- ":rK

±..J

THE

SELECT WORKS

OP

ROBERT LEIGHTON, d.d.

ARCHBISHOP OF GLASGOW.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

CONTAINING

VOL. I. c VOL. II.
Eighteen Sermons. J Theological Lectures delivered in
Ten ditto. I the Public Hall ofthe Universi-
An Exposition of the Creed, Lord's 7 ty of Edinburgh, with Exhor-
Prayefj and Ten Command- S tation to Candidates, &c.
ments. ( A Sermon to the Clergy.
A Discourse on Matt. xxii. 37, / Defence of moderate Episcopacy.
38, 39. S Meditations, &c. on Psalm iv.
Ditto on Hebrews viii. 10. J xxxii. & cxxx.
A Short Catechism, &c.

VOL. L

LONDON:
Printed by William Nicliolson, Wariier Street,
FOE W. BAYNES, 54, PATEENOSTER-RO W.
1805.

THE
PUBLISHER TO THE
READER.

I HERE offer to your pCrufal fome of the
pi-affcical works of that eminent and worthy di
vine Dr. Robert Leighton, viz. Eighteen Sermons, an
Expofition on the Creed, Lord's prayer, and Ten Com
mandments, both which were formerly publiftied ;
but the former edition of thefe being very fcarce,
and but rarely to be met with, it was by the de-
fire and advice of feveral judicious and learned
gentlemen, that this new edition was undertaken.
In reprinting of thefe, great care has been
taken to re6tify feveral very grofs miflakes and
errors that were in the former edition.
You have alfo here ten Sermons of the fame au
thor, never before publifhed : Any who has read
his other pieces will eafily difcern them to be his,
as they ar* wrote with the fame fpirit of devotion
and piety which appears in the whole of his writ
ings. I was favoured with the manufcript of nine of
thefe from a worthy and learned gentleman, who
fays, as far as he remembers, he copied them with
his own hand from the Bifhop's originals above
fixty years ago.
I was obliged to another gentleman who com
municated the tenth one to me, who had it in his
polTeflion, taken from the Bilhop as he delivered
it.

VI TO THE READER.
I have been greatly obliged to two worthy,
learned and judicious minifters, who took the
charge of correcting this work, and think myfelf
highly indebted to them for the pains and labour
they took on it.
In fhort, no care nor pains has been fpared to
make this book as correct and beautiful as poffi-
ble. As for the Difcourfes themfelves of our pious
and worthy author, I doubt not but they will
give full fatisfa6tion to every feribus and impar
tial reader : And their meeting with a kind and fa
vourable reception from the public, will give great
pleafure to. Your moft humble, and
mofl; devoted Servant,
Edinburgh, March, 13, 1746. DAVID WILSON.

SEJRMOM I.

PREFACE.

MANY and great are the evils that lodge within tlie
heart of man, and they come forth abundantly
both by the tongue and by the hand, yet the heart is not
emptied of them ; yea, the more it vent them outwardly,
the more they increafe within. Well might he that knew
the heart fo well, call it an evil treafure. We find the
Prophet Ezekiel in his Sth chap, led by the Lord in vi-
fion to Jerufalem, to view the fins of the Jews that re
mained in time of the captivity, when he had fhewed him
one abomination, he caufed him to dig through the wall,
to enter and difcover more, and fo direfted him feveral
times, from one place to another, and ftill faid, / willfhew
ihee yet greater abominations. Thus is it with thofe, whom
the Lord leads into an examination of their own hearts
.(for men are ufually ftrangers to themfelves) by the light
of his word and Spirit going before them, he lets them fee
heaps of abominations in every room, and the vilefl inthe
moft retired and darkeft corners : And truly fhould he
leave them there, they would defpair of remedy. No, he
makes this difcovery on purpofe that they fliould fue to
him for help. Do fo then as many as have taken any
notice of the evils of your own hearts : Tell the Lord
ihey are his own works ; He formed the heart of man with'

8 SERMON I.
in him, and they are his own choice too. My fon give me
ihy heart. Intreat hinj to redrefs all thofe abufes where
with fatan and fin have filled it, and then, to take poffef-
fion of it himfelf, for therein confifts its happinefs. This
is, or fliould be, a main end of our refortings to his houfe
and fervice. Wrong not yourfelves fo far as to turn thefe
ferious exercifes of religion into an idle divertifement.
What a happinefs were it, if every time you come to his
folemn worlhip, fome of your ftrongeft fins did receive
a new wound, and fome of your weakeft graces a new
ftrength !

James iii. 17.
But the wifdom that is from above, is firft pure, then peace
able, gentle, and eafy to be intreated, full of mercy and
good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrify,
GOD doth know, that in the day that ye fhall eat there-
of, your eyes fhall be opened, and ye fhall be as gods,
knowing good and evil. Gen. iii. 5. was the firft hilling of
that old ferpent, by which he poifoned mankind in the
root. Man not contented with the impreffion of God's
image in- which he was created, loft it by catching at a
fhadow : Climbing higher than his ftation, he fell far be
low it : Seeking to be more than man, to become as
God, he made himfelf lefs than man : Ke lodged not a
night in honour, but became as the beajis that perifh, Pfal.
xlix. 1 2. Ever fince, nature's beft wifdom is full of im
purity, turbulency and diftemper; nor can any thing
reftify it, but a wifdom from above, that both clean-
feth and compofeth the foul, it is firfl pure, and then
peaceable.

SERMON I.

This Epiftle, as fome that follow, is culled general, both
by reafon of the difperfion of the parties to whom it is
addrefsed, and the univerfality of the fubjcft which it
treats : containing a great number (if nor all) of the ne-
ceflary direftions and comforts of a Chriftian's life, both
from the adive and paffive part of it. 'Tis evident that
the ApolUe's main defign is, to . arm the difperfed Jews a-
gainft all kinds c.;" temptations, both thefe of ailliftion, in
the ift Chap, at the 2d Verfe, 2St^ftnful temptations, Ver.
13th. And having difcourfed of two fpecial means of
ftrengthening them againft both, fpeaking to God in pray
er, and hearing God fpeak in his Word, in the two laft
Verfes of that ift Chap, he recommends, as chief duties of
religion, and fure evidences of integrity in religion, firft
meeknefs, and moderation chiefly in their fpeeches, and then
charity and purity in their a£liuns ; infifting largely upon
the latter, in the 2d Chap, and upon the former, the rul
ing of the tongue in this 3d Chap, and here towards the
end of it he fhews the true oppofite fpring of mifcarriage
in fpeech and aftion, and of right ordering and regulating
of both. Evil converfation, ftrifes and envyings are the
fruits of a bafe wifdom that is earthly, fenfual and devilifh,
Ver. 15th ; hu^ purity, meeknefs and mercy are the proper
eifeds and certain figns of heavenly wifdom.
The wifdom that is from above, is firfl pure, its gentle-
nefs can agree v/ith any thing except 'impurity : Then it is
peaceable, it offends no body, except purity offend them :
it is not raging and boifterous. It is not only pure, being
void of that mire and dirt, whjch the wicked are faid to
caft out like the fea, Ifa. Ivii. 20. but^i?acif,2i)/^ likewife,not
fwelling, and reftlefs like the fea, as is there faid of the
wicked. Nor is it only peaceable negatively, not offending,
but as the word bears ^!^'-k-^ pacifck., difpofed to make and
feek peace ; and as it readily offends none, fo it is not ea
fily offended. 'Tis gentle and moderate ETnarar, and if offend
ed £UOTaS>i5-, eafily intreated to fo'rgive : And as it eafily paff-
eth by mens offences, fo it doth not pafs by, but looks upon
their diftreffes and wants, as full of compafiion, as it is
free from unruly and diftempered paflions. Nor refts it
in an affefting fympathy, its mercy is helpful, full of mercy,
and good fruits : And it both forgives and pities, &nd gives :

