii., which was a certain pre
diction of it. He had now accomplished the, great work he carae for,
and was therefore, by the covenant and transaction betwixt his Father
and hira, to be exafted to his forraer glory ; the same person as before,
but with the accession of another nature, which he had not before, and
of a new relative dignity, being to sit as King of his Church, which he
had purchased with his blood. And to express this, it is added.
And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father.] See Psal. ex. 1 ;
Ephes. i. 20, 21. By which, according to his allusive sense, is ex
pressed, not only his matchless glory, but his dominion and rule as
Prince of Peace, the alone King of his Church, her supreme lawgiver
and mighty protector, and conqueror of all his enemies ; ruling his
holy hill of Zion, with the golden sceptre of his word, and breaking
his eneraies, the strongest of thera, in pieces, with ihe iron rod of his
justice as we have it in the second Psalm. They attempt in vain to
unsettle His throne ; it is very far out of their reach, as high as the
right hand of God. For ever, O God, thy throne is established in
Heaven. What way is there for the worms of this earth to do any
thing against it?
As in these is the glory of Christ, so, they contain rauch comfort to
a Christian. In that very elevation of our nature to such dignity, is,
indeed, as the ancients speak, mira dignatio ; that our flesh is exalted
above all the glorious spirits, the angels. And they adore the nature
of man, in the person of man's glorified Saviour, the Son of God. This
exaltation of Jesus Christ doth so reflect a dignity on the nature of
raankind. But the right and possession of it, is not universal, but is
contracted and appropriate to them that befieve on hira. He took not

AN EXPOSITION OP THE CREED. 307
on him the Tiature of angels, says the Apostle, but ihe nature ofthe seed
of Abraham . Heb. ii. 16. He says not, the nature of man, though it
is so, but, ofthe seed of Abraham ; not so rauch because of his descent
from that particular stock after the flesh, as in the spiritual sense of
Abraham's seed, as it is at large cleared, Rora. ix. 'The rest of man
kind forfeit all that dignity and benefit that arise to their nature in
Christ, by their distance and disunion from hira through unbelief But
the believer hath not only naturally one kind of being with the hu
manity of Christ, but is mystically one with fhe person of Christ, with
whole Christ, God-man. And by virtue of that mysterious union, they
who partake of it, partake of the very present happiness and glory of
Christ : they have a real interest in whatsoever he is and hath, in all
his dignities and power ; and in that sense, they who are justified, are
glorified. Rora. viii. 30. In that Christ is exalted, they are so too in
hira. Where a part, and the chief part of themselves, is, and is in
honour, there they may account theraselves to be. Ubi portio mea
regnat, ibi me regnare credo. A man is said to be crowned, when the
crown is set upon his head ; now, our Head, Christ, is already crowned.
In sum, believers have, in this ascending and enthroning of Christ,
unspeakable corafort through their interest in Christ, both in consider
ation of his present affection to thera, and his effectual intercession for
thera, and in the assured hope which this gives them of their own after
happiness and glory with him.
Ffrst, In all his glory he forgets them not. He puts not off his
bowels with his low condition here, but hath carried it along to his
throne. Bene cohveniunt, ei in una sede moraniur, majestas ei amor.
His raajesty and love suit very well, and both in their highest degree.
As all the waters of his sufferings did not quench his love, nor left he
it behind hira buried in the grave, but it arose with hira, being stronger
than death ; so, he let it not fall to the earth when he ascended on high,
but it ascended with hira, nnd he still retains it in his glory. And that
our ffesh which he assumed on earth, he took up into Heaven, as a
token of indissoluble love betwixt hira and those whora he redeeraed,
and sends down frora thence as the rich token of his love, his Spirit
into their hearts ; so that these are rautual reraerabrances. Can he
forget his own on earth, having their flesh so closely united to him ?
You see he does not ; he feels what they suffer. Saul, Saul, why per-
secutest thou jMe ? And can they forget him whose Spirit dwells in
thera, and records lively to their hearts the passages of his love, and
brings all those things to their remerabrance, (as himself tells us, that
Spirit would do,) and so proves indeed the Comforter, by represent
ing unto us that his love, the spring of our comforts ? And when we
send up our requests, we know of a friend before us there, a raost true
and a most faithful friend, who fails not to speak for us what we say,
and much more. He liveth, says the Apostie, io make intercession for
us. Heb. vu. 25. This is the ground of a Christian's boldness at the
throne of grace : yea, therefore is the Father's throne the throne of
grace to us, because the throne of our Mediator, Jesus Christ, is beside
it : he sfts at His right hand, otherwise it could be nothing to us but a
throne of justice, and so, in regard ofour gufltiness, a throne of terror
X 2

308 AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED.
and affrightraent, which we would rather flee from, than draw near
unto. Lastiy, as we have the comfort of such a friend, to prepare access to
our prayers there, which are the messengers of our souls, so, of this,
that our souls themselves, when they reraove frora these houses of clay,
shall find admission there through hira. And this he tells his disciples
again and again, and in thera all his own, that their interest was so
much in his ascending to his glory : I go to prepare a place for you,
that where I am, ihere ye may be also. John xiv. 3.
It will not be hard to persuade them who believe these things, and
are portioners in them, to set their hearts on thera, and, for that end,
to take thera off frora all other things as unworthy of thera : yea, it
will be irapossible for them to live without the frequent and sweet
thoughts of that place where the Lord Jesus is. Yet, it is often need
ful to remind them that this cannot be enough done, and, by represent
ing these things to thera, to draw them more upwards. And it is best
done in the Apostie's words : If ye be risen with Christ, mind those
things that are above, where he sits, &c. Col. iii. I . If ye be risen with
hira, follow hira on, let your hearts be where He is. They that are one
with hira, the blessed Seed ofthe woraan, do find that unity drawing
them Heaven- wards. But, alas ! the raost of us are like the accursed
seed of the serpent, basely grovelling on this earth, and licking the
dust. The conversation of the believer is in Heaven, where he hath a
Saviour, and frora whence he looks for hira. Truly, there is fittle of a
true Christian here ; (aud that argues that there is little of the truth of
Christianity araong us, who are altogether here ;) his head in Heaven,
and his heart there, and these are the two principles of Life. Let us
then suit the Apostle's advice, and so enjoy the comfort he subjoins,
that by our affections being above, we may know, that our life is hid
with Christ iii God, and therefore, that when He, who is our life, shall
appear, we likewise shall appear with Him in glory.
From thence He shall come io judge ihe quick and the dead.] We
have in this to consider, 1. That there is a universal judgment.
2. That Christ is the Judge. 3. Something to be added ofthe quafity
of the judgment. All the three we have together, Acts xvii. 31. Be
cause He hath appointed a day in ihe which He will judge ihe world in
righteousness, by that man whom He hath ordained ; — ufhereof He hath
given assurance unto all Tnen, in thai He hath raised him from ihe dead.
1. That there is a universal judgment, we know to be the frequent
doctrine ofthe Scriptures, and it hath been ever the belief of the godly
from the beginning, as we may perceive by that ancient prophecy of
Enoch, recorded by St. Jude ; and we are so to believe it as a Divine
truth. And yet, there is so much just reason for it, that natural men,
by the few sparkles of light in their consciences, have had sorae dark
notions and conjectures of it, as is evident in Plato and the Platonics,
and not only the philosophers, but the poets : it may be, too, that they
have been helped by some scattered glimmerings of light concernino-
this, borrowed from the Jews, and traditionally passed from hand to
hand among the heathen, and therefore disguised and altered after
their fashion.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. 309
If we be persuaded that there is a Supreme Ruler of the world, who
is most wise, and just, and good, this will persuade us, not only that
there is sorae other estate and being than that we see here, appointed
for raan, the raost excellent, the reasonable part of this visible world ;
but that there shall be a soleran judicial proceeding, in entering and
instating him in that after-being. The raany raiseries of this present
life, and that the best of raen are usually deepest sharers in thera, though
it hath a Uttle staggered, not only wise heathens, but soraetimes some
of the prime saints of God, yet, it hath never prevafled with any but
brutal and debauched spirits, to conclude against Divine providence,
but rather fo resolve upon this, that of necessity there must be another
kind of issue, a final catastrophe, reducing all the present confusions
into order, and raaking odds even, as you say. Cum res hominum
tanta caligine volvi, [Claodian.] It is true, that soraetiraes here, the
Lord's right hand finds out His eneraies, and is known by the judg
raent which He executes on thera ; and, on the other side. He gives
sorae instances of His gracious providence to His Church, and to par
ticular godly raen, even before the sons of men ; but these are but some
few preludes and pledges of that great Judgraent. Sorae He gives,
that we forget not His justice and goodness ; but much is reserved,
that we expect not all, nor the most, here, but hereafter. And it is
certainly raost congruous, that this be done, not only in each particular
apart, but raost con.spicuously in all together, that the justice and
mercy of God may not only be accomplished, but acknowledged and
raagnified, and that, not only severally in the several persons of raen
and angels, but universally, jointly, and manifestly in the view of all,
as upon one theatre, angels and men being at once, some of them the
objects of that justice, others of mercy, but all of them spectators of
both. Each ungodly raan shall not only read, whether he will or no,
the justice of God in himself and his own condemnation, which most
of them shall do before that time in their soul's particular judgment ;
but they shall then see the sarae justice in all the rest ofthe conderaned
world, and the rest, in thera ; and, to the great increase of their anguish,
they shall see likewise the glory of that raercy which shall then shine
so bright in all the elect of God, frora which they themselves are justly
shut out, and delivered up to eternal misery. And, on the other side,
the godly shall vrith unspeakable joy behold, not only a part, as before,
but the whole sphere both ofthe justice and mercy of their God, and
shall with one voice adraire and applaud Him in both.
Besides, the process of raany men's actions, cannot be full at the
end of their life, as it shall be at that day : many have very large after-
reckonings to come upon thera for those sins of others to which they
are accessory, though committed after their death ; as the sins of ill-
educated children to be laid to the charge of their parents, the sins of
such as any have corrupted, either by their counsels, or opinions, or
evil exaraples, &c.
2. He, the Lord Jesus, shall be Judge in that great day. The Father,
and Spirit, and His authority, are all one, for they are all one God and
one Judge ; but it shall be particularly exercised and pronounced by
our Saviour, God-man, Jesus Christ, "That eternal Word by whom all
things were made, by Him all shall be judged ; and so, he shall be

310 an EXPOSITION OP THE CREED.
THB Word in that last act of time, as in the first. He shall judicially
pronounce that great and final sentence which shall stand unalterable
in eternity ; and not only as the eternal Son of God, but withal as the
Son of Man, and so shall he sit as king, and invested with all power
in Heaven and earth. By that man whom He hath appointed io judge
the quick and the dead. — The same Jesus shall so come, in like manner
as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts xvii. 31 ; i. 1 1. The powers
of the world and of hell are corabined against his throne ; therefore,
they shall be his footstool sitting on that throne. And the crown
which he hath purchased for believers, he shall set it on their heads
with his own hand. This shall be exceeding joy and corafort to all
that have believed on hira, that their Redeeraer shall be their Judge.
He who was judged for them, shall judge them, and pass sentence
according to that covenant of grace which holds in hira, pronouncing
thera free frora the wrath which he hiraself endured for them, and heirs
of that life which he bought with his dearest blood.
And that gives no less accession to the misery of the wicked, that
the same Jesus whora they opposed and despised, so raany of them as
heard any thing of hira. He shall sit upon their final judgraent, and
pronounce sentence against tfiera, not partially avenging his own
quarrel on thera, — no word of that, — but raost justly returning thera
the reward of their ungodliness and unbelief. That great Shepherd
shall thus raake that great separation of his sheep from the goats.
3. Of the raanner, we have thus rauch here, that He shall come
frora heaven as the Scriptures teach us. He shall visibly appear in the
air; He shall corae in the clouds of heaven with power and great
glory. Matt. xxiv. 30, attended with innuraerable corapanies of glo
rious angels who shall serve him, both in the congregating of his elect,
and in separating of them from the reprobate ; but Himself, in the
brightness of his own majesty, infinitely surpassing them all. 2 Thess.
i. 7 : In flaming flre. His first coming was raean and obscure, suiting
his errand, for then he came to be judged ; but that last coming shall
be glorious, for he comes to judge, and his judgment shall be in righ
teousness. Acts xvii. 31. Juste judicabit qui injuste judicatus est,
[Augustine.] There shall be no mis-alleging, or mis-proving, or
mis-judging there. All the judgments of men, whether private or
judicial, shall be re-judged there according to truth, by such a Judge
before whom all things are naked. And not only shall He know and
judge all aright, but all they who are judged, shall themselves be con
vinced that it is so. Then all will see that none are condemned but
most deservedly, and that the Lord's justice is pure and spotless in
them who perish, as his grace is without prejudice to his justice, it
being satisfied in Christ for them who are saved. The Books shall be
opened, those which men so willingly, the most of them, keep shut
and clasped up, and are so unwilling to look into, their own accusing
consciences ; the Lord wfll proceed formally against the wicked accord
ing to the Books : no wrong shafl be done them, they shaU have fair
justice, and they shall see what they would not look upon before, when
by seeing, that might have been blotted out, and a free acquittance
written in its stead. And that the believer shall read in his conscience
at that day, which through the diraness of faith, and the dark, troubled
estate of his soul, he many tiraes could not read here below.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. 311
We are gaping still after new notions, but a few things wisely and
practically known, drawn down fi-om the head into the heart, are better
than all that variety of knowing that men are so taken up vvith. Paucis
Uteris opus est ad Tiientem bonam. This and such like comraon truths,
we think we both know and believe well enough ; but truly, if this
great point, touching the great and last judgraent, were indeed known
and believed by us, it would draw our minds to raore frequent and
more deep thoughts of it ; and were we often and serious in those
thoughts, they would have such influence into all our other thoughts,
and the whole course of our lives, as would rauch alter the frame of
them from what they are. Did we think of this Gospel which we
preach and hear, that we must then be judged by it, we should be now
more ruled by it. But the truth is, we are willingiy forgetful of these
things ; they are melancholy pensive thoughts, and we are content
that the noise of affairs or any vanities fill the ears of our rainds, that
we hear thera not. If we be forced at sorae tiraes to hear of this
lastjudgraent to corae, it possibly casts our conscience into sorae little
trerabling fit for the tirae, as it did Felix ; but he was not, nor are
we, so happy as to be shaken out of the custora and love of sin by
it. We proraise it fair, as he did, sorae other tirae ; but if that time
never come, this day will corae, and they who shun to hear or think
of it, shall then see it, and the sight of it will be as terrible and
amazing, as the timely thoughts of it would have been profitable.
It is, no doubt, an unpleasing subject to afl ungodly, earthly rainds ;
but surely, it were our wisdora to be of that raind now, that then we
shall be forced to be of: we shall then read, by the light of that fire
which shall burn the world, the vanity of all those things whereon we
now dote so foolishly. Let us therefore be persuaded to think so
now, and disengage our hearts, and fix them on hira who shall then
judge us. Kiss the Son, lest he he angry and ye perish from the way,
when His wrath is kindled hut a little. They only are happy who
trust in HiTn. That which is the affrightraent of others, is their great
joy and desire : they love and long for that day, both for their Saviour's
glory in it, and their own full happiness ; and that their love to his
appearing, is to thera a certain pledge of the crown they are to receive
at his appearing. 2 Tim. iv. 8 : — at thai day, says the Apostle. This
day he esteems more of than all his days ; therefore, he naraes it
no otherwise, than ihat day. How raay we know what day it was
he meant? His coronation-day. But of all men, surely, the hypocrite
likes least the raention and reraerabrance of that day : there is no roora
for disguises there, all raasks raust off, and all things appear just as
they are, and that is the worst news to hira that can be.
/ believe in the Holy Ghost.] God is both a Spirit and Holy ; but
this name personally taken, is peculiarly that ofthe Third Person pro
ceeding from the Father and the Son, by a way that can neither be
expressed nor conceived. Holy in himself, and the author and cause
of all holiness in us.
It is neither useful nor safe for us to entangle our thoughts in dis
putes concerning this raystery, but it is necessary that we know, and
acknowledge and believe in this Holy Spirit, It is He in whora, and
by whom we believe. We cannot know God, nor the things of God,

312 AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED.
but by the Spirit of God, I Cor. ii. 1 ; nor say that Jesus is God, but
by the same Spirit, 1 Cor. xii. 3. We know that this Holy Trinity co
operates in the work of our salvation : the Father hath given us His
Son, and the Son hath sent us His Spirit, and the Spirit gives us faith,
which unites us to the Son, and through hira to the Father. The
Father ordained our rederaption, the Son wrought it, the Holy Spirit
reveals and applies it.
In the Holy Catholic Church,] The reraaining Articles have the
fruit of that great work, the sending of the Son of God in the flesh,
his suffering, and dying, 8fc, — what it is, and to whora it belongs ; the
result of Christ's incarnation and death, cui et cujas gratia. Yea, the
great design of God in the other great work, that of the first creation,
was this second : He raade the world that out of it he raight raake this
elect world, which is called His Church. The Son feU on sleep, on
a dead sleep, indeed the sleep of death on the cross, that out of his side
raight be fraraed his Spouse, which is his Church. The Holy Spirit
moving upon the souls of men in their conversion, aims at this same
end, the gathering and completing of his Church : He is the breath of
life that breathed on these new creatures who raake up this society.
So then, this is as rauch as to say, I verily believe that God had such
a purpose in raaking the world, and in sending His Son into it, and
they both in sending the Spirit, and the Spirit in His working to raake
a holy Church, a nuraber that should serve God here, and enjoy Him
in eternity ; and I believe, that God cannot fall short of His end, that
blessed Trinity doth not project and work in vain; I beUeve, therefore,
there is such a company, there is a holy universal church. Universal
— diffused through the several ages, and places, and nations of the
world. Holy — washed in the blood of Christ, and sanctified by His
Spirit. That it is, which it hath in all ages continued from the be
ginning, and shall continue to the end of the world, increasing stfll
and growing to its appointed perfection, amidst all the enmities and
oppositions that it encounters in the world, I send you forth, says
Christ, as sheep among wolves. Matt. x. 16. The preservation ofthe
Church is a continuing miracle : it resembles Daniel's safety araong the
hungry lions, but prolonged frora one age to another. The ship
wherein Christ is, may be weather beaten, but it shall not perish.
So then, you see that this Confession is altogether no other than
your acknowledgraent of God in Hiraself Three in One, and One in
Three ; and His works of the creation of the world, and redemption
of man by his Son, made man for that purpose, and appropriate to
thera for whora it was designed by his Holy Spirit ; and with this
acknowledgment our reliance on this God as the author ofour being
and weU-being.
The communion of saints,] This springs immediately from the
former : if they raake one Church, then they have a very near coramu
nion together. They are one body united to that glorious Head that
is above ; they have all one spiritual life flowing from hira. And this
comraunion holds not only on earth and in heaven apart, but even be
twixt heaven and earth : the saints on earth raake up the sarae body
with those already in glory ; they are born to the sarae inheritance by
new birth, though the others are entered in possession before them.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. 313
This their common titie to spiritual blessings, and eternal blessings pre
judges none of thera: their inheritance is such as is not lessened by fhe
multitude of heirs ; it is entire to each one. And that grace and salva
tion that flows frora Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, is as the light of
the sun where it shines ; none hath the less because of others partaking
of it. The happiness ofthe saints is called an inheritance in light, which
all raay enjoy without abateraent to any. They have each one their
crown: they need not, they do not envy one another, nor, Ottoman-h\e,
one brother to kill another to reign alone. Yea, they rejoice in the hap
piness and salvation of one another ; they are glad at the graces which
God bestows on their brethren ; for they know that they all belong to
the sarae first owner, and return to His glory, and that whatsoever
diversity is in thera, they all agree and concentre in that service and
good of the Church ; and so, what each one hath of gifts and graces,
belongs to all by virtue of this coraraunion. Thus ought each of thera
to think, and every one of them hurably and charitably so to use what
he hath himself, and ingenuously to rejoice in that wfiich others have,
as the Apostle reasons at large, 1 Cor. xii.
A holy Catholic Church — the communion of saints.] We raay see
the worth and the necessity of holiness, how rauch it is regarded in
the whole work. For this very thing did Christ give hiraself for his
Church, thai he might sanctify it, and cleanse it — ihat he might present
it to himself a glorious chTirch — holy. Eph. v. 26. So it is the end
ofour redemption. And if we look as far forward as salvation, there
it will be perfect holiness: nothing unclean shall enter that holy city,
and without holiness no man shall see God. And look again as far
back as our election: Eph. i. 4. According as He hath chosen us in
him — that we should he holy. And those who are not partakers of
this, do but delude themselves, in dreaming of an interest in the rest.
There is no washing in the blood of Christ to remission, but withal hy
the Spirit to sanctification ; no corafort to the unholy in their resur
rection, because no hope of that to follow on it, which follows here,
eternal life. No, without shall he dogs. Rev. xxii. 15. In the base
and foolish opinion of the world, holiness is a reproach, or at the best,
but a mean poor commendation, as you speak of it disdainfufly, a
good, silly, holy body ; and men are more pleased with any other title :
they had a great deal rather be called learned, or wise, or stout, or
comely, than holy. Malumus audire, 0 virum doctwn, quam 0 virum
horum. [Seneca.] But God esteems otherwise of it, whose esteem
is the tme rule of worth. That fore-cited place, A glorious church:
How ? Holy and without blemish. That is indeed the true beauty of
the soul, makes it like God, and that is its comeliness. We see the
Lord hiraself defights to be known rauch by this style, and to be glori
fied by it. Holy, Holy, Holy, So Exod. xv. 1 1 : Glorious in holiness.
And the Spirit of God is stifi called. The Holy Spirit. How much,
then, are they raistaken concerning Heaven, who think to find the way
to it out of the path of holiness, which is indeed via regni, the only
way that leads unto it ! Reprove you of unholiness, you say ; you are
not saints. No ? So rauch the worse, for they who raean to share
in the pardon of sin and eternal life, must be such. If you be con
tent still not to be saints, go on : but know, that they who are not

314 AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED.
in some measure saints in grace here, shall never be saints in glory
hereafter. Forgiveness of sins.] Notwithstanding forgiveness of sins, there is a
necessity of hofiness, though not as meriting it, yet, as leading unto
happiness. But on the other side, notwithstanding the highest point
of holiness we can attain, there is a necessity of this forgiveness of
sins. Though believers make up a holy Church and corapany of
saints, yet, there is a debt upon thera that their holiness pays not ;
yea, they are so far frora having a surplus for a standing treasure after
all is paid, that all the holiness of the saints together wfll not pay the
least farthing of that debt they owe. As for me, I will walk in mine
iTitegrity, says David, Psal. xxvi. II. How then ? Adds he. This shall
justify rae sufficiently ? No, but RedecTn Thou me, and he merciful io
me. So, 1 John i. 6: If we say, ihat we have fellowship with Him,
and walk in darkness, we lie. And yet, in the next verse, though we
do walk in ihe light, yet is there need of the blood of Jesus Christ io
cleanse us from all si7i ; and so throughout the Scriptures. All the
integrity of the godly under the Law, did not exempt them from offer
ing sacrifice, which was the expiation of sin in the figure, looking
forward to that great and spotless Sacrifice that was to be slain for the
sins ofthe world. And those who believe the Gospel, the application
of that justifying blood that .streams forth in the doctrine ofthe Gospel,
is not only needful to wash in for their cleansing in their first con
version, but is to be re-applied to the soul, for taking off the daily
contracted guiltiness of new sins. It is a fountain opened and stand
ing open for sin and for uncleanness, as that sea of brass before the
sanctuary. They that are clean have still need of washing, at least,
their feet, as Christ speaks to St. Peter, John xiii. 10.
The consideration of that precious blood shed for our sins, is the
strongest persuasive to holiness, and to the avoiding and hating of
sin. So far is the doctrine of justification, rightly understood, from
animating men to sin. But because ofthe woful continuance of sin in
the godly, while they continue in this region of sin and death, therefore
is there a continual necessity of new recourse to this great expiation.
Thus St. John joins these two, 1 Eph. ii. I, 2: These things write I
unto you, ihat ye sin Tiot. And if any man sin, we have an advocate
with ihe Father, Jesus Christ ihe righteous ; and he is the propitiation
for our sins.
You think it an easy raatter, and a thing that for your own ease you
willingly believe, the forgiveness of sins. It is easy indeed, after
our fashion ; easy to iraagine that we believe such a thing when we
hear it, because we let it pass and question it not ; we think it raay
be true, and think no further on it, whfle we neither know truly what
sin is, nor feel the weight of our own sins. But where a soul is con
vinced of the nature of sin, and its own guiltiness, there to believe
forgiveness is not so easy a task.
In believing this forgiveness of sins, and so, the other privileges
that attend it, there be these three things gradually leading one to
the other. I. To believe that there is such a thing, and that it is
purchased by the death of Christ, and so attainable Isy coraing unto
him for it. 2. By this, the soul finding itself ready to sink under the

AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. 315
burden of its own sins, is persuaded to go to hira, and lay over that
load on him; and itself withal resolves to rest on hira for this for
giveness. This is to befieve in hira who is the Lord our righteousness.
3. Upon this believing on hiin for forgiveness, follows a reUex believ
ing of that forgivt^ness ; not continually and inseparably, especially
if we take the degree of assurance somewhat high, but yet, in itself,
it is apt to follow-, and often, in God's gracious dispensation, doth fol
low upon that forraer act of believing, through the clearness and
strength of faith in the soul, and soraetiraes withal, is backed with an
express, peculiar testimony of God's own Spirit. To believe, and to
grow stronger in befieving, and to aspire to the assurance of faith, is
our constant duty ; but that iraraediate testiraony of the Spirit, is an
arbitrary beara that God reserves in His own hand, yet, such a gift as we
raay not only lawfully seek, but do foolishly prejudice ourselves and .slight
it, if we neglect to seek it, and want so rich a blessing for want of
asking, and withal, labouring to keep our hearts in a due disposition
and frarae for entertaining it. The keeping of our consciences pure,
as much as may be, doth not only keep the comfortable evidence of
pardon clearest and least interrupted within us, but is the fikeliest
to receive those pure joys which flow iraraediately into the soul from
the Spirit of God. The testiraony ofour conscience is, if we darap it
not ourselves, our continual feast; but that testiraony of the Spirit is
a superadded taste of higher corafort out of God's own hand, as it were
a piece of Heaven in the soul, which He sometimes cheers it withal,
where He hath first given rauch love and ardent desires after Hiraself:
they are short of that light, in the fulness whereof we hope to dwell
hereafter. But besides that God is raost free in that particular, and
knows what is fittest for us, the greatest part even of true Christians
yet do not so walk, nor attend to that spiritualness that is capable of
sucfi visits.
The resurrection of ihe body.] The comfort of these privileges, is
opposed to those grand evils that we feel or fear : sanctification, to the
power of sin ; justification or forgiveness, to the guilt of sin ; the
resurrection, to teraporal death ; and life eternal, to the second or
eternal death.
This is the raising of the self-same body that is laid in the dust;
otherwise, the giving of a body to the soul again, must have some
other name, for resurrection it cannot be called.
That God can do this, notwithstanding all imaginable difficulties in
it, have we not proof enough in what He hath done ? Surely, that
which He did not in the beginning of time, the framing of the whole
world of nothing, is more ban a sufficient pledge of this which is to
be done in the end of time.
That he will do it, we have His own word for it, and the pledge of
it in raising His Son Jesus ; therefore called. The first begotten from
the dead. Col. i. 18, this as relating to believers, who are one with him.
The resurrection of the dead in general, is an act of power : but, to
the godly, it is an act of grace, to the wicked of justice. Both shall
rise by the power of Christ, but, to the one, as a Judge, and a Judge
who shall conderan them ; to the other, as their head, and their Sa
viour. Joseph's two fellow-prisoners were both taken out ofthe prison.

316 AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED.
and at the same time ; but the one to the court, the other to the gal
lows. So shall it be in the resurrection. John v. 29.
The confession of faith being of such things as belong to believers
and are their happiness, therefore their resurrection is particularly here
intended, as we see eternal life and glory is subjoined to it.
Our bodies are raised, which were companions and partakers of our
good and evil in our abode upon earth, that they may in eternity be
companions and partakers of our reward. Those of the ungodly, to
suit their condemned souls, shall be filled with shame, and vileness,
and raisery ; and those that were, in their lower estate here, temples
ofthe Holy Ghost, shall be filled with that fulness of joy that shall
run over from the soul unto thera : they shall be conforraable to the
happy and glorious souls to which they shall be united, yea, to the
glorious body ofour Lord Jesus Christ. There shall then be nothing
but beauty, and glory, and iramortaUty, in thera which are now frail
and raortal, and being dead, do putrefy and turn to dust. He shall
change our vile bodies, and make ihem like Tinto his most glorious body.
Phil. iii. 21. But, as St. Bernard says well. If we would be sure of
this, that our bodies shall be conforraed to his in the glory to corae,
let us see that our souls be here conforraed to his, in that huraifity
which he so rauch raanifested whilst he dwelt araong men : if we would
that then our vile body be made like his glorious body, let our proud
heart now be made like his humble heart.
Life eternal.] Our Confession of faith ends in that which is ihe end
of our faith, our everlasting salvation, or eternal life. Of which, all
that we can say is but stararaering, and all our knowledge and con
ceiting of it but ignorance, in regard of what it is: yet, so rauch we
know, or may know of it, as, if we knew aright, would certainly draw
us more into the desires and pursuit of it. The very narae of Ufe is
sweet, but then especially as it is here meant, in the purest and sweetest
sense, for a truly happy life. Non est vivere, sed valere, vita. For a
life full of raisery is scarcely worth the narae of life, and the longer it
were, the worse ; therefore, the raiserable estate of daraned souls,
though iramortal in it, is called death. So then, by this life, true and
full blessedness being meant, and then, that added, that it is eternal
life, wfiat can be iraagined more to make it desirable ? So happy,
that there shall not be the smallest drop of any evil or bitterness in it,
pure unmixed bliss ; nothing present in it that is displeasing, nor any
thing wanting that is delightful ; and everlasting, that when millions
of years (if there were any such reckoning there) are rolled about, it
shall be as far frora ending as at the first.
A very littie knowledge of this blessed life, would raake us clean out
of love with the life tiiat now we raake such account of. What can it
be that ties us here ? The known shortness of this life, where it more
happy than it is to any, might make it of less esteera with us. But
then withal, being so full of miseries and sins, so stuffed with sorrows
round about us, and within ourselves, that if the longest of it can be
called long, it is only the multitude of miseries in it, than can chal
lenge that narae for it. Such a world of bodfly diseases, here one's
head paining hira, another his storaach — Quam male nobis convenit,
nunc de ventre, nunc de capite, 8fc., hoc contingere solet in alieno habi-

AN EXPOSITION OF TIIE CREED. 317
taniibus [Seneca] : some complaining of this part, sorae of that, and
the sarae party soraetimes of one malady, sometimes of another ;
what disappointments, and disgraces, and cross encounters of affairs ;
what personal and what public calaraities ; and then, sin, the worst
of all ! And yet, all cannot wean us ! We cannot endure to hear nor
to think of removing ; and the true reason is, unbelief of this eternal
life, and the neglect of those ways that lead to it. Be persuaded at
length to call in your heart from the foolish chase of vanity, and con
sider this glorious life that is set before you. Do you think the provi
sion you make for this wretched present life, worth so many hours'
daily pains, and give eternal life scarcely half a thought in raany hours,
possibly not a fixed, serious thought in raany days? Surely, if you
believe tfiere is sucfi a thing, you cannot but be convinced that it is a
most preposterous, unwise course you take, in the expense of your time
and pains upon any thing else more than on life eternal. Think what
a sad thing it will be, when your soul must reraove out of that little
cottage wherein it now dwells, not to be bettered by the reraoval, but
thrust out into utter darkness. Whereas, if ye would give up with sin,
and embrace Jesus Christ as j'our joy and your life, in hira you would
presently be put into a sure, unfailing right to this eternal life. It is
a pure life, and purity of life here, is the only way to it. Blessed are
the pure in heart, for ihey shall see God.

AN EXPOSITION

THE LORD'S PRAYER.

Matt. vi. 9.
After this manner, therefore, pray ye.

The malice and craft of Satan in reference to good actions, works first
in attempting wholly to divert us from thera ; but, if that take not, the
next is to pervert their use, and corrupt thera so in doing, that they lose
their acceptance with God, and we consequently lose the fruit and cora
fort of them. And as there is no reUgious exercise that he hath more
quarrel at, and owes greater enraity to, than Prayer, being the most
constant crosser of his designs, there is none from which he more en
deavours to estrange raen, either wholly to lay it down, or to frequent
cessations ; or, if that cannot be, but the light of conscience still calls
for soraewhat at least that raay pass with a raan for Prayer, yet, if
Satan can get it turned to hypocrisy and formaUty, he knows he needs
not fear it, for so it wants the life of prayer, and reraains nothing but
a dead carcass, and therefore can neither please the fiving God, nor
hurt hira who is its eneray.
Therefore, our Saviour here warns his disciples to avoid, in praying,
these two evils, the vain ostentation of hypocrites, and the vain repeti
tion ofthe Heathen ; not to think it Prayer, to turable out a raultitude of
empty words ; and upon that, takes occasion to set this matchless copy
of prayer, the way of example being the shortest and liveliest way of
teaching. These words, which are but the entry, are not to be passed
over: there is in thera, 1. The duty of Prayer supposed. ll. The
prescribing of this form. First, Pray. Secondly, After this manner.
I. The use and necessity of Prayer is taken for confessed, as before,
ver. 7 : When ye pray, and when thou prayest. And the considera
tion of this exercise, and of this pattern of it, is with good reason
accounted among the most necessary principles of religion. Without
it, indeed, all religion withers and languishes. The Law of God is so
pure and exact a rule, that we cannot come near the perfection of it,
aud therefore fall under its curse. When we understand it so, that
drives us to the Gospel, to seek salvation there. And the articles of
the Gospel, of our Christian faith, are so high and raysterious, that
nature cannot aright understand or believe thera ; and therefore, both
Law and Gospel drive us to prayer, to seek of God renewing grace to
conforra our hearts in sorae raeasures to the holy Law of God, and
faith to lay hold on Jesus Christ and salvation, in him held forth to us

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER. 319
in the Gospel. Prayer is not taken in its strict grammatical sense, iu
which the words used for it signify only petition or request ; but as
comprehending, together with petition, confession and thanksgiving.
It may be called briefly and plainlv, a pious invocation of God; and,
as we are not speaking abstractly of prayer, but according to the estate
of fallen men, it is very fit to add the express mention ofthe Mediator,
that it is an invocation of God in ihe name of Christ ; for it never
ascends to God as pleasing incense, but wiien it passeth through that
golden censer, and is perfumed with the sweet odours of his merits
and intercession. His entrance into Heaven hath opened up the way
for our prayers to come in, and there is no access to the throne of
grace, but by that new and living way, as the Apostle speaks, Heb.
X. 20. But liow much better is the frequent practice, than much dis
course and business in defining it ! Whatsoever is said aright in this,
is for the other as its end, as one hath it out of an ancient phflosopher,
Inquirimus quid sit virtus, non ut sciamus, sed ut boni efficiamur : We
inquire what virtues are, Tiot io know ihem, but to have ihem. And
indeed, to do otherwise, is but answerable eraployraent to studying
the nature of riches, and talking of thera, and reraaining poor, pos
sessing none.
It is not needful to stay upon distinguishing Prayer by the different
matter of petitions, or things to be requested, which, possibly, some
of the different names of prayer in Scripture do signify. This raay
suffice, that it ought to be of such things as are conforraable to the
wfll and proraises of God, and desired with a suitable disposition of
mind ; and therefore 1 call it a pious invocation. It is the highest
impudence, to present God with unjust or frivolous desires. Quce scire
homines nolunt, Deo narrant, as Seneca speaks; They tell God what
they would not have men to know. We ought to reverence the majesty
of God, and regard that in our requests. There is a difference betwixt
solemn prayer and sudden ejaculations, but it is not a difference in
their nature, but only in continuance. The former is here meant.
Only this ofthe other, it is to be wished that it were raore known, aud
more in use with Christians ; for it is, no doubt, a very happy raeans
of preserving the heart in a holy temper and constant regard of God
in all a raan's actions, and is a main point of answering the Apostle's
word. Pray continually, Wiien in company, and apart, a raan useth
secret, short motions of the soul to God, that may be very frequent in
the day, and at night ; whereas men's callings and natural necessities
and eraployraents, allow them but some certain parcel of both for
soleran prayer. And these frequent looks of the heart to Heaven,
exceedingly sweeten and sanctify our other eraployraents, and diffuse
somewhat of Heaven through all our actions. Solemn prayer, at fit
times, is a visiting of God ; but tfiis were a constant walking with
Him all the day long, a lodging with Hira in the night. When I
awake, says Da-vid, I am still with Thee, Psal. cxxxix. 18. And these
sudden dartings of the soul Heavenwards, may soraetiraes have raore
swiftness and force than larger supplications, having rauch spirit, as it
were, contracted into them ; and they would, no doubt, if used, be
answered with frequent beams of God's countenance returned to the
soul, as it were in exchange. For though whole lifetimes of prayer

320 AN exposition of the lord's prayer.
are not worthy the least of those, yet, it pleases God thus to keep in
tercourse with those souls that love Hira, and for the ejaculations of
their desires to Hira, looks back on thera, and so they interchange as
it were sudden glances of love that answer one another. The Lord is
pleased to speak thus Hiraself, and the souls that know this love un
derstand it. Thou hast ravished my heart, Tny sister, my spouse, with
one of thine eyes. Cant. iv. 9. But though such looks and ejacula
tions wfll refresh a soul inflaraed with the love of God, yet it suffices
not : they raust have times of larger and raore secret converse with
their beloved, and particularly in the exercise of soleran, continued
prayer ; and, if cut short of it at any time, they will raiss it as much
as a healthfial body its accustoraed repast.
But it would seera, that, though there raay be some reason for con
fession and thanksgiving, yet, that which hath most peculiarly the
name of Prayer — petition, is superfluous : He who knows our wants
better than ourselves, and what is fittest to bestow upon us, and for
gets not all, what need we put Him in mind, and follow Him with so
many suits ?
This, indeed, is a strong reason against vain babblings in prayer,
and imagining to be heard merely for long- continuance and multitude
of words ; and our Saviour himself doth here use it so, ver. 8 ; but
withal he shews us clearly, that it raakes nothing against the exercise
of prayer, in that he adds iraraediately upon these words. After this
manner, therefore, pray ye.
Although the Lord knows well our wants, and doth according to
His own good pleasure, yet, there is for Prayer, 1. Duty. 2. Dignity.
3. Utility.
1. Duty. We owe this homage to God, not only to worship Him,
but particularly to off'er up our suppfications, and to acknowledge Him
our king and ruler ofthe whole world, and to testify our dependence
upon Him, as the giver of every good gift. It is not because He is
unwilling and loth to give, for He gives liberally, and upbraids none ;
yet, says the Apostle there. If aTiy man lack wisdom, let him ask it.
Jara. i. 5. So, of all wants, that which thanksgiving dotii acknow
ledge after receipt, supplication doth beforehand ; [His power, and
truth, and goodness, &c. This is His narae still. The God who
heareth prayer, and therefore, this horaage is due to Him, To Him
shall all fiesh come, Psal. Ixv. 2.
2. Dignity, This is the honour of the saints, that they are adraitted
to so near and frequent converse with the great God, that they do not
only expect frora Hira, but raay so frequentiy speak to Hira, of their
desires and wants, and raay pour out their complaints into His bosom.
Abraham is sensible of the greatness of this privilege, by reflectino-
upon the greatness of his distance. Gen. xviii. 27. Behold, I have
taken upon me to speak Tinto ihe Lord, who am but dust and ashes. It
is an unspeakable honour for dust and ashes to be received into such
farailiarity with the Lord of heaven and earth.
3. Utility, [I.] It quiets and eases the heart when it is troubled,
to vent itself to God. As there is sorae natural ease in sighs and
tears, (for otherwise nature should not have been furnished with them,
nor teach us to use them,) they discharge sorae part of grief, though

AN EXPOSITION OF TIIE LORd's PR.WER. 321
addressed no whither, but only let out ; but more when it is in the
presence of some entire friend ; so, they raust be raost of all easing,
when they are directed to God in prayer. Cor secrenat et purgal
craiio, capaciusque efficit ad cxcipienda divina Tminera : Prayer, says
Augustine, calms and purifies the heart, and renders it raore capable
of the Divine benefits. Mine eye poureth forth tears unto God, says
Job, Job xvi. 20 ; and David, My sighing is noi hid from Thee, Psal.
xxxviii. 9. Cast thy burden on the Lord, says the Psalraist. Psal.
Iv. 22. The Lord calls for our burdens, would not have us wrestie
with thera ourselves, but roll thera over on Him. Now, the desires
that are breathed forth in prayer, are, as it were, the very unloading
ofthe heart: each request that goes forth, carries out somewhat ofthe
burdon with it, and lays it on God. Phil. iv. 6. Be careful in
Tiothing, says the Apostle : that were a pleasant life indeed, if it might
be ; but how shall that be attained ? Why, this is the only way, says
he. In all things make your requests knowii nnto God. Tell Him
what are your desires, and leave tfiera there with Hira, and so you are
sure to be rid of all further disquieting care of them. Try as many
ways as you wfll, there is no other will free you, in difficulties, of all
perplexing thoughts, but this, and this will do it.
[2.] In it the graces of the Spirit are exercised, and they gain by
that, as all habits do ; they are strengthened and increased by acting.
Faith, in believing the proraises ; and that is the very basis of Prayer:
it cannot subsist without the support of faith. And hope is raised up
and set on tiptoe, airoKapacoKcTv, to look out for accomplishment.
And love, it is that which delights it, to impart its mind to Him on
whom it is set, and thus to entertain converse and conference with
Him, and all hours seem short to it that arc thus spent ; and by this
it still rises to a higher flame, it is blown and stirred by Prayer.
The more the soul converses with God, doubtless the more it loves
Hira. And this speaking your desires to God in prayer, makes the heart
still more holy, invites it to entertain new desires, but such as it may
confidently acquaint God withal.
[3.] In relation to the particular things desired, it not only fits and
disposes the heart for receiving them as blessings, but withal, it is a
real raeans of obtainraent, by reason of God's own appointment, and
of His promise. He hath bound Himself by His promise's not to dis
regard the prayers of His people. His ear is open to their cry, says
the Psalraist, Psal. xxxiv. 15. And fhe many instances in Scripture,
and the experience of the Church in all ages, bear witness to the truth
of these promises. Imrainent judgments have been averted, great
armies conquered'*, and the very course of nature countermanded, the
sun arrested, by the power of Prayer. Mose.s's hands only held up to
heaven, routed the Amalekites raore than all the swords that v/ere
drawn against thera.
The goodness of God is expressed in his proraises ; and these pro
mises encourage prayer ; and prayer is answered with perforraance ;
* In Aurelius's time, tlie legion of the Gln-istlans was called KtQativoScXos, the
thundering legion.
Vol. II. V

322 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER.
and thanksgiving returns the performance in praise to God. Psal.
1. 15. So, all ends where it began, in Hira who is the Alpha and ihe
Omega, the Beginning and the End of all things.
If you would be rich in all grace, be much in prayer. Conversing
with God assimilates the soul to Him, beautifies it with the bearas of
His holiness, as Moses's face shined when he returned from the mount.
It is prayer, that brings all our supplies from Heaven; as the virtuous
woraan is said, Prov. xxxi. 14, to be like the Tnerchant s ships, she
bringeth her food from afar. Prayer draws more grace out of God's
hand, and subdues sin and the powers of darkness; it entertains and
augments our friendship with Cxod, raiseth the soul from earth, and
purifies it wonderfully. Their experience, who have any of this kind,
teacheth them, that, as they abate in prayer, all their graces do sensibly
weaken. Therefore, when the Apostle hath suited a Christian with his
whole Armour, he adds this to all. Praying always with all prayer
and sitpplication in ihe Spirit. Eph. vi. 18. For this arras raan and
his arraour both, with the .strength and protection of God : Armatura
armaiurm oratio.
II. The forra prescribed : After ihis Tnanner.
They who know any thing of their own wants and poverty, and of
the bounty and fulness of God, cannot doubt ofthe continual usefulness
of prayer ; and they who are sensible of their own unskilfulness, wfll
acknowledge, that, as prayer is necessary, so there is necessity of a
direction how to perform it. The disciples found this in themselves,
when they said. Lord teach us to pray, as St. Luke hath] it, where
he records this prayer. And our Saviour here marks the errors of
hypocrisy and babbling in prayer, which are so incident to men, and
teacheth his disciples. After this Tnanner, therefore, pray ye.
As for prescribing forras of prayer in general, to be bound to their
continual use in private or in public, is no where practised. Nor is
there, I conceive, on the other side, any thing in the word of God, or
any solid reason drawn frora the word, to conderan their use.
There is, indeed, that inconvenience observable in their much use,
and leaning on thera, that they easily turn to coldness and forraality ;
and yet, to speak tiie truth of this, it is ratiier iraputable to our dulness
and want of affection in spiritual things, than to the forms of prayer
that are used. Por whereas some may account it much spiritualness,
to despise what they have heard before, and to desire continual variety
in prayer, it seems rather to be want of spiritualness that makes that
needful, for that we find not our affections fively in that holy exercise,
unless they be awaked and stirred by new expressions ; whereas the
soul that is earnest on the thing itself for itself, pantino- after the "-race
of God and the pardon of sin, regards not iu what terms it be uttered,
whether new or old ; yea, though it be in those words it hath heard
and uttered a hundred tiraes, yet, still it is new to a spiritual raind.
And surely, the desires that do move in that constant way, have more
evidence of sincerity and true vigour in them, than those that depend
upon new notions and words to raove thera, and cannot stir without
thera. It raay be, it is no other than a false flash of teraporary devo
tion that arises in a raan's heart, which coraes by the power of some
moving strain of prayer that is new. But when confessions of sin.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORD's PRAVER. 323
and requests of pardon, tiiough in never so low and accustomed term's,
carry his heart along with thera Heavenwards, it is then raore sure,
that the Spirit of God duelling in hira, and the sense of the things
themselves, the esteem of the blood of Christ and the favour of God,
do move the heart, -and there is no novelty of words to help it. So
then, though the Lord bestows rich gifts upon sorae of His servants,
for His own glory and the good of His Church, yet we should beware,
that in fancying- continual variety in prayer, there be not raore of the
flesh than ofthe spirit, and the head working more than the heart. It
is reraarkable, that, as they that search those things observe, the words
of this prayer are (divers of them) such as corae near the words of
such petitions as were usual araong the Jews, though He in whom
was all fulness and wisdora, was not scarce of matter and words ; so
fittle was novelty and variety considerable in prayer, in his esteera.
Mistake it not ; the Spirit of prayer hath not his seat in the invention,
but in the affection. In this, raany deceive theraselves, in that they
think the work of this Spirit of prayer fo be raainly in furnishing new
supplies of thoughts and words : no, it is mainly in exciting the heart
anew at tiraes of prayer, to break forth itself in ardent desires to God,
whatsoever the words be, whether new or old, yea, possibly without
¦words ; and then most powerful when it words it least, but vents in
sighs and groans that cannot be expressed. Our Lord understands
the language of these perfectly, and likes it best : He knows and ap
proves the meaning of His own Spirit, and looks not to the outward
appearance, the shell of words, as men do. Rora. vui. 26, 27.
But, to speak particularly of this form that is above all exception, it
is given us as thepattern and model of all our prayers, and the closer
they keep to it, the nearer they reserable it, they are the raore approve-
able. It is a wonder, then, how any can scruple the use of this prayer
itself. For, if other prayers are to be squared by it, what forbids to
use that which is the square, and therefore perfectest? If they be good
by conforraity to it, itself must be better. The mumbling of it over
without understanding and affection, is indeed no other than a gross
abuse of it, and taking of the name of God in vain, as all other lifeless
prayer is. And this is not only the Popish abuse of it, but too rauch
our own ; for when we do not both understand and attentively mind
what we say, it is all one to us, though in our own tongue, as if, with
them, we said it in an unknown language. It is a foolish, supersti
tious conceit, to iraagine that the rattling over these words is sufficient
for prayer ; but it is, on the other side, a weak, groundless scruple, to
doubt that the use of it, with spiritual affection, is both lawful and
commendable. OvTWi.] It is a particle both for the matter and the manner of prayer.
1. The matter. This maybe our rule, that whatsoever we cannot
reduce to some part of this prayer, as contained under it, should be no
part of ours. If we take not heed to this, we may abuse the throne of
God with undue and unworthy suits, and ask those things that it were
a punishment to give us. Therefore, Plato chose well that word. Give
us what is good for us, whether we ask it or not; and what is evil, give
us not, though we should desire it. Not to speak now particularly, we
see in the matter of this prayer in general, that spiritual things are to

324

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORD'S PRAYER.

be the main of all our prayers ; and, in tilings temporal, not fo lodge
superfluous, inordinate desires, but in u. moderate use to seek things
necessary. 2. For the Tnanner. Observe, [1.] The order of this prayer, that
the soul put itself in the sight of God, aud Hiin in its own sight, be
ginning, as here, with due tiioughts of the raajesty of God, to whom
we pray. And this is of very "great consequence : but more of this
hereafter. [2.] That the glory of God is wholly preferred to all our own con
tentment of what kind soever : that is to be the first-born and strength
of all our desires ; and all that we seek for ourselves, must be in rela
tion to that His glory, directed to it as our highest scope. And be
cause we are naturally full of self-love, and our hearts are carried by it
towards our own interest, and will be ready to start aside like deceitful
bows, and slip us in our airaing at that mark ; therefore, there be three
several petitions, all of that strain, to niiike tiiera ste-ady and fixed to
wards it, to desire in all things, and above all things, that our God
may be glorified.
[3.] Brevity ; opposed to that babbling v/hicli our Saviour reproves
and particularly corrects by this form. The fault he lays on the
Heathen, not upon the .Tev/s, for they blamed it too, and their doctors
spake against it, alleging that place that is very pertinent, Eccl. v. 2,
where he argues from our exceeding distance and the greatness of God,
because men use not to entertain great persons with long, erapty di.s-
courses. Know then, before whora thou art in prayer, and have so
much respect to the raajesty of God, as not to multiply idle repetitions,
such as wise men cannot well endure; how much less the all-»vise God!
TianoXo'jia and TcoXvXorjla are here put as one, because the one is the
consecjuent of the other : where there is much speaking-, there will be
vain speaking and erapty repetitions *. In muUitudc of words ihere
wanteth 7iol sin, says Soloraon, Prov. x. 19. And we see it, that they
who lay a necessity upon themselves of a long continuance and many
words in prayer, as if it were otherwise no prayer at all, they fall into
this inconvenience of idle repeating ; and this is most unbeseemino-
our access fo the raajesty of God, as if there were some defect either
in His knowledge, or in His attention or affection to those that seek
Him. Therefore, though this was the common fault of the Heathen,
yet some even of them had so much discerning as to condemn this
folly, and inveigh against it, acknowledging both the wisdom of God
and His love to mankind, and that He understands far better what is
fit for us, than we ourselves, and therefore was not to be dishonoured
with idle tediousness in praycr-f.
But is, then, all length aud much continuance in prayer, .ind all re
doubling of the sarae request, reprovablc ? Surely not. Were' there
nothing else to jicrsuade us of this, our Saviour's own practice were
sufficient, who prescribed tin's rule, and yet is found lo have spent
whole nights in prayer, and to have iterated the sarae request ;' and
doubtiess, (which can be said of no other,) his exaraple is as perfect a
rule as his doctrine. * Xw^ij TO T ti-z^iv ^roKXa. Ka.\ ri. Kai^ic. SoPHOCI.ES.
t Paucis verbis rem iliviiicj/i/acito.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PR.VYER. 325
This, then, briefly, is the fault here : w hen the long continuance aud
much repetition in prayer, is affected as a thing of itself available ;
when heaping on words, aud beating often over the sarae words,
though the heart bear them not company, is judged to be prayer ; and
generally, whensoever the tongue outruns the aff'ection, then is prayer
turned into babbling. Yea, though a man use this very short form
here prescribed, yet he may commit this very fault against which it
was provided, he may babble in saying it ; and it is to be feared, the
greatest part do so. jMen judge, aud that rightly, a speech to be long
or short, not so much by the quantity of words, as by the sense ; so
that a very short speech that is erapty of sense, raay be called long,
and along one that is full, and hath nothing irapertinent, is truly short*':
thus, as raen judge by the sense of speech, God judgeth by the afl'ec-
tion of praver, which is the true sense of it ; so, the quality is the rule
of the quantity with Hira. There is no prayer too long to liim, pro
vided it be all enlivened with affection : uo idle repetition, where the
heart says every word over again as often, and more often than the
tongue. 'Therefore, those repetitions in the Psalms, Lord.-hear, Lord,
incline Thine ear. Lord attend, &c., were not idle on this account ;
God's own Spirit did dictate thera, there was not one of them empty,
but came fiom the heart of the holy penmen, full fraught with the
vehemency of their aff'ections. And it is reported of St. Augustine,
that he prayed over for a wiiole night, Noverim ie, Domine, noverim
me : because his heart still followed the suit, all of it was praj'er. So
that in truth, where the matter is new, and the words still diverse aud
very rich in sense, yet, with God, it may be idle raultiplying of words,
because the heart stays behind ; and where the sarae words are re
peated, so that a man seems poor and mean in the gift of prayer to
others, vet, if it be not defect of affection, but the abundance of it, as
it may be, that moves often the same request, it is not empty, but full
of that sense that the vSearcher of hearts alone can read. I had rather
share with ihat publican in his own -ivords, aud say it often over, as if
I had nothing- else to saj', God he merciful to me a sinner, saying it
with such a heart, than the most exceUent prayer where the outside is
the better half.
So, then, this is the mistake of men, to think to make words pass for
prayer with God, and to raake up what is wanting inwardly, with raul
titude of words and long continuance : a foolish compensation, that
will no way satisfy Him who says. Above all, my son, give me thy heart;
and no length nor words can supply the want of that with Him. Yet,
many do thus ; they give large measure of that which is altogether
worth nothing. As the orator said of those that make a poor speech
pass for something, by crying it out with a loud voice, thai they were
like to those cripples who got a horseback to hide their halting ; it is
thus here. And the Church of Rome hath it for their comraon shift ;
they have shut out the heart out of this eraployraent, where it hath
most interest, by praying in an unknown tongue ; and this defect they
make up with long continuance, and repetition of pater-nosters, with a
-* Absit ut muUiloquium deputem, quando necessaria dicuntur, quanialibet sermonum
mullitudine ac prolixilale dicanlur. Brevitas est eiiam in loryissima oratione, cui nihil
inest alieni.

326 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER.
devotion as cold and dead as the beads they drop. And so they with
their breviaries, notwithstanding their narae, fall directly into this
foolish, heathenish vanity of idle length and repetitions.
Thus do we too, though we speak our own known language, when
either in secret or in public we suffer our hearts to rove in prayer, and
hear not ourselves what we are praying : how then can we expect that
God should hear us?
If the affection can be brought to continue in it, prayer in secret
cannot be too long. But let us not think it virtue enough that it is
long ; let it rather be brief with strong bent of mind, than long without
it '^; as a small body strong and full of spirits, is much better than the
greatest bulk that is dull and spiritiess. And when we pray in com
pany, because 'men cannot know the teraper of other men's hearts,
usually a convenient medium betwixt the extremes of briefness and
length, seems most suitable.
But, alas ! how few be there who keep constant watch over their
affections in prayer, and endeavour to keep the heart bent to it through
out ! Oh, how much sin is committed by us this way that we observe
mot! This is a great lesson, and requires still our diligence, even all our
lifetime, to learn it better and better, how to pray.
We have here indeed a complete copy, but we cannot follow it. He
who set it us, must put His Spirit within us, to lead our hand and
heart that we may follow it, as he here shows how we should pray.
We are not born with this heart : flmvs oratores. And I may add the
other word, true of us, in regard of our vanity of mind and the devices
that arise in it : nasciTmir poeice. Omnis fictio cordis. Every fiction
of the heart, &c., Gen. vi. 5. We must have that Spirit of His, the
Spirit of prayer, to teach us effectuaUy, and make us learn this Divine
art of prayer, according to His rules. Although we are thus externally
taught by our Saviour's doctrine, yet, unless we be taught within by
the Spirit, we are never the nearer; we know neither what to ask, nor
how to ask. But that is a happy supply, and they may rejoice in it
who have it, the Spirit of God helping their infirmities, and making
intercession for ihem. Rom. viii. 26. How should they but speed in
their suits with God, who hath both His own Spirit interceding, by
framing and inditing their petitions, and His own Son interceding at
His right hand by his merits !
He ihat follows Tne, says our Saviour, shall not walk in darkness.
John vin. 12. It is safest, in all our ways to be led by him, particu
larly in our access to the Father by prayer. He leads us in by his in
tercession. Through him Tve have [eiffatywryijv,] access, or rather, adduc
tion. Eph. ii. 18. He takes us by the hand to bring us to the throne
of grace, gives us his Spirit to frame our rainds, and teach us with
what disposition to pray. Here he leads us, by putting words in our
mouths, and furnishing us what to say. Consider,
I. The preface, or compellation. II. The petitions. III. The
conclusion. * Non est (ut quidam putant) orarc in multitoquio, si diutius oretur, aliud est sermo
Tnultus aliud diuturntts affectum, Absit multo loquuiio, sed non desit multa precaiio.
Augustine.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORD'S PRAYER. 327
By the preface, we are in general taught this, ere we consider parti
cularly the words of it : 1. To endcaMmr to have right thoughts and
apprehensions of God, on whora we call. 2. At our entry or begin
ning to pray, to set ourselves before Hiin, and Him before our own
sight ; to have the eye of our mind set on that Deity we worship.
This would do much to the curing of that coraraon disease of our
prayers, the wandering and roving of our minds; an evil that they
cannot but be sensible of, and often bewafl, who take any notice of
their own inward carriage with God, who trace their own hearts, and
ask account of their behaviour in prayer'". Oh, light inconstant hearts!
may they say: as the Latin reads that, Psal. xl. 12, Cor meum dere-
liquit me. How many regard them not at all ! But they who do,
find it their ordinary trick to give them the slip. And this is one great
cause of our wanderings, that we do not, at our entrance to prayer,
compose ourselves to due thoughts of God, and set ourselves in His
presence : this would do much to awe us, and ballast our minds, that
they tumble not to and fro, as is their custom. There be not raany
that do, but it would prove no doubt rauch help, would we task our
selves to this, never to open our mouths to God, till the eye of our
soul were fixed upon Him, and taken up with the considering of His
presence. But of this more when we corae to those words. Who art
in Heaven.
Our Father which ari in Heaven.] Our Father — the raercy of God
is iu this, to beget in us the confidence of faitfi ; in the other. Which
art in Heaven, the majesty of God to work us to reverence : though
there is somewhat in the word Father, likewise, to persuade reverence,
and soraething in the other that confirras faith ; (but more of this here
after;) yet, if we take that which appears raost, and is predorainant,
the forraer raainly supports faith, and the latter begets huraility.
The frarae of it is extensive ; not. My Father, but Our Father, and
so throughout. Besides that it was a pattern both for public and pri
vate prayer, and so it was fittest to run in the larger and pubfic style,
it doth, no doubt, as all have taken it, teach the charitable extension of
our prayers, where they are most private, to take in with our own the
good of others, and when we arc busiest and most particularly dealing
for ourselves, yet, not to shut out our brethren. Let the place and
performance of secret prayer be as private as raay be, but the strain
and supplications public, as well as personal. The most private
prayer of the godly is a public good, and he loses nothing by that ;
for, besides that his particular interest is not hindered by taking in
others, he hath this gain, that by the same reason he likewise hath a
share in all the prayers of others. And this (though little considered
by the most) is one point, and not a small one, but a very profitable
and comfortable point of that article ofour faith. The communion of
saints, that every believer hath a share in all the prayers of all the rest :
he is partner in every ship of that kind that sets to sea, and hath a
portion of all their gainful voyages.
But he that in prayer minds none but hiraself, doubtiess he is not
right in rainding himself Howsoever, this he raay be sure of, that in
keeping out others from his prayers, he bars himself frora the benefit
* Nihil est in nobis corde fugacius. Gregohv..

328 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAVER.
of all others' prayers likewise. Si pro te solo oras, pro te solus oras :
If thou prayest for thyself alone, thou alone prayest for thyself, says
St. Ambrose. So that self-love itself may here plead for love to our
brethren. Forget not the Church of God, and to seek the good of
Zion, it is not only your duty, but your benefit. Are you not all con
cerned in it, if indeed you be parts of that raystical body ? And it
hinders not at all, but rather advances your personal suits at God's
hands, when He sees your love to your brethren, and desires for the
Church's good. Let not, therefore, any estate, no private perplexity
or distress, nor very sorrow for sin, take you so up, as to be all for
yourselves : let others, but especially the public condition ofthe Church
of God, find room with you. We find it thus with David ; when he
was lamenting his own case, Psal. li. 18, and Psal. xxv. ult., and else
where, yet, he forgets not the Church : In Thy good pleasure do good
to Zion, and build up ihe walls of Jerusalem. So then, let this be the
constant tenor of your prayers, even in secret. When thou prayest
alone, shut ilnj door, says our Saviour here, shut out as much as thou
canst the sight aud notice of others, but shut not out the interest and
good of others ; say. Our Father : as the heathen call their God, ZeS
Xlinep. Father.] He is indeed our Father (T« cjup Kal 76vos iofitv. Acts
xvii. 28,) as the author of our being, beyond all the visible creatures.
He breathed upon man the breath of life. But the privilege of this
our natural relation, the sin ofour nature hath made fruitless and com
fortless to us, till we be restored by grace, and made partakers of a
new sonship : we are indeed the workmanship of God, but, being
defaced by sin, and considered in that estate, our true name is, children
of wrath.
But the sonship that emboldens us to draw near unto God as our
Father, is derived from His only begotten Son. He became the son
of man, to make us anew the sons of God. Being thus restored, we
may indeed look back upon our creation, and draw out of it, to use in
prayer with God, that we are His creatures, the workmanship of His
hands, and He in that sense our Father. But, by reason of our re
bellion, this argument is not strong enough alone, but must be sup
ported with this other, as the main ground ofour comfort, that wherein
the strength of our confidence fies, that He is our Father in His son,
Christ ; that by faith we are invested into a new sonship, and by virtue
of that may call Him Father, and move Him by that name to help
and answer us. John i. 12. To as 7na7iy as received him, he gave
power io heco7ne the sons of God. Our adoption holds in Jesus Christ
as the head of this fraternity ; therefore he says, / go to my Father
and your Father, to my God and your God. John xx. 17. He says
not. To onr Father and our God, but severally, mine and yours ; teach
ing us the order of the new covenant, that the sonship of Jesus Christ
is not only raore erainent in nature, but in order, is the spring and
cause of ours, as St. Cyril well observes. So then, he that here puts
this word in our raouths, to call God, Father, he it is by whom we have
this dignity and comfort that we call hira so.
But this adoption is accompanied (that we think it not a nalied, ex
ternal name) with a real change, and so great a change, that it bears

AN EXPOSITION OF TIIE LORd's PRWER. 329
the narae of that which is tiio real ground of sonship ; itis called rege
neration. And these are inseparable. There be no sons of God, by
adoption, but such as are withal his sons by regeneration and new birth.
There is a new life breathed into them frora God. He is not only the
Father of Spirits, by their first infusion into the body, and enlivening
it by thera, but by this new infusion of grace into the souls of raen, (as
it seems to signify there, Heb. xii. 9, where he is speaking of spiritual
sons,) and enlivening them by it, which were dead without it, as the
body -is without thera. And the Spirit of God renewing thera, is the
Spirit of adoption, by ivhich they cry, Abba Father. Rora. viii. 15.
He gives them a supei-natural life by this Spirit sent into their hearts;
and the Spirit, by that regeneration which he works, ascertains them
of that adoption which is in Christ Jesus ; and in the persuasion of
both, they call upon God as their Father.
So then, you who would have this confidence in approaching to God,
to call Him Father, lay hold on Jesus Christ, as the fountain of son-
ship. Offer not to come unto God, but through hi7n, and rest not
satisfied witfi yourselves, nor your prayers, tfll you find some evidence
that you are in Am. And know, that there is no evidence of your
portion in the Son, but by the Spirit ; therefore caUed the Spirit of the
Son, by which we call God Father, Gal. iv. 6. See whether the Spirit
of God dweUs and rules in your hearts. For they that have not the
Spirit of God, are Tione of his, says the Apostle ; but, in the sarae
chapter, he assures you, that^.s Tnany as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are undoubtedly the sons of God, Rora. viii. 9, 14. If you then
call on the narae of God, and particulariy by this narae. Our Father,
depart from iniquity. Be ashamed to pretend to be His sons, and yet
be so unlike Him, wallowing in sin : it cannot be, that the sons of so
holy a God can be altogether unholy, and delight to be so: no, though
they cannot be perfectly free frora irapurity, yet, they who are indeed
his children, do certainly bate impurity, because he hates it.
Do you draw near unto God in His Son Christ? Do you give
yourselves up to be led hy His Spirit ? Then you may account and
call Hira your Father. And if you may use this word, there is abund
ance of sweetness in it : it is a spring of comfort that cannot run dry.
And it hath influence into all the petitions; as likewise the other word.
Which art in Heaven ; Thou who art so great and so good. Whose
name and whose kingdom should we desire to be advanced so rauch as
our own Father's, our Heavenly Father? And whose will to be obeyed
on earth as it is in heaven ? Of v/hom should we seek our daily bread,
but of our Father ? And especially, so rich a Father, possessor of
heaven and earth 1 And forgiveness we may ask ofour gracious Father,
and conduct, and protection. In the hardest condition that can befall
you, ye may corae to your Father : all the world cannot bar your access.
And there is no child may go to his father with any suit, with more
confidence than you raay to your Father ; and if there be mercy and
power enough in God, thou canst not miss of help. He hath the
bowels of a Father. Psal. ciu. 13. Yea, says our Saviour, Can you.
that are evil give your children good things ? How much more will
your Heavenly Father give good things to them who ask Him ! Matt.
vii. 1 1 . The Jove of parents to their children, they have from Him :

330 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER^
He hath given it to nature, so, it is but a drop to the ocean of fatherly
love that is in hiraself Ante petitionem magnum accepiTnus, ut possi-
mus dicere, pater : quid cTiim jam Tion detfiliis peientibtts pater, qui
jam hoc ipsum dedit Tit essent filii ? [Augustine.] Let not, then, un
worthiness scare His children. Parents love their children, and do
them good, not because they see they are raore worthy than others, for
it raay be far otherwise, but because they are their own.
Yea, though we have run astray frora Him, and forgotten very far
the duty of children, yet He cannot forget the love ofa Father; and
our best is, to retum to Him. It cannot be well with us, so long as
we go any whither else. The prodigal found it so, and therefore,
though he was convinced of that, that he was unworthy to he called his
son, yet he resolves to return, I will go to my father. Yea, though to
thy sense He should seera to reject thee, yet, let not go this hold. If
thou hast but a desire to believe in Hira and love Hira, though thou
canst find no raore, and even while thou doubtest whether He is thy
Father or no, yet, press Him with the name, call Hira Father, speak
to him as thy Father ; Jesus, His Son, in whom he is well pleased,
doth warrant thee. Though He slay me, yet will I trust in HiTn, says
Job : so resolve thou, though thou sawest His hand, as it were, ready
to throw thee into hell, yet, cry to Him still, and use this very name,
Father, reject me not. Never any perished with such a purpose.
Who art in Heaven.]
Serve ihe Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling, Psal. ii. II.
This corapeUation taken together, and rightiy understood, works that
due temper of prayer, the mixture of these two, joy and fear, confi
dence and reverence. There was sorae such thing spoken of'Augustu.s,
but it is most true of the Divine Majesty, that they who dare speak
rashly to Hira, know not His greatness, and they who dare not speak
to Hiin, provided it be with due reverence and respect, know not His
goodness. That we all invoke one Father, teaches that new law of love to one
another, which our Saviour, the author of this prayer, so often recom
mends, and makes the very badge of his disciples. It serves to com
fort the meanest, and to abate the loftiness of the greatest who pray
thus, as St. Augustine well observes, that they all meet and agree in
this : the greatest kings, and their meanest subjects, all must speak to
God as their Father, not only all alike having their being from Him
as the Father of the spii-its of all flesh, but the same adoption belong
ing unto all, high and low, that are believers. All the pomp and com
raand and pleasures of princes cannot raake them happy without this
grace of adoption ; and no outward baseness prejudges any, but they
may be happy by partaking of it. In this, likewise, is very clear our
lesson of love to God, because our Father. For though (as they
say) love doth descend much more than it ascends, and it is here raost
of all verified, yet it doth ascend frora the children to their parents by
way of reflection, especiaUy from the sons of God to Him as a Father,
who is Love itself And as this name draws the soul to the throne of
grace with assured expectation of mercy, so it coraraands withal, (as
we said,) honour and reverence ; especially, being accorapanied with
this other word that mainly enforces that [o t'v lois i^pwoi^,].In the

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER. 331
heavens; answering the Hebrew word, which is plural, and signifying
that the glorious God is above all the visible heavens. And thus the
profane authors speak of God likewise, virepTara cixtp.a-ra vuiioii.
We know, although we are guilty of much forgetting it, that the
Lord is every where present, neither excluded nor included any where ;
that he fills all places, not as contained in thera, but as containing
them, and upholding them, and all things in them. But He is in
Heaven after a special manner, in the brightest raanifestation of Him
self, and as the purest service is perforraed to Hira there. They cannot
contain Him, as Solomon expresses it, 1 Kings viii. 27 ; yet. His
throne is there, there He dwells, as in His principal palace, in greatest
majesty, as David teacheth us, Psal. xi. 4, and often elsewhere. But
that he is not shut up there, and regardless of things below, we learn
in that same place ; for he adds. His eyes behold, and His eye-lids try
ihe children of men.
This is added, first, for distinction. As the Apostle differencing
Him frora the fathers ofour ffesh, Heb. xii. 9, calls him. The Father
of Spirits, so here to distinguish Him from earthly fathers. He is
styled. Our Heavenly Father.
Observe. We cannot here know God according to what He is in
Himself and therefore He is described to our capacity, and to our pro
fit, so as we are able, and as it most concerns us to know Him here ,
by His gracious relation to us as our Father, and by the excellency of
His dwelling, as a sign of His greatness, that He is in Heaven; both
which are extrinsical to his essence. But thus we may learn thus
rauch, to worship and love Hira, as the best and the greatest, infinitely
exceeding all that we can conceive of Hira.
As it is for distinction, so, it is such a word of difference as is of
excellent use.
1. To make the soul humble and reverend in approaching to God
in prayer. If we consider it, shall we not be wary how we behave
ourselves in the presence of so great a King ? It is very strange, that
our souls should not be possessed with the deepest lowliness and self-
abaseraent in the sight of God; worras in the dust before the Majesty
that dwells in Heaven. This Solomon expresses : He is in heaven, and
thou on earth, therefore let thy words he few. What is this we find in
ourselves, that raakes us so drunk with self-conceit, not only in con
verse one with another, but with God ? Surely, we know Him not ;
at least, we consider not who He is, and where He dwells, and who
we are, and where we dwell. Surely, it would lay us low, if when we
corae before God, we would consider Him as the most glorious King.
sitting on His throne, and compassed with glorious spirits, who off'er
Him spotless praises, and we ourselves coraing before Hira, as base
frogs creeping out of our pond, where we dwell amidst the mire of
sinful pollutions.
Thus, indeed. His highness should humble us in coming, but it
should not affright us from coming before Him ; for though He is in
Heaven and we on earth, yet. He is our Father. Thus ought we to
join these two, and to behold them jointly, that we may have that
right posture of mind by them which suits with prayer — humble
boldness.

332 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER,
There may be undue distrust, but there cannot be too much humi
lity of .spirit, in prayer. The more humble, the fitter to come to God ;
and He the more willing to eome into the soul, and dwell in it. For
that is the other house that He hath chosen. They seem very ill suited
together : ifthe highest heavens be the Lord's one dweUing, it would
seem fit that the other should be the richest palaces on earth, or
stately-built temples. No, the other is such a one as we most de
spise, but God prefers before all other, even the raost suraptuous build
ing. Isa. Ivii. 15. 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, (A strange also !) that is of a broken and humble spirit. The
highest heavens are the habitation of His glory, and the humble heart
hath the next honour, to be the habitation of His grace.
2. As the word hurables the soul in God's sight, so it elevates it
to heaven where God dwells, and fixes it tfiere in prayer. And this
elevation is not contrary to huraility : the soul that is laid lowest in
itself, is raost sublirae in converse with God, Suhlimiter humilis et
humiliter sublimis. [Cyprian.] And thus ought our hearts to ascend
in prayer, which, alas, we usually suffer to lag and draw the wing
heavily on the earth. Unto thee, O Lord, says the Psalraist, do I lift
up my soul. Psal. xxv. 1. That is the right and natural motion of
prayer. But there is another lifting up that our souls are better ac
quainted with, which is spoken of in the Psalm iraraediately foregoing,
the lifiing up of the soul unto vanity : and the more so lift up, the
further off from God. O the vainness ofour hearts! And how hard
is it to estabfish them on Hira who dwells on high ! Even while we
are speaking to Hira, we suffer them to break loose and rove, and to
entertain fooUsh thoughts. We would not use a king or great person
so, nor any man whom we respect, when we are speaking to him seri
ously, to intermix impertinences, and forget what we are a saying.
But we dare off'er gross nonsense to the all-wise God : though the
words go on in good sense, yet the prayer is so to Hira, when the
heart intermixes vain thoughts — Polum terrce miscet, confuses and
spoils all. And this is the great task as we have said, to brino- the
heart before God, to set it on His holy mountain in Heaven, while we
pray, (it should be so certainly,) and leave servile, earthly tiioughts at
the foot ofthe mount.
3. It gives confidence. [I.] Ofthe power of God His rich abflity
to grant all our requests. He, that Lord of all, and as greatest pos
sessor, hath his throne in tiie highest heavens, and doth what pleaseth
Ilim in heaven and in earth ; this, with the other completes our com
fort: good-will, and jMwer — Our Father in heaven. And this we raay
apply to all our wants, for assurance of supply, and to all our eneraies,
and the Church's eneraies, that our prayer shall be heard for their fofl
and disappointraent. Ec sits in Heaven and laughs. Psal. ii. 4. They
rage, and turault, and consult; a great bustle and noise they keep ;
and He sits and laughs at them. He scorns all their proud attempts'
for that with ease He can scatter tiiem in a raoraent: one word of Hi.s
raouth overturns thera and all their contrivances.
[2.] It is a confirraation of our portion in Heaven. If He who is
in Heaven be our Father, then, our inheritance lies there, iu that land

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PR.tYER. 333
of peace where it cannot be lost or irapaired, and He wifl bring His
children to the possession of it. To be the sons of God, is not a style
without an estate, an erapty title. No, He who raakes us sons, raakes
us heirs likewise: sons, we are, in Christ, and co-heirs ivith Christ,
Rora. viii. 17. He came down to eartii for this purpose, to raake a
new purchase of heaven for us ; and he is retiirnecl thither to prepare
it for us. I go to prepare a place for you, ihat where I am, ye may
he also. John xiv. 2.
Hallowed be Thy Tiame.]
The sense of raany wants and necessities, drives a Christian daily to
God in prayer ; yet, certainly, that which draws him most strongly to
it, is ofa higher nature, the sense of his duty to God, and the delight
he hath to do that homage and honour to Hira. And therefore, in
prayer, the raain current of his heart runs that way, and so agrees
with this pattern given us by our Saviour; wherein we see clearh',
that onr prime desires are to be bestowed on the glory of God. And
that is placed first, not only as it is to be preferred before all other
suits, but as it is to be regarded stfll in all the rest, and they all
referred to it. And to make the irapression of this desire the deeper
on our hearts, and to give the fuller vent of it in expression to them
who have it, there are, you see, three of these six petitions spent on it.
This is the first of thera. Hallowed he Thy name. This suits well with
the style here given to God Our Father. If I be a Father, where is
my honour? says the Lord by His prophet, Mal. i. 6. And here.
His children are taught to join these two together: Thou art our
Father, and so glorious a Father dwelling in Heaven ; therefore, our
desire is, that Tliou mayest have honour, that Thy name may he hal
lowed, and Thy kingdom come. We will inquire,
I. What is meant by His name. 2. What is the hallowing or sanc
tifying of it. 3. What the petition itself is.
I. Briefly, His narae is, Hiraself, as He is made known to u.s, and
conceivable by us, and differenced frora all other beings, as men
are by their naraes one from another. For to this purpose are all
these several names and attributes given Hira, which we find in Scrip
ture, that we may so conceive of Himself as here we are capable.
2. To sanctify his Name, we know, cannot be to infuse holiness
into it, or effectually to make it fioly ; for neither can we so make any
thing holy, nor can the name of God be so made holy, for it is raost holy
of itself, yea. He is holiness itself and the fountain of all holiness. But
according to the double sense of fhe word blessing as rautual betwixt
God and man, so is tiiis of sanctifying. Blessed, says the Apostle, be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with
all spiritual blessings. Eph. i. 3. His henedicere, is henefacere. He
blesseth us really, as the giver of aU blessings andof blessedness itself;
and our blessing Him is no other than the acknowledging of this, that
it is He who blesseth us, and praising Hira for it. Thus He sancti
fies us, makes us holy, purifies us by His Spirit from our natural unho
liness and filthiness according to His proraise, (Ezek. xxxvi. 25) and
according to foiir Saviour's prayer (John xvii. 17); and we sanctify
the Lord and his narae, (as here, and Isaiah viii. 13,) when we know
and acknowledge that He is holy, and use His narae holily. And

334 AN EXPOSITION OP THE LORd's PRAYER.
thus, they only sanctify, who affectionately pray thus, that His narae
may be sanctified, whose hearts he hath first sanctified and raade them
holy. More particularly and distinctiy, the sanctifying of God's name
hath in it these things. [I .] To have right thoughts of the holiness and
majesty of God. [2.] That, upon so conceiving of Hira, our hearts be
reverently aff'ected towards Him. [3.] Not only to have that due
apprehension and reverence of His holiness in the habit, and solet it
lie dead within us, but often to stir up ourselves to the reraerabrance
and consideration of it, to call in our thoughts to act about it : so,
this will increase our knowledge and reverence, (as all habits grow by
acting,) and will excite the soul to praise Hira, as the Psalraist speaks.
Give thanks at ihe rcTnembrance of His holiness. [4] The declaring and
extolling of His holiness, speaking, upon all seasonable occasions,
honourably of his narae. [5.] The hurable sense and acknowledgraent
of our own unholiness in his presence : and therefore, all those lowly
confessions of sins and of their own unworthiness, that we find in the
prayers ofthe prophets, are so many hallowings ofthe narae of God,
giving the glory of holiness to Hira alone, and taking the sharae of
their own pollutions. Thus, Dan. ix. Isa. Ixiv. S)C. As some of the
Americans have a custora, when they appear before their king, to put
on their worst apparel, that all the magnificence raay rest upon hira
alone, and appear the better ; thus, though the raajesty of God, in
itself being infinite, needs nothing else to coraraenti it, yet, to our
apprehension of it, it may be thus, and the saints in desire of His
glory may intend this, to set off" the lustre of His purity and excellency,
in the humble confessions of their own vfleness : To ihee, 0 Lord, be
longeth righteousness, but to us confusion of face. Dan. ix. 7. [6.] The
hallowing of God's narae, is an earnest endeavour of conforraity with
Hira in holiness ; first, in heart, that raust be the principal seat of
it, and then, holiness in all our words and actions, and the whole
course of our lives. This is that which the Lord continually presses
upon His people. Be ye holy, for I am holy. Levit. xix. 2 ; xx. 7 ;
xxi. 8, &c. And this is the most eff'ectual sanctifying of His name by
way of declaring it holy, when His people walk in holiness. Though
you tell the worid that He is holy, they know Hira not : they can nei
ther see Hira nor His holiness ; but when they see that there are raen,
taken out ofthe sarae lurap of polluted nature with theraselves, and
yet so renewed and changed, that they hate the defileraents of the
world, and do indeed live holfly iu the midst of a perverse generation ;
this raay convince thera that there is a brighter spring of holiness,
where it is in fulness, from whence these drops are, that they perceive
in men ; for seeing ft is not in nature, there raust be another prin
ciple of it, and that can be no other than this holy God. Thus is
His narae hallowed, and He known to be holy, by the holiness of His
people. So then, the petition takes in all, and in it we desire the sanctifying
and magnifying of God's narae in every possible way. Ist, By our
selves, that we may mind His glory, and by His grace sanctify His
narae. 2dly, By others, that our Lord raay be more known and
honoured in the world. They would gladly have raany hearts and

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER. 335
many tongues brought iu to confess the Lord, and His holiness and
greatness. Thus the Psalraist stirs up the angels to bless the Lord,
Psal. ciii. 20 ; not that tiiey need exciting, but to shew his own affec
tion to God's praises. 3dly, Aud because there is still sorae alloy and
raixture of unholiness in all the hallowing of His name here below, all
our services being stained, therefore, as the godly do, in tiiis request,
wish all the exalting and sanctifying of God's narae araong raen that
is attainable here, so, I conceive, they do as it were applaud those
purer services and praises that are given Him above ; and sensible
how far they fall short theraselves, they are glad to think that there be
such multitudes of angels and glorified spirits hallowing and praising
His narae better and more constantly, not ceasing day nor night to cry
Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty. And here they follow as they
can, and give their acclamation, though in a lower key, yet as loud as
they are able. Even so. Lord, hallowed be Thy name. Now, the cause
and source of their great desire of exalting and hallowing the name of
God, is their love to Hira, which the sight that He hath given them of
His excellency, hath kindled in their hearts.
After that, their chief delight is to think of Him, and speak of His
name. Gladly would they have Hira highly esteeraed by all ; and
this is their grief, that they can find so few to bear them company and
help thera in this, in hallowing and extoUing His narae, which is so
deeply engraven on their hearts. See how patheticaUy the Psalraist
repeats that ag-ain and again, Psalra cvii. Oh that men would praise
the Lord for His goodness, and His wonderful works io the children of
men ! And when they hear or see any thing tending to the dishonour
of His narae, this wounds them, and pierces them through as a sword,
as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. xiii. 10. They are far from envy, or an
evil eye : yea, they rejoice in the gifts and graces which God bestows
upon others, although it be beyond what they have themselves ; for
still it serves their desires, and answers what they are most earnest in :
it tends to the hallowing and glorifying of the name of God. And
what they have themselves, they are not in danger to grow vain upon
it : rather, they wonder at the fi-ee grace of God, and extol that, and
think with themselves, What ara I, that He should have had compas
sion on rae, and plucked ine out of the crowd of the lost world, and
given me any desire to hallow His name, while others are blaspheming
it, and delighting to dishonour it ! But ever the more they receive from
God, they are the more hurable, the more desirous of His praise, and
regardless of their own. Any holiness that is in them, they know well,
is from Hira, and therefore, all the glory of holiness must return
thither, frora whence holiness originally coraes ; and the very end for
which they desire increase of holiness in theraselves, is to the end that
they may the raore haUow His narae from whora they have it, and
that, by the increase of their stock, there may be an increase of the
tribute of praise to God.
But alas ! how far are we from this raind ! What hypocrisy is it, for
the sarae raouth to utter this request, that dares profane the narae of
God by vain swearing ! That which is holy, as the Hebrew word
imports, is separated from common use, (although it was not holy be
fore,) and ought not to be profaned ; least of all, this name, which is

336 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER.
not made holy by such a separation, but is priraitively holy in itself;
and they who use it rashly and unholily, are deeply guilty of despising
the majesty of God. It is not possible that any one who is truly sen
sible of His greatness and holiness, can customarily abuse His name,
that blessed name which he hopes to bless for ever. You say. It is
your custora. It is a wonder to hear men speak thus as an excuse ;
it is the deepest accusation. Are not men known by their custoras ?
Do not these discover what they are? It is your custom, — what gain
you by that ? You raust confess that it is such a one as is the custora
of the children of Satan, the professed enemy of God's name ; as the
delight and custora of haUowing His narae, is the badge of His children.
It is your custora ! Then know, it is His custora not to acquit them,
but to make them feel the weight of his punishing hand, who dare
make it a custom to dishonour his narae.
Again, they v/ho profane His holy day, they who sanctify not His
narae by calling on it daily in private, and generally, all who by an
unsanctified life do blot the profession of Christians, what do they
mean to lie so grossly, not unto raen, but unto God, to His face, in
praying thus, as if they desired the hallowing of His name by all, and
yet, do nothing but unhallow it theraselves? Think it not sufficient to
the hallovi'ing of His name, that His house and worship is purged of
abuses : though they be holy, yet, unless we ourselves be holy too, we
pollute all in our use of them ; the worships, and sabbaths, and the
name of God, our filthy hands defile all. Let us not thus provoke
God, lest in just wrath and punishment. He sanctify His own narae
upon us, which we profane, as He threatens against the Jews by His
prophets. Ezek. xxxvi. 23.
First, then, be not satisfied to think slightiy and superficially of
God. Take tirae to consider Hira, and know who He is ; and then
you will reverence Hira in your thoughts. It deserves and requires
all the whole heart to keep up with it ; and alas ! what is a heart, a
narrow thing, though the largest of hearts, as Solomon's, as large as
ihe sand of ihe sea, to an infinite God ! We can find time for our
earthly thoughts, and for vain, foolish thoughts, which are good for
nothing ; and shall we shut out God, or think any sudden passing
look enough for Him !
Secondly, Behave yourselves with regard of Ilim in His worship :
afyjB. aryi'tos, let holy things be done holfly.
Thirdly, Honour it in your lives; especially, such as do know His
name, grow daily more respective and tender of it, and be more cir
cumspect in your actions, and, as He who hath called you is holy, so
be ye holy in all manner of coTiversaiion. 1 Pet. i. 15.
Thy kingdoTn come.] He who is the beginning of all things, must
likewise of neces.sity be the end of them all ; and then are our inten
tions rightest and purest, when we are raost possessed with the desire
of that highest end, the glory of God, and look straightest unto it.
And if this purpose ought to diffuse itself through all our actions,
certainly, in prayer, it should be most lively and active, because prayer
is so direct and express a turning of the face of the soul unto God,
and setting of its eye upon Him. Therefore, this petition follows forth
the sarae desire with fhe former, wishing honour to God. He is a

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER. 337
most holy God, and the forraer request was for His glory in thai, in
the sanctifying of His name. He is a king, a great king, the greatest
of all, and this wishes His glory in that sense, that His kingdom may
be advanced: Thy kingdom come. 1. We shall inquire what His
kingdora is. 2. What is the coming of it. And, 3. Shall speak of
the petition itself.
I. This kingdom is not His universal supremacy over all the world
and all the creatures in it, as being their ^Nlaker and their Preserver,
and so having the highest and justest title, and the most absolute
kind of dorainion over all things ; but His peculiar royalty over His
Chureh. By the forraer. He is called King of Nations ; Jer. x. 7 ;
and by the latter His style is King of Saints, Rev. xv. 3. Of the
former the Psalmist speaks. Psalm xxiv. 1, but that which he adds,
ver. 3, concerns the latter, and so on, in the Psalra, and ver. 7. Lift
up your heads, 0 ye gates, that the King of Glory may come in.
This kingdora is gathered and selected out of the other, and though
the less in quantity, yet, in God's account, far raore precious than all
the rest. The Church is the jewel in the ring of the world : in it He
hath His peculiar residence and chief delight ; as kings choose one of
their palaces, aud, if they have more, one of their kingdoms, to dwell
in more than another. Those things that are hidden from the rest of
the world concerning this King, are raade known to His subjects of this
His select kingdora ; and it is in it that He opens up, displays after a
special raanner raore than in all the world besides, both the glory of His
majesty, and the riches of His bounty, here, in part, and fully hereafter.
And according to that difference, it is distinguished into the kingdom
of grace, and that of glory.
The kingdora of grace is to be considered, First, In the external
means and adrainistration of it; Secondly, In its inward being and
power. In the forraer sense, it is of a larger extent ; but in the latter,
of a more uniforra nature in itself, and raore conformed to its Head.
The former, the kingdom of grace in its outward adrainistration, is
plainly the whole visible Church ; but the inward power of the king
dora of grace is only in the hearts of those who are truly sanctified,
and members of the invisible Church.
Jesus Christ is ordained and anointed the king and head of both,
political ; but of the one, natural, and therefore altogether indis
soluble, not only in regard of the whole, but of each part and meraber
of it.
The visible Church is but a little parcel, a kingdom chosen out of
the world ; but the truly godly, wfio are alone the subjects of the
inward kingdom of grace, are but a small part of that part, a choice
part of the visible Church, as ii is a choice part of the visible world.
Now these three, the kingdora of glory, and those two kinds of the
kingdom of grace, stand in this subordination : the inward kingdom of
grace is the way and preparation for that of glory, and the outward
kingdom of grace in the visible Church, is the raeans and way of intro
ducing, and establishing, and increasing the inward : so that both of
them look forward to the kingdom of glory, as their utmost end, and
shall terminate and end in it.
The first of these, the external or political kingdom of Christ in the
Vol. II. Z

338 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER.
visible Church, consists in his absolute and supreme authority to
appoint the laws of his Church, and rulers by these laws. And the
use of the word, and sacraraents, and discipline, according to his
own appointraent, is the acknowledgraent of hira as King of his
Church. The other, the inward kingdora of grace, is then received into the
heart, when the Spirit of God raoves it to a wiUing subjection to Jesus
Christ, and the whole soul subraits itself to be governed by him. He
enters indeed by conquest, and yet, is most gladly received. It is
both a lawful and a favourable conquest, because he frees the soul,
which is his by so raany rights, frora the tyranny of a most cruel usurper,
the Prince of darkness, and brings in a kingdom full of sweetness and
happiness : there is no worse in it than these, righteousness, and peace,
and joy in ihe Holy Ghost. Rom. xiv. 17.
This is the folly of an unbelieving mind, that it entertains most false
prejudices against the kingdom of Christ ; thinks that, if it let hira
in, it shall be controlled and curbed, and therefore resolves against it,
and studies how to hold him out ; consults (as it is in the second
Psalm) agaiTisi the Lord and His anointed. But this is a lamentable
madness, to dream of liberty in the raidst of chains, and to be afraid
of a deliverer. There is no soul that opens to this King of glory,
but can testify that it never knew what true liberty was, tiU it adraitted
this kingdom of God, tUl there was a throne for Christ erected within it.
The third, the kingdom of glory — would you hear wherein that
consists ? It is such as we cannot hear nor speak of as it is. And
this indeed says more of it than all we can say, that the excellency of
it is unspeakable, yea, unconceivable. This we are sure of, to speak
comparatively of it, (which is our help in things we understand not
in themselves,) that all the kingdoras of the world unite all their glory
together, are base and poor in respect of it, but splendida in serico;
and that all the delights we have here, not only of nature, but even of
grace, are less to it than the smallest .sparkle is to the sun in its bright
ness. All that is done here by our king, Christ, in the ruling of his
Church, and the power of his ordinances, and the bestowing of graces
on his own, are but preludes and preparations for that ; and when that
cometh, this way of ruling his Church and people shafl cease, as hav-
ijig attained its end. Christ shall deliver up ihe kingdom- io the
Father ; word and sacraments, and discipline, shall be at an end ; and
then God shall be all in all. 1 Cor. xv. 24 — ^28.
2. The coming of the kingdora of God, in the former two, is, the
extending and spreading of thera to those places and persons that
have not yet received thera, and the increase of their power where
they are entertained ; for they corae gradually. And that kingdom of
glory, as it is concerned in the other, conies forward in thera so far,
and hastens towards its perfection ; but in itself, as their consurama-
tion, it shall corae at once altogether in the end of tirae.
3. So then, in the petition, all these are included, and in their largest
extent ; for it is to take it too narrow and too low, to restrain it only
to our own interest in this kingdom, either of grace or glory, or both.
Thus David, Psal. cni. excites all to praise the Lord, but most his own
soul ; begins -with that, and ends with it. Although they who desire