10 SERMON I.
without pariiality, and without hypocrify, i-^'^"'-'"'^^'' ocwrrcKiSl^J
the word a^'iaxJ/®- may as well bear another fenfe, no lefs
fuiting both with his wifdom and thefe its other qualities ;
that is, not taldng upon it a cenforious difcerning ana
judging of others. They that have moft of this wifdom
are leaft rigid to thofe that have lefs of it. I know no bet
ter evidence of ftrength in grace, than to bear much with
thofe that are weak in it. And laftly, as it fpares the in
firmities of others, fo it makes not falfe and vain ftiews of
its own excellencies, 'tis without hypocrify. This denies
two things, both diffimulation and oftentation. The art
of diffembling or hypocrite-craft is no part of this wifdom ;
And for the other, oftentation, furely the air of applaufe
is too light a purchafe for folid wifdom. The works of
this wifdom may be feen, yea they fliould be feen, and may
poffibly be now and then commended ; but they fliould
not be done for that low end, either to be feen or to be
commended. Surely no, being of fo noble extraftion ;
this having defcended from heaven, will be little careful
for the eftimation of thofe that are of the earth, and are
but too often of the earth, earthly.
The due order of handling thefe particulars more fully
cannot well be mifsed : doubtlefs the fubjefl:, wifdom from
above, requires our firft confiderltion, next the excellent
qualities that are attributed to it, and laftly their order is
to be confidered ; the rather becaufe fo clearly expreft,
frfi pure, then peaceable, &c.
Wifdom from above~\ There be two things in that :
there is the general term of wifdom common to divers forts
of wifdom, tho' moft eminently and truly belonging to this
beft wifdom. Then there is the birth or original of this
wifdom, ferving as its difference to fpecify and diftinguifli
it from all the reft, wifdom from above. Wifdom in the
general is a very plaufible word among men : who is there
that would not willingly pafs for wife, yea often thofe that
are leaft of all fuch are moft defirous to be accounted
fuch ; and where this fails them, they ufually make up
that want in their own conceit, and ftrong opinion. Nor
do men only thus love the reputation of wifdom, but they
naturally defire to be wife, as they do to be happy ; yet
through corrupt nature's blindnefs, they do as naturally

SERMON I. 11
miftake and fall fliort both of the one and the other ; and
being once wrong, the more progrefs they make, they are
further out of the way : And pretending to wifdom in a
falfe way, they ftill befool themfelves, as the Apoftle fpeaks,
Rom. i. 22. fji;r.H'.»lEr emxi cr:,f3i iix.cA,crjc,, profeffiug them
felves to be wife, they became fools.
Our Apoftle, ver 15. fpeaking of that wicked wifdom,
that is fruitful of wrongs, ftrifes, and Abates, and that is
only abufively to be called wifdom, ftiews what, kind of
wifdom it is, by three notable charaders, earthly, natural,
and devilifj ; which tho' they be here jointly attributed to
one and the fame fubjeft, yet we may make ufe of them to
fignify fome differences of falfe wifdoQi. There is an in
fernal, or devilifli wifdom, proper for contriving cruelties
and oppreffions, or fubtile fliifts and deceits, that make a-
theifm a main bafis and pillar of ftate policy ; fuch are
thofe that devife mifchief upon their beds, &c. Mic. ii.
This is ferpentine wifdom, not joined with, but moft oppo
fite to the dove-like fimplicity. There is an earthly wif
dom that draws not fo deep in impiety, as that other, yet
is fuflicient to keep a man out of all acquaintance with
God and divine matters, and is drawing his eye perpetual
ly downwards, employing him in the pUrfuit of fuch things
as cannot fill the foul, except it ba^with anguifli and vexa
tion, Ezek. xxviii. 4, 5. Tha* dexterity of gathering
riches, where it is not attended with the Chriftian art of
right ufing them, abafes mens fouls and indifpofes them
wholly for this wifdom that is from above. There is a na
tural wifdom far more plaufible than the other two, more
harmlefs than that hellifli wifdom, and more refined than
that earthly wifdom, yet no more able to make man holy
and happy than they ; natural vj-^x""'; it is the word the
Apoftle St. Paul ufeth, 1 Cor. ii. av9f«7r®- -^vyjy.®-, naming
the natural man by his better part, his foul ; intimating
that the foul, even in the higheft faculty of it, the under-
ftanding, and that in the higheft pitch of excellency to which
nature can raife it, is blind in fpiritual objefts ; things that
are above it, cannot be known but by a wifdom from above.
Nature neither affords this wifdom, nor can it of itfelf ac
quire it. This is to advertife us, that we miftake not
morality and common knowledge, even of divine things,
B2

12 SERMON I.
for the wifdom that is from above. This may raife a man
high above the vulgar, as the tops of the higheft moun
tains leave the vallies below them ; yet is it ftill as far
fliort of true fupernatural wifdom, as the higheft earth is
of the higheft fphere. There is one main pointy of the
method of this wifdom that is of moft hard digeftion to^ a
natural man, and the more natural wife he be, the worfe
he, likes it, if a7%y man would be wife, let him become a fool
that he may become' wife, 1 Cor. iii. 18. There is nothing
gives nature a greater prejudice againft religion than this
initial point of felf-denial : when men of eminent learning
or the ftrong politicians hear, that if they will come to
Chrift, they muft ^nounce their own wifdom to be fit for
his, many of them go avi^ay as forrowful as the young man,
when he heard of felling all his goods and giving them to
the poor. /
Jefus Chrift is that eternal and fubftantial wifdom that
came from above, to deliver men from perilhing in their
affefted folly, as vou find it at large, Prov. viii. St. Paul
in the ifl- Chap, of his firft epiftle to the Corinthians calls
him the wifdom of God, ver. 24. that fhews his excellency
in himfelf, and ver. SO. he tells us that he is made of God
our wifdom; that fhews his ufefulnefs to us; and by him
alone is this infufed wiHom from above conveyed to us.
In him are the hid treOpm-es of wifdom and knowledge. Col.
ii. 3. And from his fulnefs (if at all) we all receive grace
for grace; and of all graces, firft fome meafures of this
wifdom', without which no man can know himfelf, much
lefs can he know God. Now this fupernatural wifdom
hath in it both fpeculation and prudence : It is contempla
tive and practical. Thefe two muft not be feparated,
/ wifdom dwell with prudence, Prov. viii. 1 2. This wifdom
in its contemplative part reads Chrift much, and difcovers
in him a new world of hidden excellencies unknown to this
old world. There are treafurss of wif dom in him. Col. ii.
3. but they are hid, and no eye fees them, but that which
is enlightened with this wifdom : no, it is impoffible, as
one fays, * t«- S«x -pmai. xpuwIovT®. Seh. To know divine things
while God concealeth them. But when the renewed un-
derftanding of a Chriftian is once initiated into thisftudy, it
* Sophocles.

SERMON I. IS
both grows daily more and more apprehenfive, and Chrift
becomes more communicative of himfelf, and makes the
foul acquainted with the amiable countenance of his Fa
ther in him reconciled. No man hath feen God at any time,
the only begotten Son zvhich is itt the bofom of the Father, he
hath declared him, St. John i. 18. What wonder if the
unlettered, and defpifed Chriftian know more of the my-
fteries of heaven, than the naturalift, tho' both wife and
learned ? Chrift admits the behever into his bofom, and he
is in the bofom of the Father. But withal know, that all
this knowledge tho' fpeculatively high, yet defcends to
pradice ; as it learns what God is, fo it thence teacheth
man, what he fhould be : This wifdom flows from heaven,
and a heavenly converfation flows from it, as we find it
there charadered by thefe pradical graces of purity, peace,
meeknefs, &c.
This wifdom reprefents to us, the purity of God's na
ture, 1 John iii. 3. It gives the foul an eye to fee the
comelinefs and beauty of purity, as the philofopher faid of
virtue, to the end it might be loved, he would wifh no more
but that it could be feen. And as it thus morally per-
fuades, fo by an infenfible virtue it affiniilates the foul to
Chrift, by frequent contemplation. It alfo produces all
the motives to holinefs and obedience ; it begets thefe pre
cious qualities in the foul ; it giveth a Chriftian a view of
the matchlefs virtues that are in Chrift, and ftirs him up
to a diligent, though imperfed imitation of them ; it fets
before us Chrift's fpotlefs purity, in whofe mouth there
was no guile, and fo invites us to purity ; it reprefents the
perpetual calmnefs of his Spirit, that no tempeft could
reach to difturb it ; in his mouth there was no contentious noife,
his voice was not heard in theftreets, and this recommends
peaceahlenefs and gentlenefs, and fo in the reft here men
tioned. Hence I conceive may be fitly learned for our ufe, fee
ing here is a due wifdom and knowledge neceffary for
guidance, and direding in the >vays of purity and peace ;
it is evident that grofs ignorance cannot confift with the
truth of religion, much lefs can it be a help and advantage
to it. I fliall never deny that a falfe fuperftitious religion
(lands ia need ofit ; " not too much fcripture. wifdom for

14 BERMON I.
" the people." The pomp of that vain religion, like court
maflcs, fliews beft by candle-light ; fond nature likes it
well ; the day of fpiritual wifdom would difcover its im-
pofture too cle&rly. But to let their foul devotion pafs,
(for fuch it muft needs be that is born of fo black a mo
ther as ignorance) let this wifdom at leaft be juftified of
thefe that pretend to be her children. 'Tis lamentable
that amongft us, where knowledge is not withheld, men
fhould, thro' floth and love of darknefs, deprive them
felves of it. What abundance of al moft brutifh ignorance
is amongft the commons ? and thence uncleannefs, and all
manner of wickednefs ; a darknefs that both hides and in^
creafeth impurity. What is the reafon of fo much impiety
and iniquity in all places, but the want of the knowledge
of God ? Hofea iv. 1,2. And 2 Thef. i. 8. not knowing
Jefus Chrift, and not obeying his gofpel are joined together.
It will be found true, that where there is no obedience,
there is no right knowledge of Chrift : But out of all
queftion where there is not a competency of knowledge,
there can be no obedience ; and as thefe two lodge toge
ther, fo obferve what attends them both, ibid. He fhall
come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know
not God, and that obey not the gofpel of our Lord Jefus
Chrift. And if there be any that think to fhroud unpunifhed a-
mongft the thickets of ignorance, efpecially amidft the
means of knowledge, take nptice of this, though it may
hide the deformity of fin from your own fight for a time,
it cannot palliate it from the piercing eye, nor cover it
from the revenging hand of divine juftice. As you would
efcape then that wrath to come, come to wifdom's fchool,
and how fimple foever ye be as to this world, if you would
not perifh with the world, learn to be wife unto falva-
tion. And truly it is mainly important for this effed, that the
minifters of the gofpel be adive and dextrous in imparting
this wifdom to their people. If they would have their con
verfation to be holy, and peaceable, and fruitful, &c. the
moft expedient way is once to principle them well in the
fundamentals of religion, for therein is their great defed.
How can they walk evenly and regularly fq long as they

SERMON I. IS ¦
are in the dark ? one main thing is to be often pointing
at the way to Chrift, the fountain of this wifdom. With
out this you bid them be clothed, and clothe them not.
How needful then is it that paftors themfelves be feers
indeed, as the prophets were called of old ; not only faith
ful but wife difpenfers, as our Saviour fpeaks, St. Luke
xii. 42. That they be ^Jaxluc^/, able and apt to teach. 1 Tim.
iii. 2. Laudable is the prudence, that tries much the
churches ftore-houfes, the feminaries of learning ; but
withal, it is not to be forgot, that as a due furniture of
learning is very requifite for this employment, fo it is not
fuflicient. When one is duly enriched that way, there is
yet one thing wanting that grows not in fchools : Except
this infufed wifdom from above feafon and fandify all other
endowments, they remain w^, common and unholy, and
therefore unfit for the fanduary. Amongft other weak
pretences to Chrift's favour in the laft day, this is one.
We have preached in thy name, yet fays Chrift, I never
knew you ; furely then they knew not him, and yet they
preached him. Cold and lifelefs (though never fo fine and
well contrived,) muft thofe difcourfes be, that are of an
unknown Chrift. Paftors are called aiigels, and there-
fore^ though they ufe the fecondary helps of knowledge,
they are mainly to bring their meffage from above from
the fountain, the head of this pure wifdom.
Pure.'\ If it come from above it muft needs be pure
originally, yea it is formally pure too, being a main trait
of God's renewed image in the foul. By this' wifdom the
underftanding is both refined, aftd ftrengthened to enter
tain right conceptions of God in his nature and Works.
And this is primarily neceffary, that the mind be not in-
feded with falfe opinions in religion ; if the fpring-head
be pollutedj the ftreams cannot be pure ; it is more im
portant than men ufually thiiik for a good life. But that
which I fuppofe is here chiefly intended, is, that it is ef-
feSliVely and praBlcally pure^ it purifies the heart. Ads xv.
9. (faid of faith which in fome fenfe and acceptation differs
not much from this wifdom) and confequently the words,
and adions tbat flow from the heart.
This purity fom6 render chaftity. The wifdom from
above is ehafte, «y*.>i» The word is indeed often fo taken

16 SERMON I.
and includes that here, but it is too narrow a fenfe to re-
ftrid it to that only. It is here an univerfal deteftation
of all impurity, both of flefli and fpirit, as the Apoftle
fpeaks, 2 Cor. vii. 1. Pride, felf-love, profanenefs of fpirit
and irreligion, tho' they do not fo properly pollute the
body as carnal uncleannefs ; yet they do no lefs defile the
foul, and make it abominable in the fight of God. Thofe
apellate angels called unclean fpirits, are incapable of bo
dily defilement (tho' indeed they tempt and inveigle men
to it ;) their own inherent pollutions muft needs be fpiri
tual, for they are fpirits. Idolatry in fcripture goes often
under the name of fornication and ad^ultery, and indeed
thefe fins may mutually borrow and lend their names the
one to the other ; idolatry may well be called fpiritual un-
chaftity ; and unchafte love, carnal idolatry. Earthly-
mindednefs hkewife is an impurity of the foul ; in the A-
poftle's phrafe, covetoufnefs is idolatry, and fo a fpiritual
pollution ; yea it may well Ihare with idolatry in its bor
rowed name, and be called adultery too ; for it mifbeftows
the fouls prime affedion upon the creature, which by right
is God's peculiar.
This purity that true wifdom works is contrary to all
pollution. We know then in fome meafure what it is, it
refts to enquire where it is, and there is the difficulty ; it
is far eafier to defign it in itfelf, than to find it among
men, Who can fay, I have made my heart clean? Prov. xx.
9. Look upon the greateft part of mankind, and you
may know at firft fight, that purity is not to be looked for
among them, they fuffer it not to come near them, much
lefs to dwell with them and within them ; they hate the
very femblance of it in others, and themfelves delight in
intemperance and all manner of licentioufnefs, like foolifh
children ftriving who fhall go furtheft into the mire;
thefe cannot fay they have made clean their hearts, for all
their words and adions will belie them. If you come to
the mei-e moralift', the world's honeft man, and afk him,
it may be, he will tell you, he hath cleanfed his heart, but
believe him not. It will appear he is not yet cleanfed,
becaufe he fays he has done it himfelf, for (you know)
there muft be fome other, befides man, at this work.
Again he rifing no higher than nature, hath none of this

SERMON I. 17
heavenly wifdom In him, and therefore Is without this pu*
rity too. But if you chance to take notice of fome well
fkilled hypocrite, every thing you meet with makes you
almoft confident, that there is purity ; yet if he be ftridly
put to it, he may make fome good account of the pains he
hath taken to refine his tongue and his public adions, but
he dare not fay he hath made clean his heart, it troubles
his peace to be afked the queftion. He never intended to
banifh fin, but to retire it to his innefmoft and beft room,
that fo it might dwell unfeen within him, and where then
fhould it lodge but in his heart ? yet poffibly becaufe what
is outward is fo fair, and man cannot look deeper to con-
tradid him, he may embolden himfelf, to fay he is inward
ly fuitable to his appearance ; but there is a day at hand
that fhall to his endlefs fbaine at once difcover both his
fecret impurity and his impudence in denying it.
After thefe, there follows a few defpifed and melancho
ly perfons (at leaft as to outward appearance) who are
almoft always hanging down their heads, and complaining
of abundant finfulnefs. And fure, purity cannot be ex-
peded in thefe who are fo far from it by their own confef-
fiion ; yet the truth is, that fuch purity, as is here below,
will either be found to lodge among thefe, or no where.
Be not deceived, think not that they who loath, and (as
they can) fly from the unholinefs of the world, are there
fore taken with the conceit of their own holinefs ; but as
their perfed purity of juftification is by Chrift's imputed
righteoufnefs, fo likewife they will know, and do always
acknowledge, that their inherent holinefs is from' above
too, from the fame fountain, JefUs Chrift. The wifdom
from above is pure, this is their engagement to humility,
for it excludes vaunting and boafting, and befides that, it
is imperfed, troubled and ftained with fin, which is enough
to keep them humble. Their daily fad experience will
not fuffer them to be fo miftaken ; their many faults of
infirmity, cannot but keep thera from this prefumptuous
fault. There is a generation indeed that is pure in their
own eyes, (Prov. xxx. 12.) but they are fuch as are not
wafhedfrom their filthlnefs. They that are waflied, are
ftill bewailing, that they again contrad fo much defile
ment. The moft purified- chriftiansare they that are mofi
C

18 SERMON I.
fenfible of their Impurity. Therefore I called not this an
univerfal freedom from pollution, but an univerfal detef
tation ofit : they that are thus pure are daily defiled with
many fins, but they cannot be in love with any fin at all,
nor do they willingly difpenfe with the fmalleft fins, which ,
a natural man either fees not to be fin (tho' his dim moon
light difcover groffer evils) or if he do fee them, yet he
judges it too much nicenefs to chufe a great inconvenience
rather than a little fin. Again they differ in another par
ticular, a natural man may be fo far in love with virtue
after his manner, as to diflike his own faults and refolve
to amend them, but yet he would think it a great weak-
nefs to fit down and mourn for fin, and to affilcl his foul,
as the fcripture fpeaks. The chriftian's repentance goes
not fo lightly, there Is a great deal more work in it, 2 Cor.
vii". 11. There is not only indignation againft impurity,
but it proceeds to revenge. The faints, we read of in
fcripture, were afhamed of their impurity, but never of
their tears for It. Let the world enjoy their own thoughts
and account it folly ; yet fure the chriftian, that delights
in purity, feeing he cannot be free from daily fin, when
he retires himfelf at night, is then beft contented when his
eyes ferve him moft plentifully to weep out the ftains of
the by-paft 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 thofe that are truly, thoughaiot yet fully
cleanfed from the pollutions of the world by the fpirit of
wifdom and purity. What mean they then, that would
argue themfelves out of this number, becaufe they find
yet much drofs left, and that they are not fo defecated and
refined as they would wifli to be ? on the contrary, this
hatred of pollution teftifies ftrongly that the contrary of
it, purity, is there ; and though its beginnings be fmall,
doubt not, it fliall In tbe end be vidorlous ; the fmoaking
of this flax fhews indeed that there is grofs matter there,
but it witneffeth likewife that there is fire In it too ; and
though it be httle, we have' Chrift's own word for it, that it
fhall not be quenched ; and if he favour it, no other power
fliall be able to quench it. You find not indeed abfolute
holinefs in your perfons, nor in your beft performances,
yet if you breathe and follow after It, If the pulfe of the