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER. 339
it aright, do desire that they raay partake of it, (for, if they desire that
God may be glorified, they cannot but, even out of love to that glory,
besides their own happiness, desire that they themselves may be
among those who may honour God as the subjects of His kingdom,)
yet they stay not there, but dilate their hearts to wish the advancement
and accoraplishraent of His kingdora in all the elect, and in all those
ways that tend to it ; and their love raay rise to that high strain, as
-without considering their own interest at all ; yea, supposing that they
were to be shut out of His kingdom theraselves, yet stifl to wish. Thy
kingdom come : Let others enjoy and bless Thee, Lord, for ever, even
though I should be excluded : let Thine elect be gathered, though I
were none of thera. Be thou great, O Lord, whatsoever become of
me. [I.] Considering what a height of glory will arise to God out of the
final subduing of His enemies, and the full deUverance of His Church,
and the bringing home of all His chfldren after all their sufferings and
sorrows, to sit down together to that great marriage-supper of the
Lamb ; they cannot but thus breathe forth their longings and wishes,
that that tirae raay be hastened, and the fulness of their Lord's king
dora accomplished, where it shall abide for all eternity.
[2.] Both in relation to that end, and likewise in respect of the
present glory that redounds to God in it, they earnestly desire the
advanceraent and enlargcraent of Christ's kingdom here on earth.
For, besides that thus it is rising to its perfection, it is no small pre
sent glory to our king, Christ, as a testiraony of his invincible power,
that he rules in the very midst of his CTiemies, and in despite of them
all, Psal. ex. 2 ; not only sits sure and keeps his own, thrust at him
who will, but, when he pleases, gains upon thera, and enlarges his
territories, and grows greater by their resistances and oppositions. He
is here, as David was, often assaulted, and put to defend his kingdom
often in war, but always a conqueror ; but after this militant kingdom,
he shall be as Soloraon, who likewise typified hira, reigning in perfect
peace. Now, because the eneraies of his kingdora are not yet, as they shall
be, all under his feet, but round about hira, and incessantly plotting
and working against hira, and Satan hath his kingdom and his throne
in the world opposite to Christ, therefore, this is one chief point of
this request ; That all adverse power may be brought low, that all his
enemies may fick the dust, and raelt before hira as wax before the fire.
And for us, especially, in these tiraes. That that kingdora of Antichrist,
the Son of perdition, raay, answerably to that his narae, be brought
to perdition ; That God would reraeraber his promise ; (for the faith
ful are cafled His reraerabrancers ; though He forgets not, and hath
His set time for judgment, yet He loves to be stirred up by the cries of
His children ;) That He would make good at length those words He
fiath spoken of Babel's ruin and the flourishing estate of His Church
in these latter tiraes ; That the power of the word, and purity of reli
gion, raaugre all the policy and power of men opposing it, may spread
and extend itself and make irresistible progress, as tfie sun in his
course ; That Jesus Christ may be daily taking further possession of
jthe nations, even to the ends of the earth, according to the patent of
Z 2

340 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER.
his Father's donation. And the certainty of its endurance and growth
till it be coraplete, should not abate, but increase the vigour of our
prayers for it. And the nearer things are to their accorapfishment,
the more, usually, the Lord excites the hopes and prayers of His
people about them, and they pray the raore earnestly, (see Dan. ix.)
moving naturaUy in it, and therefore, fastest when nearest their place.
Again, we pray in this. That where Christ doth reign in his outward
ordinances, there he would bring in his spiritual kingdora into the
souls of men, that sinners may be converted unto Mm. The love of
the glory of Jesus Christ will desire this earnestly, that raany hearts
may be brought in to subrait to hira ; for the glory of a King is in the
multitude of his subjects. Further, That they who are his people,
may grow more conformable to his laws ; that his dominion may be
more powerfi-il iu their hearts and lives, and particularly tliat we our
selves may find it so.
You who will not receive the kingdom of God within yourselves,
to what purpose do you speak this, as if you desired it to be enlarged
and flourish abroad ? I. You can have no comfort in it, remaining
slaves to sin, and so enemies indeed to it. Neither the kingdora of
Christ in the governraent of the Church on the one side, nor on the
other, the coming of his kingdora of glory, can do you any benefit,
while the third is wanting, the inward kingdom of his grace, which is
the true end of the former, and the raeans to partake of the happiness
of the latter. Why wish you ihe day of the Lord? Araos v. 18. As
the Prophet says of that day he there speaks of, raistake it not :
though that day of his kingdora shall be all glory in itself, it shall be
to you, reraaining still irapenitent, darkness and 7ioi light, full of horror
and araazeraent. 2. As you can have no corafort in his kingdom, so
you cannot really wish its advancement. You wish it well elsewhere,
as if you were content it should be any where, rather than within your
selves. But would you indeed have his kingdom to be erabraced and
advanced, then do, for one, let hira be thy king : first, give fiira thine
own heart, and then wish hira many more ; for then thou wflt wish it
heartily and truly.
You who have received this kingdom, yet have need still, even in
that sense, to wish the coming of it in further degrees and fuller effi
cacy. Find you not raany rebels yet unsubdued ? No doubt, they
who search and know their own hearts, will, and often do, coraplain
of them to their king : Oh, such swarms of lusts, and unruly, irregular
desires ! When shall they all be brought into subjection ? And so
they lift up their wish, from this to the other, the full and glorious
kingdora, and say again and again. Thy kingdom come. This is the
noble desire that takes up the hearts of the godly. While others are
desiring and pursuing low, base things, their rainds, and their endea
vour, to their power, are chiefly set upon this, the advancement of the
kingdora of God. They seek not theraselves and their own things,
with the worid, to the prejudice of this kingdora ; no, they desire to
lose anything, to suffer contempts and abasements themselves, so that
this kingdom raay flourish. St. Paul cares not what he be accounted,
modo magmflcetur Christus, so that 7iow also Christ may he magnified
Phil. i. 20. As faithful ministers of state, (and wise princes choose

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER. 341
Such,) W'ho are not making up themselves to their master's disadvan
tage, but always preferring his honour to their private benefit, feeling
his losses and gains raore than their own; (as was said of St. Augus
tine, Dominicis semper Uteris gaudens, et damnis mcerens ;) this is the
right teraper of the servants and ministers of Jesus Christ, to be all
for their Master, willing- that their narae, and estates, and lives, and
all, raay raake a part of his footstool to step up to his throne ; not
forced as his enemies to be so, but willingly laying themselves low for
his glory. And this comfort they have, that when his kingdora shall
come in its fulness, and all his eneraies shall be trodden down for ever,
then they shall be glorified witfi hira, and shall see his glory with ex
ceeding joy. Therefore do they so often desire his coming, and are
so weary of all they see here ; and when he says hiraself, for their
assurance and corafort. Surely, I come quickly, their earnest desire
makes them echo. Even so come. Lord Jesus. Rev. xxii. 20.
'There is sorae loss to the flesh, if we will hear it, in this desire, in
each kind. The erecting of Christ's kingdom in purity in his Church,
thrusts out the outward pomp and raagnificence that naturally we like
so well. His kingdora of grace cannot be in the soul, without the
forsaking of all our accustoraed and pleasing ways of sin. But they
who know the excellency of his kingdora, are well content to forego
all that suits not with it. Thus, that his kingdora of glory raay come,
the world raust be burnt up ; and, that we particularly raay corae to
it, we must pass through death. But it is worth all.
Thy will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven.]
I will direct my prayer io Thee, says David, Psal. v. 3. The word
is, I will set in order, or, orderly address it. Which implies not the
curious contriving either of the words or method, (for there may be
most of that, where there is least of this right directing it to God,)
but the due ordering of the frame and desires of the heart. And cer
tainly, one main point of that is taught us, as we have said, in the
order of this Prayer, in this particular ; that it not only prefers the
honour of God to all our own interest, setting the heart first upon that,
but keeps it to it, causes it to dvvell upon that in three several petitions,
varying the expression of that one desire, as often as there be several
requests following, of our own concernment ; teaching us, that that
doth, in its own worth, and therefore should likewise in our affection,
itself alone being but one, weigh down all the different things besides
that we can desire. And thus withal, it is accommodate to our dul
ness, for that our hearts would not readily, with one word, be either
duly stirred up or stretched forth in the heavenly desire ; so that, both
to excite and to dilate them the raore, it is thus iterated without vain
ta'utology. This so short and coraplete a forra, given us by so wise
a master, is far from that ; yea, it was particularly intended in opposi
tion to that abuse. And not only doth the dignity of the thing itself,
and our indisposedness, require this adding of one request to another
concerning it, but there is in the petitions theraselves, a very profitable
difference, though their scope is one : they are as so many several
arrows aimed at the same mark. The first, in general, wishes all
manner of honour to the name of God ; and because His name is
especially honoured in the advancement, and in the completing of

343 AN EXPOSITION OF THB LORd's PRAYERi
His spiritual kingdom, tfie second is particular in ihat. And because
until that kingdora be corapleted and brought all together, it lies m
two several countries, — there is one part of it already above, which is
the appointed place for the perfection and perpetuity of this kingdom ;
another part here below, but tending thither ; this third petition parti
cularly concerns these of this lower region and condition, desiring
this, that in obedience to their king, they raay be as conforraed as is
possible, to those above. Thy ivill be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Thy will.] God is raost perfectly one, and His will one ; yea. His
will is Hiraself, He is purus actus; yet, in respect of its several
objects or circumstances that concern thera, itis diversely distinguished
in the schools, soraetiraes needlessly, yea, erroneously, but sorae ofthe
distinctions are sound and useful. But here we shall not need them
rauch. His will is here taken, according to a very usual figure, for
that which He wills; and we desire here. That we ourselves, and others,
may be obedient to His will in every thing, even here on earth : That
He may be acknowledged and served, not only in Heaven, but here
likewise. For this, no question, means not the equality of our obedience to
theirs, but the quafity of it ; that, though it fall very far short of so
perfect a pattern, yet it may bear sorae resemblance to it ; as a
scholar's writing, though it be nothing so good as his copy, yet may
have so much likeness as to show he follows it. It dotfi no wrong,
but helps a raan rauch in any thing, the raore perfect exaraple he hath
before him ; although he be not able to match it, yet, the looking on
it, makes him do the better : though an archer shoot not so high as he
airas, yet the higher he takes his aira, the higher he shoots. And, that
we raay not think it strange, that we have here the citizens of Heaven
set before us as a raodel for obedience, we have our Heavenly Father
Hiraself propounded by our Saviour in the forraer chapter, as our
exaraple for perfection : Be ye perfect, as your Heavenly Father is
perfect. The obedience in Heaven, is, 1. Universal, without choosing and
excepting ; and this is, because the will and coraraand of God is the
very reason of it. The angels are said to do His commandments, heark
ening io the voice of his word ; Psal. ciii. 20 : they wait but for a word
from Hira, and that is enough. And in this should we desire to be like
thera. Though we cannot fiflly keep any one coraraandraent, yet
should we exclude none of thera frora our endeavour : yea, the rather,
because we want that perfection in the degree, should we study this
other, which is a kind of perfection in the design and purpose, to have
respect io all ihe commandments, as David says : to have our eye upon
thera afl, as the word there is, Psal. cxix. 6. So, Psal. xvi. 8 : I have
set the Lord always before 7ne, [aqualiter posui,] in an even, constant
regard of His will. And the want of this discovers, that much ofour
obedience hatii not the right starap on it, is no way heavenly.
A man may think he approves and does the will of God in sorae
things, where it is but by accident, because the letter of the comraand
raent is coincident with his own will ; and so, it is not the will of God,
but his own, that raoves hira ; therefbre, in doing that which God
commands, be does not God's wifl, but his own ; and therefore, when

.AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRA,YBR. 343:
they meet not, but are contrary, there it appears, for he leaves God's
wfll then, and follows his own. A covetous father conderans the pro
digality of his lavish son, and the son again cries out against the
avarice of his niggardly father, and thus both seera to conderan sin ;
but the truth is, neither do it : it is but two extrerae sins fighting toge
ther, neither of them regarding the ride that God hath set : it is but
their two idols choking each other, as the Heathen set their gods to
gether by the ears. But they who therefore hate sin, because of God's
countermand, and love His will for itself, their obedience is more even,
and regards the whole wfll of God, and at all times : for there is that
universality too in their obedience, conformable to that of Heaven. So
shall I keep Thy law, says David, continually, for ever and ever. Psal.
cxix. 44.
See a man's carriage when tempted or provoked to sorae sin. For
when the occasion is out of reach, and out of sight, what wonder if then
he forbears ? But when it offers itself, as, by company, intemperance,
or cursing or swearing by passion, it appears, if a raan yield then, that
sin was not out before, but only lay close and quiet within till it was
stirred, as raud in the bottora of water. Natura vexata prodit seipsam.
So, a raan raay, for his own gain, or his own glory, do God's will.
Jehu could say to Jonadab, Come and see my zeal for the Lord.
¦3. The obedience of Heaven is cheerful. It is the very natural
motion of glorified spirits, to be acted and moved by tfie will of God.
Tfiey excel in strength, says the Psalmist, in that ciiid Psalra, and do
His commandments : they have no other use for all their strengtii ;
that is the proper eraployraent of it. Thus, the godly man, in so far as
he is renewed, (for in so far he suits with Heaven,) delights himself
in the way of God's coraraandraents, takes raore pleasure in keeping
thera, than profane raen do in all their pleasures of sin, by which they
break thera. He is never well but when he is in the way of obedience;
and the ways of sin are painful and grievous to hira. Then hath he
raost inward gladness and contentraent, when he keepeth closest to his
rule. And the reason why he finds the law of God thus pleasant, is,
because it is not to him, as to the ungodly, one without, driving hira
violently, but it is within hira, and therefore raoves hira sweetly. I
delight to do Thy will, O my God, Psal. xl. 8, and he adds. Thy law is
within my heart, or, in the midst of my bowels. So, Psal. Ixxxiv. 5 :
In whose heart are thy ways : not only their feet in the ways, but the
ways are in their hearts.
3. They do the will of God in Heaven, unanimously and harmoni
ously ; there is neither an evil eye of envy among thera, nor a lofty eye
of pride, whatsoever degrees there be araong them in their stations and
employments. Not to be curious in that, nor to obtrude ourselves into
things we have not seen, yet, we are sure, the lesser do not envy the
greater, nor the greater despise the less ; and the reason is, because
they are all so wholly taken up and so strongly united in this joint desire
of doing the wfll of God. Thus ought his servants here, each one in
his place, and according to that which God hath dispensed to hira, the
greatest, humbly, and the meanest, contentedly, to mind this, and no
thing but this, io do His will.
Answerably to the sense of this petition, do godly men, in prayer^

344 AN exposition: op the lord's PRAYER.
[l.J Vent their regret and grief unto God, that there is so little regard
and obedience to His will amongst men, that they see the greatest part
taking pleasure in unrighieousnes.s, as the Apostle speaks, 2 Thes. ii. 12.
Thus David, Psal. cxix. 136: Rivers of water ttui down Tuine eyes
because men keep Tiot Thy law. And as they bewail ungodliness with
out thera, so, especially, the strength of corruption within themselves:
they begin there, and express their grief, in the presence of God, that
they are so clogged and hampered with sin cleaving fast to thera, and
crossing their purposes of obedience ; saying with the Apostle, I flnd
a law in my meTiibers warring against the law of my mind. Rora. vii. 23.
[2.] They declare their desire of redress, both in themselves and others;
that their great desire is, that more obedience were given unto God,
and particularly, that they had more faculty and strength to serve him.
Psal. cxix. 4, 5. [3.] They pray in this, for the effecting of this their
desire, that God would incline men's hearts, and particularly their own,
to the obedience of His will ; (whatsoever vain wfll-worshippers say,
they are indeed in that sense, 'edeXodpr^oKoi, make a deity ofthe will ;)
not doubting that it is in His hand to do so, and that he hath more
power of our hearts than we ourselves have. Otherwise, it were in
vain to put these supplications into His hand, if he have no power to
answer them, to give thera the real answer of performance. Incline
my heart unto Thy law, k.c. Turn us, 0 Lord, &c. [4.] They do, in
this request, offer up their own hearts to God, to be fashioned and
moulded to His will. And every godly raan, if he had the hearts of
all the raen in the world in his disposal, he would dispose theni the
sarae way, lodge thera with his own, and raake one sacrifice of all.
His own lie gives wholly, resigns it up to his Lord, to be as a piece
of wax, in God's hand, pliable to what forra He will, to do with it what
He wifl, to turn out and banish whatsoever displeases Hira, and to
make it to His own raind. In a word, this is the desire ofa Christian,
that his own wifl raay be annihilated, and the will of God placed in its
room ; that he raay have no will but God's; that he may be altogether
subject both to God's commanding and His working will, to do what
He comraands, and to be heartfly content with what He does ; for
both these are in it.
Where He coraraands any thing, though our own corrupt wfll grura
ble at it, and think it hard, we must tread upon it to obey His will,
making that the rule of all we do. To this end, we must endeavour
to be acquainted with His wfll, and to know what it is ; otherwise we
cannot do it. But once knowing it, this is the end of knowing, to do;
otherwise, you know, that knowledge will make us the worse for it,
the more guflty.
It is a safe and comfortable thing, to walk every step by His direc
tion. The constant regard of that, is, we see, what conforms us to
Heaven. It was observable how this will prevailed with Abrahara :
he was a loving father, it appears, and upon Sarah's private raotion,
while there was no raore, he could not find in his heart to put Ishmael
out of doors, who was but the son ofthe bond-woman; but upon God's
command, he was ready to put Isaac to death, who was the son of ihe
promise. And He who taught us to pray thus, gives us his own
example in this : he did the will of his Father indeed, as it is done in

AH EXPOSITION OF THE IORD's PRAYER. 345
Heaven, and he carae to the earth for that purpose: Then, said he, Lo,
I come io do Thy will, 0 my God. And, in that great and raost pain
ful part of his work. Not my will, but thine be done. For our actions,
then, let His word be our guide ; and for tiie events of things, and all
that concerns us, let His good pleasure and wise disposing be our will.
Let us give up fhe rudder of our hfe into His hand, to be steered by
Hira. For our actions, is it not better to observe His will, than to be sub
ject to our own corrupt will.s, and to Satan's, led captive ai his will?
And, as it is our best, to do what pleaseth Hira, so, in all His dealings
with us, to be pleased with what He does ; not to think it were better
for us to be richer or greater in the world than we are, or to raurraur
and struggle under affliction. There is nothing to be gained by this.
Who hath resisted His will at any tirae ? In afl things He doth what
He will, whether it like us or not. Our repining hinders not His
working at afl, but it hinders our own corafort : our wrestling and
fretting doth but pain ourselves. If we be His, (as we profess,) then
we may be assured He loves us ; and if we believe that, and withal
believe that He is wiser than we, then we must confess, that whatso
ever He doth with us, is better than our own choosing for ourselves
could be.
This is the only way of constant quietness and contentraent of raind.
Who is there outwardly so prosperous, but raeets with many things
that cross his will ? Now, he who hath renounced his own will, and
is fixed upon a continual complacency with the good pleasure and
providence of God, to will what He wills, and nothing else ; every
thing that befalls him, he looks upon that side of it as God's will, and
so is satisfied : Doth God think this good, and shall I think it evil ?
There is a diff'erence of estates, but all coming frora the sarae Hand,
(which is Job's consideration,) to erabrace and kiss the worst that can
corae, is our duty. It is the Lord, said David, let Him do what seeTns
good in his eyes. 2 Sam. x. 12. Thus, Wilt thou have me poor or
rich, healthful or sick, esteemed or despised ? Wilt Thou that I live,
or that I die ? I am thine. Thy wfll be done.
Give us ihis day our daily bread.] Man is raade up of two different
principles, a soul derived from heaven, and a body at first moulded out
of earth ; as Nazianzen expresses it, Tniovs Kal xo^v, the breath of God,
and the dust of the earth, Ex igneo spiritu, et terreno corpore. And
according to his composition, so is this prayer comprised ; being made
for his use, it is wisely fitted to his condition.
The greatest part of it is taken up with such desires as are spiritual,
and so most suitable to fiis worthier part, his soul ; such as do irarae
diately concern God, and such as properly concern itself Yet, the
body is not wholly shut out : though the raeaner part, yet, being a
part of man, and the workmanship of God, this one petition is be
stowed upon its concernment.
Observe in it briefly. First, The matter, or object of the request.
Secondly, The qualification of it. The matter under the name of
bread; not only bread for all food, as the Hebrews do, but food, so
nam ed for all other necessaries. By bread, as the chief support and
staff of man's life, is meant, all needful temporal blessings, food and

34fi: an exposition of the lord's praverv
rairaent, and health and peace, &c., a blessing on the works of our
calfing, and the seasons of the year, and all our lawful teraporal
affairs. Though a godly raan looks upon the necessities of this life as a piece
of his present captivity, and is often looking beyond it to that purer
life he hopes for, yet, in the mean while, he doth, in obedience to God,
use these things, and in dependence upon God, he seeks thera at
God's own hand.
In the request, together with its object, as here we have it, there is,
I. Piety. II. Moderation — Godliness and soberness.
I. Piety, in asking our bread of God, in asking it in the true
notion, by way of gift.
Our daily bread. There is a natural cry or voice of our necessity,
and that, not only ungodly raen, but unreasonable creatures have, the
very beasts and fowls, as the cxlvnth Psalra hath it, (ver. 9.) The
ravens ask their meat from God, But this spiritual cry of prayer is the
peculiar voice of God's own children. Now, to ask bread, or needful
teraporal things, at the hands of God, is not only no way incongruous
to the piety and spiritual-raindedness of a Christian, and no wrong to
the raajesty of God, but, on the contrary, it were iraplety in raan, and
an injury to God, not to do so. We have here the warrant of His own
coraraand. Pray thus. And is it not raost reasonable ?
I. Seeing these things are necessary for us to receive, and are in
the hand of God to bestow, why ought we not to seek them there?
Although in His wisdom. He knows what we need, and is in bounty
raost ready to furnish us, yet, this is the horaage we owe to God, to
present ourselves and our necessities before Hira, and seek our
supplies by prayer. In it, there is a clear acknowledgraent of the
Divine providence and goodness, and of our faith and refiance on it.
And faith is not only signified in prayer, in these things, but is acted
and excited, and by that raeans is increased and strengthened.
2. Godliness hath both kinds of promises, those of the life to come,
and those of this life. 1 Tira. iv. 8. And as godliness hath a right
to thera both, so, it teacheth to use thera both ; and particularly this
way, by turning the proraises into prayers, as a raeans appointed by
God, both to fit us for obtainraent, and to obtain the performance of
them. 3. Though a man hath his provision by hira, not only of a day, but
of raany years, yet hath he need still daily to ask it of God ; for it is
stfll in God's hand to give it hira, or not to give, though it is in a
raan's own hand in present possession. [1.] It is in God's disposal to
continue it to hira, or suddenly to pluck it from him out of his hand,
or even out of his mouth, ut bolus ereptus e faucibus. How raany
have been thus on a sudden turned out of great estates into extreme
poverty, either by the hands of men, which are moved by God, or by
some iraraediate accident frora his own hand ; and others, by little
and little, their estates consuraing and raelting as snow-balls ! In the
forraer, the judgraent of God is as a lion, and in the latter as a moth,
as the Prophet speaks. Hos. v. 12, 14. Again, [2.] If God do con
tinue a man in his possessions, yet, there is fiirther needful for his
cheerful use of daily bread, that calmness and content of mind, an d

an exposition OP THE lord's pra-veh. 347.
healthfulness of body, which are God's peculiar gifts, -without which all
is unsavoury. Is the miud in bitterness or distemper, or the body tied
to its sick-bed, this disrelishes a raan's dafly bread, though it be of the
richest kind. [3.] Ha\ing bread, and a disposition to use it, yet, there
is further an influence of blessing frora God needful to raake it serve
its proper end ; and without this, that staff of life is but as a broken
staff" in a raan's hand, that cannot support hira. [4.] Besides that
ordinary blessing, there is yet something further, that a godly raan
desires, and desires raost of all, a secret character and starap of the
peculiar favour of God even upon his bread, his temporal enjoyments.
And this is a proper fruit of prayer. As there is (as is already said) a
peculiar voice of God's own children in this request, so, God knows it
particulariv, and distinguishes it from the coraraon voice of natural men,
and other creatures that call for supply ; and therefore. He gives that
peculiar voice of their suit, a peculiar answer : together with the daily
bread which He gives to others, and a comraon blessing on it, they
have soraething that is not given to others. This is that which parti
cularly sweetens their bread, that they receive it after a special manner
out of their Father's own hand, having humbly asked it by prayer
as His gift.
Thatis the other thing observable in the word of the request. Give.
We are not bv this forbidden, no, nor dispensed with frora labour
and honest industry for it, but, after all our labour, we are still to
acknowledge all as a free gift ; both tfie bread we obtain by labour,
and the strength by which we labour. Just as we find it of the other
bread, the bread of life. John vi. 27. Labour for thai meat which
endureth unto everlasting life, which ihe Son of Tnan shall give nnto
you : laboured for, and yet given. The fruit of our labours raay be a
just reward from men, but it is always free frora God; even these
lowest benefits to the best and holiest raen. I am less, says Jacob,
than ihe least of Thy mercies. Gen. xxxii. 10. We have no raotive
for the least mercy, but His own goodness as our Father ; so that it
suits with this, as with all the other requests here. Though we deserve
nothing, yet He is our Father • it is proper for chfldren to ask bread
of their father, as our Sa\iour teaches us in the next chapter ; therefore
he teaches us here to say, Father, give us bread,
II. The moderation of the desire appears in comparison of the
number of the other petitions. All the rest are for things spiritual, and
but one for temporals : those that regard the glory of God as the chief,
are three to one with it ; and those that concern our ovna spiritual
good, two for one. Thus for the number. And as for the order or
place, which so many have taken quite contrary, it suits very well with
this as the least of our requests, and so to be accounted by us. It is
strange, that this right place of it should have scared raen from its
right raeaning, and persuaded them to take it for our spiritual food, or
the bread of fife, because it is the first of the three. But taking it as
it is, for this life's necessaries, there is no need of such reasons as some
give for its standing in this order, which are a little fight and unsolid.
But, to orait even those that are more pertinent, which justify this
order, though this petition be less than the two following, it seems
truly the only fit place for it, for that very reason, because it is the

348 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORD S PRAYER.
least. It is known to be the ordinary course of skilful orators, to place
the meanest part of their speech in the middle; and in this, let the ear
of any understanding mind be judge, whether it sounds not much
better, that this request pass in the middle, than if the prayer should
have ended with it. Whereas now, it begins spirituafly, and closes
so. And this petition, which is de impedimentis militice nostra, (for
the things of this life prove so too often,) is cast in the middle.
Now, how few are there who follow Christ's estiraate in this, who
have the very strength of their desires, and most of their thoughts, on
things that are spiritual, and do but in passing lend a word to the
things of this life*! This proportion few will admit: it makes not
for their purpose. The Apostle gives this character of those who
perish, that they mind earthly things, Phil. in. 19.
But to consider the words, each word designing the matter of this
request, doth clearly teach us moderation in it. Give us our daily
bread. Having food and raimeTit, says the Apostle, lei us be content.
1 Tira. vi. 8. How few be there of us, if any, who want these ; and
yet, how few that have contentment ! It is the enormity and bound
lessness of our desires, that causeth this. There is no necessity of
curious food and raiment, but such food as nourishes, and such
rairaent as covers.
Our daily bread. In the original, tisiovaioi. Not at all to dispute
the word, its genuine sense is, such as is flt for our daily sustentation ;
therefore rendered, daily bread. And it answers well to the word in
that petition of Agur, Prov. xxx. 8, convenient (or proportionable)
food, and so agrees with what we said of bread — proportionable, not
to our lust, but our necessity. This was the sin of the Jews, and a
most irapertinent sin, in the wilderness, They asked meat for iheir lust;
(Psal. Lxxvni. 18.) they were not content with bread for themselves,
but must have meat for their lust too, must have that fed likewise.
We are not to be carvers of the proportion ourselves, but leave that to
God, who knows best what is convenient for us ; therefore the word is
there, of my set, or ordained, portion — ordained by Thee.
Our bread, ['H^iSi/.] Not seeking any otfier than that which is our
own by our just industry and God's free gift. What is it but the base,
iraraoderate desire of having-, that stretches a man beyond this ?
When a raan lays down that conclusion with hiraself, that he must
have so much, then it follows, that any way tending to that he must
use ; if he can, by right, but if not, any way rather than miss ; by
violence and oppression, or by deceit, through all ways, fair and foulf.
When a raan is once upon that journey there is no stopping, until
either God recal hira, or he plunge hiraself in the pit of destruction.
They thai will he rich, says the Apostle, who are resolved upon that,
they fall into temptation and divers snares, which drown men in
destruction aTid perdition. 1 Tira. vi. 9. That is the issue.
This day. It is true, that this conderans not a due providence in
raen for theraselves and their farailies, in a just and raoderate way.
But men deceive themselves in this ; few stay there, but, under that
* Quamprimum a corpore ad animam redeundum. Senioa.
+ Sipossis, rede, sinan, quocunque modo, rem. Horace.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER. 349
name, harbour gross avarice and earthliness. But in this word, we
have the true temper ofa Christian raind, that, whatsoever is his own
lawful providence, and whatsoever is the success of it, what he lives
and relies on, is, the providence of God, not his own: he lives upon
that frora one day to another, as a child in his father's house ; and for
provision for afterwards, thinks it is as good in God's hand as if it were
in his own, and therefore asks not so rauch stock, or so rauch yearly
rent, but bread for to-day. If he have rauch land or great revenues,
yet, he trusts no more in that, than if he had nothing ; and if he have
bread for to-day, and nothing for to-raorrow, (as the Israelites had
manna,) yet he trusts no less in God than if he had thousands. He
resolves thus : Whether I have rauch or little, I am at God's providing,
and live upon that from day to day. The Lord is Tny shepherd; I
shall not want.
Ev<rej3eia avrapKeia, 1 Tim. vi. 6, — these two together, as we have
observed thera here together, godliness and moderation : godliness in
this particular, of casting over our care of teraporal things on God by
prayer. So, Phil. iv. 5. — Let your moderation he known. But how
shall we have it ? Make your requests known unto God, and that in
all things. That will ease you, and not trouble Hira. But when we
lodge such desires as are not fit indeed to be iraparted to Hira, tfiis is
our shame, and proves our vexation. It is a wonder what men raean,
but it is a folly so rooted in raen's hearts tfiat no discourse will pluck
it up ; they imagine that there is happiness in having rauch, and will
neither believe religion, nor reason, nor experience, tfiough all teach
the contrary. They cannot be persuaded to raake this the rule of their
desires — daily bread, and, for to-day ; but are stiU projecting for long
time to come, though they are not sure of a day. Men are still
beginning to live, even when their years tell them they should be
thinking how to die ; are upon new contrivances for the world, when
they must shortly leave it. And this is one point of this our disease,
that it grows still, and is strongest in old age, when there is least
reason for it. Quo minus vim restat, eo plus viatid comparare.
What is this that riches can do ? Our Saviour tells us, if we will
believe him, that Man's life doth not consist in ihe abundance of ihe
things he possesseth. Luke xii. 15. There is something necessary, we
see, and truly that is not much ; and what more than serves, many
times proves but mere encumbrance. One staff will help a man in his
way, but a bundle of staves would burden and weary hira. Would
men but stop a little and ask themselves, What is this I do ? What do
I aira at in all my turmoil? it raight possibly recal them. Would
they but hear Solomon's question, Eccl. v, 11, and tell hira, what good
the rich have of possessing more than ihey use, but only the beholding
of them with iheir eyes. If there be any thing more, it is more care
and trouble, et curm circum laqueata tecta volanies. He that hath a
hundred rooms, hath but one body ; he can lodge but in one at once.
He that might have sea and land ransacked for delicates of his table,
hath himself but one appetite to serve with them all.
Then, consider, that beyond the bounds of this petition, if a man
once pass, there be no bounds after ; he knows not where to stay.
,J)epinge ubi-sistam* Ojie thousaad.would.have something more,. to

350 AN EXPOSITION OP THE LORd's PRAYER.
save it unspent ; and when that grows a littie, it is best even to make
another thousand, and save that too, and fall a scraping for more.
And if this is always a frenzy, most of all in these times. Behold,
says God to Baruch, I will break down that which I have built, and
thai which I have planted Will I pluck up, even ihis whole land, and
seekest thou great things for thyself? Jer. xiv. 4, 5.
But is it not wisdom to be provident, and to see far before a man?
And to look no further but to the present, is it not the character
of a fool ? True, it is indeed ; and therefore, the truly wise man de
spises this providence for a base, uncertain life, and is content if alive
but from one day to another. But there is a higher design in his
head, a providence of a farther reach, that sees afar off indeed, to
make himself an estate for eternity. That takes up his thoughts and
pains; the other is the grossest short-sightedness, to look no farther
than a moraent: it is indeed, fivoTa^eiv, as St. Peter speaks. But
that life the Christian's eye is upon, is of another nature, where none
of these poor things shall have place, no marrying, nor giving in mar
riage, as our Saviour says ; so, no eating or drinking, no need of
bread, nor of this prayer for it ; but we shall be as the angels of God.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.] Thy loving
kindness, says David, is better than life : therefore, this request rises
above the former. In it, we sought bread for the present life ; in this,
we entreat His favour ; not corn, nor wine, nor oil, but that which
glads the heart more than them all, ihe light of His countenance ; that
the thick cloud of our sins be dispelled by a free pardon, as He pro
mises, Isa. xliv. 2.
In this petition we have, 1. The request. 2. The clause added.
Forgive us our debts. That which is here called debts, St. Luke
hathsHzs,- and here, in the observation our Saviour adds, they are
called, TapaTrrwfiaTa, offences. Now sin, as it is called a debt, is taken
for the guiltiness of sin, which is no other than pcenas debere, to owe
the suff'ering of punishment, or an obligement to the curse which the
Law hath pronounced against sin ; and because this results so irarae
diately frora sin, therefore, sin is often put for the engagement to
punishraent; so the Apostle's phrase, 1 Cor. xv. ult., raay be taken.
So then, the debt of sin being the tie to punishraent which follows
upon it, the forgiving of sin can be no other than the acquitting of a
man frora that curse, setting hira free frora his debt, his engageraent
to suff'er; and therefore, to iraagine a forgiveness of sin with retaining
of the punishment, is direct nonsense, and a contradiction.
To pass the words of this request through our mouths, as the rest,
is an easy and common thing, but altogether fruitless ; but to offer it
as a spiritual supplication of the heart unto God, is a thing done but
by a few ; and to as raany as do offer it so, it never returns in vain,
but is certainly granted. Now, to offer it so, as a fively spiritual suit
-unto God, there are necessarily supposed in the soul that presents it,
these things : —
1. A clear conviction and deep sense ofthe guiltiness of sin. Both
in general, what this guiltiness is, what is that debt which sin engages
us in, that misery to which it binds us over ; as, first, the deprivement
of happiness, the loss of God and His favour for.ever ; and secondly,

AN EXPOSITION OP THE LORd's PRAYER. 351
the endless endurance of His wrath and hottest indignation, and afl
the anguish which that is able to fifl the soul with to afl eternity.
Unsufferable, inconceivable torment, described to us by such things as
we can understand, but going infinitely beyond them, a gnawing
worm ihat dies not, and a flre that cannot be quenched. This is the
portion ofthe sinner from God, and ihe heritage appointed to him by
God, as Zophar speaks. Job xx. 29. Then, in particular, there must
be a seeing of our own gufltiness. A raan raust know hiraself to be
nothing else than a raass of sin, and so, fuel for that fire ; must see
himself a transgressor of the whole law of God, and therefore abun
dantly liable to tfiat sentence of death.
2. Upon this apprefiension will follow a very earnest desire to be
free, and such a word as that, 0 wretched muTi that I am, who shall
deliver Tne I And seeing no way either to satisfy or escape, without a
free pardon, the soul then looks upon that as its only happiness, with
David : Blessed is ihe man — O the blessedness of that man ! — whose
iniquity is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. Psal. xxxii. 1 .
3. In this request, there is a taking of it as a thing attainable ; for
it is implied that there is no impossibility in it. And this arises from
the promises of God, and the tenor of the covenant of grace, and the
Mediator of that covenant revealed in the word, apprehended only in
their general tenor.
4. It imports a hurable confession of guiltiness before the Lord ;
as it follows there, Psal. xxxii. 5 : / acknowledged Tny sin, and mine
iniquity have I Tiot hid. The way to find God hiding and covering it,
he perceived, was for hiraself not to hide it. The way to be acquitted
at God's hand, is for the soul with huraility and grief to accuse itself
before Hira.
5. Where there is this sensible knowledge and hurable acknowledg
ment of sin and misery, and earnest desire of pardon, then doth a man
truly offer this suit unto God with strong affection. Lord, this is my
request, that Tny sin may he forgiven ; and prays it in faith, which is a
raore particular laying hold on the proraises, believing that He will
forgive, and therefore waits for an answer, to hear that voice of joy and
gladness, as David speaks, Psal. 11. 8, to hear the word of his pardon
frora God spoken into his .soul. And for this cause, (besides the need
of daily pardon for daily sins,) the raost godly raen have need to renew
this suit, that, together with pardon, they raay obtain the corafortable
persuasion and assurance of it. And though they have some assurance,
yet, there be further degrees of it possible, and desirable, clearer evi
dences of reconcilement and acceptance with God. Forgiveness itself
is, indeed, the raain, and is often granted where the other, the assu
rance of it, is withheld for a tirae ; but there is no question that we
may, yea, that we ought to desire it, and seek after it. He is blessed
who is pardoned, though as yet he know it not ; yet, doubtiess, it
abates much of his happiness for the time that he does not know it.
Non est heatus, esse qui se non putet.
The philosopher says. The poor man thinks him happy who is rich,
and ihe sick man, him who is mi health : their own wants raake them
think so. Now, this forgiveness of sin is happiness indeed ; yet, a
,man must first feel the want of it , before he judge so. . But here is the

352 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER.
difference: when he hath obtained it, he shall think so still; whereas
the other, being tried, are found to fall short, and do not make any
man happy.
Seeing this is a request of so great moment, may we not wonder at
ourselves, that we are so cold and indifferent in it ? But the true rea
son of this is, because so few are truly sensible of this heavy debt, of
the weight of sin unpardoned. A man who feels it not, prays thus,
not much troubling his thoughts whether it be granted or no ; but he
who is indeed pressed with the burden of sin, cries in earnest. Lord,
forgive. David knew what he said, when he called him blessed ivhose
sin is forgiven ; the word is, who is unloaded of his sin. He was a king,
and a great captain, but he says not, He is a blessed raan who wears
a crown, or who is successful in war, but. Blessed is he whose sin is
taken off his shoulders ; whatsoever he is otherwise, he is a happy
man. It is in vain fo offer a conscience groaning under sin, any thing
else, until it be eased of that. If you should see a man lying grovelling
under some weight that is ready to press him to death, and should
bring sweet music to him, and cover a table with deUcates before hira,
but let hira lie still under his burden, could he, think you, take any
pleasure in those things ? Were it not rather to mock him, to use
him so ?
And though we feel it not as troubled consciences do, yet, we are
truly miserable in all enjoyments, until this forgiveness be obtained.
To what purpose daily bread, yea, what is the greatest abundance of
all outward things, but a glistering misery, if this be wanting ? But
he who is once forgiven, and received into favour with God, what can
befall him amiss? Though he hath no raore ofthe world than daily
bread, and ofthe coarsest sort, he hath a continual feast within : as he
that said. Brown bread and ihe Gospel, is good fare. Now, the
Gospel is the doctrine of this forgiveness of sin, and is therefore so
sweet to an humbled sinner. Yea, though a raan have not only a
sraall portion of earthly coraforts, but be under divers afflictions and
chastiseraents, yet, this raakes hira cheerful in all : as Luther said, Feri,
Domine, &c. Use me as Thou wilt, seeing Thou hast forgiven my
sin, all is well.
Lastly, As there must be earnest desire in the request, so withal,
firm befief. Ask in faith. If once thou art become a humble suitor
for mercy, and that is the great desire of thy heart, that God would
take away thy sin, and be reconciled to thee ; then know, that He will
not cast back thy petition in displeasure. Now, He is gracious, and
whatsoever thou hast been, consider what He is. Doth He receive
any for any thing in theraselves ? What is the cause He pardons
any ? Is it not for His own narae's sake ? Isa. xliii. 25. And will
not that reason serve for thee, as much as for others ? Will it not
avafl for raany sins, as well as for few ? Hast thou raultiplied sin often,
abused His raercy, but now mournest before Him for it? Then He
will multiply pardon. Isa. Iv. 7, Jer. iii. 1. Thou hast rebelled much,
but He is thy Father, and hath the bowels of a father to a repenting
child. And this style we give Hira in this prayer, as fitiy urging all
our suits. Father, forgive us our sins : therefore forgive, because "Thou
art our Father, And then consider, that he who puts this petition,

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PR.4.YER. 353
amongst the rest, in our raouths, hath satisfied for believers, paid all
their scores, and answered justice to the full, and in hira we are for
given : it is a free forgiveness to us, though he hath paid for it : and
he himself was freely given to us, to undertake and satisfy for us. Yet,
let not any thus embolden themselves to sin : this were the grossest
impudence, to corae to crave pardon of sin while we delight in it, and
to desire it to be forgiven, while we have no raind to part with it and
forsake it. For this privilege belongs only to repenting and returning
sinners. As we forgive our debtors. This is added both as a fit motive for
us to use with God, and as a suitable duty that He requires of us. The
former, we may perceive in the raanner that St. Luke hath it : For we
also forgive every one that is indebted tous. Thou, Lord, requirest of
us to forgive others, and Thou workest it in some of us to do so: how-
much more then may we hope, Thou wilt forgive us ? If there be any
such goodness in us, it is from Thee, and therefore is infinitely more in
Thyself, as the ocean of goodness.
Again, this is likewise a very profitable arguraent to move us to
this duty ; as we see clearly by our Saviour's returning to speak of it
after the prayer : it is not only bound upon us by this precept, but by
our prayer.
This (as,) just as before in the third petition, means not equality in
the degree, but conformity in the thing.
Now, the request running thus, they who do not forgive their
brethren, turn it into a most heavy curse to theraselves, and, in effect,
pray daily. Lord. 7iever forgive me my sin. And whether they say this
or no. He will do thus, if we be such fools as not to accept of such an
agreement. He hath infinite debt upon our beads, that we shall
never be able to pray : now, though there is no proportion, yet He is
graciously pleased, without further reckoning, to forgive us all, and
discharge us fully, if we accept (as it were) of this His letter of
exchange, and for His sake forgive our brethren the few pence that at
the most they can be owing us, in lieu of the thousands of talents that
He acquits to us. And by this as our certain evidence, we raay be
assured of our pardon, and rejoice in it, as our Saviour after clearly
affirras ; and therefore, on the contrary, (which he likewise tells us,)
raay well take our debates, and fiatreds, and desires of revenge, as a
countersign, testifying to us that we are not forgiven at God's hands.
And think not to satisfy hira with superficial forgivenesses and re-
concileraents. Would we be content with such pardon frora God, to
have only a present forbearance of revenge, or that He should not
quarrel with us, but no further friendship with Hira ; that He should
either use strangeness with us, and not speak to us, or only for
fashion's sake? And yet, .such are raany of our reconcilements with
our brethren. God's way of forgiving is thorough and hearty, both to
forgive and to forget (as Jer. xxxi.) ; and if thine be not so, thou hast
no portion in His.
¦What a base, miserable humour is this same desire of revenge, this
spirit of malice that possesses men, and they think themselves brave in
it, that they forgive no injuries, can put up with no affronts, as they
speak ! Solomon was of another mind, and he was a king, and a wise
Vol. II. 2 A

354 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER.
king, and knew well enough what honour meant : It is the glory of a
man to pass by a transgression, said he, Prov. xix. 11. And we see,
inferior raagistrates and officers may punish ; but it is a part of the
prerogative of kings to pardon : it is royal to forgive, yea, it is Divine,
it is to be like a God. Matt. v. 44 — 8. Be you perfect, as your
Heavenly Father is perfect — and the perfection is — Do good to them
thai persecute you, &c., as He causeth the sun to shine on the just and
the unjust.
There is more true pleasure in forgiving, than ever any man found
in revenge. Fr. Desales said, " That whereas men think it so hard a
thing to forgive a wrong, he found it so sweet, that, if the contrary
were coraraanded hira, he would have much ado to obey it." Where
the law of love written in our hearts, it would be thus with us. It
would teach us effectually to forgive others, if we knew and found in
our experience the boundless love of God in forgiving us.
And lead us noi into temptation, hut deliver us from evil.] As the doc
trine of Divine raercy, mistaken and abused by carnal minds, emboldens
them to sin ; so, being rightly apprehended and applied, there is
nothing raore powerful to possess the heart with indignation against
sin, and love of holiness. So that this request agrees raost fitly with the
former : where that is presented aright, the heart will be no less sincere
and earnest in this other. The guiltiness of sin, and the prevaifing
power of it, are the two evfls which the godly feel more than all other
pressures in the world. Deliverance from both, is jointly promised in
the new covenant, (Jer. xxxi. 33, 4.) and is here jointly entreated in
these two petitions. We shall explain,
I. What this temptation and evil is.
II. What is raeant by, not leadi7ig into it, and delivering from it.
I. Temptation.] In the original, Ueipacy/aos, a trial ; that which
gives proof of a raan's strength and of his disposition, which draws
forth what is within hira. And thus, in raost things we meet withal
in the world, there is sorae tempting faculty, to try us what we are,
on the using of thera. But especially such things as are more eminent
in their nature, that have much power with us : as erainent place and
public charge try both the abifity and integrity of raen : afflictions try
the faith and stability of raen's rainds ; injuries try whether they are
truly raeek and patient or no ; they stir the water that was possibly
clear at top, and so try whether it be not rauddy at the bottom.
But by temptation here, are meant, occasions and provocations to
sin. So likewise, the word (evil) in the other clause, is not to be
taken for afflictions and crosses, but, for the evil of sin, or, for that
Evil One, as he is called, 1 John ii. 13; and that, particulariy in
relation to the evfl of sin, wherein he hath so frequent and so great
a hand. There be outward things which are not in themselves evil, and yet
prove temptations to us, because they meet with a depraved, corrupt
heart in us ; as riches, and honour, and beauty, and, to intemperance,
dainty meats, or the wine when it is red in ihe cup, as Solomon speaks ;
and upon these, men soraetiraes turn over the blame of their disorders,
but most foolishly.
Other temptations and tempters there be without us, which are

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORD's PRAYER. 355
themselves evfl, and, by tempting, partake of our sin ; the profane
example and custoras of the world; ungodly men by their practices,
and counsels, and enticements, drawing others to sin, putting others
into the same raire wherein they are wallowing.
But the most effectual temper of all, is that which the apostle St.
James gives as the chief, and without which, indeed, none other could
prevail. Jam. i. 14. Every maTi is tempted of his own concupiscence.
Whosoever it is that begets it, that is the worab wherein all sin is
conceived, and that brings ii forth, as he there adds : yea, this were
able of itself to be fruitful in sin, though there were not a devil to
terapt it to it, and doth no doubt often terapt us without his help.
Yet because he is so continually busied in this work, is so constant
a stickler in the greatest part of sins in the world, therefore, it is not
unlikely that this is particularly meant of him.
Howsoever, he is, out of doubt, the greatest of all inward tempters,
(and therefore it is pertinent to consider his share in thera,) the most
skilful, the most active and difigent, and he that manages all other
kind of temptations against us, both such as are without us in the
world and, such as are within us : he works upon our own corruption.
Stirring- and blowing it up by his suggestions, and soraetiraes throwing
in balls of his own infernal fire, which are grievous and aborainable to
the soul into which he casts them. It is his narae and profession, o
Treipa^wv, that great pirate, who robs upon all seas, who is every
where catching the souls of men. And he is well seen in his trade, a
known spirit, who raanifested his skill shrewdly in his first essay
against man ; that serpent's first poison kiUed the whole race of man
kind ; and now he is perfected by long experience and practice, hath
his methods, as arts after a tirae are drawn into method. He hath his
topics, his several sorts of teraptations for several terapers, and hath
great insight into the subject he is to work upon, and so fits the one to
the other.
The profane, who will be easily drawn to the grossest sins, he is
not at the pains to find out other ways for thera, but hurries them
along in that highway to destruction, using his advantage either of
their gross ignorance or hardness of heart. Others, who are resolved
to live outwardly blaraeless, he endeavours to take and hold fast to
hiraself by pride, and self-love, and raalice, and covetousness, by for
mality in religion, unbefief; whicfi are things, though smafler wrought
than some others, yet, that are as strong, and hold men as fast to be
led captive at his wfll.
And the godly, because they are escaped and set free from his
tyranny, and he is desperate of reducing them, yet, because he can do
no more, he is sure to be a perpetual vexation and trouble to them, so
far as he is let loose : he is most unwearied in his assaults, gives them
no respite, neither when he gains upon them, nor when he is foiled
and repulsed.
II. Let us next consider what the request is, — not to be led iTiio
temptation, and, to be delivered from evil.
Lead us noi. Not that God doth solicit a man to sin, for tfiat is
most contrary to His most pure nature : as St. James tells us plainly,
He is neither so tempted, nor tempts He any. But His leading into
2 A 2

356 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORD S PRAYER.
temptation is, briefly, [1.] To permit a man to be tempted. [2.] To
withdraw His grace, and so deliver up a man into the hand or power
of temptation. Now this is what we pray. That the Lord would be
pleased either to bear off assaults from us, and suffer us not to be
tempted ; or, if He let temptation loose upon us, yet, to give us the
better, to order it so that it overcome us not. That which is here
meant by leading or carrying tis into temptation, is, the prevailing of
it, or leading us unto a foil, and this we pray that He would not do ;
that, if He do bring us into the conflict of a temptation. He would not
leave us there, but bring us fair off again. And thus the whole petition
runs, Lead tis noi, hut deliver us. And in this it is implied, that He
would furnish us with His own grace, the holy habits of grace to be
within us, as a constant garrison ; and then, that either He counter
mand our enemy frora assaulting, or that they be such as overraatch
not the strength He fiath given us, but raay be below it; or, that He
send us the auxiliary strength of supervenient, assisting grace to that
we have, that howsoever, the forces that corae against us may be
turned backward, and we raay have the corafort, and He the glory, of
our victories.
So, then, in this we are taught, 1. To know the danger wherein we
are ; that we live in the raidst of eneraies, and such as are strong and
subtie ; that we have the Prince of darkness plotting against us, and
the treacherous corruption of our own hearts ready to keep corres
pondence with hira, and betray us to hira ; that fie hath gins and
snares laid for us in all our ways, laqueos ubique, laqueos in cibo et
potu, as Augustine speaks — snares in our solitude and in our converse,
and in our eating and drinking, yea, snares in our spiritual exercise,
our fiearing, preaching, prayer, &c., and therefore, as He here teaches
us to pray against thera, we raust join that, [1.] To watch against
them. [2.] To be sensible of our own weakness and insufficiency,
either for avoiding or overcoming these dangers. [3.] To know the
all-sufficient strength of God, His sovereign power over all adverse
powers, that they are all under His coraraand, so that He can keep
them off from us, or subdue thera under us, as He pleaseth ; and so
to have our recourse to this, and rest in it. The first of tfiese con
siderations, if it take with us, will stir us up to watchfulness, and the
other two will persuade to prayer: and these are the two great pre
servatives against teraptation which our Saviour prescribes: Watch
and pray lest you enter into temptation. Watch — How can we sleep
secure, and so raany eneraies that sleep not ? If we pray and watch
not, we terapt God, and we lead ourselves into temptation. It is our
duty, (mock the word who will,) to walk exactiy or precisely aKpi^w^,
to look to every step, to beware of the least sins. For, [1.] they by
raultitude raake a great weight. [2.] They prove usually introduc
tions to greater sins. Adrait but sorae inordinate desire into your
heart, that you account a sraall matter, and it is a hundred to one but
it shaft prove a fittie thief got in, to open the door to a number of
greater: as the Rabbins speak, a less evil brings a man into the hands
ofa greater*.
2. Avoid, not only sins, but the incentives and occasions to sin
* Levins -malum inducit in manus gravioris. Dnus.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORd's PRAYER, 3'jf
As St. Chrysostom observes well that exhortation of our Saviour,
When they shalt say, here is Christ, and there is Christ, he says not.
Believe ihem noi, but Go not forth to see. And Solomon's instruction
for avoiding the allurements of the strange woraan says not only. Go
noi in, but Come Tiot near the door of her house. The way of sin is
moius in proclivi, down-hill : a man cannot stop where he would ;
and he that will be tampering with dangerous occasions, in confidence
of his resolution, shall find hiraself often carried beyond his purpose.
If you pray, then, watch too. But as that word coraraands our dili
gence, so this iraports our w-eakness in ourselves, and our strength to
be in Another ; that, as we watch, we must pray ; and without this, we
shall watch in vain, and be a prey lo our eneray. Truly, had we no
power beyond our own, we might give over, and be hopeless of coraing
through to salvation, so many eneraies and hazards in the way. Alas !
might a Christian say, looking upon the multitude of temptations with
out, and of corruptions within himself, and the weakness ofthe grace he
hath. How can this he ? Shall I ever attain my journey's end? But
again, when he looks upward, and lifts his eyes above his difficulties,
beholds the strength of God engaged for Hira, directs his prayers to
hira for help, and is assured to find it ; this upholds hira, and answers
all. There is a roaring lion that seeks to devour, but there is a strong
rescuing lion. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, who will deliver. The
God of peace, says the Apostle, will bruise Satan under your feet
shortly. Rora. xvi. 20. He says not, we shall bruise hira under our
feet, but God shall do it. Yet, he says not. He shall bruise hira under
His own feet, but under yours: the victory shall be ours, though
wrought by Hira. And He shall do it shortly : wait a while, and it
shall be done. And The God of peace, because He is the God of
peace. He shall subdue that grand disturber of your peace, and .shall
give you a perfect victory, and, after it, endless peace : He shall free
you of his trouble and molestation. Grace is a stranger here, and
therefore hardly used, and hated by raany foes ; but there is a proraise
of a new heaven and a new earth where dwells righteousness : there it
shall be at home and in quiet ; no spoiling nor robbery in all that holy
mountain. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and ihe glory, for ever and ever.
Amen. This pattern, we know, is the line under which all our prayers ought
to raove : all our requests are to be conforraed to it, and are certainly
out of their way, when they decline and wander frora it. And if we
observe it, we raay clearly perceive, it is a circular fine ; (as indeed the
exercise of prayeris a heavenly raotion, circular as that of the heavens;)
it begins and ends in the same point, the glory of that God to whom
we pray, and who is the God that heareth prayer. In that point this
prayer begins, and here ends in it ; so that our requests which concern
ourselves are cast in the middle, that all our desires may move within
this circle : — though the things we pray for, concern ourselves, yet,
they are not to terminate in ourselves, but in Him who is Alpha and
Omega, the Beginning and the End of all things. We are to desire,
not only the blessings of this life, but the blessedness of the life to
come, more for His glory than for our own good.

358 AN EXPOSITION OP THE LORd's PRAYER.
This is genuine and pure love to God, in the pardon of our sins and
salvation, to rejoice more in the glory of Divine raercy, than in our own
personal happiness. Thus it shall be with us, when we shall be put
in possession of it, and we ought to aspire to that measure ofthe same
raind which can be attained here, while we are in the desire and hope
of ft.
For thine is ihe kingdom.] Though this clause is left out in divers
translations, and wanting in some Greek copies, yet it is so agreeable
to the nature of prayer, and to the perfection of this prayer, that we
ought not to let it pass unconsidered.
There is in it an enforcement ofour prayer; but especiaUy, itis a
return of praise. Good reason we should desire earnestly the sanctify
ing of Thy name, and the coraing of Thy kingdora, and obedience to
Thy wiU, seeing these are so peculiarly due to Thee, namely, kingdom,
and power, and glory. And seeing Thou art so great and rich a king,
raay we not crave with confidence at Thy hands, all needful good
things to be bestowed on us, and that all evil raay be averted frora us ;
that we raay find Thee gracious to us, both in giving and forgiving ;
and as in forgiving us the guiltiness of sin, so, in freeing us frora the
power of sin, and preserving us from the power of our spiritual ene
mies tfiat would draw us into sin ? We are under Thy royal protec
tion, we are Thy subjects, yea. Thy children. Thou art our King and
Father ; so that Thy honour is engaged for our defence. Whatsoever
sum our debts amount to, they are not too great for such a King to
forgive ; they cannot rise above Thy royal goodness, and whatsoever
be our enemies, all their force is not above Thy sceptre : though they
be strong, too strong for us, yet. Thou art much too strong for thera,
for power is Thine. And this we know, that all the good Thou dost
us will bring back glory to thy Narae, and it is that we most desire,
and that which is Thy due ; the glory is Thine.
Thus we see, all our grounds of arguraent for our requests, are
in God, none of thera in ourselves : as we find tfiis in the prayers
of the Prophets, For Thine own glory, and For thine own name's
sake. There is nothing in ourselves to raove God by, but abundance
of raisery ; and that raoves not, but by reason of His bounty; so stfll,
the cause of His hearing, and the arguraent of our entreating, are
in Hiraself alone. Were it not thus, how could we hope to prevail
with Hira ? Yea, how durst we offer to corae unto Hira ? It is well
for us, there is enough in Himself both to encourage us to come, and
to furnish us with motives to persuade Him by, that we come not in
vain. Moses had not a word to say for the people in theraselves : such
was their carriage, his raouth was stopped that way ; yet, he doth not
let go this. What wilt thou do with thy mighty Name ? It is true,
they have trespassed, yet, if Thou destroy thera. Thy narae will suffer.'
Lord, consider and regard That. And we know the success of it.
Thus, a Christian for hiraself raay plead : Lord, I ara most unworthy
of all those things I request of Thee, but, whatsoever I ara, thou art a
fiberal and raighty king, and it is Thy glory to do good freely ; there
fore it is that I corae unto Thee : ray necessities drive rae to Thee, and
Thy goodness draws me, and the poorer and wretcheder I am, the
greater will be thy glory in helping me.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORD's PRAYER. 359
But it is withal, an extolling and praising of the greatness of God,
and so we are to consider it.
Thine is the kingdom. Other kings and kingdoms there be, but
they are as nothing, they deserve not the naraing, in comparison of
Thine. They are but kings of littie mole-hills, to the bounds of Thy
dominion. The greatest kingdoms of the world are but small parcels
of this globe of earth, and itself altogether, to the vast circuraference
ofthe heavens, is as nothing — loses all sensible greatness.* This point
which men are so busy dividing araong them with fire and sword,
what if one man had the sovereignty of it all ? He and kingdora both
were nothing to Thine ; for sea and land, earth and heaven, and all
the creatures in them all, the whole, all is Thine. Thou art Lord of
heaven and earth, and therefore, the kingdom is Thine, As all other
kingdoms are less than Thine, so, they hold of thine, Thine is supreme :
all the crowns and sceptres of the earth, hang at thy footstool. All
kings owe their horaage to this great King, and He disposeth of their
crowns absolutely and uncontrolled as He will. He enthrones and
dethrones at His pleasure, throws down one and sets up another : as
we have a great monarch confessing it at length upon his own experi
ence, being brought down frora his throne, on purpose to learn this
lesson, and was seven years in learning it. Dan. iv. 34.
The power. The creatures have araong thera several degrees and
several kinds of power, but none of them, nor all of them together,
have all power ; this is God's. He is all-powerful in Himself, pri
raitively powerfiil. And all the power of the creatures is derived from
Him: He is the fountain of power. So that, whatsoever power He
hath given unto men, or any other creature. He hath not given away
from Hiraself: it is still in Hiraself raore than in thera, and at His
pleasure He can call it back, and withdraw the influence of it, and
then they remain weak and powerless. And when He gives them
power, he useth and disposeth of both thera and their power as seeras
him good. Therefore, His style is The Lord of Hosts. He can com
raand more arraies than all the kings and princes of the earth : from
the raost excellent, to the raeanest of the creatures, all are His trained
bands; from the host of glorious spirits, to the very armies of grass
hoppers and flies. And you know, that as an angel was employed
against the Egyptians, so likewise these contemptible creatures were
upon service there too, and being armed with coraraission and -with
power from God, did perform the service upon which they were sent
so effectually, that the wisest of heathens were forced to confess. This
is the finger of God.
This is the Lord to whom we address our prayers, who cannot fail
in any thing for want of power, for He doeth what He will in heaven
and in earth.
The glory. In these two consists mainly the eminency of kings, in
their power and their raajesty ; but they exceed not the meanest of
their subjects, so far as this King surpasseth the greatest of them in
both; Psal. xciii. 1. Clothed with both majesty and strength. They
are often resisted, and cut short of their designs for want of sufficient
power and are (the best of thera) often driven to straits ; soraetimes
men, sometimes money or munition, or some other necessary help is

360 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORD's PRAYER.
wanting, and so their enterprises fall behind. But this King can
challenge and defy all oppositions : / work, says He, and who shall
let it? "isa. xlifi. 13.
And as their power, so, their majesty and glory is infinitely short of
His. Heis the Kingof Glory, as the Psalraist styles hira, Psal. xxiv. 10,
alone truly glorious, both in the excellency of His own nature, and the
extrinsical glory that arises to Hira out of His works. Ofthe former,
we can know but little here, for that light wherein he dwells is to us in
accessible (1 Tim. vi. 16) ; but this we know, that He is infinitely above
all the praises even ofthose that do behold Him. Likewise, how un
speakable is that glory which shines in His works, in the framing of
the whole world, and in the upholding and ruling of it from the begin
ning! In which appear the two former that are here ascribed to Him,
His kingdoTii and His power ; and so, this third, His glory, springs out
of both. Then if we consider the glorious attendance that is con
tinually about His throne, as the Scriptures describe it to us, it drowns
all the porap of earthly thrones and courts in their highest degree.
See Rev. iv.
For ever. This kingdora, and power, and glory of God, besides
their transcendent greatness, have this advantage beyond all other
kingdoras, and power, and glory, that His are for ever and ever, all
other are perishing, nothing but pageants and shows that appear for
a whfle, and pass along and vanish. It was a wise word of a king,
(especially at such a tirae,) when he was riding in a stately triuraph,
and asked by one of his courtiers, thinking to please hira. What is
wanting here? he answered Continuance. Where are all the magnific
kings that have reigned in former ages ? Where is their power and
their pomp ? Is it not past like a dream ? And not only are the
kings gone, but the kingdoras themselves, the greatest in the world
have fallen to nothing ; they had their tirae of rising, and again of
declining, and are buried in the dust. That golden-headed image had
brittle feet, and that was the ruin and break of it all. But this king
dora of the raost High is an everlasting kingdora, and His glorv and
power abide for ever.
Not only thing-s on earth decay, but the very heavens wax old as a
garment, says the Psalraist, but Thou, O Lord, ari still ihe same, and
Thy years have 7io end.
Refl. 1. It is a thing of very great iraportance, for us to have our
hearts established in the belief of these things, and to be frequent in
reraerabering and considering thera : to know that the kingdom is the
Lord's, that He sovereignly rules tiie world and all things in it, and
particularly the great affairs of His Church : that He is the mighty
God, and therefore, that there is no power, or wisdora, or counsel of
raen, able fo prevafl against hira ; and that in those things wherein
His glory seeras to suffer for the present, it shafl gain and be advanced
in the close.
2. Let us always, and in all things, return this to Him as His
pecufiar due: Thine is the glory; it belongs to Thee, and to none
other. Deo quee Dei sunt : To God the things which are God's.
3. Let us think most reverentiy of God. Oh, that we could attain
to esteeming thoughts of Him, to think more of His greatness and

AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORD'S PRAVER. 361
excellency beyond all the world ! It is our great folly to adraire any
thing but God. This is because we are ignorant of Him. Certainly,
he knows not God, who thinks any thing great beside hira.
Amen.] In this word concentre all the requests, and are put up
together : so be ii. And there is in it withal, as all observe, a profes
sion of confidence that it shall be so. It is frora one root with those
words which signify believing and truth. The truth of God's proraising,
persuades belief; and it persuades to hope for a gracious answer of
prayer. And this is the excellent advantage of the prayer of faith,
that it quiets and establishes the heart in God. Whatsoever be its
estate and desire, when once the believer fiatfi put his petition into
God's hand, he rests content in holy security and assurance concern
ing the answer ; refers it to the wisdora and love of God, how and
when he will answer ; not doubting that whatsoever it be, and when
soever, it shall both be gracious and seasonable. But the reason why
so few of us find that sweetness and corafort that are in prayer, is,
because the true nature and use of it is so little known.

AN EXPOSITION

TEN COMMANDMENTS.

Exod. xx. 1, 2.

And God spalie all these words, saying,
I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the
house of bondage.
It is the character of the blessed man, and the way of blessedness, io
delight in ihe law of God. Psal. i. 2. And because the eye is often
upon that whereon the affection and delight of the heart is set, the sign
of that delight in the Law, is to have the eye of the mind much upon
it, to meditate on it day and night. And that we raay know this is
not, as the study of raany things are, erapty speculation and fruitless
barren delight, we are further taught, that the soul that is fixed in this
delight and meditation, is a tree well planted, and answerably fruitful.
The mind that is set upon this Law, is fitly set for bearing fruit.
Planted by the rivers of water ; and is really fruitful. Bringing forth
its fruit in iis season.
If this holds true of the Law in the largest sense, taken for the
whole will of God revealed in His word, it is, no doubt, particularly
verified in that which more particularly bears the narae of The Law ;
this sarae suraraary of the rule of man's life, delivered by the Lord
himself, after so singular a manner both by word and writ.
So then, the explication of it being needful for the ignorant, it will
be likewise profitably delightful for those who be raost knowing and
best acquainted with it. It is a rich raine, that we can never dig to
the bottora of. He is called the blessed man, who is still digo-ino- and
seeking further into the riches of it, meditaiiTig on ii day and night ;
his work going forward in the night, when others cease from working.
We have in the Creed, the Object of faith ; in the Law, the exercise
and trial of love : for Love is the fulfilling of the law ; and. If ye love
me, keep my commandments, saith our Saviour. And Prayer is the
breathing of hope, or, as they call it, iTiterpretaiio spei. Thus, in these
three suraraaries, are the matter of these three prime theological virtues,
aith, hope, and charity.
The Law rightly understood, addresses us to the articles ofour faith :
for seeing the disproportion of our best obedience to the exactness of
the Law, this drives us to seek salvation in the Gospel by befieving ;
and our natural inability to believe, drives us to Prayer, that we may
obtain faith, and perseverance in it, at His hands who is both the first
Author and the Finisher of our faith.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 363
The preparation enjoined upon the people, teacheth the holiness of
(his Law. The fire, and tliunder, and lightning, and, upon these, the
fear of the people, testify the greatness and majesty of the Lawgiver,
and withal. His power to punish tbe transgressors of it, and His justice
that will punish; that, as He showed His presence by fire seen in
delivering this Law, so He is (as the Apostie teacheth us, alluding to
this) a consuming fire to thera who neglect and disobey it. The liraits
set about the mount, that they might not approach it, even after all
their endeavour of sanctifying and preparing, read, [1.] humility to
us, teaching us our great distance frora the holiness of our God, even
when we are raost holy and exact in our preparations ; and [2.] sobriety,
[iji/joi/eiv eis 70 a u^i^povZiv] not to pry into hidden things ; to hear what
is revealed to us and coraraanded us, and to exercise ourselves in that.
Scrutator majestatis opprimetur a gloria. Hidden things belong unto
God, but those which are revealed to us and io our children, thai we
may do all ihe words of this law. Deut. xxix. 29.
Lastlv, we are taught. That the Law of itself, is ihe ministration of
death, and hath nothing but terror in it, tfll the Messiah, the Mediator
appear, and the soul, by his perfect obedience, be accounted obedient
to the Law . But we must not insist on this now.
The Preface is twofold. I. That of :Moses. II. That of God
himself. I. God spake all these words. Ten words. Exod. xxxiv. 2S ; Deut.
V. 22. He added no more. Hence we raay learn, (1.) The perfec
tion of this law, that no raore was needful to be added. (3.) The ex-
ceUency of it, being so short, and yet, so perfect. For as it is the
excellency of all speech, as of coin, (as Plutarch hath it,) to contain
much in little, most value in smallest quantity ; so, especially of laws,
that they be brief aud fiiU.
That we may the better conceive of the perfection of this Law, we
must not forget those rules which divines give for the understanding
of it in its due latitude. (1.) That the prohibitions of sin contain the
commands of the contrary good ; otherwise, the nuraber of precepts
would have been too great. And, ou the contrary, (2.) Under the
name of any one sin, all homogeneous sins, or sins of that kind, are
forbidden. (3.) All the inducements and occasions of sin, things that
come near a breach, are to be avoided : that which the Rabbins call
the hedge of the Law, is not to be broken. They who do always all
that they la-wfufly may, wfll soraetimes do raore. (4.) It is spiritual,
hath that prerogative above all human laws, that it reaches the heart
and all the motions of it, as well as words and actions. This Supreme
Lawgiver alone can see the behaviour of the heart, and alone is able
to punish all who offend so much as in thought. It were a vain thing,
for men to give laws to any, more than what they can require account
of and correct, which is only the surface and outside of human actions.
But He who made the heart, doth not only give His law to it, but to
ii principally, and examines all actions there in their source and
beginning ; and therefore, oftentimes, that which men applaud and
reward, and do well in so doing. He justly hates and punishes.
God spake. Ali that was spoken by His Messengers the prophets,
with warrant from Him, was His word ; they but the trumpets which

364 AN EXPOSITION OP THE TEN CO.MMANDJMENTS.
the breath of His mouth. His Spirit made to sound as it pleased Him;
but this His moral Law, He privileged with His own iraraediate
delivery. Men raay give sorae few rules for society and civil life, by
the dark light that reraains in natural consciences; but such a rule as
may direct a raan to answer his natural end, and lead him to God,
must come from God Himself. All the purest and wisest laws that
men have compiled, cannot reach that : they can go no higher in their
course, than they are in their spring. Thai which is from the earth is
earthly, saith our Saviour.
He added to this speaking, the writing of them likewise. Himself in
tables of stone, that they raight abide, and be conveyed to after ages.
At first they were written in the heart of man, by God's own hand ;
but, as the first tables of stone fell and were broken, so was it with
mail's heart: by his fall, his heart was broken, and scattered amongst
the earthly perishing things which was before whole and entire to his
Maker ; and so, the characters of that law written in it, were so shivered
and scattered, that they could not be perfectly and distinctly read in it.
Therefore, it pleased God to renew that law after this manner, by a
most solemn delivery with audible voice, and then by writing it on
tables of stone. And this is not all, but this same law He doth write
anew in the hearts of His children.
Why it pleased Hira to defer this soleran promulgation of the Law
to this time, and at this time to give it to a select people only, these
are arcana imperii — state secrets, indeed, which we are not to search
into, but to raagnify His goodness to us, that He hath showed us the
path of life, revealing to us both the precepts of the Law, and the grace
and proraises of the Gospel.
It was the All-wise God who spake all these words ; therefore. He
knew well His own aim and purpose in them, and doth certainly
attain it.
It was not, indeed, that this Law might be the adequate and com
plete raeans of raan's happiness, that by perfect obedience to it he
might be saved ; for the Law is weak for this, not in itself, but through
the fiesh. Rom, vii. 3. It is altogether impossible for it alone to save
us, because irapossible for us to fulfil it. But it doth profit us much
if we look aright upon it.
1. It discovers us to ourselves, and so hurables us, frees us from
the pride that is so natural to us in the midst of our great poverty and
wretchedness. For when we see how pure the law is, and we, com
pared with it, to be all filthiness and defileraent, our best righteous
ness, as Isaiah says, as filthy rags; this causeth us to abhor ourselves.
Whereas naturally, we are abused with self-love, and self-flattery
arising frora it. The point of the Law, (as they in the Acts were said
to be pricked i7i iheir hearts,) pricks the heart, which is swelled and
puffed up with pride, and raakes it fall low in sense of vileness.
2. As this discovery hurables us in ourselves, so it drives us out of
ourselves. This glass shewing us our poUution, sends us to the foun
tain opened. When we perceive that, by the sentence of the Law,
there is nothing for us but death, this raakes us hearken dfligently to
the news of rederaption and pardon proclairaed in the Gospel, and
hastens us to the Mediator of the new covenant. As the spouse was

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 365
then singularly rejoiced to find her Beloved, when she had been beaten
and hardly used by reproaching, (Cant. v. 7,) so the soul is then glad
dest to meet with Christ, when it is hardest buffeted with the terrors
and threatenings of the Law. His promise of ease and refreshraent
sounds sweet after the thunderings and lightnings of Mount Sinai.
A raan will never go to Christ, so long as he is not convinced of
misery without him, of impotency in himself, and in all others to help
him. 3. It restrains the wickedness even of ungodly men. The bright
ness of it raakes them soraetiraes asharaed of those works of darkness
which otherwise they would corarait without check; and the terrors
of it affright thera soraetiraes from that which they would otherwise
corarait without sharae.
4. But chiefly it serves for a rule and square of life to the godly;
a light to their feet, as David says, and a lantern io their paths.
Either they have no rule of life, (which is irapious and unreasonable
to think,) or this is it. Christ came not to dissolve it, but to accora
plish and establish it ; and he did carefully free it frora the injurious
glosses of the Pharisees, and taught the right sense and force of it.
See Matt. v. He obeyed it both in doing and in suffering ; both per
forraing what it requires, and, in our stead, undergoing what it pro
nounces against those who perform it not. It is u, promise chiefly
intended for the days of the Gospel, as the Apostle applies it, I will
write My law in their hearts. It is a weak conceit arising upon the
mistake of the Scriptures, to make Christ and Moses as opposites.
No, Moses was the servant in ihe house, and Christ, the Son ; and
being a faithful servant, he is not contrary to the Son, but subordi
nate to him. Heb. iii. 5. The very abolishment of the Ceremonial
Law, was not as of a tiling contrary, but as a thing accomplisfied in
Christ, and so was an honourable abolishment. And the removing of
the curse and rigour of the Moral Law from us, was without wrong
to it, being satisfied in a better for us, our surety, Jesus Clirist.
They are happy, who look so on the Law of God, as to be raade
sensible of misery by it, and by that raade earnest in their desires of
Christ; and who judge theraselves, the raore evidence they have of
freedora frora the curse of the Law, to be not the less, but so rauch
the raore obfiged to obey the Law ; who are still making progress and
going on in that way of obedience, though it be with continual halt
ing, and often stumbling, and soraetiraes falling ; yet they shall cer
tainly attain their journey's end, that perfection whereof they are so
desirous. This were the way to lowliness, not to compare ourselves with
others, in which too many are often partial judges, but with this holy
Law. We use not to try the evenness of things with our crooked
stick, but by the straightest rule that we can find. Thus St. Paul:
The law is spiritual, I am carnal. Rom. vii. 14. He looks not how
much he was more spiritual than other men, but how much less spiri
tual than the Law.
II. I am the Lord thy God,] That is the truest and most constant
obedience, which flows jointly from reverence and love ; these two are

366 AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
the very wheels upon which obedience moves. And these first words
of the Law, are most fit and powerful to work tfiese two : Jehovah
— sovereign Lord, to be feared and reverenced — thy God; and then.
Who have brought ihee out, 8fc., who hath wrought such a deliverance
for thee. Therefore, in both these respects, most worthy of the high
est love.
This preface cannot stand for a coraraandraent, as sorae would have
it ; for expressly it coraraands nothing, though by inference it enforceth
all the coraraandments, and is indeed so intended. Though it may
be conceived to have a particular tie with the First Commandment
which follows it iraraediately, yet certainly, it is withal, a most fit pre
face to thera all, and hath a persuasive influence into thera all ; com
manding attention and obedience, not in the low way of human rhe
toric, but stylo imperatorio, in a kingly phrase, becoraing the majesty
of ihe Ki7ig of kings — I am Jehovah,
Here we have three raotives to obedience: I. His universal sove
reignty, Jehovah. 2. His particular relation to His own people. Thy
God. 3. The late singular raercy bestowed on thera, Who have
brought thee out of ihe land of Egypt. Each of them sufficient, and
therefore, altogether raost strongly concluding, for obedience to His
commandments. 1. Jehovah. Not to insist on the ample consideration of this name
of God, of which divines, both Jewish and Christian, have said so
much, some morecabalistically and curiously, others raore soberly and
solidly; this they agree in. That itis the incoraraunicable narae ofthe
Divine Majesty, and signifies the priraitiveness of His being, and His
eternity ; that His being is not derived, but is in and frora Himself;
and that all other being is frora Him ; that He is from everlasting to
everlasting in Hiraself, without any difference of tirae, but, as eternity
is expressed to our conceiving. He who is, and who was, and who is
to co7ne. Alpha and Omega.
Now, it is raost reasonable, that seeing all things, raankind, and all
the creatures that serve for fiis good, receive their being frora Hira,
we should likewise receive laws from Him.
His raajesty is alone absolute and independent : all the powers of
the world, the greatest princes and kings, hold their crowns of Him,
are His vassals, and owe obedience to His laws, as rauch as their
raeanest subjects, that I say not raore, in regard to the particular obli
gation which their honour and erainency given them by Him, doth lay
upon them.
Jeliovah. What are the nuraerous styles wherein princes delight and
glory so rauch, but a vain noise of nothing in comparison of His
narae, I am ? And in all their grandeur, they are low, petty raajesties,
when mention is made of this Jehovah, who stretched forth ihe
heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and formed ihe spirit
of TiiaTi wHMti him. Zech. xii. 1. What gives a man, when he gives
all the obedience he can, and gives himself in obedience to God?
What gives he Hira, but what he hath first received frora Hira, and
therefore owes it all, as soon as he begins to be ?
This authority of the Lawgiver, is the very life of the Law. It is

AN EXPOSITION OP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 367
that we SO readily forget, and this is the cause of afl disobedience, and
therefore the Lord inculcates it often, Levit. xix. I am the Lord, ver.
31 ; and again repeated, ver. 37.
'This is the Apostle St. James's argument, by which he strongly
proves his conclusion. That he thai transgresseth in one, is guilty of
all. He urges not the concatenation of virtues in themselves — though
there is truth and force in that : he that hath one hath all, and so he
that wants any one hath none : — but the sameness of the authority is
his medium ; For he who said, Thou shalt noi commit adultery, said
also. Thou shall not kill. Jara. ii. The authority is the sarae, and
equal in all. The golden thread on which these pearls are stringed,
if it be broken in any one part, it scatters thera afl. This name of
God signifying His authority, keeps the whole frame of the Law to
gether, and if that be stirred, it falls all asunder.
2. Thy God, Necessity is a strong but a hard argument, if it go
alone. The sovereignty of God ties all, either to obey His law, or to
undergo the punishment. But love is both strong and sweet. Where
there sounds love in the Comraand, and in the relation of the Cora
mander, there it is received and cheerfully obeyed by love. Thus
then. Thy God, in covenant with thee, cannot but move thee.
We see, then, the Gospel interwoven with the Law, in Thy God
often repeated, which is by the New Covenant, and that by a Mediator.
God expects obedience from His peculiar people. It is their glory
and happiness, that they are His. tt adds nothing to Hira, but ranch
every way to thera. He is pleased to take it as glory done to Him, to
take Him to be our God ; and doth really exalt and honour those that
-do so, with fhe title and privileges of His people. If His own chil
dren break His law. He cannot but take that worse.
3. Who brought thee oui of the land of Egypt,] By the reraera
brance of their late great deliverance. He molfifies their hearts to re
ceive the impression of this Law.
Herein was the peculiar obligation of this people. But ours, typi
fied by this, is not less, but unspeakably greater ; deliverance from the
cruel servitude of sin, and the Prince of darkness. From these we
are delivered, not to licentiousness and libertinisra, but to true liberty,
John viii. 36. If ihe Son make you free, you shall be free indeed,
Luke i. 74. Delivered from the power of our enemies — ^To what end ?
— to serve Him without fear, thai terror which we should be subject
to, if we were not delivered; and, io serve Him all ihe days of our
lives. And that all, if many hundred times longer than it is, yet were
too little for Hira. It is not such a servitude as that of Egypt, frora
which we are delivered: that ended to each one with his life ; but the
misery from which we are redeeraed, begins but in the fulness of it
when life ends, and endures for ever.
The Gospel sets not men free to profaneness: no, if is a doctrine of
holiness. We are not called to uncleanness, but to holiness, saith the
Apostle. I Thess. iv. 7. He hath indeed taken off the hardness, the
iron yoke, and now. His commandments are not grievous. 1 John y. 3.
His yoke is easy, and His burden light. And they who are most sen
sible, and have most assurance of their deliverance, are ever the
•most active and fruitful in obedience: they feel themselves light and

368 AN EXPOSITION OP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
nirable, having the heavy chains and fetters taken off. Psal. cxvi. 16.
Lord, I am Thy servant; Thou hast loosened my bonds. And the
corafortable persuasion of their redemption, is that oil of gladness
which supples and disposes them to run the way of Govts command
ments.
PRECEPT I.
Thou shalt have no other Gods but ME.
The first thing in religion is, to state the Object of it right, and to
acknowledge and receive it for such. This, I confess, is the intent of
this First Precept ofthe Law, which is therefore the basis and founda
tion that bears the weight of all the rest. And therefore, as we said
before, though the preface looks to them all, yet it looks first to this
which is nearest it, and is knit with it, and through it to all the rest.
The preface asserted God's authority as the strength of His law, and
this First Precept coraraands the acknowledgment and embracing of
that His authority, and His alone, as God. And this is the spring of
our obedience to all His comraandraents.
But before a particular explication of this, a word, first, ofthe divi
sion of this Law; secondly, ofthe style of it. I. As to its division.
That they were divided, first, into two tables, and tfien into ten words
or coraraandments, none can question. We have the Lawgiver's own
testiraony clear for that. But about the particular way of dividing'
them into ten, and the matching of these two divisions together, there
hath been, and still is, some diff'erence. But this I will not insist on.
Though Josephus, and Philo the Jew, would (to raake the nuraber
equal) have five precepts in each table, yet, the matter of them is
more to be regarded, and persuades the contrary; that those which
concern piety, our duty to God, be in the first table, and those toge
ther in the second, which concern equity, or our duty to man. And
the sumraary which our Saviour gives of the two tables, is evidently
in favour of this. And that those precepts of piety, those of the fir.st
table, are four, and they ofthe second, six, and so, that fhe first and
the second, as we have thera, are different, and raake two, and the
tenth but one, hath the voice both of antiquity and reason ; as raany
divines on the decalogue do usually evince at large, which, therefore,
were as easy as it is needless to do over again. The creed of the
Roraish Church to the contrary, is plainly irapudent presuraption and
partiality, choosing rather to blot out the law, than reform their mani
fest breach of it.
2. What I would say of the style of the Comraandraents, is but in
this one particular, briefly: We see the greatest part of them are pro
hibitive, or, as we usuaUy call thera, though soraewhat improperiy,
negative. Thou sliaU Tiot &c. This, as is observed by Calvin and
others, intiraates our natural bent and incfineraentto sin, that it .suffices
not to show us what ought to be done, but we are to be held and
bridled by counterraands from the practices of ungodfiness and un
righteousness. Thou shall not have, &c.] This order here— and so in the rest:

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 369
I. The scope. II. The sense of the words. III. What it forbids.
IV. What it comraands. And these follow each upon the other ; for
out ofthe scope, the sense is best gathered, and from that, the breach,
and the observation.
I. The scope. As the Second Comraandraent concerns the solemn
form of Divine worship, that it be not such as we devise, but such as
Himself appoints ; the Third, the qualification or manner of it, not
vainly and profanely, but with holy reverence; the Fourth, the solemn
tirae set apart for it, the sabbath ; so, this First Precept airas at sorae
what which is previous to all these.
Many distinguish this and the second, per cultum internum et exter
num, by the internal and external worship; and a grave raodern divine,
espying sorae defect in that, doth it, per cultum Tiaturalem et institu
tum, by Tiatural and instituted worship. But I confess, both omit, at
least they express not, (it may be, they take it as implied,) that which
is raainly intended. The Object of worship ; that that Jehovah who
gave and Hiraself spake this law, be received and acknowledged for
The only True God, and so, the only object of Divine worship. And
this is that which he calls Cultus naturalis, natural worship, that pri
mitive worship, the religious habitude of man to God, giving himself
entire, outward and inward, to His service and obedience ; for this is
no other than to own Him, and Him only, for that Deity to whom all
love, and worship, and praise are due.
It is surely not so convenient to restrain this precept to inward
worship only, for each precept binds the whole man to obedience ;
and therefore 1 would not give the first motions of concupiscence in
general, for the sense of the Tenth Coraraandraent, as we shall show
when we corae to speak of that. Certainly, even outward worship
given to a false God, breaks this First Coraraandraent.
The scope, then, is, briefly. That the Only True God be alone
acknowledged for what He is, and, as we are able, with all our powers
and parts, inwardly and outwardly, that He be answerably adored ;
that we neither change Hira for any other, nor join any other with
Hira, nor be neglective and slack in honouring and obeying Hira. So
that, as we are particularly, by each several precept, instructed in, and
obliged to, the particular duties of it, by this we are generally tied to
give obedience to them all. It is no way inconvenient, but raost fit in
this general notion, that this First Coraraandraent import the ob
servance of itself, and of all the rest.
II. The sense of the words, Non habebis, Heb. Non erunt tibi, &c.
1. Erit tibi Deus, Thou shalt have a God. Know and believe that
there is a Deity. 2. Seek to know which is The True God, that thou
mayest acknowledge Him. 3. Know me as I have revealed Myself
in My word. Know and befieve that I, Jehovah, the Author and
Deliverer of this Law that I am God, and there is none else. Isa.
xliv. 8. 4. Offer not, therefore, either to forsake Me, or to join any
other with Me. Alienate no part of My due from Me, for My glory I
will not give unto another. 5. Take Me for thy God ; and give service
and honour, and thyself unto Me.
Before my face.] Set them not up in My sight, for I cannot suffer
thera, nor their worshippers. If they come in my sight, they will pro-
VoL. II. 2 B

370 AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
voke Me to anger. The word here for face, soraetimes signifies anger,
in Scripture ; and it seeras to allude to God's clear manifestation of
Himself to His people in tfie delivery of tfie Law, and further to clear
the doctrine of pure and true religion shining in the Law, which is, as
it were, the light of the face of God. In which regard, the nations
who knew Him not, may be said not to have had their gods before
His face ; for though He saw thera, they saw not Hira.
Again, Before my face, is as if He should say. If thine idolatry be
never so secret, though it were but in heart, reraeraber that it will be
in My sight. Thou canst not steal away any of My glory to bestow
any where else, so cunningly and secretly, but I shall espy thee. If
thou canst have any other gods that I cannot know of and see not,
thou mayest ; but if thou canst have none but I shall see them, then
beware, for ifl see it, I will punish it.
III. Breaches or sins, against this Comraandraent. We cannot par
ticularly narae all, but some main ones.
1. That inbred enmity, that habitual rebellion which is in our
natures against God; avp.tpvrj-i kyOpa, that connatural enenij/ that takes
life with us as soon as ourselves in the worab, — To (jypovr^f^a tijs
o-a/)K09, the minding of ihe flesh. Rora. viii. 6. And the evidence of
that, is, oiiic vTTojdaaeTai. It cannot be ordered, is ever breaking rank.
Sorae even of those who bestow mourning upon sin, yet, do not often
enough consider the bitter fountain, and bewail it. The wisest way to
know things, is, following thera horae to their causes. Thus David,
Psal. li. 5. Behold I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath Tny
mother conceived me.
2. Atheism. Tfiough there is in the consciences of all men an in
delible conviction of a Deity, so that there have been few of those
monsters found, professed atheists ; yet, there is in us aU, naturally,
this of atheism, that by nature we would willingly be rid of that light,
and quench that sparkle if we could. And all ungodly men do live
contrary to it, and fight against it.
3. The gross idolatry of the Heathens; their -rroXvOeoT-ij^, making
gods of beasts, alraost of every thing, and beasts of themselves. Nullus
enim terminus in falso. The writers of the primitive Church have
mightily and learnedly confuted them : but we will not stir this dung
hill. I'he Scripture calls idols so : Hillulim,
4. Witchcraft, necromancy and magical arts, which make a God of
the devil.
5. Rome's invocation of saints and angels. Though they take
never so rauch pains to clear it, they do but wash the blot more. Thus
in the same raatter, Jer. ii. 22. Though thou take the nitre and much
sope, yet, thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord, AU their
apologies take it not away, let thera refine it never so much with pam
phlets and distinctions ; all they attain by spinning it so fine, is but to
raake it a part ofthe mystery of iniquity.
6. Erroneous opinions concerning God, and, generally, heresies in
religion. 7. Practical or interpretative atheism, or idolatry, whether of the
two you will call it ; for it is both in the lives of tfie most, and tfie
world is full of this ; being such as declares they have no God, or that

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 371
this God is but some base idol in His stead. Particularly, amongst
ourselves, [1.] Gross ignorance of God, and no endeavour to attain
the knowledge of Him, though in the raidst of the light and raeans of
knowing. [2.] Universal profaneness flowing from this ignorance.
Hos. iv. I, 2, 3. The hearts of raen, which should be the temples of
God, are full of idols. Though we hide them in the closest corners,
they are before His face : He sees thera, lust, and pride, and covetous
ness. See Ezek. viii. Consider, that which you bestow raost thoughts
and service on, that which ^ou are raost affectionate and earnest in, is
not that your God ? And is there not something beside the True God,
that is thus deep in the hearts of the most of us ? Take pains to raake
the comparison ; look upon the teraper of your rainds. To say nothing
of much more time spent upon other things than on Hira, how ardent
you are in other affairs which you think concern you near, and how
cold in serving and honouring Hira ! But, though in particular under-
gods, in what serves their honour, they differ, all men naturally agree
in the great idol. Self. Every man is by corrupt nature bis own god.
Was not this the first wickedness, which corrupted our nature. Ye shall
he as gods ? And it sticks to it still. Men would please theraselves,
and have theraselves somebody, esteemed and honoured ; and would
have all serve to this end. Is not this God's right and due they give
themselves, to be the end of all their own actions, and sacrifice all to
tfieir own glory ?
IV. What it commands.
Now, by these we may easily gather the contrary, what is the obe
dience of this Coraraandraent '. It is so to know the True God, this
Jehovah, as to be persuaded sovereignly to love, and fear, and trust in
Hira, to serve and adore Hira.
He is to be feared, for He is great. WTio would not fear Thee,
Thou King of nations ! Jer. x. 7. To be loved, for He is good. And
because both great and good, only fit to be wholly relied on and
hoped in.
But love is all ; it gives up the heart, and by that all the rest to the
party loved ; it is no more its own. Oh, that we could love Him !
Did we see Him we should. It is His uncreated beauty which holds
glorified spirits still beholding and still delighted. But we, because
we know Hira not, if we have any thoughts of Him, how short are
they ! Presently down again we fall to the earth, and into the mire
ere we are aware. Therefore,
Set yourselves to know, and love, and worship this God. Labour
that there may be less of the world, and less of yourselves, and more
of God in your hearts ; more settled and fixed thoughts of Him, and
delight in Hira. Think not that this is only for the learned, or only
for some retired, contemplative spirits that have nothing else to do.
He is the Most High, and senice and honour are due to Him from all
His creatures ; and, from His reasonable creatures, reasonable service ;
* Though the graces are duties properly helonging to the Commandment, some divines
think fit to expatiate into the several common places of them, in explaining this Com
mandment; yet, (^sdth all respect to them.) 1 think it not so fit to dwell upon each of
these herein ; their full handling rather belonging to that place of divinity which treats
of the head of Sanctification and those infused habits of which it consists. 2 B 2

372 AN EXPOSITION OP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
and what this is, hear frora the Apostie, and let his exhortation, or his
entreaty, persuade you to it. Rora. xii. 1 : I beseech you, therefore,
hreihi-en, by the mercies of God, ihat you present your bodies a living
saeriflce, (and they are not living without the soul,) holy, acceptable
unto God, which is your reasonable service ; and your truest obedience
to this Commandment. PRECEPT II.
Thou shalt not make uuto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is iiT
Heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the
earth ! Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. For I the Lord
thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children,
unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and showing mercy unto
thousands of them that love rae, and keep my commandments.
The First Comraandraent binds us to acknowledge and worship the
True God ; this, to the true worship of that God.
As God is not known but by His own teaching and revealing Him
self, so He cannot be rightly worshipped but by His own prescription
and appointraent. This is the aira of this Second Coraraandraent,
to bind up raan's hands, and his working fancy that sets his hands
at work, and to teach hira to depend upon Divine direction for the
rule of Divine worship, and to offer Hira nothing in His service, but
what he hath received from Him in command. The prohibition is
general ; Non facias tibi. Thou shalt not device any thing to thyself
in the worship of God. And under that gross device of iraages, and
-worshipping them, expressly named, are comprehended all other in
ventions and will-worship.
There is in the words, I. The Precept, II. The enforcement of it.
I. The Precept. 1, Thou shalt not Tnake, Thou shalt not iraagine,
nor invent, nor imitate the invention of others. Thou shalt not raake,
nor cause to make. In a word, thou shalt be no way accessary to the
corrupting of Divine worship, with any resemblance, (or image,) or
human device at all : the former is a particular word, signifying the
then raost usual kind of iraagery ; but the other of a raost large and
general sense, is put for all kinds of sirailitude and representation. So
that the dispute the Church of Rome drives us into for her interest
in this matter, about 'eiSujXov and eiKcvv, is not only a mere logomachy,
a debate about words, but altogether impertinent and extravagant,
having no ground at all in the words of the Commandment; the forTner
whereof is more particular than either of these two, and the latter
more general and comprehensive than either they or any one word we
have to render it by.
Ofthe things which are in heaven, &c.] Because the vain raind of
raan had wandered up and down the worid, and gone through all
these places to find objects of idolatry ; iu heaven, the sun, and raoon,
and .stars ; on the earth, not only men, but beasts and creeping things,
and fishes in the water, and made iraages of them to worship ; the
Lord is therefore particular in His countermand.
2. The second part of the Precept is concerning their worship :
Thou shalt Tiot bow down io thcTn, nor serve them.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN C0MMAND5IENTS. 373
The former word is more particular, specifying one usual sign or
worship, the inclining, or bowing, of the body. The other, general :
Thou shalt noi serve them : i. e., Give thera them no kind nor part of
religious worship at all, on whatsoever pretence.
Here again the Popish writers raake u, noise with that distinction
under which they tllink to shift the censure of idolatry. Call it what
they will, \a-peviliv or cov\e-veti>, surely, it coraes under the word in the
original, which signifies religious service or worsliip. Neither can
they ever find in all the Scriptures, that any thing of that kind should
be bestowed lower than upon the raajesty of God hiraself.
This is then the tenor of the Commandment. [1.] That no image
or representation of God be made at all : as is expressed in raany other
Scriptures, as giving the sense of this Precept. [2.] Nor that any
reserablance of any creature be raade for a religious use. [3.] That
neither to any creature, nor to any reserablance or iraage, be given
any part of Divine worship, although it were with a pretence, yea, and
intention of worshipping the true God in and by thera: which, if it
were a sufficient excuse, as the Church of Rorae dreams it is, cer
tainly, the Israelites' golden calf, and many other the grossest idols
that have been in the world, might corae and find room to shelter
under it.
II. For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.] This follows the
other part, as the binding on, or enforcing of the precept by threaten
ing and promise annexed. Particularly, there be these^ye things by
wfiich God describes Himself here, to persuade obedience to this com
mand : 1. His relation to His people — Thy God. 2. His power both
to punish and reward — \_El,] The strong God, 3. The exact regard
He hath to His own glory and zeal, or jealousy for it — A jealous God.
4. The certainty and severity of His justice, punishing the transgres
sors of this His law on theraselves and their posterity — Visiting ihe
iniquities of the fathers upon ihe children, 5. 'The plenty and riches
of His goodness to the obedient — Shewing mercy io thousands of ihem
that love me.
This Comraandraent, and the Fourth are longer than the rest, and
more backed with arguraent, because the light of nature discerns less
in these than in the rest ; viz., the outward raanner of the worship of
God, and God's exactness in that, to be served not as we will, but as
He Himself sees fit, and concerning the tirae of it.
Of the first arguraent, from God's relation to His people, we heard
before in the Preface. Here it is repeated, because it suits with the
word that foWov/s Jealous, I. Thy God — thy Husband by particular
covenant, and therefore jealous of thy love and fidelity to Me and
My worship. 2. El — able to right Myself upon the mightiest and
proudest offender. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? says the
Apostle. Are we stronger than He? \ Cor. x. 22 ; there joining these
two together, as here tfiey are. His strength and H'ls jealousy. 3. Jea
lous — He is the Lord and Husband of His people, and idolatry is
therefore spiritual adultery ; as they are often reproached with it under
that name, by the prophets, Jer. ifi. 1, S^c. So that by that sin parti
cularly. His anger is stirred up against them. The very contract of
this marriage with His people we have, Exod. xix. 5.