SERMON I. 19
heart beat thus, if the main current of your affedion be
towards purity, if fin be in you as your difeafe and great-
eft grief, and not as your delight, then take conrage you
are as pure as travellers can be ; and notwithftanding that
impure fpirit, Satan, and the Impurity of your own fpirits
vex you daily with temptations, and often foil you, yet in
defpite of them all, you fhall arrive fafe at home where
perfedlon dwells.
Wifdom from above is pure. '\ Be afhamed then of your
extreme folly, you that take pleafure in any kind of un
cleannefs, efpecially feeing God hath reformed and purged
his houfe aaiongft us : you that are, or fhould be his liv
ing temples, remain not unreformed ; if you do, church-
reformation will be fo far from profiting you, that, as a
clearer light, it will but ferve to make your impurity both
more vlfible and more Inexcufable. If you mean that
the Holy Ghoft fhould dwell with you, entertain him,
avoiding both fpiritual and flefhly pollutions. The word
here ufed doth more particularly fignify chaftity; and
certainly wherever thig wifdom from above is, this comely
grace is one of her attendants. Whatever any have been
in times paft, let all be perfuaded henceforth to mortify
all luftful and carnal affedlons ; know that there is more
true and lafting pleafure in the contempt of unlawfjil
pleafures, than in the enjoyment of them. Grieve not
then the good fpirit of God with adions or fpeeches, yea
or with thoughts, that are impure. The unholy foul,
hke the myftlcal Babylon, Apoc. xiii. makes itfelf a cage
of unclean birds, and an habitation of filthy fpirits ; and
if it continues to be fuch. It muft, when it diflodges, take
up its habitation with curfed fpirits for ever in utter dark
nefs. But as for thofe that are fincerely and affedlonate-
ly pure, that is, pure in heart, our Saviour hath pronounc
ed their begun happinefs, Bleffed are they that are pure in
heart ; and affured them of full happinefs, /or they fhall fee
God. This wifdom is fent from heaven on purpofe to
guide the eled thither by the way of purity. And mark
how well their reward is fuited to their labour, their fre
quent contemplating and beholding of God's purity as
they could, while they were on their journey, and their
labouring to be hke him, fliall bring them to fit down in
C 2

20 SERMON II.
glory, and to be for ever the pure beholders of that purefl;
objed. They fhall fee 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 fliall know what
it means ; for you fhall fee him as he zV.
Now to that bleffed Trinity be praife for ever.

SERMON II.

PREFACE.
I Will return to my place (faith the Lord by his Prophet)
till they acknowledge their offence, and feek my face. In
their afflidion they will feek me early, Hof. v. 1 5. The
Father of mercies hides himfelf from his children, not to
lofe them, but that they may feek him, and may learn,
having found him, to keep clofer by him than formerly.
He threatens them, to keep them from punifhment : if
his threatening work fubmiffion, it Is well ; if not, he pu-
niflies them gently, to fave them from deftrudion. He
feeks no more, but that they acknowledge their offence,
and feek his face. Wonderful clemency ! for who can
forbear to confefs multitudes of oflences that know them
felves ? and who can chufe but feek thy face, that ever faw
thy face, and that know thee ? In their afflidion they will
feek me early. He that prays not till afflidion comes and
forces him to it, is very flothful ; but he that prays not in
afflidion, Is altogether fenfelefs. Certainly they that at
this time are not more than ordinary fervent in prayer,
or do not at leaft defire and ftrive to be fo, cannot well
think that there is any fpiritual life within them. Sure it
is high time to ftir up ourfelves to prayers and tears. All
may bear aims in that kind of fervice. "Weak women
may be ftrong in prayer ; and thofe tears, wherein they
ufually abound upon other occafions, cannot be fo well
fpent as this way. Let them not run out In howhno-s and
impatience, btt bring them, by bewailing fins, private as
well as pubhc, to quench this public fire. And ye men.

SERMON II. 21
yea, ye meri of courage, account It no difparagement thus
to weep. We read often of David's tears, which was no
ftain to his valour. That cloud that hangs over us,
which the frequent vapours of our fins have made, except
it dlflblve and fall down again in thefe fweet fhowers of
godly tears, is certainly referved to be the matter of a
dreadful ftorm. Be inftant every one In fecret: for the
averting of this wrath, and let us now again unite the
cries of our hearts for this purpofe to our compaffionate
God, In the name and mediation of his Son the Lord
Jefus Chrift. Job XXXIV. 31, 32.
Surely it is meet to be faid unto God, I have borne chafllfe-
ment, I will not offend any more.
That which I fee not, teach thou me : if I have done iniquity ^
1 will do no more,
THE great fin, and the great mifery of man is, the
forgetting of God, and the great end and ufe of his
works and of his word is, to teach us the right remem
brance and confideration of him. In all eftates. Thefe
words do particularly Inftrud us In the application of our
thoughts towards him in the time of afflidion. The
ftiortnefs and the various fignification of the words ufed
in the original, gives occafion to fome other readings, and
finother fenfe of them. But this we have In our tranfla-
tlon, being not only very profitable, but very congruous,
both to the words of the primitive text, and to the con-.
texture of the difcourfe ; I fhall keep to it, without divid
ing your thoughts by the mentioning of any other. Nei
ther wfll I lead you fo far about, as to fpeak of the great
difpute of this book, and the queftion. about which it is
held. He that fpeaks here, though the youngeft of the
company, yet, as a wife and calm fpirlted man, clofes all
with a difcourfe of excellent temper, and full of grave
ufeful Inftrudlbns, amongft which this is one.
Surely it Is meet to be faid, or f poke, to God.^ This fpeak
ing to God, though It may be vocal, yet it is not neceffa-
rjly nor chiefly fo, hut is always mainly, and may often

22 SERMON II.
be, only mental ; without this, the words of the mouth,
how well chofen, and well expreft foever they be, are to
God of no account or fignification at all. But if the
heart fpeak, even when there Is not a word In the mouth,
it is that he hearkens to, and regards that fpeech, though
made by a voice that none hears but he, and Is a language
that none underftands but he.
But It is a rare unfrequented thing, this communing of
the heart with God, fpeaking its thoughts to him concern
ing Itfelf, and concerning him, and his dealing with it,
and the purpofes and intentions it hath towards him;
which Is the fpeech here recommended, and is that divine
exercife of meditation, and foHloquy of the foul with itfelf,
and with God, hearkening what the Lord God fpeaks to
us, within us, and our hearts echoing and refounding his
words, as Pfal. xxvn. 8, 9. and opening to him our
thoughts of them, and of ourfelves. Though they ftand
open, and he fees them all, even when we tell him not of
them, yet becaufe he loves us, he loves to hear them of
our own fpeaking ; let me hear thy voice, for it Is fvjeet :
as a father delights in the little ftammering hfping lan
guage of his beloved child. And if the reflex affedion of
children be In us, we will love alfo to fpeak with our Fa
ther, and to tell him all our mind (irxppna-ia.) and to be of
ten with him in the entertainments of our fecret thoughts.
But the moft of men are little within ; either they wear
out their hours in vain difcourfe with others, or poffibly
vainer difcourfes with themfelves ; even thofe that are not
of the worft fort, and poffibly that have their times of fe
cret prayer, yet do not fo delight to think of God and to
fpeak with him, as they do to be converfant in other
affairs, and companies, and difcourfes, in which there is a
great deal of froth and emptinefs. Men think, by talking
of many things, to be refrefhed, and yet when they have
done, find that it is nothing ; and that they had much
better have been alone, or have faid nothing. Our
thoughts and fpeeches in moft things run to wafte, yea
are defiled, as water fpflt on the ground, is both loft, can
not be gathered up again, and it is polluted, mingled with
duft. But no word fpoke to God, from the ferious fenfe
of a holy heart, is loft ; he receives it, and returns it into

SERMON II. 23
our bofom with advantage : a foul that delights to fpeak
to him, will find that he alfo delights to fpeak to It. And
this communication certainly Is the fvveeteft and happleft
choice, to fpeak little with men, and much with God.
One fhort word, fuch as this here, fpoke to God, in a
darted thought, eafes the heart more when it Is afllided,
than the largeft difcourfes and complainings to the greatefi
and powerfuleft of men, or the kindeft and moft friendly.
It gives not only eafe but joy, to fay to God, / have finned,
yet I am thine ; oras here, Ihave borne chafllfement, I will
no more offend. The time of afflidion Is peculiarly a time
of fpeaking to God, and fuch fpeech as this is peculiarly
befitting fuch a time. And this is one great recommenda
tion of afflidion, that It is a time of wifer and more fober
thoughts ; a time of the returning of the mind inwards
and upwards. A high place, fulnefs and pleafure draws
the mind more outwards ; great light and white colours
difgregate the fight of the eye, and the very thoughts of
the mind too. And men find that the night is a fitter
feafon for deep thoughts. It Is better, fays Solomon, to go
to the houfe of mourning than to the houfe of feafllng :
Thofe blacks made the mind more ferious. It is a rare
thing to find much retirement unto God, much humility
and brokennefs of fpirit, true purity and fpiritualnefs of
heart In the affluences and great profperities of the world.
It Is no eafy thing to carry a very full cup even, and to
digeft well the fatnefs of a great eftate, and great place-
They are not to be envied that have them ; even though
they be of the better fort of men, it is a thoufand to one
but that they fhall be lofers by the gains and advancements
bf this world ; fuffering proportionably great abatements
of their beft advantages, by their profperlty. The gene-
nerahty of men, while they are at eafe, do fecurely negled
God, and little mind either to fpeak to him, or to hear
him fpeak to them. God complains thus of his own
people, I fpoke to them In their profperlty, and they ivould
not hear. The noifes of coach-wheelsj of their pleafures,
and of their great affairs, fo fill their ears, that the flill
voice, wherein God is, cannot be heard ; I will bring her
into the wlldernefs, and there I will fpeak to her heart, fays
God of his church. There the heart is more at quiet to

24 SERMON II.
hear God, and to fpeak to him, and is difpofed to fpeak
in the Prvle here prefcribed, humbly and repentingly.
/ have borne chafllfement.'} The fpeaking thus unto
God under afflidion fignifies, that our afflidion is from
his hand, and to the acknowledgment of this truth, the
very natural confciences of men do incline them Though
trouble be the general lot of mankind, yet it dothnot
come on him by an improvidential fatahty, Though man is
horn to trouble as the fparks fly upwards. Job v. Vet It comes
not out ofthe dufl. It is. no lefs true, and in itfelf no lefs
cle -.r, that all the good we enjoy^ and all the evil we fuffer
cones from the fame hand ; but we are naturally more
fenfible of evil than of good, and therefore do more rea
dily refled upon the original and caufes of it. Our dif
treffes lead us unto the notice of the righteous God in-
fiiding them, and our own unrighteous ways procuring
them, and provoking him fo to do, and therefore It is
meet to fpeak in this fubmiflive humble language to him.
It is by all means neceffary to fpeak to him, he Is the
party we have to deal withal, or to fpeak to, even in thofe
afflidions, whereof men are the intervenient vlfible caufes.
They are indeed but inftrumental caufes, the rod andfiaff
Heb. xii. 6. in his hand that fmites us ; therefore our bu-
finefs is with him, in whofe fupreme hand alone the miti
gations and Increafes, the continuance, and the ending of
our troubles lie. Who gave Jacob to the fpoll and Ifrael to
the robbers ? did not the Lord agalnfl whom we have finned?
So Lam. I. 14. The yoke of my tranfgreffions is bound on
by his hand. Therefore It is altogether neceffary In all
afflidions to fpeak to him. And as it is neceffary to fpeak
to himj It is meet to fpeak thus to him, / have borne chaf-
tlfement, I will no more offend. Thefe words have In them
the true compofure of real repentance, humble fubmiffion,
and holy refolution. I have borne chaftlfement, that is,
" I have juftly borne it, and do heartily fubmit to it : I
bear it jufl ly, and take it well : Lord I acquit thee, and
accufe myrfelf." This language becomes the Innocenteft
perfon in the world in their fuffering. Job knew It well,
and did often acknowledge It in his preceeding fpeeches.
Though fometimes, in the heat of difpute, and oppofure
to the uncharitable, and unjuft imputations of his friends.

SERMON II. 25
he feems to overftrain the affertion of his own Integrity,
(which Elihu here correds) you know he cries out, I
have finned agalnfl thee, what fhall I do unto thee, 0 thou
preferver of man? Job vii. And chap. ix. If I wafh my
felf with flow-water, and make my hands never fo clean,
yet fhalt thou plunge me In the ditch, and mine own cloaths
fhall abhor mc.
Vain foolifli perfons fret, and foam at the mifcarriage
of a caufe they apprehend to be righteous, but this is a
great vanity and inconfiderate temerity in not obferving,
the great and apparent unrighteoufnefs In the perfons ma
naging it. But though both the caufe and the perfons
were juft to the greateft height imaginable amongft men,
yet ftill were It meet to fpeak thus unto God in the loweft
acknowledgments and confeffions, that rlghteoufnefs belongs
unto him, and unto us fhame and confuflon of face, fo fays
the Church, Lam. iii. The Lord Is righteous, for I have
rebelled agalnfl his commandments. Though afflidion is
not always defignedly intended as the chaftifement of
fome particular fin, yet where fin Is, (and that Is the cafe
of all the fons of Adam) afflidion coming in, may fafely
be confidered in its natural cognation and alliance with
fin, and fo prefs forth humble confeffions of fin and refo-
lutlons againft it. And thus in Lev. xxvi. 41. They fhall
accept of the punifhment of their Iniquity, fhall take It hum
bly and penitently, and klfs the rod.
Oh ! that there were fuch a heart In us ! that, Inftead
of empty words that fcatter themfelves in the wind, our
many vain difcourfes we hold one with another concerning
our paft and prefent fufferings, and further fears, and dil^
puting of many fruitlefs and endlefs queftions, we were
more abundantly turning our fpeech this way, in unto
God, and faying, " We defire to give thee glory, and
take fhame to ourfelves, and to bear our chafllfement, and
to offend no more, to return each from his evil way, and
to gain this by the furnace, the purging away of our
drofs, our many and great iniquities, our oaths, and curf-
ings, and lying, our deceit, and oppreffions, and pride,
and covetoufnefs, our bafe love of ourfelves, and hating
one another; that we- may be delivered from the tyranny
of our own lufts and paffions, and in other things. Let the
D

26 SERMON II.
Lord do with us as feems good In his eyes. Speaking to
God in Ephraim's words, Jer. xxxi. 18, 19, 20. Words
not unlike thefe, would ftir his bowels, as there ; as It Is
faid, that one ftring perfedly tuned to another, being
touched, the other ftirs of itfelf. When a ftubborn child
leaves ftruggling under the rod, and turns to intreating,
the father then leaves ftriking ; nothing overcomes him
but that. When a man fays unto God, " Father I have
provoked thee to this, but pardon, and through thy grace
I will do fo no more," then the rod Is thrown afide, and
the Father of mercies, and his humbled child, fall to mu
tual tendernefs and embraces.
What I fee not, teach thou me, &c.] The great article
of converfion is the difengagement of the heart from the
love of fin. In that pofture, as it adually forfakes what-
foever it perceives to be amifs, fo it ftands in an abfolute
readinefs to return to every duty that yet lies hidden,
upon the firft" difcovery ; that Is here the genuine voice
of a repentant finner, What I fee not, teach thou me, he.
This is a very neceffary fuit, even for the moft difcern
ing, and clearefl fighted penitent, both In reference to the
commandment and rule for difcovering the general nature,
and feveral kinds of fin ; and withal for the application of
this general light, to the examen of a man's own heart,
and ways, that fo he may have a more exad and particu
lar account of his own fins.
The former is the knowledge of the laws of God, and
rule by which a man Is to try and to judge himfelf. The
moft knowing are not above the need of this requeft, yea,
I am perfuaded, the moft knowing know beft how much
they need It, and are moft humbled in themfelves in the
confclence of their Ignorance and darknefs in divine things,
and are moft earneft, and preffing In this daily fupplica-
tlon, for increafe of light and fpiritual knowledge from
him who Is the fountain of It, What I fee not, teach thou
me. On the other fide, the leaft knowing, are often the
moft confident that they know all, and fwelled with a
conceited fufficlency of their model, "and determination of
aU things, both dogmatical and pradical. And therefore
are the moft imperious and magifterlal in their conclu-