374 AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Visiting — As judges and raagistrates use to visit those places that
are under their jurisdiction, to raake inquiry after abuses committed
in time of their absence, and to punish thera. I Sara. vn. 16. Tims,
He wfio is always every where alike present, yet, because he doth
not speedily punish every sin at the first, therefore, when he doth
execute judgraent in His appointed tirae, then is He said to visit,
and search, and find out that iniquity which, in His tirae of forbear
ance. He seeraed to the ungodly, either not to see, or not to regard.
The iniquities of the fathers Tipion the children,] It is true, the
Prophet, correcting the perverse speech of the people of his time,
affirms, (Ezek. xviii. 20,) that the soti shall not bear ihe iniquity ofthe
father, &c., to wit, he repenting and returning, and being no way cul
pable of the like iniquity, wfiicli the people then falsely presuraed of
themselves. But neither is it here said, that the godly children shall
suffer for the sin of their ungodly parents or ancestors ; but, because
this sin of idolatry, or false worship in any kind, doth as comraonly
and readily descend to posterity, as any other, and there is scarcely
any plea for false religion that takes raore than. It was the religion of
our forefathers, this kind of threatening raay possibly for that cause
be here particularly suitable.
But surely that is not all tfiat is fiere intended, that if the chfldren
do continue in the sin of the parents, they shall be punished ; but,
that for so high a transgression as this. He may justly, and often dotfi
in judgment, give the children over to the sins of their parents.
His grace being free, and so, not being bound to His creature to fur
nish grace but where He will, they go on in the sin of their fathers,
and bring upon theraselves further punishment, not only teraporal, but
spiritual and eternal. It is not necessary for its verifying, that it be
always so ; for God, we know, hath converted many children of un
godly, yea, particularly, of idolatrous parents, and shewed them mercy;
but in that He justly raay do thus, it is a just threatening, and in that
He often doth thus, it is a true threatening, although in raercy He
deal otherwise where it pleaseth Hira.
That hate Tne,] What I this is so harsh a word, that nobody will
own it ; not the raost dissolute and wicked, not the grossest idolaters.
Yet, generally, the love of sin witnesses against men possessed with it,
that they are, Qeoarv^eis, haters of God. And particularly the love
of idols and false worship, alienates the soul from God, and turns it to
enmity against Hira. Men seera, possibly, to themselves, in false wor
ship, humble and devout (Col. u. 18) ; but it is to hate and dishonour
the Divine majesty, to bring to Him, and force upon Him, as it were,
iu His own presence, in His iraraediate service, that which is raost
hateful to Hira.
Shewing mercy io thousands,] Blessing them and their posterity,
being their God, and the God of their seed. Of ihem ihat love me and
keep my commandments. Who therefore obey me, because they love
rae, and testify they love rae, by obeying me. This is a general truth,
in regard of all the Commandments, though raore particularly to be
applied to this to which it is annexed.
This Coraraandraent forbids, 1. The making of any image or resem
blance of God at all. Deut. iv. 15. Ye saw no manner of similitude.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 37^
says Moses, on ihe day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb. So,
Isa. xl. 25. To whom will ye liken Me?
2. The giving of any kind of religious honour and worship to any
creature or created reserablance. Job xxxi. 27. Psalm cxv. The
reason why raen are so prone to both these, is, because they are so
rauch addicted to sense, and their minds are so. blinded, that they can
not conceive of the spiritual nature of God. Thei-efore, being driven
by conscience to sorae kind of worship and religion, they incline to
have some visible object of it : the soul having lost its sight, leans
upon the body, would make it up, and supply it by the eye of sense.
3. All superstition and will-worship, all self-pleasing cereraonies
and inventions in the service of God. How porapous, and plausible,
and devout soever they seera to be, instead of decoring, they do in
deed deface the native beauty of Divine worship ; and, as Popish
pictures on glass windows, they raay seera rich and gay, but they
darken the house ; they keep out the light of saving truth, and obscure
the spiritual part of the service of God.
4. All gross, raaterial conceits, and apprehensions of God. Other
particulars of prohibition raay be reduced to this coraraand; for this
and the rest name but the main offences and duties.
Then it commands,
1. To learn, and carefully, aud punctually to observe, the prescrip
tion of God in every part of His own worship, and diligently to he
exercised in it, as in fiearing, prayer, sacraraent, 4'c.
2. In worsfiipping Hira, to fiave the purest spiritual notion of His
raajesty that we are able to attain to.
God deals by representing both His justice and His raercy to per
suade His people to obedience ; to drive thera by fear of the one, and
draw thera by the sweetness of the other. Thus, pastors are to set
both before their people. But as He defights raost in the pressing of
His raercy, and persuading by that, so, certainly, it is that which pre
vails raost with His own children, and doth raost kindly melt and
mould their hearts to His obedience.
Shewing mercy to thousands of them that love me, and keep my
commandments,] Although it be not perfect, yet, it is such a keeping
of His comraandraents as flows from love, and therefore love makes up
what is wanting in it ; and ihat is not perfect, neither, in us here, and
therefore, mercy raakes up what is wanting in both. It is not such
love and obedience as can plead for reward upon raerit, but such as
stands in need of mercy; and it is free grace and mercy that re
wards it.
Love me and keep my commandments. These two are inseparable.
No keeping the Coraraandraents without love ; no love without keep
ing thera. Try, then, the one by the other — the sincerity of your
obedience by examining the spring of it, whether it arises from love ;
and try the reality of your love, whether it be active and fruitful in
obedience. You know how studious love is to please, how observant of their
will whom it affects, preferring it to their own will, and desirous to
have no will but the same : it makes hard things easy, and cannot en
dure to have any thing called difficult to it. Much love to God would

376 AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.-
do this ; it would turn all duty into delight. Did we once know what
this were, we should say with Augustine, What Tieeds threatening and
punishment to those who love Thee not ? Is it noi punishment enough,
not io love Thee ? If you would have all your obedience sweet and
easy to yourselves, and acceptable to God, seek, above all things, hearts
inflaraed with His love.
PRECEPT III.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; for the Lord will not hold
him guiltless, that taketh His name in vain.
The Psalraist stirring up himself to the praises of God, Psal. Ivii. 8,
calls up his glory to it. Awake, my glory. By glory, the Hebrew
interpreters understand the soul; the Septuagint and others, the
tongue; so, the Apostie, following the Septuagint, renders it, from
Psalm XV., Acts ii. 26. It suits well with both : the soul being the
better part of man, far excelling the body ; and, araongst the parts of
the body, the tongue having this excellency, to be the organ of speech,
and so, the interpreter of the mind : and this difference from the
beasts, as the soul is, may well partake of this honourable narae, and
be called raan's glory.
But that which gives thera both best title to that narae, is that
exercise to which he calls them, the praising and glorifying of their
Lord and Maker. Then are they indeed our glory, when they are so
taken up and eraployed; when the one conceives, and the other utters
His glory.
And as it becomes thera always to be one, as they have one name,
the soul and the tongue to agree, so, especially, should this one name
given them be answered by their harmony and agreeraent in his own
work, for which chiefly they have that narae, in giving glory to God.
And it is that which this Coraraandraent requires ; forbidding that
which is the ignominy of man, both of his soul and of his tongue, and
which degrades them, turns thera out of the name of glory, to be called
sharrie and dishonour; that is, irreverence, and the dishonouring of
the glorious Narae of God ; and therefore, on the contrary, coraraand
ing the reverent and holy use of His Narae and service, and that we
always endeavour so to speak and think of Hira, and so to walk
before Him, as those that speak beyond all things that His name may
be glorified in us and by us. For, thougfi false swearing and vain
swearing are main breaches of this Comraandraent, (as we shall shew
afterwards,) being priraarily forbidden by it, yet, it extends generally
to aU our speeches concerning God. Neither is it to be restrained
there, and kept within, that corapass, as if it gave only law to the
tongue; although, indeed, the tongue hath a very great share in it,
both in the breaking and the keeping of it : yet, certainly, tiie Precept
in its full sense, goes deeper into the soul, and gives a rule to the
speech of the raind, our thoughts concerning God ; and larger, stretches
itself forth to our actions and life, which hath as loud a voice, to those
with whom we converse, as our tongues, and is the more considerable
of the two, — giving a truer characterof men, what they are indeed,
than their words can do.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 377
The First Commandment teaches and enjoins whom we sliall
worship. The Second, what worship we shall give Him. This Third
shews us with what disposition and intention, and answerably with
what raanner of expression, we shall worship Hira and use His narae;
that it be not vainly, and after a coraraon, trivial manner, but in holi
ness and humility, and in desire of His glory.
So then, this Comraandraent concerns particularly that which is the
great end of all the works of God, The glory of His name. He Tiiade
all things for Himself, (Prov. xvi. 4), His works of creation for this
end (Isa. xliii. 7); those of rederaption, and His new creation of the
elect world, aU io the praise of His glory, Eph. i. 12. And for this
end calls He nsfro7n darkness to light, to shew forth His praises or
virtues. 1 Pet. ii. 9. This we are to intend with him ; and tiiis
Precept requires of us, that what He aimed at in all His Works, the
same we may intend iu all ours. And this is an excellent thing, the
holiest and happiest condition, to make God's purpose ours, and have
the same end \\itfi Hira. Here it is particularly true, Summa re
ligionis est imitari quem colis: The main of religion is, io imitate
Him whom we worship. Thus are we to live, and particularly, so to
worship Hira and make mention of His narae, that we be ever sensible
of its worth and greatness, and so beware that we indignify it not, but
always seek to advance the honour and glory of it. And that is the
very scope of this Coraraandraent.
There is in it, I. The Precept itesif II. The annexed Commination.
In the Precept, consider, 1. What is His Name, 2. What it is, to
take it. What, to take it in vain.
The Namei] That is, [I.] the naraes that are given Hira in Scrip
ture, Jehovah, Elohim, &c. It was a foolish and profane shift of the
Jews, who thought theraselves free if they abused not the name
Jehovah ; and so they became superstitious in the forbearing of that,
and licentious in the abuse of the rest, and in swearing by other things
in heaven and earth, &c. Which, therefore, our Saviour reproves,
giving the true sense of this Coramandment, Matt. v. 34. And this
is the nature of superstition, to make frivolous, undue restraints, by
way of compensation for that profane liberty and looseness in the com
mandments of God, which is its usual companion. [2.] All the
attributes of God, by which the Holy Scriptures set Him forth to us.
[3.] Generally, any thing whatsoever by wfiich God is raade known
unto us, and distinguished from all others, and by which we raake
raention of Him, which are the uses of a 7iame, In a word, that of
St. Paul expresseth it fuUy and fitly. To yviuo-Tov tou Qeoo.
Thou shalt not take,] That is. Thou shalt not take, or lift up, or
bear. [I.] Not use it secretly by thyself, or within thyself, in thine
own thoughts, without reverence ; not take it in vain. So, [2.] Not
make mention of it, or express it to others, vainly ; not lift up in vain.
[3.] Not bear, not be called by it, or have it called upon thee ; not
profess it in vain.
In vain.] That is, [1.] Falsely and dissiraulately. [2.] Profanely.
[3.] Unprofitably, to no person. [4.] Lightiy and inconsiderately,
without due regard and holy fear.
II. The annexed Commination.

378 an EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
He will noi hold him guiltless,] He wfll not clear him. The
Sovereio-n Judge, from whose hand no offender can escape, except
He wilfingly set him free and absolve him. He wiU not absolve them
who abuse His name. And it means further. He wfll not clear him ;
that is. He will certainly punish hira, and do judgraent on him as
o-uilty. And this is the rather particularly here expressed, because men
are subject foolishly to promise themselves irapunity in this sin, thinking
either that there remains no guiltiness behind it, but it passes as the
words do ; or, if there be any, yet, being but a matter of words,
wherein the raost usual and known breach of this Command consists,
that the guiltiness of thera is so sraall, that any little excuse may wipe
it off; that it is but inadvertence, or a bad custora, or sorae such
thing. No, says the Lord, the Law-giver hiraself, delude not your
selves ; think not the honour and dishonour of My Narae a ligfit
matter ; or, if you wfll, yet I will not think it so, nor shall you find it
so : tfiougfi you easily forgive and clear yourselves, I wifl not clear
you, but will vindicate tfie glory of My Narae in your just punisfi-
raent, which your sin of taking it in vain did abuse and dishonour, and
you shall feel in tfiat punishraent that you are not guiltless, as you
imagined. The Name of God is great, and weighty, and honourable,
(as the sarae Hebrew word signifies both,) and therefore, qui assU'-
Tnunt vel atiolluni, as the same word here is — they who offer to lift up
this weighty Name lightly and regardlessly, it shall fall upon them,
and they shall be crushed under the weight of it.
There are many questions relating to this Comraandraent, handled
and discussed by divines, as, of an oath, a vow, &c., which, for our
purposed brevity, we will pass by ; and only, according to our usual
method, add sorae chief heads of the violation and tfie observance of
this Coraraandraent.
It forbids, I. All false swearing or perjury, wfiich is to take His
name after the grossest manner in vain, or, in mendacium, as the
word likewise signifies ; to call Trutfi itself, tfie First Verity, to
partake of a fie. But He is noi mocked; for as the nature of an oath
imports invocating Him as the highest both witness and judge of truth,
and punisher of falsehood. He always, in His own due tirae, makes it
good on those who dare adventure upon that guiltiness in so high a sin.
2. Papal dispensation of oaths, which is a raost heinous sin, and
becoraes him who is erainently called The man of sin. It is raore
than perjury; for it is a professed, avowed patrociny of perjury, toge»
ther witfi an irapudent conceit ofa privilege and right to do so.
3. Equivocatory oaths, by which, if it were lawful, the grossest
perjury raight be defended ; for there is nothing so false, but sorae
raental reservation raay raake it true.
4. Abusing the narae and the word of God to cliarras and spells.
5. Execration and cursing by the narae of Satan, which is no other
than invocating hira.
6. Swearing by any creature.
7. Abusing and vflifying the glorious and holy name of God, by
passionate, or by vain and common, customary swearing.
8. Swearing for ends of controversy, and in weighty raatters, where
an oath is lawful, yea, necessary, yet doing it without due reverence

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 379
and consideration of the greatness of God and the nature of au
oath. 9. The abasing ofthe word of God, either wresting it to defence of
error, or raaking sport and jesting with it.
10. Scoffing and taunting at fioliness and the exercises of religion.
1 1 . Dishonouring the religion which we profess, by unworthy and
unsuitable carriage of life.
12. Perforraing prayer, or any other religious exercise, only out of
custora, without afi'ection and delight, and holy regard of the presence
and raajesty of God in His worship. — More raight be added, which for
brevity we omit.
Is it not the highest shame of Christians, to take pleasure to vilify
and abuse that holy Narae of God, which saints and angels are
blessing above, and which we hope (as we pretend) to bless with
thera for ever? If any dare offer to excuse it by provocation or
passion, who otherwise use it not ; consider, what a raadness this is,
because man hath injured thee, thou wilt injure God, and be avenged
upon His name for it? And you who plead custom, accurse yourselves
more deeply: that tells, you are guilty of long continuance in, and
frequent coraraission of, this horrible sin. Were the fear of God in
men's hearts, it would prevail both above their passion and their
custom. Did they believe this, that the Lord will not clear them in His
great day, it would fright them out of their custom. Were there a
law raade, that whosoever were heard swear, should be put to death,
you would find a way to break your custora. God threatens eternal
death, and you fear not, because indeed you believe not.
It coraraands, 1. Generally the reverend and holy use of the Name
of God, and, particularly in case of necessity, by advised and religious
swearing by His narae, and His alone, in judgraent, truth, and
righteousness. 2. To consider His narae often, to take it into our
thoughts, to meditate on His glorious attributes, and on His words
and works, in both which those attributes shine forth unto us. 3. To
delight to make raention of His narae upon all fit occasions, and to
speak to His glory. 4. To adorn our fioly profession of religion witfi
a holy life, with wise and circumspect w.dking, that it raay not be evil
spoken of by our means. 5. That our heart and affection be in the
service of God which we perform ; otherwise how plausible soever the
appearance and outside of it is, it is nothing but guiltiness within, a
taking of His naTne in vain, who will not hold him guiltless who does so.
6. Above all exercises, to defigfit in the praises of God, which is most
properly the exalting and raagnifying of litis narae, the lifting it up on
high. The Psalraist abounds in coraraending it : It is good, it is
comely, it is pleasant. Oh ! that we could resolve with him, Psal.
xxxiv. 1,2: / will bless the Lord at all times ; His praise shall be in
my mouth continually. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord.
This is, as we can, to bear a part here with glorified spirits ; and a
certain pledge to us, that, after a few days, we shall be admitted into
their nuraber.

380 AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

PRECEPT IV.
Remember tbe Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy
-work. But the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not
do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid
servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger within thy gates : For in si.^ days the Lord
made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day :
wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
Amongst all the visible creatures, it is raan's peculiar excellency, that
he is capable of considering and worshipping his Maker, and was
made for that purpose ; yet, being composed of the dust of fhe earth
and the breath of God, a body and a soul, the necessities of that
raeaner part, while we are in this life, eraploy as rauch, and take up a
great part ofour little time. And in this regard, God hath wisely and
graciously set apart a day for us, one of eacfi seven, to be appropriate
to that our highest employment, the contemplating and solemn wor
shipping of His Majesty. This is the scope of this Precept. Consider,
I. .The Precept itself II. The reason of it, and motive to its obe
dience. The Precept itself is first briefly expressed ; and then, further
explained and urged.
Re7ne7nber,] This word used, seeras, 1. To reflect upon by-past
oraission and forgetfulness. For, though it was instituted in pararlise,
and was not now a new unfieard-of thing to this people, as appears by
Exod. xvi. 23, yet, it is like they were rauch worn out of the observa
tion and practice of it, especially during the time of their captivity in
Egypt. So then, it is renewed thus : Keep holy this day which you
know was so long ago appointed to be so — Be not now any more un
mindful and regardless of it. 2. Such a way of enjoining seems more
particularly needful in this than in the rest, because it is not so written
in nature as the rest, but depends wholly upon particular institution,
which may also be the cause why it is so large, and the form of it
alone, araongst all the ten, both negative and positive. Thou shalt do
no work, and. Remember io keep it holy, 3. But the raain reason of this
Remember, is, the raain thing or aira in this Precept, as both the badge,
and the preserver and increaser of all piety and religion. And there
fore is it, that it is so often pressed in the books of the Law, and in
the serraons of the Prophets to the people of God, and so often called
a sign of God's covenant with thera, and their raark of distinction from
all other people. Exod. xxin. 12, and xxxi. 13, 14. Levit. xix. 30 ;
xxv. 2, &c. Jer. xvii. Is^ Iviii, 13, 14, &c.
The Sabbath-day ,] It is 'called a day of rest, frora the beginning
and original of its institution, God's rest ; and frora the end of its in
stitution, raan's rest ; both which follow in the words ofthe Coramand:
the one is the example and enforcing reason ofthe other.
That thou keep holy,] God sanctified it by instituting it, and man
sanctifies it by observing it according to that institution.
This sanctifying is, [I.] In cessation from earthly labour. [2.] In
their stead, to be wholly possessed and taken up with spiritual exercise,
both in private and in public. The forraer is necessary for the being
ofthe latter ; that cessation, for this work ; and the latter is necessary
for the due being of the former : we cannot be vacant and entire for

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN C0MM^NDMENTS. 381
spiritual service, unless wo cease from bodfly labour ; and this cessa
tion or resting from bodily labour, cannot be a sanctifying of this dtiy
unto God, unless it be accorapanied with spiritual exercise.
In the following words, that part only is expressed, the rest or ab-
stinency frora work ; but tfie other is supposed as the end of this, —
that they shall not do their own works, that they raay attend upon
God's, His soleran worship. And this is iraplied in that word. It is
the Sabbath of the Lord thy God ; both of His own appointing, and
for this end, this work, tfiat He may be more soleranly worshipped.
And likewise, the antithesis that seeras to be in that word. In six days
thou shalt do all thy work, iraports, that on the seventh thou shalt do
God's. Not so called, that any benefit arises to Hira by our service ;
no, our goodness reaches Hi7n noi at all, Psal. xvi. 2. In that way,
that worship, which is far above ours, that of the angels, can add
nothing to Him, for He is infinite. Even this work. Sabbath-work,
and all our prayers and praises offered to Hira, and all perforraances
of His worship, they are our works, in respect ofthe gain and advantage
of them ; it coraes all back to us. But His worship is His work objec
tively. He is the object of it; and directively, by particular prescrip
tion frora Hiraself; and, if you will add, eff'ectively too, never done
arigfit but by His own grace and assistance.
Six days shalt thou labour.] Tfie comraand of due labour and dili
gence in our particular callings, is not of this place ; it belongs pro
perly to the Eighth precept, and in sorae way, to the Seventh : here,
it is only mentioned premissively, and for illustration of this duty here
enjoined. And further, there is under it a motive frora abundant
equity : seeing that God hath raade the proportion thus, not pinched to
us, but dealt very Uberally in the tirae granted for our own work, what
gross, not iraplety only, but iniquity and ingratitude wfll it be, to en
croach upon that small part He hath nominated and set apart for His
service ! This was a great aggravation of our first parent's first sin, that
having the free use of aU the trees in the garden besides, they would
not bate tfiat one whicfi was forbidden them, in homage and obedience
to Him who had given them all the rest, and given them theraselves,
who a littie before were notfiing.
Thou shalt labour .six days.] Not so as in them to forget and take no
notice of God, nor at all to call upon Him and vi^orship Hira, and
think to acquit all by sorae kind of attendance on Hira on the Sabbath.
They who do so, are raost unsanctified theraselves, and therefore,
cannot sanctify the Sabbath to God. Such profane persons do profane
and pollute all they touch with their foul hands, for such be all profane
hands lifted up to God in prayer. Tfie life of the godly is not a
visiting of God only in His house on this day, but a daily and constant
walking with God in our own houses, and in all our ways, raaldng both
our houses and our hearts, His houses, His teraples, where He raay
dwell with us, and we may offer Him our daily sacrifices.
Only, tfie peculiar of this day is, that we may not divide it betwixt
Heaven and Earth, but it shall be wholly for the service of God, and
no work at all to have place in it that may hinder that, and suits not
with the sanctifying of it : for so we are to understand the word, No
mamier of work.

382 AN EXPOSITION OP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Neither thou nor thy servant, &c.] As each one is obliged per
sonally, SO, they who have coraraand of otfiers, are bound to bind
them to observance of the Precept, and tfie cattle to rest, because their
labour is for man's use, and therefore, his resting infers theirs ; as, like
wise, their rest is for a passive conforraity, that man may see nothing
round about him, but what may incite to the observance of this day ;
which was the reason, in solemn fasts, of the beast's fasting likewise,
for man's further humiliation. The stranger, if converted and pro
fessing their religion, the sarae reason for him as for all others within
a man's house ; and if a stranger to their religion too, yet they raight,
and ought, as is here coraraanded, oblige hira to this part of outward
conforraity, cessation frora work, which otherwise would be an offen
sive and scandalous sight ; and withal, if they did any work for those
with whora they dwelt, their share would be deeper in the sin, than of
such a stranger not professing their religion.
For in six days.] It is not pertinent here to speak of the reason of
this, why God raade six days' work of that which He could have done
in one instant. Here, it is only urged exeraplarily, as the reason why
God did sanctify this day, aud why we should sanctify it. His rest,
you know, is not of weariness, or at all of ceasing frora motion, for He
faints not, neither is wearied, as He tefls us by the prophet, Isa. xl. 28;
yea. He moves not at all in working. Omnia movet ipse immotus : All
things, Hiraself unraoved, are moved by Hira. But this rest is this ;
that this was the day that iraraediately followed the perfecting of the
Creation ; and therefore, God blessed it with this privilege, (that is
the blessing of it,) that it should be to raen, holy, for the conterapla
tion of God and of His works, and for soleran worship to be perforraed
to Hira.
All the other precepts of this Law renriaining in full force in their
proper sense, it cannot but be an injury done to this Coraraand, either
flatiy to refuse it that privilege, or, which is little better, to evaporate
it into allegories. Nor was the day abolisfied as a typical ceremony,
but tfiat seventh only changed to a seventh still, and the very next to
it; He who is Lord ofthe Sabbath, either hiraself iraraediately, or by
his authority in his apostles, appointing that day of his resurrection for
our sabbath, adding to the reraerabrance of the first creation, the
memorial of accomplishing tfie new creation, the work of our redemp
tion, which appeared then manifestly to be perfected, when our Re
deemer broke the chains of death, and arose from the grave ; he who
is the light of the new world, shining forth anew the same day that
light was made in the former creation. This day was St. John, in the
Spirit, taken up with those extraordinary revelations. Rev. i. 10.
They were extraordinary indeed. And certainly, every Christian ought
to be ill the Spirit, in holy meditations and exercises on this day, more
than the rest; winding up his soul, which the body poises downwards,
to a higher degree of heavenliness ; — ought to be particularly careful
to bring a hurable heart to speak to God in prayer, and hear Hira in
His word, a heart breathing after Hira, longing to raeet with Himself
in His ordinances. And certainly, it is safer and sweeter to be thus
aff'ected towards ihe Lord's day, than to be much busied about the
debate of the change.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 383
The very life of religion doth much depend upon the solemn ob
servation of this day. Consider, if we should intermit the keeping of
it but for one year, to what a height profaneness would rise in those
who fear not God, who yet are restrained, though not converted, by the
preaching of the word, and their outward partaking of public worship.
Yea, those who are most spiritual, would find themselves losers by the
interraission. What forbidden. — 1. Bodily labour on this day, where necessity
unavoidable, or piety, coraraands not. 2. Sporting and pastiraes*-
This is not to make it a sabbath to God, but to our lusts and to Satan;
and hath a stronger antipathy with the worship of God, and that temper
of raind they intend in it, than the hardest labour. 3. Resting from
these, but withal, resting from the proper work of this day, neglecting
the worship of God in the assemblies of His people. The beasts can keep
it thus, as we see in the Precept. 4. Resorting to the public worship
of God, but in a custoraary, cold way, without affection aud spiritual
defigfit in it. 5. Spending the reraainder of the day incongruously,
in vain visits and discourses, &c.
How observed, — I. By pious remerabrance of it, and preparation,
sequestering not only the body frora the labour, but our souls frora
the cares and other vain thoughts of the world. 2. Attending upon
the public worship of God willingly and heartily, as the joy and re
freshraent of our souls. Isa. Iviu. Psal. cxxii. 3. Spending the
reraainder of it in private, holily ; as rauch as raay be, in raeditation
of the word preached, and conference, in prayer, reading, and raedi-
tating on the great works of Gud, of creation, redemption, &c.
This is the loveliest, brightest day in all the week to a spiritual
mind. These rests refresh the soul in God, that finds nothing but
turraoil in the creature. Should not this day be welcome to the soul,
that sets it free to raind its own business, which is on other days to
attend the business of its servant, the body ? And these are a certain
pledge to it of that expected freedom, when it shall enter to an eternal
sabbath, and rest in Him for ever, who is the only rest of the soul.
PRECEPT V.
Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord
thy God giveth thee.
The renewed iraage of God in raan, or ihe new man, is raade up of
holiness and righteousness. Eph. iv. 24. These two are that of which
the whole Law of God is the rule : the first Table, tfie rule of fiofiness
or piety towards God ; the second, of righteousness or equity towards
men. And of the comraandments which concern the latter, the first
aims at tfie preserving of that order which God hath appointed in the
several relations of superiors and inferiors ; that is the scope of this
Fifth Coraraandraent.
Daily experience teacheth us how needful this is, that God should
give a particular precept concerning this; in that we see how few there
* Sabb. vituli aurei.

384 AN EXPOSITION OP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
are who know aright, either how to command and bear riile as
superiors, or as inferiors, to obey and be subject. And there is one
evil very natural to men, which misleads them in both, pride and self-
opinion, which often makes superiors affect excess in comraanding,
and inferiors defective in due obedience.
Observe the order : it hath the first place in the second Table : 1st.
As being the rule of order and society araongst raen, which is needful
for the better observing of all the rest. And, 2dly, as in afl authority,
there is a particular reserablance of God, therefore it is fitiy placed
next to those precepts that contain our duty to Hiraself. He is
pleased to use that interchange of names with superiors which testifies
this reserablance ; not only to take theirs to Himself, to be called a
father, a master, a king, &c., but to comraunicate His own name to
thera, and call thera gods. And where the Aposle speaks of God as
the Father of Spirits, he draws a reason frora that obedience we owe
to the fathers of our flesh, as the subordinate causes of our being.
Heb. xii. 9.
There is in the words, 1. The Precept. II. The Promise, And it
is called by the Apostie, The flrst Commandment with promise, Eph.
vi. 2. For the last clause of the Second Coraraandraent, though it
imply a promise, yet, as is usuaUy observed, it is general to the keep
ing of all the Commandments; whereas this is appropriate. But
again, thai is a promise of mercy in general, this, of one particular
blessing. Further, that it is not forraally a proraise, though it im
plies one indeed, and is intended so ; but it is set down by way of
description of God, frora His raercy and bounty to those who keep
His precepts ; as the clause foregoing it, expresses His justice in
punishing the rebellious.
Honour,] Under this is coraprehended whatsoever is due to supe
riors, by virtue of that their station and relation to us : inward re
spectful thoughts and esteera of thera, and the outward expression
and signifying of it by the usual signs of honour, and by obedience and
gratitude, iyc.
Thy father, &c.] This relation is naraed for all the rest, as being
the fir.st and raost natural ; and also, as being the sweetest and most
affectionate superiority, and therefore, the fittest to regulate tfie com
mand of superiors, and to persuade inferiors to obedience. Magis
trates are fathers for raen's civil good in their societies and dwelling
together ; ministers, fathers for their spiritual good and society as
Christians. That thy days may be long in ihe land.] — That it is said. Which ihe
Lord thy God shall give thee, is pecufiar to that people to whom this
Law was first delivered; but the substance of the promise being
comraon, extends to all together with the precept.
This blessing of length of days, is particularly fit for tfie duty ; that
they who honour their parents, who are the second causes of their fife,
should be blessed witii long life.
This, as all other promises of temporal things, is ever to be taken
with that condition without which they might change their quality,
and prove rather punishments ; but God always bestows them on His
own, and therefore, ought to be understood so to proraise them, in so

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMM.VNDMENTS. 385
far as they are fit for them, and raay be truly good in their particular
enjoyment, and as they conduce to a greater good.
It forbids — I. All disobedience in inferiors to the just comraands of
those whora God hath placed in authority above thera ; stubbornness
and rebellion in children against their parents, or despising and dis-
esteera of them for their raeanness in body, or raind, or estate. The
precept is not, honour thy parents for tiieir riches, or wisdora, or
coraeliness ; but, honour them as thy parents, and because they are so.
Against this comraand is all otiier disobedience or refractoriness of
those who owe obedience ; wives to their husbands, servants to their
raasters, people to their pastors, &c.
2. Superiors break it, when they abuse their authority to serve their
pride. Their screwing it too high, is very unpleasant, a particular
dishonour to God, and defaces the reserablance they have of Hira :
it spoils their harraony, as a string too high wound up; and besides
that, it is very dangerous, being the ready way to break it. As in
magistracy and pubfic governraent, tyranny is most observable, so
there is petty tyranny in masters and parents, and husbands, in
extrerae harshness and bitterness, ^^ TriKpalve-re, says the Apostle, &c.
Again, the precept is broken, when superiors walk unworthily, and so
divest themselves of that honour which belongs to them.
It commands — First, That chfldren give due respect and obedience to
their parents ; and that afl who are subject to the authority of others,
though they have not suitable deserving, give it to their station, in
obedience to God who commands. For though they, personally con
sidered, do not, yet certainly God deserves our obedience. And it is
so much the purer to Him, when, other incitements fading, yet we
observe that which fails not at all.
All obedience to men is liraited thus, that it be in ihe Lord, and
¦with regard to His supreraacy ; and therefore, no authority can oblige
to the obedience of any coramand that crosses His. Authority is
primitively and originally in God, and He gives not His glory to
another. He gives not away any of His peculiar authority to man,
but substitutes Him ; and our first tie is to God, as His creatures, and
this is universal. The greatest kings are His vassals, and owe Him
homage, and no authority derived from Him, can free us from that
which we owe to Hiraself There is a straight line of subordination,
and if superiors leave this, we are to adhere to it, looking directly
to God, keeping our station. Sorae of the schoolraen think that the
inferior angels therefore fell with the chief in their apostacy, because
they looked so rauch upon him, that they considered him not in
subordination to God, and so, left their station, as the Apostle speaks,
Jude 6.
Secondly, The duty of all superiors is, I. To consider that their
higher station is not for themselves, and for their own advantage, but
for those who are in subjection to them : as the stars are set in the
highest place, but are for the benefit of tfie inferior world, by tfieir
light and heat and influence : Let them befor lights in the flrmament
of heaven, to give light upon the earth. Gen. i. 15. 2. Let tfiem
always remember, to command in God and for Him ; to prefer His
honour to their own; and seeing He gives command concerning
Vol. II. 2 C

386 AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
theirs, that they make it serviceable for the advancing of His. For,
to this purpose hath He given thera authority, and given coraraand
that they be honoured ; and His proraise is, to honour those ihat
honour Him, hut ihey that despise Him, shall be despised. I Sam.
ii. 30. This many superiors have felt, because they would not believe
it and take notice of it.
Would parents teach their children to know God, and honour and
obey Hira, this were the surest and raost effectual way to raake thera
obedient children to them. If they teach them to obey God, you see,
He coraraands thera to obey their parents ; and therefore, in obedience
to Hira, they will do so.
PRECEPT VI.
Thou shalt not kill. Or, Thou shalt do no murder.
The world was at first perfect harraony, but sin made the breach at
which discord entered, enraity betwixt God and raan, and enraity
betwixt raan and raan. As the sin that hath poisoned raan's nature
makes him a rebel to God, so it makes men tigers and wolves one to
another : and that sarae Serpent that at first envenomed our nature,
doth still hiss on wretched raen, both to disobedience against God,
and enmity and cruelty against one another. We see how soon this
evil followed upon the former : the first parents disobeyed God, and
the first chfldren, the one kifled the other. In opposition to this evil,
God fiatfi given tfiis to be one of His Ten Precepts, Thou shall
noi kill.
Having given a rule touching the particular relations of men,
the following coraraandraents of the second Table concern the general
duties of all men one to another ; and this Sixth regardeth his being
or Ufe.
Not kill] This ties not up the sword of justice, which is in the
magistrate's hand, from punishing offenders, even with death those
that deserve it ; but rather calls for the use of it, not being to be
carried in vain, as the Apostie says, Rom. xiii. 4 : not a gilt sword
only for shew, but to be drawn and wielded for the execution of
justice ; both that in the just punishraent of sin, [KoXaais,] the sinner
may eat ofthe fmit of his own ways, and so, God the Suprerae Judge
and Fountain of justice raay be honoured, [Ti/twpia,] and that by that
exaraple, [UapaSei^/pa,] others raay be terrified from the like of
fences. And thus, just kiUing by the sword of the magistrate, is a
main means of the observing of this Coraraandraent araongst men.
Thou shall not kill.
By the like reason is just war likewise freed from tfie breach of this
Coraraandraent. But,
The scope of the Precept being the preservation and safety of the
life of man, and guarding it from violence, it is evident that all injury
to our neighbour's life, our own not excluded, is /or6z'ddew ; and not
only the heinous fault of murder, which huraan laws do punish, but
all the seeds and beginnings of this sin in the heart, to which princi
pally, as the fountain ofour actions, the spiritual iaw of God is given;.

AN EXPOSITION OP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 387
as the authentic interpretation of our Saviour teacheth. Matt, v., and
particularly touching this Coraraandraent, ver. 21, &c.
1. All fixed hatred of our brethren is forbidden, as the highest
degree of heart-raurder. Thou shalt 7iot hate thy brother in thy heart.
Levit. xix. 17. And fVhosoever hateth his brother is a murderer.
1 John iii. 15; and he adds. Ye Imow that no murderer hath life
eternal abiding in him. So then, he is in a woful deadly condition, in
whose heart this hatred dwells. This is an infernal kind of fire, fike
your fires under ground, that cannot be quenched. So far is it from
the temper of any truly spiritual and heavenly mind, to be subject to
it, there is not any thing more contrary to the Spirit of God, and the
work of His grace, than the spirit of raalice. And although it never
break forth to revenge, yet, ifthe heart rejoice when evil befals those
it dislikes, although it corae frora another hand, God accounts it as if
he who is glad at it, had inflicted it and been the worker of it.
Therefore Job protests thus, that he rejoiced 7ioi at the destruction of
him that hated him, nor lift up his soul when evil found him. Job
xxxi. 29.
2. Rash anger, either that which is altogether without just cause,
or which, upon sorae just cause, arises to an undue measure. And is
not this the ordinary disease of the greatest part, — an habitual bitter
ness of spirit, that is put out of its seat and troubled with every trifling
cause, peevishly stirred up with the shadow and iraagination of a
wrong, where none is done ?
3. The vent of these passions of envy and hatred, or sudden rash
anger, by railing, and strife, and bitter speakings, by scoffs and taunts,
by whisperings and detraction, wfiicfi are the coraraon exercise of
base and unworthy spirits.
This coraraandraent requires that, to the avoiding and forbearance
of all injury to the life of our neighbour, we add a charitable disposi
tion and desire of preserving it, and do accordingly act that charity to
our utraost power, to the good and corafort of his life ; using towards
him meekness and patience, clemency and beneficence ; doing film
good, supplying his wants, as we are able. For it is cruelty to the
life of our poor brethren, to be straight-handed towards them in the
day of their necessity and our abundance, at least, of our comparatively
better estate. 1 John iii. 17.
But we tfiink we do mucfi this way, when, upon right trial, we
should find ourselves exceeding defective. We look upon our few and
petty acts of charity with a raultiplying glass, and see one as it were
ten. Who alraost are there, that will draw somewhat frora their ex
cesses, to turn into this channel ? that wfll abate a lace from their
garment, or a dish from their table, to bestow upon the necessities of
the poor ? In a word, we ought not only lo be free from hurting, but
be a tree of life io our neighbour.
Let us then be convinced of our guiltiness in the breach of this pre
cept. Men think it much if they can forgive, upon the acknowledg
ment and submission ofthose who have injured them; but they aspire
not to this, cordially to forgive those who stfll continue fo wrong and
provoke them, to compassionate them, and pray for thera, and repay
all their evil with meekness and good-will. 'We consider not how
202

388 AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,
sublime the rule of Christianity is, and how low our spirits are, and
how far off from it. Be not overcome of evil, says the Apostle, but
overcome evil with good. Rora. xii. 21. It is easy to overcorae a raan
who resists not, but yields ; to pardon injury when it ceaseth, and en
treats pardon ; but when it holds out, and is so stout as still to fight
against that goodness and meekness which it meets withal, yet, the
Christian ought to persist in these, and overcome it with good. And
see our Saviour's rule to them who will be His disciples, against hatred
and wrath. Matt. v. 44. — Labour for hurable spirits. Pride is the
spring of malice and desire of revenge, and of rash anger and conten
tion. This makes raen easily swell against any thing that crosses
thera, beciuse they have laid down this with theraselves, that they
deserve to be observed and respected, and not crossed at all ; and
when they find it otherwise, it kindles thera to anger. And it is not the
degree of provocation, but the different teraper of men's spirits, makes
them more or less subject to anger. It matters not how great the fire
be, but where it falls.
Consider, 1. That these turbulent passions carry their punishraent
along with them : they rankle and fester the soul, and fiU it full of
pain and disturbance. Wfiereas the spirit of meekness makes the soul
ofa Christian like the highest region of the air, constantiy calm and
serene. The Apostle speaking of this comraandraent of love, says, that
the commandments of God are not grievous. 1 John v. 3. Certainly,
there is such a true pleasure in raeekness, forgiving of injuries, and
loving our very eneraies, that did men know it, they would choose it
for the very defigfit and sweetness of it, though there were no cora
mand to enforce it.
2. Consider, particularly against rash anger, how weak and foolish
a thing it is. Anger resteth in ihe bosom of fools, saith Soloraon.
Eccl. vii. 9. A fool's breast is the very natural place of anger, where
it dwells. But, as he says elsewhere, A man of understanding is of
an excellent spirit. Prov. xvii. 9. The word is, a cool spirit. What
a senseless mistake is it for raen to think it strength and greatness
of spirit, to bear nothing, to be sensible of every touch, and to stand
upon their punctilios ! Is it not evident weakness, to be able to
suffer nothing? We see the weakest persons raost subject to anger, —
women, children, and the sick, and aged persons ; old age being"
both a continued sickness, and a childishness, as they call it, and
as the dregs of a man's life turned into vinegar : it is the weakness
of all these that makes them fretful *. In a word, it is ihe glory of a
man io pass by a transgression. Every one can be angry, and most
re they who are weakest; but to be above it, and have it under cora
raand, is the advantage of those who are truly wise, and therefore,
worthy of our study to attain it.
3. "That which should raost prevail with Christians to study love and
meekness of spirit, and a propension to do good to all, is, the con
formity that is in this temper to our Head and Redeemer, Jesus
Christ, — to partake of his dove-like Spirit. Learn of me, says he, for
I am jneek and lowly in heart. The fruit ofthe Spirit is love. Gal.
* Omne infirmim naturCi querulum.

^^N EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMM.^NDMENTS, 389
v. 22, And this he hath given as the coraraission and badge of his
disciples, that, as he loved them, so they love one another. John
xiii. 35.

PRECEPT VII.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
As the perverseness of nature hath found out crooked ways, and sinful
abuses of things that we enjoy and use, the holy Law of God aims at
the rectifying of these abuses, and the bounding and limiting of our
ways by a strait rule.
And this Precept particularly debars us frora all sinful uncleanliness,
under the name of one kind of it ; That, answerably to our condition
or estate of it, whatsoever it is, single or married, we ought to endea
vour that cleanness and purity of soul and body, that becomes the
teraples ofthe Holy Ghost.
I purpose not to reckon up particularly the several sorts and degrees
of sin of this kind ; for chastity is a delicate, tender grace, and can
scarcely endure the much naming of itself, far less ofthose things that
are so contrary to it. Though in the Law of God, given to the people
ofthe .lews, there is express mention ofthe gross abominations of this
kind, because practised by the Gentiles, and to be forbidden thera ;
and though the Apostle writing to the Gentiles newly converted from
those aborainations, of necessity mentions particulars of them ; yet,
further than that necessity of reproving thera where they are in custora,
requires, he hates the very naraing- of thera. Eph. v. 3 — 12. As the
old Roman satirists, while they seera to reprove vice, rather teach it
by their irapudent descriptions of it ; the new Roman casuists, some of
them, are as foul that w ay.
It may suffice to regulate us in this, if we befieve this truth, that
whatsoever is in this kind, besides the lawflil use of marriage, is a
breach of this holy law of God, whether it be in action or in words,
or so rauch as in thought. And if this be true, — as it is, if we believe
Truth itself, our Saviour's interpretation, — that an unchaste look, or
thought, raakes a man guilty, then, surely, whatsoever is beyond these
is more grossly sinful.
What a shameful thing it is that our holy profession of religion
should be so dishonoured by the abounding of uncleanness amongst
us ! In many, it breaks forth scandalously ; and if there be any who
live in that way of wickedness undiscovered, and walk secretly in it,
yet, the pure Lord who perfectly sees and hates it, will call them to
account, and judge them, according to the Apostle's word, Heb. xiii. 4.
Consider this likewise, any of you who have not lamented your forraer
impure conversation, but being reformed outwardly, by your years or
condition of life, yet never fiave inwardly repented, and been deeply
liurabled for the sins of your youth.^ True conversion is not so ligfit a
work. David remembers his former sins, and prays earnestly that God
would not remember thera against hira. Psal. xxv. 7. And on the
contrary, you who think not on thera, may justly fear that God will
remember them, because you yourselves have forgot them.

390 AN EXPOSITION OP THB TEN COMMANDMENTS,
They who give their tongues the liberty of scurrilous jesting and
impure speeches, cannot but bave filthy hearts : their noisome breath
argues rottenness within.
Yea, they who proceed no further in uncleanness, than to entertain
and lodge the fancies or thoughts of it, rolling them on their beds,
and delighting in them, even such are exceeding guilty and abomi
nable in the sight of God, who doth not only see into the heart, but
most of all eyes and regards it. Keep thy heart with all diligence,
says Solomon, for from thence are the issues of life. Prov. iv. 23. Cer
tainly, they who can dispense with themselves in these inward heart-
uncleannesses and find no reraorse, cannot tfiink the Spirit of God
dwells within them; for, if He were there. He would be shewing his
discontent and anger against that unholiness which is so contrary to
Hira. And this, they who have any truth of grace wfll find, that if they be
not either free frora the assaults, or at least, if those filthy birds, such
irapure thoughts, be not perfectly beaten away when they light on the
soul, if they stay but any tirae with thera, although they afterwards do
chase thera out with indignation, yet they do leave such a stain as
grieves and saddens the Holy Spirit in thera, and for a tirae they find
it not act in prayer, and in spiritual comfort, so cfieerfuUy as before.
Let no corrupt (or rotten) communication proceed oui of your mouth,
says the Apostle, and grieve not the Holy Spirit. Eph. iv. 29. Rotten
speech grieves tfie Holy Spirit, and so do such thoughts too, which
are raan's speech with hiraself, and therefore being raost familiar and
frequent with hira, ought to be raost regarded and watched over.
There is not any thing will more readily dry up the sweetness and
spiritual moisture of the soul, and cause the graces in it to wither than
the irapure fire of lust. Therefore, you, who have any beginnings of
grace, and would have it flourish, beware of this, and quench it in its
first sparkles ; if you do not, it may, in a Uttle time, rise above your
power, and still prove very dangerous.
If you would be freed frora the danger and iraportunity of this evil,
raake use of these usual and very useful rules. [1.] Be sober and
teraperate in diet; withdraw fuel. [2.] Be raodest and circumspect in
your carriage. Guard your ears and eyes, and watch over all your de
portment. Beware of undue and dangerous familiarities with any,
upon what pretence soever. [3.] Be choice in your society, for there
is much in that. [4.] In general, flee all occasions and incentives to
uncleanness. But truly, the solid care must begin within; otherwise,
all these outward remedies wfll prove but empiric medicines, as they
call thera.
I. First then, lean not upon moral resolves and particular purposes
against uncleanness, but seek a total, entire change ofthe heart, and
to find the sanctifying Spirit of grace dwelling within you.
2. Labour to have the heart possessed with a deep apprehension of
the holiness and purity of God, and then, of His presence and eye
upon all tiiy actions, yea, thy most secret thoughts. His eye is raore
piercing than that any wickedness can be hid frora Hira, and raore
pure than to behold it without indignation. The darkness is as
noon-day to Him. I cannot steal a thought out of His sight, though

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 391
it be never so sudden and short. Then think. If 1 pretend to comrau
nion and converse with ray God, He is all holiness, therefore unclean
ness can never attain that to which 1 aspire. What communion hath
light with darkness, or Christ with Belial ? And shall I lose or hazard
the sweetness of His presence for so base a delight ? How can I offer
that heart to Hira in praver, which hath been wallowing in the mire
of unclean practice or iraagination ? Resolve to drive out the assaults
which you are incident to: How shall I do, or think thus? My holy
God is looking on rae. This was Joseph's preservation, Shall I do
this evil, and sin against God ?
3. Acquaint yourselves with spiritual delights, and this will raake a
happy diversion from those which are sensual and earthly. Somewhat
a man must have to delight in. It is the philosopher's remark, that
they who know not the true pleasure of the raind, turn to the base
pleasures ofthe body.
Some moral men, seeking the higher deUght of the raind, in their
way have persuaded theraselves to a generous disdain of their bodies.
How much more powerfully raay supernatural delights of the soul,
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, wean it frora
these gross, sensual pleasures, which the beasts have in common with
us; at least from the imraoderate desire and all unlawful pursuit of
thera I Nothing indignifies the soul raore than lust. When David
had sinned this way, it had so made havock of grace within hira,
that he cries not only for cleansing, but for a new creation, as if all
were undone ; Create in me a clean heart. He found it so slavish and
ignoble a sin, that he prays to be re-established by God with a free (or
noble) spirit. Psal. U. 10, 12.
4. Increase in the love of Christ. For, as that grows, there is a
decrease of the love of sin, yea, of the iraraoderate love of all inferior
things ; as the sun-bearas eat out the fire, this Divine and heavenly
love consuraes the other. All our love is too scarce or poor for him,
when it is collected and drawn altogether to run only towards him;
and therefore, there is none to spare upon the flesh and the lusts of it,
nor upon any creature, but as he allows and appoints. The sense of
his love takes up the whole soul, and he lodging in it, is that true
Agnus castus that makes it chaste, — that bundle of rayrrh that hath
a virtue to preserve the Christian frora the corruptions of lust.
That love of Jesus Christ is strong as death, kills all opposite affec
tions ; and indeed, it alone is worthy ofthe soul, the noble, imraortal
soul. Oh, how is it abased, when it is drawn down to sensuality, and
so raade a slave to its servant, the flesh ! Major sum, et ad majora
geniius, could a Roraan philosopher say, quam ut sim mancipium mei
corporis : I am greater, and born io greater things, than to be a slave
to my body. How unworthy is it, that being capable of the highest
good, the fruition of God, we should forget ourselves so far as to serve
vile lust, and forfeit the happiness and pleasures of eternity. Far be
it frora us. God hath called tis to holiness, and noi io uncleanness,
says the Apostle. 1 Thess. iv. 7.
Flee all unlawful and forbidden defights. And those that are lawfiil,
do not engage your hearts to them, love them not immoderately ; and
they can scarcely be loved without excess, if loved at alk Shall I say

392 AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
then. If you use thera, yet, love thera not, reserve that for purer en
joyraents ? Says not the Apostie this ? 1 Cor. vii. 30. Let ihem that
rejoice, be as if they rejoiced not; and, particularly, ihey ihat marry,
as if they married not. And his reason is weighty : For ihe fashion
of this world passeth away,
Reraeraber to what a pure and excellent condition we are called as
Christians, and with what a price we are bought to be fioly ; and let it
be our firra purpose and study, to glorify God in our souls and bodies,
f  ii,„,,  lj:„

for they are His.

PRECEPT VIII.
Thou shalt not steal.

God is the God of order, and not of confusion : it is He that hath
authorized and appointed peculiarity of possessions unto men, and
withal, that society and coraraerce araongst thera which serves for
their mutual good. And property reserved, makes one man, in what
he possesses, useful and helpful to another. And He hath given this
precept of His Law, to regulate them in these things, to be the rule of
that which we call contentaiion or justice, equity towards our neigh
bour, in the matter of his goods or proper possessions.
This, then, being the scope of the Comraandraent, whatsoever breaks
this hedge, is, as coraprehended under the narae of theft, here for
bidden : — all manner of injustice and wrong done to our neighbour in
his estate, whether by violence or by sleight of hand, by force or fraud,
yei, if it be but so rauch as in affection or desire ; for, (as we have
often said,) the law is spiritual, and binds not only the hands, but the
heart. So then, not only gross robberies and thefts are here forbidden,
but all oppression and extortion in superiors, all purloining and un
faithfulness in inferiors; too strict exaction in masters, and slothfulness
in servants, or whatsoever else raay tend to their master's daraage ;
all bribery and receiving of gifts, to the perverting of justice ; all
deceit and over-reaching in commerce, or trading, or bargaining;
taking advantage in buying or selling, or any contract upon the igno
rance or simplicity of those we deal withal ; all desire and seeking of
our neighbour's loss to our gain; all the degrees of sacrilege and
siraony ; all idleness and neglect in raen's particular callings, by which
they either impoverish themselves, and are worse than infidels, Tiot pro
viding for their faTiiilies, (I Tim. v. 8,) or, if they have certain pro
vision by their callings, in neglecting tfie duties of thera, they wrong
those frora whom, or for whose sakes they are so, provided, as raagis
trates and rainisters, who have, or should have, honourable mainte
nance for their public service, the one in the Commonwealth, the
other in the Church. As it is a great sin to curtail or detain what is
due that way, so it is no less wickedness in thera, if they be reraiss
and careless of those duties to which they are obliged for the public
good. In a word, whosoever can digest any kind of undue gain to
theraselves, or do any prejudice to their neighbour in the least, are
guflty. Yea, they sin against this Precept, who do not with afl their
power further the advantage and good of their neighbour in his out-

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 393
Ward condition ; who do not help and relieve those they see in want,
so far as their ability reaches.
There is a kind of right that the poor have to supply ; it is not merely
arbitrary to you. Though they have not such a right as to take it at
their own hand, orto seek it at the houses of human justice, yet, tiiey
have such a right as that your hand ought not to detain it. Withhold
not good from them to whom it is due. Prov. iii. 27. Which is evidently
raeant (and interpreters take it so) of all kind of doing good, even that
of charity and beneficence to the needy, as appears by the following
clause, IVhen it is in the power of thine hand to do it. And the Sep
tuagint reads, iv-^roiElv tov ivStrj. It is due ; they have a right to it ;
though not such as they can iraplead for before raen's courts or judi
catures, yet in the court of conscience, and in the sight of God, it is
duly theirs. The word is from Him who is Lord of it. Esurientium
panis est qui apud te mucescit, ei sitientium poius qui apud te acescit.
[Ambrose.] It is the bread of ihe hungry that moulds by thee, and
the drink of the thirsty thai sours by thee. Although thou art in pos
session, hast superfluity by thee, what he wants is his by right ; he is
lord of it; for the Lord of all hath turned over His right to thy poor
brother. The Lord Hiraself needs it not ; thy goodness cannot reach
Him. He hath furnished thee with such as need it, and raay be His
receivers, and have warrant frora Hira to take it up in His stead.
And be sure He will acknowledge the receipt of it : thou hast His
own word and writ for it, a bill ofexchange under His own hand, that
w hat you give to the poor, be put upon His accounts. He that giveth
to ihe poor, lendeth io ihe Lord, and He will repay it. Prov. xix. 17.
And again. In that you did it Tinto one of these, says our Saviour, ye
did it unto me. Matt. xxv. 40. It is the surest and raost lasting part
ofa man's estate, that is put into their hand. Quas dederis solas semper
habebis opes. Thine alms alone, of all thy wealth, thou shall possess,
for ever. If God be solvendo, if He be a sufficient debtor, it is treasure
laid up in Heaven.
So then, this Precept requires uprightness and equity in all our deal
ings ; a desire to right and advantage our brethren as ourselves,
willing their gain and prosperity as our own ; diligence and industry
in our callings, and giving to all others their due. Though men are
not obliged to a Scottish simplicity ; but ought to endeavour so to
understand their affairs, that they may avoid circumvention by others'
craft ; yet, a prudent simphcity is the right stamp of a Christian
mind, to be single and ingenuous, anil rather to suffer loss frora others,
than cause them any. In a word, the Apostle's rule is express and
full. 1 Thes. iv. 6 : That no man over-reach or defraud his brother in
any mailer ; and he • adds a very forcible reason. Because ihe Lord is
the avenger of all .such ; as we have also (says he) forewarned you and
testified. Men are ready to find out poor sfiifts to deceive tfiemselves,
when they have some way deceived their brother, and to stop the
raouth of their own conscience with sorae quibble and some slight
excuse, and force theraselves at length to believe they have done no
wrong. Therefore, the Apostie, to fright thera out of their shifts, sets
before them an exacter Judge, who cannot be deceived nor raocked,
who shall oae day unvail the conscience, and blow away these vain

394 AN EXPOSITION OP THE TEN -COMMANDMENTS.
self-excuses as sraoke; and that just Lord will punish all injustice:
He is the avenger of all such.
At the first view, a raan would think the breach of this Command
ment concerns but few persons, some thieves and robbers, and some
professed deceivers, or if you add some cozening tradesmen and mer
chants ; but the truth is, there is scarcely any one of the Comraand
raents so universaUy and frequently broken, and whereof the breach is
so little observed, and therefore, so seldora repented of by the greatest
part. As the Apostle Jaraes says. He is a perfect man who off'ends Tiot
in his words, truly, he is a rare raan who offends not, and that re
markably, (if raen would reraark themselves,) against this Comraand
raent, Thou shalt Tiot steal.
To say nothing of the oppression and hard exactions of such as
are superiors of lands, grinding the faces of the poor, and squeezing
thera till the blood corae, and so putting in the same blood of the poor
araongst their estates, which many tiraes proves a canker to all the
rest ; and the thievishness of servants, and of the poorer sort, raaking
no conscience at all of whatsoever they can filch frora their masters, or
those that are richer than they, counting all they can snatch good booty
and lawful prize: to pass by, likewise, the particular deceits wfiich are
usual in several callings, and are incorporate witfi thera through long
custom, and become apart ofthe mystery ofthose callings, and there
fore, men dispense with theraselves in thera as the inseparable sin of
their calling, and have no remorse for tfiera : not to insist on tfiese and
such like, consider, how frequently this Tneum et teum, mine and thine,
proves the apple of strife betwixt the nearest friends, and divides their
affections, and begets debates araongst thera ; parents and children,
and brethren, &c. And certainly, there is always sorae unjust desire
on one side in those contentions, and sometimes, on both sides. How
few are there who have hearts so weaned frora the world, as in all
things to prefer the smallest point of equity to the greatest teraptation
of gain I — who in their affairs and all that concerns them, are univer
sally careful to deal with an even hand and even heart, and to keep
close to that golden rule, drawn in nature, but alraost lost and srao--
thered in the rubbish and corruption of nature, but drawn anew by our
Saviour's hand, not only in his Gospel, but in the hearts of his real
followers. That which thou wouldst have others do io thee, do thou
unto ihem : — who, when they have any thing to transact, wherein is
their brother's interest, as well as their own, do in their thoughts
change places with hira, .set hira in their own room, and themselves in
his, and deal with them after that manner ; who think. What should I
be willing to have done to rae, were I he ? That sarae will I do to
him. Were I in that poor man's condition who begs an alras, would
I not rather have sorae relief, than a churiish, or, at least, an empty
answer ? Were I he who buys, should I not, and might I not justiy
and reasonably, will to have it so, that no raore be exacted of me than
the right and due price ? Then, so will I use hira. How few are
there that walk, 1 say, by this rule I And yet, all that do not thus,
are breakers of this Coramandment in the sight of God.
How few, who are inviolable observers of equity, and are truly
fiberal and bountiful answerably to. thek power !— yvho wifl sometimes

AN EXPOSITION OP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS^ 395.
on purpose bate a dish frora their table, or a lace frora their garment,
not to make their stock greater, but to bestow on the poor ; who are
truly desirous of the good and prosperity of others, and further it all
they can !
It is to be like God : this is the iiarticular. Matt. v. 45, wherein
likeness to our Heavenly Father is pressed. And this is meant by
Homo homiiii Deus. Certainly, were we acquainted with it, it is more
true delight, to be, not only just, but liberal, than to possess rauch.
It is not to possess, but to be possessed by it, to have heaps, and no
heart nor power to use then. He who is thus, doth not only defraud
others, but himself; steals from his own necessities, to sacrifice to his
god, his chest or bag. Quicquid omnibus abstulit, sibi negai. When
a raan hath such a sura, and though he hath use for it, dares not break
it, what is it better than if it were still under ground in the mine? It
is no more at his service ; yea, so rauch the worse, that he is racked
betwixt plenty and want, betwixt having and not having it.
But the covetous and the prodigal sin against this Coramandment :
the covetous, by unjust ways of gaining, and the unjust keeping of
what he hath gained, keeping it up both from others and himself;
and the prodigal, by profiiseness, making foolish wants to himself,
which drive hira upon unjust ways of supply, Turpiter amittens quod
iurpiiis reparet, as Seneca speaks. Thus, he who is prodigal raust be
covetous too, and though raen think not so, these two vices which seera
so opposite, not only raay, but do often dwell together, and covetousness
is prodigality's purveyor, being fire for it to feed it ; for otherwise it
could not subsist, but would starve within awhile. Here then, both
avarice and prodigality are conderaned : only true equity, and frugal
and wise liberality, are obedience to it.
The raain causes of all unjust and illiberal dealing, are these two :
1. Diffidence or distrust of the Divine providence and goodness.
And 2. That flXeove^ia, that sarae amor sceleratus habendi, the fond
desire of having rauch.
I. When a raan doth not fully trust God with providing for Him,
and blessing Him in just and lawful ways, but apprehends want
unless he take sorae raore liberty and elbow-roora, this raakes hira
step now and then out of the way, to catch at undue gain by fraud
and over-reaching, or some such way. But this is a most foolish
course. This is to break loose out of God's fatherly hand, and so, to
forego all that we can look for from Him, and to take ways of our
own ; to choose rather to go a shifting for ourselves in the crooked
and accursed ways of unrighteousness, than to be at His providing.
Labour, therefore, for a fixed belief of His wisdom, and goodness,
and all-sufficiency ; and tfien the greatest straits and wants will not
drive you to any indirect ways, wherein you run frora Him, but will
still draw you nearer to Himself, and there you wfll stay and wait
upon His hand till he supply you.
2. Desire of having much, or covetousness, whether it be to hoard
up or lavish out. But this is a madness. This desire of having much,
is never cured by having rauch : it is BoxiXtjuu,, canina fames, — an
insatiable dog-hunger.
That known determination ofthe moralist, was most true, Tfta.t to

396 AN EXPOSITION OP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. '
be truly rich, is not to have rauch, but to desire little. Labour, then,
not to desire rauch ; or rather, desire much, desire to have the Lord
for your portion. Non est illud desiderium, w\tove^ia, sed -Trave^i'a.
That desire is not a grasping at much, hut at all. And if you indeed
desire Him, you shall have Hira; and if you have Him, you cannot
but be satisfied, for He is all. To Him, therefore, be all praise,
honour, and glory for ever. Araen.
PRECEPT IX.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
The Apostle St. James, in that sharp but most true censure of the
tongue, might well call it an U7iruly evil. There are but ten precepts
or words of the Law of God, and you see, two of them, so far as
concerns the outward organ and vent of the sins there forbidden, are
bestowed on it, tending, if not only, yet mainly, to keep it in order;
one in the first Table, and this other in the second ; as being ready to
fly out both against God and raan, if not thus bridled.
The end of this Comraandraent, is, to guard the good narae of men
frora injury, as the forraer doth his goods ; this possession being no
less, yea, much more precious than the other : and because the great
robber and murderer of a good narae, is, the raischievous, detracting
tongue, acted by araalignant heart, it requires in the heart a charitable
tenderness of the good narae of our brethren ; and that will certainly
prove truth and charitable speech in the tongue.
Though divines here usually speak of lying, in the general notion
and extent of if, and not araiss, being raost of all exercised in the kind
here mentioned ; yet, there be such fies as raay be raore fitly reputed
a breach of sorae other Coraraandraent. And possibly, the sin of
lying in general, as it is a lie, a discrepancy of the speech from the
mind, and so, a subverting of the Divine ordinance set in nature,
making that which He hath made the interpreter of the mind, to be
the disguiser of it, and withal, disregarding God as the searcher ofthe
heart, and sovereign witness of truth, and avenger of falsehood ; I
say, thus, it may possibly be more proper to refer it to another Cora
raandraent, particularly, to the Third. But it imports not much to
be very punctual in this. It is seldom or never that one Command
ment is broken alone. Most sins are complicate disobedience, and in
some sins, the breach of many at once is very apparent. As to
instance, in perjury, if it be to testify a falsehood against our brethren
both the Third Comraandraent and this Ninth are violated at once •
and if it be in such a thing as toucheth his life, the Sixth likewise
suffers with thein.
This perjury, or false testiraony in a public judiciary way, is, we
see, by the express words and letier of the Coraraand, forbidden, as
tiie highest and most heinous wrong of this kind. Ut testis falsi aut
testimonium falsi non dices aut respondehis. But, under fhe narae of
this, (as it is in the other Coraraandraents,) all the other kinds and
degrees of off'ence against our neighbour's good narae are coraprised.
1. All private ways of calurany and false imputation.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 397
2. All ungrounded and false surraises or suspicions ; all uncharit
able construction of others' actions and carriage.
3. Strict reraarking ofthe faults of others, without any calling so to
do, or honest intention of their good ; which appears, if, having
observed any thing that of truth is reproveable, we seek not to reclaim
them by secret and friendly adraonition, but passing by theraselves,
divulge it abroad to others. Ephes. iv. 15. We must not only speak
the truth, but, in love. For this is a most foolish self-deceit, to think
that, because it is not forged, but true, that thou speakest, this keeps
thee free of the Coraraandraent : no, thy false intention and raalice
makes it calumny and falsefiood in thee, although, for the matter of it,
what thou sayest be most true. All thou gainest by it, is, that tiiou
dost turable and beinire thyself in the sin of another, and raakest it
possibly raore thine than it is his own who committed it ; for he, raay
be, hath some touch of remorse for it, whereas it is evident thou de-
lightest in it ; and though thou preface it with a whining, feigned
regret and semblance of pitying him, and add withal some word of
coramending him in soraewhat else, this is but the gilding and sugar
ing the pill to raake raen swallow it the raore easily, and thy bitter
malice pass unpercelved. They who by their calling ought to watch
over the lives of others, must do it faithfully and diligentiy, admonish
ing and rebuking privately ; and where that prevails not, they may,
yea, they ought to do it more publicly ; but all in love, seeking
nothing but the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
4. Easy hearing and entertaining of misreports and detractions
when others speak thera. Exod. xxiii. 1. This is that which raain
tains and gives subsistence to calurany ; otherwise it would starve and
die of itself if nobody took it in and gave it lodging. When malice
pours it out, if our ears be shut against it, and there be no vessel
to receive it, it would fall like water upon the ground, and could
no more be gathered up. But there is that sarae busy huraour
that men have, — it is very busy, and yet, the raost have of it
more or less, — a kind of delight, and contentment to hear evil of
others, unless it be of such as they affect, to hear others slighted
and disesteeined, that they readfly drink in, not without some plea
sure, whatsoever is spoken of this kind. The ear trieth ihe words,
as Job says, as the mouth tasteth meats ; but certainly, the most ears
are perverse and distempered in their taste, as some kinds of palates
are ; they can find sweetness in sour calumny. But, because men
understand one another's diet in this, that the most are so, this is the
very thing that keeps up the trade, makes backbiting and detractions
abound so in the world, and verifies that known observation in the
most. That the slanderer wounds three ai once, — himself, him he
speaks of, and him that hears. For this third, truly it is in his option
to be none of the number : if he wifl, he may shift his part of the
blow, by not believing the slander; yea, raay beat it back again with
ease upon the slanderer himself by a check or frown, and add that
stroke of a repulse to the wound of guiltiness he gives himself.
5. They offend, who seek in any kind at the expense of the good
name and esteem of others, to increase their own ; ex alieni
nominis jactura gradum sibi faciunt. ad gloriam* — , out of others'
? Sallust,

398 AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
ruins to make up themselves ; and who therefore pull down as much
as they can, and are glad to have others to help thera to detract from
the repute of their brethren, particularly, any who are in likelihood to
surpass and obscure thera ; and for this reason incline always rather
to hear and .speak ofthe iraperfections and dispraise of others, than to
their advantage, and would willingly, Otioman-hiie, kifl the good
name of their brethren, that theirs raay reign alone*. This is a vile
disease, and such as cannot be incident to any mind that is truly
virtuous and gracious. No, such need not this base, dishonest way to
raise theraselves, but are glad to see virtue, and whatsoever is praise
worthy, to flourish in whorasoever. These are lovers of God indeed,
and of His glory, and not their own ; and therefore, as all He bestows
on theraselves, they render back the honour of it to Hira, so, they are
glad to see many enriched with His best gifts. For seeing all good
that all have, belongs to God, as the sovereign owner and dispenser,
this contents and rejoices His children when they see many partake of
His bounty, for the more is His glory: and as in love to their brethren,
they are always willing to take notice of what is comraendable in
them, and to coraraend it, so, they do this the more willingly, because
they know tfiat all praise of goodness at last terminates and ends in
God. As Soloraon says of the rivers. Unto the place from whence
.ihey come, thither ihey return.
6. They sin against this Coramandment, who, althougfi they no
way wrong- their neighbour's good name, yet, are not careful to do
their uthibst to right it when it suffers, to reraove aspersions from
thera, and to clear them all that raay be. For this is here required,
to desire and delight in, and further the good narae of others, even as
our own ; to look most willingly on the fairest side of their actions,
and take them in the best sense, and be as inventive of favourable
constructions, (yet, without favouring vice,) as malice is witty to
misinterpret to the worst; to observe the comraendable virtues of our
brethren, and pass by their failings ; as raany, like scurvy flies skip
over wfiat is sound in raen, and love to sit upon tfieir sores.
It is lamentable to consider fiow raucli this evil of rautual detraction
and supplanting the good narae one of another, is rooted in man's
corrupt nature, and how it spreads and grows in their conversation :
as the Apostle St. Paul cites it out of the Psalraist, as the description
of our nature. Their throat is an open sepulchre ; ihey have deceitful
tongues, and the poison of asps is Tinder their lips. Rora. iii. 13. Their
throat an open sepulchre, full of the bones, as it were, of others' good
naraes that they have devoured ; and, araongst other their endow
ments, they are whisperers, backbiters, despiteful, Rom. i. 30. But
it is strange that Christians should retain so much of these evils, who
profess themselves renewed, and sanctified, and guided by the Spirit
of God. Consider, in your visits and discourses, if something of this
kind doth not entertain you often, and lavish away that time you
-might spend in mutual edification, abusing it to descant upon the
* The Rabbins frequently condemn this. Hammith Cabbed, &c. Qui honor at
se ex iff?iominia socii s/ti, non habet partem in seculo vpnturo. Berks. Rab. Item, qui
per contemptum aliorum laudem suam quim-ii, miserrimus est Dmnium hominum. Quis
est honore dignus / Qui lionorat alios /amines. Aboth. <--. 4.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 399
actions and life of others, in such a way as neither concerns nor
profits us ; faking an impertinent, foolish defight in inquiring and
knowino- how this party lives, and the other*. 'This is a very comraon
disease, as Nazianzen observes f. And thus raen are raost strangers
at home; have not leisure to study, and know, and censure them
selves, they are so busied about others. It may be there is not
always a height of mafice in their discourses, but yet, by rauch
babbling to no purpose, the^ slide into idle detraction and censure of
others, beside their intention ; for, in multitude of words ihere wants
noi sin. Prov. x. 9.
And the greatest part are so accustoraed to this way, that, if they be
put out of it, they must sit dumb and say nothing. There is, I con
fess, a prudent observation of the actions of others, a reading of men,
as they call it, and it may be, by a Christian, done with Christian pru
dence and benefit ; and there may be too, a useful way of raen's
imparting their observation of this kind, one to another, concerning
the good and evil, the abilities more or less, that they reraark in the
world ; but truly, it is hard to find such as can do this aright, and
know they agree in their purpose with honest, harraless minds, in
tending evil to none, but good to themselves, and admitting of nothing
but what suits with this. Amongst a throng of acquaintance, a man
shall, it may be, find very few by whose conversation he may be really
bettered, and who return him some benefit for the expense of his time
in their society. Howsoever, beware of such as defight in vanity and
lying and defaming of others, and withdraw yourselves from them, and
set a watch before vour own lips. Learn to know the fit season of
silence aud speech ; for that is a very great point of wisdom, and will
help verv much to the observing of this precept, to give your tongue
to be governed by wisdom and piety. Let it not be as a thorny bush,
pricking and hurting those who are about you, nor altogether a barren
tree, yielding nothing, but a fruitfiil tree, a tree of life io your neigh-
hour, as Solomon calls the tongue ofthe righteous. Prov. xv. 4.
And let your hearts be possessed of those two excellent graces.
Humility and Charitv. Then wifl your tongue not be in danger of
hurting your neighbour ; for it is pride and self-love, makes men de
light in that. Those are the idols to which raen raake sacrifice ofthe
good name and reputation of others. The hurable raan delights in
self-disesteera, and is glad to see his brethren's narae flourisfi ; it is
pleasing rausic to hira to hear the virtues of others acknowledged and
coramended, and a harsh discord to bis lowly thoughts, to hear any
thing of his own. And the other. Charity, thinks no evil, is so far
from casting false aspersions on any, that it rather casts a veil upon
true failings and blemishes : Love covers a Tnnltitude of sins. It is
like God's love that begets it, which covers all the sins of his own
children. * CiiriosuTn genus ad cognoscendam vitam aliena-m, desidiosum ad rorrigendajn suam.
•AcGisTiNE. Conf. 1. 10. cap. -3.
•t* 'OvTlv o'jTu; y/ju tois dv^^oj-z-ot; ai; tg '/.aXitv to. dXXor^ta, NazIA>ZEX. OkaT. 1.

400 AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

PRECEPT X.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife,
nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that
is thy neighbour's.
It is a known truth, that there is no sound cure of diseases without a
reraoval of their inward cause. Therefore, this second Table of the
Law, containing the rule of equity for the redress of unrighteousness
in raen's dealing one with another, doth, in this last precepfof it, strike
at the very root of that unrighteousness, the corrupt desires and evfl
concupiscence ofthe heart ; Thou shall not covet.
The Roraish division of this into two, is so grossly absurd, and so
contrary both to the voice of antiquity and reason, that it needs not
stay us much to shew it such. The thing forbidden is one. Thou shalt
Tiot covet; and ifthe several things not to be coveted, divide it, it wifl
be five or six as well as two. Thougfi it be Peter's pretended sword
makes the division, yet, certainly, it is not Paul's op0o-ofieiv, not a
dividing of the word aright, but a cutting it, as it were, beside the
joint. The truth is, they would never have mistook so far as to have
offered at this division, were they not driven upon it by an evil neces
sity of their own making ; because they have quite cut out the Second,
they are forced, for making up the nuraber, to cut this in two. This
is but to salve a first wrong with a second ; it is vitium prima con-
cociionis quod Tion corrigitur in secunda, as they speak : having
sraothered one Comraandraent, they would have this divided, as the
harlot the living child..
The subject of this Comraandraent, that which it forbids, is not, I
confess, original sin in its nature and whole latitude; no, nor all kinds
of sinful motions iraraediately arising from it ; but such as concern
human things, belonging to this second Table as their rule : as is clear
in all the particulars naraed in the Coraraandraent, and the general
word which closes it, including the rest and all other things of that
kind. Nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. Nor is it needful (with
others) for the distinguishing of this precept from the rest, to call this
concupiscence here forbidden, only the first risings of it in the heart
without consent, whereas the other Commandments forbid the consent
ofthe will. I conceive there is no danger to say, that both are for
bidden, both in this and in the rest, but in this more expressly.
For what great necessity is there of such subtile distinguishing?
May not this be sufficient, "That what is included in the other Com
mandments duly understood, it pleased the Divine Wisdora to deliver
in this last more expressly, that none might pretend ignorance ; and so
to provide for the more exact observance of justice and equity amongst
men in tbeir actions, by a particular law given to the heart, the foun
tain of them, regulating it in its dispositions and motions, even the
very first stirrings of it, which do most discover its disposition?
And that this is no tautology, nor a superfluous labour, unsuiting
the exquisite brevity of this Law, we shall easily confess, if we consider
that natural hypocrisy and self-indulgence that is in men, which makes
them still less regard the temper and actings of their hearts, than their

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 401
outward carriage, notwithstanding this express Comraandraent con
cerning it. How rauch raore would they have thought their thoughts,
at lea.st such as proceed not to full consent, exerapted frora the Law,
if there had been nothing spoken of thera, but they only included in the
other precepts ! We know how the Doctors of Rome extenuate the
matter, and how favourable their opinion is in this point, notwithstand
ing this clear voice of the Law of Godicondemning- all concupiscence.
The Apostle St. Paul confesses ingenuously his own short-sightedness,
though a Pharisee instructed in the Law, that unless the Law had
said, Thou shalt not lust, he had not found it out in the other Com
raandraents, nor known the sinfulness of it. Rora. vii. 7.
This all-wise Lawgiver knew both the blindness of raan's raind, and
the hypocrisy and deceitfulness of his heart, and therefore, takes away
all pretext, and turns hira out of all excuse, giving this last coraraand
raent expressly concerning the heart, and so teaching hira the exact
and spiritual nature of all the rest.
This Comraandraent pursues the iniquity of man into its beginning
and source. Our Saviour calls the evil heart, an evil treasure ; it is an
inexhaustible treasure of evil, yea, it diminisheth not at all, but in
creaseth rather by spending; the acting of sin confirraing and aug
menting the corrupt habit of it in the heart. Out of this evil treasure
issue forth those pollutions that defile ihe whole man, — evil thoughts,
murders, adulteries, &c, INIatt. xv. 19.
It is not proper here to speak at large of the first motions of sin in
general, and of the way to distinguish (if any such can be given as
certain) the injections of Satan, evil thoughts darted in by hira, and
such as spring iraraediately frora that corruption which lodgeth within
our own breasts ; and other things that concern the subject : only,
this we ought to observe as pertinent and useful, that if we did consider
the purity ofthe Law of God and the irapurity of our own hearts, the
continual risings of sinful concupiscences within us, that stain us and
all our actions, this would lay us a great deal lower in our own opinion
than usually we are. The law is spiritual, bull am carnal, sold under
sin, says the Apostle. Rom. vii. 14.
Men think it is well with them, and they please themselves to think
so, and glory in it, that their whole life fiatfi been outwardly unblame
able, and, possibly, free frora the secret coraraission of gross sins. But
would they, who are thus most spotiess, look a littie deeper inward
upon the incessant workings of vain, sinful thoughts, which at least
touch upon the affection, and stir it soraewhat ; and consider their
hearts, naturally like boiling pots, still sending up of this scum of evil
concupiscence, and, as a fountain casteth forth her water, as Jeremiah
speaks, this bitter poison-spring, still streaming forth, and even in the
best, not fully dried up* : certainly, the due sight of these would abate
much of those gay thoughts which any can have of themselves, and,
from the best aud most sensible, would draw out tfie Apostle's word,
* Tres sunt transgressiones, a quibus homo nullo die, inquiunt Talmudici, nunquam in
hae vita liberabitur cogitationes peccati ; attentio orationia ; (i. e. quod nunquam satis
attentb per omnem attentionem ora7-e possit ;) et lingua mala. [Bava. Bosca. f, 1342.]
There are three transgressions, say the Talmudists, from which a man can no day ever ia
this life be free ; the thoughts of sin, wanderings in prayer, and an evil tongue.
Vol. n. 2 D

402 AN EXPOSITION OP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
O wretched man thai I aTU, who shall deliver me ? There is nothing
that doth more certainly both humble and grieve the godly raan, than
the sense of this ; and because till then, it wfll not cease to vex him,
nothing makes hira raore long for the day of his full deliverance, and
makes him cry, Usquequo, Domine, usquequo ? O, how long, 0 Lord,
how long?
We are taught by this Commandment, that great point of spiritual
prudence, to observe the beginnings and conception of sin within us,
and to crush it then when it is weakest, before it pass on in its usual
gradation, as the Apostie St. James makes it, Janies i. 14, 15. If it
draw us away but to hear it, it will entice us,. take us with delight;
and then it will, by that, work us to consent, and havwig so conceived,
it will bring forth sin, and sin finished will bring forth death.
Again, because, as we see, the very concupiscence itself, though it
proceed no further, pollutes and leaves a stain behind it; this caUs
for our diligence, to seek that renovation and habitual purity of heart
infu.sed from above, and the daily increase of it, being begun, that may
free us more and raore from that depraved concupiscence and the de
fileraents of it. Think it not enough to cleanse the tongue and the
hands, but above all, endeavour for cleanness of heart, and that wifl
keep all the rest clean. See Jara. iv. 8. Jer. iv. 14.
The concupiscence particulariy here forbidden, we see, is an inordi
nate desire, or the least beginning of such a desire, of those outward
things which belong not to us. Thy neighbour's house, &c. For all
breach of the other Coraraandments of this second Table, have their
ri.se and beginning from such a desire ; therefore, this is set last, as
the hedge to guard all the rest from violation. Por certainly, he that
flees the least motion of a wrongful thought, will never proceed to any
injurious word or action. So then, this Coraraandraent is broken by
the least envious look upon any good of others, or the least bendings
of raind after it for ourselves ; and by that comraon raischief of self-
love, as the very thing which gives life to all such undue desires ; and
by that coraraon folly of discontent at our own estate, which begets a
wishing for that of others ; and this, though it be not joined -wi^th an
express desire of their loss or hurt, yet, because it is the seed and prin
ciple of injustice, therefore it is sinfiil, and here forbidden.
And, on the contrary, rauch ofthe observance of this Precept lies in
that avrapKeia, that contentedness and satisfaction of mind with our
own estate, which will surely keep us free from this disordered covet
ing. Therefore, chiefly labour to have that wise and sweet contenta-
tion dweling within you, and banish all contrary thoughts, by these
and other such like considerations : —
1. If you do indeed believe that it is the sovereign Hand of God
that divides to ihe nations iheir inheritance, as Moses speaks Deut
xxxu. 8, and so, likewise, to particular men, that He carves to every
one their condition and place in the worid, you cannot but think He
hath done it raore wisely than men could do for themselves. They
could never agree upon it: every raan would think it best for himself
to be in the best and highest condition ; and that is not possible. But
It is best for the raaking up ofthe universe, that there be those differ
ences God hath made. and. from the highest to the lowest, He hath

AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 403
set each one in that statipn He thought good. There is not a coramon
soldier in an array, but would wish to be a coraraander, and so, if each
raight have his will, all would command, and none obey. The like
holds in raasters and servants, and in all such other differences. So
then, seeing those differences are in the world and seeing it whofly
belongs to Hira who rules the world to dispose of them, our part is
no other than contentedly to accept of His disposal, and to serve Him
in the station where He hath set us.
2. If you be such as have evidence you are the children of God,
then you know. He doth not only allot your condition wisely, but
withal, in peculiar love and favour. He perfectly knows what outward
estate is particularly fittest for you, and will conduce most to your
highest good, and will not miss to give you that, and no other. And
certainly it is true in raatter of estate, as of our garraents, not that
which is largest, but that which fits us best, is best for us.
3. Consider, that no outward condition hath contentraent in it of
itself: this must arise from somewhat within. Men see the great
attendance and train of servants that wait upon princes and other
great persons, but they see not the train of cares and perplexing
thoughts that many times go along too, and are more inseparable
attendants than any of the rest : they see their fine clothes and stately
buildings, but they see not the secret raalcontents and vexations that
dwell with them, and are the very linings of the rich apparel. Light
things often discontent thera. Look at their very pastiraes and recre
ations ; they are soraetiraes as rauch troubled with disappointraent in
those, as the poor raan is wearied with his labour. It was not a much
greater cross that vexed Haman : all his advanceraent availed not
without Mordecai's courtesy. A strange disease, that he felt raore the
pain of another raan's stiff knee, than the contentment of all his ho
nours ! But whoso knew their deeper vexations, would admire them
less, when crossed in their ambition or friends, or the husband and
wife not finding that harmony of dispositions and affections. Few, or
none, but have soraething that a man would wiflingly leave out, if he
were for his wish to be in their condition. The shorter and surer way,
then, to contentment, is to be contentedly what he his.
4. Consider those who are below you, and in a far meaner condi
tion, and by that argue yourself, not only to contentment, but to thank
fulness. We pervert all : when we look below us, it raises our pride ;
and when above us, it casts us into discontent. Might we not as well,
contrariwise, draw humility out ofthe one, and contentment out of the
other ?
5. Seek to be assured that God is yours. Then, whatsoever others
possess, you wifl be sure not to covet it, nor envy thera. Those who
fiave raost, you wfll pity, if they want Hira ; and those who fiave Hira,
you will have no envy at thera for sharing with you, but love thera the
more. For that Infinite Good is enough for all that choose Him ;
and none do so, but those whom He hath first chosen in eternal love.

8 D

A SHORT CATECHISM.

Question. What is naturafly every raan's chief desire ?
Answer. To be happy.
Q. Which is the way to true happiness ?
A. True religion.
Q. What is true religion ?
A. The true and lively knowledge ofthe Only True God, and of him
whora He hath sent, Jesus Christ.
Q. Whence is this knowledge to be learned ?
A. All the works of God declare His being, and His glory; but
the clearer knowledge of Hiraself, and His Son Jesus Christ, is to be
learned frora His own word, contained in tfie Holy Scriptures of tfie
Old and New Testaraent.
Q. What do those Scriptures teach us concerning God ?
A. That He is one infinite, eternal Spirit, raost wi.se, and fioly, and
just, and raerciful, and the all-powerful Maker and Ruler of the world.
Q. What do they further teach us concerning Hira ?
A, That He is Three in One, and One in Three, the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Q, What will that fively knowledge of God effectually work in us ?
A, It will cause us to believe in Hira, and to love Him above all
things, even above ourselves, to adore and worship Hira, to pray to
Him, and to praise Hira, and exalt Hira with all our might, and to
yield up ourselves to the obedience of all His comraandraents, as
having both raade us, and raade Hiraself known to us for that very end.
Rehearse, then, the articles ofour belief.
I befieve in God the Father, &c.
Rehearse the Ten Commandments ofthe Law, which are the rules
ofour obedience, and so, the trial ofour love.
A, God spake these words, I am the Lord thy God, &c.
Q. What is the suraraary our Saviour hath given us of this Law ?
A. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself.
Q, What is the effectual means of obtaining increase of faith and
power to obey, and generally, all graces and blessings at the hand of
God? A, Prayer.
Rehearse that most excellent and perfect prayer that our Saviour
hath taught us.
A, Our Father, which art in heaven, &c.
Q, In what estate was man created ?
A, After the image of God in holiness and righteousness.
Q. Did he continue in that estate ?

A SHORT CATECHISM. 405
A. No. But by breaking the comraandraent which his Maker gave
hira, eating of the fruit of that tree which was forbidden hira, he made
himself and his whole posterity subject to sin and death.
Q, Hath God left man in this misery, without all raeans and hopes
of recovery ?
A. No. For He so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.
Q. What is then the great doctrine ofthe Gospel ?
A, That same coraing of the Son of God in the flesh, and giving
himself to the death of the cross, to take away the sin of the world,
and his rising again frora the dead, and ascending into glory.
Q, What doth that Gospel mainly teach and really persuade all the
followers of it to do ?
A, It teacheth them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to
live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world.
Q, How hath our Lord Jesus himself expressed the great and
necessary duty of all his disciples ?
A, That they deny themselves, and take up their cross, and follow
hira. Rehearse then sorae of the chief points wherein we are to follow our
Lord Jesus Christ.
A. 1. To surrender ourselves wholly to our Heavenly Father, and
his good pleasure in all things, even in the sharpest afflictions and
sufferings : and not at all to do our own will, or design our own praise
or advantage, but in all things to do His will and intend his glory.
2. To be spotless and chaste, and holy, in our whole conversation.
Add a third.
3. To be meek and lowly, not to slander or reproach, to mock or
despise any ; and if any do so to us, to bear it patiently, yea, to rejoice
in it.
A fourth.
4. Unfeignedly to love our Christian brethren, and to be charitably
and kindly affected towards aU men, even to our enemies, forgiving
thera, yea, and praying for thera, and returning thera good for evil ;
to corafort the afflicted, and relieve the poor, and to do good for all, as
we are able.
Q, Is it necessary that afl Christians live according to these rules ?
A. So absolutely necessary, that they who do not so in sorae good
raeasure, whatsoever they profess, do not really believe in Jesus Cfirist,
nor have any portion in hira.
Q. What visible seals hath our Saviour annexed to that Gospel, to
confirm our faith, and to convey the grace of it to us ?
A. The two Sacraments of the New Testament, Baptism and the
Lord's Supper.
Q. What doth Baptism signify and seal ?
A. Our washing from sin, and our new birth in Jesus Christ.
Q. What doth the Lord's Supper signify and seal ?
A. Our spiritual nourishraent and growth in hira, and transforming
us more and raore into his likeness, by coraraemorating his death, and
feeding on his body and blood, under the figures of bread and wine.