SERMON II. 27
Cons, and the moft impatient of contradldion, or even of
the moft modeft diffent.
The wifeft, and holieft perfons, fpeak always. In the
humbleft and moft depreffing ftyle of their own know
ledge, and that not with an affedation of modefty ; but
in the real fenfe of the thing as It is, and the fincere ac
count they give of It, and that commonly when they are
declaring themfelves moft folemnly, as In the fight of God,
or fpeaking in fuppllcation to him with whom they dare
leaft of all diffemble. Whofoever he was that fpake thefe
words, Prov. xxx. fure he was a man of eminent wifdom
and piety, and yet begins thus. Surely I am more hr.utlfh
than any man, and have not the underflanding of a man, I
have neither learned wifdom, nor have I the knowledge of
the holy. And though he was fo diligent a ftudent, and fo
great a proficient in the law of God, yet how importunate
apetitioner ishe, for the underftanding of It, asif he knewno-
thing at all ? Befides the like expreffions in other pfalms, in
this one pfalm, (Pf. cxix.) that being of fuch length hath no-
thingbutthe breathing forth of his affedion to the word and
law of God, how often doth he in It reiterate that, teach
me thy ftatutes : So often, that a carnal mind is tempted
to grow weary of it, as a naufeating tautology ; but he
made it ftfll new, with the frefhnefs and vehemency of his
affedion. Make me to underftand the way of thy pre
cepts ; give me underftanding, and I fhall keep thy law.
And open thou mine eyes, that I may fee the wonders of
thy law ; unfeal mine eyes, as If ftill vafled and dark.
Thefe are the earneft and nobly ambitious defires that daily
fohcit holy hearts, and ftir them to foHcit the teacher of
hearts, to be admitted more into the fecrets and receffes of
divine knowledge, not to thofe abyffes that God intends
fhould be fecret ftill, and from which he hath barred out
our curiofity, as the forbidden tree of knowledge, thefe
fecrets that belong to himfelf alone, and concern us not to
enquire after, and certainly to be wading in thefe deeps, is
the way to be drowned in them. The fearcher of majefty
fliall be oppreft with glory ; yet, there Is in man a perverfe
prepofterous defire, to pore upon fuch things as are on
purpofe hidden that we fliould not enquire after them, and
D2

28 SERMON II.
to feek after ufelefs, empty fpeculatlons of them, which Is
a luxury and intemperance ofthe underftanding, like unto
that, and fpringing from that, which at firft undid us in
the root. Thefe are times full of thofe empty, airy quef
tions, and notions in which there is no clearnefs nor cer
tainty to be attained, and if It were, yet would ferve to
little or no purpofe, not making the man that thinks he
hath I'ound them out, one jot the better, or holler man
than he was before : What avails it, fays that devout au
thor, to difpute and difcourfe high concerning the trinity,
and want humility, and fo difpleafe that trinity. The light
and knowledge fuited according to the intendment of this
copy, is of another nature, fuch as purifies the heart and
redifies the life. " What I fee not, teach thou me," that is,
of fuch things as may ferve this end. " That if I have done
iniquity I may do it no more." This is found and folid
knowledge, fuch a hght as inflames the heart with the love
of God, and of the beauties of holinefs ; and ftill, as It
grows, makes thofe to grow likewife. Such are ftfll, we
fee, David*s multiplied fupplications in that pfalm ; not to
know referved and unufeful things, but hide not thy com
mandments from me. " Thy hands have made me and fa-
fhioned me." " Now what is that thy creature and work-
" manfliipbegsof thee ? What is that which willcompleatmy
" being and make me do honour to my Maker ? This Is
" it, give me underftanding that I may learn thy command-
" ments." You that would be fuccefsful fupphcants In
this requeft, wean your hearts from this vanity of defire,
fuch knowledge is as the cyprefs-trees, fair and tall, but
fruitlefs and faplefs. Apply all you know to the purging
out of fin, and intend all the further knowledge you de
fire, to that fame end. Seek to be acquainted with higher
rules of mortification, and felf-denial, and charity, than yet
you have either pradifed, or poffibly fo much as thought
on ; that by thefe, your affedlons and adions may be ad
vanced to greater degrees of purity, and conformity with
the holinefs of God. And for this end, beg of him to
teach you, what you fee not in the exadnefs of the law
and rule ; and withal, which is the other thing in this
word, that, what you fee not In the application of it and
fearch of yourfelf, he would hkewife fhew you ; for in

SERMON II. 29
that, we are commonly as undifcerning and dim-fighted
as in the other, even where men have fome notion of the
rule and their duty ; yet they perceive not their own, even
their grofs receflions and declinings from it. Love is a
blinding thing, and above all love felf-love ; and every
man Is naturally his own flatterer, he deals not faithfully
and fincerely with himfelf in the fearch of his own evils.
Now this we are to intreat of God, to be led into our
felves, and to be applied to the work of felf-fearching, by
his own hand, not only to have a right apprehenfion of
the law given us, but a true fight of ourfelves. Oh ! how
many hidden undifcerned, yea unfufpeded impurities and
follies are there in the hearts of thofe that are moft dili
gent in this enquiry, much more in the greater part, even
of fuch as cannot abfolutely be denied the name of good
men ? Some honeft Intentions and good defires there are
in them ; but they are flothful, and unwilling to go to this
painful bufinefs of trying and judging themfelves, and
when they fet to it, many fecret corners, and in thofe many
latent inordlnacies do efcape their fearch. " Cleanfe me
from fecret faults," fays David, that Is, not only thofe hid
den from men, but even from myfelf, as is clearly his
meaning, by the words preceeding. Who knows the errors
of his life. Therefore is it neceffary that we defire light
of God, the Spirit of a man Is the candle of the Lord, fays
Solomon, fearching the innermoft parts of the belly ; but
it is a candle unllghted, when he does not illuminate it for
that fearch. Oh ! what a deal of vanity and love of this
world, envy and fecret pride lurks In many of our hearts,
that we do not at all perceive, till God caufeth us to fee
it, leading us in, as he did the prophet In the vifion, to
fee the idolatry of the Jews in his very temple, by which
they had provoked him to forfake it, and go far from his
fanduary ; and having difcovered one parcel, leads him
in further, and makes him enter through the wall, "and adds
often, " Son of man haft thou feen thefe, I will caufe thee
fee yet more abominations, and yet more abominations."
Thus is It within many of us that fhould be his temples,
but we have a multitude of Images of jealoufy, one lying
hid behind another, tlU he thus difcover them to us. Oh !

so - SERMON II.
what need have we to intreat him thus, " what I fee not,
teach thou me !"
Now In both thefe, both In the knowledge of our rule,
and of ourfelves, though there may be, fome ufeful fubfer-
viency of the miniftry of men, yet the great teacher ofthe
true knowledge of his law, and of himfelf, and of ourfelves,
is God. Men may fpeak to the ear, but his chair is in
heaven that teaches hearts, cathedram habet In ccbIo,
Matchlefs teacher 1 that teacheth more In one hour than
men can do In a whole age ! that can cure the Invincible
unteachablenefs of the dulleft heart, gives underftanding to
the fimple, and opens the eyes of the blind. So then
would we be made wife, wife for eternity, learned In real
living divinity, let us fit down at his feet and make this
our continual requeft, What I fee not, teach thou me.
And if I have done, &c.] That is, " any iniquity that
" I yet know not of, any hidden fin, let me but once fee
" it, and, I hope, thou fhalt fee It no more within me ; not
" wfllingly lodged and entertained." This fpeaks an en
tire total giving up all fin, and proclaiming utter defiance
and enmity againft it ; cafting out what is already found
out without delay, and refolving that ftill In further fearch,
as it fhall be more difcovered, it fhall be forthwith diflodg-
ed, without a thought of fparing or partial indulgence to
-any thing that Is fin, or like it, or may any way befriend
it, or be an occafion and Incentive of It. This is that ab
folute renouncing of fin, and furrender of the whole foul
and our whole felves to God, which whofoever do not
heartily confent to and refolve on, their religion Is in vain,
and (which is here the point) their afflidion Is in vain :
Whatfoever they have fuffered, they have gained nothing
by all their fufferings, If their hearts remain ftill felf-
wflled, ftubborn, untamed, and unpllable to God. And
this makes their miferies out of meafure miferable, and their
fins out of meafure finful ; whereas were It thus qualified,
and had it any operation this way towards the fubjeding
of their hearts unto God, afflidion were not to be called
mifery, but would go under the title of a bleffednefs :
" Bleffed Is the man whom thou corredeft and teacheft and
him out of thy law." That fuiting with this here defired,
«' I have borne chaftifement : What I fee not, teach thou

SERMON III. 31

me ; and if I have done Iniquity, I will do it no more."
Oh ! were it thus with us, my brethren, how might we re
joice, and infert into our praifes all that is come upon us,
if it had wrought or advanced any thing of this kind with
in us, this bleffed compliance with the will of God, not en
tertaining any thing knowingly that difpleafes him ; finding
a pleafure in the denial and deftrudion of our own moft
beloved pleafures at his appointment and for his fake,
whatfoever is in us, and deareft to us, that would offend
us, that would draw us lo offend him, were it the right
hand, let It be cut off, or the right eye, let it be plucked
out : Or, to make Ihorter work, let the whole man die at
oncecrucifiedwith Jefus, " Thatwe may behenceforth dead
to fin, dead to the world, dead to ourfelves, and alive only
to God."

SERMON III.

PREFACE.
THERE Is no exercife fo delightful to thofe that are
truly godly, as the folemn worfhip of God, If they
find his powerful and fenfible prefence In It ; and Indeed
there is nothing on earth more like to heaven than that is.
But when he withdraws himfelf, and with-holds the influ
ence and breathings of his fpirit In his fervice, then good
fouls find nothing more lifelefs and uncomfortable : But
there is this difference, even at fuch a time betwixt them,
and thofe that have no fpiritual life in them at all, that
they find, and are fenfible of this difference ; whereas the
other know not what It means. And for the moft part,
the greateft number of thofe that meet together with a pro-
feffion to worfhip God, yet are fuch as do not underftand
this difference. Cuftom and formahty draws many to the
ordinary places of public worfhip, and fills too much of
the room ; and fometimes novelty and curiofity, to places
not ordinary, has a large fhare : But how few are there
that come on purpofe to meet with God in his worfhip.

32 SERMON III.
and to find his power In ftrengthening their weak faith,
and weakening their ftrong corruptions ; affording them
provifion of fpiritual ftrength and comfort againft times
of trial; and, in a word, advancing them fome fteps for
ward in their journey towards heaven, where happinefs
and perfedlon dwells ? . Certainly thefe fweet effeds are to
be found in thefe ordinances, if we would look after them.
Let it grieve us then, that we have fo often loft our labour
in the worfhip of God, through our own negled, and In
treat the Lord, that at this time he would not fend us a-
way empty ; for how weak foever the means be. If he put
his ftrength, the work fhall be done, in fome meafure, to
his glory, and our edification. Now that he may be
pleafed to do fo, to leave a bleffing behind him, let us
pray, &c. IsAIAH XXVIII. 5, 6.
In that day fhall tbe Lord of hofls befor a crown of glory,
and for a diadem of beauty unto the reftdue of his people :
And for a Spirit of judgment to him thatfitteth In judgment,
and for flrength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
ALL the works of divine providence are full of wif
dom and juftice, even every one feverally confidered ;
yet we obferve them beft to be fuch, when we take notice
of their order, and mutual afped one to another, whether
in the fucceffion of times, or fuch paffages as are cotempo
rary and fall in together at one and the fame time. As,
when the Lord brings notable judgments upon the proud
workers of iniquity, and at the fame time confers fpecial
mercies on his own people ; who is there that may not
perceive juftice and mercy illuftrating and beautifying one
another ? It is true, the full reward and perfed reft of
the godlyj is not here below; they would be fbrry if it
were : Nor is this the place of plenary punifliment for the
ungodly. Men may look for a judgment too, yet the
Lord is pleafed at fome times to give fome refemblances
and pledges, as it were, of that great and laft judgment in
remarkable paffages of juftice and mercy, at one and the
fame time ; and fuch a time it Is that the prophet foretells

SERMON III. 33
in this his fermon, which concerns the two fifter kingdoms
of Ifrael and Judah. Flaving denounced a heavy calamity
to come upon Ifrael, under the name of Ephraim, he com
forts thofe of Judah, under the name of the rcfldue of his
people. They not being fo grofly corrupted as the other
were, lie flays them with this promife : In that day, faith
he, when the other fhall be overwhelmed, as with a de
luge, the Lord of hofls fhall be for a crown of glory, and for
a diadem of beauty unto the refidue of his people.
The promife is made up of three benefits, yet the three
are but one ; .or rather, one Is all the three to them. The
bord of hofls ; It is He that fhall be their honour, wifdom
and ftrength. He fhall he a crown, &c. But firft, a word
of the circumftance of time. In that day.
That fovereign Lord, who at firft fet up the hghts of
heaven to diftinguifh times and feafons, by their conftant
motion, and likewife, by his fupreme providence ruling the
world, hath fixed the periods of ftates and kingdoms, and
decreed their revolutions, their rifing, afcending, and their
height, with their decline and felting, hath by a fpecial
providence determined thofe changes and viciffitudes that
befal his church. That which the Pfalmift fpeaks, in his
own particular, Pfal. xxxi. 1 5. hoMs of each behever, and
of the church, which they make up In all ages and places :
I faid, thou art my God, my times are in thy hand ; a
fure and fteady hand indeed, and therefore he builds his
confidence upon it, ver. 13, They took counfel againft me,
but I trufted in thee. And upon this, he prays In faith,
that the face of God may fliine upon him, and the wick
ed may be afhamed.
Thus then, as many as are looking after a day of mercy
to the church of God, pray and believe upon this ground,
that the time of it Is neither in the frail hands of thofe that
favour and feek it, nor In the hands of thofe that oppofe it,
how ftrong iind fubtile foever they be, but in that Almigh
ty hand, that doth In heaven and earth what pleafeth him.
If he have faid, now, and here, will I give a day of re-
frefhment to. my people that hav« long groaned for it, a
day of the purity and power of religion ; if, I fay, this be
his purpofe, they muft have fomewhat more than omnipo
tence that can hinder it. When his appointed time comes,

34 SERMON HI.
to make a day of deliverance dawn upon his church, after
their long night, either of afflidion or of defedlon, or
both ; they that contrive againft that day-fpring, are as
vain as if they would fit down to plot how to hinder the
fun from rifing in the morning. And they that let go iheir
hopes of it, becaufe of great apparent difficulties that .Inter-
pofe betwixt their eye and the accomplifliment of that
work, they are as weak-as if they fliould imagine, when
mifts and thick vapours appear about the horizon in the
morning, that thefe could hinder the rifing of the fun,
which is fo far out of their reach, and com.es forth as a bride
groom, and rejoices as a mighty man to run his race, fays Da
vid. Thofe mifts may indeed hinder his clear appearance,
and keep It from the eye for a time ; but reafon tells us,
even then, that they cannot ftop his courfe. And faith af-
fures us no lefs in the other, that no difficulties can hold
back God's day, and work of mercy, to his people. But
you will fay, " All the difficulty Is to loiow, whether the
*' appointed time be near or not." It Is true, we have no
particular prophecies to affure us ; but certainly when God
awakes his children and makes them rife, this is a proba
ble fign that it is near day. I mean, when he ftirs them
up to more than ufual hopes, and prayers, and endeavours,
it is very hkely that he Intends them fome fpecial good ; but
yet, more, when he himfelf is arifen, (as It pleafeth him to
fpeak) that is, when he is begun to appear, in a more than
ordinary manner, of working by fingular, and wonderful
footfteps of providence. This is, no doubt, a fign that he
will go on to fliew remarkable mercy to Zion, and that
ihe time to favour her, yea, the fet time is come, Pf. cii. 13.
Howfoever then, let the wonderful workings of the
Lord move thofe of you, that have any power and oppor
tunity, to be now (if ever) adive, for the greateft good,
both of the prefent age and of pofterity. And you that
can be no other way ufeful, yet you fhall be no fmall help
ers If you be miich in prayer ; let both your hopes and
your fears ferve to fharpen your prayers. Be not too much
dejeded with any difcouragement, neither be ye carnally
lift up with outward appearances ; for the heart of him that
is lifted up is not upright in him, Hab. ii. 4. But live, as
the juft do, by your faith : And if the deferring of your

SERMON III. 55
hopes ^ovXAficken your hearts, as Solomon fpeaks, yet flay
and comfort them with the cordial of the promifes. This
you are fure of, you have God's own word engaged for it,
that in thofe latter days Babylon fliall be brought to the
duft, and the true church of Chrift fliall flourifh and in
creafe: And this vifion is for an appointed time, (as Hab.
fays of his) at the end it fhall fpeak, and not He ; though it
tarry, wait for it, it will furely come, it will not tarry, Hab.
iL S.
In that day'} In the day of Ephraim's or Ifrael's cala
mity, denounced in the former verfes ; which, as moft do
conceive, was when the Affyrian oppreffed them, and In
the end led them captive, in the reign of Hofea, as you
have the hiftory of it, 2 Kings xvii. At which time He
zekiah was king of Judah, as you find in the following
chapter: And in that notable reformation wrought by
him, with thofe bleffings that followed upon it, is found
the accomphfhment of this promife to Judah, In that day,
&c. The parallel of God's different dealing with thefe
two kingdoms, at the time there fpecified, fin that day J
does afford divers leffons, which might be here not imper
tinently taken notice of. Only this.
Though Judah alfo had its own corruptions when Heze
kiah came to the crown, yet it pleafed the Lord to fpare
them, and work a peaceable reformation, making Ifrael's
punifhment their warning. Truly that nation, with whom
the Lord deals thus gracioufly, is vilely ingrate If they ob
ferve It not with much humility and thankfulnefs, and with
profit too. If the Lord fhould anfwer your defires and
hopes with a reformation in a peaceable way, and fhould
yet lengthen out your long continued peace, and fhould
make this little paft fliaking of it caufe It to take root the
fafter : If he fhould, I fay, do this, where would ye find
fit praifes for fuch a wonder of mercy ; efpecially confi-
dering, that in the mean while he hath made other reform
ed churches fields of blood, and made, as it were, the
found of their ftrlpes preach repentance to us ? But cer
tainly. If the hearing the voice of the rod prevafl not, we
fhall feel the fmart of it, as this people of Judah did after
wards, becaufe they were not fo wife as to become wifer
and better by Ifrael's folly and calamity. We are exped-
E 2