406 A SHORT CATECHISM.
Q. What is required to make fit and worthy communicants of the
Lord's Supper?
A. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and repentance towards God,
and charity towards all men.
Q. What is faitfi in our Lord Jesus ?
A. It is the grace by which we both believe his whole doctrine, and
trust in him as the Redeemer and Saviour of the world, and entirely
deliver up ourselves to hira, to be taught and saved and ruled by him,
as our Prophet, Priest, and King.
Q. What is repentance ?
A, It is a godly sorrow for sin, and a hearty and real turning from
all sin unto God.
Q. What is the final portion of unbelieving and unrepentant sinners ?
A. Tfie everlasting torments of devfls.
A. What is the final portion of thera who truly repent and befieve,
and obey the Gospel ?
A. The blessed life of angels, in the vision of God for ever.
A Question for young Persons before their first Admission io the
Lord's Supper,
Q, Whereas you were, in your infancy, baptised into the name of
Jesus Christ, do you now, upon distinct knowledge, and with a firm
befief and pious affection, own tfiat Christian faith of which you have
given an account, and withal, your baptismal vow of renouncing the
service of Satan, and the world, and the lusts of the flesh, and of
devoting yourself to God in all holiness of life ?
A, I do sincerely and heartily declare my belief of that faith, and
own my engagement to that holy vow, and resolve, by the assistance
of God's grace, to continue in the careful observance of it afl my days.

THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.

PEEFACE

THE PUBLISHER OF THE LATIN EDITION,

To THE Readeh,
"What is grand and substantial," says Quinctilian, "pleases long;
while that which is only neat and handsome, charms for a while, but
soon cloys *." Now, what can be imagined more grand and substan
tial, than to contemplate the great Creator of the universe, in his
visible works ; to view, in this vast volume, which lies always open,
his infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, and adraire the instances
thereof, that appear always new and astonishing? Again, what can
be more agreeable and subflme, than, turning our eyes to the great
mysteries of revealed religion, to read with wonder and delight what is
contained in the sacred scriptures, concerning the Saviour and Re
deeraer of the human race frora the dreadful gulf of death and raisery
into which they had fallen ; to review with attention what is therein
discovered, with regard to our highest happiness, the rewards of
¦virtue, and the punishment of an irapious life ; and to have these im
portant matters deeply irapressed upon the heart? These truths, how
ever great and interesting, are laid before thee, pious and Christian
Reader, in these Theological Dissertations ; where thou wilt find thera
deduced with great learning, explained with clearness and accuracy,
and confirmed by powerful arguments. For our Author, now in hea
ven t, who, while he lived, was equally reraarkable for learning and
pietj', never used to stray beyond the verge of this divine systera.
That these remains of his were the sacred lectures he read in the
Public Hall of the University of Edinburgh, while he was principal of
that university, will admit of no manner of doubt : there are a great
many still alive, who can attest this truth ; as they were theraselves
present at these lectures, to their great satisfaction and iraproveraent.
They all heard them, some took notes of them ; and it is to be
* Quae solida et ampla sunt diu placent ; quae autem lepida et concinna, paululum
quidem mulcent, sed cito satiant. Fab, Quint.

408 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
hoped, sorae had the substance of thera powerfully impressed upon
their hearts. To these I appeal, and to them, I doubt not, this work
will be very acceptable ; since those instructions which gave so much
pleasure wfien heard but once, and that in a cursory manner, they may
now have recourse to as often as they please ; they may read them at
their leisure, and draw from them matter of most delightful medita
tion. And, to be sure, those who have the least' divine disposition of
mind, will make it the principal business of their life, and tfieir highest
pleasure to stray through those deligfitful gardens, abounding with
such sweet and fragrant flowers, and refresh their hearts with the celes
tial honey that may be drawn frora thera : nor is there any ground to
fear that such supplies will fail ; for fiow often soever you have
recourse to thera, you will always find thera blooraing, full of juice, and
swelled with the dew of heaven : nay, when by deep and continued
raeditation, you iraagine you have pulled the finest flower, it buds forth
again, and what Virgil writes concerning his fabulous golden bough is,
in strictest truth, applicable in this case :
^— ^ Uno avulso, non deficit alter,
Aureus.
The Lectures I now present thee with, I caused to be copied out fair
frora a raanuscript in the Author's own hand-writing ; which was a work
that required great care and attention, on account of the blots and in
terlineations of that original raanuscript ; for the author had written
thera in haste, and without the least thought of ever publishing them.
This done, at the desire ofa great raany, 1 got thera printed, and now
lay thera before the public, in the sarae order in which they were read,
as far as can be recollected from circumstances.
You must not expect to find in these truly sacred lectures, the me
thod comraonly used in theological systeras ; for while our reverend
Author clearly explains the doctrines of religion, he interraixes to
excellent purpose the principles of piety, and while he enlightens the
understanding, he at the sarae tirae warras the heart.
Being to treat of religion, he uses a practical raethod, which is raost
suitable to his subject, and begins ¦fiif^nhappiness, that being the scope
and design of refigion, as well as the ultimate end of huraan life. He
begins witfi an explanation of happiness in general, on which he
treats at sorae length ; then proceeds to consider the happiness of
man, which may be called perfect and truly divine, as it has for its
object the infinitely blessed and perfect Being wfio created film, and
formally consists in tiie beatific vision and fruition of Hira, which is
reserved in heaven for those who by faith are travelling through this
earth, towards that blessed country. He adds, with great propriety,
that happiness, so far as it is corapatible with this wretched life of
sorrows, consists in true religion, and in religion alone ; not only as it
is the way which leads directly to that perfect happiness reserved in
heaven; but because it is itself of Divine original, and, in reality, the
beginning of that very happiness which is to be perfected in the life to
corae. He observes, that the doctrine of refigion is raost justiy called Theo
logy, as it has the raost high God for its author, object, and end. He
suggests raany excellent thoughts concerning tiie Divine existence, and

PREFACE. 409
reasons from fhe coramon consent of nations, from the creatures we
see about us, and from what we feel and experience within ourselves,
as all these so loudly proclaira the being of God: but the arguraent
taken frora the harraony and beautiful order ofthe universe, he prose
cutes at great length ; and frora this consideration, which is attended
with greater evidence than all the deraonstrations of the sciences, he
clearly proves the existence of an eternal, independent Being.
With regard to the nature of God, he advances but little, and with
great caution ; for concerning the Suprerae Being he thought it dan
gerous even to speak truth ; but is very earnest and diffuse in his ex
hortations to raake the wisdora, power, and goodness of God, that
shine forth with great lustre in all His works, the subject of our con
stant and raost serious meditation. As to the unfathomable depth of
His eternal decrees, he was greatly pleased with that expression of
St. Augustine, " Let others dispute, 1 wiU admire *."
Araongst His works, the first is that vast and stupendous one, the
priraitive creation of all things, which, besides the infaUible testiraony
of the inspired oracles, our Author, by a concise, but clear dissertation
on the subject, proves quite consonant and agreeable to reason. He
then treats of raan, of his original integrity, and the raost unhappy fall
that soon followed. But to this most lamentable story he subjoins
another as happy and encouraging as the other is raoving, I mean, the
adrairable scherae of Divine love for the salvation of sinners. A glo
rious and blessed raethod, that to the account ofthe raost shocking
raisery subjoins the doctrine of incoraparable raercy ! Man, forsaking
God, falls into the raiserable condition of devfls; God, from whora he
revolted, deterraines to extricate hira, by His powerful hand, out of
this raisery ; and that this raight be the raore wonderfully effected,
God hiraself becoraes man. " This is the glory of man, by such
means raised from his woful state I this the wonder of angels, and this
the sura and substance of all rairacles united in one t !" The Word
was raade flesh I He who died as man, as God rose again, and having
been seen on earth, returns to heaven, frora whence he came. On
each of these he advances a few thoughts that are weighty and serious,
but, at the same time, pleasing and agreeable.
To these lectures, I have added some exhortations by our Author,
to the candidates for the degree of master of arts, delivered at the an
nual soleranity held in the university for that purpose ; together with
his raeditations on sorae Psalms, viz., the 4th, 32d, and 130th \ ; be
cause I was unwilling that any ofthe works of so great a raan should
continue in obscurity, to be devoured by raoths and bookworras, espe
cially one calculated for forming the raorals of mankind, and for the
direction of life. For in these meditations, he exhorts and excites the
youth under his care, not by laboured oratory and pompous expres
sions, but by powerful eloquence, earnest entreaties, and solid argu
ments, to tfie love of Christ, purity of fife, and contempt of the world.
* Alii disputant, ego mirabor.
t Hic hominis ex tanto dedecore resurgentis honos, hic angelorum stupor, hoc mira-
culorum omnium compendium !
J These were likewise written in Latin, and have been already translated and published
[See Vol. I. of the present edition of the work.]

410 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
But what wfll all this signify to thee. Reader, if thy mind is carried
away with childish folly, or the wild rage of passions, or even if thou
art still labouring under a stupid negligence of the raeans of grace,
and unconcerned about eternal happiness and thy iramortal soul ? I
doubt not, however, but these truly divine essays will fall into the
hands of sorae, who are endued with a better disposition of mind; nor
are we to despair ofthe rest, " for the Father of spirits liveth still, and
He hath His seat in heaven, who instructs tfie fiearts of men on tfiis
earth*." May, therefore, the Greatest and Best of Beings grant, that
these academical exercises raay have happy effects ! And tfiat our
heavenly Father would second these raeans with His all-powerful grace,
shall be, while he lives, the hurable and ardent prayer of him.
Who earnestly desires thy salvation,
Ja. Fall.
* Vivit enim spirituum pater, et cathedram habet in coelo, qui corda docet in terris.

411
LECTURE I,
THE INTRODUCTION,
With little strength I undertake a great work, or rather, with the least
abilities I venture upon a task wfiich is of all others the greatest and
most iraportant. Araong the various undertakings of men, can an
instance be given of one more sublirae than an intention to form the
human mind anew, after the Divine image ? Yet it will, I doubt not,
be universaUy acknowledged, that this is the true end and design,
not only of rainisters in their several congregations, but also of pro
fessors of divinity in schools. And though, in most respects, the
ministerial office is evidently superior to that of professors of theology
in colleges, in one respect the other seeras to have the preference, as
it is, at least for the raost part, the business of the former to instruct
the comraon sort of raen, the ignorant and illiterate ; whfle it is the
work of the latter to season with heavenly doctrine the rainds of select
societies of youth, who have had a learned education, and are devoted
to a studious life ; raany of whora, it is fo be hoped, wiU, by the Divine
blessing, becorae preachers of the same salutary doctrine themselves.
And surely this ought to be a powerful raotive with all those who, by
the Divine dispensation, are eraployed in such a work, to exert thera
selves with the greater life and spirit in the discharge of their duty ;
especially when they consider that those Christian instructions and
seeds of true piety, which they instil into the tender rainds of their
pupUs, will by thera be spread far and wide, and in due time, con
veyed, as it were, by so raany canals and aqueducts, to raany parts of
the Lord's vineyard. Plutarch employs an argument of this kind, to
prevail with the philosophers to exert themselves in the instruction of
princes and great men, rather than with a haughty sullenness to
avoid their company; " For thus, (says he,) you wUl find a short way
to be useful to many." And to be sure, fie tfiat conveys the prin
ciples of virtue and wisdom into the minds of the lower classes of men,
or the illiterate, whatever progress his disciples may rake, eraploys
his tirae and talents only for the advantage of his pupils ; but he that
forras the rainds of magistrates and great men, or such as are intended
for high and exalted stations, by iraproving one single person, becomes
a benefactor to large and nuraerous societies. Every physician of
generous principles, as Plutarch expresses it, [•I'tXoKaXos-,] would
have an uncoramon ambition to cure an eye intended to watch over
many persons, and convey the sense of seeing to numbers ; and a
rausical instruraent-maker would, with uncommon pleasure exert
his skill in perfecting a harp, if he knew that it was to be employed by
the hands of Amphion, and by the force of its music, to draw stones
together for building the walls of Thebes. A learned and ingenious
author, alluding to this fable, and applying it to our present purpose,
calls professors of theology in schools, makers of harps for building
the walls ofa far raore faraed and beautiful city, meaning tfie Heavenly
Jerusalem, in such manner, that the stones of this building being

412 THEOLOGICAL, LECTURES.
truly, and without a fable, living, and charmed by the pleasant
harmony of the Gospel, come of their own accord to take their places
in the wall.
I am not so littie acquainted with myself, as to entertain the least
hope of success in so great a work by my own strength and abilities ;
but, while I humbly depend upon the Divine goodness and favour, I
have no reason to despair ; for in the hand of Omnipotence, all instru
ments are alike. Nor can it be questioned that He, who made all
things out of nothing, can produce any change He pleases in His
creatures that are already raade ; He who gives 'Lwr]v, kiu i^-iorjv, Kal
¦mavTa, life and breath, and all things, can easily strengthen the weak,
and give riches in abundance to the poor and needy. Our emptiness
only serves to lay us open to, and attract the fulness of Hira " who
fills all tfiings, and is over all ; who gives wisdom to the mind, and
prevents its irregular sallies."
Under His auspices, therefore, young gentleraen, we are to aspire
to true and saving wisdora, and to try to raise ourselves above this
sublunary world. For it is not my intention to perplex you with
curious questions, and lead you through the thorny paths of disputa
tion ; but, if I had any share of that excellent art, it would be my
delight to direct your way, through the easy and pleasant paths of
righteousness, to a life of endless felicity, and be myself your com
panion in that blessed pursuit. I would take pleasure to kindle in
your souls the most ardent desires, and fervent love of heavenly
things ; and to use the expression of a great divine, add " wings to
your souls, to snatch them away from this world, and restore them to
God." For, ifl raay be allowed to speak with freedora, raost part of
the notions that are treated of in theological schools, that are tauo-ht
with great porap and ostentation, and disputed with vast bustle and
noise, may possibly have the sharpness of thorns; but they have also
their barrenness : they may prick and tear, but they can afford no solid
nourishment to the minds of raen. No man ever gathered grapes off'
thorns, nor figs off thistles. " To what purpose," saith A Kerapis,
" dost thou reason profoundly concerning the Trinity, if thou art
without humility, and thereby displeasest that Trinity*?" And St.
Augustine, upon the words of Isaiah, I am the Lord that teacheth
thee to profit, observes with great propriety, that the Prophet here
mentions utflity in opposition to subtiltyt. Such are the principles
I would wish to comraunicate to you; and it is my earnest desire and
fervent prayer, that while I, according to my measure of strength,
propose thera to your understanding. He who sits in Heaven, yet con
descends to instruct the hearts of men on this earth, may effectually
impress thera upon your rainds.
But that you may be capable of this supernatural figfit and heavenly
instruction, it is, first of all, absolutely necessary, that your minds
be caUed off from foreign objects; and turned in upon themselves;
for, as long as your thoughts are dispersed and scattered in pursuit of
vanity and insignificant trifles, he that would lay before them the
» Quorsum alta de Trinitate di.sputare, si careas humilitate, et sic Trinitate. dis.
pliceas f
t Utilia non subtilia.

INTRODUCTION.

413

principles and precepts of this spiritual wisdom, would corarait thera,
fike the sibyl's prophecies, that were written on loose leaves of trees,
to the mercy ofthe inconstant winds, and thereby render thera entirely
useless. It is certainly a raatter of great difficulty, and requires
uncommon art, to fix the thoughts of raen, especially young raen and
boys, and turn them in upon themselves. We read in the parable of
the Gospel concerning the prodigal son, that, first of all, he came io
himself, and then returned to his father. It is certainly a very con
siderable step towards conversion to God, to have the mind fixed
upon itself, and disposed to think seriously of its own iraraediate
concerns ; whicfi the pious St. Bernard excellently expresses in this
prayer: " May 1,'' says he, " return from external objects to ray own
inward concerns, and from inferior objects rise to those of a superior
nature*." I should look upon it as no small happiness, if, out of this
whole society, I could but gain one, but wish earnestly I could prevail
with many, and stiU raore ardently that 1 could send you all away,
fuUy determined to entertain more serious and secret thoughts than
ever you had before, with regard to your immortal state and eternal
concerns. But how vain are the thoughts of men! What a darkness
overclouds their mindsf ! It is the great coraplaint of God con
cerning His people, that ihey have noi a heart io understand. It is
at once the great disgrace and raisery of raankind, that they live
without forethought. That brutish thoughtiessness, pardon the ex
pression, or, to speak more intelligibly, want of consideration, is tbe
death and ruin of souls. And the ancients observe, with great truth
and justice, " that a thoughtful mind is the spring and source of every
good thingj."
It is the advice of the Psalmist, that we should converse much with
ourselves: an advice, indeed, which is regarded by few; for the
greatest part of mankind are no where greater strangers than at horae.
But it is ray earnest request to you, that you would be intiraately
acquainted with yourselves, and as becomes persons devoted to a
studious life, be mucfi at horae, rauch in your own corapany, and very
often engaged in serious conversation with yourselves. Think gravely.
To what purpose do I live ? Wfiither ara 1 going ? Ask thyself,
hast thou any fixed and deterrained purpose, any end that thou pur-
suest with steadfastness§ ? The principles 1 fiave erabraced under the
narae ofthe Christian Religion, the things I have so often heard about
a future state and life, and deatfi eternal, are they true or false ? If
they are true, as we all absolutely profess to beheve they are, then, to
be sure, the greatest and most important matters of this world are
vain and even less than vanity itself: all our knowledge is but igno
rance, our riches poverty, our pleasure bitterness, and our honours
vile and dishonourable. How little do those men know, who are
ambitious of glory, what it really is, and how to be attained I Nay,
they eagerly catch at the empty shadow of it, while they avoid and
turn their backs upon that glory which is real, substantial, and ever-
* Ab exterioribus ad interiora redeam, et ab inferioribus ad superiora ascendam.
+ 0 vanas hominum mentes ! 0 pectora cseca I
I Intellectus cogitabundus principium omnis honi.
§ Est aliquid quo tendis, et in quid dirigis arcum .'

414 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
la.sting. The happiness of good men in the life to come, is not only
infini-iely above all our expressions, but even beyond our most enlarged
thoughts. By coraparing, however, great things with small, we attain
sorae faint notion of these exalted and invisible blessings, frora the
earthly and visible enjoyraents of this world. In this respect, even
the Holy Scriptures descend to the weakness ofour capacities, and as
the Hebrews express it, " The law of God speaks the language of the
children of raen*." They speak of this celestial life,' under the repre
sentations of an heritage, of riches, of a kingdom, and a crown, but
with uncoraraon epithets, and such as are by no means applicable to
any earthly glory or opulence, however great. It is an inheritance,
but one that is uncorrupted, undefiled, and ihat fadeth Tiot away; a
kingdom, but one that can never be shaken, rauch less ruined ; which
can never be said of the thrones of this sublunary world, as evidently
appears from tfie histories of all nations, and our own recent expe
rience. Here, ye sons of Adam, a covetous and arabitious race, here
is room for a laudable avarice ; here are raotives to excite your arabi
tion, and, at the sarae tirae, the raeans of satisfying it to the full.
But it must be acknowledged, that the belief of tfiese things is far from
being common. What a rare attainraent is faith, seeing that among
the prodigious crowds ofthose who profess to believe in this world,
one might justly cry out. Where is a true believer to be found? That
man shall never persuade me, that he believes the truth and certainty
of heavenly enjoyments, who cleaves to this earth, nay, who does not
scorn and despise it, with all its baits and allurements, and employ all
his powers, as well as his utraost industry, lo obtain these imraense
and eternal blessings.
Nor is there any thing in the way to these enjoyraents that can deter
you frora it, unless hofiness in heart and life appear to be a heavy and
troublesorae task to you : whereas, on the contrary, nothing surely
can be naraed, that is either raore suited to the dignity of huraan
nature, raore beautiful and becoming, or attended with greater pleasure.
I therefore beseech and entreat you, by the bowels of Divine mercy,
and by your own most precious souls, that you would seriously con
sider these things, and raake thera your principal study. Try an
experiraent, attended with no danger or expense ; raake a trial of the
ways of this wisdora, and I doubt not but you will be so charraed
with the pleasantness thereof, that you wfll never thenceforward depart
frora thera. For this purpose, I earnestiy recoraraend to you, to be
constant and assiduous in prayer. Nay, it is St. Paul's exhortation,
that you pray without ceasing. 1 Thes. v. 17. So that prayer may
be, not only, according to the old saying, Clavis diei, et sera noclis.
The key that opens the day, and the lock that shuts up the night ; but
also, so to speak, a staff for support in the day-time, and a bed for
rest and comfort in the night ; two conveniences which are coraraonly
expressed by one single Hebrew word. And be assured, that the raore
frequentiy you pray, witii so rauch the greater ease and pleasure will
your prayers be attended, not only from the coraraon and necessary
connexion between acts and habits, but also from the nature of this
duty. For prayer, being a kind of conversation with God, gradually
* Lex Dei loquitur linguam filiorum hominum.

OF HAPPINESS. 415
purifies the soul, and raakes it continutdly more and more like unto
Him. Our love to God is also very much iraproved by this i'requent
intercourse with Him ; and by His love, on the other haud, the soul
is effectually disposed to fervency, as well as frequently in prayer, and
can, by no means, subsist without it.

LECTURE II.
Of Happiness, its Name and Nature, and ihe Desire of it wnplanted
in the Human Heart.
How deep and dark is that abyss of misery, into which man is pre
cipitated by his deplorable fall ; since he has thereby lost, not only the
possession, but also the knowledge of his chief or principal good I He
has no distinct notion of what it is, of the means of recovering it, or
the way he has to take in pursuit of it. Yet the human raind, how
ever stunned and weakened by so dreadful a fall, still retains sorae
faint idea, sorae confused and obscure notions of the good it has lost,
and sorae reraaining seeds of its heavenly original*. It has also still
reraaining, a kind of languid sense of its raisery and indigence, with
affections suitable to those obscure notions. Frora this iraperfect
sense of its poverty, and these feeble affections, arise some motions
and efforts ofthe raind, like those of one groping in the dark, and
seeking rest every where, but raeeting with it no where. This, at
least, is beyond all doubt, and indisputable, that all raen wish well to
theraselves, nay, that they all catch at, and desire to attain the enjoy
ment of the most absolute and perfect good ; even the worst of raen
have not lost this regard for themselves, nor can they possibly divest
themselves of it. And though, alas! it is but too true, that, as we
are naturally blind, we run ourselves upon misery, under the disguise
of happiness, and not only embrace, according to the comraon saying,
" a cloud instead of Junof," but death itself instead of life: yet, even
from this most fatal error, it is evident that we naturally pursue either
real happiness, or what, to our mistaken judgment, appears to be
such. Nor can the mind of raan divest itself of this propensity,
without divesting itself of its being. This is what the schoolmen
mean, when, in their manner of expression, they say, " That the will is
carried towards happiness, not siraply as wiU, but as nature J.''
It is true, indeed, the generality of mankind are not well acquainted
with the motions of their own minds, nor at pains to observe thera,
but, like brutes, by a kind of secret irapulse, are violently carried
towards such enjoyments as fall in their way : they do but very little,
or not at all, enter into theraselves, and review the state and opera
tions of their own minds ; yet, in all their actions, aU their wishes and
desires, (though they are not always aware of it themselves,) this
thirst after iraraortality exerts and discovers itself. Consider the busy
part of mankind, hurrying to and fro in the exercise of their several
professions, physician.s, lawyers, merchants, mechanics, farraers, and
* Cognati semina coeli.
t Nubem pro Junoue.
J In beatitudinem fertur voluntas, non ut voluntas, sed ut natura.

416 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
even soldiers themselves ; they all toil and labour, in order to obtain
rest, if success attend their endeavours, and any fortunate event
answer their expectations. Encouraged by these fond hopes, they
eat their bread with the sweat of their brow. But their toil, after all,
is endless, constantly returning in a circle ; and the days of men pass
away in suffering real evils, and entertaining fond hopes of apparent
good, which they seldora or never attain. Every man walks in a vain
shew : he torments himself in vain, Psal. xxxix. 6. He pursues rest
and ease, like his shadow, and never overtakes thera ; but, for the
most part, ceases to live before he begins to live to purpose. How
ever, after all this confused and fluctuating appetite, which determines
us to the pursuit of good, either real or apparent, as it is congenial with
US, and deeply rooted in the human heart, so it is the great handle by
which Divine Grace lays hold, as it were, upon our nature, draws
us to itself, and extricates us out of the profound abyss of misery, into
which we are fallen.
From this it evidently follows, that the design of Sacred Theology
is the very sarae with that of huraan nature, and he thai rejects it hates
his own soul ; (for so the wise king of Israel eraphatically expresses it,
Prov. viii. 36,) he is the raost irreconcileable eneray to his own hap
piness, and absolutely at variance with hiraself; according to that of
St. Bernard, " After I was set in opposition to Thee, I became also
contrary to myself*."
These considerations have determined rae to begin these instructions,
such as they are, which, with Divine assistance, I intend to give you,
concerning the principles of the Christian religion, with a short dis
quisition concerning the chief or ultimate end of man. And here it is
to be, first of all, observed, that the transcendent and supreme end of
all, is the glory of God ; all things returning, in a most beautiful
circle, to this, as the original source from which they at first took
their rise. But the end of true religion, as far as it regards us,
which is iraraediately connected with the forraer, and serves, in a
raost glorious raanner, to proraote it, is, the salvation and happiness
of raankind.
Though I should not tell you, what is to be understood by the terra
happiness or felicity in general, 1 cannot iraagine any of you would be
at a loss about it. Yet, I shall give a brief explication of it, that you
raay have the more distinct ideas of the thing itself, and the juster
notions of what is to be further advanced on the subject. Nor is
there, indeed, any controversy on this head ; for all are agreed, that
by the terms coraraonly used in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin f to
express happiness or felicity, we are to understand thai perfect and
complete good, which is suited and adapted io intelligent nature, I say,
io inielligeni nature, because the brute creatures cannot be said to be
happy, but in a very iraproper sense. Happiness cannot be a.scribed
to horses or oxen, let thera be ever so well fed, and left in the fufi
possession of liberty and ease. And as good in general is peculiar to
intelligent beings ; so, more especially, tfiat perfect good, which con
stitutes felicity in its full and most extensive acceptation. It is true,
* Postquam posuisti me contrarium tibi, factus sum contrarius mihi.
t '"lU'K in Hebrew, /tuxK^uTns et tuhui/imx in G-teek, felicitas et beatitudo in Latin,

OF HAPPINESS. 417
indeed, in Coramon conversation, men are very prodigal of this term,
and, with extravagant levity, raisapply it to every coraraon enjoyment
of life, or apparent good they meet with, especially such as is most
suited to their present exigencies ; and thus, as Aristotie, in his
Ethics, expresses it, " The sick person considers health, and the poor
man riches, as the chief good." It is also true, that learned raen, and
even the sacred Scriptures, give the narae of felicity to .sorae symptoms
and small beginnings of future happiness. But, as we have already
observed, this term, in its true and complete sense, comprehends in it
that absolute and full perfection of good, which entirely excludes all
uneasiness, and brings with it every thing that can contribute to
satisfaction and delight. Consequently, that good, whatever it be,
that raost perfectly supplies all the wants, and satisfies all the cravings
ofour rational appetites, is objective felicity , as the schools express it :
and actual, or forraal felicity, is the full possession and enjoyment of
that complete and chief good. It consists of a perfect tranquillity of
the mind, and not a dull and stupid indolence, like the calra that reigns
in the dead sea ; but such a piece of mind as is fively, active, and con
stantly attended with the purest joy : not a raere absence of uneasiness
and pain ; but such a perfect ease as is constantly accorapanied with
the most perfect satisfaction, and supreme delight ; and if the term
had not been degraded by the raean uses to which it has been pros
tituted, I should not scruple to call it pleasure*. And, indeed, we
may still call it by this narae, provided we purify the terra, and guard
it by the following liraitations ; so as to understand by felicity, such a
pleasure as is perfect, constant, pure, spiritual, and divine. For never,
since I ventured to think upon such subjects, could I be satisfied with
the opinion of Aristotle and the schoolraen, who distinguish between
the fruition of the chief good, which constitutes true felicity, and the
delight and satisfaction attending that fruition ; because, at this rate,
that good would not be the ultimate end and completion of our desires,
nor desired on its own account: for whatever good we wish to pos
sess, the end of our wishing is, that we may enjoy it with tranquillity
and delight ; and this uninterrupted delight or satisfaction, whicli
adraits of no alloy, is, love in possession ofthe beloved object, aud at
the height of its arabition.
LECTURE III.
Ofthe Happiness o/Man, and that it is really io he found.
You will not, I iraagine, be offended, nor think I intend to insult you,
because I have once and again, with great earnestness and sincerity,
wished you and myself a sound and serious teraper of raind : for, if
we raay represent things as they really are, very few raen are possessed
of so valuable a blessing. The far greater part of thera are intoxicated
either with the pleasures or the cares of this world ; they stagger about
with a tottering and unstable pace ; and, as Soloraon expresses it, The
labour of ihe foolish wearieth every one of them : because he knoweth
* 'H lu^aifAsvta h^tvn a/iSTu^KtiTh • Happiness in pleasure perpetuated.
Vol. II. 2 E

418 theological lectures.
not how to go io the city : Eccles. X. 15 : — the heavenly city, and the
vision of peace, which very few have a just notion of, or are at pains
to seek after. Nay, they know not what it is they are seeking. They
flutter frorn one object to another, and live at hazard. They have no
certain harbour in view, nor direct their course by any fixed star.
But to hira that knoweth not the port to which he is bound, no wind
can be favourable ; neither can he who has not yet deterrained at what
raark he is to shoot, direct his arrow aright. That this may not be
our case, but that we may have a proper object to aim at, I propose to
speak of the chief end of our being.
And to begin at the Father of Spirits, or pure intefligences, God,
blessed for ever, corapletely happy in Hiraself from all eternity, is His
own happiness. His self-sufficiency, ['Avra^Kfia,] that eternal and
infinite satisfaction and complacency He fias in Hiraself, is the pecufiar
and raost coraplete felicity of that Suprerae Being who derives his
existence frora Hiraself, and has given being to every thing else.
Which Chrysostora has well expressed by saying, " That it is God's
peculiar property to stand in need of nothing*." And Claudius Victor
beautifully describes Hira as " vested with all the majesty of creative
power, comprehending in His infinite mind all the creatures to be
afterwards produced, having all the revolutions of time constantly
present to His all-seeing eye, and being an imraense and most glorious
kingdora to Hiraselff.''
Yet all we can say of this Priraary, Uncreated Majesty and Felicity,
is but raere talking to little or no sort of purpose : for fiere, not only
words fail us, but even tfiought is at a stand, and quite overpowered,
when we survey the Suprerae, Self-existent Being J, perfectly happy
and glorious in the sole enjoyraent of His own infinite perfections,
throughout numberless ages, without angels, men, or any other crea
ture : so that the poet had reason to say, " What eye so strong, that
the raatchless brightness of Thy glory will not dazzle it, and make it
close §."
Let us, therefore, descend into ourselves, but with a view to return
to Him again : and not only so, but in such a manner, that the end
and design ofour descending to inquire into our own situation, be, that
we raay, with greater advantage, return and reascend to God. For,
if we inquire into our own ultiraate end, this disquisition raust rise
above all other beings, and at last terrainate in Hira ; because He
Himself is that very end, and out of Him, there is neither beginning
nor end. The felicity of angels, which is an interraediate degree of
happiness, we shall not insist on, not only because it is foreign to our
t Regnabatque ; potens in majestate creandi,
Et facienda videns, gignendaque ; mente capaci,
Seeula despiciens, et quicquid tempora volvunt
Presens semper habens : immensum mole beata
Regnum erat ipse sibi.
-^ AvS-iiccffTov TOU ov-a.
§ Ti'^flf 'o^f/.a ffoipov
Ta-Ts ffstt; ffrs^oTTuis
' AvUK0TT0lU.iVOV
'Ou xxx/i-irrii. Synos. Hym. Tert,

OP happiness. 419
purpose, but also, because our felicity and theirs wfll be found, upon
the raatter, to be precisely the same.
With regard to our own happiness, wc shall first shew, ihat such
happiness really exists; and next, inquire, what it is, and wherein it
consists. We assert, then, that there is such a thing as huraan felicity, and
this ought rather to be taken for granted as a matter unquestionable,
than strictiy proved. But when I speak of human felicity, I ara well
satisfied you w-fll not iraagine, I mean such a happiness as maybe had
from human things, but that I take the term subjectively, and under
stand by it the happiness of man. Now, he who would deny, that
this is not only among the number of possibles, but actually attained
by some part, at least, ofthe huraan race, would not only render hira
self unworthy of such happiness, but even of huraan nature itself;
because he would thereby do all in his power to deprive it of its highest
expectations and its greatest honour: but whoever allows, that all
things were produced by the hand of an infinitely wise Creator, cannot
possibly doubt, that man, the head and ornament of all His visible
works, was made capable ofa proper and suitable end. The principal
beauty of the creation consists in this, that all things in it are disposed
in the most excellent order, and every particular intended for some
noble and suitable end ; and if this could not be said of man, who is
the glory of the visible world, what a great deformity must it be, how
great a gap in nature! And this gap must be the greater, in that, as
we have already observed, raan is naturally endued with strong and
vigorous desires towards such an end. Yet, on this absurd supposi
tion, all such desires and expectations would be vain, and to no
purpose; and so, soraething raight be said in defence of that peevish
and irapatient expression which escaped the Psalraist in a fit of exces
sive sorrow, and he raight have an excuse for saying. Why hast Thou
made all Tnen in vain? Psal. Ixxxix. 47. This would not only have
been a frightful gap in nature, but, if I ara allowed so to speak, at this
rate, the whole huraan race raust have been created in raisery, and
exposed to unavoidable torraents, frora which they could never have
been relieved, had they been forraed, not only capable of a good quite
unattainable and altogether without' their reach, but also with strong
and restless desires towards that impossible good. Now, as this is by
no raeans to be adraitted, there raust necessarily be sorae full, perma
nent, and satisfying good, that raay be attained by man, and in the
possession of which he raust be truly happy.
When we revolve these things in our rainds, do we not feel from
within, a powerful impulse, exciting us to set aside all other cares, that
we may discover the one chief good, and attain to the enjoyment of it?
V/hile we inhabit these bodies, I own, we fie under a necessity of using
corporeal and fading tilings : but there is no necessity that we should
be slaves to our bellies and the lusts ofthe flesh, or have our aff'ections
glued to this earth ; nay, that it should be so, is the highest and most
intolerable indignity. Can it be thought, that man was born merely
to cram himself with victuals and drink, or gratify the other appetites
of a body v/hich he has in comraon with the brutes? to snuft'up the
wind, to entertain delusive and vain hopes all the d-ays of his life, and,
2 K -3

420 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
when that short scene of madness is over, to be laid in the grave, an
reduced to its original dust ? Far be it frora us to draw such conclu
sions : there is certainly soraething beyond this, soraething so great
and lasting, that, in respect of it, the short point of tirae we live here,
with all its bustie of business and pleasures, is more empty and vanish
ing than smoke. " I am more considerable," says one, " and ^ornj-o
greater raatters, than to become the slave of ray diminutive body .
With how much greater truth might we speak thus, were we regene
rated from Heaven ! Let us be ashamed to live with our heads bowed
down, like grovelfing beasts gazing upon the earth, or even to catch
at the vain and airy shadows of science, whfle, in the mean time, we
know not, or do' not consider, whence we took our rise, and whither
we are soon to return, what place is to receive our souls, when they
are set at liberty from these bodily prisons. If it is the principal desire
of your souls to understand the nature of this felicity, and the way that
leads to it, search ihe Scriptures; for, from them alone, we all think,
or profess to think, we can have eternal life. I exhort and beseech
you, never to suffer so much as one day to paSs, either through lazy
negligence or too much eagerness in inferior studies, without reading
sorae part of the sacred records with a pious and attentive disposition
of mind; still joining with your reading, fervent prayer, that you may
thereby draw down that Divine light, without which spiritual things
-cannot be read and understood. But with this light shining upon
thera, it is not possible to express how much sweeter you will find
these inspired writings, than Cicero, Deraosthenes, Horaer, Aristotle,
and all the other orators, poets, and philosophers. They reason about
an iraaginary felicity, and every one in his own way advances sorae
precarious and uncertain thoughts upon it ; but ihis Book alone shows
clearly, and with absolute certainty, what it is, and points out the way
that leads to the attainment of it. This is that which prevafled with
St. Augustine to study the Scriptures, and engaged his affection to
thera. " In Cicero, and Plato, and other such writers," says he, " I
meet with many things wittfly said, and things that have a raoderate
tendency to move the passions ; but in none of them do I find these
words. Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest f."
LECTURE IV.
Jn which it is proved ihat Human Felicity cannot be found either in
the earth or earthly things.
We are all in quest of one thing, but alraost all of us out of the right
road ; therefore, to be sure, the longer and the more swiftly we move
in a wrong path, the further we depart frora the object of our desires :
and if it is so, we can speak or think of nothing more proper and sea
sonable, than of inquiring about the only right way, whereby we may
afl corae, " to see the bright fountain of goodness \." I know you will
* Major sum, et ad majora gentius, quam ut sim mancipium mei corpusculi.
t Apud Ciceronem et Platonem, aliosque ejusmodi scriptores, multa sunt acute dicta,
ct leniter calentias sed in iis omnibus hoc non invenio, Venite ad me, &c. [Matt. xii. 2a.]
t Boni fontem viscre lucidum.

OF HAPPINESS. 421
remember, that on the last occasion, we proposed the most important
of all questions, vi:,, that concerning our ultiraate end, or the way to
discover true happiness ; to which, we asserted, that all mankind do
aspire with a natural, and therefore a constant and uniforra ardour ;
or rather, we supposed, that all are sufficientiy acquainted with this
happiness, nay, really do, or at least may feel it within thera, if they
thoroughly know theraselves. For this is the end of the labours of
raen ; to this tend all their toils. This is the general aira of all, not
only of the sharp-sighted, but the blear-eyed and short-sighted ; nay
even of those that are quite blind, who though they cannot see the
mark they propose to theraselves, yet are in hopes of reaching it at
last : that is to say, though their ideas of it are very confused and ira
perfect, they all desire happiness in the obvious sense of the word.
We have also observed, that this terra, in its general acceptation,
imports that full and perfect good which is suited to intelligent nature *.
It is not to be doubted but the felicity of the Deity, as well as His
being, is in Himself, and from Himself. But our inquiry is concern
ing our own happiness. We also positively determined, that there is
some blessed end suited and adapted to our nature, and that this can
by no means be denied ; for since all parts of the universe have proper
ends suited and adapted to their natures, that the most noble and
excellent creature of the whole sublunary world should in this be
defective, and therefore created in vain, would be so great a solecism,
such a deformity in the whole fabric, and so unworthy of the supreme
and all-wise Creator, that it can by no means be adraitted, nor even so
much as imagined. This point being settled, viz., that there is some
determinate good, in the possession whereof the mind of man may be
fully satisfled and at perfect rest, we now proceed to inquire what this
good is, and where it raay be found.
The first thing, and at the same tirae a very considerable step to
wards this discovery, will be to show where and in what things tfiis
perfect good is not to be found ; not only because this point being
settled, it will be easier to deterraine wherein it actually consists ; nay,
the latter will naturally flow from the forraer ; but also because, as
has been observed, we shall find tfie far greater part of raankind pur
suing vain shadows and phantoms of happiness, and, throughout their
whole lives, wandering in a great variety of bye-paths, seeking the way
to make a proper iraproveraent of life, almost always hunting for that
chief good where it is not to be found. They must first be recalled
frora this rarabling and fruitless course, before they can possibly be
directed into the right road. I shall not spin out this negative propo
sition by dividing the subject of it into several branches, and insisting
separately upon every one of thera ; but consider all these errors and
mistakes, both vulgar and practical, speculative and philosophical,
however nuraerous they raay be, as comprehended under one general
head, and fiilly obviate them all by one single proposition, which witfi
Divine assistance, I shall explain to you in this lecture, and that very
briefly. The proposition is. That human felicity, or that full and complete
* U^arSt Ti, ixxTot Tt, Xlli f!.'iyiaToi.Kic>.'o-i.

423

THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.

good that is suited to the nature of man, is not to be found in the
earth, nor in earthly things.
Now, what if, instead of furtiier proof or illustration, I should only
say — If this perfect felicity is to be found within this visible world, or
the verge of this earthly life, let him, I pray, who hath found it out,
stand forth ; let hira tell who can, what star, of whatever magnitude,
what constellation or corabination of stars, has so favourable an aspect,
and so benign an influence, or what is that singular good, or assemblage
of good things in this earth, that can confer upon raankind a happy
life. All things that, like bright stars, have hitherto attracted the
eyes of men, vanishing in a few days, have proved theraselves to be
comets, not only of no benign, but even of pernicious influence :
according to the saying, " There is no comet but what brings some
mischief along with it *." All that have ever lived during so many
ages that the world fias hitherto lasted, noble and ignoble, learned
and unlearned, fools and wise raen, have gone in search of happiness;
has ever any one of thera all, in tiraes past, or is there any one at this
day that has said, 'EvpijKa, 1 have found it ? Different raeii have
given different definitions and descriptions of it, and according to their
various turns of raind, have painted it in a great variety of shapes ;
but, since the creation of the world, there has not been so much as
one who ever pretended to say. Here it is, I have it, and have attained
the full possession of it. Even those from whora raost was to be ex
pected, raen of the utmost penetration, and raost properly qualified
for such researches, after all their labour and industry, have acknow
ledged tiieir disappointraent, and that they had not found it. But it
would be wonderful indeed, that there should be any good suited to
huraan nature, and to which mankind were born, and yet that it never
fell to the share of any one individual of the sons of men : unless it be
said, that the things of life, in this respect, resemble the speculations
of the schools ; and that, as they talk about objects of knowledge that
were never known, so there is sorae good attainable by raen, which
was never actually attained.
But to look a little raore narrowly into this matter, and take a tran
sient view of the several periods of fife. Infants are so far frora attain
ing to fiappiness, tfiat tfiey fiave not yet arrived at huraan life ; yet, if
they are corapared with those of riper years, they are in a low and ira
proper sense, with regard to two things, innocence and ignorance,
happier than raen ; for there is nothing that years add to infancy so
invariably, and in so great abundance, as guilt and pollution; and the
experience and knowledge of the worid which they give us, do not so
rauch iraprove the head, as they vex and distress the heart. So that
the great raan represented in the tragedy embracing his infant who
knew nothing of his own raisery, seems to have had some reason to
say, " That those v/ho know nothing enjoy the happiest lifef." And
to be sure, what we gain by our progress from infancy to youth, is,
that we thereby become more exposed to the raiseries of life, and, as we
iraprove in the knowledge of things, our pains and torments are also
increased: for either children are" put to servile employments, or me-
Oudits ya^ xof/.-/iTls 'off-Ti; oh Kaxov tpioEj.
t To -ywtxi fiyiVii iari) »)J;o-«y /3«;.

OF HAPPINESS.

423

chanic arts ; or if they happen to have a raore genteel and fiberal
education, this very thing turns to a punishraent, as they are thereby
subjected to rods and chastiseraents, and the power of parents and
instructors, which is often a kind of jietty tyranny ; and, when tho
yoke is lightened with the greatest prudence, it still seems hard to be
borne, as it is above the capacity of their young rainds, thwarts their
wishes and inclinations, and encroacfies upon their beloved liberty.
Youth, put in full possession of this liberty, for the most part ceases
to be master of itself ; nor can it be truly said to be delivered from its
former misery, as to exchange it for a worse, even that very liberty.
It leaves the h-arbour to sail through quicksands and Sirens; and
when both these are passed, launches out into the deep sea. Alas!
to what various fates is it there exposed ! How raany contrary winds
does it meet with ! How many storms threatening it with shipwreck!
How many shocks has it to bear frora avarice, arabition, and envy,
either in consequence of the violent stirrings ofthose passions within
itself, or the fierce attacks of thera from without ! Amidst all these
tempests, the ship is either early overwhelmed, or broken by storms;
and worn out by old age, at last falls to pieces.
Nor does it rauch signify what state of life one enters into, or what
rank he holds in huraan society ; for all forms of business and condi
tions of life, however various you raay suppose thera to be, are ex
posed to a much greater variety of troubles and distresses, some to
pressures raore numerous and more grievous than others, but all to a
great raany, and every one to sorae pectfliar to itself. If you devote
yourself to ease and refireraent, you cannot avoid the reproach and
uneasiness that constantly attend an indolent, a useless, and lazy life.
If you engage in business, whatever it be, whether you coraraence
merchant, soldier, farmer, or lawyer, you always raeet with toil and
hazard, and often with heavy raisfortunes and losses. Celibacy ex
poses to solitude ; raarriage, to solicitude and cares. Witfiout learn
ing, you appear plain and unpolisfied ; but on the other hand, the study
of letters is a matter of imraense labour, and, for the most part, brings
in but very little, either with regard to the knowledge you acquire by
it, or the conveniences of life it procures. But I will enlarge no fur-
tfier. You find the Greek and Latin poets lamenting the calamities of
life in many parts of their works, and at great length : nor do they ex
aggerate in the least ; they even fall short of the truth, and only enu
merate a few evils out of many.
The Greek epigram ascribed by some to Prosidipus, by others to
Crates the Cynic philosopher, begins thus, " What state of Hfe ought
one to choose ?" and having enumerated thera all, concludes in this
manner : " There are then only two things eligible, either never to
have been born, or to die as soon as one raakes his appearance in the
world*." '
But now, leaving the various periods and conditions of life, let us,
with great brevity, run over those things which are looked upon to be
the greatest blessings in it, and see whether any of them can raake it
* Hqii'iv Tot fiioroi, TcifAoi; T^iQo'j. — Est* ajoj to7v "htfol-i 'iyo; uioitri; '/j TO yiHirS-oii fit^s^o'r
>1 ^xvuv at/Tixa rixTo^joxtvov,

424

THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.

completely happy. Can this be expected from a beautiful outside ?
No ; this has rendered many miserable, but never raade one happy.
For suppose it to be soraetimes attended with innocence, it is surely of a
fading and perishing nature, " the sport of time or disease*." Can it
be expected from riches?" Surely no; for how little of them does
the owner possess, even supposing his wealth to be ever so great !
What a sraall part of thera does he use or enjoy hiraself! And what
has he of the rest but the pleasure of seeing thera with his eyes?
Let his table be loaded with the greatest variety of delicious dishes,
he fills fiis belly out of one; and if fie fias a fiundred beds fie lies but
in one of them. Can the kingdoms, thrones, and sceptres of this
vvorld, confer happiness ? No : we learn from the histories of afl ages,
that not a few have been tumbled down frora these by sudden and
unexpected revolutions, and those not such as were void of conduct or
courage, but raen of great and extraordinary abilities. And that those
who raet with no such raisfortunes, were still far enough from happiness,
is very plain from the situation of their affairs, and in raany cases,
frora their own confession. The saying of Augustus is well known :
" I wish I had never been raarried and had died childless t." And the
expression of Severus at his death, " I became all things, and yet it
does not profit me |." But the most noted saying of all, and that
which best deserves to be known, is that of the wisest and most
flourishing king, as well as the greatest preacher, who, having exactiy
coraputed all the advantages of his exalted dignity and royal opulence,
found this to be tiie sura total of afl, and left it on record for the
inspection of posterity and future ages. Vanity of vanities, all is
vanity. All this may possibly be true with regard to the external advantages
of men; but may not happiness be found in the internal goods ofthe
mind, suchas wisdora and virtue? Suppose this granted ; still that
they raay confer perfect felicity, they raust of necessity be perfect them
selves. Now, shew rae the raan, who, even in fiis own judgraent, has
attained to perfection in wisdora and virtue : even those who were
accounted the wisest, and actually were so, acknowledged they knew
nothing ! nor was there one araong the raost approved philosophers,
whose virtues were not allayed with many blemishes. The same must
be said of piety and true religion, which, though itis the beginning of
felicity, and tends directiy to perfection, yet, as in this earth it is not
full and coraplete in itself, it cannot make its possessors perfectly
happy. The knowledge of the raost exalted rainds is very obscure,
and almost quite dark, and their practice of virtue larae and imperfect.
And indeed, who can have the boldness to boast of perfection in this
respect, when he hears the great Apostle complaining of the law of the
fiesh, and pathetically exclaiming. Who shaU deliver me from this body
of death? Rom. vii. 24. Besides, though wisdom and virtue, or piety
were iierfect, so long as we have bodies, we raust at tiie sarae time
have all bodily advantages, in order to perfect felicity. Therefore,
the Satirist smartly ridicules the wise man of the Stoics : " He is,"
* X«ov5£; ^' vciTou ,ra.tyviov.
t ' Aiff oiptXo)) «yflj^fl'> T 'if/.ivxi Hyovo; t' aToMtrat,
;[; llmra, 'iyivo/x^jv xcm ov XucriTiXiT,

OF THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. 125
savs he, " free, honoured, beautiful, king of kings and particularly
happv, except when he is troubled with phlegm*."
Since these things are so, we must raise our minds higher, and not
live with our heads bowed down like the common sort of mankind ;
who, as St. Augustine expresses it," look for a happy life in the region
of death t.' To set our hearts upon the perishing goods of this
^*^etched life and its muddy pleasures, is not the happiness of raen,
but of hogs. And if pleasure is dirt, other things are but sraoke.
Were this the onlv good proposed to the desires aud hopes of raen, it
would not have been so great a privilege to have been born. Be
therefore advised, young gentleraen, and beware of this poisonous cup,
lest your rainds thereby become brutish, and fall into a fatal oblivion
of your original, and your end. Turn that part of your Coraposltion
which is Divine, to God its creator and father, without whom we can
neither be happy, nor indeed be at all.
LECTURE V.
Ofthe Immortality ofthe Soul.
There are many things that keep mankind eraployed, particularly
business, or rather trifles ; for so the affairs which are in this world
considered as most iraportant, ought to be called, when compared with
that of minding our own valuable concerns, knowing ourselves, and
truly consulting our highest interests ; but how few are there that
make this their study? The definition you comraonly give of raan, is,
that he is a rational creature ; though to be sure, it is not applicable
to the generality of mankind, unless you understand, that they are
such, not actually, but in power only, and that very remote. They are,
for the most part at least, more silly and foolish than children, and,
like them, fond of toys, and rattles ; they fatigue themselves running
about and sauntering from place to place, but do nothing to purpose.
What a wonder it is, that souls of a heavenly original have so far
forgot their native country, and are so immersed in dirt and raud, that
there are few men who frequently converse with theraselves about their
own state, thinking gravely of their original and their end, seriously
laying to heart, that as the poet expresses it, " Good and evil are
set before mankind j;" and who after mature consideration, not only
think it the most wise and reasonable course, but are also fully resolved
to exert themselves to the utmost, in order to arrive at a sovereign
contempt of earthly things, and aspire to those enjoyments that are
Divine and eternal. For our parts, I am fully persuaded we shall be
of this mind, if we seriously reflect upon what has been said. For if
there is, of necessity, a complete, perraanent, and satisfying good in
tended for man, and no such good is to be found in the earth or earthly

- Dives,

Liber, bonoratus, pulcher, rex denique regum,
PrEBcipue foelix, nisi cum pituita molesta est.
t Beatam vitam qujerunt in regione mortis.
t V.7i TOI a.7^^lklZ-Ci7l XXXOI T xyct^O, Ti TiTVUTXt.

426 theological lectures.
things, we must proceed farther, and look for it somewhere else ;
and, ill consequence of this, conclude, that raan is not-qufte extin-
o-uis'hed by death, but removes to another place, and that the human
soul is by all means immortal.
Many raen have added a great variety of different arguments to
support this conclusion, some of them strong and solid, and others, to
speak freely, too metaphysical, and of little strength, especially as they
are as obscure, as easily denied, and as hard to be proved, as that very
conclusion, in support of which they are adduced.
They who reason frora the immaterial nature of the soul, and from
its being infused into the body, as also frora its method of operation,
which is confined to none of the bodily organs, may easily prevail
with those who befieve these principles, to adrait tfie truth ofthe con
clusion they want to draw from thera ; but if they raeet with any who
obstinately deny tfie premises, or even doubt the truth of them, it wiU
be a matter of difficulty to support such hypotheses with clear and
conclusive arguments. If the soul of raan was well acquainted with
itself, and fully understood its own nature, if it could investigate the
nature of its union with the body, and the method of its operation
therein, we doubt not but from tfience it might draw these and other
such arguraents of its immortality ; but since, shut up in tiie prison
ofa dark body, it is so littie known, and so incompreliensible to itself;
and since, in so great obscurity, it can scarce, if at all, discover the
least of its own features and coraplexion, it would be a very difficult
matter for it to say much concerning its internal nature, or nicely de
termine the methods of its operation. But it would be surprising, if
any one should denj', that the very operations it performs, especially
those of the raore noble and exalted sort, are strong raarks and con
spicuous characters of its excellence and immortality.
Nothing is more evident than that, besides life, and sense, and
animal spirits, which he has in coramon with the brutes, there is in
man sometlung more exalted, more pure, and that raore nearly ap
proaches to Divinity. God has given to the former a sensitive soul,
but to us a mind also ; and, to speak distinctly, that spirit which is
peculiar to raan, and whereby he is raised above all other aniraals,
ought to be called raind rather than soul *. Be this as it raay, it is
hardly possible to say, how vastly the human mind excels the other
with regard to its wonderful powers, and, next to thera, with respect
to its works, devices, and inventions. For it performs such great and
wonderful things, that the brutes, even those of the greatest sagacity,
can neither imitate, nor at all understand, much less invent. Nay,
man, though he is rauch less iu bulk, and inferior in strength to the
greatest part of them, yet, as Lord and king of them all, he can, by
surprising means, bend and apply the strength and industry of all the
otiier creatures, the virtues of all herbs and plants, and, in a word, all
the parts and powers of this visible worid, to tiie convenience and ac
commodation of his own fife. He also buflds cities, erects common
wealths, makes laws, conducts armies, fits out fleets, measures not
* Animus potius dicendus est quam anima.

OF THE I.MMORTALITK OF THE SOIL. 427
only the earth, but the heavens also, and investigates the motions of
the stars. He foretels eclipse; raany vears before they happen ; and,
with very little difficulty, sends his thoughts to a great distance, bids
thera visit the remotest cities and countries, raount above the sun and
the stars, and even the heavens theraselves.
But all these things are inconsiderable, and contribute but littie to
our present purpose, in respect of that one incoraparable dignity that
results to the human mind from its being capable of religion, and
having indelible characters thereof naturally staraped upon it. It
acknowledges a God, and worships Hira : it builds teraples to His
honour; it celebrates His never enough exalted majesty with sacrifices,
prayers, and praises; depends upon His bounty ; implores His aid;
and so carries on a constant correspondence with Heaven : and, which
is a verv strong proof of its being originally from Heaven, it hopes at
last to return to it. And, truly, in my judgment, this previous im
pression and hope of immortality, and these earnest desires after it,
are a verv strong evidence of that imraortality. These irapressions,
though in most men they fie overpowered and almost quite extinguished
by the weight of their bodies, and an extragavant love to present en
joyments ; yet, now and then, in tirae of adversity, break forth and
exert themselves, especially under the pressure of severe disterapers,
and at the approaches of death. But those whose rainds are purified,
and their thoughts habituated to Divine things, with what constant and
ardent wishes do they breathe after that blessed iramortalitv ! How
often do their souls coraplain within thera, that they have dwelt so
long in these earthly tabernacles ! Like exiles, they earnestly wish,
make interest, and struggle hard to regain their native country.
Moreover, does not that noble neglect of the body and its senses, and
that conterapt of all the pleasures of the flesh, which these heavenly
souls have attained, evidently shew, that, in a short tirae, they will be
taken from hence, and that the body and soul are of a very different,
and almost contrary nature to one another ; that, therefore, the dura
tion ofthe one depends not upon the other, but is quite of another
kind; and that the soul, set at liberty frora the body, is not only ex
empted frora death, but, in sorae sense, then begins to live, and then
first sees the fight? Had we not this hope to support us, what ground
should we have to laraent our first nativity, which placed us in a life
so short, so destitute of good, and so crowded with raiseries ; a life
-which we pass entirely in grasping phantoms of felicity, and suffering
real calamities! So that if there were, not, beyond this, a life and
happiness that more truly deserves these names, who can help seeing,
that, of all creatures, man would be the raost raiserable, and, of all
men, the best the most unhappy ?
For, although every wise man looks upon the belief of the ira-
mortality of the soul, as one of the great and principal supports of
religion, there may possibly be some rare, exalted, and truly divine
minds, who would choose the pure and noble path of virtue for its
own sake, would constantly walk in it, and, out of love to it, would
not decline the severest hardships, if they should happen to be exposed
to them on its account. Yet, it cannot be denied, that the coramon
sort of Christians, though they are really and at heart sound befievers

428 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES,
and true Christians, fall very far short of this attainraent, and would
scarcely, if at all, erabrace virtue and religion, if you take away the
rewards ; which, I think the Apostie Paul hints at in this expression.
If in this life only we have hope, we are of all men the most Tniserable.
i Cor. XV. 19. The Apostie, indeed, does not intend these words as
a direct proof of the imraortality of the soul in a separate state, but
an argument to prove the resurrection of the body ; which is a doc
trine near akin, and closely connected with the former. For that
great restoration is added as an instance of the superabundance and
immensity of the Divine goodness, whose pleasure it is, that not only
the better and more divine part of raan, which, upon its return to its
original Source, is, without the body, capable of enjoying a perfectly
happy and eternal life, should have a glorious iraraortality, but also
that this earthly tabernacle, as being the faithful attendant and con
stant corapanion of the soul through all its toils and labours in this
world, be also adraitted to a share and participation of its heavenly
and eternal felicity ; that so, according to our Lord's expression, every
faithful soul raay have returned into its bosom, good Tneasure, pressed
down, shaken together, and running over. Luke vi. 38.
Let our belief of this immortality be founded entirely on Divine
Revelation, and then like a city fortified with a rampart of earth drawn
round it, let it be outwardly guarded and defended by reason ; which,
in this case, suggests arguraents as strong and convincing as the
subject will admit of. If any one, in the present case, promises de
monstration, his undertaking is certainly too much ; if he desires or
expects it from another, he requires too much. There are, indeed,
very few demonstrations in phflosophy, if you except mathematical
sciences, that can be truly and strictly so called, and, if we inquire
narrowly into the raatter, perhaps we shall find none at all : nay, if
even the mathematical demonstrations are examined by the strict
rules and ideas of Aristotle, the greatest part of them will be found
imperfect and defective. The saying of that philosopher is, therefore,
wise and applicable to many cases : " Deraonstrations are not to be
expected in all cases, but so far as the subject wifl adrait of thera*."
But if we were well acquainted with the nature and essence of the
soul, or even its precise method of operation on the body, it is highly
probable we could draw frora thence evident and undeniable demon
strations of that iraraortality which we are now asserting : whereas,
so long as the raind of raan is so fittle acquainted witfi its own nature,
we raust not expect any such.
But that unquenchable thirst of the soul, which we have already
mentioned, is a strong proof of its Divine nature ; a thirst not to be
allayed with the irapure and turbid waters of any earthly good, or of
all woridly enjoyments taken together. It thirsts after the never-
fafling Fountain of good, according to that of the Psalraist, As ihe
hart panteth after the water-brooks : it thirsts after a good, invisible,
imraaterial, and iraraortal, to the enjoyment whereof the ministry of a
body is so far from being absolutely necessary, that it feels itself shut
up and confined by that to which it is now united, as by a partition-
* 'Oux i» -hmh dtrohll'.is xiTiinor, xXK' if 'oirov K^irxi t» inxilfiim.

OP THE IJIMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. 429
wall, and groans under tiie pressure of it. And those souls that are
(]uite insensible of this thir.st, are certainly buried in the body, as in
the carcass of an irapure hog ; nor have they so entirely divested
theraselves of this appetite we have raentioned, nor can they possibly
so divest themselves of it, as not to feel it severely, to their great
misery, sooner or later, either when they awake out of their lethargy
within the body, or when they are obliged to leave it. To conclude :
Nobody, I believe, will deny, that we are to forra our judgraent of the
true nature of the huraan raind, not from the sloth and stupidity of the
most degenerate and vilest of raen, but from the sentiraents and fer
vent desires of the best and wisest of the species.
These sentiraents concerning the immortality of the soul in its future
existence, not only include no irapossibility or absurdity in thera, but
are also every way agreeable to sound reason, wisdora, and virtue, to
the Divine economy, and the natural wishes and desires of men.
Wherefore, raost nations have, with the greatest reason, universally
adopted them, and the wisest in all countries and in all ages, have
cheerfully embraced thera ; and though they could not confirra tfiem with
any arguraent of irresistible force, yet they felt something within thera
that corresponded with this doctrine, and always looked upon it as
most beautiful and worthy of credit. " Nobody," says Atticus in
Cicero, " shall drive me from the immortality of the soul*." And
Seneca's words are, " I took pleasure to inquire into the eternity of
the soul, and even, indeed to believe it. 1 resigned myself to so glo
rious an hope, for now I begin to despise the remains of a broken
coustitution, as being to reraove into that iraraensity of time, and into
the possession of endless agest." O how much does the soul gain by
this removal !
As for you, young gentlemen, I doubt not but you will embrace this
doctrine, not only as agreeable to reason, but as it is an article ofthe
Christian faith. I only put you in mind to revolve it often within
yourselves, and with a serious disposition of mind ; for you will find
it the strongest incitement to wisdom, good morals, and true piety.
Nor can you imagine any thing that will more effectually divert you
from a foolish admiration of present and perishing things, and from
the allurements and sordid pleasures of this earthly body. Consider,
I pray you, how unbecoming it is, to make a heaven-born soul, that is
to five for ever, a slave to the meanest, vilest, and most trifling things ;
and, as it were to thrust down to the kitchen a prince that is obliged
to leave his country only for a short time. St. Bernard pathetically
addresses himself to the body in favour of the soul, persuading it to
treat the latter honourably, not only on account of its dignity, but also
for the advantage that wfll thereby redound to the body itself:
" Thou hast a noble guest, O flesh ! a raost noble one indeed, and all
thy safety depends upon its salvation : it will certainly remember thee
for good, if thou serve it well ; and when it comes to its Lord, it will
put him in mind of thee, and the mighty God himself will corae to
* Me nemo de immortalitate depellet.
+ Juvabat de aeternitate animarum quaererc, imo mehercule credere : daham me spei
tantae, jam enim reliquias infractae aetatis conteranebam, in immensum illud tempus, et
in possessionem omuis i£vi transiturus. Sen, Kpis, 102.

430 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
make thee -wiio art now a vile body, like unto his glorious one ; and,
O wretched flesh. He who carae in huraility and obscurity to redeem
souls, will corae in great raajesty to glorify thee, and every eye shall
see hira*." Be mindful, therefore, young gentlemen, of your better
part, and accustom it to think of its own eternity, always and every
where having its eyes fixed upon that world to which it is most nearly
related. And thus it wifl look down, as from on high, on all those things
whicfi the world considers as lofty and exalted, and will see them under
its feet ; and of all the things whicfi are confined witfiin the narrow
verge of this present fife, it will fiave nothing to desire, and nothing to
fear.
LECTURE VI.
Ofthe Happiness ofthe Life to come.
Of all the thoughts of men, there is certainly none that more often
occur to a serious mind that bas its own interest at heart, than that
to which all others are subordinate and subservient, with regard to the
intention, the ultiraate and raost desirable end, of all our toils and
cares, and even of life itself. And this iraportant thought will the
more closely beset the mind, the raore sharp-sighted it is in prying into
the real torraents, the delusive hopes, and tfie false joys of tfiis our
wretched state ; which is indeed so miserable, that it can never be
sufficiently lamented ; and as for laughter amidst so many sorrows,
dangers and fears, it must be considered as downright raadness. Such
was the opinion of the wisest of kings: I have said of laughter, says
he. It is mad ; and of Tnirtli, What doth it ? Eccl. ii. 2. We fiave,
therefore, no cause to be rauch surprised at the bitter complaints wfiich
a grievous weight of afflictions has extorted, even from great and good
men : nay, it is rather a wonder, ifthe same causes do not often oblige
us to repeat them.
If we look about us, how often are we shocked f o observe either the
calaraities of our country, or the sad disasters of our relations and
friends, whom we have daily occasion to raourn, either as groaning
under the pressure of poverty, pining away under languishing dis
eases, tortured by acute ones, or carried off by death, vvhile we our
selves are, in like manner, very soon to draw tears from the eyes of
others ! Nay, how often are we u burden to ourselves, and groan
heavily under afflictions of our own, that press hard upon our estates,
our bodies, or our minds ! Even those who seem to meet with the
fewest and the least inconvenlencies in this life, and dazzle the eyes of
spectators with the brightness of a seemingly constant and uniform
felicity, besides that they often suff'er from secret vexatious and cares
which destroy their inward peace, and prey upon their distressed
hearts, how uncertain, weak, and brittie is that false happiness which
appears about thera, and, when it shines brightest, how easily is it
* Nobilem hospitcm babes, O caro ! nobilem valde, et tota tua salus de ejus salute
pendet: omnino etiam memor erit tui in bonum, si bene servicris illi ; ef cum pervenerit
ad Dominum suum, suggeret ci de te, et veniet ipse Dominus virtutum, et te vile corpus
configurabit corpori suo glorioso, qui ad animas redhnendas humilis ante venerat, et oc-
cultus, pro te glorificando, 0 misera caro, sublimis veniet et manifestus.

OF THE HAPPINESS OF THE LIFE TO COME. 431
broken to pieces ! So tiiat it has been justiy said, " They want another
fehcity to secure that which they are already possessed of*." If, after
all, there are sorae whose minds are hardened against all the forras
and appearances of external things, and who look down with equal
conterapt upon all the events of this world, whether of a dreadful or
an engaging aspect, even this disposition of mind does not raake them
happy : nor do they think themselves so ; they have still something to
raake thera uneasy, the obscure darkness that overspreads their rainds,
their ignorance of heavenly things, and the strength of their carnal
affections, not yet entirely subdued. And though these we are now
speaking of, are by far the noblest and raost beautiful part of fhe
huraan race, yet, if they had not within them that blessed hope of re
moving hence, in a fittle time, to the regions of light, tfie raore severely
they feel the straits and afflictions to which their souls are exposed by
being shut up in this narrow earthly cottage, so rauch they certainly
would be raore miserable than the rest of mankind.
As oft, therefore, as we reflect upon these things, we shall find that
the whole coraes to this one conclusion : " There is certainly sorae
end t ;" — there is, to be sure, some end suited to the nature of man,
and worthy of it ; some particular, coraplete, and perraanent good ; and
since we in vain look for it within the narrow verge of this life, and
araong the raany raiseries that swarra on it frora beginning to end, we
must of necessity conclude, that there is certainly some raore fruitful
country, and a raore lasting life, to which our felicity is reserved, and
into which we shafl be received when we reraove hence. This is not
our rest, nor have we any place of residence here : it is the region of
fleas and gnats ; and while we search for happiness araong these raean
and perishing things, we are not only sure to be disappointed, but also
not to escape those raiseries which, in great numbers, continually beset
us. So that we may apply to ourselves the saying of the famous
artist confined in the island of Crete, and trUly say, " The earth and
the sea are shut up against us, and neither of them can favour our
escape : the way to heaven is alone open, and this way we will strive
to go |."
Thus far we have advanced by degrees, and very lately we have
discoursed upon the imraortality of the soul, to which we have added
the resurrection of our earthly body, by way of appendix. It reraains
that we now inquire into the happiness ofthe life to corae.
Yet, I own, I ara almost deterred from entering upon this inquiry
by the vast obscurity and sublimity of the subject, which in its nature
is such, that we can neither understand it, nor, if we could, can it be
expressed in words. The divine Apostle, who had had some gUmpse
of this felicity, describes it no otherwise than by his silence, calling the
words he heard, unspeakable, and such as ii was Tiot lawful for a man
to utter §. 2 Cor. xii. 4. And if he neither could nor would express
what he saw, far be it from us boldly to force ourselves into or intrude
* Alia felicitate ad illam felieitatem tuendam opus est.
-t 'Eff-r/V K^a TtXas.
J Nee tellus nostrae, nee patet unda fugae,
Restat iter coeli, coelo tentabimus ire.
5 "Aff/iTx. fiifixirti, A, o'vx t^h avi^u^ni >.x>.wxi.

432 THEOLOaiCAL LECTURES.
upon what we have seen ; especially as the same Apostle, in another
place, acquaints us, for our future caution, that this was unwarrantably
done by sorae rash and forward persons in his own time. But since
in the sacred archives of this new world, however invisible and unknown
to us, we have sorae maps and descriptions of it suited to our capacity:
we are not only allowed to look at them, but as they were drawn for
that very purpose, it would certainly be the greatest ingratitude, as
well as the highest negligence in us, not to make some improvement
of them. Here, however, we must remeraber, what a great odds there
is between the description ofa kingdom in a sraall and iraperfect map,
and the extent and beauty of that very kingdora when viewed by the
traveller's eye ; and how much greater the difference must be, between
the felicity of that heavenly kingdom to which we are aspiring, and afl,
even the most striking figurative expressions, taken from the thino-s of
this earth, that are used to convey sorae faint and iraperfect notion of
it to our rainds. What are these things, the false glare and shadows
whereof, in this earth, are pursued with such keen and furious impetu
osity, riches, honours, pleasures ? All these, in their justest, purest,
and sublimest sense are coraprehended in this blessed life : it is a trea
sure, that can neither fail nor be carried away by force or fraud : it is
an inheritance uncorrupted and undefiled ; a crown that fadeth not
away ; a never-failing streara of joy and delight : it is a raarriage-
feast, and of all others the most joyous and raost sumptuous ; one that
always satisfies, and never cloys the appetite : it is an eternal sprino-,
and au everiasting light, a day without an evening : it is a paradise,
where the lilies are always white and in full bloora, the saffron bloom
ing, the trees sweat out their balsaras, and the tree of life in the raidst
thereof: it is a city, where the houses are built of living pearls, the
gates, of precious stones, and the streets paved with the purest gold.
Yet, all these are nothing but veils ofthe happiness to be revealed on
that raost blessed day :• nay, the light itself, which we have raentioned
among the rest, though it be the most beautiful ornaraent in this visible
world, is at best but a shadow of that heavenly glory ; and how smaU
soever that portion of this inaccessible brightness may be, which, in
the sacred Scriptures, shines upon us through these veils, it certainly
very well deserves that we should often turn our eyes towards it, and
view it with the closest attention.
I. Now, fhe first tfiat necessarily occurs in the constitution of hap
piness, is a full and complete deliverance frora every evil, and every
grievance ; which we raay as certainly expect to meet with in that
heavenly life, as it is impossible to be attained while we sojourn here
below. All tears shall be wiped away from our eyes, and everv cause
and occasion of tears for ever removed frora our sight. There, there
are no tumults, no wars, no poverty, no death, nor disease • 'there
there is neither mourning, nor fear, nor sin, which is the source and
fountain of all other evils : there is neither violence within doors nor
without, nor any complaint, in the streets of that blessed city. There,
no friend goes out, nor eneray coraes in.
2. Full vigour of body and mind, health, beauty, purity, and perfect
tranquillity. 3. The most delightful society of angels, prophets, aposties, martyrs,

OF THE HAPPINESS OF THE LIFE TO COME. 433
and all the saints ; araong whom there are no reproaches, contentions,
controversies, nor party-spirit, because there are, there, none of the
sources whence they can spring, nor any thing to encourage their
growth; for there is, there, particularlv, no ignorance, no blind self-
love, no vain-glory nor envy, wiiich is quite excluded frora those divine
regions ; but, on the contrary, perfect charity, whereby every one,
together with his own felicity, enjojs that of his neighbours, and is
happy in the one as well as the other ; hence there is araong thera a
kind of infinite reflection and multipfication of happiness, like that of
a spacious hall adorned with gold and precious stones, dignified with
a full assembly of kings and potentates, and having its walls quite
covered with the brightest looking-glasses.
4. But what infinitely exceeds, and quite eclipses all the rest, is that
boundless ocean of happiness, which results frora the beatific vision of
the ever-blessed God ; without which, neither the tranquillity they
enjoy, nor the society of saints, nor the possession of any particular
finite good, nor indeed of all such taken together, can satisfy the soul,
or make it completely happy. The manner of this enjoj'ment we can
only expect to understand, when we enter upon the full possession of
it ; till then, to dispute and raise raany questions about it, is nothing
but vain, foolish talking, and figfiting with phantoms of our own brain.
But the schoolmen, who confine the whole of this felicity to bare spe-
ciflation, or as they call it. Actus intellectu alls, an intellectual act, are,
in this, as in many other cases, guilty of great presuraption, and their
conclusion is built upon a very weak foundation. For although con
teraplation be the highest and noblest act of the raind, yet, complete
happiness necessarily requires sorae present good suited to the whole
man, the whole soul, and all its faculties. Nor is it any objection to
this doctrine, that the whole of this felicity is commonly comprefiended
in Scripture under the term of vision; for the mental vision, or con
templation ofthe primary and infinite good, raost properly signifies, or
at least includes in it, the full enjoyraent of that good ; and the ob
servation of the Rabbins cencerning scripture phrases, " That words
expressing the senses, include also the affections naturally arising from
those sensations *," is very well known. Thiis knowing is often put
for approving and loving ; and seeing for enjoying and attaining.
Taste and see ihat God is good, says the Psalraist. And in fact, it is
no small pleasure to lovers, to dwell together, and rautually to enjoy
the sight of one another. " Nothing is raore agreeable to lovers, than
to live together f."
We raust, therefore, by all means conclude, that this beatific vision
includes in it not only a distinct and intuitive knowledge of God, but
so to speak, such a knowledge as gives us the enjoyment of that raost
perfect Being, and, in sorae sense, unites us to Hira ; for such a vision,
it raust, of necessity, be, that converts that love of the Infinite Good
which blazes in the souls of the saints, into full possession; that
crowns all their wishes, and fills thera with an abundant and over
flowing fulness of joy, that vents itself in everlasting blessings and
songs of praise. • Verba sensus con&otant affectus.
f 'Oy^El' 9VTU TUV ^/Xoiy us -fa ffvZ^y,
Vol. II. 2 P

434 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
And this is the only doctrine, if you believe it, (and I raake nO
doubt but you do,) this, I say, is the only doctrine that wifl transport
your whole souls, and raise them up on high. Hence you wifl learn
to trample under feet all the turbid and rauddy pleasures ofthe flesh,
and aU the allureraents and splendid trifles of the present worid.
However those earthly enjoyraents that are swelled up by false naraes
and the strength of iraagination, to a vast size, raay appear grand and
beautiful, and still greater and raore engaging to those that are unac
quainted with them ; how smafl, how inconsiderable do they afl
appear to a soul that looks for a heavenly country, that expects to
share the joys of angels, and has its thoughts constantiy eraployed
about these objects ! To conclude, the more the soul withdraws, so
to speak, from the body, and retires within itself, the more it rises
above itself and the raore closely it cleaves to God, the more the life
it lives in this earth reserables that which it will enjoy in Heaven, and
the larger foretastes it has of the first-fruits of that blessed harvest.
Aspire, therefore, to holiness, young gentlemen, without which no
man shall see the Lord. LECTURE VII.
Ofthe Being o/God.
Though on most subjects, the opinions of men are various, and often
quite opposite, insomuch that they seera to be raore reraarkable for
the vast variety of their sentiraents, than that of their faces and lan
guages ; there are, however, two things, wherein all nations are agreed,
and in which there seeras to be a perfect harmony throughout the
whole huraan race, ihe desire of happiness and a sense of religion.
The former, no raan desires to shake off': and though sorae, possibly,
would wiflingly part with the latter, it is not in their power to eradi
cate it entirely : they cannot banish God altogether out of their
thoughts, nor extinguish every spark of religion within thera. It is
certainly true, that, for tlie raost part, this desire of happiness wanders
in darkness from one object to anotfier without fixing- upon any; and
the sense of religion is either suffered to lie inactive, or deviates into
superstition. Yet, the great Creator of the world employs these two,
as the materials ofa fallen building, to repair the ruins ofthe human
race, and as handles whereby He draws his earthen vessel out of the
deep gulf of misery into which it is fallen.
Ofthe forraer of these, that is, felicity, we have already spoken on
another occasion: we .shall therefore now, with Divine assistance,
employ some part of our time in considering that sense of religion
which is naturally irapressed on the mind of raan.
Nor will our labour, I imagine, be unprofitably eraployed in col
lecting together those few general principles in which so raany, and
so very dissirailar forms of religion and sentiments, extreraely different,
harmoniously agree ; for, as every science most properiy begins with
universal propositions and things more generally known, so, in the
present case, besides the other advantages, it will be no smafi .support
to a weak and wavering mind, that amidst all the disputes and con-

OF THE BEINO OP GOD. 435
tentions subsisting between the various sects and parties in religion,
the great and necessary articles, at least, ofour faith, are established in
sorae particulars, by the general consent of mankind, and, in all the
rest, by that ofthe whole Christian world.
I would therefore most earnestiy wish, that your minds, rooted and
established in the faith, were firmly united in this delightful bond of
religion, which, like a golden chain, will be no burden, but an orna
ment ; not a yoke of slavery, but a badge of true and generous liberty.
I would by no raeans have you to be Christians upon the authority of
raere tradition, or education, and the example and precepts of parents
and masters, but purely from a full conviction of your own understand
ings, and a fervent disposition of the will and affections proceeding
therefrora. For piety " is the sole and only good araong mankind*,"
and you can expect none ofthe fruits of reUgion, unless the root of it
be well laid, and firmly established by faith : " for all the virtues are
the daughters of faitht,'' says Clemens Alexandrinus.
Lucretius, with very ill-advise dpraises, extols his favourite Grecian
philosopher as one fallen down from heaven to be the deliverer of
mankind, and dispel their distressing terrors and fears, because he
fancied he had found out an effectual method to banish all religion en
tirely out ofthe minds of raen. And to say the truth, in no age has
there been wanting brutish souls, too much enslaved to their corporeal
senses, who would wish these opinions to be true ; yet, after all, there
are very few of them who are able to persuade themselves of the truth
ofthose vicious principles which, with great irapudence and irapor
tunity, they coramonly inculcate upon others: they belch out with full
raouth their foofish drearas, often in direct opposition to conscience
and knowledge ; and what they unhappily would wish to be true, they
can scarcely, if at all, believe theraselves. You are acquainted with
Horace's recantation, wherein he tells us, " That he had been long
bigoted to the mad tenets of the Epicurean phflosophy, but found
himself at last obliged to alter his sentiments, and deny all he had
asserted before J."
Sorae souls lose the whole exercise of their reason, because they
inforra bodies which labour under the defect of temperament or of
proper organs ; yet, you continue to give the old definition of man,
and call him a rational creature; and should any one think proper to
call him a religious creature, he would, to be sure, have as much
reason on his side, and needed not fear his opinion would be rejected,
because of a few madmen who laugh at religion. Nor is it im
probable, as sorae ofthe ancients have asserted, that those few araono-
the Greeks who were called Atheists, had not that epithet because
they absolutely denied the being of God, but only because they re
jected, and justly laughed at the fictitious and ridiculous deities of
the nations.
Of all the institutions and customs received among raen, we meet
* "Ev ya^ xx) fiovov tv xvS^awois uyxS'ov w 'luffi^tia, Trismegist.
•f- Hxffxi ya.^ x^&rxi oricrTius Sc/yxTS^ss.
J Parens Deorum cultor et infrequens,
Insanientis dum sapientise
Consultus erro, &c. Od. xxxiv. lib, 1,
8 F 2

436 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
with nothing raore soleran and general than that of religion and sacred
rites performed to the honour of sorae deity ; which is a very strong
arguraent, that that persuasion, in preference to any other, is written,
nay, rather engraven, in strong and indelible characters upon the
mind of man. This is, as it were, the name of the great Creator
staraped upon the noblest of all His visible works, that thus raan may
acknowledge himself to be His, and, concluding frora the inscription
he finds irapressed upon his raind, tfiat what belongs to God ought,
in strict justice, to be restored to Hira*, be wholly reunited to his
first principle, that imraense Ocean of goodness whence he took his
rise. The distemper that has invaded raankind, is, indeed, grievous
and epideraical : it consists in a raean and degenerate love to the
body and corporeal things, and, in consequence of this, a stiipid and
brutish forgetfulness of God, though He can never be entirely blotted
out ofthe raind. This forgetfulness, a few, and but very few, alarmed
and awakened by the Divine rod, early shake off. And even in the
most stupid, and such as are buried in the deepest sleep, the original
irapression soraetiraes discovers itself when they are under the pressure
of sorae grievous calamity, or on the approach of danger, and espe
cially upon a near prospect of death. Then, the thoughts of God,
that had lain hid and been long suppressed, forced out by the weight
of pain and the impressions of fear, come to be remerabered ; and the
whole soul being, as it were, roused out of its long and deep sleep,
raen begin to look about thera, inquire what the raatter i.s, and seri
ously reflect whence they carae, and whither they are going. Then,
the truth coraes naturafly from their hearts. The storray sea alarmed
even profane sailors so much, that they awaked the sleeping prophet :
Awake, say they, thou sleeper, and call vpon thy God. Jonah i. 6.
But however weak or imperfect this original or innate knowledge
of God raay be, it discovers itself every where so far, at least, that
you can raeet with no raan, or society of men, that, by some forra of
worship or cereraonies, do not acknovifledge a Deity, and, according to
their capacity, and the custora of their country, pay hira horaage. It
is true, sorae late travellers have reported, that, in that part of the
new world called Brazil, there are some tribes of the natives, among
whora you can discover no symptoras that they have the least sense of
a Deity : but, besides that the truth of this report is very far from
being well ascertained, and that the observation might have been too
precipitately raade by new coiners who had not raade sufficient in
quiry, — even supposing it to be true, it is not of such consequence
when opposed to all the rest of the world, and the universal agreeraent
of all nations and ages upon this subject, that the least regard should
be paid to it. Nor raust we iraagine that it at all lessens the weight of
this great arguraent, which has been generally and most justly urged,
both by ancients and moderns, to establish the first and common
foundation of religion.
Now, whoever accurately considers this universal sense of religion
of wfiich we have been speaking, will find that it comprehends in it
these particulars : 1. That there is a God. 2. That He is to be
* Tu! r»i/ ©!oii Tif 61^1

OF THE BEING OF OOD. 437
worshipped. 3. Which is a consequence of the former, that He re
gards the affairs of raen. 4. That He has given thera a law, enforced
by rewards and punishraents, and that the distribution of these, is, in
a very great raeasure, reserved to a fife different frora tfiat we five in
this earth, is the firra belief, if not of all, at least, ofthe generafity of
mankind. And though our present purpose does not require that wc
should confirm the truth of all these points with those strong argu
raents that raight be urged in their favour ; but rather, that we should
take thera for granted, as being sufficiently established by the cora
raon consent of mankind ; we shall, however, subjoin a few thoughts
on each of them separately, with as great brevity and perspicuity as
we can.
1. That there is a God. And here I cannot help fearing, that
when we endeavour to confirm this leading truth, with regard to the
First and Uncreated Being, by a long and laboured series of argu
raents, we may seera, instead of a service, to do a kind of injury to
God and raan both. For why should we use the pitiful light of a
candle to discover the sun, and eagerly go about to prove the being of
Him wfio gave being to every thing else ? Who alone exists necessa
rily, nay, we may boldly say, who alone exists ; seeing all other things
were by Him extracted out of nothing, and, when compared with
Him, they are nothing, and even less than nothing, and vanity. And
would not any raan think hiraself insulted, should it be suspected, that
he doubted of the being of Hira, without whora he could neither
doubt, nor think, nor be at all ? This persuasion, without doubt, is
innate, and strongly impressed upon the mind of man, if any thing at
all can be said to be so*. Nor does Jamblicus scruple to say, " Tfiat
to know God is our very beingt ;" and in another place, " That it is
the very being ofthe soul to know God, on whora it depends J." Nor
would he think araiss, who, in this, should espouse the opinion of
Plato : for, to know this, is nothing raore than to call fo reraerabrance
what was forraerly impressed upon the raind ; and when one forgets
it, (which alas ! is too much the case of us all,) he has as raany re
raerabrancers, so to speak, within hira, as he has raerabers, and as
raany without hira, as the individuals of the vast variety of creatures
to be seen around hira. Let, therefore, the indolent soul that has
alraost forgot God, be roused up, and every now and then say to itself,
" Behold this beautiful starry heaven," &c.
But because we have too raany of that sort of fools that say in their
heart, " There is no God ;" (and if we are not to answer a fool, so as
to be like unto him, yet we are, by all raeans, to answer him according
to his folly, lest he be ivise in his own conceit;) again, because a cri
minal forgetfulness of this leading truth, is the sole source of all the
wickedness in the world ; and finally, because it raay not be quite unpro
fitable, nor unpleasant, even to the best of men, sometimes to recollect
their thoughts on this subject, but, on the contrary, a very pleasant
exercise to every well-disposed mind, to reflect upon what a solid and
unshaken foundation the whole fabric of refigion is built, and to think
* Primum visihile lux, et primum intelligibile Deus.
+ Esse nostrum est Deum cognoscere.
% Esse animje, est quoddam intelligere, scilicet Deum, unde dependet.

438 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES,
and speak of the Eternal Fountain of goodness and of all other
beings, and consequentiy of His necessary existence ; we reckon ft
will not be araiss to give a few thoughts upon it. Therefore, not
to insist upon several arguraents, which are urged with great advan
tage on this subject, we shall produce only one or two, and shall
reason thus.
It is by afl means necessary, that there should be some eternal
Being, otherwise, nothing could ever have been ; since it must be a
most shocking contradiction to say, tfiat any thing could have pro
duced itself out of nothing. But if we say, that any thing existed
from eternity, it is raost agreeable to reason, that that should be an
eternal Mind, or Thinking Being, that so the noblest property raay be
ascribed to the raost exalted being. Nay, that eternal Being raust, of
absolute necessity, excel in wisdom and power, and, indeed, in every
other perfection, since it must itself be uncreated, and the cause and
origin of all the creatures; otherwise, sorae difficulty wfll reraain con
cerning their production. And thus, all the parts of tfie universe,
taken singly, suggest arguraents in favour of their Creator.
The beautiful order of^ the universe, and the mutual relation that
subsists between all its parts, present us with another strong and con
vincing arguraent. This order is itself an effect, and, indeed, a won
derful one ; and it is also evidently distinct frora the things theraselves,
taken singly ; therefbre it must proceed from sorae cause, and a cause
endowed with superior wisdora : for it would be the greatest folly, as
well as impudence, to say it could be owing to mere chance. Now,
it could not proceed frora raan, nor could it be owing to any concert
or rautual agreeraent between the things themselves, separately con
sidered ; seeing the greatest part of them are evidently incapable of
consultation and concert : it must, therefore, proceed from sorae one
superior Being, and that Being is God, " who coraraanded the stars
to raove by stated laws, the fruits of the earth to be produced at
different seasons, the changeable raoon to shine with borrowed light,
and the sun with his own*."
He is the raonarch of the universe, and the raost absolute raonarch
in nature. For who else assigned to every rank of creatures its par
ticular forra and uses, so that the stars, subjected to no huraan
authority or laws, should be placed on high, and serve to bring about
to the earth and the inhabitants thereof, the regular returns of dajr
and night, and distinguish the seasons of the year? Let us take, in
particular, any one species of sublunary things, for instance, raan, the
noblest of all, and see how he carae by the form wherewith he is
invested, that frarae or constitution of body, that vigour of raind, and
that precise rank in the nature of things, which he now obtains, and
no other. He raust, certainly, either have made choice of these
things for himself, or raust have had thera assigned him by another ;
whom we must consider as the principal actor, and sole architect of
the whole fabric. That he made choice of tiiem for hiraself, nobody

Qui lege moveri

Sidera, qui fruges diverso tempore nasci.
Qui variam Phceben alieno jusserit igne
Compleri, solemque suo.

OP THE BEING OF GOD. 439
will imagine; for, either he made this choice before he had any
existence of his own, or after he began to be : but it is not easy to say
which of these suppositions is raost absurd. It remains, therefore,
that he must be indebted for all he enjoys, to the mere good pleasure
of his great and all-wise Creator, who framed his earthly body in such
a wonderful and surprising raanner, aniraated him with his own
breath, and thus introduced hira into this great palace of His, which
we now behold, where His manifold wisdom, raost properly so called,
displays itself so gloriously in the whole machine, and in every one of
its wonderfully variegated parts.
The first arguraent, taken frora the very being of things, may be
further illustrated by the sarae instance of raan. For unless the first
man was created, we raust suppose an infinite series of generations
frora eternity, and so, the huraan race must be supposed independent,
and to owe its being to itself. But, by this hypothesis, raankind carae
into the world by generation, therefore, every individual of the race
owes its being to another ; consequently, the whole race is frora itself,
and at the sarae tirae frora another, which is absurd. Therelbre, the
hypothesis iraplies a plain and evident contradiction. " O ! iramense
wisdom that produced the world ! Let us for ever admire the riches
and skill of thy right hand* ;" often viewing with attention Thy won
ders, and, while we view them, frequently crying out with the divine
Psalraist, 0 Lord, how . manifold are Thy works I In wisdom hast
Thou made them all. The earth is full of thy riches I Psal. civ. 24.
From everlasting to everlasting Thou art God, and besides Thee, there
is no other. Psal. xc. 2. And with Herraes, "The father of all, being
Himself understanding, life, and brightness, created raan like Hiraself,
and cherished hira as His own son. Thou Creator of universal
nature, who hast extended the earth, who poisest the heavens, and
coramandest the waters to flow from all parts of the sea, we praise
Thee, who art the one exalted God, for by Thy will all things are
perfectedt." The sarae author asserts that " God was prior to huraan
nature." In vain would any one endeavour to evade the force of our arguraent,
by substituting Nature in the place of God, as the principal and cause
of this beautiful order. For either, by Nature, he understands the
particular frarae and composition of every single thing ; which would
be saying nothing at afl to the purpose in hand, because it is evident,
that this manifold nature, which in most instances is quite void of
reason, could never be the cause of that beautiful order and harmony
which is every where conspicuous throughout the whole systera : or,
he means a universal and intelligent Nature disposing and ordering
every thing to advantage. But this is only another name for God ;
of whom it raay be said, in a sacred sense, that He, as an infinite
Nature and Mind, pervades and fiUs aU His works. Not as an
* 0 ! immensa, opifex rerum sapientia I dextroe
Divitias artemque tuse miremur in tevum.
i* O crav-rww -TfXTTi^ a voijs m ^eo,] xx) (puts x'^ixorift civSpoiTi-oiv ov '/ipx(f^7i ki; It'iov toxov,
Xlxffns ipvtriaji xtjiTt^j a <jrrt^Xi t^v yviv -xx) ov^xvov x^ifiatrxt xxi 'i-TCiTx^x^ to yXvxv v}mp
e| xvTo'v TOV xxixvov vwx^;i^stv, iifum^iv ir% to ^xv, xx) to ev, irov yxo f^ovXovfAivov ^xvrx
ti>.(7txi.

440 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
informing form, according to tfie expression of the schools, and as
the part of a compounded whole ; which is the idlest fiction that can be
imagined, for, at this rate. He must not only be a part of the vilest in
sects, but also, of stocks and stones, and clods of earth ; but a pure,
unmixed Nature, which orders and governs all things with the greatest
freedom and wisdora, and supports them with unwearied and almighty
power. In this acceptation, when you name Nature, you mean God.
Seneca's words are very apposite to this purpose. " Whithersoever
you turn yourself, you see God meeting you ; nothing excludes His
presence ; He fiUs all his works. Therefore, it is in vain for thee,
most ungrateful of all men, to say thou art not indebted to God, but
to Nature, because they are, in fact, the sarae. If thou hadst received
any thing frora Seneca, and should say, thou owedst it to Annseus or
Lucius, thou wouldst not thereby change thy creditor, but only his
narae, because, whether thou raentionest his narae or his surname, his
person is stfll the same*.''
An evident and most natural consequence of this universal and
necessary idea of a God, is. His unity. All who mention the term
God, intend to convey by it, the idea ofthe first, most exalted, neces
sarily existent, and infinitely perfect Being ; and it is plain, tfiere can
be but one Being endued with all these perfections. Nay, even the
polytheism that prevailed araong the heathen nations, was not carried
so far, but that they acknowledged one God, by way of eminence, as
supreme and absolutely above all the rest, whom they styled the
greatest and best of Beings, and the Father of gods and men. From
Him, all the rest had their being and afl that they were, and from
Him, also, they had the title of gods, but still in a limited and sub
ordinate sense. In confirmation of this, we meet with very many of
the clearest testimonies with regard to the unity of God, in the works
of all the heathen authors. That of Sophocles is very remarkable :
" There is indeed,'' says he, " one God, and but one, who has raade
the heavens, and the wide extended earth, the blue surges of the sea,
and the strength ofthe winds t."
As to the mystery of the sacred Trinity, which has a near and neces
sary connexion with the present subject, I always thought it was to
be received and adored with the raost hurable faith, but by no means
to be curiously searched into, or perplexed with the absurd questions
ofthe schoolmen. We fell by an arrogant ambition after knowledge;
by mere faith we rise again, and are reinstated. And this mystery,
indeed, rather than any other, seems to be a tree of knowledge, pro
hibited to us while wc sojourn in these raortal bodies. This most
profound mystery, though obscurely represented by the shadows of
the Old Testament, rather than cleariy revealed, was not unknown to
"r.^ZTl'ZV. "''''"¦i ^}'' ^¦'""" ^'"^'' occurrentem tibi, nihil ab illo vacat ; opes
' nZ« Zile'id/r"; ^^"' '"g™«^^™« mortalium,'qui te negas Deo debere,
sed natura;, quia eidem est utrumoue offirinm s; „..;.i a ¦ .a
te diceres debere vel Lucio, non cHiloren m.'.fnf..^ I accepisses et Annaeo
»l„sHir!i^ sive Di-a!nompn '- "" "''""-"'e" "utares, sed nomen, quoniam sive nomen
ejus dicas, sne pia=nomen,^Mve cognomen, idem tamen ipse est. sLica, 4. de Bensf.
''" ?' Z'*;"^ iXrJtvxinv, lis Ut!, e^;,
Osovm, t' -iTivlB xx) yxTxvfixxpxv
UovTou Ti x'sx^riv iiif,x xx) x,tf,Sv li,xs.

OF THE BEING OP GOD. 441
the raost ancient and celebrated doctors among the Jews, nor
altogether unattested, however obstinately later authors may maintain
the contrap,'. Nay, learned raen have observed, that the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, are expressly acknowledged in the books ofthe
Cabalists, and they produce surprising things to this purpose out of
the book of Zohar, which is ascribed to R. Siraeon, Ben Joch, and
some other Cabalistical writers. Nay the book just now raentioned,
after saying a great deal concerning the Three in One Essence, adds,
" That this secret wfll not be revealed to all till the coming of the
Messias*.' I insist not upon what is said of the narae consisting of
twelve letters, and another larger one of forty-two, as containing a
fuller explication of that raost sacred narae, which they call Hara-
mephorashT. Nor is it improbable, that some dawn, at least, of this ravstery had
reached even the heathen philosophers. There are sorae who think
they can prove, by arguraents of no inconsiderable weight, that Anaxa-
goras, by his vovi, or raind, meant nothing but the Son, or Wisdom
that made the world. But the testimonies are clearer, which you find
frequentiy among the Platonic philosophers, concerning the Three
subsisting from oneX: raoreover, they all call the self-existing Being,
the creating word, or, the mind and the soul of the worldj. But the
words of the Egyptian Hermes are very surprising : " The miud,
which is God, together with his word, produced another creating-
raind ; nor do they differ frora one another, for their union is life||."
But what we now insist upon, is, the plain and evident necessity of
one Suprerae, and therefore, of one Only Principle of all things, and
the harraonious agreeraent of raankind in the befief of the absolute
necessity of this same principle.
This is the God whom we admire, whom we worship, whom we en
tirely love, or, at least, whora we desire to love above all things ; whora
we can neither express in words, nor conceive in our thoughts ; and
the less we are capable of these things, so rauch the raore necessary
it is to adore Hira with the profoundest huraility, and to love Him with
the greatest intentness and fervour.
LECTURE VIII.
Ofthe Worship o/God, Providence, and ihe Law given io ^Ian.
Though I thought it by no means proper to proceed without taking
notice of the arguments that serve to confirm the first and leading truth
of religion, and the general consent of mankind with regard to it; yet,
the end I chiefly proposed to myself, was to examine this consent, and
point out its force, andthe use to which it ought to be applied ; to call
off your minds from the numberless disputes about refigion, to the
* Hoc arcanum non revelabitur unicuique, quousque venerit Messias.
¦j- Maim. Mor. Xev. part. i. c. 16.
1 TIioi TPicov l^ \yo; v-xoCTavrittv.
& To xvt'o, 'ov tov dr,f.c.iovpyov Xoyov, Seu vow, xx) Tr,v tov xofffzov "^VYriV.
II 'O vovs &to; xTSxvriffi Xoycu STegflV -joiiy "^f/Aovoyov, xkX' ov hiffTXyTXl x-K xXXj^Xuy, 'ivuffis
yxp TtfVToay 'iffTty h Z,atn,

442 THEOLOGICAL LECTtlRES.
contemplation of this universal agreeraent, as into a raore quiet and
peaceable country ; and to shew you, what I wish I could effectuaUy
convince you of, that there is raore weight and force in this universal
harmony and consent of raankind in a few of the great and universal
principles, to confirra our minds in the sum and substance of refigion,
than the innumerable disputes that stfll subsist with regard to the other
points, ought to have to discourage us in the exercise of true piety, or
jn the least to weaken our faith.
In consequence of this, it wifl be proper to lay before you the other
propositions contained in this general consent of raankind, with regard
to religion. Now, the first of these being. That there is one, and but
one Eternal Principle of afl things ; from tfiis it will most naturally
follow. That this Principle or Deity is to be honoured with some wor
ship ; and from these two taken togetiier, it must be, with the same
necessity, concluded. That there is a providence, or, that God doth not
despise or neglect the world which He has created, and raankind by
whora He ought to be, and actuaUy is worshipped, but governs them
with the most watchful and perfect wisdora.
All raankind acknowledge, that sorae kind of worship is due to God,
and that to perform it is by all means worthy of man ; and upon the
minds of all is strongly impressed that sentiment which Lactantius
expressed with great perspicuity and brevity in these words, "To know
God is wisdom, and to worship Hira, justice *."
In this worship sorae things are natural, and therefore of more
general use among all nations, such as vows and prayers, hyrans and
praises ; as also sorae bodily gestures, especially such as seem most
proper to express reverence and respect. All the rest, for the most
part, actually consist of ceremonies, either of Divine institution or
human invention. Of this sort are sacrifices, the use whereof in old
times, very rnuch prevailed in all nations, and still continues in the
greater part of the world.
A Majesty so exalted, no doubt, deserves the highest honour, and
the sublimest praises on His own account ; but still if men were not
persuaded that the testimonies of horaage and respect they offer to
God, were known to Hira, and accepted of Hira, even on this ac
count all huraan piety would cool and presently disappear ; and in
deed, prayers and vows, whereby we iraplore the Divine assistance,
and solicit blessings frora above, offered to a God, wfio neither hears
nor in the least regards thera, would be an instance of the greatest
folly ; nor is it to be im-agined, that all nations would ever have agreed
in the extravagant custora of addressing tiiemselves to gods that did
not hear.
Supposing, therefore, any religion, or Divine worship, it immediately
follows therefrom, that there is also a providence. This was acknow
ledged of old, and is still acknowledged by the generality of all nations
throughout the world, and the most famous philosophers. There were,
indeed particular men, and some whole sects, that denied it. Others,
who acknowledged a kind of Providence, confined it to the heavens,
among whom was Aristotie, as appears from his book De Mundo ;
* Deum nosse, sapientia; eolere, justitia,

OF THE -WORSHIP OF GOD. 443
¦which notion is justly slighted by Nazianzen, who calls it " a mere
limited Providence *." Others allowed it sorae place in things of this
world, but only extended it to generals, in opposition to individuals.
But others, with the greatest justice, acknowledged that all things,
even the most minute and inconsiderable, were the objects of it. " He
fills his own work, nor is he only over it, but also in it t." Moreover,
if we ascribe to God the origin of this fabric and all things in it, it
will be most absurd and inconsistent to deny Hira the preservation
and governraent of it : for, if He does not preserve and govern His
creatures, it raust be either because He cannot, or because He will
not; but His infinite power and wisdora make it irapossible to doubt
of the forraer, and His infinite goodness, of the latter. The words of
Epictetus are admirable: " There were five great men," said fie, " of
which nuraber were Ulvsses and Socrates, who said that they could
not so much as raove without the knowledge of God j." And in
another place, " If I was a nightingale, I would act the part of a night
ingale ; if a swan, that of a swan ; now that I ara a reasonable crea
ture, it is my duty to praise God §.'
It would be needless to shew, that so great a fabric could not stand
without some Being properiy qualified to watch over it ; that the un
erring course ofthe stars is not the effect of blind fortune; that what
chance sets on foot, is often put out of order, and soon falls to pieces ;
that, therefore, this unerring and regular velocity is owing to the in
fluence of a fixed, eternal law. It is, to be sure, a very great rairacle,
merely to know so great a raultitude, and such a vast variety of things,
not onlv particular towns, but also provinces and kingdoras, even the
whole earth, all the mvriads of creatures that crawl upon the earth,
and all their thoughts ; in a word, at the sarae instant to hear and see
all that happens|| on both hemispheres of this globe : how much raore
wonderful must it be, to rule and govern all these at once, and, as it
were with one glance of the eye ! When we consider this, may we not
cry out with the poet. " O thou great Creator, of heaven and earth,
who govemest the world with constant and unerring swaj', who biddest
time to flow throughout ages, and continiung unraoved thyself, givest
motion to every thing else, 4'c. %"
It is also a great comfort, to have the faith of this Providence con
stantly impressed upon the mind, so as to have recourse to it in the
midst of all confusions, whether public or private, and all calamities
frora without or frora within ; to be able to say — The great King, who
is also my Father, is the supreme ruler of all these things, and with
Him all my interests are secure ; to stand firm, with Moses, when no
* -^xoo^-oycv ^poyotxv.
+ Opus suum ipse implet, nee solum prceest, sed inest.
J Hs^iTTSi Se piv r,y xa) oovcrtrtv;, awsi ^iJXDa-s;, ot XzyoyTi;, oTt ovhl fflXr,6ia xtvovfizyo;.
Arrian. lib. i. cap. 12. Ui^t Qiuioy,^c.
§ 'Ei fiiy xr^ooiv rtfjctv, krT'/tovy -ra cJi; aqdo-.;;, li xvx-joc to. tov kvx-jov, vvy Ss Xoyixos lt(i.l
vf/,yuy f£.i Se/ Toy Oes?. Ibid. cap. 16.
jl XlavT i^ooav, xit) ^xvT l^xxovitv.
'1 O ! qui perpetua mundum ratione gubemas
Terrarum coelique sator, qui tempus ab aevo.
Ire jubes; stabilisque manens das cuncta moveri, ^e.
BoETH, de Con. Philosoph. lib. iii. metr. 9.

444 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
relief appears, and to look for the salvation of God from on high, and,
finally, in every distress, when all hope of human assistance is swal
lowed up in despair, to have the remarkable saying ofthe father ofthe
faithful stamped upon the mind, and to silence all fears with these
comfortable words, God will provide. In a word, there is nothing tiiat
can so effectually conforra the heart of man, and his inmost thoughts,
and consequently the whole tenour of his fife, to the most perfect rule
of religion and piety, as a firm befief and frequent meditation on this
Divine Providence, which superintends and governs the world. He
who is firmly persuaded, that an exalted God of infinite wisdom and
purity is constantiy present with him, and sees all that he thinks or
acts, will, to be sure, have no occasion to overawe his mind with the
imao-inary presence of a Laefius or a Cato. Josephus assigns this as
the source or root of Abel's purity : " In all his actions," says he, " he
considered that God was present with hira, and therefore raade virtue
his constant study*.
Moreover, the heathen nations acknowledge this superintendence of
Divine Providence over huraan affairs in tfiis very re.spect, and that it
is exercised in observing the raorals of mankind, and in distributing
rewards and punishraents. But this supposes some law or rule, either
revealed frora Heaven or stamped upon the hearts of men, to be the
measure and test of moral good and evil, that is, virtue and vice.
Man, therefore, is not Ziuou avop,ov, a lawless creature, but capable of
a law, and actually born under one, which he himself is also ready to
own. " We are born in a kingdom," says the Rabbinical phflosopher,
" and to obey God is libertyt." But this doctrine, however perspi
cuous and clear in itself, seeras to be a little obscured by one cloud,
that is, the extraordinary success which bad raen often meet with, and
the misfortunes and calamities to which virtue is frequently exposed.
The sayina: of Brutus, " Ol wretched virtue, thou art regarded as
nothing, &c. J" is well known ; as are also those elegant verses of the
poet, containing a lively picture of tfie perplexity of a mind wavering
and at a loss upon this subject: "My raind," says he, " has often
been perplexed with difficulties and doubts, whetfier tfie gods regard
the aff'airs of this earth, or whether there was no Providence at all 
For, when I considered the order and disposition of the world, and
the boundaries set to the sea— I thence concluded, that all things were
secured by the providence of God  But when I saw the aft'airs
of raen involved in so rauch darkness and confusion, ^c. §"
But not to insist upon a great many other considerations, which
* Tlxifiv To7s v-Tiro xVTov ^T^xTrofcivoi; 'Tfx^uvxtrov 0eav yop.lZ,[ay, xpiTvii -ffpoyUTO, Antiq.
lib. i. cap. 3.
¦I' In regno nati sumus, Deo parere, libertas.
\ o TXhfi^y x^iTn b)i ovTiv, &c.
S Sepe mihi dubiam traxit sententia mentem
Curarent superi terras, ^c.
Nam cum dispositi quicsissem fcedera mundi
Prsescriptosque maris fines—.
 hinc omnia rebar
Consilia firmata Dei, ^e.
Sed cum res hominum tanta caligine volvi
Aspicerero, ^c.  Claudian in Rufinum, lib, i.

OF THE WORSHIP OF GOD. 445
even the phflosophy of the heathens suggested, in vindication of the
doctrine of Providence ; there is one consideration of great weight to
be set in opposition to the whole of this prejudice, viz., that it is an
evidence of a rash and forward mind, to pass sentence upon things that
are not )'et perfect and brought to a final conclusion ; which even the
Roraan stoic, and the philosopher of Cheronea insist upon, at large,
on this subject. If we will judge from events, let us put oft" the cause
and delay sentence, till the whole series of these events corae before
us ; and let us not pass sentence upon a successful tyrant, while he is
triumphant before our eves, and while we are quite ignorant of the fate
that may be awaiting himself or his son, or, at least, his more remote
posterity. The ways of Divine justice are wonderful. "Punishraent
stalks silently, and with a slow pace ; it will, however, at last overtake
the wicked*." But, after all, if we expect another scene of things to
be exhibited, not here, but in the world to corae, the whole dispute
concerning the events of this short and precarious life, iraraediately
disappears and coraes to nothing. And to conclude, the consent of
wise raen, states, and nations on this subject, though it is not quite
unaniraous and universal, is very great, and ought to have the greatest
weight. But all these maxims we have mentioned, are more cleariy taught,
and more firmly established, in the Christian religion, which is of un
doubted truth : it has also sorae doctrines pecuUar to itself, [Kv/^ms
Sd^a9,] annexed to the former, and raost closely connected with them,
in which the whole Christian world, though by far too rauch divided
with regard to other disputed articles, are unanimously agreed and
firmly united together. But of this hereafter.
LECTURE IX.
Ofthe Pleasure and Uiilily oy Religion.
Though the author of the following passage was a great proficient in
the raad philosophy of Epicurus, yet he had truth strongly on his
side, when he said, " That nothing was raore pleasant than to be
stationed on the lofty temples, well defended and secured by the pure
and peaceable doctrines ofthe wise phflosophers t."
Now, can any doctrine be iraagined raore wise, more pure and
peaceable, and more sacred, than that which flowed from the most
perfect fountain of wisdom and purity, which was sent down from
heaven to earth, that it raight guide all its followers to that happy place
whence it took its rise? It is, to be sure, the wisdom of mankind to
know God, and their indispensable duty, to worship Hira. Without this,
men ofthe brightest parts and greatest learning, seera to be born with
exceflent talents only to raake theraselves miserable ; and, according
to the expression of the wisest of kings. He thai increaseth knowledge
increaseth sorrow, Eccl. i. 18. We raust, therefore, first of all, con-
* Ityx xx) ^^xBii 'Te'it gTttxoVffX p.x^'^it Tovi xaxovf oTxy rvp^f],
f  Bene quam munita tenere
Edita doctrina sapieBtum templa serena, — Lucretius.

446 theological lectures.
sider this as a sure and settied point, that reUgion is the sole founda
tion of human peace and felicity. This, even the profane scoffers at
Relio-iou are, in sorae sort, obliged to own, though rauch against their
wfll, even, while tiiey are pointing their wit against it : for nothing is
more commonly to be heard from thera, than that the whole doctrine
of religion was invented by sorae wise raen, to encourage the practice
of justice and virtue through the world. Surely then, religion, what
ever else raay be said of it, raust be a raatter of the highest value,
since it is found necessary to secure advantages of so very great im
portance. But, in the raean time, how unhappy is the case of integrity
and virtue, if what they want to support thera is merely fictitious, and
they cannot keep their ground but by means of a monstrous forgery !
But far be it from us to entertain such an absurdity ! For the first
rule of righteousness cannot be otherwise than right, nor is there any
thing more nearly allied or more friendly to virtue, than truth.
But religion is not only highly conducive to all the great advantages
of human fife, but is also, at the same time, most pleasant and de
lightful. Nay, if it is so useful, and absolutely necessary to the inte
rests of virtue, it must, for this very reason, be also pleasant ; unless
one will call in question a raaxim universally approved by afl wise
men, that " Ufe cannot be agreeable without virtue * :" a maxim of such
irrefragable and undoubted truth, that it was adopted even by Epicu
rus hiraself.
How great, therefore, raust have been the raadness of that noted
Grecian philosopher, who, while he openly raaintained the dignity and
pleasantness of virtue, at the sarae time employed the whole force of
his understanding to ruin and sap its foundations ! For, that this
was his fixed purpose, Lucretius not only owns, but also boa.sts of it,
and loads him with ill-advised praises for endeavouring, through the
whole course of his philosophy, to free the minds of raen frora all the
bonds and ties of religion. As if tfiere was no possible way to make
them happy and free, without involving them in the guilt of sacrflege
and atheism ! As if to eradicate all sense of a Deity out ofthe mind,
were the only way to free ft from the heaviest chains and fetters!
Though, in reality, this would be effectually robbing raan of all his valu
able jewels, of his golden crown and chain, all the riches, ornaraents,
and pleasures of his life: which is inculcated at large, and with great
eloquence, by a greater and more divine master of wisdora, the royal
author ofthe Proverbs, who speaking ofthe precepts of religion, says.
They shall he an ornament of grace unto thine head, and chaiTis about
thy 7ieck: and of religion, under the narae of wisdora. If thou seekest
her as silver, and searchest for her as for hidden treasure. Happy is
the man that findeth wisdom, and the man ihat getteth understanding.
For the merchandise of it is better than the Tnerchandise of silver, and
the gain thereof tha7i fine gold. Wisdom is the principal thing; there
fore, get wisdom, and with all thy geiti7ig, get understandins Prov.
i. 9; fi. 4; xfii. 14; iv. 7.
And ft is, indeed, very plain, that if it were possible entirely to
dissolve all the bonds and ties of religion, yet, that it should be so,
* 'Ovx uvxi JjStwf ?()» ay'sv tKs x^iTrif.

OF THE pleasure AND UTILITY OF RELIGION. 447
would certainly be the interest of none but the worst and most aban
doned part of raankind. AU the good and wise, if the matter was
freely left to their choice, would rather have the world governed by the
Supreme and Most Perfect Being, raankind subjected to His just and
righteous laws, and all the affairs of raen superintended by His watch
ful providence, than that it should be otherwise. Nor do they believe
the doctrines of religion with aversion or any sort of reluctancy, but
erabrace thera with pleasure, and are excessively glad to find them
true. So that, if it was possible, to abolish them entirely, and any
person, out of mere good-will to them, should atterapt to do it, they
would look upon the favour as highly prejudicial to their interest, and
think his good-wfll raore hurtful than the keenest hatred. Nor would
any one, in his wits, choose to live in the world, at large, and without
any sort of government, more than he would think it eligible to be put
on board a ship without a helra or pilot, and, in this condition, to be
tossed araidst rocks and quicksands. On the other hand, can any
thing give greater consolation, or raore substantial joy*, than to be
firraly persuaded, not only that there is an infinitely good and wise
Being, but also that this Being preserves and continually governs the
universe which Hiraself has fraraed, and holds the reins of all things
in His powerful hand ; that He is our father, that we and all our in
terests are His constant concern ; and that, after we have sojourned a
short while here below, we shall be again taken into His iraraediate
presence ? Or can this wretched life be attended with any sort of
satisfaction, if it is divested of this Divine faith, and bereaved of such
a blessed hope ?
Moreover, every one who thinks a generous fortitude and purity of
raind preferable to the charras and muddy pleasures of the flesh, finds
all the precepts of religion not only not grievous, but exceeding plea
sant and extremely delightful. So that, upon the whole, the saying
of Herraes is very consistent with the nature of things : " There is
one, and but one good thing araong men, and that is religion t."
Even the vulgar could not bear the degenerate expression of the
player who called out upon the stage, "Money is the chief good araong
raankind:!:." But should any one say. Religion is the principal good
of raankind, no objection could be made against it ; for, without
doubt, it is the only object the beauties whereof engage the love both
of God and man.
But the principal things in religion, as I have frequentiy observed,
are, just conceptions of God. Now concerning this Infinite Being,
some things are known by the light of nature and reason, others only
by the revelation which He hath been pleased to raake of Hiraself
from heaven. That there is a God, is the distinct voice of every rnan,
and of every thing without hira. How much raore then shall we be
confirmed in the belief of this truth, if we attentively view the whole
creation, and the wonderful order and harraony that subsist between
all the parts of the whole system ! It is quite unnecessary to shew,
that so great a fabric could never have been brought into being without
* $£t» Tt ToVTOty ^x^fjtM (ttel'^flv xy XxCoig.
'I' 'Ev xx) fioyoy, ev avS^ai-prats xyx^av h ivtn^itx,
X Pecunia magnum generis humani bonum.

448 theological lectures.
an all-wise and powerful Creator ; nor could it now subsist without
the sarae alraighty Being to support and preserve it. " Let men,
therefore, raake this their constant study," says Lactantius, " even to
know their common Parent and Lord, whose power can never be per
fectly known, whose greatness cannot be fathomed, nor his eternity
comprehended*." When the mind of man, with its faculties, comes
to be once intensely fixed upon Hira, all other objects disappearing,
and being, as it were removed quite out of sight, it is entirely at a
stand and overpowered, nor can it possibly proceed further. But
concerning the doctrine of this vast volume of the works of God, and
that still brighter ligfit wfiich shines forth in the Scriptures, we shaU
speak more fully hereafter.
LECTURE X.
Of the Decrees of God.
As the glory and brightness of the Divine Majesty is SO great, that the
strongest human eye cannot bear the direct rays of it. He has ex
hibited Hiraself to be viewed in the glass of tfiose works which He
created first, and, by His unwearied hand, continually supports and
governs. Nor are we aUowed to view His eternal counsels and pur
poses througfi any other medium than this. So that, in our Cate
chisms, especially the shorter one, designed for the instruction of the
ignorant, it might, perhaps, have been full as proper to have passed
over the awful speculation concerning the Divine decrees, and to have
proceeded directly to the consideration of the works of God ; but the
thoughts you find in it, on this subject, are few, sober, clear, and cer
tain ; and in explaining them, I think it most reasonable and most
safe, to confine ourselves within these limits, in any audience what
ever, but especially in this congregation, consisting of youths, not to
say, in a great raeasure, of boys. Seeing, therefore, the decrees of
God are raentioned in our Catechisra, and it would not be proper to
pass over in silence a raatter of so great moraent, I .shall accordingly
lay before you some few thoughts upon this arduous subject.
And here, if any where, we ought, according to the coraraon saying,
to reason but in few words. I should, indeed, think it very improper
to do otherwise ; for such theories ought to be cautiously touched,
rather than be spun out to a great length. One thing we may con
fidently assert, that all those things which the great Creator produces
in different periods of tirae, were perfectiy known to Hira, and, as it
were, present with Hira, frora eternity; and that every thing that
happens, throughout tfie several ages of the worid, proceeds in the
sarae order and sarae precise manner, as the Eternal Mind at first
intended it should ; that none of His counsels can be disappointed or
rendered ineffectual, or in the least changed or altered by any event
whatsover. Known to God are all His works, says the Apostie in the
councfl of Jerusalem. Acts xv. 18. And the son of Sirach, God sees
* Ut Parentum suum, Dominumque cognoscanas cujus nee virtus a;stimari potest,
nee magnitudo perspici, nee eternitas comprehendi.

OP THE DECREES OF GOD. 4-1!)
from everlasting to everlasting, and nothing is wonderful in His sight.
Nothing is new or unexpected to Him ; nothing can come to pass that
He has not foreseen. And His first thoughts are so wise, that they
admit no second ones that can be supposed wiser. And this stabiUty
and irarautability of the Divine decrees, is asserted even by the Ro
man Phflosopher : " It is necessary," says he, " that the sarae things
be always pleasing to Hira, who can never be pleased but with whtit
is best*." Every artist, to be sure, as you also well know, works according to
some pattern, which is the iraraediate object of his raind ; and this
pattern, in the all-wise Creator, raust necessarily be entirely perfect,
and every way complete. And if this is what Plato intended by his
ideas, (which, not a few, and these by no means unlearned, think very
likely) his own scholar, the great Stagyrite, and your favourite philoso
pher, had, surely, no reason so often and so bitterly to inveigh against
them. Be this as it raay, all who acknowledge God to be the author
of this wonderful fabric, and all these things in it, which succeed one
another in their turns, cannot possibly doubt, that He has brought,
and continues to bring thera all about, according to that most perfect
pattern subsisting in His eternal councils ; and that these things that
we call casual, are all unalterably fixed and determined to Hira. For
according to that of the philosopher, " Where there is raost wisdora,
there is least chancef," and therefore, surely, where there is infinite
-wisdora, there is nothing left to chance at all.
This maxim, concerning the eternal councils of the supreme Sove
reign of the world, besides that it every where shines clearly in the
books of the sacred Scriptures, is also, in itself, so evident and con
sistent with reason, that we meet with it in alraost all the works of the
philosophers, and often, also, in those of the poets. Nor does it appear,
that they mean any thing else, at least, for the raost part, by the term
fate; though you raay meet with some things in their works, which, I
own, sound a fittle harsh, and can scarcely be sufficiently softened by
any, even the most favourable interpretation.
But, whatever else may seem to be coraprehended under the term
fate, whether taken in the mathematical or physical sense, as some are
pleased to distinguish, it must at last of necessity be resolved into
the appointment and good pleasure of the .supreme Governor of the
world. If even the blundering astrologers and fortune-tellers acknow
ledge, that the wise man has dominion over the stars ; how much
more evident is it, that all these things, and all their power and influ
ence, are subject and subservient to the decrees of the all-wise God !
Whence the saying of the Hebrews, "There is no planet to Israel J."
And according as all these things in the heavens above and the
earth beneath, are daily regulated and directed by the Eternal King,
in the same precise manner were they all from eternity ordered and
disposed by Him, who worketh all things according to the counsel of
his own will, Eph. i. 11, who is more ancient than the sea and the
mountains, or even the heavens theraselves.
• Necesse est illi eadem semper placere, cui nisi optima placere non possunt.
i" Ubi plus est sapientia:, ibi minus est casus,
X Non esse planetam Israeli.
Vol. II. 2 G

450 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
These things we are warranted and it is safe to believe. But what
perverseness, or rather madness, is it, to endeavour to break into the
sacred repositories of Heaven, and pretend to accomraodate those
secrets of the Divine kingdom to the raeasures and raethods of our
weak capacities ! To say the truth, I acknowledge that I ara asto
nished and greatiy at a loss, when I hear learned raen, and professors
of Theology, talking presuraptuously about the order of the Divine
decrees, and when 1 read such things in their works. " Paul," says
St. Chrysostora, " considering this awful subject as an iramense sea,
was astonished at it, and viewing the vast abyss, started back, and
cried out with a loud voice. Oh ! the depth!*" Nor is there much
more sobriety or raoderation in the many notions that are entertained,
and the disputes that are coraraonly raised about reconcOing these
Divine decrees with the liberty and free- wfll of raan.
It is indeed true, that neither religion nor right reason will suffer
the actions and designs of raen, and consequentiy, even the very mo
tions of the will, to be exempted from the erapire of the counsel and
good pleasure of God. Even the books of the heathens are fifled witfi
raost express testiraonies of the raost absolute sovereignty of God, even
with regard to these. The sentiraents of Horaer are weU known f ;
and with hira agrees the tragic poet, Euripides ; " O ! Jupiter," says
he, " why are we wretched mortals called wise ? For we depend
entirely upon thee, and we do whatever thou intendest we should %."
And it would be easy to bring together a vast collection of such
sayings, but these are sufficient for our present purpose.
They always seeraed to rae to act a very ridiculous part, who con
tend, that the effect of the Divine decrees is absolutely irreconcilable
with huraan liberty, because tfie natural and necessary liberty of a
rational creature is, to act or choose frora a rational raotive, or spon
taneously, and of purpose. But who sees not, that, on the supposi
tion of the raost absolute decree, this liberty is not taken away, but
rather established and confirraed ? For tfie decree is, tfiat such an
one shall raake choice of, or do sorae particular thing, freely ; and
whoever pretends to deny, that whatever is done or chosen, whether
good or indiff'erent, is so done or chosen, or, at least, raay be so, es
pouses an absurdity. But, in a word, the great difficulty in all this
dispute, is that with regard to the origin of erAl. Some distinguish,
and justly, the substance of the action, as you call it, or that which is
physical in the action, from the morality of it. This is of sorae weight,
but whether it takes away the whole difficulty, I will not pretend to
say. Believe rae, young gentlemen, it is an abyss, it is an abyss
never to be perfectly sounded by any plumraet of huraan understand
ing. Should any one say, " I am not to be blamed, but Jove and
Fate §," he wfll not get off so, but raay be nonplussed by turning his
own wit against hira. The servant of Zeno, the Stoic phflosopher,
* 'O UxvXas biff-Tfi^ T^og ^'iXxyo; x-jni^ov iXiyytxffxs xx) ^xdv; 't'^&iy x^xvks, aTTf^^^TlirEV
iv^'tcas xx) (/.lyxXa xvt^'o'/iiriy, s'tcTaiv, u [ixSo;, Sic.
t Tojos yxQ voos IsTiv, ixc. Chrys.
X "n Ziv TI Sfjra Tovs TxXxiT'o^od;,
*i?povuv Xiyovffi, ffov yx^ i^n^Tyify.i^x,
£^pu)fi.tv, Ti TOixVT, xv ffv Toy;i^xv'/]s ^'iXuv, IkeT, 1, 734,
i 'Ovx iyw eiiTtos 'iil^i, »XXk ^ivs xx) f^oT^x,

OF THE CRE.iTlON OF THE WORLD. , 451
being catched in an act of theft, either with a design to ridicule his
master's doctrine, or to avail hiraself of it in order to evade punish
ment, said, " It was my fate to be a thief" " And to be punished for
it," said Zeno '''. ^^ herefore, if you will take my advice, withdraw your
minds from a curious search into this mystery, and tum thera directly
to the study of piety, and a due reverence to the awfiil raajesty of God.
Think and speak of God and His secrets with fear and trerabling, but
dispute very little about thera ; and, if you would not undo yourselves,
beware of disputing with Him. If you transgress in any thing, blame
yourselves : if you do any good, or repent of evil, offer thanksgiving
to God. This is what I earnestly recoraraend to you ; in this I
acquiesce myself; -and to this, when much tossed and distressed with
doubt and difficulties, 1 had recourse, as to a safe harbour. If any of
you think proper, he may apply to men of greater learning ; but let
him take care he meet not with such as have more forwardness and
presumption.
LECTURE XI.
Ofthe Creation ofthe World.
Whoever looks upon this great system of the universe, of which he
himself is but a very small part, -with a little more than ordinary atten
tion, unless his mind is become quite brutish within him, it will, of
necessity, put him upon considering whence this beautiful frame of
things proceeded, and what was its first original ; or, in the words of
the poet, " From what principles all the eleraents were forraed, and
how the various parts of the world at first carae together t."
Now, as we have already observed in our dissertation concerning
God, that the raind rises directly frora the consideration of this visible
world, to that of its invisible Creator : so, from the conteraplation of
the First and Infinite Mind, it descends to this visible fabric ; aud
again, the conteraplation of this latter determines it to return, with
the greatest pleasure and satisfaction, to that Eternal Fountain of
goodness and of every thing that exists. Nor is this a vicious and
faulty circle, but the constant course of a pious soul, travelling, as it
were, backwards and forwards from earth to heaven, and from hea , en
to earth : a notion quite sirailar to that of the angels ascending and
descending upon the ladder which Jacob saw in his vision. But this
conteraplation by all raeans requires a pure and divine teraper of mind,
according to the maxims of the philosopher : " He that would see God
and goodness, must first be hiraself good, and fike tfie Deity J." And
those who have the eyes of their mind pure and bright, will sooner be
able to read in those objects that are exposed to the outward eye, the
great and evident characters of His eternal Power and Godhead.
We shall, therefore, now advance some thoughts upon the Creation,
which was the first and most stupendous of all the Divine works ; and
» In fatis mihi, inquit, fuit furari. Et CEedi, inquit Zeno.
t  Quibusque exordia primis
Omnia, et ipse tener mundi concreverit orbis. Vir. Eel. vi.
X Tiviir^u Se -zs-^a-oy ^miS^s va; xx) xaXo; it fclxXa ^ixffxff^ai ^loyTi xa) xxXoy, Plot.
2 G 2

452 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
the rather, that some of fhe phflosophers, who were, to be sure, positive
in asserting the being of a God, did not acknowledge hira to be the
Author or Creator of the world. As for us, according to that of the
Epistie to the Hebrews, ch. xi. v. 3, By faith we understand that the
worlds were framed hy the word of God, Of this we have a distinct
history in the first book of Moses and of the sacred Scriptures, which
we receive as divine. And this same doctrine, the prophets and apostles,
and, together with them, all the sacred writers, frequentiy repeat in
their sermons and writings, as the great foundation of faith, and of all
true refigion. For which reason, it ought to be diligentiy inculcated
upon the minds of all, even those of the raost ignorant, as far as they
are able to conceive and believe it ; though, to be sure, it contains in
it so raany mysteries, that they are sufficient not only to exercise the
most acute and learned understandings, but even far to exceed their
capacities, and quite overpower them : which the Jewish doctors seem
to have been so sensible, or, if I raay use the expression, so over
sensible of, that they admitied not their disciples to look into the three
first cfiapters of Genesis, till they arrived at the age required for enter
ing on the priestly office.
Although the faith of this doctrine iraraediately depends upon the
authority and testimony of the Supreme God of truth, — (for, as St.
Ambrose expresses it, "To whora should I give greater credit con
cerning God, than to God hiraself*?") — it is however so agreeable to
reason, that if any one choose to enter into the dispute, he will find
tfie strongest arguraents presenting tfieraselves in confirraation of the
faith of it, but those on the opposite side, if any such there be that
deserve the narae, quite frivolous, and of no raanner of force. Tatian
declared, that no arguraent more effectually deterrained hira to believe
tfie Scriptures, and erabrace the Christian faith, thau "the consistent,
intelligible account they gave of the creation of the universe f- '
Let any one that pleases, choose what other opinion he will adopt
upon this subject, or, as it is a raatter of doubt and obscurity, any of
the other hypotheses he thinks raost feasible. Is he for the atoms of
Epicurus, dancing at random in an erapty space, and, after innu
merable trials, throwing theraselves at last into the beautiful fabric
which we behold, and that raerely by a kind of lucky hit, or fortunate
throw of the dice, without any Araphion with his harp, to charm thera
by his rausic, and lead thera into the building ? To say the truth, the
Greek phflosopher had drearaed these things very prettily, or, accord
ing to more probable accounts, borrowed thera from two other
blundering philosophers, Deraocritus and Leucippus, though he used
all possible art to conceal it, that he might have to himself the whole
glory of this noble invention. But whoever first invented or publisfied
this hypothesis, how, pray, will he persuade us that things are actually
so ? By what convincing arguraents wfll he prove thera ? Or what
credible witnesses will he produce to attest his facts ? For it would
neither be raodest nor decent for him nor his followers, to expect
implicit faith in a matter truly philosophical and physical, and at the
same tirae of go great iraportance ; especiaUy as it is their common
* Cui enim magis de Deo, quam Deo ci-edam ? Arabros.
-\- 'V'oivxc:7xX-A';rrov Tni rovziravTOs -^xrotyiric.}!. Tatian.

OF THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. 453
raethod, smartly to ridicule and superciliously to despise the rest of
mankind, as being, according to their opinion, too credulous in
matters of religion. But what we have now said is more than enough
upon an hypothesis so sflly, monstrous, and inconsistent.
After leaving the Epicureans, there is no other noted shift that I
know of, remaining for one that rejects the doctrine of the Creation,
but only that fiction of the Peripatetic school, concerning the eternity
of the world. This Aristotle is said to have borrowed from a Pytha
gorean philosopher, naraed Oceflus Lucanus, who, in that instance,
seems to have deserted not only the doctrine of his master, Pythagoras,
but also that of all the more ancient philosophers. It is true, two or
three others are naraed, Parraenio, Melissus, &c., who are suspected
to have been of the sarae sentiraents with Ocellus ; but this is a raatter
of uncertainty, and therefore to be left undetermined. And, indeed,
both Aristotle and Ocellus seera to have done this at randora, or with
out proof, as they have advanced no arguraents in favour of their new-
doctrine, that can be thought very favourable, much less cogent and
convincing. It is surely impossible to demonstrate the truth of their opinion a
priori ; nor did these authors attempt it. They only endeavoured to
muster up sorae difficulties against the production of the world in tirae,
the great weakness whereof, any one who is but tolerably acquainted
with the Christian religion, will easily perceive. Aristotle's arguraents
rather raake against some notions espoused by the old philosophers,
or rather forged by hiraself, than against the doctrine of the Creation.
Nay, he hiraself soraetiraes speaks with great diffidence of fiis own
opinion on this subject, particularly in his topics, where, araong other
logical probleras, he proposes this as one, viz., " Whether the world
existed from eternity or not*."
On the contrary, that the world has evident marks of novelty, is
acknowledged by Lucretius in a reraarkable passage of his poeras,
which is very well known. " Besides,'' says he, " if the earth and
the heavens were not originally created, but existed from eternity,
why did not earlier poets describe the remarkable actions of their
times long before the Theban war and the destruction of Troy? But,
in my opinion, the universe is not of old standing, the world is but of
late establishraent, and it is not long since it had its beginning.'' And
more to that purpose t. But, besides this, if we duly consider the
matter, and acknowledge the course of the stars not only to be owing
to a first mover, but also, that the whole fabric, with all the creatures
therein, derive their existence frora sorae Suprerae Mind, who is the
only Fountain of Being; we must certainly conclude, that that Self-
existent Principle, or Source of all Beings, is by all means eternal,
but there is no necessity at all that we should suppose all other things
-3f TloTS^oy 0 xofffiO; xihto;, n ov,
-f- Prffiterea si nulla fuit genitalis origo
Terrae et Coeli, semperque aeterna fuere,
Cur supra bellum Thebanum etfunera Trojoe,
Non alias alii quoque res cecinere Poeta-,
Verum, ut opinor, habet novitatem summa, recensquc
Natura est mundi, neque pridem exordia cepit.

454 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
to be coeval -with it : nay, if it is not absolutely necessary, it is at least
highly reasonable and consistent to beUeve fhe contrary.
For, that this world, compounded of so many and such hetero
geneous parts, should proceed, by way of natural and necessary
emanation, frora that One First, Purest, and raost Simple Nature,
nobody, I imagine, could believe, or in the least suspect. Can it
possibly be thought that raortality should proceed frora the Iraraortal,
corruption frora the Incorruptible, and, what ought never to be so
much as mentioned, even worras, the vilest animalcules, and raost
abject insects, frora the Best, Most Exalted, and Most Blessed Ma
jesty ? But, if He produced afl these things freely, raerely out of His
good pleasure, and wfth the facility that constantly attends almighty
power, how rauch raore consistent is it to believe, that this was done
in time, than to imagine it was from eternity !
It is a very difficult matter, to argue at all about that, the nature
whereof our raost enlarged thoughts can never coraprehend. And
though, araong phflosophers and divines, it is disputed, whether such
a production frora eternity is possible or not, there is probably sorae
thing concealed in the nature ofthe thing, though unknown fo us, that
might suggest a deraonstration of the irapossibility of this conceit.
For, what is finite in bulk, power, and every other respect, seeras
scarcely capable of this infinity of duration ; and divines generally
place eternity araong the incoraraunicable attributes of God, as they
are caUed. It seems, to be sure, most agreeable to reason, and, for
ought we know, it is absolutely necessary, that in all external pro
ductions by a free agent, the cause should be, even in time, prior
to the effect ; that is, that there must have been sorae point of tirae
wherein the Being producing did, but the thing produced did not, exist.
As to the eternal generation in which we believe, it is within God
Himself, nor does it constitute any thing without Hira, or different
frora His nature and essence. Moreover, the external production
of a created being, of a nature vastly different from the Agent that
is supposed to produce it, and to act freely in that production,
implies, in its formal conception, (as the schools express it,) a transla
tion frora non-entity into being ; wfience it seeras necessarily to follow,
that there raust have been sorae point of time, wherein that created
being did not exist.
The notions ofthe Platonists concerning pre-existent raatter, do not
concern the present subject ; but, to be sure, they are as idle and
erapty as the iraaginary eternity ofthe world in its present forra. As
angels were not produced out of matter, it is surely surprising, that
those who assert their creation by God, should find difficulty in ac
knowledging the production of other things without pre-existent
matter, or even of raatter itself. The celebrated raaxira ofthe philo
sophers, that out of 7iothing, nothing is jjroduced, we receive, but in a
different and sounder sense, viz., that nothing can be produced but
either frora pre-existent raatter, or by a productive Power in which it
was virtually contained. And, in this sense, this faraous maxira
affords an invincible deraonstration a posteriori, (for the subject is not
capable of any other,) to prove that there raust be sorae Being that
existed before any creature, and the Unity and Eternity of that Being.

OF THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. 455
The great Creator of the world, having aU things virtually in Hira
self, needed neither matter nor instruraents in order to produce thera.
By the word of ihe Lord were ihe heavens Tnade, and all the host of
them by ihe breath of His mouth. Psal. xxxiii. 6. These were His
levers and tools, the word of the Lord, or that effectual act of His
will which gave being to all things. " The raighty Lord of all,
called directly to his holy, intelligent, and creating word, Let there be
a sun, and a sun iraraediately appeared*." Here, He spoke, and it
was done. " The word and the effect shewed themselves togetherf.''
If you ask what raoved infinite Goodness to perforra this great work ;
I answer, that very goodness you raention. For if, as they say, it is
the nature of goodness to be always coraraunicative, thai Goodness,
to be sure, must be the most diffusive, which is in itself greatest,
richest, and so very iramense, that it cannot be in the least diminished,
rauch less exhausted, by the greatest munificence. Here, tfiere is no
danger that that should happen, which Cicero prudently cautions
against, in the case of huraan goodness, viz., " That liberality should
undo itself J." For that liberality raust be immortal and endless, the
treasures whereof are infinite.
Nor is it to be doubted, but frora this very goodness, together with
the iraraense power and wisdom which shine forth so brightly in the
creation and all the creatures, an imraense weight of glory is reflected
upon the Creator Hiraself, and the source of all these perfections.
Nor must it be denied, that the manifold wisdom of God proposed
this end likewise. And there is nothing more certain than that, from
all these taken together. His works, His benevolent and diffusive
goodness. His power and wisdora illustrated in the creation, and the
glory that continually results therefrora, from His wise counsels, and
His own most perfect nature, whence all these things flow ; nothing is
more certain, I say, than that, frora afl these taken together, the
Divine Majesty enjoys an eternal and inexpressible delight and satis
faction. And thus all things return to that vast and iraraense Ocean,
from whence they at first took their rise, according to the expression
in the Proverbs, He hath made all things for Himself. Prov. xvi. 4.
And the words ofthe song- in the Revelations are most express to this
purpose : Thou art worthy, O Lord, io recrive glory, and honour, and
power, for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are,
and were created. Rev. iv. II. Nor could it, indeed, be otherwise,
than that He who is the Beginning of all things, should also be the
End of all ; a wonderful Beginning without a beginning, and an End
without an end. So that, as the author ofthe Epistle to the Hebrews
reasons concerning the oath of God, As He could swear hy no greater,
He sware hy Himself; in like manner we may argue here, as He could
propose no greater end or design. He proposed Himself. It was the
saying of Epicurus, " That the wise man does every thing for his
own sake§:" we, who are otherwise taught, should rather say, that
* 'O Se ¦zx'j-oiv xvptas Iv^'itu; ov^attzst top sxvtov xyjsu kx) votjti^ xx) drifjoiov^ytx'M Xoyop iffTa
IXtos xx) xf^a TCP (pxvxt, &c. Trismeg.
-t "AfiX 'i-TToz, 'a^x loyov.
X Ne liberalitate pereat liberalitas.
j Sapientem omnia facere sui causa.

456 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
the wise man does nothing for his own sake, but all for that of God.
But fhe most exalted, to be sure, and the Wisest of all beings, because
He is so, must of necessity do all things for Himself; yet, at the same
tirae, all His dispensations towards His creatures are most bountiful
and benevolent.
That the world was made directly and iraraediately for man, is the
doctrine, not only of the Stoics, but also of the master of the Peri
patetic school : " We are," says he, " in some respect, the end of all
things *." And in another place, " Nature has raade all these things
for the sake of manf." Cicero speaks to the same purpose |; and
Lactantius raore fully than either §. But Moses gives the greatest light
on this subject, not only in his history of the Creation, but also in
Deuteronoray, wherein he warns the Israelites against worshipping of
angels, for this reason ; because, says he, they were created for the
service of raan. And the sun, in Hebrew, is caUed Shemesh, which
signifies a servant.
But O ! whither do our hearts stray ? Ought we not to dwell upon
this pleasant contemplation, and even die in it ? I should choose to
be quite lost in it, and to be rendered altogether insensible, and, as it
were, dead to these earthly trifles that raake a noise around us. O
sweet reciprocation of rautual delights ! The Lord shall rejoice in
His works, says the Psalmist ; and presently after. My meditation of
Him shall be sweet : I will he glad in ihe Lord. Psal. civ. 31 — 4. Let
us look soraetiraes to the heavens, sometimes to the sea and the earth,
with the animals and plants that are therein, and very often to our
selves : and in all these, and in every thing else, but in ourselves
particularly, let us contemplate God, the coramon Father of afl, and
our most exalted Creator, and let our contemplation excite our love.
They who have sent the ignorant and unlearned to pictures and
images, as books proper for their instruction, have not acted very
wisely ; nor has that expedient turned out happily or luckily for the
advantage of that part of mankind. But surely, this great volurae, or
system, which is always open and exposed to the view of all, is admi
rably adapted to the instruction both of the vulgar and the wise ;
so that Chrysostom had good reason to call it " The great book for
the learned and unlearned ||." And the saying of St. Basil is very
much to the purpose : " Frora the beauty of those things which are
obvious to the eyes of all, we acknowledge that His inexpressible
beauty excels that of all the creatures ; and frora the raagnitude of
those sensible bodies that surround us, we conclude the infinite and
iraraense goodness of their Creator, whose plenitude of power exceeds
all thought, as well as expression \"
For this very end, it evidentiy appears that all things were made,
* Sumus enim et nos quodammodo omnium finis. 2 Phys. tit. 23.
¦\ Natura hominum gratia omnia fecit.
+ De legibus.
§ Sol iri-equietis cursibus et spatiis inequalibus orbes conficit, &c. ad finem capitis,
DeiraDei. Cap. 13, U.
[1 BiSX/ov [/zyiSTOV xa) tditPTxi; xa) a'oipot;.
^ 'Ex TOV KuXXovs TPJV o^cpfAivcpy TOV ii'TTi.^KxXov 'ivvocLfii^x xx) 'ix TOV ^lyiOovs Tpjy xiffBviTojy
TOVTCpy xx) Ti^tyi^a-TTTuv ffup.XTOiv xvaXoytZ^wfAi^-x X'Trapov xa) v-TTipf/.lyi^Tl xx) TtKcray ^lavotay
iy TU -xXvihiT-m IxvTov ivXxfiws v-^n^SxivovTX, Alex, horn, i.

OF TIIE CREATION OF MAN. 457
and we are the only visible beings that are capable of this contempla
tion. " The world," says St. Basil, " is a school, or seminary, very
proper for the instruction of rational souls in the knowledge of God *. '
We have also the angels, those ministers of fire, to be spectators with
us on this theatre. But will any of us venture to conjecture what they
felt, and what admiration seized them, when they beheld those new
kinds of creatures rising into being, and those unexpected scenes that
were successively added to the preceding ones, on each of the six days
of that first reraarkable week, when he laid ihe foundations of the
earth, and placed the corner stoTie thereof; when the morning stars sang
together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy , Job xxxviii. 6, 7.
But 0,1 the stupidity of raankind ! All those stupendous objects
are daily around us ; but, because they are constantly exposed to our
view, they never aff'ect our minds : so natural is it for us to admire
new, rather than grand objects. Therefore, tfie vast raultitude of stars
which diversify the beauty of this iraraense body, does not call the
people together ; but when any change happens therein, the eyes of all
are fixed upon tfie heavens. " Nobody looks at the sun, but wheu he
is obscured; nobody observes the raoon, but when she is eclipsed;
then nature seeras to be in danger ; then vain superstition is alarraed,
and every one is afraid for hiraselff." " But surely," says St. Bernard,
concerning the sun and moon, " these are great miracles, very great
to be sure ; but the first production, or creation of all things, is a vast
miracle, and raakes it easy to believe all the rest ; so that, after it, no
thing ought to excite our wonder J."

LECTURE XII.
Ofthe Creation o/Man.
This great theatre being built, besides those spectators who had been
but lately placed in the higher seats, it pleased the suprerae Creator
and Lord to have another corapany below, as it were, in the area :
these He called forth into being by creation, and a raan was introduced
into this area, to be a spectator of Hira and of His works, yet not a
spectator only, but also to be the interpreter of them §." Nor yet was
man placed therein raerely to be a spectator and an interpreter ; but
also, in a great raeasure, to be possessor and lord thereof; or, as it
were, the Creator's " substitute ||," in a spacious and convenient house,
ready-built, and stored with all sorts of useful furniture.
Now, that man himself is a grand and nobl^ piece of workmanship,
* 'O xo(f(io; •^vx.^v Xoyixuv 'htlxifxxXitov xx) ttis hoyvoitrixs TrxttivTVi^tov. Alex. bom. i.
-t- Sol spectatorem, nisi cum deficit, non habet; nemo observat lunam nisi laborantem;
tunc orbes conclamant, tunc pro se quisque superstitione vana trepidat. Seneca.
t Man-na sunt hac miracula, magna nimis ita est ; miraculum autem immensum est
ipsa prima omnium productio, seu creatio, quae miraculorem omnium adeo facilem fidem.
facit, ut post eam nihil sit mirum.
§ 'fis B'iXTYiv Te avTOv xx) Tuy avrov 'i^Xary xa) ov fiovov ^iarm xyya xa) 'i^,iy-^iT>iv.
Arrian. II 'TrnxxTxi-rxToy,

458 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
appears even from this circumstance, that the Most Wise Operator
when he was going to create hira, thought fit to preface His design
with these words, Let us make man. So that he was created not
merely by a word of comraand, like the rest ofthe creatures, but " by
a consultation ofthe blessed Trinity*.''
And, indeed, man is a wonderful composition, the conjunction of
heaven and earth ; " the breath of God, and the dust of the ground:"
the bond of union between the visible and the invisible world, and truly
a " world in miniature, a kind of mixed world, nearly related to the
other two t-" Nor is he only a lively epitome and representation of
the greater worid, but also dignified with the iraage of his great Crea
tor. He raade the heavens and the earth, the sea and the stars, and
then, all sorts of living creatures ; but, in the words of the poet, " a
more divine creature, and more capable of elevated sentiraents, was
yet wanting, and one that could rule over the rest ; therefore raan
was born J."
The rest ofthe creatures, according to the observation ofthe school
men, which is not amiss, had the impression of the Divine foot
staraped upon thera, but not the image of the Deity. These He
created, and reviewing thera, found thera to be good, yet He did not
rest in thera: but, upon the creation of raan, the Sabbath iraraediately
followed. He raade man, and then rested, having a creature capable of
knowing that He was his Creator, one that coifld worship Him, and
celebrate his sabbath, whose sins, if he should corarait any. He raight
forgive, and send, clothed with human nature. His only begotten Son,
in whom He is absolutely well pleased, and over whom, as the person
who fulfilled His good pleasure, He rejoices for ever, to redeera His
favourite creature. By the production of raan, the Suprerae Creator
exhibited Hiraself in the raost adrairable light, and at the sarae time,
had a creature capable of admiring and loving Him ; and, as St. Am
brose observes, " one that was under obligation to love his Creator
the more ardently, the more wonderfully he perceived hiraself to be
raade §." " And raan," says the sarae author, " was made a two-
footed animal, that he raight be, as it were, one of the inhabitants of
tfie air, that he raight aspire at high things, and fly with the wings of
sublime thoughts ||."
And, indeed, the structure of raan is an instance of wonderful art
and ingenuity, whether you consider the syraraetry of his whole fabric
taken together, or all his parts and raerabers separately. Gregory
Nyssen speaks very rauch to the purpose, when he says, " the frarae
of raan is awful and hard to be explained, and contains in it a lively

* Faciamus hominem. Ut non solo jubentis sermone sicut reliquia, sed consilio sanctm
Trinitatis conditus sit. Arnob.
-f- Mtx^oxoo-p.os , fiixroe ti; xoo-fios, o-uyyTjv/is t&jv Suo xo/TfLolv. Greg. NySS.
J Sanctius his animal, mentisque ; capacius alta;.
Deerat ad liuc, et quod dominari in caetera posset,
Natus homo est. — Ovid. 1 Met.
^ Et quidem tanto ardentius amaret conditorem, quanto mirabilius se ab eo conditum
inteUigeret. II Et factus est homo bipes, ut sit unus quasi de volatilibus, qui alta visu petat, et
quodam remigio volitet snblimum cogitatlonum.

OF THE CREATION OP MAN. 459
representation of many of the hidden mysteries of God *." How won
derful is even the structure of his body! Which, after all, is but the
earthen case of his soul ; accordingly, it is in the Chaldaic language
called Nidne, which signifies a sheath. How far does the workman
ship exceed the materials ! And how justly raay we say. What a glo
rious creature out ofthe raeanest eleraents! The Psalmist's mind
seeras to have dwelt upon this meditation, till he was quite lost in
it; How fearfully, says he, and wonderfully am I Tnade! Psal.
cxxxix. l4. And that celebrated physician who studied nature with
such unwearied application, in his book upon the structure of the
human body, in which, after all, there is nothing divine, often expresses
his admiration in these words, " Who is worthy to praise the wisdom'
and power of the Creatorf!" and many other such exclamations.
The Christian writers, however, are most full upon this subject, par
ticulariy St. Basil, St. Chrysostom, and others, who carry their
observations so far as the nails, and the hair, especially that on the
eye-lids. And Nyssen, on the words. Let us make man, has the
following observation : " Man is a grand and noble creature. — How
can man be said to be any great matter, seeing he is a mortal creature,
subject to a great raany passions ; from the time of his birth, to that
of his old age, exposed to a vast many evils and distresses ; and of
whom it is written. Lord, what is man, ihat thou shouldest be mindful
of him ?
" The history we have ofthe production of raan, delivered rae frora
this difficulty ; for we are told, that God took sorae of the dust of the
earth, and out of it forraed raan : frora these vyords I understood, that
raan was at once nothing, and yet soraething very grand +.'' He
intended to say, that the materials out of which man was raade were
low, and as it were, nothing ; but, if you consider the wonderful work
manship, how great was the honour conferred upon him ! " The earth
did not spontaneously produce man, as it did grasshoppers. God did
not corarait the production of this or that particular creature to his
ministering powers ; no, the gracious Creator took the earth in His
own liand§." But besides the noble frarae of his body, though it was
made ofthe dust of the earth, that Divine breath, and, by means of it,
the infusion ofa precious soul, raixes heaven and earth together ; not
indeed in the coramon acceptation of that terra, as if things so vastly
different were proraiscuously jurabled together, and the order of na
ture subverted ; but only implying that the two parts of the human
constitution are corapounded with inexpressible art, and joined in a
close union. As to the raisery of the huraan race, and the eonterapti
ble figure in which the life of man appears, it is to be ascribed to an
other source, very different frora the earthly materials out of which his
* *H TOV xv&pai'^ov xxTXif'xivn (^oZ%^x t); xx) dvos^fi'/jyiVTo; xx) ^oXXa xa) x^oxpvipx ev
ayTj) /LiVp-TTi^ix i&eoy 'i^iixcpvit^ovo-x.
•f T)s 'ixxvos Iff) T'/iV "hnfiiovpyov ffoipixvTt xx) ovvxfciv i-TTxiyiiv.
t Miya av^ptuTfos xa) Ttfiiov. 'AXXa -ffais f££ya o xv^poi-Trog ; to l^ix'/ipov ^aiov To fpv^iois
^xhffiv v-TTOxitfilvov, TO 'txyhv/jTvis e/j yn^X5 fiv^toiv xxxuv Ifffiov 'i'^avTXovv He^/ ov 'ii •rriTxl.
'K.VPII tU 'iffTIV a XV^l^CP-TtOS, ot) fAlfAV/lffX'/] XVTOV ; &C. xXXx fiOl T'/iV TOIXVT'/IV ^IXTO^WaV
'iXvfflv iffTopox Tfjs yivyriffiois tov xv^^cp-ttov oivxyyctiffhurx, &c. Orat ii.
§ Ovx '/I yri xv.rofAXT05 UTi-i^, Tovs TtTTtyao l^i^affs, xXX' ovx s'fTis Tudi xa) ToUoi -Jfoiriffxt
X{tTovpy7xat5 ^vyafAia-tv, xXX idia ;^it^) iptXors;^vs7 ynv 'sXaSiv.

460 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
body was raade. That he was created happy, beautiful, and honour
able, he owed to his great and good Creator ; but he himself is the
author of his own misery. And hence it is, that though, vvith regard
to his original and pure nature, we ought, for the strongest reasons,
to speak raore honourably of hira than of any other part ofthe visible
world ; yet, if we view hira in his present circurastances, no part of
the creation, to be sure, deserves to be lamented in raore raournful
strains. But what words can express, what thoughts can comprehend, the
dignity and powers of that heavenly soul that inhabits this earthly
body, and the Divine iraage that is stamped upon it? The philosophers
of all ages and nations have been inquiring into the nature of it, and
have not yet found it out.
A great many have also araused themselves with too whimsical con
jectures and fancies, and have endeavoured to discover, by very dif
ferent raethods, a figure of tfie blessed Trinity in tfie faculties of the
soul. Nor was Methodius satisfied with finding a representation of
this raystery in the soul of every particular man, but also iraagined he
had discovered it in the three fir.st persons of the huraan race, viz.
Adara, Eve, and their first-born son ; because in them he found un-
hegolten, begotten, and proceeding, as also unity of nature, and the
origination of all raankind. But not to insist upon these, it is certain
the rational, or intellectual, and immortal soul, so long as it retained
its original purity, was adorned with the lively and refulgent iraage of
the Father of Spirits, its eternal Creator ; but afterwards, when it be
carae polluted and stained with sin, this iraage, though not immedi
ately quite ruined, was, however, miserably obscured and defaced. It
is true, the beautiful and erect frame ofthe human body, which gives it
an advantage over all other creatures, and some other external graces
that raan possesses, raay possibly be sorae reflected rays ofthe Divine
excellence ; but I should hardly call them the image of God. As St.
Ambrose well observes, " How can flesh, which is but earth, be said
to be made after the image of God, in whom there is no earth at all ?
And shall we be said to be like God, because we are of a higher rank
than sheep and does*?"
The dominion over the rest of the creatures which raan enjoys, is a
kind of faint shadow of the absolute and unliraited sway of the Su
prerae Majesty of heaven and earth. I dare not, however, venture to
say, it is that iraage of which we are speaking ; but, as those who draw
the picture ofa king, after laying down the linearaents ofthe face and
body, use to add the purple robe and other ensigns of royalty, this
dominion may certainly supply the place of these, with regard to this
image of God on raan. But the lively colours in wfiicfi the iraage itself
is drawn, are, says Nyssen, " purity, absence of evil, understanding,
and speech t." For even the eternal Son and the Wisdom ofthe
Father, seems to be intended by the philosophers under the term of
The Creating Mindl; and by the divine apostie, John, he is called
¦* Caro terra est, qui dicatur ad imagincm Dei facta, cum in Deo terra non sit.' et an
eo Dei shniles dicemur, quia damulis atque ovibus celsiores sumus ?
¦* l\u6x^T7]i, xaxov aXXoT^icpffis, vovs, xa) Xoyos.
;|; Ai]f/.iovpyov.

OF THE CREATION OF MAN. 461
The Word, To those wo have very good ground to add, charity, as
nothing can be naraed that renders man liker to God''** ; for " God is
love, and the fountain of itt." It is true, charity is a valuable dispo
sition of the mind, but it also discovers itself in the frarae of the huraan
body ; for raan was made quite defenceless, having neither horns,
claws, nor sting, but naked and harraless, and, as it were, entirely
formed for meekness, peace, and charity.
The same author, speaking of the iraage of God on raan, expresses
himself as follows : " Wherefore, that you may be like God, exercise
liberality and beneficence, study to be innocent, avoid every crime,
subdue all the raotions of sin — conquer all the beasts that are within
you. What, you wfll say, have I beasts within me ? Yes, you have
beasts and a vast number of them. And that you may not think I
intend to insult you, is anger an inconsiderable beast, when it barks
in your heart ? What is deceit, when it lies hid in a cunning raind ;
is it not a fox ? Is not the raan who is furiously bent upon calumny,
a scorpion ? Is not the person who is eagerly set on resentraent and
revenge, a most venomous viper ? What do you say of a covetous
man ; is he not a ravenous wolf? And is not the luxurious raan, as
the prophet expresseth it, a neighing horse ? Nay, there is no wild
beast but is found within us. And do you consider yourself as Lord
and prince of the wild beasts, because you coramand those that are
without, though you never think of subduing or setting bounds to
those that are within you? What advantage have you by your reason,
which enables you to overcorae lions, if, after all, you yourself are
overcorae by anger? To what purpose do you rule over the birds,
and catch thera with gins, if you yourself, with the inconstancy of a
bird, are hurried hither and thither, and soraetiraes, flying high, are
ensnared by pride, soraetiraes brought down and caught by pleasure ?
But, as it is shameful for hira who rules over nations to be a slave at
horae, and for the raan who sits at the helm of the state to be meanly
subjected to the beck ofa contemptible harlot, or even of an imperious
wife ; will it not be, in like manner, disgraceful for you, who exercise
dominion over the beasts that are without you, to be subject to a
great raany, and those of the worst sort, that roar and domineer in
your distempered raind X ?"
I shall, last of all, here subjoin what some ofthe ancients have ob
served, viz., that the nature ofthe human soul, as it lies hid out of sight,
and is to us quite unknown, bears an evident reserablance to that of
God, who is Himself unsearchable and past finding out §.
" But when we have well considered all these things, and the many
other thoughts of this kind that may occur, raay we not cry out. How
surprising and shocking is the raadness and folly of raankind ; the far
greater part whereof, as if they had quite forgot their original and
* QiOllVlffTl^OV.
i* 'Ayx-TTTi 0 Qios, xa) ayx^fif ortiyv;.
^ @£cp 'oovv fioios 'iffy] ^ix Tris ^^yiffTOT'i^Tos, S/a TVii avs^ixaxia;. ^ix xoi, vipviai, filffo-rovn^os
m xx) xXTXxpXTpiy tov •xxSmv tuiv evaow, 'xe_X- ^^Ptotv. t) ovv 'ipii;, lycp B'fi^ia '^X^ ^"
ffiXvTM ; xx.) ftvpix 'TioXvv o^Xov ev ffot 3-«^iwv B;^tts, xa) p.-/i vQovv vafiiffx; iivxi to XiyO'
utvvov. Tloffov ^vipioy iffTiv o ^•Jf/.o? oTXy vXaxT^ Tii xxp^ia, &c.
§ KxT ux'oya TVirix'/iy tov xvuvvfiov, xx) ^yvot^iffTou ©eoy.

462 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
native dio-nity, disparage themselves so far as to pursue the meanest
objects, and shamefully plunge themselves in raud.'
The words of Epictetus are divine, and have a wonderful savour of
piety: " You go to the city of Olyrapia," says he, " to see sorae ofthe
works of Phidias ; but you have no arabition to convene, in order to
understand and look at those works which raay be seen without tra
veUing at all. Will you never understand what you are, nor why you
were brought into the worid ; nor, finally, what that is which you have
now an opportunity to view and conteraplate*?'' And in another
place, " For, if we were wise, what have we else to do, both in pubfic
and in private, but to praise and celebrate the Deity, and to return
our thanks to Hira ? Ought we not, while we are digging, plowing,
and eating, to sing to God this hyran? Great is the Lord, who has
provided us with those necessaries of life-]-," <!j-c.
As for you, young gentieraen, I would have you to be sensible of
the honour and dignity of your original state ; and to be deeply im
pressed with the indignity and disgrace of your nature, now faflen and
vitiated. And dwell particularly upon the contemplation of it. Suffer
not the great honour and dignity of the huraan race, which is to know
the Eternal and invisible God, to acknowledge Him, love Hira, and
worship Him, to decay and die away within you. This, alas ! is the
way of the far greater part of the world ; but do you live in continual
reraerabrance of your original, and assert your claim to Heaven, as
being originally frora it, and soon to return to it again.
LECTURE XIII.
Of Providence.
The doctrines we have been handling, are the great supports of faith,
piety, and the whole of religion : wherefore, it is most just, tfiat the
zeal and care of the scholars should concur with that of their teachers,
to have thera well secured in the mind and affections ; for, " a weak
foundation," as the lawyers observe, " is the ruin of the work J."
There are two principal pillars, and, as it were, the Jachin and Boaz
of the living temples of God, which the Apostle to the Hebrews lays
down in these words : He that cometh to God (under which expression
. are coraprehended every devout affection and every act of religious
worship) must believe that God is, and thai He is a rewarder of ihem
that diligently seek Him, Heb. xi. 6.
That God is, implies not only that He is eternal and self-existent,
but also, that He is, to all other beings, the spring and fountain of
what they are, and what they have ; and consequently, that He is tfie
^ Eis 'oXvp.'jrixy filv xToO'/jfciTTl, tv e'ldhTl to 'i^yov tov (pn^iov — 'otov oi ov^ xpro6'/iff.yiffxt
vpiix IffTiv TXVTx di ^idffx.ff^xi xx) xxTxyoTiffxi ovx I'TTlSvf.ciffiTi OVX x)ff^'/iffiff^i Toivvy
o'vTi t'iVIS 'iffTi, o'vTi 'i^l TI yZyoVXTi, OVT i-^t Tt TOVTO 'iffTlV £1^' 0 TOV BiXV ^XPilX^ipXTiS' AXT.
lib. i. cap. 6.
¦}- 'El yap vovv ii^ofiiv, aXXo t) 'ioit vfcas 'yrotilv xx) xoivii xx) i^ix « Vf/.yi7y to ^io7v xx)
iv(p-/]/Ai7v xa) 'l-Tn'^l^x.^ff^ai Tas ^a^iTXs ; ovx 'i%lt xa) ffxa-KTOVTas xx) x^ovyTXS xat l^-ffi-
OVTas xhiiy, pkyxs o ^los 'oti i\[A7v '^x^i^ty o^yxya tuvtx. Ibid, cap. 16.
J Debile enim fundamentum fallit opus.

OF PROVIDENCE. 463
wise and powerfiil Creator of angels and raen, and even of the whole
universe. This is the first particular, that God is. The second, that
He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, ascertains the pro
vidence and government of God, exeraplified in its raost eminent effect,
with regard to raankind. For providence extends further than this,
and comprehends in it a constant preservation and support of all
things visible and invisible, whether in heaven or earth, and the
sovereign government and disposal of them. Mechanics, when they
have corapleted houses, ships, and other works they have been en
gaged in, leave thera to take their fate in tlie world, and, for the
most part, give theraselves no further trouble about the accidents that
may befal thera. But the supreme Architect and wise Creator never
forsakes the work of his hands, but keeps his arras continually about
it, to preserve it ; sits at the helra to rule and govern it ; is Hiraself
in every pari of it, and fills the whole with His presence. So great a
fabric could not possibly stand without sorae guardian and ruler ; nor
can this be any other than the Creator Hiraself. For who can pay a
greater regard to it, support it raore effectually, or govern it with
greater wisdom, than He who raade it? " Nothing can be more per
fect than God ; therefore, it is necessary the world should be governed
by hira," says Cicero. And " they who take away providence, though
they acknowledge God in words, in fact deny lira*."
If we believe that all things were produced out of nothino-, the conse
quence is, that, by the same powerful Hand that created thera, they
must be preserved and supported, to keep them from falfing back into
their priraitive nothingness. It must be also owned, that, by the same
powerful Hand, the regular motions ofthe stars, the contexture of the
elementary world, the various kinds of creatures, and the uninterrupted
succession of their generations, are continued aud preserved. Nor is
Divine providence to be confined within the heavens, or in the lower
world, restrained to the care of generals in opposition to individuals ;
although the Peripatetic school inclined too much to this opinion,
and, even the raaster of that school, Aristotle hiraself, in his often
quoted book, if it really be his, De JIundo. For, that providence ex
tends to all things in this lower globe, from the highest to the lowest,
and comprehends within its sphere particular as well as general
things, the least as well as the greatest, is confirraed, not only by the
doctrine of the sacred Scripture, but also by the testimony of all sound
philosophy. Therefore, in maintaining the doctrine of Providence, we affirm,
1st. That the Eternal Mind has an absolute and perfect knowledge
of all things in general, and every single one in particular. Nor does
He see only those that are actuallv present, as they appear in their
order upon the stage of the world, but, at one view, coraprehends all
that are passed, as well as that are to corae, as if thev were actuallypre-
sent before hiraf. This, the ancient phflosopher Thales is said to have
asserted expressly, even with regard to the hidden motions and most
* Nihil Deo praestantius. ab eo igitur regi necesse est. Qui providentiam negant,
verbis licet Deum ponunt, reipsa toUunt.
-y Tar' 'iovrx txt' iffffofiiya tt^ot 'iovTX.

464 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
secret thoughts of the huraan mind: for, being asked, " If any one,
that does evil, can conceal it from God ?" he answered, "No, not even
his evil thoughts*." " Nothing is left unprovided for," says St. Basil,
" nothing is overlooked by God: His watchful eye sees all things; He
is present every where to give salvation to all t." Epictetus has also
the sarae divine thoughts upon this subject J.
And here, were any one to reflect seriously on the vast number of
affairs that are constantly in agitation in one province, or even in one
city, the raany political scheraes and projects, the multiplicity of law
matters, the still greater number of faraily affairs, and all the par
ticulars comprehended under so many general heads, he would be
amazed and overpowered with the thoughts of a knowledge so incom
prehensibly extensive. This was the very thought which excited the
divine Psalmist's admiration, and made him cry out with wonder and
astonishment. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me ; it is high ; I
cannot attain unto it. Psal. cxxxix. 6.
2dly, He not only knows all things, and takes notice of them, but
He also rules and governs them. He hath done whatever he pleased
in ihe heavens and ihe earth, says the Psalmist, Psal. cxxxv. 6. And
He worketh all things, says the Apostle, according io ihe council of
His own will, Eph. i. II. He does all things according to his
pleasure, but that pleasure is influenced by His reason ; all things
absolutely, but yet all things with the greatest justice, sanctity, and
prudence. He views and governs the actions of man in a particular manner:
He hath given him a law : He hath proposed rewards, annexed
punishraents to enforce it, and engage raan's obedience. And having
discovered, as it were, an extraordinary concern about hira, when He
made him (as we have observed upon the words, Let us make man,)
in like manner. He still continues to raaintain an uncoraraon good-will
towards hira, and so to speak, an anxious concern about hira. So that
one ofthe ancients raost justly called raan " God's favourite creature."
And he spoke much to the purpose, who said, " Godis neither a lover
of horses, nor of birds, but of mankind §.'' With regard to the justice
of the suprerae governraent of Providence, we meet with a great deal,
even in the ancient poets.
" O father Jove," says jEschylus, " thou reignest in heaven, thou
takest notice ofthe rash and wicked actions of gods and men. Thy
care even extends to the wild beasts ; thou observest the wrongs done
thera, and securest their privileges ||.''
" Though justice," says Euripides, " coraes late, it is stifl justice : it
* *E/ Giov T)i Xdht xaxov ti -a^Xffffuy j dXX ovl\ "htxvoVfLiyos ,
¦I- 'Oi/Sev xv^ov'onTov, aiSev ^^eXTj^ivov ^x^d Qef Tai/Ta ffxw'lvu o UKo'ifi-ATO; 'o<p6xXp,os
w'xffi zrxpii, ffxo^-Ttt^piy 'iKXffTU Tnv cuTxpxiy.
X Arr. lib. i. cap. 12.
§ 'O Qioi ov iiXervoi, ov^s i'tXo/tvie iXXa ^i>,n>&js/T«.
II fl ZiV ^XTt^, ZiV, ffOV fjOiV OVPXVOV XPXTOS ,
2y 0 'i^y i'TTov^xviuv xx) xvG^oi'jrpiy opus
Aicp^yd xd^ifitffTX. ^oi xx) ^n^iojy
'TQ^ts Ti xa) ytxt] fiiXii.

OF PROVIDENCE. 4G.J
lies hid, as it were, in ambush, till it finds an opportunity to inflict due
punishment upon the wicked man*."
" Dost thou think," saNs -Eschylus, "to get the better ofthe divine
knowledge, and that justice stands at a distance from the huraan race?
She is near at hand, and sees without being seen ; she knows who
ought to be punished ; but when she will suddenly fall upon the
wicked, that thou knowest notf."
" The weight of justice," says the sarae author, in another place,
" falls upon some quickly in tfie day-time, it lies in wait for some sins
till the twflight ; the longer it is delayed, the severer the punishment ;
accordingly, some are consigned to eternal night J.''
There are two difficulties, however, on this head, which are not
easfly solved. Ist, The success that comraonly attends the wicked in
this world, and the evil to which the good are exposed. On this sub
ject, even the phflosophers, pleading the cause of God, (which, if we
take their word, they thought a raatter of no great difficulty,) advanced
a great raany tfiings. Seneca tells us, " There is a settled friendship,
nay, a near relation and sirailitude between God and good raen : fie is
even their father ; but, in tfieir education, he inures them to hardships.
When, therefore, you see thera struggfing with difficulties, sweating,
and employed in up-hill work ; while the wicked, on the other hand,
are in fiigh spirits, and swim in pleasures ; consider, that we are
pleased with modesty in our chfldren, and forwardness in our slaves ;
the former we keep under by severe discipfine, while we encourage
impudence in the latter. Be persuaded that God takes the sarae
method. He does not paraper the good raan with delicious fare, but
tries him ; he accustoms him to hardships, and (which is a wonderful
expression in a heathen) prepares him for himself §." And in
another place, " Those luxurious persons whom he seems to indulge
and to spare. He reserves for evils to corae. For you are raistaken,
if you think any one excepted. The raan who has been long spared,
will at last have his portion of misery; and that he seems to have been
* Aixa Ttf-r o)xx ^povtos
AXX' oficds 'vTro-jriaovff
'EXd^iv oTxy 'ix,^
Tty a<riC^ {s^otcpv.
-t Aoxiis TO. Biaiv ffv ^VVTITX yixnffxt -TTOTi
Kai T,jv otxnv way fixxp d.Totxiicr^xi (ipoTipv ;
' H 3- 'iyyvs 'iffTty ov^ o^ojf/.'tvn a o^x
' Ov ;^pTi xoyx^itv t ot^iv. AXX' ovx oiBx ffv
' OoroTxy x^voi fcoXovffx ^loXifftl xaxovs.
X Fo^h S' 'iTtffxffTi7 Vtxas
Txxi7a TOVS piiy ev (pdu
Ta 5' Iv p.iTxt^p.ipt ffx'oTov
Hev£/, ^^ovi'^ovT of^% lipvit
Tovs S' pix^ayTos 'ix^' ''''I-
§ Inter bonos viros ac Deum est amicitia, imo necessitudo, et similitudo, imo ille
eorum pater, sed durius eos educat, cum itaque eos videris laborare, sudare, et ardum
ascendere, males autem lascivire, et voluptatibus fluere, cogita, filiorum nos modestia
delectare, vernularum licentia: illos disciplina tristiori contineri, horum ali audaciam.
Idem tibi de Deo liqueat, bonum virum deliciis non innutrit, experitur, indurat, et sibi
ILLUM PR.EP.\RAT.
Vol. II. 2 II

466 theological lectures.
disraissed, is only delayed for a time*." And a vast deal more to this
purpose. The sarae sort of sentiments we raeet with in Plutarch :
" God takes the sarae raethod," says he, " with good men, that
teachers do with their scholars, when they exact more than ordinary
ofthose children of whom they have the greatest hopes f." And it is
a noble thought which we raeet with in the same author: " Ifbe who
transgresses in the raorning," says he, " is punished in the evening,
you will not say that, in this case, justice is slow ; but to God, one, or
even several ages, are but as one day|.'' How near is this to St.
Peter's saying on the sarae subject ! 2 Pet. iii. 8.
2dly, The other point upon this subject, which perplexes raen fond
of controversy, and is perplexed by them, is, how to reconcile
human liberty with Divine providence, which we have taken notice
of before. But, to both these difficulties, and to all others that raay
occur upon the subject, I would oppose the saying of St. Augustine :
" Let us grant that he can do sorae things which we cannot under
stand §.''
What a raelancholy thing would it be to live in a world where
anarchy reigned ! It would certainly be a woful situation to all ; but
more especially to the best and raost inoffensive part of mankind. It
would have been no great privilege, to have been born into a world
without God and without providence. For, if there were no Supreme
Ruler of the world, then, undoubtedly, the wickedness of men would
leign without any curb or impediraent, and the great and powerful
would unavoidably devour the weak and helpless, " as the great fisfies
often eat up the sraall, and the hawk raakes havoc araong the weaker
birds]." It raay be objected, that this frequentiy happens, even in the present
world, as appears frora the prophecies of Habakkuk, ch. i. ver. 15.
But tfie propfiet, iraraediately after, asserts, that there is a Suprerae
Power, which holds the reins in the raidst of these irregularities ; and
though fhey are sometimes permitted, yet, there is a determinate time
appointed for setting all things to rights again, which the just man
expects, and, till it coraes, lives by faith, Hab. ii. 3, 4. Sorae pas
sages of Ariston's larabicks are adrairable to this purpose.
" A, Be patient ; for God uses to support worthy raen, such as you
are, in a reraarkable raanner. And unless those who act in a becoming
manner, are to receive some great reward, to what purpose is it, pray,
to cultivate piety any longer ? B, I wish that raay be the case ;
but I too often see those who conforra theraselves to the rules of piety
* Eos autem quibus indulgere videtur, quibus parcere, molles Venturis malis servat
Erratis enim si quem judicatis e.xceptum. Veniet ad ilium diu felicem sua portio. Et
qui videtur dimissus esse, delatus est. Sen. de Gubern. Mundi.
t Hanc rationem Deus sequitur in bonis viris. quam in discipulis suis preceptores,
qui plus laboris ab us exigunt, in quibus certior spes est. Plot. «,; tpiv ^pxhws
TifiM^ovfiivov. X Si qui mane peccavit, vespere puniatur, tardum hoc non dices : at Deo seculum,
vel etiam plura seeula, pro die uno.
§ Demus ilium aliquod facere, et nos non posse intelligere.
II  Pisces ut saepe minutos
Magna comest, et aves enecat accipiter.

OF PROVIDENCE.

467

aii^J virtue, oppressed by calaraity ; while those who mind nothing
but what they are prompted to by private interest and profit, thrive
and flourish much better than we. A. For the present it is so, indeed ;
but it becoraes us to look a great way forward, and wait till the world
has corapleted its full revolution. For it is by no means true, that this
life is entirely under the dominion of blind chance, or fortune ; though
many entertain this wicked notion, and the corrupt part of raankind,
frora this consideration, encourage themselves in iraraorality ; but the
virtues of the good will meet witfi a proper reward, and the wicked
will be punished for their criraes. For nothing happens without the
will of Heaven*. "
What the poets soraetimes advance concerning a supreme Fate,
which governs all things, they often ascribe to God ; though now and
then they forget theraselves, and subject even the Suprerae Being to
their Fate, as the Stoic phflosophers did also. But possibly they both
had a sound meaning, though it was couched under words that sound
a little harsh ; and this raeaning now and then breaks forth, par
ticulariy when they celebrate God for disposing all things, by an
eternal law, according to his own good pleasure, and thereby raake
hira the suprerae and universal governor, subject to no other, but, in
sorae respect, to hiraself, or to his decrees : which, if you understand
them in a sound sense, is all that they can raean by their to aofpevTUTov
and their to afiera/SXTjToii. The same judgment is to be passed with re
gard to what we find said about Fortune : for either tfiat word signifies
nothing at all, or you must understand by it, the Suprerae Mind,
freely disposing of all things. And this is very clearly attested by
the following excellent verses of Menander : " Cease to improve your
rainds, for the mind of raan is nothing at all. The governraent of all
things is solely in the hands of Fortune : whether this Fortune be a
Mind, or the Spirit of God, or whatever else it is, it carries all before
it. Huraan prudence is but u vapour, a raere trifle, Sfc.f
We have also a great raany proofs, that, in the opinion of the old
poets. Fate and Fortune were precisely the sarae ; one instance
whereof we raeet with in the following passage: " Fortune and fate,
Pericles, are the givers of all that man enjoys J."
And, instead of the terras. Fate, and Fortune, they soraetiraes used
the word Necessity. But all these were but other names, though ill-
chosen, for Providence. Euripides, having said a great deal concerning
fate, or necessity, at last resolves the whole into this : " Jupiter executes,
with thee, all he had decreed before §."
* A. S-xpffii. ^oyih7v 'stxffiv Totfftv x\iois
E'lCphv 0 ^ios, &c.
-y JJxvffxffh yovv 'i^ovTis, ovViv yxp •prXiov
AvSpcp-Tttvos vovs 'iffTlv, aXX! a T?is T-J^'AS,
E'tT 'iffTt TOVTO 'ffViVfjiX ^i7oy ilTi VOVS,
TayT' 'iffTt ^XVTX xx) xvQipvuy, xx) ffTPi<pov
Kai ffpj^ov, 71 f^^ovoix o 91 By/iT-/], xd-TTviis, ,
Kai <pX'/ivx^xs, ^c.
X TlxvTx Tvx,yi xx) p.oi^x, TlipixXiis avopt "ht^ipfftv,
6 K«i yxp Zivs, vivff'/i
2yv ffot TOVTO TiXiVTci, Eurip, in Alcestide. 2 H 2

468 theological lectures.
And Homer's words are very remarkable : " Jupiter," says he,
" increases or diminishes the valour of raen, as he thinks proper: for
he is the raost powerful of all *." And in another place : " Jove, from
Olympus, distributes happiness to good and bad raen in general, and
every one in particular, as he himself thinks properf.''
Let us, therefore, look upon God as our Father, and venture to
trust Him with our all. Let us ask and beg of Hira what we want,
and look for supplies from no other quarter. This, the indulgent
father in Terence desired ; and much more our Heavenly Father.
And surely, every thing is better conducted by a dutiful love and con
fidence, than by an ignoble and servile fear ; and we are very injurious
both to Hira and ourselves, when we think not, that all things, on His
part, are raanaged with the greatest goodness and bounty. It is a
true test of religion and obedience, when, with honourable thoughts,
and a firra confidence in our Father, we absolutely depend upon Him,
and serve Hira frora a principle of love. " Be not," says Augustine,
" a froward boy, in the house ofthe Best of fatfiers, loving Him when
He is fond of thee, and hating Him when He gives thee chastiseraent,
as if, in both cases, He did not intend to provide an inheritance for
theej." If we suppose this Providence to be the wisest and the best,
it is necessary that in every instance our wflls should be perfectly sub
missive to its designs ; otherwise, we prefer our own pleasure to fhe
will of Heaven, which appears very unnatural. St. Augustine, on the
expression. Upright in heart, which we frequently raeet with in the
Psalras, makes an excellent observation : " If you cheerfully embrace,"
says he, " the Divine will in some things, but in others would rather
prefer your own, you are crooked in heart, and would not have your
crooked inclinations conformed to His upright intentions, but, on the
contrary, would bend His upright will to yours §."
LECTURE XIV.
0/" Christ ihe Saviour.
It is acknowledged, that the publication of the gospel is exceeding
agreeable, and perfectiy answers its original name, which signifies
g-ood iidiTigs. How mucfi sweeter is this joyful news, than the raost
ravishing and defigfitful concerts of rausic ! Nay, these are the best
tidings that were ever heard in any age of the world. O happy shep
herds, to whora this news were sent down frora heaven ! Ye, to be
sure, tfiough watching in the fields, exposed to the severe cold ofthe
night, were, in this, more happy than kings that slept at their ease in
gilded beds ; that the wonderful nativity ofthe Supreme King, begotten
* Zivs S' if£T»)v Hyl^iffffiv oipixXlt Ti fityviit Ti
"OsriTiu; xiv iilXmtv o yx^ xx^Ttffros x^avTipy. Hom. II. XX.
t Zivsi' XVTJ ylp.lt oXiov'OXv p.vtos avt^piToifft,
'EffiXo7i nSe xxxo7ffty, 'otws 'ikXriffiv ixdffTcji. Hom. Odyss. iv.
X Ne sis puer insulsus in domo optimi patris, amans patrem, si tibi blandilur, et odio
habens, quando te Hagellat; quasi non et blandiens, et flagellans hisreditatcm paret
§ Si voluntatem divinam in quibusdam amplectei-is, in aliis tuam malles, curvus es
corde, ct non vis curvam tuam voluntatem ad illius rectam dirigere, sed illius rectam vis
ad tuam curvam incurvare.

OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. 469
from eternity, tiiat nativity which brought salvation to the whole worid,
was first communicated to you, and just at the time it happened.
Behold, says the angel, I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which
shall be io all people; for unto you is horn this day a Saviour. Luke
ii. 10, II. And iraraediately, a great corapany of the heavenly host
joined the angel, and in your hearing sung. Glory to God in ihe highest.
And indeed, then, in the strictest truth, " A raost extraordinary chfld
was sent down frora the lofty heavens, &c.*" Whence also, his narae
was sent down along with him : His 7ia7ne shall he called Jesus, for he
shall save his people from their sins. Matt. i. 21. " O sweet name of
Jesus," says St. Bernard, " honey in the raouth, raelody in the ears,
and healing to the heart." This is the Saviour, who, though we were
so miserable, and so justly miserable, yet, would not suffer us to perish.
Nor did he only put on our nature, but also our sins ; that is, in a
legal sense, our guilt being transferred to him. Whence we not only
read, that the Word was made fiesh, John i. 14, but also, that he was
made sin for us, who knew no sin : 2 Cor. v. 12 ; and even, as we have
it in the Epistle to the Galatians, ch. iii. v. 13, that he was 7nade a
curse, that from hira an eternal blessing and felicity raight be derived
to us. The spotless Larab of God bore our sins, that were devolved
upon him : by thus bearing thera, he destroyed thera; and by dying for
thera, gained a coraplete victory over death. And how wonderful is
the gradation of the blessings he procured for us ! He not only deli
vered us frora a prison and deatfi, but presents us with a kingdora :
according to that ofthe Psalraist, Who redeemeth thee from destruction;
who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies. Psalm
ciii. 4.
I believe there are none so stupid or insensible, as to refuse that
these tidings are very agreeable and pleasing to the ear. But we may,
not without some reason, suspect ofthe greatest part of nominal Chris
tians, who coramonly receive these truths with great applause, that it
raay be said to thera, without any injustice, what is all this to you?
These privileges are truly great and raanifold, and indifferently directed
to all to whora they are preached, unless they reject thera, and shut
the door against happiness offering to corae in : and this is not only
the case of a great part of mankind, but they also impose upon thera
selves by false hopes, as if it were enough to hear of these great bless
ings, and dream themselves happy, because these sounds had reached
their ears. But, O unhappy men ! what will all these iraraense riches
signify to you, I must indeed say, if you are not allowed to use them,
but rather, if you know not how to avail yourselves of them? I there
fore earnestly wish that these words of the gospel were well fixed in
your minds : He was in ihe world, and the world was made by him,
and ihe world knew hun not. He came unto his own, and his o-uni
received him not ; but as many as received him, to ihem gave he power
to become ihe sons of God. Jofin i. 10 — 12. In him all ihe treasures
of wisdom and knowledge are hid, Col. ii. 3 ; and without him, there
is nothing but emptiness, because in him all fulness doth dwell. But
what advantage can it be to us to hear these riches of our Jesus spoken
of at great length, and to excellent purpose, or even to speak of them
* Jam nova progenies coelo demittitur alto, &c. Vikg, Eel.

470 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES;
ourselves, if all the while, we talk of thera as a good foreign to us
and in which we have no concern, because our hearts are not yet open
to receive him ? What, pray, would the raost accurate description oi
the Fortunate Islands, as they are called, or all the wealth ot tne
Indies and the New Worid, with its golden mines, signify to a poor
man half naked, struggling with all the rigours of cold and hunger .
Should one, in these circumstances, I say, hear or read of these im
mense treasures, or should any one describe them to him in the niost
striking raanner, either by word of mouth, or with the advantage of an
accurate pen; can it be doubted, but this empty display of riches, tins
phantom of wealth and affluence, would raake his sense of want and
misery the raore intolerable ? Unless it be supposed, that desp-air had
already reduced him to a state of insensibflity. What further enhances
the misery of those who hear of this treasure, and think of it to no
purpose, is this, that there is no one of them, who is not miserable by
choice, and a beggar in the midst of the greatest wealth ; and not
only miserable by choice, but obstinately so, from an invincible and
distracted fondness for the immediate causes of his misery. "_ For
who but a downright madman would reject such golden offers * ?
To n-ive a brief and plain state of the ease : to those who smcerely
and with all their hearts receive him, Christ is all things ; to those
who receive him not, nothing. For, how can any good, however
suitable or extensive, be actuaUy enjoyed, or indeed any such enjoy
ment conceived, without some kind of union between that good and
the person supposed to stand in need of it? Behold, says the Psalmist,
aU those that are far from Thee, shall perish. Psal. Ixxiii. 27 To be
united to God, is the great and the only good of raankind. And the only
means of this union, is Jesus. In whatever sense you take it, he ought
truly to be caWed the union of Tinions ; who, tfiat fie migfit with the
greater consistency, and the more closely, unite our souls to God, did
not disdain to unite hiraself to a fiuman body.
The great business of our fife, therefore, young gentieraen, is this
acceptance of Christ, and this inseparable union with him, which we
are now recommending. Thrice happy, and more than thrice happy,
are they who are joined with hira in this undivided union, whicfi no
coraplaints, nor even the day of death can dissolve. Nay, the last day
is happy above all other days, for this very reason, that it fully and
finaUy completes tfiis union, and is so far from dissolving it, that it
renders it absolutely perfect and everlasting.
But, that it may be coeval with eternity, and last for ever, it is abso
lutely necessary that this union should have its beginning in this short
and fleeting life. And pray, what hinders those of us that have not
entered into this union before, to enter into it without delay ? seeing
the bountiful Jesus not only rejects none that come unto hira, but also
offers himself to all that do not wilfully reject him, and standing at
the door, earnestly begs to be adraitted. Oh, why do not these ever
lasting doors open, ihat the King of glory may enter, and reign within
us ? Nay, though he were to be sought in a far country, and with
great labour, why should we delay, and what unhappy chains detain
us ? Why do we not, after shaking thera all off, and even ourselves,
* Quis enim nisi mentis inops oblatum hoc resguat aurum .-' -

OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. 471
go as it were out of ourselves, and seek him incessandy till we find
hira? Then, rejoicing over him, say with the heavenly Spouse, I held
him, and ivould not let him go; aud further add, with the same Spouse,
that blessed expression. My beloved is mine, and I am his. And, in
deed, this interest is always reciprocal. No man truly receives Jesus,
who does not at the sarae tirae deliver up hiraself wholly to him.
Among all the advantages we pursue, there is notiiing comparable to
this exchange. Our gain is imraense from both ; not only from the
acceptance of him, but also from surrendering ourselves to hira. So
long as this is delayed, we are the raost abject slaves. When one has
delivered hiraself up to Christ, then, and then only, he is truly free,
and becomes master of himself. Why should we wander about to no
purpose ? To him let us turn our eyes, on him fix our thougfits, that
he who is ours by the donation of the Father, and his own free gift,
may be ours by a cheerful and joyous acceptance. As St. Bernard
says on those words of the prophet, to us a child is born, to us a son is
given : " Let us therefore make use of what is ours," " for our own
advantage *." So then, let him be ours by possession and use t, and
let us be his for ever, never forgetting how dearly he has bought us.
LECTURE XV.
O/" Regeneration.
The Platonists divide the world into two, the sensible and the intel
lectual world: they imagine the one to be the type of the other, and
that sensible and spiritual things are stamped, as it were, with the
sarae starap or seal. These sentiraents are not unlike tfie notions
wfiich the raasters of the cabalistical doctrine araong the Jews, held
concerning God's sephiroth and seal, wherewith, according to them,
all the worlds, and every thing in thera, are staraped or sealed. And
these are probably near akin to what Lord Bacon of Verulam calls, fiis
parallela signacula, and symholizantes schematismi. According to tfiis
hypothesis, these parables and metaphors, which are often taken from
natural things to illustrate such as are Divine, will not be similitudes
taken entirely at pleasure, but are often, in a great raeasure, founded
in nature and the things theraselves. Be this as it may, that great
change which happens in the souls of raen by a real and effectual con
version to God, is fllustrated in the Holy Scriptures by several reraark
able changes, both natural and civil, particularly by a deliverance from
chains, prison, and slavery ; by a transition from one kingdom io
another, and from darkness to light ; by a restoration from death io
life ; by a new creation ; by a marriage ; and by adoption, and rege
neration. Concerning this great change, as it is represented under
the last of these figures, we propose, witfi Divine assistance, to offer a
few thougfits frora those words of St. John's gospel which we have
already raentioned : To as many as received him, to them gave he power
* Puer natus est nobis, filius nobis datus est: utamur, inquit, nostro in utilitatem
nostram. t KTrjffit xxt ^^7)ffu,

473 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
(or the privilege) io become the sons of God. John i. 12. Together
with these words of our Saviour, in ahother place of the same gospel :
Except a man be horn again, of water and of the Spirit, he camiot
enter into the kingdom of God, John iii. 3.
If, indeed, we consider the nature and the original of man, it is not
without reason, that he is called the son of God, according to that
passage which the Apostle, in his short, but most weighty sermon to
the Athenians, quotes from the poet Aratus, and at the same tirae
approves of. For we are all His off'spring*. Acts xvii. 28. Our first
parent, in St. Luke's gospel, is also expressly called the son of God ;
Luke iii. ult. not only because fie was created immediately by God,
without any earthly father, but also, on account of the Divine iraage
that was originally irapre.ssed upon the huraan nature.
And this glorious title, which distinguishes hira from all other
corporeal beings, he has in comraon with the angels, who are also so
called in several places in the book of Job. Job i. 6 ; xxxvifi. 7. It is
indeed true, to use the words of St. Basil, that " every piece of work
manship bears sorae raark or character of the workraan who raade
itf." For I should rather choose, in this case, to use the word mark,
or character, than likeness. But of raan alone it is said. Let us make
him after our own image. And this distinction is not improperly
expressed by the schoolmen, who say, as we have already observed,
that all the other works of God are staraped with the print of His
foot, but only raan, of all the visible creation, honoured with the iraage
or likeness of His face. And indeed, on account of this iraage or re
serablance it is, that he is in dignity very nearly equal to the angels,
though raade inferior to them. Here it is to be observed, that this
inferiority is but little. Who was made, saith the apostle, a little lower
than the angels. Heb. ii. 9. So that, with regard to his body, he is
nearly related fo the brute creatures, and only a little superior to tfiem
witfi regard to temperament and the beautiful elegance of his frame,
but made out ofthe very same materials, the same moist and soft clay,
taken from the bosora of their great and coraraon mother ; whereas,
to use the words of the poet, " The soul is the breath of God, which
takes its rise frora Heaven, and is closely united to his earthly bodj',
like a light shut up in a dark cavern J."
That Divine part of the human composition, derives its original
frora the Father of Spirits, in the sarae raanner with those rainisters of
fire, who are not confined to corporeal vefiicles ; concerning wfiom,
tfie oracle, having acknowledged one Supreme Divine Majesty, imme
diately subjoins, " And we angels are but a small part of God§."
And with regard to this principle which excels in raan, which
actually constitutes the raan, and on account of which he raost truly
deserves that name, he is a noble and Divine animal. And whatever
some fanciful and proud men may boast concerning their families, " if
* Tov yx^ XXI yivos iffpiy.
t Hxv TO 'i^yx^o/icivoy 'ix.iiv Ttvx Tov Tixrovos tvttov.
X '^vx.n a iffTiy 'dnp.a Qiov xx) pi^tv xviTXvt
Oii^xv)n x^ovioio, (pdos ff'TT'AXvyyt xxXviphv, Naz, de anima.
§ Uixt>-i ii Hiov ftsjiV liyyiXot hp.i7s.

OF REGENERATION. 473
we consider our original, and that God was the author of the huraan
kind, none of Adam's race can be ctflled ignoble*."
But if, on the other hand, we regard our woful fall which was the
consequence of sin, wc are all degenerate; we have all fallen from the
highest honour, into the greatest disgrace, and the deepest gulf of all
sorts of misery ; we have given away our liberty and greatest dignity,
in exchange for the most shameful aud most deplorable bondage ; in
stead of the sons of God, we are become the slaves of Satan : and if
we now want to know to what family we belong, the Apostle will
tell us, that we are children of wrath, and sons of disobedience'^.
Eph. fl. 2, 3.
But, as the overflowing Fountain of goodness and bounty did not
choose that so noble a raonuraent of His wisdora should be entirely
ruined by this dismal fall, could any one be more proper to raise it up
again, or better qualified to restore men to the dignity of the sons of
God, than His own eternal Son, who is the most perfect and express
image of the Father? Nor does this glorious person decline the
severe service. Though he was the son of his Father's love, the heir
and lord of the whole universe ; though he might be called the de
light of his raost exalted Father, and of all blessed spirits, and now,
with the greatest justice, the darling of the huraan kind; yet, he left
his Father's bosora, and, O wonderful condescension ! becarae the son
of raan, that men might anew become the sons of God. Whence he
is also called The second Adam, because he recovered all that was lost
by the first.
That all who sincerely receive him, might be again admitted into
the erabraces of the Father, and no more be called children of wrath,
he himself subraitted to the punishraent due to our disobedience ; and,
by bearing it, reraoved our guilt, and pacified justice. He also went
into the flaraes of Divine wrath, to deliver us frora thera ; and by a
plentiful streara of his most precious blood, quite extinguished them.
He likewise took effectual care that those who were no longer to be
called children of wrath, should also cease to be children of dis
obedience, by pouring out upon them a plentiful effiision of his sancti
fying Spirit ; that their hearts being thereby purged from all impure
affections and the love of earthly things, they might, under the
influence ofthe sarae good Spirit, cheerfully lead a life of sincere and
universal obedience. Now, it cannot be doubted, that those who are
so actuated and conducted by the Divine Spirit, are truly the sons of
God. Whence that spirit, whereby they call God their Father, and
with confidence apply to Hira as such, is called ihe Spirit of adoption.
Moreover, this wonderful restoration is often called adoption, not
only to distinguish it from the natural and incomparable dignity which
belongs to the only begotten Son, but also, because we by no means
derive this privilege from nature, but absolutely frora tfie free donation
of the Father, through the raediation of His only Son. We raust not,
however, conclude frora this, that this privilege has nothing raore in it
* Si primordia nostra,
Authoremque Deum spectes,
Nullus degener extat. Booth, de Cons. Phil., lib. iii, met. 6.
+ 'Tioi xTi-iihixi XXI Tixva o^ytis.

474 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
than an honourable titie, or, as they call it, an external relation. For
it is not only inseparably connected with a real and internal change,
but with a remarkable renovation, and, as it were, a transformation
of all the faculties ofthe soul, nay, even ofthe whole man. You will
accordingly find these words appHed to this purpose, by the apostle
Paul, in his epistle to fhe Romans, ch. xii. ver. 2. And, to conclude,
it is with a view to convince us, that, together with the title of sons,
the Spirit of God is given to believers, and they are inwardly renewed
thereby, that we so often in Scripture raeet with this regeneration
which is the .subject of our present discourse.
If we consider the lives of raen, we sfiall be apt to iraagine, that the
generality of raankind who live in the world under the name of Chris
tians, think it sufficient for them to be called by tfiis name, and dream
of nothing fiirther. The conimon sort of mankind hear with pleasure,
and delight of remission of sins, imputed righteousness, of the dignity
ofthe sons of God, and the eternal inheritance annexed to that dig
nity ; but when they are told, tfiat repentance, a new heart, and a
new fife, contempt of tfie world and the pleasures of the flesh, fasting
and prayer, are absolutely necessary for a Christian, these are hard
sayings, who can bear them ? Though at the same tirae it must be
said, that they who do not regard these necessary duties, will have no
share in the reward annexed to them.
There are raany things which distinguish this Divine adoption from
that which obtains among men. Ist, The former is not an expedient to
supply the want of children, which is coraraonly the case among men ;
for God has His only begotten Son, who is incoraparably preferable
to all the rest taken together ; who is iraraortal as His Father ; and
though, frora a principle of wonderful humility, he condescended to
becorae mortal, and even to die, yet he rose again from the dead, and
liveth for ever. Frora hira is derived all that felicity whicfi our
heavenly Father is pleased to confer upon us, out of His mere grace
and bounty, through the merits and raediation of His dear Son. And
is there any one on whora this felicity is bestowed, who wfll not freely
acknowledge hiraself to be quite unworthy of so great an honour?
Yet, such honour has the eternal and incoraprehensible love of God
condescended to bestow on us, who are quite unworthy and undeserving.
And in this also, the Divine adoption differs frora that which is cus
tomary among raen, who generally choose the most deserving they can
meet with : but all those whom God maketh choice of, are unworthy,
and sorae even are remarkably so.
2dly, Men generally adopt but one apiece, or, at raost, a few; but
Divine adoption adraits into the heavenly faraily a most numerous
host, extending even unto rayriads, that Jesus, who is the head of the
firiroily, may be the first born among many brethren, Rom. viii. 29.
And, 3dly, They are all heirs. Whence it is said, in another place.
That He might bring Tnany sons Tinio glory, Heb. ii. 10. Nor is the
inheritance of any individual in the least diminished in consequence
of so vast a raultitude of heirs; for it is an inheritance in light, and
every one has the whole of ft. Nor do the children corae into the
possession of this inheritance by the death of the Father, but every
one when he dies hiraself; for the Father is imraortal, and, according

OP REGENERATION. 475
to the Apostie, the only one that has immortality ; that is, in an ab
solute primary, and independent sense. Nay, He Himself is the
eternal inheritance of His sons, and death alone brings them into His
presence, and admits them into the full enjoyment of Hira.
4thly, (Which I would have particulariy observed.) This Divine
adoption is not a raatter of raere external honour, nor simply the
bestowing of riches and an inheritance ; but is always attended with a
real internal change ofthe raan hiraself toa being quite different from
what he was before ; (which is also recorded in Sacred Scripture, con
cerning Saul, when he was anointed king;) but this, huraan adoption
can by no means perform. This last, in the choice of a proper object,
ju.stiy pays regard to merit. For though the richest and even the best
of men, raay clothe richly the person whora he has thought proper to
adopt, and get hira instructed in the best principles and rules of con
duct, yet, he cannot effectuaUy divest him of his innate dispositions, or
those manners that have become natural by custora ; he cannot form
his mind to noble actions, nor plant within him the principles of for
titude and virtue. But He who formed the heart of raan, can reforra
it at His pleasure ; and this He actuaUy does : whenever He admits a
person into His royal family. He, at the sarae tirae, endows him with
royal and divine dispositions. And therefore, if He honours any per
son with His love, that person thereby becomes deserving ; because,
fhe was not so before, fle makes hira so ; He stamps His own iraage
upon him in true and lively colours ; and, as He is holy Himself He
makes hira holy likewise. Hence it is, tfiat this Heavenly adoption is
no less properly, truly, or frequently, in the sacred Scriptures, called,
regeneration, \Jla\ir-ir^eveaia.] And thougfi a Jew, and a celebrated
doctor of the Jewish law, excepted against this doctrine, when it was
proposed to him under this name; yet, neither all of that nation, nor
even the Gentfle phflosophers, were quite unacquainted with it. Rabbi
Israel calls proselytes, new-born Jews. And those passages which we
frequently meet with, concerning the seed of Abraham, and, in the
Prophets, concerning the numerous converts that were to be raade to
the Church, are, by their Rabbins, and the Chaldee paraphrase, applied
to this spiritual generation, whicfi tfiey believed would remarkably take
place in the days of the Messiah ; particularly those two passages in
the Psalms, in one whereof the spiritual sons of the Church are com
pared to the drops of the morning dew, Psal. xiv. 16 ; ex. 3 ; not only
on account of its celestial purity, but also with regard to the vast mul
titude of them. Some of these doctors also observe, that the number
of proselytes would be so great in the days ofthe Messiah, that the
Church, omitting the ceremony of circuracision, would receive thera
into its bosora, and initiate them by ablution or baptisra. Concerning
this renovation ofthe mind, Philo Judaeus says expressly, " God, who
is unbegotten Himself, and begets all things, sows this seed, as it
were, with his own hand, &c.*" Hierocles, and other Pythagorean
philosophers, treat also of this raoral or raystical regeneration ; and
under this very name, Plutarch also makes mention of it, and defines
it to be "the mortification of irrational and irregular appetites.'
* 'Ayiyyrtros o &ios, xatr a ffup^ayrd. ylyyaHy, ff^ii^ii p.iy tovto to yiyvyip.a Tolhov, &c,

476 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
And Seneca's words relative to this subject are: " The families of the
arts and sciences are the most noble ; choose into which of them you
will be adopted, for by this means we may be born according to our
own choice ; nor will you be adopted into the name only, but also into
the goods ofthe family*."
Is not, also, the common custom that prevailed among the ancients,
of honouring their heroes, and those raen who were reraarkable for
exalted virtue, with the title of sons of God, a plain allusion to this
adoption we have under our consideration ? And what we have ob
served on the phUosophers, who acknowledged this raoral or raeta-
phorical regeneration, is so very true, that it gave a handle to the
fictions of those ancient heretics who evaded the whole doctrine and
faith ofthe last resurrection, by putting this figurative sense upon it.
As to what the Roraan philosopher observes, that we raay be born in
this manner at our own pleasure or discretion, though to be sure it is
not without our consent, yet, it does not altogether, nor principally
depend upon us. Our sacred and apostolic doctrine presents us with
much more just and pure notions on this -subject when it teaches us,
that Of His own will He begat us by ihe word of truth. Jam. i. 18.
This is also represented in express terms in those words of the gospel
which iraraediately follow the passage we raentioned at the beginning
of this discourse. Which were born not of blood, Tior ofthewill ofthe
fiesh, nor ofthe will of man, hut of God. John i. 13. And, with
great propriety, there is iraraediately added, another generation still
more wonderful and mysterious, which is the principal and source of
this renovation of ours: The Word was made fiesh. For, to this end,
God was pleased to clothe himself with our flesh, that He might put
his Spirit within us, whereby we, though carnal in consequence of the
corruption of our nature, might be born again into a new, spiritual,
and Divine fife. The Holy Ghost, by overshadowing the blessed
virgin, was, in a very particular raanner, the author of the huraan
nature of tfie Son of God ; and to the virtue and Divine power of the
sarae Spirit, all the adopted children ofthe Deity owe their new birth.
And as creation goes soraetiraes under tfie narae of generation ; (for
instance, in the words of Moses, Deut. xxxii. IS.) Of ihe Rock that
begot ihee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten the God thai formed
thee: that book also ofthe Bible, which, from the first word of it, is
called Bereshith, is by the Greeks named Genesis, and in the oldest
copy ofthe Septuagint, The generation of the world; and, in the be
ginning of it, Moses, speaking of the creation of the world, says.
These are the generations of the heaven and the earth. (Gen. ii. 4.)
So on the other hand, this spiritual generation is called creation, and
with an additional epithet, the new creation. It has also for its author,
the same powerful Spirit of God, who of old sat upon the face of the
waters as a bird upon its young, or as St. Basil renders it, hatched :
so, also, in conversion the same Spirit rests upon our uninformed
rainds, that are lifeless, unprepared, and nothing at all but emptiness
and obscurity, and out of this darkness brings forth light, which was the
* Nobilissima; sunt ingeniorum familiae, ellge in quam adscisci velis, hac enim ratione,
nobis ad arbitrium nostrum nasci licet ; nec^ in nomen tantum adoplaberis, sed et in ipsa
bona.

OF REGENERATION. 477
first and raost beautiful ornaraent ofthe universe. To which the Apo-
stle also alludes in his second epistie to the Corinthians, ch. iv. 6. The
resurrection ofthe dead, is also the peculiar work of this living Spirit
of God; and to Hira the apostle Peter expressly ascribes the resur
rection of Christ : For Christ also, says he, hath once suffered for sins,
the just for the Tinjust, that he might bring us to God, being put lo death
in ihe fiesh, hut quickened hy the Spirit, 1 Pet. iii. 18. And here,
again, there is a mutual exchange of names ; for, in the gospel accord
ing to Matthew, the resurrection of the dead is called the regenera
tion: Verily, I say unto you, says our Lord, that ye which have fol
lowed me in the regeneration, when ihe Son of man shall sit in the
throne of his glory, ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones. Matt. xix. 28.
Here, In the regeneration, must be connected with the following
words, and by no means with those that go before. And that this was
a coramon method of speaking among the Jews, appears from Jose
phus : " To those," says he, " whose fate it is to die for observing the
law, God has given the privileges of being born again, and enjoying
amore happy life, so tfiat they are gainers by the exchange *." In
like raanner Philo saith, " We shall hasten to the generation after
death, Sfc. t" On the other hand, it is very well known, that this
spiritual regeneration we are speaking of, is often in Scripture called
the resurrection.
Of this resurrection, the word ofthe gospel is, as it were, the trura
pet ; and, at the sarae tirae, the iraraortal seed of this new birth, and
therefore, of iraraortality itself. Thus it is represented by the apostle
Peter, 1 Pet. 23, and by the apostle Jaraes, who expressly tells us, that
He hath begotten Tis with the word of truth, Jara. i. 18. Now, the
enlivening virtue and plastic power of this word is derived from the
Holy Ghost, who is the true spring and fountain of this new life. Nor
are the most extended powers ofthe huraan raind, or the strength of its
understanding, any raore able to restore this life within it, even upon
hearing the glad tidings of the gospel, than it was capable of producing
itself at first, or of being the author of its own being, or, after death,
of restoring itself to life.
To this exalted dignity are adraitted the humble, the poor, the
obscure, the ignorant, barbarians, slaves, sinners, whom the world look
upon as nothing, and hold in the greatest conterapt : of these nothing
is required but true and sincere faith ; no learning, nor noble extract,
nor any subraission to the Mosaic law ; but upon every man of what
ever rank or condition, who believes tfiis word. He in return bestows
this dignity, that they should become the sons of God; that is, that
what Christ was by nature, they should become by grace. Now,
what is more sublirae and exalted than this honour, that those who
were formerly children of Satan, and heirs of hell, should by faitli
alone be made the sons of God, brethren of Christ, and joint heirs of
the heavenly kingdora ? If the sacred fire of the Roraans happened
at any tirae to be extinguished, it could only be lighted again at the
rays of the sun. The life of souls, to be sure, is a sacred fiarae of
* To7s ytre^ vopipy iixfpvXd^hyTniy x-jroSxvovfft '{^aixiy o Qio; ytviff^at Ti sraXiv xx) (iiov
apuvot XxSiiv 'ix -ffipiT^e-JT'/is. Lib. i. cont. App.
t E/f •?txX7yyiyiffixv o^pnffopiv p.iTX roy ^dvarov.

478 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
Divine love : this flame, as we are now born into the froward race of
fallen raankind, is, alas ! but too truly and unhappily extinguished,
and by no raeans to be kindled again, but by the enlivening light
and heat of the Sun of righteousness, who is most auspiciously risen
upon us.
LECTURE XVI.
Of Regeneration.
The great corruption of raankind, and their innate disposition to every
sort of wickedness, even the doctors of the heathen nations, that is,
their philosophers and theologers, and their poets also, were sensible
of, and acknowledged; though they were quite ignorant ofthe source
frora which this calaraity was derived. They all own, " That it is
natural to raan to sin *." Even your favourite philosopher, who pre
vails in the schools, declares that we are " strongly inclined to vicet;"
and speaking ofthe charras and allureraents of^ forbidden pleasures,
he observes, that mankind by nature " is easily catched in these
snares %" The Roman Philosopher takes notice, " That the way to
vice is not only a descent, but a downright precipice §." And the
comic poet, " That raankind has always been in every respect, a de.»
ceitful, subtle creature ||." The satirist likewise observes, " That we
are all easily prevailed on to iraitate things that are in their nature
wicked and disgraceful ^." And the lyric poet, " That the human
race, bold fo atterapt the greatest dangers, rushes with impetuosity
upon forbidden crimes **."
All the wise raen araong the heathens exerted their utraost to re
medy this evil by precepts and institutions of philosophy, but to very
little purpose. They could not, by all their arts and all their pre
cepts, make others better: nay, with regard to most of thera, we raay
say, nor even theraselves. But, " when there was no wisdora in the
earth," says Lactantius, " that blessed doctor was sent down from
heaven, who is the way, the truth, and the life ft ;" and, by an almighty
power, effected what all others had atterapted in vain.
It is not at all to be doubted, but the end proposed by philosophy,
was to renew and reforra raankind, and to reduce the course of their
lives to a conforraity witfi the precepts of wisdom and virtue. Whence,
the comraon definition given of pfiilosophy, is, "Tfiat it is the rule of
life, and the art or science of living uprightiy." To tfiis purpose
* 'S.vp.^'V'Toy iiyx't Tots xyGpai-ffots TO xfixpTxyiiv,
t EvKXTxcpo^ovs. Arist. Eth. ii.
J EvSnpaTov i'tVXt VTTO TpJv TOtOUTaiV,
^ Ad vitia, non tantum pronum iter, sed et preeceps.
II AoXipos fiiv dit xara TtxvTX 'hri Tpo'jfov.
He^yxev avSpc/i'TTos .
^  Dociles imitandis
Turpibus et pravis omnes sumus. Juv. Satyr, xiv.
**  Auda.K omnia perpeti,
Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas. Hon. Carm. lib. 1. Od. 3.
f f Sed cum nulla esset sapientia in terris, missus este coelo doctor ille, via, Veritas
et vita.

OF REGENERJVTION. 47§
Seneca says, "Phflosophy is the law of living honestly and uprightiy."
True religion, to be sure, has the sarae tendency ; but it promotes its
end with much greater force, and better success ; because its principles
are much more exalted, its precepts and instructions are of greater
purity, and it is, besides, attended with a Divine power, whereby it
makes its way into the hearts of men, and purifies them with the
greatest force and efficacy, and yet, at the same tirae, with the most
wonderful pleasure and delight. And this is the regeneratio7i of which
we are speaking, and whereof we have already observed, that philo
sophy acknowledged it, even under the same name. But that it
effected it, we absolutely deny. Now, it is evident frora the very name,
that we are to understand by it an inward change, and that a very
remarkable one. And since God is called the author and source of
this change, whatever the phflosophers raay have disputed, pro and
con, concerning the origin of raoral virtue, we are by no means to
doubt but this sacred and Divine change upon the heart of man is
produced by an influence truly Divine. And this was even Plato's
opinion concerning virtue ; nor do I imagine you are unacquainted
with it. The sarae phflosopher, and several others besides hira, ex
pressly asserted, that virtue was a kind of image or likeness of God,
nay, that it was the effect of inspiration, and partook, in some re.spect,
of a kind of Divine nature. " No raind can be rightly disposed with
out divine influence," says Seneca *. And it was the saying of the
Pythagorean philosophers, " That the end of man is to be raade like
to Godt-" " This mind," says Trismegistus, "is God in raan, and
therefore some ofthe number of men are gods J." And a little further
on, "In whatever souls the raind presides, it illustrates thera with its
own brightness, opposing tiieir iramoralities and mad inclinations, just
as a learned physician inflicts pain upon the body of his patient, by
burning and cutting it, in order to recover it to health : in the same
manner, the mind afflicts a voluptuous soul, that it may pull up plea
sure by the very roots. For all diseases of the soul proceed from it :
impiety is the severest distemper of the soul §."
What wonder is it, then, if these very thoughts are expressed in the
tnore Divine oracles of the sacred Scriptures more fully, and with
greater clearness ? and this confirraation of the huraan mind to the
Divine nature, is coraraonly represented therein, as the great business
and the end of all refigion.
What was raore frequently inculcated upon the ancient Church of
the Jews, than these words. Be ye holy, because I am holy ? And that
the sarae ambition is recommended to Christians, appears frora the
first serraon we raeet with in the gospel ofour Lord and Saviour, who
came down to this earth, that he might restore the Divine image upon
men. Be merciful, says he, as your Father, who is in heaven, is 7ner-
ciful. And, according to Luke, Be perfect, as your Father is perfed.
And again. Blessed are the pure in heart. And, indeed, this is the
* Nulla sine Deo bona mens est.
t TiXos xvSppiTov opoiuffis @iu.
X, OvTos 0 vovs ev ^ev xyS^elfTTots @ihs 'iffrU, 5;o xa) Tivt; tuv avh^^uv ^ioi tiffi. [Tris*
meg.] Ti^l TOV xotyov "TT^OS TXT,
J "Osx); &y yvv if'V%xif, &c.

480 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
true beauty ofthe heart, and fts true nobility; but vice introduces
degeneracy, and deforraity also.
Now, the raore the raind disengages and withdraws itself from
" matter that pollutes it*," that is, frora the body it inhabits, the
purer and raore Divine it constantly becomes ; because it attains to a
greater reserablance with the Father of spirits, and, as the apostle
Peter expresses, partakes more fully ofthe Divine nature. Hence it
is, that the apostle Paul warns us at so great length, and in such strong
terras, against living after the fiesh, as the very death of the soul, and
directly opposite to the renewed nature of a Christian. He that
is born of God is endued with a greatness of soul, that makes him
easily despise, and consider as nothing, those things which he prized
at a very high rate before : he considers heaven as his country, even
while he lives as a stranger on this earth ; he aspires at the highest
objects, and, flying up towards heaven, with soaring wings, he looks
down with conterapt upon the earth f."
And yet, with all this subliraity of raind he joins the deepest humi
lity. But all the allurements of sin, though they continue to have the
sarae appearance they had before, and possibly throw theraselves in his
-way, as the very sarae that were forraerly dear to hira, he wfll reject
¦yvith indignation, and give them the same answer as St. Ambrose tells
us was given by a young convert to his mistress, with whom he had
formerly lived in great farailiarity : " Tfiougfi you may be the sarae, I
ara not the sarae I was before J."
Lactantius elegantly sets forth the wonderful power of religion in
this respect: " Give me,'' says he, " a man that is passionate, a slan
derer, one that is headstrong and unraanageable ; with a very few of
the words of God, I wfll raake fiira as quiet as a lamb. Give me a
covetous, avaricious, or close-fianded person ; I will presently make
him liberal, and obUge him to give away his money in large quantities
with his own hands. Give rae one that is afraid of pain or of death ;
he shall, in a very fittle time despise crosses, flaraes, and even Pha-
laris's bull. Shew me a lustful person, an adulterer, a coraplete
debauchee ; you shall presentiy see him sober, chaste, and temperate §.'
So great is the power of Divine wisdora, that, as soon as it is infused
into the huraan breast, it presentiy expels folly, which is the source and
fountain of .sin, and so changes the whole raan, so refines, and as it
were renews hira, that you would not know hira to be the sarae. It
is prophe.sied ofthe days ofthe Messiah, that the wolf and the lamb
shall dwell together, and the leopard lie down with the kid, Isa. xi. 6.
The Gospel has a wonderful effect iu softening even tiie roughest
* A-TTo f'/js vXns ^o^io^cpffas .
+  udam
Spernit humum fugiente penna.
J At ego certe non sum ego.
§ Da mihi virum qui sit iracundus, maledicus, cffrEenatus ; paucissimis Dci verbis
tam placidum quam ovem reddam. Da cupidum, avarum, tcnaccm ; jam tibi cum libc-
ralem dabo, et pecuniam suam propriis plenisque ; manibus largientem. Da timidum
doloris ac mortis; jam cruces, et ignes, et Phalaridis taurum contemnet. Da libidi-
nosum, adulterum, Ganeonem ; jam sobriura, castum, continentem videbis.

OF REGENERATION. 481
dispositions, and " there is none so wld, but he may be tamed, if he
will but patientiy give attention to this wholesome doctrine*."
Now, whether you call this renovation or change of the mind,
repentance, or Divine love, it makes no difference ; for all these, and,
indeed, all the Christian graces in general, are, at bottora, one and the
sarae, and, taken together, constitute what we may call the health and
vigour of ihe mind ; the term under which Aristo of Chios corapre
hended all the moral virtues. The Apostle Paul, in his second
Epistie to the Corinthians, chap. vi. ver. 17, describes these adopted
children of God by their repentance : in the Epistle to the Romans,
they are characterized by their love, Rora. viii. 28 ; and in the passage
of St. John's gospel we have mentioned already, by their faith, John
i. 12. But whatever narae it is conveyed by, the change itself is
effected by the right hand of the Most High. As to the manner of
this divine operation, to raise many disputes about it, and make many
curious disquisitions with regard to it, would be not only quite need
less, but even absurd. Solomon, in his Ecclesiastes, ch. xi. ver. 5,
gives some grave admonitions with regard to the secret processes of
nature in forming the foetus in the womb, to convince us of our blind
ness with respect to the other works of God : how much raore hidden
and intricate, and even past our finding out, is this regeneration,
which is purely spiritual ! This is what our Saviour also teaches us,
when he corapares this new birth to the unconfined and unknown
turnings and revolutions of the wind ; a similitude which Solomon
had lightly touched before, in that passage of the Ecclesiastes, to
which we just now alluded. O ! that we felt within ourselves this
blessed change, though we should reraain ignorant with regard to the
manner of it ; since we are sufficiently apprized of one tfiing, which it
is greatly our interest frequently and seriously to reflect upon ! Unless
a man be born again, he cannot see ihe kingdom of God. This
spiritual progeny is also compared to the dew, the generation whereof
is hidden and undiscovered. Hath ihe rain a father, and who hath
begotten the drops of ihe dew ? Job xxxiii. 28. Good raen are also
called children of light, and light in ihe Lord. 1 Thess. v. 5. Eph. v. 8.
But it is from ihe Father of lights Hiraself, and from his only begotten
Son, that these stars (for this title of the angels may, without injustice,
be applied to them) derive all the ligfit tfiey enjoy. Now, tfie nature
of ligfit is very intricate, and the eraanation and the raanner of its
production, is yet a secret even to the raost sharp-sighted of those who
have raade nature their study, and no satisfactory theory of it has yet
appeared. But, whatever it is, it was produced by that first and
powerful word of Eternal and Uncreated Light. Let ihere he light.
By the sarae powerful word of the Almighty Father, there immediately
springs up in the mind which was formerly quite involved in the dark
ness of ignorance and error, a Divine and immortal light, which is
ihe life of men, and, in effect, the true regeneration. And because this
is the most effectual means of purifying the soifl, it is ascribed to the
water and to the Spirit. For this illumination of the Holy Ghost is,
• Nemo adeo ferus est, ut non mitescere possit
Huic modo do^trinjE patientam commodet aurem.
Vou U. 2 I

482 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
indeed, the inward baptisra of the Spirit ; but, in the priraitive times
of Christianity, the baptisra of water, on account ofthe supposed con
currence of the Spirit, was coraraonly called the illuTnination, and the
soleran seasons appointed for the celebration of this mystery, the days
of illumination or light. And in the very sarae raanner, the baptism
ofthe Holy Ghost, is by John Baptist called, the baptism of fire, on
account ofthe wonderful influence it has in illuminating and purifying
the soul. It is, to be sure, a celestial fire, quite invisible to our eyes,
and of such a nature, that the secret communications of it to our souls
cannot be investigated. But the sum of all is what follows.
It seeraed good to Infinite Goodness and Wisdora, to form a noble
piece of coin out of clay, and to stamp His own iraage upon it, witfi
this inscription, " The earthly son of God :" this is what we call man.
But, alas ! how soon did this piece of coin fall back to clay again,
and thereby lost that true image, and had the inscription sharaefuUy
blotted out I Frora that time, man, who was formerly a Divine
creature, and an angel clothed with fiesfi, becarae entirely flesfily, and
in reality a brute : the soul, that noble and celestial inhabitant of his
earthly body, becarae now quite iraraersed in raatter, and, as it were,
entirely converted into flesh, as if it had drunk of the river Lethe.
Or, like the sou of an illustrious faraily, carried away in infancy to a
far country, it is quite ignorant of its present raisery, or the liberty
and felicity it has lost, becoraes an abject slave, degraded to the vilest
eraployraents, which it naturally and with pleasure perforras ; because,
having lost all sense of its native excellency and dignity, and forgotten
its heavenly original, it now relishes nothing but earthly things, and,
catching at present advantages, disregards eternal enjoyraents, as
altogether unknown, or reraoved quite out of sight. 13ut if in any
particular soul, either from some spark of its native excellency still
reraaining alive, or any indistinct report that reaches it, sorae desires
or eraotions towards the recovery of its native liberty sfiould arise ;
yet, as it fias no sufficient strength of its own, nor finds any way open
that can lead to so great a blessing, these ineffectual wishes come to
nothing ; and the unhappy soul having lost its hopes, languishes in its
chains, and is at last quite stupified.
Pfiflosophy, as we have already observed, perceiving that man was
born to higher views than this worid affords, attempted to raise him
from his present dejection, secure his claira to heaven, and restore him
to a conformity and likeness to God ; but in vain. To redeem tfie
sons of raan, and restore them to what they had lost, it was necessary
that the eternal Son of God should corae down from heaven. Our fall
was easily brought about, but our restoration was a work of the
greatest difficulty, and only to be performed by the powerful hand of
God. There are but few whora the exalted Father of spirits has loved,
and Christ has raised up to heaven. He is the source whence the
Spirit of God flows down to us ; He is the fountain of that new life
and sanctified nature, by which we mount towards God, whereby we
overcorae the worid, and, in consequence thereof, are adraitted into
heaven. And, happy, to be sure, are those truly noble souls whose
fate it is to be thus born again, to be admitted into the choirs of the
holy angels, and to be clothedwith those glorious rob es that are whiter

OF TRUE FELICITY AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. 483
than snow ! They will follow the Larab wherever he goes, and he
will lead them to the crvstal streams, and even to the fountain of life
itself But all those that are to be the aUendants of the Larab in those
blessed pastures which are to be raet with in his heavenly country,
must, of necessity, even while they live in this lower world, be fol
lowers of him in his humble innocence and purity. This spotless,
holy, and pure Lamb of God, is the guide and shepherd ofa pure and
holy flock, a flock dear to God, and of distinguished beauty ; but
" the shepherd is still more beautiful than they*." But the irapure
goats and uncleanly hogs he beholds at a distance, and leaves thera
to unclean spirits, to be possessed by thera at pleasure, and afterwards
to be precipitated into the depth of raisery ; unless it be deterrained
to deliver some of thera from that shocking forra, by a wonderful and
Divine change, and to convert them into lambs, which is effected in
proper tirae by the influence of the Holy Ghost. Whence they are
called the holy, pure, and Divine sons of God ; and all love to earthly
things, all carnal, impure affections, are banished out of those hearts,
which are, as it were, temples consecrated henceforth to God : " For
the dwelling place of the Holy One must be holy also f."

LECTURE XVII.
Of TRUE Felicity and eternal Punishment.
O HOW insipid and unsatisfactory are all the pleasures of this earthly
life which we now live, in respect of that incoraparable and altogether
heavenly delight which attends the raeditation and conteraplation of
Divine things ! When mortals are thus employed, they eat the bread
of angels : and if there are any who do not refish the sweetness of this
food, it is because the Divine part of their composition is becorae
brutish, and, forgetting its original, lies buried in earth and raud.
But though the soul is reduced to these woful circurastances, it is not
yet so entirely divested of itself, but it still retains sorae faint reraains
of its heavenly original and more exalted nature ; insorauch that it
cannot acquiesce in, or be at all satisfied with those fading enjoyments
wherewith it is surrounded, nor think itself hajipy or easy in the
greatest abundance of earthly comforts. And though, possibly, it may
not be fully sensible of what it wants ; yet it perceives, not without
some pain and uneasiness, that something is still wanting to raake
it happy. The truth is, besides that great and unknown good, even
those whora, by an abuse of that terra, we call raost happy, are in
want of a great raany things. For, if we look narrowly into the
condition of those who are arrived at the highest pitch of earthly
splendour, we shall certainly find some defect and imperfection in it,
and be obliged to conclude with the poet, " That since the earth began
to be inhabited by men, a full cup of good things, without any mixture
* Formosi pecoris custos formosior.
t * Ayiov ya^ aym urn iriittrri^'n. 2 I 2

484 • theological lectures.
of evil, never fell to the share of one man ; a graceful body is often
dishonoured by bad raorals, and a raind of uncoraraon beauty is sorae
tiraes joined to a deforraed body*," &c.
But what we cafl the chief and suprerae good, must of necessity be
complete, and entirely free from every defect ; and, therefore, what is
not in every respect perfect, properly speaking, is not perfect at all.
The happiness of rich and great raen, which the poor adraire and
respect, is only a gaudy and splendid species of misery. What St.
Bernard says of the rash and ill-founded opinion which the generality
of raankind forra of the lives of the saints, from the imperfect know
ledge they have of them, " They see our crosses, but they see not
our comforts t," may be here inverted : we see the advantages ofthose
men that are puffed up with riches and honours, but we see not their
troubles and vexations. " I wish," says one, " that those who de
sire riches, would consult rich men ; they would then, to be sure, be
of another opinion |."
I will spend no more time in describing or laraenting the wretched state
of mankind on this earth, because it would answer no end. For, suppose
a more complete assemblage of sublunary enjoyments, and a more
perfect systera of earthly felicity than ever the sun beheld, the mind
of man would instantly devour it, and, as if it were still erapty and
unsatisfied, would require something more. And, indeed, by this
insatiable thirst, the mind of man discovers its natural excellence and
dignity ; for thus it proves, that all things here below are insufficient
to satisfy or make it happy ; and its capacity is so great and exten
sive, that it camiot be filled by the whole of this visible frarae of
things. For, as St. Augustine observes, " Thou hast raade us, O
Lord, for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till tfiey return to
Thee§." The raind that raakes God its refuge, after it has been much
tossed to and fro, and distressed in the world, enjoys perfect peace
and absolute security ; and it is the fate of those, and those only, who
put into this safe harbour, to have what the sarae St. Augustine calls
a very great matter, "The frailty of man, together with the security
of Godjj."
Therefore, it is not without reason, that the royal Psalraist boasts not
of his victories, nor the splendour of his royal crown, but of this one ad
vantage : The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup.
Thou maintainest my loi : and, on the justest grounds, he iraraediately
adds. The lines have fallen io me in pleasant places ; yea, I have a
goodly heritage. Psal. xvi. 5, 6. And it is quite agreeable to reason,
that what iraproves and completes any thing else raust be itself raore
complete and perfect: so that the mind of man can neither be made

• Etenim mortalibus ex

quo

Tellus coepta coli, nunquam sincera bonorum
Sors uUi concessa viro ; quem corpus honestat
Dedecorant mores ; animus quem pulchrior ornat
Coepus destituit, &c.
¦!¦ Cruces nostras vident, unctiones non vident.
X Utinam, utinam qui divitias appetunt, cum divitibus dellberarent ; certe vota
mutarent. § Fecisti nos, Domine, propter te, et inquletum est cor nostrum, donee in te rcdeaf.
II Habeie fi-agibtatem hominis et securitatem Dei,

OF TRUE FELICITY AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. 485
happy by earthly enjoyments, which are all far inferior to it in dignity,
nor be so in itself. Nay, neither can the angels, though of a more
perfect and sublime nature, confer felicity eitfier upon men, or thera
selves ; but both they and we have our happiness lodged in that Eter
nal Mind, which alone is its own felicity. Nor is it possible for us to
find it any where else, but in our union witfi that Original Wisdom
and Goodness, from which we at first took our rise. Away, then, with
afl the fictitious schemes of felicity proposed by the philosophers, even
those of them that were most artfully contrived ; for even Aristotle's
perfection of virtue, as well as what the Stoics fancied concerning their
wise man, are raere fictions. They are nothing but dreams and
fancies, that ought to be banished to Utopia. For what they de
scribe is nowhere to be found among men, and if it were, it would
not constitute complete fehcity. So far, indeed, they are to be com
mended, that they caU in the raind frora external enjoyraents to itself;
but in this they are defective, that when the raind is returned to itself,
they carry it no further, nor direct it to ascend, as it were, above itself.
They sometimes, it is true, drop such expressions as these, " That
there can be no good disposition of the raind without God* ;" and that,
in order to be happy, the soul must be raised up to divine things:
they also tell us, " That the wise man loves God most of all, and for
this reason is the raost happy raanf." But these expressions they
drop only at randora, and by the bye. O ! how rauch fuller and
clearer are the instructions of the Teacher sent down frora heaven :
Blessed are ihe pure in heart, for ihey shall see God, Matt. v. 3.
But because the purest rainds of the saints, while they sojourn in
this earth, still retain some raixture of earthly dross, and arise not to
perfect purity ; therefore, they cannot yet enjoy the full vision of God,
nor, consequently, that perfect happiness which is inseparably con
nected with it. For ihey see only darkly, aiid through a glass. 1 Cor.
xiii. 12. But with the advantage even of this obscure figfit, they direct
tfieir steps, and go on cheerful and unwearied. The long-wished-for
day wfll at length corae, when they will be adraitted into the fullest
light. That day. which the unhappy raen of this world dread as their
last, the sons of light wish for, as their nativity into an endless fife,
and erabrace it -with the greatest joy when it coraes. And this, indeed,
seeras to me to be the strongest arguraent for another life and an
imraortality to come. For since no coraplete or absolutely perfect
happiness is to be found in this life, it raust certainly follow, that either
there is no such thing to be had any where, or we raust live again
somewfiere after our period fiere is out. And, O ! what _/boZs are we,
and how slow of heart to believe, who think so rarely, and with such
coolness, of that blessed country ; and that, in this parched and thirsty
land, where even those few who are so happy have only sorae fore
tastes of that suprerae happiness. But when they reraove fience, they
shall he abundantly satisfied (or as the word ought to be translated,
inehriabuntur, intoxicated,) O Lord, with ihe fatness of Thy house,
and Thou sJt^li make ihem drink of the river of Thy pleasures, Psal.
xxxvi. 9. "I.^us the divine Psalraist expresses it; and, to be sure, it is
* Nullum posse esse sine Deo bonam mentem.
•t "Apa. 0 ff'oipos Qi^tXiffTtxTos, xai }td tovto 'iviaif^viffraTos.

486 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
very surprising, that the great and ancient philosopher Pythagoras, in
coramunicating his thoughts upon the same subject, should happen to
fall upon the very same figure ; for fie used to proraise those of his
disciples who conducted theraselves right in this life, that they should
be continually drunk* in that which is to come.
But what we have said formerly, of the felicity of the life to come,
and all that we could say, were we to treat of the same subject over
again, is but raere trifling. And yet, it is not disagreeable to hear
children speak, even with stararaering, about the dignity of their
father, and of the riches and raagnificence of his inheritance. It is
pleasant and decent to speak of our native country, even while we are
sojourning in a foreign land. But, for the present, I shall insist no
longer on this subject, but, turning the tables, lay before you that
dreadful punishraent which stands in opposition to this happiness,
by presenting you only with a transient view of the future raisery
of the wicked. And though this is indeed a raost unpleasant
task, yet nothing but our own carelessness and inattention can render
it useless. Here, first of all, it is to be observed, that as, in this life, there is no
perfect felicity ; so neither here is there any complete misery. Those
whom we look upon as the most wretched in this worid, have their
sufferings checquered with many intervals of ease. But the misery to
corae admits of no abatement ; it is all of a piece, without admitting
any raixture of relief They are surely raad with their notions, who
here talk of the advantages of being or existence, and contend that
it is raore desirable to be raiserable, than not to be at all*. For ray
part, I ara fully satisfied they can never persuade any raan ofthe truth
of their assertion ; nor even believe it tfieraselves, when they think
seriously on the subject. But, not to insist on this, it is certain, that
all kind of delights are for ever banished frora that eternal and frightful
prison. There is there no light, no day, nor sleep, which is the bless
ing ofthe night, and, indeed, nothing at all but places full of darkness,
precipices, nakedness, and all kinds of horror ; no entertainraents,
raerry meetings, nor any sensible pleasure ; and to be for ever sepa
rated from all such raust be no sraall misery, especially to those who
used to pass their time araidst such scenes of rairth and joUity, and
iraagined theraselves in sorae raeasure happy therein. And that the
reraembrance of this may distress them the raore, they will be con
tinually haunted with a thought, that will cleave to them like a worm
devouring tfieir bowels, and constantly keep them in raind, that, out of
a distracted fondness for these fleeting pleasures, which have now
flown away, without hope of returning, they have lost those joys that
are heavenly and eternal, whereof they will have sorae knowledge ; but
what kind of knowledge that will be, and how far extended to enhance
their torraents, is not ours to deterraine. But who will atterapt to
express the excess of their raisery, or describe those strearas of brira-
stone, and eternal flames of Divine wrath ? Or rather, who will not
tremble, I say not in describing thera, but even in thinWng of them,
and be quite overpowered with an idea so shocking ? "^
* Ml^yiv Xivvaov.
t Miserum esse quam non esse.

OP THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 497
Thnt I may no further attempt to speak things unutterable*, and to
derogate from a grand subject by inadequate expressionsf, behold
now, ray dear youths, if you believe these things, behold, I say, you
have now life and death laid before you ; choose for yourselves. And
that you raay not put off a matter of such importance, consider these
things, I pray, seriously, and say to yourselves, concerning tiie vanish
ing shadows of external things. How long will these enjoyraents last?
O ! how soon will they pass ! Even while I ara speaking these words,
while I ara thinking of them, they fly past me. Is any one oppressed
with calaraities? Let thera say cheerfully with a remarkably good
man, " Lord, while I am here, kill rae, burn rae, only spare me
there |." Is there any one among you of weak capacity, unliappy in
expressing himself, of an unfavourable aspect, or deformed in body ?
Let him say with himself. It is a matter of sraall consequence : I shall
soon leave this habitation, and, if I ara but good myself, be soon re
raoved to the raansions of the blessed. Let these thoughts prevent his
being dejected in mind, or overcorae with too rauch sorrow. If any
one is distinguished by a good understanding, or outward beauty, or
riches, let him reflect, and seriously consider, how soon all excellencies
of this kind will pass away, that he may not be vain, or lifted up with
the advantages of fortune. Let it be the chief care and study of you
all, to avoid the works of darkness, that so you may escape utter and
eternal darkness ; and to embrace with open and cheerful hearts that
Divine light which hath shone frora Heaven, that, when you are di
vested of these bodies, you raay be received into the glorious mansions
of that blessed and perfect light.
LECTURE XVIII.
Ofthe Christian Religion, and that it is the true way to Happiiness.
I CONFESS, young gentlemen, that whenever I think on the subject, I
cannot help wondering at the indolence and madness of mankind.
For though we boast that to order our affairs with prudence and dis
cretion, and conduct our lives according to the principles of reason, is
the great privilege and ornaraent ofour nature, which distinguishes us
frora the brute creatures ; how few are there, who, in this respect, act
like raen, who propose to theraselves an end, and direct all their
actions to the attainraent of it ! It is very certain, that the greatest
part of raankind, with a folly soraething raore than childish, go in
quest of painted butterflies, or coraraonly pursue the birds with stones
and clods. And even those who spin out their lives to the utmost ex
tent of old age, for the raost part gain little by it, but only this, that
they raay be called TlaiSes ¦!ro\vxp"vioi, very aged children ; being as
ignorant as infants why they came into the world, and what will be
come of them when they leave it. Of all questions, therefore, none
can be more properly proposed to you, who are just upon the verge of
* Ta xXxX'/iTX XaXitff6xt,
t Magna modis tenuare parvis.
{ Domine, hic ure, csede, modo ibi parcas.

488 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
manhood, I mean entering upon a rational life, than this, 'Whither are
you going? What good have you in view? To what end do you
propose To live ? For hence, possibly, your minds may be excited
within you to an earnest desire after that perfect and supreme good ;
and you may not content yourselves with cool speculations upon this
subject, as if it were a logical or philosophical problera, that falls in
your way of course, but with that application which is proper in a
question concerning a matter of the greatest raoraent, where it highly
concerns us to be well informed, and where the highest rewards and
greatest dangers are proposed to our view. And in this hope, I have
often addressed myself to you upon the subject of happiness, or the
suprerae good, at different periods of tirae ; entertaining you, in the
intervals, with essays and suitable exhortations upon other subjects,
yet, so as to observe a kind of method, and keep up a connexion
throughout the whole. I have taken notice of the name and general
notion of happiness, the universal desires and wishes whereby men are
excited to the pursuit of it, the no less universal because natural igno
rance of raankind, and their errors and raistakes in the search of it.
Whence it happens, that, as they all run in the wrong road, the faster
they advance, the further they depart frora it ; and like those who ply
the oars in a boat, they look one way and raove another. And though
it seeraed alraost unnecessary, as facts sufficientiy deraonstrate the
truth of our assertion, yet, by a brief recapitulation, wherein we took
notice only of the principal heads and classes of things, we proved
that happiness is by no raeans to be found in this earth, nor in any
earthly enjoyraents whatsoever. And this is no more than all, even
fools as well as wise men, are wiUing to own : they not only pronounce
one another unhappy, but, with regard to this life, all of them in ge
neral, and every one for hiraself in particular, acknowledge, that they
are so. And, in this respect, experience fully justifies their relief; so
that, if there were no further prospect, I ara apt to believe all man
kind would agree in that comraon saying, " That if mankind were
apprized beforehand of the nature of this life, and it were left to their
own option, none would accept of it*." As the imraortality of the
soul has a near connexion with this subject, and is a natural conse
quence from it, we therefore, in the next place, bestowed some tirae in
illustrating that doctrine. In the last place, we advanced some thoughts
upon future happiness and raisery, so far as is consistent with the
weakness of our capacities to coraprehend things so little known, and
to express such as are in a great raeasure ineffable.
Having treated of these things according to our raeasure, it reraains
tfiat we now inquire about the way which directly leads into that
happy city, or to that happiness which is reserved in the heavens.
This is a great and iraportant article, comprehending the end and de
sign of our life, as well as the hopes and coraforts of it ; and is very
proper to be first treated of in a catechetical, or, indeed, any methodi
cal systera of theology, as appears frora reason and precedents : for
by this discussion we are iraraediately introduced into the whole doc
trine of true religion. Accordingly, the first question in tfie generally
* -Vitam hanc, si scientibus dareturj nemiaem accepturum. - Seneca.

OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 489
received Catechism, which you have in your hands, is, " What is your
ouly consolation in life and in death*?" And the first question of
another Catechism, which not long ago was used, particularly in this
University, is, " What is the only way to true felicity t ?" For the salva
tion and happiness of raankind, in subordination to the glory of God,
(which is, to be sure, the supreme end of all,) is the peculiar and ge
nuine scope of theology ; and from it, the definition of this science
seeras to be most properly drawn. Nor do I iraagine that any one is
so weak as from hence to conclude, that it ought to be called anthro
pology, rather than theology : for though it not only treats of the
happiness of mankind, but also has this happiness, as has been ob
served, for its chief end and design ; yet, with good reason, and on
many accounts, it has obtained this more sublime title. It has God
for its author, whom the wisest of men would in vain attempt to find
out, but from tfie revelation He has made of Hiraself; every such at
tempt being as vain as it would be to look for the sun in the night
time, by the light of a candle ; for the former, like the latter, can only
be seen by His own ligfit. God cannot be known but so far as He
reveals Himself: which Sophocles has also adrairably well expressed :
" You will never," says he, " understand those divine things which the
gods have thought proper to conceal, even though you should ransack
all nature j."
Nor has this sacred science God for its author only, but also for
its subject and its ultimate end ; because the knowledge of Him and
His worship coraprehends the whole of religion, the beatific vision of
Him inclutles in it the whole of our happiness, and that happiness is
at last resolved into the Divine grace and bounty.
I should therefore choose to give this brief and clear definition of
theology ; viz., That it is a divine doctrine, directing man to real
felicity as his chief end, and conducting him to it by the way of true
religion. I call it a doctrine, because it is not considered fiere as a
habit in the mind, but as a sumraary of celestial truth. I call it a
divine doctrine, for all the reasons already raentioned ; because, for
instance, it is from God, He is the subject of it, and it all terrainates
in Him at last. I call it a doctrine directing man, for I confine my
notion of it to tfiat doctrine only wfiich was sent down frora fieaven
for that purpose. What signify, then, those distinctions, which are
indeed sounding, but quite tedious and foreign to the purpose, that
divide theology into archetypal and ectypal, and again into the
theology of the church militant, and tfiat of the church triuraphant ?
What they call archetypal theology is very improperly so named, for it
is that perfect knowledge (avtoacipia.) which God has of Himself And
the theology ofthe Church triumphant, ought rather to be ca\\ed9eo\iria,
the beatific vision of God. The theology in question, is that day-spring
from on high, which hath visited us, io give light io them which sii in
darkness, and in ihe shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of
peace. Luke i. 78, 9. That peace is true happiness, and the way of peace
* Quae est unica tua consolatio in vita et in morte ?
t Quee est unica ad veram felieitatem via?
t AXX' ov yxp dy tx Si7x xpvttovtos Qiov,
^Idhts xv, oJiH 'it -Trdvp t^^iX^ots ffy,o-?fm,

490 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
is true religion ; concerning which I shall offer a few thoughts, and very
briefly. First of all, you are to observe, that raan is not a lawless
creature, but capable of a law, and actually subject to one. This ex
pression conveys no harsh, no dishonourable idea; nay, this subjec
tion is so far frora being a burden, that it is the greatest honour. To
be capable of a law, is the raark and ornament of an intelligent,
rational soul, and that which distinguishes it from the brutes ; it
evidently supposes a reserablance to God, and an intercourse with
Heaven. And to live actually under the direction of religion and the
law, is the great honour and ornaraent of huraan life, and that distin
guishes it from the irregular conduct of the brute creation. For, as
the poet expresses it, " One beast devours another, fishes prey upon
fishes, and birds upon birds, because they are subject to no law ; but
mankind lives under a just law, wfiicfi makes tfieir condition far pre
ferable*." The brute creatures devour one another without blarae, because they
have no law ; but as Juvenal observes, " Men alone of all earthly
creatures, as they derive their reason from the higfiest fieaven, are
venerable for tfieir understanding, whicfi renders them capable of in
quiring into Divine things, and qualifies them for learning arts, and
reducing them to practice f."
And hence it appears, that we were born subjects to religion and an
eternal law of nature. For since our blessed Creator has thought
proper to endow us with a mind and understanding and powers suf
ficient for tfiat purpose, to be sure we are bound by an indispensable
law, to acknowledge the Priraary and Eternal Fountain of our own
being and of all created things, to love Hira above all other objects,
and obey His coraraands without reserve or exception. So that in this
very law of nature is founded a strong obligation upon us to give due
obedience to every Divine positive institution which He shall think
proper to add for securing the purposes of religion and equity. Where
fore, when our first parents, by eating tfie forbidden fruit, transgressed
the syrabolical coraraand intended as a proof of their obedience, by
that very act they raost basely broke the priraary and great law of
nature, which is the foundation of religion, and of every other law
whatever. It is not ray intention to .speak here of our redemption by the
Messias, the only begotten Son of God the Creator : it is sufficient
for our present purpose to observe, that our great Redeemer has in
deed delivered us from the chains of sin and death, but has by no
means dissolved the bonds of religion, and the everlasting law of
nature. Nay, these are, in raany respects, strengthened and confirmed
by this redemption ; and a cheerfiil subraission to thera by virtue of
I;t;^yV; ^ev xa) ^^^ff), xat otoivois nrtTi,jvo~s
Eff!~tEiv ' uXXnXovs, IcreJ ov Hxyi iffT)v e^r' xvTois,
Av^^opTTotfft 0 eScuxe Stx«v ri ^oXXov xptffTyi
Tivtrxi.
t - ~-  Venerabile soli
Sortiti ingenium dlvinorumque capaces,
Atque exercendis, capiendisque artibus apte
Sensum i. coelesti demissum traximus arce. Juv. Sat, xv.

OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 491
his Spirit, who is poured out upon us, is a great part of that royal
liberty of ihe sons of God, which is secured to us by his raeans, as by
imitating his exaraple, we arrive at the full possession of it, which is
reserved for us in the heavenly kingdora. The way, therefore, to hap
piness, which we are in search of, is true religion, and such, in a very
reraarkable raanner, is that of Christianity.
On the truth and excellence of this religion you have a great raany
learned writers, both ancient and raodern. And indeed, it is exceeding
plain, fi-om its own internal evidence, that, of all the forms of religion
that ever the world saw, there is none more excellent than that of
Christianity which we profess, wherein we glorj', and in which we
think ourselves happy amidst all the troubles of the world : there is
none that is more certain and infallible, with regard to its history ;
more sublime, with regard to its mysteries ; more pure and perfect in
its precepts ; or raore venerable for the grave sirapllcity of its rites
and worship ; nay, it appears evident, that this religion alone is, in
every respect, incomparably preferable to every other. It reraains,
young gentleraen — What do you think I ara going to say ? It re
mains, that we become true Christians. I repeat it again, if we will
be happy, let us be Christians. You will say, " Your wish is easfly
satisfied, you have your desire, we are all Christians already." I
wish it may be so ! I will not, however, object to any particular person
on this head. But every one of you, by a short trial, wherein he will
be both witness and judge, may settle this iraportant point within hira
self. We are all Christians. Be it so. But are we poor in spirit ?
Are we humble, meek, and pure in heart? Do we pray without
ceasing ? Have we nailed all our carnal appetites and desires to our
Saviour's cross, living no longer to ourselves, but to him ihat died for
TIS? This is the true description of a Christian, by the testimony of
that gospel which we acknowledge to be Christ's. And those who
are entire strangers to these dispositions of mind, know not, to be
sure, the way of peace. These I earnestly entreat and beseech to
rouse themselves, and shake of their indolence and sloth, lest, by
indulging the vile desires of the flesh, they lose their souls for ever.
But if there are any among you, and, indeed, I believe there are sorae,
who with all their hearts aspire to these Christian virtues, and by
their raeans, to that kingdom, which can never be shaken. Be strong in
ihe Lord, have your loins girt about with truth, and be sober, and hope
to ihe end. You will never repent of this holy warfare, where the
battle is so short, the victory so certain, and your triumphal crown,
and the peace procured by this conflict, will last for ever.
LECTURE XIX.
That Holiness is ihe only Happiness on this Earth.
The journey we are engaged in is indeed great, and the way up-hill ;
but the glorious prize which is set before us, is also great, and our
o-reat and vafiant Captain, who has long ago ascended up on high,
supplies us with strength. If our courage at any time fails us, let us

492 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
fix our eyes upon him, and, according to the advice of thie Apostle, iri
his divine Epistie to the Hebrews (ch. xii. 2.) Look unto Jesus, removing
our eyes from all inferior objects, that, being carried up aloft, they may
be fixed upon hira ; which the original words seem to iraport. 'Then,
being supported by the Spirit of Christ, we shall overcome all those ob
stacles in our way, that seem raost difficult to our indolent and efferainate
flesh. And, though the way frora the earth towards heaven is by no
means easy, yet, even the very difficulty will give us pleasure, when
our hearts are thus eagerly engaged and powerfully supported. Even
difficulties and fiardships are attended with particular pleasure, when
they fall in the way of a courageous raind. As the poet expresses it,
" Serpents, thirst, and burning sand, are pleasing to virtue. Patience
delights in hardships : and honour, when it is dearly purchased, is
possessed with the greater satisfaction*."
If what we are told concerning that glorious city, obtain credit with
us, we shall cheerfully travel towards it, nor shall we be at all deterred
by the difficulties that raay be in the way. Bnt, however, as it is true,
and raore suitable to the weakness of our rainds, which are rather apt
to be affected with things present and near, than such as are at a great
distance, we ought not to pass over in silence, that the way to the
happiness reserved in heaven, whicfi leads througfi tfiis earth, is not
only agreeable because of the blessed prospect it opens, and the
glorious end to which it conducts, but also, for its own sake, and on ac
count of the innate pleasure to be found in it, far preferable to any
other way of life tfiat can be made choice of, or, indeed, imagined.
Nay, that we raay not, by low expressions, derogate frora a matter so
grand and so conspicuous, that holiness and true refigion which leads
directly to the highest fehcity, is itself tfie only fiappiness, as far as it
can be enjoyed on this earth. Whatever naturally tends to the attain
ment of any other advantage, participates, in some measure, of the
nature of that advantage. Now, the way to perfect felicity, if any
thing can be so, is a raeans that, in a very great raeasure, participates
of the nature of its end;^nay, it is the beginning of that happiness ; itis
also to be considered as a part of it, and differs frora it, in its cora-
pletest state, not so rauch in kind, as in degree. So that in Scripture
it has the sarae naraes: as, for instance, in that passage of the Evan
gelist, This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, ihe only true
God. Jofin xvii. 3. That is, not only the way to eternal life, but also,
the beginning and first rudiments of it, seeing the sarae knowledge,
when corapleted, or the full beatific vision of God, is eternal life in its
fulness and perfection. Nor does the divine Apostle raake any dis
tinction between these two : Now, says he, we see darkly through a
glass; hnt then we shall see openly, or, as he expresses it, face to face.
Now I know in part ; but then I shall know as I also am known.
1 Cor. xiii. 12. That celestial life is called an inheritaTice in light.
Col. i. 12 ; and the heirs of it, even while they are sojourning in this
earth, children ofthe light, 1 Thess. v. 5, and, expressly, light in the
. Serpens, sitis, ardor arenre

Dulcia virtuti. Gaudet patientia duris :
Ltetius est quoties magno sibi constat honestum, Luoan, lib. ix. 9.

HOLINESS. THE ONLY HAPPINESS ON EARTH. 493
Lord. You. were, says the Apostle, sometime darkness, but now are ye
light in ihe Lord. Eph. v. 8. They will be there perfectiy holy, and
without spot; and even here they are called holy, and, in sorae
respect, they are so. Hence it is, that those who are really and truly
good aud pious, are, in Scripture, often called blessed, though they are
not fully and perfectly so. Blessed is ihe man ihat feareth ihe Lord.
Psal. cxii. 1. And blessed are ihe undefiled in ihe way. Psal. cxix. 1.
Even the philosophers give their testiraony to this truth ; and their
sentiraents, on this subject, are not altogether to be rejected : for they
almost unanimously are agreed, that felicity, so far as it can be
enjoyed in this life, consists solely, or at least principally, in virtue.
But, as to their assertion, that this virtue is perfect in a perfect life, it
is rather expressing what were to be wished, than describing things as
they are. They might have said with more truth and justice, that it is
imperfect in an imperfect lite ; which, no doubt, would have satisfied
them, if they had known tfiat it was to be raade perfect in another
place, and another life, that truly deserves the narae, and will be cora
plete and perfect. In this, however, we heartily agree with thera, that
virtue, or, as we rather choose to express it, piety, which is absolutely
the sura and substance of all virtues and afl wisdora, is the only happi
ness of this life, so far as it is capable tfiereof.
And if we seriously consider this subject but a little, we shall find
the saying of the wise king Soloraon concerning this wisdora, to be
unexceptlonably true : Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her
paths are peace.
Doth refigion require anything of us more than that we live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this present world ? Now what, I pray, can
be more pleasant or peaceable than these ? Teraperance is always at
leisure, luxury always in a hurry : the latter weakens the body and
pollutes the soul, the forraer is the sanctity, purity, and sound state of
both. It is one of Epicurus's fixed raaxiras, " Tfiat life can never be
pleasant without virtue*." 'Vices seize upon raen with the violence
and rage of fiiries ; but the Christian virtues replenish the breast which
they inhabit, with a heavenly peace and abundant joy, and thereby
render it like that of an angel. The slaves of pleasure and carnal
affections, have within them, even now, an earnest of future torments;
so that, in this present life, we may truly apply to thera that expression
in the Revelations, They thai worship the beast, have tio rest day nor
night. " There is perpetual peace with the humble," says the most
devout h Kempis ; " but the proud aud the covetous are never at
restf." If we speak of charity, which is the root and spring of justice, what
a lasting pleasure does it diffuse through the soul ! " Envy," as the
saying is, "has no days of festivity J :" it enjoys not even its own
advantages, while it is tormented with those it sees in the possession
of others. But charity is happy, not only in its own enjoyraents, but
also in those of others, even as if they were its own : nay, it is then
* '.Avey xpiTni ovx nvxi vjiuvs ^'jv.
+ Jugis pax cum humili, superbus autem et avarus numquam quiescunt.
t Invidia festos dies non agit.

494 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
most happy in tfie enjoyment of its own good things, when, by liber
ality, it makes them the property of others. In short, it is a God
like virtue *. There is nothing more Divine in raan, " than to wish
well to man, and to do good to as raany as one possibly canf." But
piety, which worships God in constant prayer, and celebrates Him
with the highest praises, raises man above himself, and gives him
rank araong the angels. And conteraplation, which is indeed the
raost genuine and purest pleasure of the huraan soul, and the very
surarait of felicity, is no where so sublirae and enriched, as it wiU be
found to be in true religion, where it raay expatiate in a system of
Divine truths most extensive, clear, and infallibly certain, mysteries
that are raost profound, and hopes that are the raost exalted : and he
that can render these subjects familiar to fiis mind, even on this earth,
enjoys a life replete with heavenly pleasure.
I might enlarge greatly on this subject, and add a great many other
considerations to those I have already offered ; but I shall only further
observe, that that sweet virtue of contentraent, so effectual for quieting
the raind, which philosophy sought for in vain, religion alone has
found ; and also discovered, that it takes its rise frora a firm con
fidence in tfie alraigfity power of Divine Providence. For what
is there that can possibly give uneasiness to hira who coraraits him
self entirely to that Paternal Goodness and wisdora, which he knows
to be infinite, and securely devolves the care of all his concerns
upon it?
If any of you object, (what has been observed before,) that we
often see good raen raeet with severe treatraent, and also read that
many are the afflictions of the just;- 1 answer, do you not also read
what immediately follows ? But the Lord delivereth him out of them
all. Psal. xxxiv. 19. And it would be raadness to deny, that this
raore than compensates the other. But neither are the wicked quite
exempted from the raisfortunes and calaraities of life ; and when they
fall upon thera, they have nothing to support them under such pres
sures, none to extricate or deliver them.
But a true Christian, encouraged by a good conscience, and de
pending upon the Divine favour, bears with patience all these evfls, by
the efforts of generous love and unshaken faith : they all seem light to
him ; he despises what he suff'ers, while he waits with patience for the
object of his hope. And, indeed, what, either in life or in death, can
he be afraid of, whose life is hid with Christ in God; and of whora it
may be justly said, without exaggeration, " If the world should be
crushed and broken to pieces, he would be undaunted, even whfle the
ruins fell upon his head J ?"
* 'AflTvi Bio-ilxlXos.
t Omnibus bene velle, et quam plurimis possit henefacere.
X Si fractus illabatur orbis,
Impavidum ferient ruina;. Hor. lib. iii. Od. 3.

oua HAPPINESS IN GOD. 499

LECTURE XX.
Ofour Happiness, particularly that it lies in God, who alone can
direct us to ihe true way of attaining to it; that this way He has
discovered in the Sacred Scriptures, the Divine authority whereof
is asserted and illustrated.
These two expressions, "That there is a beginning, and that there
is also an end*," convey raatters great in theraselves, and which
ought to be considered as of vast iraportance to us. It is absolutely
necessary that there should be sorae one Principle of all things ; and
by an equal degree of necessity, this Principle raust be, of all others,
the greatest and the best. It is also necessary, that He who gave
being to all things, must have proposed to Himself some end to be
attained by the production and disposal of them ; but, as the end of
the Best of all agents raust itself also be the highest andthe best, this
end can be no other than Hiraself And the reasonings of the author
ofthe Epistle to the Hebrews, concerning the oath of God, raay also
be applied to this case : As He had no greater io swear hy, says the
Apostle, He swore hy Himself. In fike raanner, as He fiad no
greater or better end to propose. He proposed Himself. He hath
Tnade all things for Himself, says tfie author ofthe Book of Proverbs,
even ihe wicked for the day of evil. Prov. xvi. 4. And the Apostle
Paul, in his Epistle to the Roraans, gives us a lively description of
tfiat incoraparable circle, the raost complete of all figures : Of Him,
and through Him, and to Him, are all things, io whom be glory for
ever, Amen. Rora. x. 36.
Now man, the ornaraent and raaster-piece of all the visible creation,
by extraordinary art, and in a method peculiar to hiraself, returns to
his first Original, and fias fiis Creator, not only for the principle of his
being, and of his weU-being, but also for his end. Thus, by a won
derful instance of wisdora and goodness, God has so connected His
own glory with our happiness, that we cannot properly intend or desire
the one, but the other must follow of course, and our felicity is at last
resolved into His eternal glory. The other works of God serve to
promote His honour; but raan, by rational knowledge and will, offers
Hiraself, and all that He has, as a sacrifice to His Creator. From
fiis knowledge of Hira, he is induced to love Hira ; and in conse
quence of his love, he attains at last to the enjoyraent of Hira. And
it is the wisdora, as well as the happiness of raan, to propose to hira
self, as the scope and ultiraate end of his life, tfiat very tfiing wfiich
his exalted Creator had proposed before.
But, that we raay proceed gradually in our speculations upon this
subject, we raust first conclude, that there is a proper end intended
for raan ; that tfiis end is suited to fiis nature, aud perfectly accora
rnodated to all his wants and desires ; that so the principal part of this
wonderful fabric may not be quite irregular, and labour under a mani
fest imperfection.
Nor can there be a more important speculation, nor one more
* '£j"w »2« r/f ^iX'h **' *'¦''¦''' ^S* i"' '-5^«'

496 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
worthy of raan, than that which concerns his own end, and that good
which is fully and perfectly suited to his circurastances. Chance of
fortune must, of necessity, have a great influence in our life, when we
live at randora : we must, therefore, if we be wise, or rather that we
may be wise, propose to ourselves an end, to which all our actions
ought to have a reference, and by which, as a certain fixed star, we
are to direct our course. But it is surprising to observe, how much
all the wisest raen among the heathens were perplexed in their inquiries
after this end, and into how many different opinions they were divided
about it. Of this, however, we have spoken at greater length in
another place.
Now, to be brief, it is necessary, that this good, or end, should be
" perfectly suitable, not easily taken away, nay, such as we can by no
means be deprived of; and finally, it must consist of such things as
have a particular relation to the soul, and not of eternal enjoyraents*."
Whence " slavish and brutal pleasures f" vain and perishing honours
and riches, which only serve to support and promote the former, are,
in this inquiry, justlj', and without the least hesitation, hissed off the
stage by all sound philosophers ; who with great unanimity acknow
ledge, that our felicity consists solely, or at least principally, in virtue.
But your favourite pfiilosopfier Aristotle, and the Peripatetics who
are his followers, seera to doubt whether virtue alone be sufficient for
this purpose, and not to be very consistent with theraselves. The
Stoics, who proceeded with greater courage, and acted raore like men,
affirmed, that virtue was fully suflacient for this purpose, without the
helps and supplements required by the former. And that, whfle they
bestowed such high praises on virtue, they raight not seem to have
quite forgotten God, they not only said, that virtue was something
Divine, in which they were joined by Aristotle, but also concluded,
that their wise raan did all things " with a direct reference to God$."
It was also a general raaxim with the followers of Plato, " That the
end of man is, to be, as far as is possible, made like unto God§."
And Plato himself, in his second book of Laws, and in his Phaedo,
asserts, that man's chief good is the knowledge of ihe truth: yet, as
this knowledge is not perfect in the present fife, he is of opinion, that
it can scarcely be said of any man, that he is happy here below ; but
there is hope to be entertained concerning the dead, provided they are
purified before they leave the world. But there are two things par
ticularly, with regard to this question, which our religion and most
precious faith, teaches with incomparably greater fulness and evidence,
than all the schools and books ofthe phflosophers.
1. That our felicity is not to terrainate in ourselves, but in God.
Blessed is the man thai feareth the Lord ; and. The pure in heart shall
see God. Psal. cxii. 1. Matt. v. 8. " To seek God," says St. Augus
tine, " is to desire happiness ; and to find hira, is that happiness ||."
* TeXiMV, xx) duTx^xis, xx) 'ivffx(pdi^iToy, imo xvaipxi^iTov, xx) Toiy m^t -^vxns, xx) ov
ray txros.
t ' Av^pa-ro'SepSiis xx) ^v^tu^sis ^^ovat.
X MiT dvxipopxs its T-ov Qiov.
^ TSXOS XV^PCP^OV Op.Olb}fftS QiM XXTX TO ivVOT'OV.
W Secutio Dei appetitus beatitatis, consecutio beatitas.

OUR HAPPINESS IN OOD. 497
2. That otir hajipiness is not confined witiiin the limits of this short
life, nor does it end with it: on the contrary, it is scarce begun in this
world, but when the present life coraes to a period, then this happi
ness is corapleted and becomes eternal. Our life on this earth, there
fore, is only so far happy as it has a resemblance to that we shall
enjoy in heaven, and becomes, as it were, an earnest of it: that is,
when it is employed in pure and sincere piety, in obedience to the
will of God, and an arabition to promote His glory, till we arrive at
that happy state, where our hunger and thirst shafl be abundantly
satisfied, and yet our appetites never cloyed.
For it is evident, that raan, in this life, becoraes so much the more
perfect and happy, in proportion as he has his mind and affections
more thoroughly conformed to the pattern of that most blessed and
perfect life. And this is, indeed, the great ambition of a true
Christian ; this is his study, which he ceases not to pursue with ardour
day and night: nor does he let so rauch as one day pass without
copying some lines of that perfect pattern. And the more he ad
vances in purity of raind, the greater progress he makes in the know
ledge and contemplation of Divine things.
But who will instruct us with regard to the means of reaching this
blessed raark ? Who wfll shew us how we raay attain this conforraity
to God, and raost effectually proraote His honour and glory, so that
at last we raay corae to the enjoyraent of Hira in that endless life, and
befor ever satisfied witfi the beatific vision of Hira? What faithful
guide shall we find to direct us in this way ? Surely he himself must
be our Leader: there is no other besides him, who can answer our
purpose. It is he alone that acquaints us with His own nature, as far
as it is necessary for us to know it ; and He alone that directs us to
the way wherein he chooses to be worshipped. " God cannot be
known but by His own revelation of himself*." When He is pleased
to wrap hiraself up in a cloud, neither raan in his original integrity,
nay, nor even the angels, can know or investigate His nature or His
intentions. We are indeed acquainted in the sacred records. That the
heavens declare the glory of God (Psal. xix. 1) ; and this, to be sure,
is very true in certain respects ; but they do by no raeans declare
the hidden mysteries of the Creator, nor His intentions, and the man
ner of that worship and service He requires from his reasonable
creatures. And therefore the Psalraist, having begun the psalra with
the voice and declaration of the heavens, iraraediately after raentions
another ligfit rauch clearer than the sun himself, and a volurae or book
more perfect than the language of all the spheres. Nothing is raore
certain than that the doctrine which leads us to God, must take its
rise from Him : for, by no art v.'hatever can the waters be made to rise
higher than their fountain. It was therefore absolutely necessary for
the purpose I have raentioned, that sorae revelation concerning
God should be raade to raankind by Hiraself: and, accordingly. He
did reveal Hiraself to thera from the beginning. And these revelations,
the father of lies mimicked by those delusions of his, that were pub
lished by the heathen oracles. The Divine Wisdora, in revealing
* Non potest Deus, nisi de Deo, intelligi.
Vol. II. 2 K

498 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES."
Hiraself to mankind, has thought proper, at different periods of time,
to make use of different methods and ways, or, according to that of
the Epistle to the Hebrews, at sundry times, and in divers Tnanners ;
but at last it seemed good to Him, that this sacred doctrine should be
committed to writing, that with the greater certainty and purity it
raight be handed down to succeeding ages. If we consider His
absolute power, it would certainly have been as easy for Him to have
preserved this doctrine pure and entire, without comraitting it fo
writing : but, for the raost part, he has been pleased to make use of
means naturally suited and adapted to His purpose, and disposes all
things so as effectually to secure His ends, yet, in an easy natural
manner, suited to our capacities and conceptions of things.
If any one would prove, that these Books, which we receive as such,
are in fact the repositories of this sacred and celestial doctrine, the
most proper method he could take, would be first to shew that the
sacred history and doctrines contained in thera, are true ; and then
frora their own testiraony, to conclude thera Divine.
For, the truth of our religion being once well established, it is, to
be sure, a most jast postulatum, and such as ought not to be denied
to any sect of raen, that in this instance, the testimony of the
Christian Church should be believed, wfien it points out the Books
wherein the sum and substance of that religion are originally and
autfientically deposited.
The truth ofthe sacred history being once granted, the Divinity of
the doctrine will naturaUy follow of course, as the history mentions so
raany and so great miracles that were wrought in confirmation of the
doctrine : those particularly that were performed in proof of the Old
Testaraent by Moses, the servant of God, by whose rainistry the Law
was given to the Jews ; and those that were wrought in confirraation
ofthe New, by Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and author
of the Evangelic Law ; as, also, those that were wrought by his ser
vants the aposties, and other Christians. And absolutely to deny
the force of all these, would be an instance of impudence and obstinacy
so great, that the keenest enemies of the Christian narae of old, did
not venture upon it. But the Scriptures have two great evidences
of their Divinity, — their own internal character, and that external
testiraony. There are two things which principally prove their external character.
1st. The incoraparable subUmity and purity of the doctrine they con
tain : for in vain will you look for such profound mysteries, and such
pure and holy precepts, any where else. 2. The inimitable and evi
dently Divine majesty of the style, attended, at the sarae tirae, with a
surprising and wonderful sirapficity. Their voice is not the voice of
man ; but the whole of them, notwithstanding their great extent,
sounds something more grand than can be expected frora tfie mouths
of mortal men. Nor ought we to pass over that Divine efficacy which
tbe Scriptures have, not only to raove the minds of men, but also, by
a Divine operation », to cfiange tfiera into soraetfiing quite diff'erent
frora wfiat they were before ; according to that of Lactantius, " Give
me a fierce, cruel, and passionate man, with a few of the words of
* Ouv^yii iiiTXp,o^fwsii,

OUR HAPPINESS IN GOD. 499
God I will make film as meek as a larab, &c. "*" And the external
testiraony already mentioned, has, to be sure, as much weight as any
thing of that kind can possibly bave. Who would deny to the regular
succession ofthe Catholic Church, the credit ofa witness? Who, on
the other hand, would claini the authority of a judge and arbitrator?
It would be quite silly to ascribe to the Church a decisive power ; as
if, when a book were first presented to it, or brougfit out of any place
where it had been long concealed, it could iraraediately pronounce
whether that book was of Divine authority or not. The Church is
only a witness with regard to those Books we acknowledge ; and its
testiraony extends no fiirther than this, that they were received in the
first ages of Christianity, as sacred and Divinely inspired, and, as such,
handed down frora age to age, to the Church that now is. And he
that would venture to discredit this testiraony, raust have a heart of
lead and a face of brass.
There is no occasion to dispute so fiercely about the inward testi
raony of the Holy Ghost : for I am persuaded that those who talk
about it, understand nothing raore by it, than that the Holy Spirit
produces in the hearts of raen, that faith whereby they cheerfully and
sincerely receive these Books, and the doctrine contained in them, as
Divine : because such a faith either includes, in the very notion of it,
or at least is necessarily connected with a religious frame of raind, and
a sincere disposition to universal obedience. And he that believeth, as
the apostle John expresseth it, has this testimony in himself, though he
cannot convey, or transfer it to others, 1 John v. 10. Now, to assert
the necessity of .such an internal testiraony, is nothing raore than to
say, that whatever evidence the scripture raay have in itself, or from
other considerations, yet, the Divine faith of this truth must be from
above. And he that would deny this, would thereby plainly discover
tfiat he was an entire stranger to that faith itself " The Scripture,''
says Thomas a, Kerapis, " raust surely be believed and understood, by
raeans of the sarae Spirit by whora it was at first delivered t." And,
as St. Augustine expresses it, " tfie only effectual teacher is He wfio
fias His cfiair in Heaven, and yet, instructs tfie fiearts of raen on
this earth J." The sarae Divine Spirit plants faith in the mind, toge
ther with the proper intelligence of Divine things, and daily augments
and improves these dispositions. This great gift ofthe Spirit is, there
fore, to be sought by fervent and constant prayer ; and the Son of God,
who is Truth itself, has assured us, that His most bountiful Father
will give it to those that ask Hira. Aristotle has told us, that " Divine
inspiration is to be sought by sacrifices §." And it is no less true, that
" the faith and understanding of things revealed by Divine inspiration,
are to be sought by prayer ||." Varro tells us, that he wrote first of
human, and then of Divine institutions, because societies of men
existed first, and tfie latter were instituted by them. True religion, on
the contrary, instead of being instituted by any city or society on earth,
* Da mihi ferum, &c., ut supra.
+ Eodem certe spiritu et credenda et intelligenda sacra scriptura, quo tradita est,
I Qui cathedram habet in coelo, corde docet in terris.
§ To ^io-:fysvffToy Txts ^Vffixis 2,'/]T7]Tiov.
{j Tfiv TiPv ^tosryivffrut -a'artv xa) ffmffiv 'iv%ai( ^yimTuy.
3 K3

500 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
hath instituted a city altogether heavenly and Divine, and is itself in
spired by God, who is the giver of eternal life to all that worship Him
in sincerity*.
It is truly surprising to observe how differentiy this religion was ot
old received araong men, and what different entertainraent it meets
with even to this day, though the doctrine has been always the same,
though it is still enforced by the same arguments, and has the same
difficulties and prejudices to struggle with. When the divine Apostie
preached in the Areopagus at Athens, a great many mocked and
ridiculed hira : others said. We will hear thee again of this mailer : but
certain men clave unto Him, and believed. Acts xvii. 32, 34. And that
we raay not think this faith, in those who believed, was owing to their
uncoraraon penetration or sagacity on the one hand, or to their weak
ness and simplicity on the other, of the two mentioned in Scripture,
who believed on this occasion, the one was a philosopher, and the
other a woraan. Now, though, without doubt, huraan liberty is to be
allowed its due weight in this matter, yet, we cannot help acknow
ledging, that a certain infiuence or energy t seeras to discover itself
here. The basis of religion is faith, — -just apprehension or right notionsX
of God, according to Epictetus. St. Ignatius says, " Faith is the be
ginning of life, and love the end of it§." And the words of the
Apostle are. He ihat cometh io God, must believe that He is, and that He
isa rewarder of ihem that diligently seek him. So that the giving ofa
law to raan, and the enforcing it with the motives of rewards and
jmnishraents, is not inconsistent with the fiUal and disinterested obe
dience of a rational creature, even in a state of innocence.
All true and lively faith begets love ; and thus, that heavenly light
is the vehicle of heat. And as, by this means, true faith has a tendency
to the practice of obedience, so, all true obedience depends upon faith,
and flows frora it. But it also proceeds from love, because faith first
produces love, and then works by it. All knowledge of mysteries is
vain and of no value, unless it have an infiuence upon the affections,
and thereby, upon the whole conduct of life. Tfie lurainaries of fieaven
are placed on high ; but they are so placed, that they may shine, and
perform their periods, for the benefit of this earth. Gen. i. 17.
We raust first, believe, tfiat God is. Tfiis truth is written in capital
letters on every page of the sacred books of Scripture ; for all things
that are therein delivered by God, and concerning hira, confirm this,
and take it for a primary and undoubted principle. But these sacred
books acknowledge another universal evidence of this leading truth,
and an evidence quite distinct frora theirs, to which they refer all, even
the raost obstinate unbelievers and those that are entirely ignorant of
this celestial doctrine, for full conviction. Rora. i. 20. As it is quite
plain, that the testiraony of the written word will have little or no
influence upon men who have not received the least tincture of Divine
Faith, should any person, disputing with thera, reason after this raan-
* St. Aug. de Civ. Dei., lib. vi. c. 3.
t* Qi7xv Tivx p'oipay vel Ivspysixv.
X 'O^Sx) ii-^oXn-^iis .
^ *\X^ ^^^^ jT/ff-Ti;, tIxos Se UyXTTn.

OUR HAPPINESS IN GOD.. !i01
ner, — There is a God, because this is asserted in the sacred Scripttiros,
and their testimony must by all means be believed, because they are
the Word of God ; — an argument of this kind, to be sure, would have
no other effect than to expose the person who urged it, to the ridicule
of atheists and unbelievers ; because it evidently begs the question,
and runs into a vicious circle. He, therefore, who would bring over
such persons to the faith, must reason after a quite different raanner.
But let him, on the other hand, who once accepts these Books with
the submission due to their real dignity and Divine authenticity, re
ceive light and edification from thera on every article of faith, and with
regard to fhe whole systera of religion in general. Let hira, also, in
congratulation to their exalted Author, cry out. With Thee, 0 Lord, is
the fountain of life : and in Thy light we shall see light. Psal.
xxvi. 9. And let hira that desires to be, not only a norainal proficient
in tlieology, but i>i.\o9eo9 Kal OcoSi'Suktos — a real lover of God, and
willing to be taught by Him, resolve within himself, above all things,
to make this sacred volume his constant study, raixing his reading
with frequent and fervent prayer: for if this be omitted, his labour will
be altogether in vain, supposing him to be ever so well versed, not
only in these books, but also to have all the advantages that can be
had from the knowledge of languages, and the assistance of commen
tators and interpreters. Different men have different views in reading
this Book. As, in the sarae field, tfie ox looks for grass, tfie hound
for a hare, and the stork for a lizard, sorae, fond of critical reraarks,
pick up nothing but little stones and shells ; others run in pursuit of
sublirae raysteries, giving theraselves but very fittle trouble about the
precepts and instructions tfiat are clear and evident, and these plunge
theraselves into a pit that has no bottora. But the genuine disciples
of this true wisdom, are those who raake it their daily employment, to
purify their hearts by the water of those fountains, and reduce their
whole lives to a conformity with this heavenly doctrine. They desire
not to know these things, only that fhey raay have the reputation of
knowledge, or to be distinguished in the world ; but that their souls
may be healed, and their steps directed, so that they may be led
through the paths of righteousness, to the glorious felicity whicfi is set
before them.
The sum of all is, that our feficity lies solely and entirely in that
blessed God, who is also the fountain and source of our being ; that
the only means of our union with Hira, is true religion ; and this,
again, consists in our entertaining just notions of God, worshipping
Him acceptably, and endeavouring after a constant and unwearied
obedience to all his comraands, according to that most pure and perfect
rule laid down in those Divine Books which we profess to receive as
such. Let us, therefore, have constantly fixed in our minds these
words of the Psalraist, Blessed are ihe undefiled in ihe way, ihat walk
in ihe way ofthe Lord. Thou hast commanded tis to keep Thy precepts
diligently. O ! ihat my ways were directed to keep Thy statutes. Psal.
cxix. 1, 4, 5.

502 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.

LECTURE XXI.
Ofthe Divine Attributes.
Of all the raaxiras that are naturally written on the heart of raan,
there is none more certain or more universally known, than that God
IS ; concerning which I have given a dissertation sorae tirae ago.
But of all the secrets and hidden things of nature, which have been
the subject of human study and inquiry, tfiere is nothing, by a pro
digious odds, so difficult or unsearchable, as to know what he is.
The saying of St. Augustine concerning Tirae, is well known iu the
schools : with how rauch greater truth raight it be said of Hira, who is
more ancient than time, and " who bade tirae flow frora the begin
ning *," That He hath made darkness His hiding-place, and amidst
thai darkness dwells in light inaccessible, Psal. xviii. 11. Which, to
our eyes, is to be sure more dark than darkness itself! " O the Divine
darkness!" says a great manf; and another, most acutely, " If you
divide or cut asunder this darkness, who wfll shine forth % ?" When,
therefore, we are to speak of Him, let us always call to reraembrance
the adraonition which bids us speak with reverence and fear. For
what can we say that is worthy of Him, since raan, when he speaks
of God, is but a blind person describing light ? Yet, blind as we are,
there is one thing- we raay, with great truth, say of that glorious light,
and let us frequently repeat it: O when will that blessed day shine
forth, which shall deliver the soul frora those thick integuments of
flesh, that like scales on tfie eye, obstruct its sight, and shall introduce
it into a more full and open view of that primitive, eternal Light !
Perhaps, the properest answer we could give to the question. What is
God? would be to observe a most profound silence ; or, if we should
tllink proper to give any answer, it ought to be something next to this
absolute silence ; viz. God is ; which gives us a higher and better
idea of Him, than any thing we can either express or conceive.
Theological writers raention three methods whereby men come to
sorae kind of knowledge of God themselves, and coraraunlcate that
knowledge to others, viz., the way of negation, the way of causation,
and the way of eminence. Yet, the very terras that are used to ex
press these ways, shew what a faint knowledge of the Invisible Being
is to be attained by them ; so that the two last may be justly reduced
to the first, and all our knowledge of this kind called negative. For,
to pretend to give any explanation of the Divine Essence, as dis
tinct from what we call His attributes, would be a refinement so
absurd, that under the appearance of more accurate knowledge, it would
betray our ignorance the more. And so unaccountable would it be to
atterapt any such thing, with regard to the unsearchable raajesty of
God, that possibly the raost towering and exalted genius on earth
ought frankly to acknowledge, that we know neither our own essence,
*  Qui tempus ab ccvo
Ire jubet. Boeth. Cons. Phil., lib. iii. met. 9.
¦\- n TO ^i7oy ffXOTOS.
X 'Av TO ffXOTOS Tif^y/l, Qt)s XVXffTI'X'ffTiTXt.

OF. THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. 503
nor that of any other creature, even the meanest and most contempt
ible. Though, in the schools they distinguish the Divine attributes
or excellencies, and that by no means improperly, into communicable
and incommunicable ; yet we ought so to guard this distinction, as
always to remember that those whicli are called communicable, when
appfied to God, are not only to be understood in a raanner incorarau
nicable and quite peculiar to Hiraself, but also, that in Him they are,
in reality, infinitely diff'erent from those virtues, or rather, in a matter
where the disparity of the subjects is so very great, those shadows of
virtues that go under the s irae narae either in raen or angels. For it
is not only true, that all things, in the Infinite and Eternal Being, are
infinite and external, but tfiey are also, thougfi in a raanner quite inex
pressible. Himself. He is good witfiout quality, great without
quantity, &c. He is good in such a sense as to be c-alled by the
Evangelist, tfie Only Good Being. Matt. xix. 17. He is also tfie
Only Wise Being: To ihe Only Wise God, saith the Apostie. 1 Tira.
i. 17. And the same Apostle tells us, in another place. That He only
hath immortality ; 1 Tim. vi. 16, that is, from His own nature, and
not from the will or disposition of another. " If we are considered as
joined to, or united witfi God," says an ancient writer of great note,
" we have a being, we live, and in sorae sort are wise ; but, if we are
compared with God, we have no wisdom at all, nor do we live, or so
much as have any existence*." All other things were by Him brought
outof nothing, in consequence of a free act of His wfll, by means of His
infinite power; so that they may bejustiy called raere contingencies, and
he is the only necessarily existent Being. Nay, He is tfie only really
existent Being; to 'ovtws oj/; or as Plotinus expresses, to vTrepofruis
01'. Thus, also, the Septuagint speaks of Hira as the only existent
Being, o wu. And so also does the heathen poetf. This is like
wise iraplied in the exalted name Jehovah, which expresses His being,
and tfiat He fias it from Hiraself; but wfiat tfiat being is, or wherein
its essence, so to speak, consists, it does^not say ; nor, if it did, could
we at all conceive it. Naj', so far is tfiat name from discovering
what His being is, that it plainly insinuates that His existence is hid
and covered with a veil. I am who I am : or, I am what I am. As
if He fiad said, I rayself know wfiat I ara, but you neither know nor
can know it : and if I should declare wherein ray being consists, you
could not conceive it. He has, however, raanifested in His works and
in His word, what it is our interest to know, that He is The Lord God,
merciful and gracious, abundant in goodness and truth.
We call hira a raost pure Spirit, and raean to say, that He is of a
nature entirely incorporeal ; yet, this word, in the Greek, and Hebrew,
and all other languages, according to its primitive and natural signi
fication, conveys no other idea than that of a gentle gale, or wind,
which every one knows to be a body, though rarefied to a vei-y great
degree : so that, when we speak of that Infinite Purity, all words fail
us ; and even wfien we think of it, all the refinements of the acutest
* Deo si conjungimur, sumus, vivimus, sapimus ; Deo si comparamur, nee sapimus
omnino, nee vivimus, imo nee sumus. Greg. Mag. Mor.
-f- OySe ti^ iff^' 'sTiPos x^i*^ piyxXov (ia^rtXrios.

504 THE0L0GIC.\L LECTURES.
understanding are quite at a stand, and become entirely useless. It
is, in every respect, as necessary to acknowledge his eternity, as His
being ; provided that, when we mention the term, God, we mean by it
the First Being, supposing that expression to include also His Self-
existence. This idea of a First and Eternal Being, is again insepa
rably connected with an infinite degree of all possible perfection, to
gether with irarautability, and absolute perseverance therein. But all
these are treated of, at great length, in Theological books, whereof
you have a very large collection.
In fike raanner, if we suppose God to be the First of all Beings, we
must unavoidably therefrora conclude His unity. As to the ineffable
Trinity subsisting in this Unity, a raystery discovered only by the
sacred Scriptures, especially in the New Testaraent, where it is raore
clearly revealed than in the Old, let others boldly pry into it, if they
please, while we receive it with au hurable faith, and think it sufficient
for us to admire and adore.
The other Attributes that used to be raentioned on this subject, may
be supposed to be perfectly coraprehended under the following three,
viz., power, wisdoTn, and goodness : for holiness, justice, mercy, infinite
bounty, &c., raay be, with great propriety, ranked under the general
term of goodness.
But rather than insist upon metaphysical speculations, let us, whfle
we walk daily in these pleasant fields, be constantly culling fresfi and
never-fading flowers. " When the Psalraist cries out. Great is the
Lord, and greatly to he praised, and of His greatness ihere is no end,
he wanted to shew," saith St. Augustine, " how great He is. But
how can this be done ? Though he repeated. Great, Great, the whole
day, it would have been to little purpose, for fie raust have ended at
last, because the day would have ended ; but his greatness was before
the beginning of days, and will reach beyond the end of tirae *." The
poet expresses himself admirably well : " I will praise thee, O blessed
God, with ray voice, I will praise thee, also, with silence. For thou,
O inexpressible Father, who canst never be known, understandest the
silence of the raind, as well as any words or expressionsf."
* Volebat dicere quam magnus sit, sed hoc qui iieri potest .' Etsi tota die magnum
diceret, parum esset, finiret enim aliquando, quia, fioiretur dies, magnitudo autem illius
anta dies, et ultra dies. J 'Tpvcp ffi pxxxp,
Kai 2ia (ppjvxs.
'TpvoJ ffi fAx:cxp,
Kal dia ffiyxs.
Offa yap (pcpyas
Toffx xat ffiyus,
'Aliis voipxs.
TlxTi^ xyvbjffTi,
Hktej ii'f'fnTi. Syn. Hymno. 4to.

OP A RELIGIOUS LIFE, 505
LECTURE XXII.
How io regulate Life according to the Rules o/Religion.
I ii.vve now, at different times, addressed rayself to you upon several
subjects of great importance and ofthe utmost necessity; tiiough
w hat 1 have hitherto said, was only designed as a preface or intro
duction to what I further proposed. But to atterapt to prosecute this
design at the very end of the year, would be quite iraproper, and to
little or no purpose : I sfiall, tfierefore, altogetfier forbear entering
upon it, and for this time, lay before you a few advices, which raay be
usefiil, not only in order to eraploy to greater advantage the raonths
of vacation that are now at hand, but also the better to regulate your
whole lives.
And ray first advice shall be, to avoid too much sleep, which wastes
the morning hours, that are most proper for study, as well as for the
exercises of religion, and stupefies and enervates tfie strengtfi of body
and mind. I remember that the faraous abbot of Clairvaux, (St.
Bernard,) when he found the friars sleeping immoderately, used to
say, " That they slept like the secular clergy *." And though we
do not adrait of the severe rules to which the monks subjected them
selves, we must at least allow, that the measure and degree of sleep
and other bodfly refreshments, suitable for a young raan devoted to
study and devotion, is very far different frora that excess in which the
common sort of mankind indulge themselves.
Another advice, which is akin to, and nearly connected with, the for
mer, shall be, to observe temperance in eating and drinking. For
moderation in sleeping, generally follows sobriety in eating and other
sensual gratifications ; but tfiat thick cloud of vapours that arises from
a full storaach, must of necessity overwhelm all the aniraal spirits, and
keep thera long locked up in an indolent, inactive state. Therefore,
the Greeks, not without reason, express these two duties, to he sober, and
to he watchful, indifferently by the sarae terra. And the Apostle Peter,
that he might make his connexion raore evident, uses, indeed, two
words for this purpose ; but exhorts to these duties as closely con
nected together, or rather, as if they were, in some respect, but one. Be
sober, be vigilant, I Pet. v. 8. And in the same Epistle, having sub
stituted another word for sobriety, he expresses watchfulness by the
same word he had put for sobriety in the other place, [NrjylraTc]
Be sober and watch. I Pet. iv. 7. Both these dispositions are so ap
pfied to the mind, as to include a sober and watchful state of the
body and senses; as this is exceeding useful, nay, quite necessary, in
order to a correspondent frarae of the raind, and that disposition both
of body and raind, not only subservient, but also necessary to piety
and constancy in prayer : Be sober and watch unto prayer. 1 Pet. iv. 7.
When the body is reduced to its ligfitest and raost active state, still,
as it is corruptible, it is, to be sure, a burden to the raind. How
* Seculariter dormire.

506 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES^
much more must it be so, when it is depressed with an immoderate
load of meat and drink, and, in consequence of this, of sleep ! Nor
can the raind rouse itself, or use the wings of conteraplation and
prayer with freedom, when it is overpowered with so heavy a load :
nay, neither can it make any remarkable progress in the study of
human literature, but will raove slowly and erabarrassed, be at a stand,
like a wheel-carriage in deep clay. 'Phe Greeks very justly expressed
the virtue we are now recoraraending, by the terra l.uKJjpoavi'ij, it being
as your favourite philosopher [Aristotle] observes in his Ethics, the
great preservative of the raind. He is certainly a very great enemy
to his own understanding, who lives high and indulges himself in
luxury. " A fat belly is seldom accorapanied with any acute under
standing*." Nor is it ray intention in this, only to warn you against
drunkenness and luxury ; I would wfllingly fiope that such an advice
would be superfluous to you : but, in this conflict, I would wfllingly
carry you to such a pitch of victory, that, at your ordinary and least
deficious meals, you would always stop some degrees within the
bounds to which your appetite would carry yon. Consider that, as Cato
said, " the belly fias no earsf;" but it has a raouth, into which a
bridle raust be put, and therefore I address not myself to it, but to
the directing raind that is set over it, which, for that reason, ought to
govern the body with all its senses, and curb thera at its pleasure.
St. Bernard's words are adrairable to this purpose. " A prudent
mind, devoted to God, ought so to act in its body, as the master ofa
family in his own house. He ought not to sufler his fiesfi to be, as
Solomon expresses it, like a brawling woman, nor any carnal appetite
to act like a rebellious servant ; but to inure them to obedience and
patience. He must not have his senses for his guides, but bring them
into subjection and subserviency to reason and religion. He raust,
by all raeans, have his house and family so ordered and well disci
plined, tfiat he can say to one. Go, and he goeth, and to another.
Come, and he cometh, and to his servant the body. Do this, and it
doeth what it is bid without raurrauring. The body raust also be
treated with a little hardship, that it may not be disobedient to the
mind J." For he, saith Solomon, ihat delicately bringeth up his ser
vant from a child, shall have him become a (rebellious) son at last,
Prov. xxix. 21. This is what I would have you aspire to, a conquest
over your flesh, and all its lusts ; for they carry on a deadly war
against your souls, and their desires are tlien raost to be resisted,
when they flatter most. What an unhappy and dishonourable inversion
of nature it is, when the flesh commands, and the mind is in subjec-
* XJxxi7x yaCT-r,^ Xjicn-av o'v tixtsi v'oqv,
t Ventrem non habere aures.
X Sic prudens et Deo decatus animus habere se debet in corpore suo, sicut pater
familias in domo sua. Non habeat, sicut Solomon dicit, mulierem litigiosam camera
suam, nee ullum appctitum carnis ut servum rebellem, sed ad obedientiam et patientiam
assuefactum. Habeat sensus suos non duces sed rationi et religioni servientes et se-
quaces ; habeat omnem omnino domum vel familiam suam sic ordinatam, et disciplinae
subditam, ut dicat huic v.ade, etvadat, et alii, Veni, et veniat,et servo corpori, Facito hoc,
ct sine murniure fiat quod jubetur, et paulo certe durius tr.actandum est corpus, ne animo
male parcat.

OF A RELIGIOUS LIFE. 507
tion; when the flesh, which is \\\c, gross, earthly, and soon to be the
food of worms, governs the soul, that is the breath of God !
Another thing I would have you beware of, is, immoderate speech.
The evfls ofthe tongue are raany : but the shortest way to find a way
for them all, is to study silence, and avoid, as the poet expresses it,
" excessive prating, and ^ vast desire of speaking*."
He is a perfect man, as the Apostle James expresses it, who off'ends
noi in word. Jam. iii. 2. And, therefore, doubtiess, he that speaks
least, offends in this respect raore rarely. But, in the multitude of
words, as the wise man observes, there wants not sin. Prov. x. 19.
To speak much, and also to the purpose, seldom falls to the share of
one manf. Xow, that we raay avoid loquacity, we raust love solitude,
and render it faraiUar, that so every one may have an opportunity to
speak rauch to himself, and Uttle to other people. " We raust, to be
sure,'' says k Kerapis, " be iu charity with all men ; bnt it is not ex
pedient to be familiar with every one J:." General and indiscriminate
conversation with every one we raeet, is a mean and silly thing. Even
when we proraise ourselves comfort and satisfaction from free conver
sation, we often return from such interviews with uneasiness ; or, at
least, have spoken and heard such things as, upon serious reflection,
may justly give us concern.
But, if we would secure our tongues and senses, or keep safe our
hearts and all the issues of life, we must be frequent at prayer, in the
morning, at noon, and at night, or oftener throughout the day, and
continually walk as iu the presence of God ; always remembering that
He obser\ es, not only our words and actions, but also takes notice of
our most secret thoughts. This is the sura and substance of true
piety ; for he who is always sensible that that pure and all-seeing Eye
is continually upon hira, will never venture to sin with set purpose, or
fill! consent of raind. This sense of the Divine presence, would cer
tainly make our life on tfiis earth like tfiat of tfie angels ; for, accord
ing to our Lord's expression, it is their pecufiar advantage, continually
io behold ihe face of our Father who is in heaven. By tfiis raeans,
Joseph escaped the snares laid for him by his irapeiious raistress ;
and, as if he had thrown water upon it, extinguished that fieiy dart
with this seasonable reflection. Shall I do this great wickedness, and
sin against God. Gen. xxxix. 9. He raight have escaped the eyes of
men, but he stood in awe of that Invisible Eve from which nothing
can be hid. We read ofa good man of old, who got the better of a;
temptation of the sarae kind, by the same serious consideration ; for,^
being carried from one chamber to another by the woman that tempted
him, he stfll demanded a place of greater secrecy, till having brought
hira to the raost retired place of the whole house. Here, said she, no
person will find us out, no eye can see us. To this he answered. Will
no eye see? Will not that of God perceive us? By which saying,
he hiraself escaped the snare, and, by the influence of Divine grace,
brought the sinfiil woraan to repentance. But now,
* Improba garrulitas, studiumque immane loquendi.
¦f* 'S.CJPiS TO T i'lcrnv -TToXXx xa) TX xxt^tx.
X Charitas certe habenda est erga omnes, sed famdiaritas non expedit.

508 THEOLOGICAL LECmlRES.
Let US pray.
Praise waits for Thee, O Lord, in Zion; and fo be employed in pay
ing Thee that tribute, is a becoraing and pleasant exercise. It is due
to Thee from all the works of Thy hands, but particularly proper from
Thy saints and celestial spirits. Elevate, O Lord, our rainds, that
they raay not grovel on the earth, and plunge themselves in the raire ;
but, being carried upwards, raay taste the pleasures of Thy house, that
exalted house of Thine, the inhabitants whereof are continually singing
Thy praises. Their praises add nothing to Thee ; but they themselves
are perfectly happy therein, while they behold Thy boundless goodness
without any veil, admire Thy uncreated beauty, and celebrate the
praises thereof throughout all ages. Grant us, that we may walk in
the paths of holiness, and, according to our measure, exalt 'Thy narae
even on this earth, until we also be translated into the glorious assem
bly ofthose who serve Thee in Thy higher house.
Remeraber Thy goodness and Thy covenant to Thy Church raUitant
upon this earth, and exposed to dangers amidst so raany eneraies ;
yet we believe that, notwithstanding all these dangers, it will be safe
at last : it raay be distressed, and plunged in the waters, but it cannot
be quite overwhelraed, or finally perish. Pour out Thy blessing upon
this our Nation, our City, and University. We depend upon Thee, O
Father, without whose hand we should not have been, and without
whose favour we can never be happy. Inspire our hearts with glad
ness, Thou who alone art the fountain of solid, pure, and permanent
joy; and lead us, by the paths of righteousness and grace, to the rest
and light of glory, for the sake of Thy Son, our Redeemer, Jesus
Christ. Amen. LECTURE XXIII.
O/PORITY o/LlFE.
In every act of religious worship, what a great advantage would it be,
to reraeraber that saying^of our great Master, which nobody is alto
gether ignorant of, and yet scarce any know as they ought, " That
God, whom we worship, is a spirit, and therefore to be worshipped in
spirit and in truth*." He is a spirit, a most pure spirit, and the
f ither of spirits : he is truth, priraitive truth, and the most pure foun
tain of all truth: " But we all have erred in heart t-" We are indeed
spirits, but spirits iraraersed in flesh ; nay, as it were, converted into
flesh, and, the light of truth being extinguished within us, quite in
volved in the darkness of error : and what still sets us in greater
opposition to the truth, every thing about us is false and delusive ;
" 'There is no soundness J." How iraproper, therefore, are we, who
are deceitful and Cfl;r7ia^§, to worship that Spirit of suprerae truth!
Though we pray, and fast often, yet all our sacrifices, as tfiey are pol
luted by the irapure hands wherewith we offer thera, must be offensive,
and unacceptable to God : and the more they are multiplied, tfie more
* John iv. 24. »(¦ 'Hpi7s Se croXXot xx^)a TrXxvup-ivot.
X OySev vyiis, § 'Xd^tcixoi xx) ^ivffrat.

OF PURITY OF LIFE. 509
the pure and spotiess Deity must coraplain of them, as the grievance
is thereby enhanced. Thus, by his prophet, he coraplained of his
people of old: " Your new raoons, saith he, and your appointed
feasts, ray soul hateth : they are a trouble to me ; 1 am weary to bear
them : therefore, wheu you spread forth your hands, 1 wfll hide raine
eyes frora you, and, as it were, turn ray back upon you with disdain :
but if you will wash you, and raake you clean, then come and let us
reason together*:" as if he had said, then let us converse ton-ether,
and if there be any difference between us, let us talk over the matter,
and seUle it in a friendly raanner, that our coraplaints may be turned
into mutual erabraces, and all your sins being freely and fully forgiven,
you raay be restored to perfect innocence : " Though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though they be redder than
crimson, they shall be whiter than wool ; wash yourselves, and I wifl
also wash you, and most completely wipe away all your stains."
But that we raay be the better provided for this useful, and alto
gether necessary exercise of cleansing our hearts and ways, and apply
to it with the greater vigour, let us dwell a little upon that sacred ex
pression in the Psalras, " Wherewith shall a young man purify his
way ?" The an.swer is, " By taking heed thereto according to thy
wordf." In this question, several things offer theraselves to our ob
servation. 1. That, without controversy %, purity of life, or conversation, is a
raost beautiful and desirable attainment, and that it raust, by all raeans,
begin at thevery fountain, that is, the heart; whence, as Soloraon
observes, " proceed the issues of life." In the beginning of the
Psalra, they are pronounced blessed, " Who are pure, or undefiled in
the way, who walk in the law of the Lord." And, in another place,
" Truly God is good to Israel," says the Psalmist, " even to such as
are of a clean heart §." And the words of our Saviour to this purpose,
are, " Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God||." Nor
is the true and genuine beauty ofthe soul any thing distinct from tfiis
purity and sanctity ; this is the true iraage of its great Creator ; that
golden crown, whicfi most unhappily dropt off the head of man, when
befell: so that, with the greatest justice, we may laraent and say,
" Wo unto us that we have sinned." And it is the general design and
intention of all religion, all its mysteries, and all its precepts, that this
crown may be again restored, at least, to some part of the huraan race,
and this iraage again stamped upon thera ; which iraage, when fully
corapleted, and for ever confirmed, will certainly constitute a great
part of that happiness, we now hope for, and aspire after. Then, we
trust, we shall attain to a more full conforraity and reserablance to our
beloved Head. And, even in this wayfaring state, the raore deeply
and thoroughly our souls are tinctured with the divine flarae of charity,
joined with this beautiful purity, the raore we reserable Him who is
while and ruddy, and fairer than ihe sons of men. The Father of
mercies has made choice of us, that we may be holy ; the Son of God,
• Isaiah i. 14 — 16, 18. f Psalm cxis. I?.
X 'OpoXoyovjiivoi;, J Psalm Ixxiii. I.
jl Matt. V. 8.

5 10 THEOLOGICAL LECTUft.ES.
blessed for ever, has once for afl shed his blood upon earth, in order
to purify us, and daily pours out his Spirit from heaven upon us, for
the same purpose.
But to consider the matter, as it is in itself, where is the person
that does not, even by the force of natural instinct, disdain filth and
Hastiness, or at least prefer to it purity and neatness of body? Now,
as the soul greatly excels the body, so much the raore desirable is it,
that it should be found in a state of beauty and purity. In like raan
ner, were we to travel a journey, who would not prefer a plain and
clean way to one that were rough and dirty ? But the way of life,
which is not the case in other matters, will be altogether such as you
would have it or choose to raake it. With God's assistance, and the
influence of His grace, a good man is at pains to purify his own way ;
but raen of an irapure and beastiy disposition, who delight to wallow
in the raire, may always easily obtain their sordid wish. But I
hope that you, disdaining such a brutish indignity, will, in preference
to every thing else, give your raost serious attention to this inquiry,
by what raeans even young raen and boys raay purify their way, and,
avoiding the dirty paths ofthe coraraon sort of raankind, walk in such
as are raore pleasant and agreeable.
2. Observe, that purity is not such an easy raatter that it raay fall
by chance in the way of those that are not in quest of it, but a work
of great art and industry. Hence you may also learn, that the way,
even of young raen or boys*, stands very much in need of this careful
attention. It is indeed true, that, in sorae respect, the reforraation of
youth is easier and sooner accomplisfied, in that they are not accus
tomed to sharaeful and wicked ways, nor confirmed in sinful fiabits ;
but there are other regards wherein it is more difficult to reduce that
period of life to purity, particularly as it is raore strongly irapressed
with the outward objects that surround it, and easily disposed to ira
bibe the very worst: the exaraples and incitements to vice beset youth
in greater abundance, and those of that age are raore apt to fall in
with thera.
But whatever raay be said of the easiness or difficulty of reforraing
youtfi and childhood, it is evident from this question, which, without
doubt, is proposed with wisdom and seriousness, that this matter is
within the verge of possibility, and ofthe number of such as are fit to
be atterapted. Youth is not so headstrong, nor childhood so foolish,
but by proper raeans they can be bent and forraed to virtue and piety.
Notwithstanding the irregular desires and forwardness of youth, and
that madness whereby they are hurried to forbidden enjoyments, there
are words and expressions that can soothe this irapetuosity, even such,
that by them youth can tame and compose itself. By attending io itself
and its ways, according to Thy word : that matchless word, which
contains all those particular words and expressions, not only that are
proper to purify and quiet all the raotions and affections of the soul,
but also, by a certain Divine power, are wonderfully efficacious for
that purpose. And what was said of old concerning Sparta and its
discipline, may be, with much greater truth, asserted of the Divine
* The Hebrew word used in the text, properly signifies a boy.

OF PURITY OF LIFE. 51 1
Law and true religion, viz., that it had a surprising power to tame
a?id subdue Tiiankind*, And this leads us directiy to the answer of
the question in the text : Dy attending thereto according to Thy
word. This is not, therefore, to be done according to our philosophy, but
according io Thy u-ord, O Eternal Light, Truth, and Purity ! The
philosophy of the heathens, it is true, contains some raoral instructions
and precepts that are by no raeans despicable ; but this is only so far
as they are agreeable to the word of God and the Divine Law, though
the philosophers themselves knew nothing of it. But the only perfect
system of moral philosophy, that ought to be universally received, is
the doctrine of Christianity. This the ancient fathers of the primitive
Church have asserted, and fully proved, to the honour ofour religion.
But those who spend their lives in the study of philosophy, can neither
reform themselves nor others, if nature be but a little obstinate ; and
their wisdom, when it does its utraost, rather conceals vices, than
eradicates thera ; but the Divine precepts make so great a change
upon the man, and, subduing his old habits, so reforra hira, that you
would not know hira to be the same. If any of you, then, aspire to
this purity of raind and way, you raust, with all possible care, conform
yourself, and every thing about you, to the instructions and precepts
of this Divine word. Nor think this a hard saying ; for the study of
purity has nothing iu it that is unpleasant or disagreeable, unless you
think it a g-rievance to becorae like unto God.
Consider now, young raen, nay, you who, without offence, will suffer
yourselves to be called boys ; consider, I say, wherein consists that
true wisdora which deserves to be pursued with the raost earnest study
and application, and whereby, if you will, you raay far exceed those
that are your superiors in years. Be ambitious to attain the advantage
raentioned in the text, and consequently the condition upon which it
depends, for they are inseparably connected together. ReconcUe
your rainds to a strict attention to your ways, according to the Divine
word ; and by this raeans, (which is a very rare attainraent,) you
will reconcile youth, and even chfldhood, to the purity here recora
mended. Account the Divine word and precepts preferable to your
dafly food ; yea, let them be dearer to you than your eyes, and even
than life itself.
LECTURE XXIV.
Before ihe Communion.
It is the advice ofthe wise man, " DweU at horae," or, with yourself;
and though there are very few that do this, yet it is surprising that the
greatest part of mankind cannot be prevafled upon, at least fo visit
themselves sometimes ; but, according to the saying of the wise Solo
mon, The eyes of ihe fool are in the ends of the earth. It is the
peculiar property of the human mind, and its signal privilege, to
reflect upon itself; yet we, foofisfily neglecting tfiis most valuable
* AxfiXfftfiSfOToy,

512 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
gift conferred upon us by our Creator, and the great ornament of our
nature, spend our lives in a brutish thoughtlessness. Were a raan,
not only to turn in upon hiraself, carefully to search and exaraine his
own heart, and daily endeavour to improve it more and more in purity,
but also to excite others with whom he conversed, to this laudable
practice, by seasonable advice and affecting exhortations, he would
certainly think himself very happy in these exercises. Now, though
this expedient is never unseasonable, yet, it will be particularly proper
on such an occasion as this, to try it upon yourselves ; as you are not
ignorant, that it is the great apostolical rule witfi respect to all who
are called to celebrate the Divine mysteries. Lei every man exa7nine
himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
1 Cor. xi. 28.
I do not here intend a full explication of this raystery, but only to
put you in mind, that, in order to a saving use and participation
thereof, a twofold judgment must of necessity be forraed ; the first
with respect to our own souls, and the other, to that of the Lord's
body. "These the Apostle considers as closely connected together,
and therefore expresses both by the sarae word. The trial we are to
make of ourselves, is indeed expressed by the word ioKipia^eiv, which
sig-nifies to prove, or to try ; but iraraediately after, he expresses it by
judging ourselves, [Ee' rydp iavrovs Sie/cpt'vop.eu,] For if we would judge
ourselves, &c. Whereas, in the preceding verses, he had raentioned the
other judgraent to be forraed, and expressed it by the sarae word
[^laKpi'veiv,] which signifies to judge or discern : [M?^ ^laicpivwv to awfia
TOV Kvp'i!ov,] Not discerning the Lord's body. And this is that which
renders a vast raany unworthy of so great an honour ; they approach
this heavenly feast without forraing a right judgraent either of thera
selves or of it. But, that' we forra a judgment of ourselves, it is
necessary that we first bring ourselves to an irapartial trial : and, to
be sure, I should much rather advise you to this inward self-exaraina
tion, and heartily wish I could persuade you to it, than that you should
content yourselves with a lifeless trial of your raemory, by repeating
corapositions on this subject.
Con.sider with yourselves, I pray, and tllink seriously, wfiat raad
ness, what unaccountable folly it is, to trifle with the raajesty of tfie
Most Higli God, and to offer to Infinite Wisdom the sacrifices of
distraction and folly? Shall we who are but insignificant worms, tfius
provoke the Almighty King to jealousy, as if fie were stronger than He,
and of purpose, run our heads, as it were, against tliat Power, the
sfightest touch whereof would crush us to dust ? Do we not know,
that the sarae God who is an enlivening and saving light to all that
worship with hurable piety, is, nevertheless, a consuming fire to all
the irapious and profane, who pollute his sacrifices witli irapure hearts
and unclean hands ? And that those especially, who have been
eraployed in His Church, and in the Divine offices, yet have not expe
rienced His influence as a pure and shining light, will unavoidably feel
Hira as a flaming fire ? Let His saints rejoice and exult before God,
for this He not only allows, but even commands : yet, let even tfiose
of them who have rnade the greatest advances in holiness, remember,
that this holy and .spiritual joy is to be joined with holy fear and

EXHORTATION BEFORE THE COMMUNION. 513
trembling : nay, the greater progress they have made in holiness, the
more deeply will they feel this irapressed upon their minds, so that
they can by no raeans forget it, " "The great Eye is over us, let us be
afraid*." Great is our God, and holy : even the angels worship Hira.
Let His saints approach Hira, but with huraility and fear ; but, as for
the slothful and those that are iraraersed in guilt, who securely and
with pleasure indulge theraselves in impure affections, let them not
dare to come near. Yet if there are any, let their guilt and pollution
be ever so great, who find arising within them a hearty aversion to
their own irapurity, and an earnest desire after holiness ; behold,
there is opened for you a living and pure fountain, most effectual for
cleansing and washing away all sorts of stains, as well as for refreshing
languishing and thirsty souls. And He who is the living and never-
failing fountain of purity and grace, encourages, calls, and exhorts
you to come to Hira. Come unto me, all ye ihat are athirst, &c.
And again. All thai ihe Father giveth me, shall come unto me ; and
him that cometh unto me, I will by no means reject or casi out.
John vi. 37.
Ask yourselves, therefore, what you would be at, and with what
dispositions you corae to this raost Sacred Table. Say, Whither art
thou going, and what seekest thou, O ray soul ? For it would be an
instance ofthe most extravagant sloth and folly, to set about a matter
of so great importance, and so serious, without any end, without the
prospect of any advantage, and therefore without any serious turn of
mind, or as one doing nothing. Yet this is the case of vast nurabers
that meet together in Divine asserablies, and at this holy sacraraent.
Is it any wonder, that those should find notfiing, who absolutely have
nothing in view ; and that be who is bound for no harbour, should
meet with no favourable wind? They give theraselves up to the
torrent of custora, and steer not their course to any particular port,
but fluctuate and know not whither they are carried ; or, if they are
alarraed with any sting of conscience, it is only a kind of inconsiderate
and irregular motion, and reaches no farther than the exterior surfacn
of sacred institutions. But as for you who, according to the expression
ofthe angels, seek Jesus, fear not; you wfll certainly find fiira, and ie
him all things. For it hath pleased ihe Father, that in him all
fulness shall dwell. Col. i. 10. So that in him there is no vacuity,
and without hira, nothing else but eraptiness and vanity. Let us em
brace hira, therefore, with our whole hearts, and on him alone let us
depend and rely.
Let his death, which we coraraemorate by this raystery, extinguish
in us all worldly affections. May we feel his Divine power working
us into a conformity to his saciled image ; and having our strength,
as it were, renewed by his means, let us travel towards our heavenly
country, constantly following hira with a resolute and accelerated
pace. The concern of purifying the heart in good earnest, taking proper
measures for conforming the life to the rules of the Gospel, is equally
incumbent upon all. For this is the great and true design of all
• "Op./i« fiiya T^op.iupii,
Vol. II. 2 L

S14 THEOLOGICAL LECTURES.
Divine worship, and of all religious institutions ; though the greatel;
part of raankind satisfy theraselves with the outward surface of thera,
and therefore catch nothina: but shadows in religion itself, as well as
in the other concerns of life. We have public prayers and soleran
sacraments : yet, if araidst all these, one sfiould look for the true and
lively characters of Christian faith, or in tfie vast numbers that attend
these institutions, he should search for those that, in the course of
their lives, approve tfiemselves tfie true foUowers of their great Master,
he would find reason to compare them to a " few persons swiraraing
at a great distance frora one another, in a vast ocean*.
It has been observed long ago by one, " that in Rorae itself he had
found nothing of Romet;" which with too great truth, might be
applied to refigion, about which we raake so great a bustie at present;
there is scarcely any thing at all of religion in it, unless we imagine
that religion consists of words, as a grove does of trees. For, if we
suppose it lies in tfie mortification of sin, unfeigned huraflity, brotherly
charity, and a noble conterapt ofthe world and the flesh, whither has
it gone, and left us ? As for you, young gentieraen, if you would
apply to this raatter in good earnest, you must, of necessity, bestow
some time and pains upon it, and not fondly dream, that such great
advantages can be met with by chance, or in consequence ofa negli
gent and superficial inquiry. If we are to alter tfie course of our life
for the time to corae, we raust look narrowly into our conduct during
the preceding part of it ; for the raeasures to be taken for the future,
are, in a great degree, suggested by what is past. He acts wisely,
and is a happy raan, who frequently, nay, daily reviews his words and
actions : because he will doubtless perform the same duty with greater
ease, and to better purpose, when he is called to it with raore than
ordinary soleranity. And, therefore, they who have experienced how
pleasant this work is, and what a raixture of utifity is joined witfi this
pleasure, wiU apply to it with a cheerful raind, whenever opportunity
requires it. As to others, they must of necessity set about it some
time or other : I say of necessity, if I ara allowed to say it is necessary
to avoid the wrath to corae, and to obtain peace and salvation. Re
pentance may possibly appear a laborious and unpleasant work to our
indolence, and io repent, raay seem a harsh expression : to perish how
ever is still more harsh ; but a sinful man has no other cfioice. Our,
Lord, who is Truth itself, being acquainted with the cruel execution
perforraed by Herod upon the Galileans, takes this opportunity to
declare to his hearers, that unless they repented, they shoTild all likewise
perish, Luke xiii. 3. The Saviour of the world, it is true, came for
tfiis very purpose, that he might save those that were miserable and
lost, from the fatal necessity of being utterly undone ; but he never
intended to take away the happy and pleasant necessity of repentance:
nay, he strengthened the obligation to it, and imposed it as a duty
inseparably connected with grace and happiness. And this connexion,
he not only preached in expressions to the same purpose with his fore
runner, John the Baptist, but even in the very same words : Repe7itye,
* Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto. .^ik"
t Se in Roma, Komae nihil invenisse.

EXHORTATION BEFORE THE COMMUNION'. 515
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, jNIatt. iv. 7. And in another
place, having told us, that he carae 7iot to call the righteous, hut sinners.
Matt. ix. 13, he iraraediately adds, to what he called those sinners;
not to a liberty of indulging theraselves in sin, but, frora sin to re
pentance. His blood which was shed on the cross, is indeed a balsara
more precious than all the balra of Gilead and Arabia, and all the oint-
raents of the whole world ; but it is solely intended for curing the
contrite in heart.
But alas ! that gross ignorance of God that overclouds our raind, is
the great and the unhappy cause of all the guilt we have contracted,
and of that irapenitence which engages us to continue in it. Had
raen but the least knowledge how disagreeable and hateful all sinful
pollution renders us to His eternal and infinite purity ; and, on the
other hand, what a likeness to Hira we attain bv fiofiness, and how
araiable we are thereby rendered in His sight; they would look upon
this as the only valuable attainment, they would pursue it with the
most vigorous efforts of their minds, and would make it their constant
studv day and night ; that, according to the divine advice of the
Apostle, being cleansed from all filthiness ofthe fiesh and spirit, they
might perfect holiness in ihe fear of God. 2 Cor. vii. 9.

2 L 2

516

AN

EXHORTATION TO THE STUDENTS,
UPON THEIR RETURN TO THE UNIVERSITY
AFTER THE VACATION.
We are at last returned, and sorae are for the first tirae brought hither
by that Supreme Hand which holds the reins of tins vast universe,
which rules the storray winds and swelling sea, and distributes peace
and war to nations according to its pleasure. The great Lord of the
universe, and Father of mankind, whfle He rules the world with
absolute sway, does not despise this little flock, provided we look up
unto Him, and humbly pray, that we may feel the favourable effects
of His presence and bounty : nay. He will not disdain to dwell within
us, and in our hearts, unless we, through folly, and ignorance ofour
true happiness, shut the door against Hira when he offers to corae in.
He is the Most High, yet, has chosen the humble beart for the raost
agreeable place of his residence on this earth : but the proud and
haughty, who look with disdain on their inferiors. He, on His part,
despises, and beholds, as it were, afar off. He is most holy, and dwells
in no hearts but such as are purged frora the dross of earthly affec
tions ; and that these maybe holy, and re-aUy capable of receiving His
sacred Majesty, they raust of necessity be purified. Know ye not, says
the divine Apostle, that you, even your bodies, are the temples of the
Holy Ghost, and therefore are to be preserved pure and holy ? I Cor.
vi. 19. But the mind that dwells within them, raust be still more
holy, as being the priest that, with constant and unwearied piety, offers
up the sacrifices and sweet incense of pious affections, cheerful obe
dience, ardent prayers, and divine praises, to the Deity of that teraple.
Of your studies and exotic learning, I intend not to say rauch. The
knowledge, I own, that men of letters, who are the most indefatigable
in study, and have the advantage ofthe greatest abilities, can possibly
attain to, is at best but very small. But since the knowledge of lan
guages and sciences, however inconsiderable it raay be, is the business
of this society of ours, and of that period of years you are to pass here,
let us do, I pray, as the Hebrews express it, "the work of the day
while the day lasts *;" " for time slips silently away, and every suc
ceeding hour is attended with greater disadvantages than that which
went before it f."
Study to acquire such a philosophy as is not barren and babbling,
* Opus diei in die suo.
t Tempus nam taciturn submit, horaque
Semper prieteritS deterior subit.

EXHORTATION TO THE STUDENTS. 517,
but sofid and true ; not such a one as floats upon the surface of endless
verbal controversies, but one that enters into the nature of things: for
he spoke good sense, who said, " The phflosophy ofthe Greeks was a
mere jargon and noise of words *."
You who are engaged in philosophical inquiries, ought to remeraber
in the mean while, that you are not so strictly confined to that study,
but you may, at the same tirae, becorae proficients in elocution ; and,
indeed, it is proper you should. I would therefore have you to apply.
to both these studies with equal attention, that so you may not only
attain some knowledge of nature, but also be in condition to comrauni
cate your sentiments with ease, upon those subjects you understand,
and clothe your thoughts with words and expressions ; without Which,
all your knowledge wfll differ but very little frora buried ignorance.
In joining these two studies together, you have not only reason for
your guide, but also Aristotle hiraself for your exaraple ; for we are
told, that it was his custom to walk up and down in the school in the
morning, teaching philosophy, particularly those speculative and more
obscure points which in that age were called rationes acroamaiiciB ;
and thus he was eraployed till the hour appointed for anointing, and
going to exercise t; but, after dinner, he applied to the raore enter
taining arts of persuasion, and raade his scholars declaira upon such
subjects as he appointed thera.
But to return to ray own province ; for, to say the truth, I reckon all
other things foreign to ray purpose ; whatever you do with regard to
other studies, give always tfie preference to sacred Cfiristian pfiilo
sophy, which is, indeed, the chief philosophy, and has the pre-erainence
over every other science, because it holds Christ to be The Head %, in
whom aU, tlie treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid. Col. ii. 3, 9.
This, the Apostie tells us, was not the case of those false Christians in
his time, whose philosophy regarded only sorae idle superstitions and
vain observations. Cultivate, therefore, I say, this sacred wisdora sent
down frora Heaven. Let this be your raain study; for its raysteries
are the raost profound, its precepts the raost pure, and, at the sarae
time, the raost pleasant. In this study, a weak understanding will be
no disadvantage, if you have but a willing mind and ardent desires.
Here, if any where, the observation holds, " That if you love learning,
you cannot fail to raake great progress therein §." For sorae who
have applied with great industry to huraan philosophy, have found it
to be fike a disdainful raistress, and lost their labour ; but Divine phi
losophy invites and encourages even those ofthe meanest parts.
And, indeed, it raay be no small comfort and relief to young raen of
slow capacities, who raake but little progress in huraan sciences, even
when they apply to thera with the raost excessive labour and difigence,
that this heavenly doctrine, though it be the raost exalted in its own
nature, is not only accessible to those of the lowest and meanest parts,
but they are cheerfully adraitted to it, graciously received, preferred to
those that are proud of their learning, and very often advanced to
-^ ^tXoffotptx'EXXyivojy Xoy&jy -.poipos,
+ Mix^t TOU dXi'tp-XTOS,
X '^S Xi^xX-ZiV XpdTi7,
^ 'E«v Yis ^iXopaHs, eV?) woXvpx^Ti^, Isoc. ad Pern, ^, ,

5l8. EXHORTATION TO THE STUDENTS.
higher degrees of knowledge therein ; according to that of the Psalmist,
The law ofthe Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the entrance of His
word giveth light; it giveth also understanding unto ihe simple, Psal.
cxix. 130. You, therefore, whom some very forward youths leave far
behind in other studies, take courage ; and to wipe off this stain, if it
be one, and corapensate this discourageraent, make this your refuge :
you cannot possibly arrive at an equal pitch of eloquence or phi
losophy with sorae others, but what hinders you, I pray, from being
as pious, as modest, as meek and hurable, as holy and pure in heart,
as any other person whatever ? And by this means, in a very short
tirae, you will be corapletely happy in the enjoyment of God, and live
for ever in the blessed society of angels and spirits of just men made
perfect. But if you want to make a fiappy progress in this wisdora, you must,
to be sure, declare war against all the lusts of the world and the flesh,
which enervate your minds, weaken your strength, and deprive you of
all disposition and fitness for imbibing this pure and iraraaculate
doctrine. How stupid is it to catch so greedily at advantages so
vanishing and fleeting in their nature, if, indeed, they can be called
advantages at all ; " advantages that are carried hither and thither,
hurried from place to place by the uncertainty of their nature, and often
fly away before they can be possessed *.'' An author reraarkable for
his attainraents in religion, justly cries out, " O ! what peace and
tranquillity might he possess, who could be prevailed upon to cut off
all vain anxiety, and only think ofthose things that are ofa Divine and
saving nature t!" Peace and tranqufl lity is, without doubt, what we
all seek after, yet, there are very few that know the way to it, though
it be quite plain and open. It is, indeed, no wonder that the blind who
wander about without a guide, should mistake the plainest and most
open path ; but we have an infallible guide, and a most valiant leader.
Let us foUow him alone ; for he that treadeth in his steps, can never
walk in darkness. Let us pray.
O ! INVINCIBLE God, who seest all things ! Eternal Liglit, before
whora all darkness is figfit, andin comparison with whom, every other
ligfit is but darkness ! The weak eyes of our understanding cannot
bear the open and full rays of Thy inaccessible light; and yet, without
some glimpses of that light from heaven, we can never direct our
steps, nor proceed towards that country which is the habitation of
light. May it therefore please Thee, O Father of lights, to send forth
,Tfiy ligfit and Thy truth, that they raay lead us directiy to Thy holy
mountain. Thou art good, and the fountain of goodness ; give us
understanding, that we may keep Thy precepts. That part of our past
lives, which we have lost in pursuing shadov,rs, is enough, and indeed
too much : bring back our souls into the paths of fife, and let the
wonderful sweetness thereof, which far exceeds all the pleasures of
* Ty. dvaj xat xdriP <pi^OfXiva, xa) 'stn^iT^iTTof/.iVK, xx) Z!rp)v X-.j(p4?7Vxt, x^tevTX.
t 0 qui omnem vanain solicitudinem amputaret, et salutaria duntaxat ac divina
cogitaret, quantam quietem et pacem possideret !

EXHORTATION TO THE STUDENTS. 519
this earth, powerfully, yet pleasantly, preserve us from being drawn
aside therefrora by any teraptation frora sin or the world. Purify, we
pray Thee, our souls from all impure imaginations, tiiat Thy most
beautiful and holy, iraage raay be again renewed within us, and, by
contemplating Thy glorious perfections, we may feel daily improved
within us that Divine similitude, the perl'ection whereof we hope wfll
at last raake us for ever happy in that full and beatific vision we aspire
after. Till this most blessed day break, and the shadows fly away, l^t
Thy Spirit be continually witii us, and may we feel the powerful effects
of His Divine grace constantly directing and supporting our steps ;
that all our endeavours, not only in this society, but throughout the
whole remaining part of our lives, may serve to proraote the honour
of Thy blessed narae, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

520

EXHORTATIONS

CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER
OF ARTS,
IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH.

EXHORTATION I.

Were I aflowed to speak freely what I sincerely think of most of the
affairs of human life, even those that are accounted of the highest im
portance, and transacted with the greatest eagerness and bustle, I
should be apt to say, Magno conatu magnas nugas, — that a great noise
is raade about trifles. But if you should take this araiss, as a little
unseasonable upon the present occasion, and an insult upon your so
leranity, I hope you will the raore easfly forgive rae, tfiat I place in the
sarae rank with this philosophical convention of yours, the most
famous councils and general assemblies of princes and great men ; and
say of their golden crowns, as well as your crowns of laurel, that they
are 'K.a.rrvod oKias ovic au wpiaipi^v — things of 110 value, and not worth the
purchasing. Even the triumphal, inaugural, or nuptial processions of
the greatest kings and generals of arraies, with whatever porap and
magnificence, as well as art, they raay be set off, they are, after all, so
far true representations of their false, painted, and tinsel happiness,
that, while we look at thera, they fly away; and, in a very short tirae,
they are followed by their funeral processions, which are the triuraphs
of death over those who have, theraselves, triumphed during theirlives.
The scenes are shifted, the actors also disappear ; and, in the same
manner, the greatest shows of this vain world likewise pass away. Let
us, that we may lop off the luxuriant branches of our vines, take a
nearer view of this object, and remeraber, that what we now call a
laurel crown, will soon be followed by cypress wreaths. It will be
also proper to consider how raany, who, in their tirae, were eraployed
as we are now, have long ago acted their parts, and are now consigned
to a long oblivion ; as also, what vast nurabers of the rising generation
are following us at the heels, and, as it were, pushing us forward to
the sarae land of forgetfulness! who, while they are hurrying us away,
are at the sarae tirae hastening thither themselves. All that we see,
all that we do, and all that we are, are but raere drearas ; and if we
are not sensible of this truth, it is because we are still asleep: none
but rainds that are awake can discern it ; they, and they only, can
perceive and despise these tp-n-al'ipLa-a — illusions ofthe night. In the
mean time, nothing hinders us frora subraitting to these, and other such
custoraary forraalities, provided our doing it interfere not with matters
of much greater importance, and prospects of a different and more

EXHORTATION I. 521
exalted nature. What is it, pray, to which with the most ardent
wishes, you have been aspiring throughout the whole course of these
last four years ? Here you have a cap and a title, and nothing at all
more. But perhaps taking this araiss, you secretly blame rae in your hearts,
and wish rae to congratulate you upon the honour you have obtained.
I cheerfully coraply with your desire, and ara willing to explain my
self. These small presents are not the principal reward of your
labours, nor the chief end of your studies ; but honorary raarks and
badges of that erudition and knowledge wherewith your rainds have
been stored by the uninterrupted labours of four whole years. But
whatever attainraents in learning you have reached, I would have you
seriously to reflect, how inconsiderable they are, and how little they
differ from nothing. Nay, if what we know, is compared with what
we know not, it will be found even vastly less than nothing : at least,
it is an argument of little knowledge, and the sign of a vain and
weak raind, to be puffed up with an overbearing opinion of our own
knowledge ; while, on the contrary, it is an evidence of a great pro
ficiency in knowledge to be sensible of our ignorance and inability.
" He is the wisest man,'' says Plato, " who knows hiraself to be very
fll qualified for the attainment of wisdom *.'' Whatever be in this,
we often find the sciences and arts whicfi you cultivate, to be useless
and entirely barren, with regard to the advantages of life ; and,
generally speaking, those other professions that are illiterate and
illiberal, nay, even unlawful, raeet with better treatment, and greater
encouragement than what we call the liberal arts. "He that ventures
upon the sea, is enriched by his voyages ; he that engages in war,
glitters witfi gold ; the mean parasite lies drunk on a rich bed ; and
even he who endeavours to corrupt married women is rewarded for
his villany. Learning alone starves in tattered rags, and invokes the
abandoned arts in vainf."
But as soraetiraes the learned raeet with a better fate, you, young gen
tleraen, I iraagine, entertain better hopes with regard to your fortune,
nor would I discourage thera; yet, I would gladly moderate them a
little by this wholesome advice ; lean not upon a broken reed, neither
let any one who values his peace, his real dignity, and his satisfaction,
give himself up to hopes that are uncertain, frail, and deceitful. The
human race are, perhaps, the only creatures that by this raeans be
corae a torraent to theraselves ; for, as we always grasp at futurity,
we vainly promise ourselves many and great things, in which, as cora
monly happens, being for the most part disappointed, we must, of ne
cessity, pay for our foolish pleasure with a proportionate degree of pain.
Thus, the greatest part of mankind find tfie wfiole of this wretched
life chequered with delusive joys and real torraents, ill-grounded hopes
* OvTOS ffOfOTXTOS 'offTtS 'iyVOIXiV OTt oU^iVOS X^lOg 'iffTi -JT^OS ffOtplxy. PhilO. apol. SoCr,
t Qui pelago credit, magno se foenore tolUt:
Qui pugnas et castra petit, prEecingitur auro :
Vilis adulator picto jacet ebrius ostro;
Et qui soUicitat nuptas, ad praemia peccat.
Sola pruinosis horret facundia pannis,
Atque inopi lingua desertas iiivoqat artes.

522 EXHORTATION I.
and fears equally imaginary : amidst these, we live in continual sus
pense, and die so too.
But a few, alas ! a few only, yet sorae, who think more justiy,
having set their hearts upon heavenly enjoyments, take pleasure in
despising with a proper greatness of raind, and trampling upon the
fading enjoyraents of this world. These raake it their only study, and
exert their utraost efforts that, having the raore Divine part of their
coraposition weaned from the world and the flesh, they may be brought
to a reserablance and union with the holy and suprerae God, the
Father of spirits, by purity, piety, and an habitual conteraplation of
Divine objects. And this, to be sure, is the principal thing, with a
noble arabition whereof I would have your minds inflamed ; and
whatever profession or raanner of life you devote yourselves to, it is
my earnest exhortation and request, that you would raake this your
constant and principal study. Fly, if you have any regard to ray
advice, fly far frora that controversial, contentious school-divinity,
which, in fact, consists in fruitless disputes about words, and rather
deserves the narae of vain and foolisfi talking.
Alraost all raankind are constantly catching at soraething raore than
they possess, and torment themselves in vain. Nor is our rest to be
found araong these enjoyraents of the world, where all things are
covered with a deluge of vanity, as with a flood of fluctuating, restless
waters ; and the soul flying about, looking in vain for a place on which
it may set its foot, raost unhappfly loses its time, its labour, and itself
at last ; like the birds in the days of the Flood, which, " having long
sought for land, till their strength was quite exhausted, fell down at
last, and perished in the waters *."
O ! how greatly preferable to these bushes, and briers, and thorns,
are the delightful fields of the Gospel, wherein pleasure and profit are
agreeably raixed together, whence you may learn the way to everlast
ing peace ; that poverty of spirit which is the only true riches, that
purity of heart which is our greatest beauty, and that inexpressible
satisfaction which attends the exercise of charity, humility, and meek
ness ! When your minds are stored and adorned with these graces,
they will enjoy the raost pleasant tranquillity, even amidst the noise
and tumults of this present life ; and you will be, to use the words of
Tertullian, candidates for eternity ; a title infinitely more glorious and
sublime, than what has been this day conferred upon you. And that
great and last day, which is so rauch dreaded by the slaves of this
present world, will be the most happy and auspicious to you ; as it will
deliver you from a dark, disraal prison, and place you in the regions
ofthe raost full and marvellous light.
Let us pray.
Most exalted God, who hast alone created, and dost govern this whole
frame, and all the inhabitants thereof, visible and invisible, whose
narae is alone wonderful, and to be celebrated with the highest praise,
as it is indeed above all praise and adrairation. Let the heavens, the
earth, and all the eleraents, praise Thee. Let darkness, light, all the
* Quassitisque diu terris ubi sistere detur,
¦ In mare lassatis volucris-vaga-decidit alis.

EXHORTATION I. 523
returns of days and years, and all thevarieties and vicissitudes of things,
jiraise Thee. Let the angels praise Thee, the archangels, and all the
blessed court of heaven, whose very happiness it is, that they are con
stantly employed in celebrating Thy praises. We confess, O Lord,
that we are of all creatures the most unworthy to praise Thee, yet, of
all others, we are under the greatest obligations to do it : nay, the
more unworthy we are, our obligation is so much the greater. From
this duty, however unqualified we raay be, we can by no means ab
stain, nor, indeed, ought we. Let our souls bless Thee, and all that
is within us praise Trhy holy name, who forgivest all our sins, and
healest all our diseases, wfio deliverest our souls from destruction,
and crownest tfiem witfi bounty and tender mercies. Thou searchest
the fieart, O Lord, and perfectly knowest the raost intiraate recesses of
it : reject not those prayers which Thou perceivest to be the voice and
the wishes of the heart. Now, it is the great request of our hearts,
unless they always deceive us, that they raay be weaned from all
earthly and perishing enjoyments ; and if there is any thing to which
they cleave with more than ordinary force, may they be pulled away
from it by Thy Alraighty hand, that they raay be joined to Thee for
ever in an inseparable raarriage-covenant. And in our own behalf,
we have nothing raore to ask. We only add, in behalf of Thy Church,
that it raay be protected under the shadow of Thy wings, and every
where, throughout the world, watered by Thy heavenly dew, that the
spirit and heat of worldly hatred against it may be cooled, and its
intestine divisions, whereby it is rauch more grievously scorched, ex
tinguished. Bless this Nation, this City, aud this University, in
which we beg thou wouldest be pleased to reside, as in a garden dedi
cated to Thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Araen.

EXHORTATION II.
Would you have me to speak the truth with freedom and brevity?
The whole world is a kind of stage, and its inhabitants mere actors.
As to this little farce of yours, it is now very near a conclusion, and
you are upon tfie point of applying to the spectators for their applause.
Should any supercfliously decfine paying tfiis smaU tribute, [epavou]
you surely may, with great ease, retort their conterapt upon them
selves, merely by saying. Let your severity fail heavy on those who
admire their own perforraances : as to this affair of ours, we know it
is nothing at all. For I will not allow rayself to doubt but you are
very sensible, that there is indeed nothing in it.
It would, to be sure, be very iraproper, especially as the evening
approaches, to detain you, and ray other hearers, with a long and
tedious discourse, when you are already more tfian enough fatigued,
and alraost quite tired out v/ith hearing. 1 shall therefore only put you
in mind of one thing, and that in a few words. Let not this soleran
toy [e'pTrat^/p.a], however agreeable to youthful minds, so far impose
upon you, as to set you a dreaming of great advantages and pleasures
to be met with in this new period of life you are entering upon. Look
round you, if you please, and take a near and exact survey of all the

524 EXHORTATION II.
different stations of life that are set before you. If you enter upon any
of the stations of active life, wfiat is this but jumping into a bush of
thorns, where you can have no hope of enjoying quiet, and yet cannot
easily get out again ? But if you rather choose to enter upon some
new branch of science, alas ! what a sraall raeasure of knowledge is to
be thus obtained, with what vast labour is even that little to be pur-
cfiased, and liow often, after iraraense toil and difficulty, will it be
found, that Truth is still at a distance, and not yet extracted out of
the well *- We indeed believe that the soul breathed into man, when
he was first made, was pure, full of figfit, and every way worthy of its
Divine original. But ah ! the Father of raankind, how soon, and how
much was he changed frora what he was at first! He foolishly gave
ear to the fatal seducer, and that very moment was seized upon by
death, whereby he at once lost his purity, his light, or truth, and,
together with himself, ruined us also.
Now, since that period, what do you coraraonly meet wfth among
men of wisdom and learning, as they would wish to be accounted, but
figfiting and bickering in tfie dark ? And while they dispute, with the
greatest heat, but at random, concerning the Truth, that 'Truth escapes
out of their hands, and instead of it, both parties put up with vain
shadows or phantoras of it, and, according to the proverb, erabrace a
cloud instead of Juno.
But since we are forced to own, that even the raost eonteraptible
and minutest things in nature, often put all our philosophical subtiety
to a nonplus, what ignorance and foolisfi presuraption is it for us to
aira at ransacking the most hidden recesses of Divine things, and
boldly attempt to scan the Divine decrees, and the other most pro
found raysteries of religion, by the iraperfect and scanty raeasures of
our understandings ! Whither would the presuraption of man hurry
hira, while it prorapts hira to pry into every secret and hidden thing,
and leave nothing at all unatterapted !
As for you, young gentleraen, especially those of you that intend to
devote yourselves to theological studies, it is ray earnest advice and
request to you, that you fly far from that infectious curiosity which
would lead you into the depths of that controversial, contentious theo
logy, which if any doctrine at all deserves the name, may be truly
termed, science falsely so called. And that you may not, in this
respect, be imposed upon by the common reputation of acuteness and
learning, I confidentiy affirm, that to understand and be master of
those trifling disputes that prevail in the schools, is an evidence ofa
very mean understanding ; while, on the contrary, it is an arguraent
ofa genius truly great, entirely to slight and despise thera, and to
walk in the light of pure and peaceable truth, wfiicfi is far above the
dark and cloudy region of controversial disputes. But you will say.
It is necessary, in order to the defence of truth, to oppose errors, and
blunt the weapons of sophists. Be it so; but our disputes ought to
be raanaged with few words, for naked truth is raost effectual for its
own defence, and when it is once well understood, its natural Ught
dispels all the darkness of error. For aU things ihat art reproved,
* 'Ex TOV (ivhv h xXn^tix?

EXHORTATION II. 525
are made manifest by the light, saith the Apostie. Your favourite
philosopher has also told us, " That what is straight, discovers both
rectitude and obliquity." And Cleraens Alexandrinus has very justiy
observed, " That the ancient philosophers were not greatly disposed
to disputes or doubting; but the latter philosophers araong the
Greeks, out of a vain desire to enhance their reputation, engaged so
far in wrangling and contention, that their works became quite use
less and trifling *."
There is but one useful controversy or dispute, one sort of war, raost
noble in its nature, and most worthy of a Christian, and this, not to be
carried on against enemies at a great distance, but such as are bred
within our own breasts : against those, it is most reasonable to wage
an endless war, and them itis our duty to persecute to death. Let us
all, children, young raen, and old, exert ourselves vigorously in this
warfare. Let our vices die before us, that death may not find us in
dolent, defiled, and wallowing in the mire ; for then it will be raost
tmly, and to our great raisery, death to us : whereas, to those sancti
fied souls who are conforraed to Christ, and conquerors by his raeans,
it rather is to be called life, as it delivers tfiera from their wanderings
and vices, from all kinds of evils, and from that death which is final
and eternal. Let us pray.
Eternal God, who art constantly adored by thrones and powers, by
Seraphims and cherubiras, we confess that Thou art raost worthy to be
praised ; but we, of all others, are the raost unworthy to be eraployed
in shewing forth Thy praise. How can polluted bodies, and irapure
souls, which, taken together, are nothing but mere sinks of sin, praise
Thee, the pure and holy Majesty of heaven? Yet, how can these
bodies which Thou hast wonderfully forraed, and these souls which
Thou hast inspired, which owe entirely to Thine unraerited favour, all
that they are, all that they possess, and all they hope for, forbear
praising Thee, their wise and bountiful Creator and Father ? Let our
souls, therefore, and all that is within us, bless Thy holy narae : yea,
let all our bones say, O Lord, who is like unto Thee ; who is like
unto Thee? Far belt, raost gracious Father, frora our hearts, to
harbour any thing that is displeasing to Thee : let thera be, as it were,
teraples dedicated to Thy service, thoroughly purged from every idol
and image, from every object of impure love and earthly affection.
Let our most gracious King and Redeemer dwell and reign within us.
May He take full possession of us by His Spirit, and govern all our
actions. May He extend His peaceable and saving kingdora through
out the whole habitable world, from the rising ofthe sun to the going
down thereof. Let the nations acknowledge their King, and the isles
be glad in Him ; and particularly, that which we inhabit, with those
in its neighbourhood. And, that they raay be truly blessed in Hira,
may they daily subrait more perfectly and dutifully to His golden
sceptre, and the holy laws of His gospel ! Bless this Nation and City,
* 'Ot/ ot TxXatoTaTot Taiv (ptXoffo^&iv ovdi 'i-r) to XfiotZnTiiy xa) d^opi7v 'apipovTo xXX ot
Tcpy ffrxp iXXrifft viaiTi^oi, v-ffo <ptXaTtp.ias Ktvfjs xa) anXovs iXiyxTtxus ap.x xm i^tffTixus, us
fyiv x^t^^viffToy i^ayoyrxt (pXvx^ixy,

526 EXHORTATION iir.
and this our University ; raay it be continually watered with the dew of
Thy Spirit, and plentifully produce fruit acceptable in Thy sight,
throun-h Jesus Christ our Lord. Aipen.
EXHORTATION IIL
This day, which has been the object of your earnest wishes, through
out the course of four v.'hole years, is now almost over, and hastening
to a close. What has it produced for your advantage ? Can he that
has reaped most successfully of you all, say, he has filled his arras
with sheaves? Though possibly you would excuse me to express
myself with great freedora ou this occasion, yet, I wfll not take the
liberty to depreciate too much your past studies, the specimens you
have given to-day of your abilities, and the degree that has been con
ferred upon you. This at least, 1 iraagine, I may say, without offence,
the raost ofthose things we greedily catch at, and labour raost earnestly
to obtain, and consequently, even your phflosophy is a real and de
monstrative truth of that great paradox, thai there is a vacuity in the
7iature of things. And, in truth, how great is this vacuity, seeing even
the huraan race is no inconsiderable part of it! Though this day is
marked with raore than ordinary soleranity, it is, after all, but the
conclusion and period of a number of days that have been idly spent,
and is itself elapsing to little or no purpose, as well as the rest. But
O ! how glorious must that blessed day be, which all purified souls,
and such as are dear to God, earnestly long for, throughout the whole
of this perishing life, and constantly wait, with a kind of impatience,
until it dawn, and the shadows fly away.
I ara, indeed, of opinion, that those of you who think raost justly,
will readily own, your attainments, hitherto, are of no great moraent.
But possibly, henceforth you intend to begin life, as it were, anew:
you aspire to greater raatters, and entertain views wortfiy of human
nature; you already begin to live, and to be wise; you form desires,
and conceive fiopes of rising to arts, riches, and honours. All this is
very well. Yet, there is one consideration, I would have you to ad
mit araong these ingenious projects and designs. What if death
should come upon you, and, looking with an envious eye upon this
towering prospect, put a stop to a project that extends itself so far
into futurity, and, fike a spider's web, entirely destroy it with a gentle
breath of wind ? Nor would this be any prodigy, or indeed an ex-t
traordinary event, but the comraon fate of almost all mankind. " We
are always resolving to live, and yet never set about life in good ear
nest*." Archimedes was not .singular in his fate ; but a great part of
raankind die unexpectedly, while they are poring upon the figures
they have described in the sand. O wretched mortals ! who, having
conderaned theraselves, as it were, to the raines, seera to make it their
chief study to prevent their ever regaining their liberty. Hence, new
eraployraents are assuraed in the place of old ones ; and, as the
Roman phflosopher truly expresses it, " one hope succeeds another,
* Victuros agimus semper, nee vivimus unquam,

EXHORTATION III; 527
one instance of ambition raakes way for another ; and we never desire
an end of our raisery, but only that it raay change its outward form »."
When we cease to be candidates, and to fatigue ourselves in soliciting
interest, we begin to give our votes and interest to those who solicit
us in their turn. When we are wearied of tfie trouble of prosecuting
criraes at the bar, we coraraence judges ourselves ; and he who is
grown old in the management of other raen's affairs for raoney, is at
last eraployed in iraproving his own wealth. At the age of fifty, says
one, I will retire, and take ray ease ; or fhe sixtieth year of ray life
shall entirely disengage rae frora public offices and business. Fool !
art thou not asharaed to reserve to thyself the last reraains and dregs
of life ? Who will standi surety that thou shalt live so long ? And
what iraraense folly is it, so far to forget mortality, as to think of be
ginning fo live at that period of years, to which a few only attain !
As for you, young gentlemen, I heartily wish you may think more
justly. Let your souls, as it were, retire into theraselves, and dwell
at horae ; and having shaken off the trifles that raake a bustie and
noise around you, consider seriously, that the remaining part of your
life is long only in one re.spect, (and in this, indeed, its length may
be justly complained of,) that it is fraught with every sort of misery
ancl aflaiction, and has nothing agreeable in it, but the study of hea
venly wisdom alone ; for every thing else is vanity. Look about you,
and see, whether there is any thing worthy of your affection, and
whether every thing you see, does not rather excite your indignation
and aversion. At home, are contentions and disputes ; abroad, in the
fields, robbers ; clamour and noise at the bar ; wickedness in the
camp; hypocrisy in the church ; and vexation or lamentable mistakes
every where. Among the rich and great, there are false and incon
stant friendships, bitter enmities, envy, fraud, and falsehood ; and
cares, in great nurabers, flutter round tfie raost stately and suraptuous
palaces. What a considerable part of raankind are struggling with open and
sharp afflictions ! To whatever side you turn yourself, what do you
coramonly hear but lamentation and mourning ? How many com
plaints of the poor, that are distressed for want of daily bread, or drag
a most wretched life under the grievous oppression of powerful tyrants !
How frequent are the groans of the sick and languishing. How great
the multitude of those who lament their friends and relations carried
off by death, and will theraselves, in a short tirae, and for the sarae
reason, be lamented by others ! And, to conclude, how innumerable
are the miseries and afflictions of various kinds, that seera alternately
to re-echo to one another ! Can it be any wonder, then, that a life of
this kind should soraetiraes force, even from a wise man, such expres
sions of sorrow and concern as the following : " O raother, why didst
thou bring me forth, to be oppressed with afflictions and sorrows ?
Why didst thou introduce rae into a life full of briers and thornst ?''
But you are now philosophers, and araidst these disraal calamities,
* SpeS spem excipit, amt)itionem ambitio, et miseriarum non queeritur finis sed sche
ma tantum mutatur. ¦f* M;iTe^, 'i/:ch Tt p.' iTixTis i-TTit voXvpox^ov iTIXTiS,
T/srrs p.1 r«Se ^iai ^xa$ axav^oipo^ip.

528 EXHORTATION III.
you comfort yourselves with the inward and hidden riches of wisdom,
and the sciences you have acquired. The sciences ! Tell us, in what
part of the earth they are to be found. Let us know, pray, where
they dwell, that we raay flock thither in great nurabers. I know, in
deed, where there is abundance of noise, with vain and idle words,
and a jarring of opinions between contending disputants ; I know,
where ignorance, under the disguise of a gown and a beard, has ob
tained the titie of science ; but, where true knowledge is to be found,
I know not. We grope in the dark, and though it is truth only we
are in quest of, we fall into innuraerable errors. But, whatever raay
be our case with respect to the knowledge of nature, as to that of
heavenly and Divine things, let us cheerfully embrace that rich present
which Infinite Goodness has made us, and be thankful, that the day-
spring from on high hath visited us. " Because there was no wisdom
on the earth," says Lactantius, " He sent a, teacher from heaven*."
Hira, let us follow as our guide : for he who follows his direction,
shall not walk in darkness. Lei us pray.
Infinite, Eternal Creator and King of heaven and earth, bodies and
spirits, who, being unraoved Thyself, raovest all things, and changest
thera at Thy pleasure, whfle Thou remainest Thyself altogether un^
changeable ; who supportest afl things by Thy powerful hand, and
govemest them by Thy nod, the greatest as well as the least ; so that
the greatest are no burden to Thee, nor dost Thou contemn the least.
Behold ! the nations before Thee, are as the drop of the bucket, and
like the sraall dust of the balance ; and these isles of ours, with all
the rest in the world, are, in Thy sight, but a very little thing. Yet
Thou deignest to be present in our asserablies, and take notice of our
affairs, whicfi are very inconsiderable. Let our souls adore Tfiee, and
fall down, with the greatest huraility, at the footstool of Thy throne,
continually entreating Thy grace, and constantly offering Thee glory.
Our praises add nothing to Thee ; but they exalt ourselves, enhance
our happiness, and unite us with the society of angels ; yet, Thou re-
ceivest thera with a gracious hand, as most acceptable sacrifices, and
incense ofa sweet-sraelling savour. Let us celebrate Thee, O Lord,
who art great, and greatly to be praised. Let all nations praise Thee,
frora the rising ofthe sun, to the going down thereof. Set our hearts
on fire with the flaraes of Thy Divine love, that they raay wholly ascend
to Thee as burnt off'erings, and nothing of ours may reraain with us. O
blessed transmigration, where the blind confidence ofthe flesh is trans-
forraed into a lively and pure faith, that has no dependence but upon
Thee alone ; where self-love, and the love of the world, are exchanged
for the love of Thy infinite beauty ; when our wfll shall centre in
Thine, and be altogether absorbed by it. Let this change, O bounti
ful Father, be brought about, for ft is a change only to be effected by
the power of 'Thy hand ; and, as soon as our souls are made sensible
of it. Thy praise shall be for ever sounded within us, as in temples de
voted to Thy service.
* Ciim nulla in terris esset aapientia, a coelo inisit doctorem.

exhortation IV. 529
Let Thy whole Church, O Lord, flourish and rejoice in the light of
Thy favour. Be favourable to this our University, City, and Nation.
Dispel, we pray Thee, the thick clouds, and quiet the winds and
storras ; for, when they rage raost, and make the greatest noise, they
know Tfiy voice, and obey it. Thou art the only God of peace, who
Greatest it with a word, and raakest righteousness and peace mutually
to kiss one another. We depend upon Thee only ; and to Thee alone,
we render praise and glory, as far as we can, through Jesus Christ.
Amen.
EXHORTATION IV.
Our fife is but a point, and even less than a point ; but as it is not a
matheraatical point, as they call it, not quite indivisible, when we
divide it into rainute parts, it appears soraething considerable, and as-
suraes the iraaginary appearance of a large space of tirae ; nay, ac
cording to Aristotle's notion, it appears divisible in infinitum. Besides
those coramon and idle divisions of huraan life, into the four stages of
cliUdhood, youth, manhood, and old age, and into periods of ten
years, which suppose tfie yet smaller divisions of years and montfis ;
men liave raany various ways of distributing the periods of their life,
according to the different occupations and studies they have been en
gaged in, the reraarkable events that have happened to thera, and the
several alterations and revolutions in the course of their lives. And I
doubt not, but yon, young gentlemen, look up on this present instant
of tirae as the beginning of a new period of your life. You have my
leave to do so, provideti you seriously consider, at the same time, that
the whole of tfie life we live in this world, is of a frail and fleeting na
ture, and, in sorae respect, nothing at all. And into wfiatever parts
or periods we divide it, if we consider tfie miseries and lamentable
calaraities with which it is fraught, the life even of a child, raay seera
too long ; but, if we consider the tirae only, we raust conclude the life
of tfie oldest raan to be exceeding sfiort and fleeting.
A great part of raankind no sooner look upon tfieraselves to be ca
pable of worldly affairs, and think on entering upon sorae profession
suitable to a state of raanhood, but tfiey are cut off, in the very begin
ning of their course, by an unforeseen and untimely death. And, to
be sure, this is tfie great distemper of young, and even of old men,
that, by their desires and designs, they launch out a great way into
futurity, and forra a series of projects for many years to come : while,
in the raean time, they rarely or at least very superficially, consider,
how foolish and precarious it is to depend upon to-morrow, and how
soon this present form of ours may disappear; how soon we raay
return to our original dust ; and that very day, as the royal prophet
warns us, our thoughts, even the wisest and best concerted thoughts
of the greatest raen, and raost exalted princes, perish. And this I
take particular notice of, that no such illusion may get possession of
your minds. For it is not the coraraon sort of raankind only, that ira
pose upon theraselves in this respect, but the generality of those who
desire to be accounted, not only men of learning, but also adepts in
wisdom, and actually pass for such. Not that I would prohibit your
Vol. II. 2 M

530 exhortation iv.
makiu"- an early and prudent choice, under the Divine direction, of
the employment and profession of life you intend to pursue ; nay, I
would use every argument to persuade you to raake use of such a
choice, and when you have made it, to prosecute the intention of it
with the greatest diligence and activity. I only put you upon your
guard, not to entertain many and towering hopes in this world, nor to
form a long series of connected projects ; because you will find thera
all raore vain and fleeting than iUusions of the night ! Sorae neces
sary means will fail, sorae favourable opportunity be raissed ; after all
industry, the expected event may not liappen, or the thread of your
life may be cut, and thereby all your projects be rendered abortive.
And thougfi your life should be drawn out to ever so great a length,
and success constantly answer your expectations, yet, you know, and
I wish you would reraeraber it, the fatal day will corae at last, perhaps
when it is least expected ; that fatal and final day, I say, will at last
corae, when we must leave all our enjoyments, and all our schemes,
those we are now carrying on, and those we have brought to perfec
tion, as well as those that are only begun, and those that subsist only
in hopes and ideas.
And these very arguments, which have been used to confine your
minds from indulging themselves in too remote prospects, will also
serve to persuade you, in another sense, to look rauch farther ; not
with regard to worldly enjoyraents, for such prospects, strictiy speak
ing, canot be called long, but to look far beyond afl earthly and
perishing things, to those that are heavenly and eternal. And those
that wfll not raise their eyes to such objects, as the Apostle Peter ex
presses it, are blind, and ca7inot see afar off.
But of you, ray dear youths, I expect better things. I need not, I
imagine, use many words to persuade you to industry, and a con
tinual progress in fiuman studies and philosophical learning-. If the
violence and infelicity of the tiraes have deprived you of any part of
that period of years usually eraployed in these studies at this uni
versity, you will surely repair that loss, as soon as possible, by vour
subsequent reading and application. But, if no such misfortune had
happened, you are not, I beUeve, ignorant, that our schools are only
intended for laying the foundations of those studies upon which, years,
and indefatigable industry, are to raise the .superstructure of more
coraplete erudition : which, by the accession ofthe Divine Spirit, raay
be consecrated into a temple for God. And this is what I would re
commend to your esteem, and your earnest desires, beyond any other
study whatever. That you may be holy, because our God is holy : that,
when you leave this university, those with whom you converse, may
not find you puffed up witfi pride, on account of a fittie superficial
learning, nor bigotted, talkative, or fond of entering into unseasonable
disputes ; but consider you all as patterns and examples of piety,
purity, teraperance, raodesty, and all Christian virtues ; particulariy
that huraility which shone so brightly in Christ hiraself, and which he
earnestiy exhorts all his disciples to learn frora hira. I will not sus
pect, that any one of you will turn out to be an imraodest person, a
glutton, or drunkard, or in any shape, impious and profane ; but I earn
estly exhort and beseech you, my dear young men, to make it, above

EXHORTATION IV. 531
all other things, your principal study, to have your hearts purged from
all irapure and ignoble love of the worid and the flesh, that, in this
earth you may live to God only ; and then, to be sure, when you re
move out of it, you will live with Hira for ever in heaven.
May the honorary title you have this day received be happy and
auspicious ! But 1 earnestiy pray the Father of Lights, that he would
deign to bestow upon you a titie more solid and exalted than it is in
the power of man to give, that you may be called the sons of God, and
that your conversation may be suitable to so great a narae, and so
glorious a Father. Let us pray.
Eternal King ! Thy throne is estabfished and iraraoveable from
everlasting, and wifl continue so throughout all the ages of eternity.
Before the raountains were brought forth, before thou hadst forraed
the earth and the world, even frora everlasting to everlasting. Thou
art God. All things that exist, whether visible or invisible, derive
from Thee their being, and all that they possess : and they all, from
the least to the greatest, are subservient to Thy purposes, who art
their supreme King and Father. Many of them, indeed, act without
knowledge or design, yet serve Thee with a constant and unerring
obedience ; others pay their horaage from principles of reason and in
clination ; and all the rest are forced to proraote Thy intentions,
though by constraint and against their wills. Thou art great, O Lord,
Thou art great, and greatly to be praised, and of Thy greatness there
is no end. The heavens are far raised from the earth, but Thy raajesty
is rauch farther exalted above all our thoughts and conceptions. Ira
press, we pray Thee, on our hearts, raost bountiful Father, a profound
sense of our raeanness and insignificancy ; and raake us acceptable to
Thee, through Thy grace, in thy beloved .lesus, blotting out all our
sins by the blood of his cross, and purifying our hearts by the effusion
of Thy Spirit frora on high. lUurainate, raost gracious God, this as
serably of ours, by the light of Thy Divine favour, and let Thy effectual
blessing, we pray Thee, attend tfie work we are now eraployed about,
by Thy approbation, and the gracious disposition of Thy providence,
and raay the result of all be to the glory of thy name, through Jesus
Christ our Lord, Araen.

EXHORTATION V.
The complaint with regard to the variety of all perishing and tran
sitory enjoyments, which has been long general among raankind,
is indeed just and well-founded ; but it is no less true, that the
vanity which resides in the heart of man hiraself, exceeds every thing
of that kind we observe in the other parts of the visible creation ;
for, amongst all the creatures that we see around us, we can find
notfiing so fleeting and inconstant ; it flutters fiither and thither, and
forsaking that only perfect good which is truly suited to its nature and
circumstances, grasps at phantoms and shadows of happiness, which
it pursues with a folly more than childish. 2 M 2

532 EXHORTATION V.
Man wanders about on this earth; he hopes, he wishes, he seeks,
he gropes and feels about film ; fie desires, he is hot, he is cold, he is
bliiid, and coraplains that evil abounds every where ; yet, he is hiraself
the cause of those evils whicfi rage in the world, but most of all in his
own breast ; and therefore, being tossed between the waves thereof,
that roll continuafly within and without him, he leads a restiess and
disordered life, until he be at last swallowed up in the unavoidable
gulf of death. It is, moreover, the sharae and folly of the huraan race,
tfiat the greatest part of them do not resolve upon any fixed and settied
method of life, but, like the brute creatures, live and die without design,
and without proposing any reasonable end. For how few are there,
who seriously and frequentiy consider with themselves, whence they
corae, whither they are going, and what is the purpose of their life :
wfio are daily reviewing tfie state of their own minds, and often de
scend into theraselves, that they may as frequently ascend, by their
tiioughts and meditations, to their exalted Father, and their heavenly
country ; who take their station upon teraporal things, and view those
that are eternal ! Yet, these are the only raen that can be truly said
to live, and they alone can be accounted wise.
And to this it is, ray dear youths, that I would willingly engage
your souls ; nay, 1 heartily wish they were carried thither by the fiery
chariots of celestial wisdora. Let the coraraon sort of mankind ad
mire mean things ; let thera place their hopes on riches, honours, and
arts, and spend their lives in the pursuit of thera ; but let your souls
be inflaraed with a far higher arabition. Yet, I would not altogether
prohibit you these pursuits : I only desire you to be raoderate in them.
These enjoyraents are neither great in theraselves, nor perraanent ;
but it is surprising, how rauch vanity is inflated by thera. What a
conceited, vain nothing is the creature we call raan ! For, because
few are capable to discern true blessings, which are solid and intrin
sically beautiful, therefbre the superficial ones, and such as are of no
value at all, are catched at ; and those who in any raeasure attain to
the possession of thera, are puffed up and elated thereby.
If we consider things as they are, it is an evidence of a very wrong
turn of raind, to boast of titles and farae ; as they are no part of our
selves, nor can we depend upon thera. But he that is elevated with
a fond conceit of his own knowledge, is a stranger to the nature
of things, and particulariy to himself; since he knows not that the
highest pitch of huraan knowledge ought, in reality, rather to be called
ignorance. How sraall and inconsiderable is the extent of know
ledge ! Even the most contemptible things in nature, are sufficient to
expose the greatness of our ignorance. And with respect to Divine
things, who dares to deny, that the knowledge raankind has of thera
is next to nothing ? Because the weak eyes of our understanding,
confined, as they are, within such narrow houses of clay, cannot bear
the piercing light of Divine tfiings ; therefore, the Fountain of all
wisdora hath thought proper to coraraunlcate such imperfect dis
coveries of Himself, as are barely sufficient to direct our steps to the
superior regions of perfect light. And whoever believes this truth,
will, doubtless, raake it his chief care and principal study, constantly to
follow this lamp of Divine light that shines in darkness, and not to

exhortation v. 533
deviate from it eitfier to tiic rigfit hand or the left. It is, indeed, ray
opinion, that no man of ingenuity ought to despire the study of philo
sophy, or the know-ledge of languages, or grararaar itself: though to
be sure a raore expeditious and successful method of teaching them
were much to be wished. But what I would recommend with the
greatest earnestness, and persuade you to, if possible, is, that you
would inseparably unite with such measures of learning and iraprove
raent of your rainds as you can attain, purity of religion. Divine love,
moderation of soul, and an agreeable, inoffensive behaviour. For you
are not ignorant what a low and erapty figure the highest attainraents
in human sciences must make, if they be compared with the dignity
and duration ofthe soul of man: for, however considerable they may
be in theraselves, yet, with regard to their use, and their whole design,
they are confined within the short space of this perishing life. But
the soul, which reasons, which is employed in learning and teaching,
in a few days will for ever bid farewell to all tfiese things, and reraove
to another country. O, how inconsiderable are all arts and sciences,
all eloquence and philosophy, when corapared with a cautious concern
that our last exit out of this worid raay be happy and auspicious, and
that we may depart out of this life candidates for iraraortality, at whicfi
we can never arrive but by tfie beautiful way of fioliness.
Let us pray.
Infinite and Eternal God ! who inhabitest thick darkness and light
inaccessible, whom no raortal hath seen, or can see; yet all thy Works
evidently declare and proclaira Thy wisdora. Thy power, and Thy in
finite goodness : And, wfien we conteraplate these Thy perfections,
what is it our souls can desire, but that they raay love Thee, worship
Thee, serve Thee, for ever proclaira Thy praise, and celebrate Thy
exalted narae, whicfi is above all praises, and all adrairation ? Thy
throne is constantly surrounded with thousands and ten thousands of
glorified spirits, who continually adore Thee, and cry out without
ceasing Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, and
who is to come. Let others seek what they will, and find and erabrace
what they can ; may we fiave always tfiis one fixed and settled pur
pose, that it is good for us to draw near to God. Let the seas roar,
the earth be shaken, and all things go to ruin and confusion ; yet,
the soul that adheres to God, will remain safe and quiet, and shall not
be moved for ever. O blessed soul, that has Thee for its rest, and all
its salvation ! It shall be like a tree planted by tfie rivers of water ;
it sfiall not fear wfien heat cometh, nor shall it be uneasy in a year of
drought. It is our eamest petition and prayer, O Father, that Thy
hands my loosen all our chains, and effectually deliver our souls from
all the snares and allureraents of the world and the flesh ; and that,
by that sarae bountiful and most powerful hand of Thine, they may
be for ever united to Thee through Thy only begotten Son, who is our
union and our peace. Be favourably present, raost gracious God, with
this assembly of ours, that whatever we undertake, in obedience to
Thy wfll, raay be carried to perfection by the aid of Thy grace, and tend
to the glory of Thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

534 exhortation vi.

EXHORTATION VI.
I AM not ignorant, that it is one of the coraraon arts of life, to set off
our own things with afl the porap we can ; and, if there is any worth
in thera, by no raeans to depreciate it, but rather to endeavour, with
afl our raight, to enhance their value as much as possible : nay, those
of them which are quite vain and worthless, we use to magnify with
porapous expressions, and daub with false colours, and to do otherwise
is reckoned a kind of rustic sirapficity. But you, young gentleraen,
who are acquainted with ray raanner, wiU, I imagine, easily forgive this
indifference of mine ; and, therefore, I say, if there are any who
despise these performances of ours, we leave them at fuU liberty, for
we ourselves held thera in contempt before : but to speak freely,
together witfi thera, we undervalued all worldly things ; they are all
raade of the sarae mean materials [Haj'Tfj pia kouis.] O life, short
with regard to duration, long in consideration of thy miseries involved
in darkness, beset with snares, .stifi fluctuating between false joys and
real torraents, groundless hopes and fears equally iraaginary, yet
foolishly, and even to distraction, loved by raost ! We will not die, and
yet, we know not how to live. Our present possessions are loathsome
as food to a raan in a fever, and we greedily catch at future enjoy
ments, which, when they come to be present, will be received with the
same indifference : for, araong the advantages of this fleeting life,
notfiing is equally agreeable to those who have it in possession, and
those who have it only in desire and hope.
We are all in general of such a nature, that we are weary of our
selves, and, what we lately preferred to every tfiing else, upon
expierience we reject. Tfiis inconstancy is undoubtedly a sign of a
mind disterapered, forcibly drawn away frora its centre, and separated
from its only durable rest. Nor need you go far, young gentleraen,
to look for an instance of tfiis disteraper : let any of you descend into
himself, (which very few do, and even they but rarely,) he will find it
witfiin hira ; upon a very slight inquiry, fie will surely be sensible of
it. For passing otfier con.siderations, witfi what fervent wishes have
you, ill your hearts, longed for this day ! Yet I forewarn you, that all
your pleasure will either die with the day itself, which is now fast
drawing to a close, or but for a very short time survive it. And, as
coraraonly happens, it will be succeeded by the anxious cares of begin
ning life, as it were, anew ; or, which is much more grievous and
unhappy, and from which, I earnestly pray, you may be all effectually
preserved, by those temptations and allurements of vice, which tend
to debauch and ruin you. For these allurements, after the manner of
sorae robbers, attack the unwary and inexperienced with blandish-
raents and caresses, that thereby they raay have an opportunity to
undo thera. If therefore, as soon as ye enter upon a fifie of freedora,
those deceitful and deadly pleasures of sense terapt you with their
delusive smiles, I would put you in raind, how unworthy it is of a free
and generous mind, especially that ofa Christian, to becorae an abject
slave, and subrait to the most shameful bondage ; how disgraceful
and wretched a choice it is, to become the slave of a mad, distracted

exhortation vi. 535
master* ; and fiow much more generous and exalted is the pleasure
of despising them all, and trampling them under foot, when they
come in competition with the pure and permanent delights of Divine
love. As to exalted degrees of honour, and heaps of riches, the idols of all
ranks of mankind, which they worship with the rage of enthu-siasm
and raadness, we may not only apply to them what was observed of
old concerning Hercules's statue, and say, "Taeyhave nothing Divine
iu themt;" but also, that they are entirely void of real goodness.
Even those who have the greatest experience of thera, are at last
obfiged to own tfiis : the force of trutii extorts the confession, though
they make it uith regret and against their will. All the beauty and
brightness of these idols resemble the decorations of a stage, that
dazzle the eyes of the vulgar ; and the enjoyment of them is, in
reality, but a splendid kind of slavery, and gilded misery. It is a
patfietic expression of St. Bernard, " O arabition, tfie torture of the
ambitious, how happens it, that though thou tormentest all, thou yet
raakest thyself agreeable to all J? " O how easily does even the least
gfimpse of eternal and infinite beauty, raze out of the mind all the
irapressions made upon it by the objects we dafly converse with on
tfiis earth, and turn its admiration of them into contempt and disdain.
But if any one, having thoroughly examined and despised these
shadows, resolves solely to pursue a raore coraplete knowledge of
things, and follow the strearas of learning, we cannot deny, that he
judges most justly ; yet, after all, he must know, if he is wise, orat least
fie ought to know, that he may be wise, what vanity and superfluity is
to be met with even here § : for often, when one has applied hiraself to
his books and studies with the greatest assiduity, and alraost spent his
life upon thera, all his pains evaporate into sraoke, and the labour of
years is entirely lost. And, what is raost of all to be lamented, this is
soraetiraes the case with respect to theology, which is the chief of all
arts and sciences, as so large a portion of that vineyard is stfll possessed
with briers and thorns. How many are the disputes and controver
sies, how many the trifling arguments and cavils, which possibly may
have something of the sharpness of thorns, bnt undoubtedly a great
deal of their barrenness and their hurtful quality ! A philosopher of
old, severely reproves the sophisters of his time in these words : " What
was formerly the love of wisdom, is now become the love of words ||."
We, to be sure, may substitute in place of this, a coraplaint still more
bitter, that what was theology before, is now become foolisfi talking ;
and tfiat many of our divines, though they serve one God, and that
the God of peace, yet split into parties upon the lightest occasions,
and with great impiety divide the whole world into factions. And I
ara much afi-aid, tfiis evil in a great raeasure derives its original frora
the education of youth in schools and colleges. For the raost part
of men manage this business, as if disputing was the end of learning,
* AovXov ytviffSat •xxpx^ooyovvTos diff-ptoTov.
f ^Hs owSey iiffi ^iiov.
X 0 ! ambitio, ambientium crux, quomodo omnes torquens omnibus places .-"
§ TioXXx IffTt xivx xx) zTipiipyx.
II Quae philbsophia fuit, facta philologia est.

536 exhortation vi.
as fighting is the desig-n of going to war : hence the youtii, when they
enter the school, begin disputing, which never ends but with their life.
Death imposes silence, and so, at last, " these fierce passions of their
minds, and these inveterate contentions, are coraposed to rest, by the
weight of a little dust thrown upon them '*."
As for you, young gentlemen, if ray earnest wishes and sincere advice
can have any weight with you, you will early extricate yourselves out
of these flaraes of contention, that your minds, being lighted up by
the pure and celestial fire of tfie Divine Spirit, raay sfiine forth in
holiness, and burn wifh the raost fervent charity.
Let us pray.
Honour and praise is due to Thee, O infinite God. This is the
universal voice of all the blessed spirits on high, and all the saints on
earth : worthy art Thou, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and
power, because Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they
are. We, here before Thee, with united hearts and affections ofler
Thee, as we can, the sacrifice of gratitude, love and praise. How
rauch are we indebted to Thee, for ourselves, and for all that we pos
sess ! For in Thee we live, move, and have our being. Thou hast
redeemed us from onr sins, having given the Son of Thy love, as a
sacrifice and ransom for our souls : the chastiseraent of our peace fell
upon him, and by bis stripes we are healed. On this consideration,
we acknowledge we are no longer at our own disposal, since we are
bought witfi a price, and so very great a price, tfiat we raay glorify
Tfiee, O Father, and Thy Son, in our souls and our bodies, which are
so justly Thine. May we devote ourselves to Thee, through the
whole reraaining part of our fife, and disdain the irapure and ignoble
slavery of sin, the world, and the flesh, that in all things we raay de
raean, ourselves as becoraes the sons of God, and the heirs of Thy
celestial kingdom, and raake daUy greater progress in our journey to
wards the happy possession thereof.
Bless Thy Church, and our Nation, and this our University : raay it
be Thine, we pray Thee. We entreat that Thou wouldst becorae our
father, our protector, and our suprerae teacher, who hast Thy chair in
heaven, and teachest the hearts of raen on this earth. May the youth
flourisfi under Tfiy instruction, that they may be not only learned, but
especially upright, pious, and true Christians, entirely devoted to the
honour of Thy narae, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Araen.
EXHORTATION VII.
These acaderaical exercises of ours are, to be sure, no great matter,
nor do we raake any high account of thera; yet, after all, we set no
higher, perhaps even a less value upon thebustiing affairs of raankind,
which raake a rauch greater noise, and the farces that are acted upon
the more exalted theatres of the world ; which, to speak my sentiments
* Hi motus animonm.. a. que ha;c cerlamina tanta
Pulverisexiguijactu coropressa quiescunt. Virgil. Geor. iv. 8,1 6.

exhortation vii. 537
in a few words, are for the raost part outwardly more pompous than
these of ours, but inwardly equally vain, and more insignificant thau
the busy amusements of "children playing on tfie sands% and eagerly
building littie houses, which, with giddy levity, they instantiy pull
down again *." Or, if you chose to be raore severe upon the fruitless
labours of raankind, and their busy and irregular raotions backward
and' forward, and from one place to another, you may, with a great
man, who knew all these thing-s by experience, corapare tfiera to the
fiutiering of frightened flies, the toilsome hurry of the ants, and the
motions of puppets ¦\, But he that, araidst all the confusions and
coraraotions which happen in huraan affairs here below, has recourse
to Divine conteraplation and the hopes of eternity, as the lofty impreg
nable tower of true wisdom, "is the only person that enjoys uninter
rupted ease and tranquillity, like the heavenly bodies, which constantly
move on in their orbits, and are never, by any violence, diverted from
their course |."
And indeed, what wonder is it, that he can easfly view all the dread
ful appearances of this wretched life with a resolute and steady counte
nance, who, by frequent interviews and dafly conversation with death
itself, which we call the king of terrors §, has rendered it farailiar to
hira, and thereby not only divested it of its terrors, but also placed
it in a beautiful, pleasant, and quite amiable light. By this means,
fie dies daily ; and doubtless, before fie suffers a natural death, fie dies
in a more exalted sense of tfie word, by withdrawing, as far as is pos
sible, fiis raind frora the encurabrance of earthly things, and even
while it lodges in the body, weaning it from all the worldly objects
that are placed about hira. And, in this very sense, philosophy of old
was most properly called the meditation of deatli\\, wfiich the Roman
orator has, in ray opinion, explained with great propriety, and the
precision of a philosopher. " What is it we do," says he, " when we
withdraw the raind from pleasure, that is, the body, frora our raeans
and substance that is the servant of the body, that provides for its
wants frora the commonwealth, and every kind of business : what is it
we then do, I say, but recall it to itself, and oblige it to stay at home?
Now to withdraw the raind frora the body, is nothing else but to learn
to die IT." Let us, therefore, reason thus, if you will take ray advice,
and separate ourselves frora our bodies ; that is, let us accustom our
selves to die : this, even whfle we sojourn on this earth, wfll be to the
soul a life like to that which it wfll enjoy in fieaven ; and, being deli-
* 'iis oTi TIS -^xfix^ov ffvvxyv] 'jtxis xyxt ^xXaffffns,
'Os 'i-Ttl ovv 'ProiTlffiV d&V^pXTX, VniftiTOtfflV
"A^^ avSis ffvv'ixivffi -^offty xx) X'^^^'" a&v^psy.
\ M.v'ii'ta>v e^TTra/Jevsiv "htxifop-xs pv^pixm TxXxi-zo^ixs xa) ax^oipoftxs xa) ffiyXT.d^ix
ViVpoff'TTXffTOVpiyX. ¦J Otia solus agit, sicut ccelestia semper
Inconcussa suo volvuntur sidera lapsu. Luc. lib. ii.
II ^ptm^iffTxTny 'itxovx.
^ MeXeT?j ^xvxTov. .
«I Quid aliud agimus, cum a voluptate, id est a corpore, cum a re famihari qua; mi-
nistra est et famula corporis, cum a republica cum a negotio omni severamus animum,
quid tum agimus (inquam) nisi ilium ad seipsum advocamus, et secum esse cogimus ?
Secernere autem a corpore animum, necquicquam aliud est quam emori discere.

538 exhortation vii.
vered from these fetters, we shall move at a better rate, the course of
our souls will be less retarded in our journey to that happy place, at
which when we arrive, we can then, and then only, be truly said to
live. For this fife is but a kind of deatfi, the raiseries whereof I could
paint, if it were seasonable; but, to be sure, it was raost justly called
a life of the greatest misery * by Dionysius the Areopagite, or who
ever was the author of that book which goes under his narae.
And indeed, young gentlemen, I ara of opinion, that such a view
and raeditation of death, will not be unsuitable, or iraproper, even for
you, though you are in the prime of life, and your minds in their full
vigour : nay, 1 would gladly hope, you yourselves will not imagine it
would, nor be at all offended at me, as if, by mentioning that inauspi
cious word unseasonably, I disturbed your present joy, drew a kind of
black cloud over this bright day of festivity, or seem to raix among
your laurels, a branch of the hated cypress. For a wise raan would
not willingly owe his joy to madness, nor think it a pleasure, foolishly
to forget the situation of his affairs.
The wise man alone feels true joy: and real wisdom is the attain
ment of a Christian only, who bears with life, but hopes for death, and
passes through all the storras and tempests of the forraer with an un-
dauntedness of mind, but with the most fervent wishes, looks for fhe
latter as the secure port and the fair havensf in the highest sense of
the expression ; whose raind is hurable, and, at the sarae time, exalted,
neither depending upon foreign, that is, external advantages, nor puffed
up with his own ; and neither elevated nor depressed by any turns or
vicissitude of fortune.
He is the wise raan, who relishes things as they really are ; who is
not, with the coraraon sort of raankind, that are always children,
terrified by bug-bears, nor pleased witfi painted rattles : who has a
greatness of soul, vastly superior to all fading and perishing things ;
who judges of his iraprovements by his life, and tfiinks fie knows every
thing he does not covet, and every thing he does not fear. The only
thing he desires, is the favour and countenance of the Supreme King ;
the only thing he fears, is His displeasure. And, without doubt, a
mind of this cast must, of necessity, be the habitation of constant
serenity, exalted joy, and gladness springing from on high. And this
is the man, that is truly possessed of that 'ivOvplav icai r^/a\7ju->jv, — tran-
quiUity and happy disposition of mind, which the Philosophers boast
of, the Divines recoraraend, but few attain. And though he will
neither willingly suffer hiraself to be called a philosopher, nor a philo
logist, yet he is, in reality, Oea'aocfio;, well versed in tfie things of God,
and, by a kind of Divine infiuence and instruction, has attained to the
light of pure and peaceable truth : where he passes his days in the
greatest quietness and serenity, far above the cloudy and storray regions
of controversy and disputation.
If any one of you has been thus instructed, he has certainly attained
the highest of all arts, and has entered upon the most glorious liberty,
even before he hath received any University degree. But the rest,
though they are presentiy to have the titie of Master of Arts, still con-
*¦ IloXvcrahffTaT,iv Z,coviy,
-f- '&aXovs X)p.iva5,

EXHORTATION VII. 539
tinue a sflly, servile set of men, under a heavy yoke of bondage, whereby
even their rainds wfll be craraped with oppressive laws, far raore in
tolerable than any discipline however severe. None of you, I iraagine,
is so excessively blinded with self-conceit, so ignorant ofthe nature of
things, and unacquainted with himself, as to dreara that he is already
a philosopher, or be puffed up with an extravagant opinion of his own
knowledge, because he has gone through the ordinary exercises at the
University ; though, to speak the truth, the philosophy which prevails
in the schools, is of a vain, airy nature, and more apt to inspire the
mind with pride, than fo iraprove it. As it is my earnest prayer, so it
is also the object of my hope, that you will retire from this Serainary,
with your minds excited to a keen and wholesome thirst after true
erudition, rather than blown up with the wild-fire of science, falsely so
called ; and wfiat, above all otfier attainments, is of greatest conse
quence, that you will leave us, deeply affected with the raost ardent
love of heavenly wisdom. Whatever may be your fate with respect to
other tilings, it is my eamest request, that it be your highest arabition,
and your principal study, to be true Christians ; that is, to be humble,
meek, pure, holy, and followers of your most auspicious Captain, the
Lamb, wherever he goeth. For he that followeth hira, shall not walk
in darkness, but be conducted, through the raorning light of Divine
grace, to the raeridian and never-ending brightness of glory.
Let TIS pray.
Eternal Father of raercies and of ligfits, tfie only rest of tfie iramortal
souls which Thou hast created, and their never-failing consolation :
Into what by-paths of error do our souls divert, and to wfiat dangers
are they exposed on every haud, when they stray away frora Thee !
But, while they keep within Thy hiding-place, O Most High, tfiey are
safe under the shadow of Thy wings. O fiow fiappy are they, and how
well do they live, who pass their wfiole lives in that secret abode,
where they raay continually refresh themselves with the delicious fruits
of Thy love, and show forth Thy praise ! where they raay taste and see
that "Thou art good, O Lord, and be thoroughly persuaded of the ira
mense riches of Thy bounty, which aU our raiseries cannot exceed, nor
our poverty exhaust ; nay, which the constant effusion of them upon
the whole universe, and aU its parts, cannot in the least diminish. As
for us who are before Thee, the raost unworthy of all Thy creatures,
yet, at the sarae time, the most excessively loaded with all the instances
of Thy goodness, can we avoid crying out with the united voices of
our hearts. Let praise be ascribed to the Lord, because he is good,
and His mercy endureth for ever. Who shall declare the great and
wonderful works of God ? Who shall show forth His praise ? Who
ruleth by His power for ever, and His eyes observe the nations, that
the rebellious may not exalt tfiemselves. Who restores our souls to
life, and suff'ers not our feet to be raoved. But, on the other hand,
alas ! how justly raay our songs be interrupted with bitter laraentations,
that, under such strong and constant rays of his bounty, our hearts
are so cold towards Him ! O how faint and languid is our love to
Him ! How very little, or near to nothing, is the whole of that flame
which we feel within us ! And, as that love fails within us, we mis-

540 EXHORTATION VII.
place our affections upon the things around us ; and as we follow
vanity, we becorae vain and raiserable at the sarae tirae. But may
Thy Spirit, O Lord, whom we hurably and earnestly beg of Thee,
descending into our hearts, inspire us thoroughly with life, vigour, and
celestial purity !
Please to enlighten Thy Church throughout the whole habitable
world, and particularly in these Islands, with the continued light of
Thy countenance. If Thou apply Thy healing hand, we shall presently
be whole ; nor need we look to any quarter for other reraedies than
those we have always found to be more powerful than our raost obsti
nate distempers. Bless this City, and this celebrated University.
Grant, raost gracious Father, that the nurabers of youth we send out
frora it this day, and every year, raay, by Thy effectual grace, be con
secrated and devoted to Thy service. Forbid, we pray Thee, that they
should either be the raeans of spreading pollution among Thy people,
or suffer themselves to be tainted with the infection of a wicked world ;
but let this fountain of learning be continually enriched with Thy
heavenly influences, that it may constantly supply pure and limpid
strearas for the welfare and improvement of Thy Church and people,
to the glory of Thy exalted name, through our Lord Jesus Christ ;
to whom, with Thee, and the Holy Spirit, be honour, praise, and
glory, world without end. Amen.

EXHORTATION VIII.

Amidst these arauseraents, we are unhappily losing a day. Yet, sorae
part ofthe weight of this complaint is removed when we consider, that,
while the greatest part of raankind are bustling in crowds and places
of traffic, or, as they would have us befieve, in affairs of great iraport
ance, we are trifling our tirae raore innocently than they. But what
should hinder us frora closing this last scene in a serious raanner, that
is, frora turning our eyes to more Divine objects, whereby, though we
are fatigued with other matters, we may terminate the work of this
day, and the day itself, agreeably ; as the beams of the sun use to give
more than ordinary delight, when he is near his setting?
You are now initiated into the philosophy, such as it is, that prevails
in the schools, and, I imagine, intend, with all possible despatch, to
apply to higher studies. But O ! how pitiful and scanty are afl those
things which beset ns before, behind, and on every side ! The bustling
we observe, is notfiing but the hurrying of ants eagerly engaged in
their littie labours. The raind must surely have degenerated, and for
gotten its original as effectually as if it had drank ofthe river Lethe,
if, extricating itself out of all these mean concerns and designs, as so
raany snares laid for it, and rising above the whole of this visible world,
it does not return to its Father's bosom, where it may conteraplate His
eternal beauty, where contemplation will inflame love, and love be
crowned with the possession of the beloved object. But, in the con
templation of this glorious object, how great caution and raoderation
of mind is necessary, that, by prying presumptuously into His secret

EXHORTATION VIII. 541
councils or His nature, and rashly breaking into the sanctiiary of light',
we be not quite involved in darkness ! And, with regard to what the
infinite, independent, and necessarily existent Being has thought proper
to communicate to us concerning Hiraself, and we are concerned to
know, even that is by no raeans to be obscured with curious irapertinent
questions, nor perplexed with the arrogance of disputation ; because,
by such means, instead of enlarging our knowledge, we are in the fair
way to know nothing at all ; but readily to be received by humble faith,
and entertained with raeek and pious affections. And if, in these
notices of Hira that are coraraunicated to us, we raeet with any thing
obscure and hard to be understood, such difficulties would be happily
got over, not by perplexed controversies, but by constant and fervent
prayer. " He will corae to understand," says adrairably well the
faraous Bishop of Hippo, [Augustine] "who knocks by prayer ; not
he who, by quarrelling, raakes a noise at the gate of truth -f." But
what can we, who are mortal creatures, understand with regard to the
inexpressible Being we now speak of, especially while we sojourn in
these dark prisons of clay, but only this, that we can by no means com
prehend Him ? For thougfi, in tfiinking of Hira, we reraove frora our
idea all sort of imperfection, and collect togetfier every perceivable
perfection, and adorn tfie wfiole with the highest titles, we raust, after
all, acknowledge, tfiat we fiave said notfiing, and that our conceptions
are nothing to the purpose. Let us, therefore, in general acknowledge
Him to be tfie Iraraoveable Being itfiat movetfi every thing, the Ira-
rautable God that cfiangeth all tfiings at His pleasure, the Infinite and
Eternal Fountain of all good and of all existence, and the Lord and
sole Ruler of tfie world.
If you tfien, ray dear youtfis, aspire to genuine Christianity, that is,
the knowledge of God and Divine things, I would have you consider
that the mind must first be recalled and engaged to turn in upon itself,
before it can be raised up towards God : according to tfiat expression
of St. Bernard, " May I return from external tfiings, to those that are
within myself, and from these again rise to those that are of a more
exalted nature |." But the greatest part of men live abroad, and are
truly strangers at home : you raay sooner find thera any where than
with theraselves. Xow, is this not real raadness, ancl the highest
degree of insensibility ? Yet after afl, they seera to have some reason
in their raadness, when they tfius stray away frora theraselves, since
they can see nothing within thera, that by its proraising aspect can
give thera pleasure or delight. Every thing there is ugly, frightful,
and full of nastiness, which they would rather be ignorant of, than be
at the pains to purge away ; and therefore prefer a slothful forgetful
ness of their misery, to the trouble and labour of regaining happiness.
But how preposterous is the most diligent study, aud the highest
knowledge, when we neglect that of ourselves ! The Roraan philoso
pher, ridiculing the grararaarians of his tirae, observes, " that they
inquired narrowly into the raisfortunes of Ulysses, but were quite
* Eis tx toZ ipaiTos ddvTX.
i Intelliget qui orando pulsat, non qui rixando obstrepit ad ostium veritatis.
t Ab exterioribus ad interiora redeam, ab interioribus ad superiora ascendam.

542 EXHORTATION Vin.
ignorant of tfieir own *." The sentiraents of a wise and pious man
are quite different, and I wish you raay adopt thera. It is his prin
cipal care to be thoroughly acquainted with hiraself; he watches over
his own ways, he iraproves and cultivates his heart as a garden conse
crated to the King of kings, who takes particular delight in it ; he
carefully nurses the heavenly plants and flowers, and roots up all
the wild and noxious weeds, that he raay be able to say with the
greater confidence. Lei my beloved come into his own garden, and be
pleased io eat of his fruits. And wfien, upon this invitation, the great
King, in the fiilness of His goodness, descends into the mind, the
soul may then easily ascend with Hira, as it were, in a chariot of fire,
and look down upon the earth, and all earthly things, with contempt
and disdain. " Then, rising above the rainy regions, it sees the storms
falling beneath its feet, and traraples upon the hidden thunder f."
Lei us pray.
Whatever satisfaction we look for without Thee, O Heavenly Father,
is mere delusion and vanity. Yet, though we have so often experienced
this, we have not, to this day, learned to renounce this vain and fruit
less labour, that we may depend upon Thee, who alone canst give full
and coraplete satisfaction to the souls of raen. We pray, therefore,
that, by Thy Alraighty hand. Thou wouldst so effectually join and
unite our hearts to 'Thee, that they may never be separated any more.
How unhappy are they who forsake Thee, and whose hearts depart
frora Thy ways ! They shall be like sfirubs in the desert ; they shall
not see when good coraeth, but dwell in a parched and barren land.
Blessed, on the contrary, is he who hath placed his confidence in Tfiee :
he shall be like a tree planted by tfie rivers of water ; fie shall not be
afraid wfien fieat coraeth, nor be uneasy in the time of drought. Take
frora us, O Lord, whatever earthly enjoyments Thou shalt think
proper ; there is one thing will abundantly raake up all our losses ;
let Christ dwell in our hearts by faith, and the rays of thy favour con
tinually refresh us in the face of this Thine anointed ; in this event, we
have nothing to ask, but with grateful rainds shall for ever celebrate
Thy bounty, and all our bones shaU say. Who is like unto Thee, O
Lord, who is fike unto Thee ?
Let Thy Church be glad in Thee, and all in this Nation, and every
where throughout the world, who regard and love Thy narae. By the
power and efficacy of the gospel, may their nuraber be dafly aug-
raented, and let the gifts of Thy grace be also increased in thera all.
Bless this University ; let it be like a garden watered by Thy heavenly
hand, that Thy tender shoots may grow, and in due time produce
abundant fruits, to the eternal honour of Thy most glorious name,
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
~' Ulyssis mala explorant, ignorant sua.
¦\ Celsior exurgens pluviis nimbosque cadentes,
Sub pedibus pernens, et coeca tonitrua calcans.

543

VALEDICTORY ORATION.

Though this, I iraagine, is the last address I shall ever have occasion
to make to you, I will not detain you long from your studies, nor en
croach on the time allowed vou for recreation. This is, to be sure, the
first time that some of you have heard rae ; but 1 have a great many
others to bear witness ofthe constant design of all my dissertations in
this place. They will testify, that the intention of aU ray discourses
was, thai the form of sound words, that is, the Christian doctrine,
and consequently the fear and love of God, raight not only be ira
pressed, but also engraven upon your hearts in lasting and indelible
characters ; and that you raight not only adrait as a truth, but also
pay the highest regard to this indisputable raaxim, " That piety and
religion is the only real good among men*." jNIoreover, that your
minds might be the less encumbered in their application to this grand
study of religion, and the more expeditious in tfieir progress therein,
I constantly endeavoured, with all possible warmth, to divert you
from those barren and thorny questions and disputes that have infected
the whole of theology ; and this at a time when the greatest part of
divines and professors, and those of no small reputation, engaging
furiously in such controversies, have split into parties, and unhappily
divided the whole world. It was my constant practice to establish
those great and uncontroverted articles of our holy religion, wfiich are
but few and clear ; some part whereof are confirmed by the common
consent of nations, and of all the human race ; and all the rest, by the
unanimous voice of the whole Christian world. Of the first sort are
those we have often advanced in treating ofthe being and perfections
of the One Supreme and Eternal principle, and the production of all
things by Hira ; the continual preservation and governraent of the
world by His providence ; the law of God given to raankind, and the
rewards and punishments annexed to it. Tfie otfier class of the grand
articles of religion, are indeed peculiar to Christian Philosophy, but
believed in common by all tfie professors of tfiat religion. These
are the great foundations of our faith, and of all our hope and joy,
with regard to the incarnation ofthe Son of God, his death and resur
rection for the destmction of sin, and consequently of death ; his
ascension into the highest heavens with that sarae fiesfi of ours in
which he died, and his exaltation there above all ranks of angels, do
minions, and thrones, &;c, ; wfience we expect he wfll return in great
glory in that day, when he will be glorious in all his saints, and
admired in those tfiat believe. As raany, therefore, as desire to receive
him in this last manifestation, with joy and exultation, raust of neces-
sity be holy, and, in conformity to their raost perfect and glorious Head,
* 'Ort h xai f^ovav hav^^aisr^is aya^oy n laffi^iM.

544 VALEDICTOR-V ORATION.
sober, pious, upright, and five in full contempt of this perishing tran
sitory world, their own mortal flesh, and the sordid pleasures of both :
in a word all the enjoyraents which the mean and servfle admire, they
raust traraple under foot and despise. For, whoever will strive for
this victory, and strive so as at last to obtain it, the Lord will own for
his servant, and the great Master will acknowledge him for his dis
ciple. He will attain a likeness to God in this earth, and, after a
short conflict, will triumph in the Divine presence for ever. These
are the doctrines which it is our interest to know, and in the obser
vation of which our happiness will be secured. To these you will
turn your thoughts, young gentlemen, if you are wise ; nay, to these
you ought to give due attention, that you raay be wise. Those phan
toras we catch at, fly away ; this shadow of a life we now live, is like
wise on tfie wing. Tfiose tfiings that are without the verge of sense,
and above its reach, are the only solid and lasting enjoyraents. "Why
are ye fond of these earthly things," says St. Bernard, " which are
neither true riches, nor are they yours ? If they are yours," continues
he, "take them with you*." And Lactantius admirably well observes,
that " Whoever prefers the life of tfie soul, must of necessity despise that
of the body ; nor can he aspire to the highest good, unless he despise
advantages of an inferior kind. For the all-wise God did not choose
that we should attain to immortality in a soft indolent way, but that
we should gain that inexpressible reward of eternal fife, with the
highest difficulty and severest labour f." And that you may not be
discouraged, remeraber the great Redeeraer of souls, your exalted
Captain, hath gone before you, and we have to do witfi an enemy
already conquered. Let us only follow film witfi courage and activity,
and we fiave no ground to doubt of victory. And indeed it is a victory
truly worthy of a Christian, to subdue the barbarous train of our
appetites, and subject thera to the erapire of reason and religion ;
whfle on the other hand, it is the raost shameful bondage, to have tfie
raore Divine part of our coraposition raeanly subjected to an ignoble,
earthly body. Now, this victory can only be secured by steadfast be
lieving, vigorous opposition to our spiritual eneraies, unwearied watch
ing, and incessant prayer. Let prayer be not only the key that opens
the day, and the lock that shuts out the night; but let it be also, frora
morning to night, our staff and stay in all our labours, and enable us
to go cheerfully up into the mount of God. Prayer brings consolation
to the languishing soul, drives away the devil, and is the great me-
diuin whereby all grace and peace is coraraunicated to us. With re
gard to your reading, let it be your particular care to be farailiaiiy
acquainted with the Sacred Scriptures above all other books whatever;
for frora thence you will truly derive light for your direction, and
sacred provisions for your support on your journey. In subordination
to these, you raay also use the writings of pious raen that are agreeable
* Quid terrena hajc araplectimini, quEe nee vera; divitise sunt, nee vestra; ? Si vestra:
fiunt, toUite vobiscum.
§ Quisquis aniniEG vitam maluerit, corporis vitam contemnat necesse est, nee aliter
aspirare ad summum poterit bonum, nisi quse sunt ima despexerit. Noluit enim sapien-
lissimus Deus, nos immortaUtatem delicate ac moUiter assequi, sed ad illud vita; cEternEe
inenarrabile pra;mium summa cum difficultate et magnis lahoribus pervenire.

VALEDICTORY ORATION. 545
to them, for these also you raay improve to your advantage ; and
particulariy that littie Book of a Kerapis, De Imitatione Christi, since
the sura and substance of religion consists in imitating the Being, that
is the object of your worship.
May our dear Redeemer Jesus impress upon your rainds a fively
representation of fiis own meek and iraraaculate heart, that, in that
great and last day, he raay, by this mark, know you to be his; and,
together with all the rest of his sealed and redeemed ones, admit you
into the raansions of eternal bliss! Araen.
Let us pray.
Eternal Creator and Supreme Governor of the world, songs of praise
are due to Thee in Zion : nay, as Thou art infinitely superior to all
our songs and fiymns, even silence in Zion redounds to Thy praise.
Let the societies of angels be rather employed in singing Thy praises ;
but let us with silence and astonishraent fall down at the footstool of
Thy throne, while they are taken up in the repetition of their cele
brated doxology. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God of Hosts, who fillest tfie
fieaven and tfie earth with Thy glory ! But O t'nat we had within us
proper powers for exalting that raost sacred Narae ! that narae which,
according to their raersure, is celebrated by all the parts of this visible
world which surround us, the heavens, the stars, the winds, the rivers,
the earth, the ocean, and all the creatures therein. Thou surely didst
at first implant in us souls and powers, for this purpose, superior to
the rest of the visible creation : as we were then not only qualified to
offer Thee praises founded on the rational conviction of our minds,
and animated by the affections of our hearts, but also capable of pro
nouncing- raore articulately even the praises that result from all the
rest of Thy visible works. But, alas ! these heavenly souls, these
principles proceeding from a Divine original, we fiave most deeply
iraraersed in mire and dirt ; nor is any fiand able to extricate tfiem
out of this mud, or cleanse them from their pollution, but Thine. O
most exalted and bountiful Father, if Thou wflt graciously please to
grant us this grace and favour, we shall then offer thee new songs of
praise as incense, and ourselves thus renewed as a burnt offering : and
aU the rest ofour time in this world we shall live, not to ourselves,
but wholly to Him who died for us.
May Thy Church throughout the whole earth, and especiaUy in
these Islands, be supported by Thy most powerful hand, and conti
nually be made to rejoice in the light of Tfiy gracious countenance.
Let our King be joyful in Thee ; as he depends on Thy bounty, let
him never be moved ; let his throne be established in piety and righ
teousness, and let peace, and the gospel of peace, be the constant
blessino-s of these kingdoms, through Jesus Christ our Lord ; to whom,
with Thee, and the Holy Spirit, be praise, honour, and glory, now,
and for evermore. Amen.

Vol. ii. 2 N

546 A
MODEST DEFENCE
OF
MODERATE EPISCOPACY,
AS ESTABLISHED IN SCOTLAND AT THE RESTORATION OF
KING CHARLES II.

Episcopal government, managed in conjunction with presbyters, pres
byteries, and synods, is not contrary to the rule of Scripture, or the
exaraple of the primitive Church, but most agreeable to both.
Yea, it is not contrary to that new Covenant, which is pretended by
so many as the main, if not the only, reason of their scrupling ; and
for tfieir sakes it is necessary to add this : for notwithstanding the
many irregularities both in the matter and form of that Covenant, and
in the fllegal and violent ways of pressing and prosecuting of it, yet,
to tfiera wfio still remain under the conscience of its fuU force and ob
ligation, and in that some are inconvinceably persuaded, it is certainly
most pertinent, if it be true, to declare tfie consistence of tfie present
government even with that obhgation.
And as both of these assertions, I believe, upon tfie exactest (if im
partial and irapassionate) inquiry, -will be found to be in theraselves
true, so they are owned by the generality of the Presbyterians in
Eno-land, as theraselves have published tfieir opinions in print, with
this title, Two Papers of proposals, humbly presented to His Majesty,
hy the reverend ministers of ihe Presbyterian persuasion. Printed at
London, anno 1661.
Besides other passages in those papers to the sarae purpose, in page
11 and 12, are these words : " And as these are our general ends and
" raotives, so we are induced to insist upon the forra of a synodical
" government, conjunct with a fixed presidency or episcopacy ; for
" tfiese reasons :
" 1. We fiave reason to believe tfiat no other terras wfll be so gene-
" rally agreed on, §-c.
" 2. It being agreeable to the Scripture and the primitive govern-
" ment, is fikeliest to be tfie way of a raore universal concord, if ever
" the churches on earth arrive at such a blessing: however, it will be
" raost acceptable to God and well-inforraed consciences.
" 3. It wfll promote the practice of discipline and godliness without
" discord, and proraote order without hindering discipline and godli-
" ness. " 4. And it is not to be sflenced (though in some respects we are

A DEFENCE OP MODERATE EPISCOPACY. 547
" loth to raention it,) that it will save the nations frora the violation
" ofthe solemn vow and covenant, without wronging the church at afl,
" or breaking any other oath, i^c."
And a liUle after, they add, " That the prelacy disclaimed in that
" covenant, was the engrossing the sole power of ordination and juris-
" diction, and exercising ofthe whole discipline, absolutely by bishops
" themselves, and their delegates, chanceUors, surrogates, and officials,
" &c., excluding wholly the pastors of particular churches from aU
" share in it."
And there is one of prirae note amongst them, who, in a large trea
tise of Church Government, does clearly evidence, that this was the
raind both ofthe Pariiaraent of England, and of the Asserably of Di
vines at Westrainster, as they theraselves did expressly declare it in
the admitting of fhe Covenant, " That they understood it not to be
" against all Episcopacy, but only against that particular frame," as it
is worded in the article itself*. As for our present model in Scotland,
and the way of managing it, whatsoever is araiss, (and it can be no
wrong to raake that supposition concerning any church on earth,) the
brethren that are dissatisfied fiad possibly better acquitted their duty,
by free adraonitions and significations of tfieir own sense in all tfiings,
tfian by leaving their stations, whicfi is the only thing that has raade
the breach, I fear, very hard to cure, and, in human appearance, near
to incurable. But there is much charity due to those following their
own consciences; and they owe, and I hope they pay, the same back
again to those that do the same in another way. And whatsoever
may be the readiest and happiest way of reuniting those that are na
turally so rainded, the Lord reveal it to thera in due time.
This one word I shall add. That this difference should arise to a
o-reat height, raay seem soraewhat strange to any raan that calraly con
siders, that there is in this Church no change at all, neither in the
doctrine nor worship : no, nor in the substance of the discipline itself.
But when it faUs on raatter easfly inflararaable, a littie spark fiow
great a fire wiU it kindle !
Oh ! who would not long for the shadows of the evening, from all
these poor childish contests !
But some will say, that we are engaged against Prelacy by covenant,
and therefore cannot yield to so much as you do, without perjury.
Ans. That this is wholly untrue I thus demonstrate. I. When that
Covenant was presented to the Assembly with the bare name of Pre
lacy joined to Popery, many contrary and reverend divines desired that
the word (Prelacy) might be explained, because it was not all Episco
pacy they were against ; and thereupon the following clause, in the
parenthesis, was given by way of explication, in these words : [That
the church government by archbishops, bishops, their chancellors, and
commissaries, deans, and chapters, arch-deacons, and all the other ec
clesiastical officers depending on that hierarchy.] By which it appears,
* Baxter of Church Government, P. III. C. I. tit. page 275. " An Episcopacy de
sirable for the reformation, preservation, and peace of the churches, a fixed president,
durante vita." See p. 297, and 330, ibid.
"^ , 2 N 2

548 A DEFENCE OF MODERATE EPISCOPACY.
that it was only the English hierarchy or frame, that was covenanted
against ; and that which was then existent, that was taken down.
11. When tfie House of Lords took the Covenant, Mr. Thoraas
Coleraan, that gave it thera, did so explain it, and profess that it was
not their intent to covenant against all Episcopacy ; and upon this ex
plication it was taken ; and certainly the Pariiaraent was raost capable
of giving the due sense of it, seeing it was they that did irapose it.
III. And it could not be all Episcopacy that was excluded, because
a parochial Episcopacy was at that sarae time used and approved
coraraonly in England.
I'V. And in Scotiand they had used the help of visitors, for the re
forraation of their churches, coraraitting the care of a country or circuit
to sorae one raan, which was as high a sort of Episcopacy at least as
any I ara pleading for : be.sides that they had raoderators in all their
.synods, wfiich were teraporary bishops.
V. Also, the chief divines ofthe late Asserably at Westrainster, that
recom.raended that Covenant to the nations, have professed their own
judgraent for such a moderate Episcopacy as I ara here defending,
and therefore they never intended the exclusion of this by covenant.
After the sarae author saith, As we have Prelacy to be aware of, so,
we have the contrary extrerae to avoid ; and the church's peace, if it
may be so procured ; and as we must not take down the rainistry lest
it prepare men for Episcopacy, so neither raust we be against any pro
fitable use and exercise of the rainistry, or desirable order araongst
tfiera, for fear of introducing Prefacy, &c.
Tfiere is anotfier that has wrote a treatise on purpose, and that zea
lous enough, concerning the obligation of the League and Covenant,
under the narae of Theophilus Timercus, and yet therein it is expressly
asserted. That however at first view it might appear, that the Parlia
ment had renounced all Episcopacy, yet, upon exacter inquiry, it was
evident to the author that that very scruple was made by some mera
bers in Pariiaraent, and resolved, with the consent of their brethren in
Scotland, that the Covenant was only intended against Prelacy as it
was then in being in England, leaving a latitude for Episcopacy, &c.
It would be noted, that when that Covenant was fraraed, there was
no Episcopacy at all in being in Scotland, but in England ouly ; so
that the extirpation of that frame only could tfien be raerely intended.
Likewise, it would be considered of, tfiougfi tfiere is in Scotland
at present the name of dean and chapter and commissaries, yet, that
none of these do exercise at all any part of the discipline under that
name, neither any other, as chancellor or surrogate, &c., by delegation
from bisfiops, with total exclusion ofthe coraraunity of presbyters from
all power and share in it ; which is fhe greatest point of difference
between that raodel and this with us, and iraports so rauch as to the
main of discipline.
I do not deny that the generality of tfie people, even of ministers
iu Scotland, when they took the Covenant, did understand that article
as against all Episcopacy whatsoever, even the most moderate : espe
cially if it should be restored under the express name of bishops
and archbishops ; never considering how different the nature and
model, and way of exercising it, might be thought on under these

A DEFENCE OF MODERATE EPISCOPACY. 549
naraes, and that the due regulating of tiie tiling is rauch more to be
regarded than either the returning or altering the name. But though
they did not then consider any such thing, yet certainly it concerns
them now to consider it, when it is represented to tiiem, that not only
the words of the oath itself do very genuinely consist with such a
qualified and distinctive sense, but that the very composers and im
posers of it, or a considerable part of them, did so understand and
intend it. And unless they can raake it appear that the Episcopacy
now in question with us in Scotland, is eitfier contrary to tfie word of
God, or to that mitigated sense of their own oath, it would seem raore
suitable to Christian charity and raoderation, rather to yield to it,
as tolerable at least, than to continue so inflexibly to their first rais
takes, and excessive zeal for love of it, as to divide from tfie Churcfi,
and break the bond of peace.
It may likewise be granted, that some learned raen in England, who
have refused to take the Covenant, did possibly except against that
article of it as signifying the total renunciation and abolition of Epis
copacy, and seeing that it was the real event and consequence of it, and
they having raany other strong and weighty reasons for refusing it, it is
no v/onder that tfiey were fittle curious to inquire wfiat passed amongst
the contrivers of it, and what distinction, or different senses, either
the words of that article might admit, or those contrivers might intend
by them.
And the truth is, that, besides raany other evils, the iniquity and
unhappiness of such oaths and covenants lie mucfi in tfiis, tfiat being
commonly fraraed by persons tfiat, even araongst theraselves, are not
fully of one raind, but have their different opinions and interests to
serve, (and it was so even in this,) they comraonly patch up so many
several articles and clauses, and tfiose, too, of so versatile and ambigu
ous terms, that tliey prove most wretched snares and thickets of briars
and thorns to the consciences of those who are engaged in them, and
matter of endless contentions and disputes amongst thera, about the
true sense and intendment, and the ties and obligations ofthose doubt
ful clauses : especially in such alterations and revolutions of affairs
as always may, and often do, even within few years, foflow after them ;
for the models and productions of such devices are not usually long-
lived. And whatsoever may be said for their excuse in whole or in
part, who, in yielding to the power that pressed it, and the general
opinion of this Church at that time, did take that Covenant in the raost
raoderate and least schisraatical sense that the terras can adrait ; yet,
I know not what can be said to clear thera of a very great sin, that
not only fraraed such an engine, but violentiy iraposed it upon all
ranks of men ; not ministers and others pubUc persons only, but the
whole body and comm.unity, to such ahodge-podgeof things of various
concernments, religious and civil, as cliurcfi discipline and governraent,
tfie privileges of parliaraents, and liberties of subjects, and condign
punishraent of malignants, — tfiings hard enough for the wisest and
learnedest to draw the just lines of, and to give plain definitions and
decisions of them, and therefore certainly as far off from the reach of
poor country people's understanding, as from the tme interest of their

550 A DEFENCE OP MODERATE EPISCOPACY.
souls. And yet to tie them by a religious oath, either to know afl, or to
contend for thera blindfold, witfiout knowing of thera, where will there
be instanced a greater oppression and tyranny over consciences than
this ? Certainly, they that now govern in this Church, cannot be
charged with any thing near or like unto it ; for wfiatsoever they require
of intrants to the rainistry, they require neither subscriptions nor oaths
of rainisters already entered, and far less of the whole body of the
people. And it were ingenuously done, to take sorae notice of any
point of raoderation, or whatsoever else is really coraraendable, even in
those we account our greatest enemies, and not to take any party in
the world for the absolute standard and unfailing rule of truth and
righteousness in all things.

A FRAGMENT ON EZRA IX.

Our joys and griefs are the pulse of our hearts, and tell the temper of
thera. Earthly joy and sorrow take deep with an earthly heart,
but little affect that which is spiritual and heavenly ; and in this, those
prayers and griefs are strong that arise from spiritual causes, which
raost of raen scarcely feel at all : yea, a holy heart stays not in its own
interest, in its mourning or rejoicing, but hath more sense even of
other men's sins, than commonly they theraselves who are guilty.
Rivers of waters, says David, run down mine eyes, because they keep
noi Thy Law. Psal. cxix. 136. Of this sarae teraper was this holy
man. Oh ! how would a few, how would one such person in a con
gregation, advance the work of a public fast, more than hundreds of
us ! And such an one's silence speaks raore than all our noises ; his
sitting astonished till the evening sacrifice. Little, shallow griefs find
the tongue raore readily, but the greater are not of so easy vent, but stop
a while though pressing to be out, as a full vessel with a narrow mouth.
It was so with Ezra's sorrow for the people's sin ; but when it gets
out, it springs upward with the greater force, even up to heaven. I
fell on my knees, and spread out Tny hands to the Lord my God, and
said. Oh ! ray God, / am ashamed, our iniquities are increased over
our heads : — q. d.. These cover rae with sharae, and I blush to lift up
my face to those heavens whither our iniquities are gone up before :
when I would look to thee, I spy our horrible transgressions got
thither first, and mutiny of the people, thereby engaging such droves
of poor ignorant persons to they knew not what, and (to speak freely)
standing before Thee and accusing us. Our transgressioTi is grown up
io heaven. It hath had a long time time to grow in, and all that time
hath been incessantly growing, and therefore grown so high. Since
ihe days of our fathers we have been in this trespass. Generations

A FRAGMENT ON EZRA IX. 551
pass, but yet your sins abide. When the succeeding generation fol
lows on in it, the forraer sins are reserved, and the latter added to
thera, and so they are kept alive. Thus they grow. This fills up the
measure, and ripens a people for judgraent, that is filliug and growing
all the while suitablcto the sin, till it be poured out. Hence, public
calaraities and long-lasting judgments on people.
Now these two things aggravate : great judgments inflicted, and
great defiverances granted. Yet after both, this people had forsaken
God's coraraandraents. And after all thai is come upon us for our
evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that Thou our God hast
punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such de
liverance as this. Is not this just our case? Have we not been
sharply scourged, though indeed far less than our iniqnites, and have
we not been seasonably and wonderfully delivered in our extreraities?
And yet have we not again broken His coraraandraents? And do we
not still generally and grossly continue so doing ! Oh ! what shall
we say to our God ? We cannot stand before Him, because of this.
Let us, therefore, fall down before Hira, and confess, and supplicate ;
and there is yet hope that He will be gracious.

552

CHARGES

CLERGY OF THE DIOCESAN SYNOD OF
DUNBLANE.

I. Bishop Leighton's Charge io his Clergy, Sept. 1662.
FOR DISCIPLINE.
First, That all diligence be used for tfie repressing of profaneness,
and for the advancement of solid piety.
Secondly, That not only scandals of unchastity, but drunkenness,
swearing, cursing, filthy speaking, and mocking of religion, and all
other gross offences, be brought under cfiurch censure.
Thirdly, That scandalous offenders be not absolved, till there appear
in tfiem very probable signs of true repentance.
Fourthly, 'That inquiry be made by the minister, not only into the
knowledge, but the practice and track of life, of those who are to be
admitted to the holy comraunion ; and all profane and evidently im
penitent persons be secluded, till their better conversation, and obedi
ence to the gospel, be raore apparent.
Fifthly, That faraily prayer be inquired after ; and tfiey that can, be
exhorted to join with it reading of the Scriptures.
FOR WORSHIP.
First, That instead of lecturing and preaching both at one raeeting,
larger portions of the Holy Scriptures, one whole chapter at least of
each Testaraent, and Psalras withal, be constantly read ; and this not
as a by-work, while they are convening, but after the people are well
convened, and the worship solemnly begun with confession of sins and
prayer, either by the minister or some fit person by film appointed.
Secondly, That the Lord's Prayer be restored to more frequent
use ; likewise, the Doxology and the Creed.
Thirdly, That dafly public prayer, in churcfies, raorning and even
ing, with reading of the Scriptures, be used, where it can be had
conveniently, and the people be exhorted to frequent thera ; not so as
to think that this should excuse them from daily private prayer, in their
farailies and in secret, but rather as a help to enable thera and dispose
them the raore for both these : and let the constant use of secret prayer
be recommended to all persons, as the great instrument of sanctifying
the soul, and of entertaining and increasing it in the love of God.
Fourthly, That the younger sort and the ignorant be diligently cate
chised, at fit times, all tfie year through ; and that work not wholly

CHARGES TO THE CLERGY. 553
laid over on some days or weeks before the celebration ofthe commu
nion ; but that the inquiry at that tirae, be rather of their good con
versation, and due disposition for partaking of that holy ordinance, as
was said before in an article touching discipline.
Fifthly, That rainisters use some short form of catechisn-i, such as
fhey raay require account of, till a comraon forra be agreed on.
Sixthly, That preaching be plain and useful for all capacities ; not
entangled with useless questions and disputes, nor continued to a
wearisorae length; the great and raost necessary principles of relio-ion,
raost frequently treated upon : and oftentime larger portions of Scrip
ture explained, and suitable instructions and exhortations thence de
duced; and let that be the sermon at that tirae; which will doubtless
be as truly preaching, and as useful, if not raore so, than insisting, for
a whole serraon or raore, upon one short verse or sentence.
The Bishop propounded to the Brethren, that it was to be reraera-
bered, by hiraself and thera both, to how erainent degrees of purity of
heart and life their holy calling dotfi engage tfiera ; to fiow great
conterapt of tfiis present worid, and inflaraed affections toward Heaven,
springing frora deep persuasions witfiin thera of tfiose things they preach
to others, and frora the daily meditation of thera, and fervent prayer :
And that they consider how ill it becomes thera to be rauch in the trivial
conversation of the world ; but, when their duty or necessity involves
thera in company, that their speech and deportment be exeraplarily holy,
rainistering grace to those with whom they converse : And, (to add but
this one thing, so suitable to ministers of the gospel of peace,) that
they be meek and gentle and lovers and exhorters of peace, private
and public, amongst all ranks of men ; endeavouring ratfier to quencfi,
tfian to increase, tfie useless debates and contentions that abound in the
world; and that they be always more studious of pacific than poleraic
divinity, that certainly being much diviner than this, for the students
of it are called the sons of God, Matt. v. 9,
II. The Bishop's Address after ihebusiness was over, October 1665.
After the affairs of the Synod were ended, the Bishop shewed the
Brethren he had soraewhat to irapart to thera that concemed himself,
which, though it imported little or nothing, either to them or the
church, yet he judged it his duty to acquaint thera with ; and it was,
the resolution he had taken of retiring frora this public charge ; and
that all the account he could give of the reasons moving him to it,
was briefly this: the sense he had of his own unworthiness of so high
a station in the church, and his weariness of the contentions of this
church, which seeraed rather fo be growing than abating, and, by
their growth, did raake so great abateraents of that Christian meekness
and mutual charity, that is so much more worth than the whole sum
of all that we contend about. He thanked the brethren for afl their
undeserved respect and kindness manifested to himself all along; and
desired their good construction of the poor endeavours he had used to
serve them, and to assist them in promoting the v.ork ofthe ministry,
and the great designs of the gospel, in their bounds : and if^ in any
thing, in word or deed, he had oflended them, or any of them, he very

554 charges to the clergy.
earnestiy and humbly craved their pardon : and having recomraended'
to them to continue in the study of peace and holiness, and of ardent.
love to our great Lord and Master, and to the souls he hath so dearly
bought, he closed with these words of the Apostie : " Finally,
brethren, farewell: be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one raind,
and live in peace ; and the God of peace and love shall be with you." .
III. The Bishop's Charge, October 1666.
I. It was enacted. That all tfie rainisters do endeavour to bring their
people to a high esteem of the Holy Scriptures, and of the reatling of
thera in public ; and to give evidence thereof, by reverent and attentive
hearing, none being perraitted to stand about the doors, or lie in the
kirk-yard, during the tirae of reading ; and if, after warning given
thera of this, any shall be found to continue in the sarae disorder, they
are, by due rebukes and censures, to be brought to obedience.
2. 'That the rainisters be careful to direct the readers what parts of
the Scriptures are raost frequently to be read : as, the histories of the,
Gospel, and the Epistles ; and of the Old Testament, the most in
telligible and practicable parts, particularly, large portions of tfie
Psalras at all tiraes, being botfi so excellently instructive, and withal
so divine forms of prayers and praises, and therefore have been so
much used by the Christian churches in all ages, and always made so
great a part of their public service.
3. That no readers be permitted, but such as are tried and ap
proved by the Presbytery.
4. That, besides the reading betwixt the second and third bell,
which is but as in the interval for those that are come, till the rest do
convene, some part of the Scriptures be read after the last bell is rung
out, and the congregation raore fully raet, and the minister is come
in ; either by himself, or by the reader at his appointment ; one
chapter at least, together with sorae of the Psalras, one or raore, as
they are of length, and of which sorae part afterwards raay be sung,
and so the people shall the better understand what they sing. Thus
shall this so useful ordinance of public reading of the Scriptures be
performed with more solemnity, and brought into greater respect and
veneration, and the people be more universally and plentifully edified
by it. But, together with this, tfie reciting of tfie Ten Comraand
ments, the Belief, according to tfie acts of former Synods, is no
Lord's day to be oraitted. Nor is tfiis only or raainly raeant as a fielp
to the people's learning the words of tfiera, and so being able to
repeat thera, but as a soleran publication of the law of God, as the rule
of our life, and a soleran profession of our believing the articles of
our Christian faith, and for the quickening of our affections towards
both. And as to that exercise of reading the Scriptures, it cannot be,
iraagined that any well-instructed and solid-minded Christian can
question the great expediency and usefulness of it for all ranks of
people : for, besides tfiat many of our coraraons cannot read, and so,
cannot use tfie Scriptures in private, and too many that can, yet do
neglect it; even they that use them most in private, will not only no

CHARGES TO THE CLERGY. 555.
whit the less, but so much the more, be well satisfied and edified with
hearing thera read in public, and will raore reverently and religiously
attend to them, and, with the blessing of God upon thera so doing,
not fail to find (wfiat otfiers can say they have often found) divers pas
sages and sentences falling frequently in upon their hearts in public
reading, with particular warrath and divine force, nothing below, if
not soraetiraes beyond, what they usually find in private.
If tfie mini.ster tfiink fit to make his serraon for the tirae, upon sorae
part of what, by himself, or by his appointment, hath been read, it
may do well ; and possibly so much the better, the longer the text be,
and the shorter the sermon be ; for, it is greatly to be suspected, that
our usual way of very short texts, and very long sermons, is apt to.
weary people more, and profit tfiera less.
But, wfiatsoever they do in this, they should beware of returning to
their long expositions, besides their serraon, at one and the sarae
meeting ; which, besides the tediousness and other inconveniences, is
apt to foraent in people's rainds the foolisfi prejudice and proud dis
dain tfiey fiave taken against tfie Scriptures read witfiout a superadded
discourse ; in wfiicfi conceit, for all tfieir zeal against Popery, tfiey
seera to be too mucfi of tfie Romisfi opinion, as accounting tfie Holy
Scriptures so obscure in tfieraselves, that it is soraeway dangerous,
or at least altogether unprofitable, to intrust tfie coraraon people eitfier
witfi reading or hearing any part of thera at any tirae, unless they be
backed with continual expositions.
5. That rainisters do endeavour to reduce the people frora the
irreverent deportraent they have generally contracted in the pubfic
worsfiip ; particularly, frora tfieir raost indecent sitting at prayer, to
kneel or stand, as conveniently they raay, that we raay worship, both
with our bodies and with our souls. Him that raade both, and made
them for that very end. Oh ! how needful is that invitatory to be
often rung in our ears, that seem wholly to have forgot it. " Oh !
corae, and let us worship and bow down, and kneel before the Lord
our Maker."
6. That people be frequently and earnestiy exhorted to raorning
and evening prayer in their farailies, especiaUy the prirae faraflies in
parishes, as most exemplary.
7. That the way of catechising be more adapted to the capacity of
our rude and ignorant people; and that our serraons, particulariy
those of the afternoon, may be more frequentiy bestowed on the most
plain and intelligible way of explaining sorae point of catecfietical
doctrine. 8. It was recommended. That convenient utensils be provided in
every kirk, for the administration ofthe holy sacraraents.
9. That, according to our great and standing duty, we be still raore
and more zealous and careful, by doctrine and discipline, to purge
out all profaneness ; particularly, the most common and crying sins,
as drunkenness, cursing, swearing, railing, and bitter speaking, and
rotten filthy speaking, so usual amongst the coramon sort, in their
house or field labour togetfier, particularly in harvest: and that
it be by all ministers recomraended to the owners of the crops, and
overseers of the reapers, to range them so to their work, and in such
divisions, as may give least occasion to any thing of that kind.

556 CHARGES TO THE CLERGY.
10. That, as we ourselves should be exemplary in holiness, we
should endeavour that our seniores plebis, or elders of the people, be
so too : and, for that end, rather to have them well chosen, though
fewer, than a great nuraber of such as too often they are.
11. That the Presbyteries do inquire of each one of their nuraber
concerning the celebration of the coraraunion, that at least our usual
returns of it be neglected by none ; for, it is one of the great defects
and reproaches ofour Church, that thatgreatordinance, being so useful
for the increase of hofiness, sfiould be so seldora administered, as witfi
us it is, even where it is oftenest. For the way of examination in
order to it, somewhat is set down in our first Synod, wfiich may be
looked at, if possibly it raay prove to be of any use.
I'V. Paper given in by the Bishop to the Synod, April 1667.
I CONFESS that ray own inactive and unraeddling temper may be too
apt to prevail against tfie known duty of my station, and may incfine
me ratfier to inquire too fittle than too rauch into the deportraent of
others ; and rather to be deficient, tfian to exceed in adraonitions and
advices to my brethren, in raatters of their duty: and, besides this
natural aversion, the sense of ray own great unworthiness and filthi
ness, raay give rae check, and be a very strong curb upon me, in
censuring others for what may be amiss, or in offering any rules for
the redress of it. And there is yet another consideration, that bends
still further that way ; for I ara so desirous to keep far off frora the
reach of that prejudice that abounds in these parts, against the very
narae of my sacred function, as apt to comraand and doraineer too
rauch, that I raay possibly err on the other hand, and scarce perforra
the duty ofthe lowest and most raoderate kind of moderator; so that
I am forced to spur and drive up myself against all these retardments,
to suggest any thing, how useful soever, beyond our road or accus
tomed way, especially, finding how little any thing of that kind takes,
and prevails to any real effect.
However, when any thing appears to me of evident reason and
usefulness, and that easily joins in, and paceth witfi, our standing
customs, I judge it my duty to offer it to you ; and I fiope, if tfiat ye
shall find it of any use, ye will not reject it, but rather improve it
to somewhat better, that by occasion of it may arise in your own
thoughts. Soraething of this kind I have forraerly moved, concerning the way
of dealing witfi persons fallen into scandalous sin: frequent speaking
witfi them in private, to the convincing and awakening their con
sciences to a lively sense of sin, and directing them in the exercises of
repentance, and exhorting them to set apart sorae time for the solid
humbling of their souls in fasting and prayer ; and not to admit them
to public confession, untfl tfiey fiave, to our best discerning, some
real heart-sense of sin, and remorse for it, and serious purposes of
newness of life.
Likewise, I suggested soraewhat touching the way of exaraining of
all persons, toward their adraission to the holy comraunion, besides the
ordinary way of catechising the younger and raore ignorant sort ; and
some other particulars much like tfiese, that now I wifl not repeat.

CHARGES TO THE CLEaOY. 557
That which I woifld recoraraend at this tirae, relates to the business
of privy trials (as fhey are called) of rainisters in their Presbyteries,
toward the time of the Synod ; in which I have perceived, in sorae
places, (if I may be pardoned that free word,) very much of super
ficial, erapty forra ; for the help of which, besides other ways which
may be thought on, that which occurs to rae at present, is this : That
sorae certain questions be asked of every rainister before he with
draws ; and these be rauch the sarae with those that usuaUy are, or
fitly may be, propounded to the elders and people concerning their
minister, at the visitation of particular kirks. For though, in the case
we now speak of, we can have nothing but every man's own word
concerning himself, yet this does not render it an useless thing; for,
besides that divers ofthe questions will be of things so obvious to public
knowiedge, that no man will readily adventure to give an untrue answer,
where it may be so readily traced, there is much to be given to the
presuraed ingenuity and veracity of a rainister, especially iu what is
soleranly and punctually inquired of him ; and whatsoever, formeriy,
hath been, or hath not been, his forraer degree of diligence in the
particulars, the very inquiry and asking concerning thera, will be
apt to awake, in every man, a raore serious reflection upon hiraself
touching each point ; and the drawing forth such an express answer to
each before his brethren, will probably excite and engage hira to
higher exactness in all of thera for the tirae to come.
The particulars I conceive may be these, and such others, like
them, as may be further thought fit.
1. Whether fie be constantly assiduous in plain and profitable
preaching, instructing, and exhorting-, and reproving, most expressly
and frequently, those sins that abound most among his people ; and
in all things, to his best skill, fitting his doctrine to the capacities,
necessities, and edification of all sorts within his charge ?
2. Whether he be difigent in catechising, employing tfirongliout the
year sucfi seasons and times for it, as raay be easiest and fittest for the
people to attend it, and not wholly casting it over upon sorae few
days or weeks near tfie tirae ofthe coraraunion?
3. How often in the year fie celebrates the holy coraraunion ? For
I ara asharaed to say, wfietfier, at least, once every year?
4. Whether he does faithfully and irapartially exercise discipUne, and
bring all known scandals to due censure ; and does speak privately,
and that oftener than once, with the per.sons convicted, and admits
them not to public acknowledgment, till he sees in them some probable
signs of true repentance.
5. Whether he be diligent, by hiraself and his elders, in aU conve
nient ways, to know the deportraent of the several families and persons
of his flock ; and do frequently visit the families, and not only ask, but
do his best certainly to inform himself, whetfier they constantiy use
morning and evening prayer, together with reading of the Scriptures,
if they have any that can do it ; and whether this point of family
exercise be specially provided for in the choice famiUes in the parish.
6. Whether he be careful of the relief of the poor, and of visiting
tfie sick, whensoever he knows of any, even though they neglect to
send for him ; and for this end make inquiry, and the rather prevent

558 CHARGES TO THE CLERGY.
their sending, because they coraraonly defer that, till it can be of
little or no use to them.
7. Whether he does in private plainly and freely admonish those he
knows, or hath cause fo suspect, to be given to uncleanness, or
drunkenness, or swearing, or any kind of inordinate walking, especially
if they be of that quality that engages him frequently to converse witfi
them ; and if they continue such, leaves off that converse ; and if their
raiscarriage be public, brings them to pubfic censure.
8. Whether he watches exactly over his own conversation in all
things, that he not only give no offence, but be an example to the
flock, and preach by living.
9. Whether he spend the greatest portions of his tirae in private, in
reading, and prayer, and raeditation, — a thing so necessary to enable
hira for all the other parts of his duty.
10. Whether he makes it the great business, and withal the great
pleasure, of his life, to fulfil the work of his ministry, in the several
parts and duties of it, out of love to God, and to the souls of his
people. II. If he does not only avoid gross offences, (which, in a guide of
souls, were intolerable,) but studies daily to mortify pride, and rash
anger, and vain-glory, and covetousness, and love of this world and
of sensual pleasures, and self-love, and all inordinate passions and
affections, even in those instances wherein they are subtilest and least
discernible by others, and comraonly too little discerned by ourselves.
12. If he not only lives in peace with his brethren and flock, and
withal as much as is possible, but is an ardent lover and promoter of
it, reconciling differences, and preserving good agreeraent, all he can,
araongst his people.
It hath not escaped ray thoughts, that sorae of these questions,
being of things raore inward, raay seera less fit to be publicly pro
pounded to any ; and that the best observers of thera wfll, both out
of modesty, and real humility, and severe judging of themselves, be
aptest to charge themselves with deficiency in tfiem, and wfll only
own, at raost, sincere desires and endeavour, wfiich, likewise, they
that practise and raind thera least, raay in general profess : neither is
there any raore particular and punctual account to be expected of
such things of any raan in public ; but the main intent in these, (as
was said before,) is, serious refiection, and that each of us may be
stirred up to ask ourselves over again tfiese and more of tfie like
questions, in our most private trials, and our secret scrutinies of our
own fiearts and lives, and raay redouble our diligence in purging our
selves ; that we may be in the house of God vessels of honour,
sanctified and meet for the Master's use, and prepared to every good
work. And, for those other things raore exposed to the knowledge of
others, if any brother hears of any faultiness in any of the nuraber, he
shall jiot do well to think rudely to vent it in the meeting, tiU first he
have made all due inc[uiry after the truth of it; yea, though he hath it
upon inquiry to be true, yet ought he not, even then, to make his first
essay of rectifying his brother, by a declaration to the full meeting,
without having formerly admonished him, first alone, and then (ac
cording to our Saviour's rule) in the presence of one or two more ;

CHARGES TO THE CLERGY. 559
but having done so, if neither of these reclaim him, then foHows of
necessity to tell the church ; but that is likewise to be dune with great
singleness of heart, and charity, and compassion ; and the whole
procedure of the whole corapany, with the person so delated, is to be
managed with the same temper, according to the excellent advice of
the Apostle, " My brethren, if any man be overtaken in a fault, ye
which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, con
sidering thyself, lest thou also be terapted." Gal. vi. 2.
V. Paper given in hy the Bishop to ihe Synod, October 1667, con
taining Proposals touching ihe following things :
1. Solemn reading ofthe Scriptures.
2. Reducing the people to a reverend gesture in prayer.
3. Plain and practical, and catechetical, preaching.
- 4. A weekly day for catechising, and the reading of the Scriptures
joined with it.
5. A short and plain forra of catechisra.
6. A more exact and spiritual way of dealing witfi public penitents.
7. As likewise of preparing people for the coraraunion ; raore
frequent celebration whereof is so rauch to be wished, but so little, or
scarce at all, to be fioped in this Church.
8. That, in preaching, the most abounding and crying sins be more
sharply and frequently reproved, particularly, cursing and swearing ;
and the worship of God in faraflies raore urged.
9. Tfie due educating and moulding the minds of young students
in presbyteries.
13. More frequent and more exact visitation of churches: and the
visiting of families by each rainister in his own charge.
The words of the Paper were as foflow : —
1. That tfie reading of tfie Holy Scriptures in our public raeetings,
-yvhen they are solemnest and fullest, be constantly used, and that we
endeavour to bring our people to a reverend and affectionate esteera
of that ordinance, and attention to it.
2. That both by our own example, and by frequent instruction and
exhortation, we study to reform that extreme irreverence and in
decency that hath generally prevailed in people's deportraent in tirae
of public worship, and particularly of prayer : and that they be reduced
to such a gesture, as raay signify that we are acknowledging and
adoring the great Majesty of God.
3. That we endeavour to adapt our way of preaching, with all evi
dence and plainness, to the inforraing of the people's rainds, and
quickening their affections, and raising in thera renewed purposes of a
Christian life ; and tfiat some part ofour sermons be designed for the
plain and practical explication of the great principles of religion.
' 4. Thatwefixsoraecertaintiraes,atleastonedayin the week, through
out the year, for catechising, and that withal, there be reading of the Scrip
tures and prayer at the sarae time ; to which, besides that partof the peo
ple that are for each time particularly warned to be present, those others
that are near the church, and at leisure may resort. For the work of the

560 CHARGES TO THE CLERGY.
ministry is a husbandry of more continual labour and attendance than
that ofour country people that labour the ground, and therefore can
not well be duly discharged if it be wholly cast over upon the Lord's
day, without ever raeeting with them, or bringing any considerable
part of them together, all the week long.
5. It seems absolutely necessary, that each minister should resolve on
some short and plain form of catechism, for the use of his people : for
it is not, I think, to be imagined, that ever people will have any fixed
knowledge of the articles of religion, by lax and continually varied
discourses and forras, or by catecliisras too long and too hard for
them. And would sorae person draw up several short forras, they
might be revised at the next Synod, and possibly one framed out of
them, which, by consent, raight be appointed for the use of this
diocese, for the interira, till one shall be published for the whole
church. 6. That which hath been forraerly proposed, should be reminded, of
a more exact and spiritual way of dealing with public offenders, that
their reception raight be both raore apt to recover the penitents them
selves, and to edify the church.
7. For raore frequent coramunion, (if it could be had,) or however,
for the better iraproving it when we have it, seldom as it is, what hath
been forraerly suggested touching the way of examining and pre
paring people to it, and other particulars relating thereto, need not be
repeated, but need very much to be really practised, if they can be of
any use.
8. Likewise, enough hath been formerly said, (it were well if any
thing raight once appear to be done,) touching the worship of God
in faraflies, especially the prirae ones within our bounds : as likewise
touching the exercise of discipfine for tfie repressing of swearing and
drunkenness, and all profaneness, so mucfi abounding every where ;
and that our doctrine be likewise more particularly and frequently ap
plied to that purpose.
9. Something hath likewise been said concerning the training up
of such young men araongst us as intend the rainistry, not only as to
their strain of preaching, but the raoulding of their rainds to more in
ward thoughts, and the study ofa devout life, and more acquaintance
witfi the exercises of mortification and purging of their own hearts by
those Divine truths which they are to preach to others for the same
purpose : for how shall they teach what they have not learned?
10. That churches be more frequently and exactiy visited, and, by
each rainister, the faraflies of fiis congregation.
This paper being publicly read, and consented to, and approved by
fhe unaniraous vote of the Synod, conformably to it was framed the
following act.
The Bishop and Synod having seriously considered the height of
profaneness and gross sins abounding- araong their people, particu
lariy drunkenness and uncleanness, and most universally the heinous
sin of cursing and swearing, and that which foraents and increases
those and all sins, the great conterapt of the Lord's holy day and or
dinances, and the gross and almost incredible ignorance of the com-

CHARGES TO THE CLERGv. 561
mon sort, under so much assiduous preaching and catechising ; for
the more effectual redress of all these evils, have agreed and resolved,
through the Lord's help, each oue within himself, to stir the grace and
zeal of God that is within him, to renewed vigour and fervour, and
raore earnest endeavours in the use of all due raeans for that effect ;
and particularly,
1 . The applying of their serraons and doctrines more expressly and
frequently to the reproof of those wickednesses, especially of that hor
rible sin which almost all ranks of men do more easily and frequently
corarait than they can possibly do other gross sins, and that with less
sense and remorse — cursing and swearing : And that they will, by
God's assistance, not only use short and frequent reproofs of this and
other sins, but at sorae times raore largely insist in representing the ex
ceeding sinfulness and vileness of such a particular sin, and the great
danger of the Lord's wrath and heaviest judgements upon those that
persist in it.
2. That with this they will join constant private inspection over the
lives of tfieir people, and, by all due means, particularly inquire into
them ; and when they find any one guilty of any gross sin, privately
to admonish him, meekly and affectionately, but yet with all freedom
and plainness ; and if upon that they mend not, to proceed in the re
gular way of discipline and censure within their own charge ; and if
they be not by that reclairaed, but prove obstinate, then to delate them
to the highest judicature, in the usual order of this Church.
3. To use more frequent catechising, and that in so plain a method
and way as may be most apt both to inforra the minds of the most
ignorant, and, through the blessing of God, to make more deep im
pression upon their fiearts.
4. That, as much as is competent for rainisters, they vsill endeavour
to procure the executing of those penal laws made against cursing
and swearing, and other scandalous offences, in such a way as may be
most convenient and feasible in each of their respective parishes.
5. That they will endeavour, both by exliortafion and, where need
is, by use of discipline, to bring their people to more careful and con
stant attendance on all the ordinances of God at all times of the
accustomed pubfic meetings, and to a more religious and reverend
deportment in them throughout the whole, but particularly in time of
prayer. 6. That they be particulariy careful to inquire after the daily per
formance of the worship of God in families, and, where they find it
wanting, to enjoin it, and make inquiry again after it ; and tfiis sfiould
be especially pro-vided for in tfie choice and most eminent faraflies in
the several congregations, as exeraplary to all the rest.
'VI. Concluding Paragrajih, April 1668.
The Bishop, having comraended the Brethren for their unity, and
concord, and good conversation, exhorted them to continue therein,
and to be more and more exemplary in holiness, and in modesty and
oravity, even in the externals of their hair and habit, and their whole
deportment; and to the regulating of their children, and their whole
Vol. II. 2 O

562 CHARGES TO THE CLERGY.
famifies, to be patterns of religion and sobriety to all about them ;
and that they themselves aspire daily to greater abstraction from the
world, and conterapt of things below ; giving theraselves wholly to
their great work of watching over souls, for which they must give
account ; and to reading and meditation ; and to prayer, that draws
continual fresh suppfies from Heaven, to enable them for all these
duties. VII. Paragraph respecting Baptismal Vows, October 1668.
That which had been soraetiraes spoke of before, the Bishop now
again recomraended to the Brethren, that, at their set times of cate
chising and examining their people, they would take particular notice
of young persons, towards their first admission to tfie fioly comrau
nion ; and, fiaving before taken account of their knowledge of the
grounds of refigion, would then cause thera, each one particularly and
expressly, to declare their belief of the Christian faith, into which, in
their infancy, they were baptized ; and, rerainding thera of that their
baptismal vow, and tfie great engagements it lays upon tfiera to a fioly
and Christian fife, would require of them an explicit owning of that
vow and engageraent, and their solemn promise accordingly, to en
deavour the observing and performance of it, in the whole course of
their following life : And tfien, in their prayer with which they use to
conclude those meetings, would recommend the said young persons,
now thus engaged, to the effectual blessing of God, beseecfiing Him
to own tfiem for His, and to bestow on thera the sanctifying and
strengthening grace of His Holy Spirit, as His signature upon thera,
sealing tfiera to the day of rederaption.
And this practice, as it hath nothing in it that can offend any, even
the raost scrupulous minds, so it may be a very fit suppletory of tfiat
defect in Infant Baptisra, wfiicfi the eneraies of it do raainly object
against it, and raay, through the blessing of God, raake a lasting ira
pression of religion upon the hearts of those young persons towards
whora it is used, and effectually engage them to a Christian life ; and,
if they swerve from it, make them the more inexcusable and clearly
convincible of their unfaithfulness and breach of that great promise
and sacred vow, they have so renewed to God before His people.
And for authority of divines, if we regard it, it hath fhe general appro
bation of the raost famous Reformers, and of the most pious and
learned that have followed thera since their time ; and, being performed
in that evangelical simplicity as it is here propounded, they do not
only allow it as lawful, but desire it, and advise it as laudable and
profitable, and of very good use, in afl Christian churches.

563

RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS

HOLY LIFE.

For disposing you the better to observe these rules, and profit by
thera, be pleased to take the following advices : —
1. Put all your trust in the special and singular mercy of God, that
He for His mercy's sake, and of His only goodness, will help and
bring you to perfection. Not that absolute perfection is attainable
fiere, but tfie meaning is, to fiigfi degrees of that spiritual and divine
fife, wfiicfi is always growing and tending towards the absolute per
fection above ; but in some persons coraes nearer to that and riseth
higher, even here, than in the raost. If you with hearty and fervent
desires do continually wish and long for it, and with most hurable
devotion daily pray unto God, and call for it, and with all difigence do
busily labour and travail to corae to it, undoubtedly it sfiall be given
you. For you must not tfiink it sufficient to use exercises, as tfiough
they had such virtues in them, that, of themselves alone, they could
make such as do use thera perfect; for neither those nor any other,
wfiatever tfiey be, can of tfieraselves (by tfieir use only) bring unto
perfection. But our merciful Lord God, of His own goodness, wfien
you seek witfi fiearty desires and fervent sigfiings, maketfi you to find
it. Wfien you ask daily with devout prayer, then He giveth it to you;
and when you continually, with unwearied labour and travail, knock
perseveringly, then He iloth mercifully open unto you. And because
those exercises do teach you to seek, ask, and knock, yea, they are
none other than very devout petitions, seekings, and spiritual pulsa
tions for the merciful fielp of God ; therefore they are very profitable
raeans to corae to perfection by God's grace.
2. Let no particular exercise binder your public and standing duties
to God and your neighbours : but for these, rather interrait the other
for a time, and then return to it as soon as you can.
3. If, in tirae of your spiritual exercise, you find yourself drawn to
any better, or to as good a contemplation as tfiat is, follow tfie track
of tfiat good raotion so long as it shafi last.
4. Always take care to follow sucfi exercises of devout tfiougfits,
witfial putting in practice sucfi lessons as they contain and excite to.
5. Though at first ye feel no sweetness in sucfi exercises, yet be not
discouraged, nor induced to leave tfiera, but continue in thera faith
fully, whatsoever pain or spiritual trouble ye feel ; for, doing thera for
God and His honour, and finding none other present fruit, yet you
shall fiave an exceUent reward for your diligent labour and your pure
intentions. And let not your falling short of these raodels and rules,
nor your daily manifold imperfections and faults, dishearten you ; but
continue steadfast in your desires, purposes, and endeavours; and
2 0 2

564 RULES AND instructions
ever ask the best, aira at the best, and hope the best, being sorry that
you can do no better; and they shall be a raost acceptable sacrifice
in the sight of God, and in due time you shall reap if you faint not.
And of all such instructions let your rule be, to follow them as much
as you can ; but not too scrupulously thinking your labour lost if you
do not exactiy and strictly answer thera in everything. Purpose still
better, and by God's grace all shall be well.
SECTION I.
Rule 1. Exercise thyself in the knowledge and deep consideration
of our Lord God, calling hurably to raind how excellent and incora
prehensible He is ; and this knowledge shalt thou rather endeavour to
obtain by fervent desire and devout prayer, than by high study and
outward labour. It is the singular gift of God, and certainly very
precarious. 2. Pray, then, " Most gracious Lord, whom to know is the very
" bliss and felicity of man's soul, and yet none can know Tfiee, unless
" Thou wflt open and shew .Thyself unto him; vouchsafe, of Thy infi-
" nite mercy now and ever, to enligfiten my heart and mind to know
" Thee, and Thy most holy and perfect will, to the honour and glory
" of Thy name. Amen."
3. Tfien lift up thy heart to consider (not with too great violence,
but soberly) the eternal and infinite power of God, wfio fias created
all things by His excellent wisdom ; His unmeasurable goodness,
and incomprehensible love : for He is very and only God, most excel
lent, most high, raost glorious, the everlasting and unchangeable
goodness, an eternal substance, a charity infinite, so excellent and in
effable in Himself, that all dignity, perfection, and goodness, that is
possible to be spoken or thought of, cannot sufficiently express the
smallest part thereof.
4. Consider that He is the natural place, the centre and rest of thy
soul. If thou then think of the raost blessed Trinity, muse not too
much thereon, but with devout and obedient faith, meekly and lowly
adore and worship.
5. Consider Jesus the Redeemer and Husband of thy soul, and
walk with hira as becomes a chaste spouse, with reverence and lowly
shamefulness, obedience, and submission.
6. Then turn to the deep, profound consideration of thyself, thine
own nothingness, and thy extreme defilement and poUution, thy natural
aversion frora God, and that tfiou raust, by conversion to Him again,
and union with Hira, be made happy.
7. Consider thyself and all creatures as nothing, in coraparison
of thy Lord ; that so thou raayest not only be content, but desirous
to be unknown, or being known, to be conteraned and despised of all
raen, yet without thy faults or deservings, as much as thou canst.
8. Pray : " O God infuse into my fieart Tfiy fieavenly light and
" blessed charity, that I may know and love Thee above all things ;
" and above all things loath and abhor myself. Grant that I may be
" so ravished in the wonder and love of 'Thee, that I may forget ray-
" self and all things; feel neither prosperity nor adversity; may not

FOR A HOLY LIFE. 565
" fear to suffer all the pains of this world, rather than to be parted and
" pulled away frora Thee, whose perfections infinitely exceed all
" thought and understanding. O ! let me find Thee more inwardly
" and verily present witii rae, than 1 ara with myself; and make me
" raost circuraspect how I do use myself in the presence of Thee, my
" holy Lord.
" Cause me always to remeraber how everlasting and constant is
" the love Thou bearest towards me, and such a charity and continual
" care, as though thou hadst no more creatures in heaven or earth be-
" sides me. What am I ? A vfle worra and filth."
9. Then aspire to a great contrition for thy sins, and hatred of them,
an abhorring of thyself for thera ; then crave pardon in the blood of
Jesus Christ ; and then offer up thyself, soul and body, an oblation or
sacrifice, in and througfi hira ; as they did of old, laying wood on the
altar, and then burning up all : so this shall be a sacrifice of sweet
savour, and very acceptable to God.
10. Offer all that thou hast, to be nothing, to use nothing of all that
thou hast about thee and is called thine, but to His honour and glory ;
and resolve through His grace to use all the powers of thy soul, and
every raember of thy body, to His service, as forraerly thou hast done
to sin.
11. Consider the passion of thy Lord, how he was buffeted,
scourged, reviled, stretched with nails on the cross, and hung on it
three long hours ; suffered all the contempt and sharae, and all the
inconceivable pain of it, for thy sake.
12. Then turn thy heart to Him, humbly saying, " Lord Jesus,
" wfiereas I daily fall, and am ready to sin, voucfisafe me grace as oft
" as I shall, to rise again ; let me never presurae, but always most
" meekly and humbly acknowledge my wretchedness and frailty, and
" repent, with a firm purpose to amend ; and let me not despair
" because of ray great frailty, but ever trust in Thy raost loving mercy
" and readiness to forgive." SECTION II.
1. Thou shalt have much to do in mortifying of thy five senses,
which must be all shut up in the crucified humility of Jesus Christ, and
be as they were plainly dead.
2. Thou raust now learn to have a continual eye inwardly to thy
soul and spiritual life, as tfiou hast used heretofore to have all thy
raind and regard to outward pleasure and worldly things.
3. Thou must subrait and give thyself up unto the discipline of
Jesus, and become fiis scfiolar, resigning and compelling tfiyself alto
gether to obey him in all things ; so that thy willing and nilling thou
utterly and perfectly do cast away from thee, and do nothing without
his license : at every word tfiou wilt speak, at every raorsel tfiou wflt
eat, at every stirring or raoving of every article or member of thy body,
thou must ask leave of him in thy heart, and ask thyself whetfier,
having so done, that be according to his will and holy example, and
with sincere intention of his glory. Hence,
4. Even the most necessary actions of thy life, though lawful, yet

566 RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS
raust thus be offered up with a true intention unto God, in the union
of the most holy works, and blessed merits of Christ ; saying, " Lord
" Jesus, bind up in the merits of thy blessed senses, all my feeling
" and sensation, and all my wits and senses, tfiat I never hereafter use
" thera to any sensuality."
5. Tfius labour to corae to this union and knitting up of thy senses,
in God and thy Lord Jesus, and reraain so fast to the cross, that thou
never part frora it, and still behave thy body and all thy senses as in
the presence of thy Lord God, and corarait all things to the most trusty
providence of thy loving Lord, who will then order all things delect-
ably and sweetly for thee. Reckon all things besides for right nought;
and thus mayest thou come unto wonderful illuminations and spiritual
influence from the Lord thy God.
6. If, for his love, thou canst crucify, renounce, and forsake perfectly
thyself and all things, thou must so crucify thyself to all things, and
love and desire God only, with thy care and whole heart, that in this
most steadfast and strong knot and union unto the wfll of God, if He
would create hell in thee here, thou mightest be ready to offer thyself,
by His grace, for His eternal honour and glory, to suffer it, and that
purely for His will and pleasure.
7. Thou must keep thy meraory clean and pure, as it were a wed
lock charaber, from all strange thoughts, fancies, and imaginations ;
and it raust be triraraed and adorned with holy meditations and virtues
of Christ's life and passion, that God may continually and ever rest
therein. A PRAYER.
8. " Lord, instead of knowing Thee, I have sought toknowwicked-
" ness and sin ; and whereas my will and desire were created to love
" Thee, I have lost that love, and declined to the creatures. While
" ray meraory ought to be filled wifh Thee, I have painted it with the
" iraagery of innuraerable fancies, not only of all creatures, but of all
" sinful wickedness. Oh ! blot out these by Thy blood, and imprint
" Thy own blessed image in my soul, blessed Jesus, by that blood
" that issued out from Thy most loving heart, when thou hangedst on
" the cross. So knit my wfll 'to Thy most holy will, that I may have
" no other will but Thine, and may be most heartily and fully content
"with whatsoever Thou wouldst do to me in this world: yea, if
" Thou wilt, so that I hate Thee not, nor sin against Thee, but retain
" Thy love, make me suffer the greatest pains."
SECTION III.
Rule. 1. Exercise thyself to the perfect abnegation of all things
which may let or irapede this union. Mortify in thee every thing
that is not of God, nor for God, or which He willeth and loveth not.
Resigning and yielding up to the high pleasure of God, all love and
affection for transitory things, desire neither to have nor hold thera,
nor bestow nor give them, but only for the pure love and honour of
God. Put away superfluous and unnecessary things, and affect not
even things necessary.

FOR A HOLY LIFE. 567
2. Mortify all affection to and seeking of thyself, which is so natu
ral to raen in all the good they desire, and in all the good they do,
and in all the evil they suffer : yea, by the inordinate love of the gifts
and graces of God, instead of Hiraself, they fall into spiritual pride
gluttony, and greediness.
3. Mortify all affection to, and delectation in, raeat and drink, and
vain thoughts and fancies, which, thougfi they proceed not to consent,
yet defile the soul, and grieve the Holy Ghost, and do great daraage to
the spiritual life.
4. Iraprint on tliy fieart tfie image of Jesus crucified, the ira
pressions of his humility, poverty, raildness, and all his holy virtues :
let thy thoughts of hira tum into affection, and thy knowledge into
love. For the love of God doth most purely work iu the mortification
of nature : the life of tfie spirit, purifying the higher powers of the
soul, begets the solitariness and departure from all creatures, and the
influence and flowing into God.
5. Solitude, silence, and the strict keeping of the heart, are the
foundations and grounds of a spiritual life.
6. Do all tfiy necessary and outward works witfiout any trouble or
carefulness of mind, and bear tfiy mind araidst all always inwardly
lifted up and elevated to God, following always more tfie inward ex
ercise of love, tfian the outward acts of virtue.
7. To this can no man come, unless he be rid and delivered from all
tfiings under God, and be so swallowed up in Gpd, tfiat he can con
temn and despise hiraself and all things; for the pure love of God
maketh the spirit pure and simple, and so free, that, without any pain
and labour, it can at all tiraes turn and recollect itself in God.
8. Mortify all bitterness of heart towards thy neighbours, and all
vain coraplacency in thyself, all vain glory and desire of esteera, in
words and deeds, in gifts and graces. To this thou shalt corae by a
raore clear and perfect knowledge and consideration of thy own
vileness, and by knovring God to be the fountain of all grace and
goodness. 9. Mortify all affection towards inward, sensible, spiritual delight in
grace, and the following devotion with sensible sweetness in the lower
faculties or powers of the soul, which are nowise real sanctity and
holiness in themselves, but certain gifts of God to help our infirraity.
10. Mortify all curious investigation or search, all speculation and
knowledge of unnecessary things, huraan or divine ; for the perfect
life of a Cfiristian consistetfi not in a fiigfi knowledge, but profound
meekness, in holy simplicity, and in the ardent love of God ; wherein we
ought to desire to die to all affection to ourselves and all things below
God ; yea, to sustain pain and dereliction, tfiat we may be perfectly knit
and united to God, and be perfectly swallowed up in Him.
11. Mortify all undue scrupulousness of conscience, and trust in
tfie goodness of God : for our doubting and scruples ofttiraes arise
frora inordinate self-love, and therefore vex us ; they do no good,
neither work any real araendraeiit in us ; they cloud the soul, and
darken faith, and cool love ; and it is only the stronger beams of these
that can dispel them. And the stronger that faith and Divine con
fidence is in us, and the hotter Divine love is, the soul is so much the

568 RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS
more excited and enabled to all the parts of holiness, to mortifications
of passions and lusts, to more patience in adversity, and to more
thankfulness in all estates.
13. Mortify all impatience in all pains and troubles, whether frora
the hands of God or raen, all desire of revenge, all resentment of in
juries ; and by the pure love of God, love thy very persecutors as if
they wore thy dearest friends.
13. Finally, Mortify thy own will in all things, with full resignation
of thyself to suffer all dereliction, outward and inward, all pain, and
pressures, and desolations, and that for the pure love of God : for
from self-love and self-will spring all sin and all pain.
A PR.WER.
14. " O Jesus, my Saviour ! thy blessed humility, impress it on my
" heart. Make me most sensible of thy infinite dignity, and of my
" own vileness, tfiat I raay fiate rayself as a thing of nought, and be
" wflling to be despised and trodden upon by all as the vflest raire of
" the streets ; that I may still retain these words, — I am nothing, I
" have nothing, i can do nothing, and i desire nothing but
" One." SECTION IV.
1 . Never do any thing with propriety and singular affection, being too
earnest, or too much given to it ; but with continual meekness of heart
and mind, lie at the foot of God, and say, " Lord, I desire nothing,
" neither in rayself, nor in any creature, save only to know and execute
" Thy blessed wfll." Saying alway in thy heart, "Lord, what wouldst
" Thou have rae to do? Transforra my will into 'Thine: fill full, and
" swallow up as it were, my affections with Thy love, and with an in-
" satiable desire to honour Thee, and despise myself."
2. If thou aspire to attain to the perfect knitting and union with
God, know that it requireth a perfect exspoliation, and denudation, or
bare nakedness, and utter forsaking of all sin, yea of all creatures, and
of thyself particularly : even that thy mind and understanding, thy
affections and desires, thy meraory and fancy, be made bare of all
things in the world, and all sensual pleasures in thera, so as thou
wouldst be content that the bread which thou eatest had no raore
savour than a stone, and yet, for his honour and glory that created
bread, thou art pleased tfiat it savouretfi well : but yet, frora tfie de
lectation thou feelest in ft, turn thy heart to His praises, and love that
made it.
3. The raore perfectly thou livest in the abstraction, and departure,
and bare nakedness of thy raind from all creatures, the more nakedly
and purely shalt thou have the fraition of the Lord thy God, and shalt
live the more heavenly and angelical life. Therefore,
4. Labour above afl things most exactly to forsake all for Him ; and
chiefly to forsake and contemn thyself; purely loving Him, and in a
manner forgetting thyself and all things, for the vehement burning
love of Hira : thus thy raind will run so rauch upon Hira, that thou
wilt take no heed what is sweet or bitter, neither wilt thou consider
time or place, nor mark one person from another, for the wonder and

FOR A HOLY LIPE. 569
love of Thy Lord God, and the desire of his blessed will, pleasure,
and honour in all things. And whatsoever good thou dost, know and
think that God doth it, and not thou.
5. Choose always (to the best of thy skill) what is most to God's
honour, and most like unto Christ and his example, and raost profit
able to thy neighbour, and most against thy own proper will, and least
serviceable to thy own praise and exaltation.
6. If thou continue faithful in this spiritual work and travail, God
at length, without doubt, will hear thy knocking, and will deliver thee
from all thy spiritual trouble, from all tfie tumults, noise, and incura-
brance of cogitations and fancies, and frora all earthly affections, which
thou canst by no better raeans put away, than by continual and fervent
desire of the love of God.
7. Do not at any tirae let or hinder His working, by following
thine own will ; for behold how rauch thou dost the raore perfectly
forsake thine own will, and the love of thyself, and of all worldly thing-s,
so much the more deeply and safely shalt thou be knit uuto God, and
increase in His true and pure love.
SECTION V.
1. If thou still above all things seek that union, thou must trans-
fund and pour thy whole will into the high pleasure of God ; and
whatsoever befiils thee, thou raust be without murmuring and retrac
tion of heart, accepting it raost joyfufly for His love whose will and
work it is.
2. Let thy great joy and comfort evermore be, to have His pleasure
done in thee, though in pains, sickness, persecutions, oppressions,
or inward griefs and pressures of heart, coldness or barrenness of
mind, darkening of thy will and senses, or any temptations, spiritual
or bodfly. And,
3. Under any of these, be always wary thou tum not to sinful de
lights, nor to sensual and carnal pleasures, nor set thy heart on vain
things, seeking comfort thereby, nor in any wise be idle, but, always
as thou canst, compel and force thyself to some good spiritual exer
cise or bodily work ; and though they be then unsavoury to thee, yet
are they not the less, but the more, acceptable to God.
4. Take all afflictions as tokens of God's love to thee, and trials of
thy love to Hira, and purposes of kindness to enrich thee, and in
crease more plentifully in thee His blessed gifts and spiritual graces,
if thou persevere faithfully unto the end ; not leaving off the veheraent
desire of His love and thy own perfection.
5. Offer up thyself wholly to Hira, and fix the point of thy love
upon His most blessed increafed love ; and there let thy soul and heart
rest and defight, and be as it were resolved and melted most happily
into the blessed Godhead ; and then take that as a token, and be as
sured by it, that God will grant thy lovely and holy desire. Then
shalt thou feel in a manner no difference betwixt honour and shame,
joy and sorrow ; but whatsoever thou perceivest to appertain to the
honour of thy Lord, be it ever so hard and unpleasant to thyself, thou
wflt heartily embrace it, yea, with all thy might follow and desire it :

570 RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS
yet, when thou wilt think thou hast done what is possible for thee,
thou wilt think thou hast done nothing at afl, yea, thou shalt be
a,sharaed, and detest thyself, that thou hast so wretchedly and iraper-
fectly served so noble and worthy a Lord ; and therefore, thou wilt
desire and endeavour every hour to do and suffer greater and more
perfect things than hitherto thou hast done, forgetting ihe things that
are behind, aud pressing forward io those that are before.
6. If thou hast in any measure attained to love and abide in God,
then mayest thou keep the power of thy soul and thy senses, as it
were, shut up in God, from gadding out to any worldly thing or va
nity, as much as possible, where they have so joyfully a security and
safeness. Satiate thy soul in Hira, and in all other things still see
His blessed presence.
7. Whatsoever befalleth thee, receive it not frora the hand of any
creature, but frora Him alone, and render back all to Him, seeking in
all things His pleasure and honour, the purifying and subduing of
thyself. What can harra thee, when all must first toucfi God, witfiin
whom thou hast enclosed thyself?
8. When thou perceivest thyself thus knit to God, and thy soul
raore fast and joined nearer to Hira than to thine own body, then shalt
thou know His everlasting, and incomprehensible, and ineffable good
ness, and the true nobleness of thy soul, that carae from Him, and
was made to be reunited to Him.
9. If thou wouldst ascend and come up to thy Lord God, thou
raust clirab up by the wounds of His blessed huraanity, that remain
as it were for that use ; and when thou art got up there, thou wouldst
rather suffer death than wilfingly coramit any sin.
10. Entering into Jesus, thou castest thyself into an infinite Sea of
Goodness, that more easfly drowns and happily swallows thee up,
than the ocean does a drop of water. Then shaft thou be hid and
transformed in Him, and shalt often be as thinking without thought,
and knowing without knowledge, and loving without love, corapre
hended of Hira whom thou canst not coraprehend.
SECTION VI.
1. Too rauch desire to please raen, mightily prejudgeth the pleasing
of God.
2. Too great earnestness and vehemency, and too greedy deUght in
bodily work and external doings scattereth and loseth the tranquiflity
aud calmness ofthe mind.
3. Cast all thy care on God, and commit all to His good pleasure:
laud, and praise, and applaud Him in all things, small and great.
Forsake thy own will, and deUver up thyself freely and cheerfully to
the will of God, without reserve or exception, in prosperity and ad
versity, sweet or sour, to have or to want, to live or to die.
4. Disunite thy heart from all things, and unite it only to God.
5. Remember often, and devoutly, the life and passion, the death
and resurrection, of our Saviour Jesus.
6. Descant not on other men's deeds, but consider thine own ; for
get other men's faults, and remember thine own.

FOR A HOLV LIFE. 571
7. Never think highly of thyself, nor despise any other man.
8. Keep silence and retirement as rauch as thou canst, and through
God's grace, they will keep thee frora snares and offences.
9. Lift up thy fieart often to God, and desire in afl things His as
sistance. 10. Let thy heart be filled and wholly taken up with the love of
God, and of thy neighbour ; and do all that thou dost, in that sincere
charity and love. The sura is :
I. Reraeraber always the presence of God.
2. Rejoice always in the will of God. And,
3. Direct all to the glory of God.
SECTION VII.
1. Little love, fittle trust; but a great love brings a great confidence.
2. Tfiat is a blessed hope that doth not slacken us in our duty, nor
raaketh us secure, but increaseth both a cheerful wifl, and gives
greater strength to mortification and all obedience.
3. What needest thou, or why travafle.st thou about so many things ?
Think upon one, desire and love one, and thou sh'dlt find great rest.
Tfierefore, 4. VFfierever thou be, let this voice of God be still in thine ear: My
son, return inwardly to thy heart, abstract tfiyself from all things, and
mind Me only. Thus,
5. With a pure mind in God, clean and bare from the meraory of
all things, reraaining unraoveably in Hira, thou shalt think and desire
nothing but Him alone ; as though there were nothing else in the
world but He and thou only together ; that all thy faculties and powers
being thus re-collected into God, thou mayest become one spirit with
Hira. 6. Fis thy mind on thy crucified Saviour, and remeraber continually
His great raeekness, love, and obedience. His pure cfiastity, His un
speakable patience, and all tlie fioly virtues of His fiuraanity.
7. Think on His raighty power and infinite goodness ; fiow He
created and redeemed tfiee ; how he justifieth thee, and worketh in
thee all virtues, graces, and goodness : and thus remember Him, until
thy raeraory turn into love and affection. Therefore,
8. Draw thy raind thus frora all creatures, unto a certain silence
and rest frora the jangling and corapany of all tfiings below God ; and
when thou canst corae to this, then is thy heart a place raeet and
ready for thy Lord God to abide in, there to talk with thy soul.
9. True humility gainetfi and overcometh God Alraigfity, and
maketh thee also apt and meet to receive all graces and gifts. But
alas I who can say that he hath this blessed meekness, it being so
hard, so uncertain, so secret and unknown a thing, to forsake and
mortify perfectly and exactly thyself, and that most venomous worra of
all goodness, vain-glory ?
10. Commit all to the high providence of God, and suffer nothing
to rest or enter into thy heart, save only God. All things in the earth
are too base to take up thy love or care, or to trouble thy noble heart.

572 RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR A HOLY LIFE.
thy immortal and heavenly mind. Let them care and sorrow, or re
joice about these things, who are ofthe world, for whom Cfirist would
not pray.
11. Thou canst not please nor serve two masters at once: thou
canst not love divers and contrary things ; if, then, thou wouldst know
what thou lovest, mark well what thou thinkest most upon. Leave
Earth, and have Heaven ; leave the worid, and have God.
12. All sin and vice springeth frora the property of our own will
all virtue and perfection cometh and groweth from the mortifying of
it, and the resigning of it wholly to the pleasure and will of God.

THE END,

London: Printed by William Clowei), Stamford Street.