S6 SERMON HI.
ing great things at our Lord's hands, and our provoca
tions and fins againft him are great ; yet there is none of
them all puts us In fo much danger of difappointment, as
impenitence. Were there more repentance and perfonal
reformation amongft us, we might take it as a hopeful fore
runner of that public reformation which fo many feem
now to defire.
The Lord of hofls} This ftile of his, you know, is fre
quently in the prophets. In their predidlons of mercy
and judgment ; intimating both hisgreatnefs and majefty,
and his fupreme power, for accomplifhing diis word. No-
created power can refift him ; yea, all muft ferve him.
The moft excellent creatures can have no greater honour :
The greateft are not exempted, nor the meaneft excluded
from ferving him. In Ads xii. 23. you find one of the
nobleft creatures, and a number of the vileft, made ufe of
at the fame time In the fame fervice. Becaufe Herod did
accept of the facnlege ofthe people, and gave not back to
this Lord of hofts his own glory, the angel of the Lord
fmote him, znd the vermlne devoured him. And In Egypt,
you know, the employing of the deftroying angel, and
what variety of hofts this Lord of hofts did employ to
plague them. What madnefs then is it to oppofe and en
counter this great general ; even in doubtful cafes, to run
on blindly, without examining, left peradventure a man
fliould be found a fighter againft God ? And on the other
fide, it Is great weaknefs to admit any fear under his ban
ner. If a man could fay, when he was told of the multi
tude of the flilps the enemy had, Agaln/i how many do ye
reckon me ? How much more juftly may we reckon this
Lord of hofts, againft multitudes of enemies, how great
foever ? They are to him as the drop of a bucket, and the
fmallcfl dufl of the balance. It Is Ignorance and mean
thoughts of this mighty Lord that makes his enemies fo
confident ; and it is the fame evil, in fome degree, or at
the beft, forgetfulnefs of his power, that caufeth diffidence
in his followers, Ifa. h. 12, IS. Now the fame Lord of
hofts, you know, is likewife called the God of peace ; he is
indeed, ^ pace is' bellow4nfignls,fplendld both in peace and
war. The bleffing of peace and the fuccefs of war are

SERMON III. 37
both from him ; and to him alone is due the praife of
both. Shall be a crown, &c.] He fliall dignify and adorn
them by his fpecial prefence ; to wit, In the purity of his
ordinances and rehgion amongft them ; the profeflion and
flouriffiing of that fhall be their fpecial glory and beauty.
For as the other two benefits concern their civil good,
juftice flouriffiing within, and wealth, and opulency from
without, fo doubtlefs, this firft, this glory and beauty. Is
religion, as the chlefeft of the three, and the other two
are its attendants. In Pfal. xxvi. ver. -8. the fanduary,
the place of their folemn worffiip, is called the place where
God's honour dwelleth, or the tabernacle of his honour,
and Pfal. xcvi. 9. the glorious fanduary, or the beauty of
holinefs. And the ark of God, you know, was called the
glory. The glory Is departed from Ifrael, (faid the wife of
Phineas) for the ark of God Is taken. Pure religion, and
a pure worffiip, is the glory of God amongft his people,
and confequently, their glory. Now referring this pro
phecy to Hezekiah's time, the accompliffiment of It is evi
dent, in that work of reformation, whereof you have the
fuU hiftory, 2 Chron. xxix. SO, 31, &c.
If it be thus, that the purity of religion and worffiip, is
the crown and glory of a people ; and therefore, on the
other fide, that their deepeft ftain of diffionour and vile-
nefs, is the vitiating of religion with human devices ; then
to contend for the prefervatlon or the reformation of It,
is noble and worthy of a chriftian. It is for the crown of
Jefus Chrift, which is likewife a crown of glory, and dia
dem of beauty to them, he being their head. It is Indeed,
the true glory both of kings and their kingdoms. Labour
then for conftancy in this work ; let no man take your
crown from you ; you know how bufy the emiffaries of
the church of Rome have been to take it from us, or, at
leaft, to pick the diamonds out ofit, and put in falfe coun
terfeit ones in their places, I mean, they ftole away the
power of religion, and filled up the room with, fliadows
and fopperies of their own devifing. It is the vanity of
that church, to think they adorn the worffiip of God when
they drefs it up with fplendor In her fervice, which though
fome raagnify fo rauch, yet may moft truly be called a

38 SERMON III.
gllftering flavery and captivity. Then is fhe truly free
and wears her crown, when the ordinances of God are
conformable to his own appointment. It is vanity in man,
I fay, when they drefs it up with a multitude of gaudy
ceremonies, and make it the fmalleft part of itfelf, whereas
indeed, its true glory confifts not In pomp, but in purity
and fimplicity. Apoc. xh. we find the church, under the
name of a woman, richly attired indeed, but her orna
ments be all heavenly, the fun her clothing, and her crown
of twelve flars ; needs ffie then borrow fublunary glory ?
No, ffie treads upon it, the moon is under her feet.
There Is another woman, indeed. In that fame book, ar
rayed In purple and fcarlet, decked with gold and precious
ftones, and having a golden cup In her hand, but that
golden cup is full of abominations and filthlnefs, and ffie
herfelf the mother of abominations, Apoc. xvii. 4. The
natural man judges according to his reach, but to a fpiri
tual eye there is a moft genuine beauty in the fervice of
God and government of his houfe, and when they are
neareft to the rule, the word of God, then is It, that the
Lord himfelf Is the crown and diadem of his church.
A crown, &CC.} Again we confider this perfonally, as
belonging In particular to every believer. They are all
made kings ^nd prlefls unto God the Father, Rev. I. 6.
They are a chofen generation, a royal prleflhood, 1 Pet. ii. 9.
how defplcable foever to the world. This is their dignity :
The Lord Is their crown and diadem ; he fubdues their
luft, and makes them kings over their own affedlons, and
more than conquerors over all troubles and perfecutlons ;
whereas carnal men are continually hurried like flaves,
unto bafe employments, ftill kept tolling in the Ignoble
fervice of their own lufts. They think, indeed, It Is their
liberty, but that is a bafenefs of fpirit, that comphes fo well
with fo vile and fervlle a condition. And whereas they
judge the godly to be the refufe and drofs of the earth,
and the proper objeds of contempt, this is becaufe this
their crown, though moft glorious, Is invifible to the eye
of nature. The Lord Is a crown : If they knew what this
is, they would fee enough in it to countervail th jir out
ward meannefs, and the reproaches the world cafts on
them, as the apoftle St. Peter hath it, 1 Eph. iv. 14. If ye

SERMON HI. S9
be reproached for the name of Chrifl, happy are ye, for the
fpirit of glory and of God refleth on you : he is their crown.
And obferve, how this crown is oppofed to that blafted
glory and fading crown of pride, fpoken of In the former
verfes. Who is there that fees not, In daily experience, the
vanity and inconftancy of worldly glory, and yet how few
are there that wean themfelves from it, and learn to dif-
dain it ? ftill men dote upon that which is not, upon a fta-
dow, 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 fo, glory In him and
in nothing elfe : let not the wife man glory, &c. but let, &c.
Jer. ix. 23.
You that are noble afpire to this crown, as being fo far
above your periffiing honours and bounded powers : and
you that are outwardly meaner and lower, fee how little
caufe you have to complain of your condition, feeing you
are not debarred from this beft and greateft honour. And
that you may difcern it aright what It is, know that it
confifts in the renovation of God's image within you,
which is in holinefs and rlghteoufnefs : fo the Lord be
comes your crown in the kingdom of grace ; and by this
you may difcover, whether or no you have attained It.
If you can yet delight to wallow in the puddle and plea
fures of fin, you are far from this royal condition : but if
you find your foul poffeffed with the love of holinefs, and
that you are trampling upon profane delights, this may
perfuade you that God hath enabled you, and crowned
you with his grace, and will crown you with glory.
Again, try it by this ; if the Lord Is become your crown
and your glory, you wfll glory In him, and in nothing elfe.
Though you be wife, you will not glory in your wifdom,
nor In ftrength, nof in riches, nor honours, though you
had them all ; but if you glory, you will glory in the
Lord. And withal, your higheft joy will be to fee the
advancement of f^s glory ; and. If you can, to beany way
fervlceable to the advancing of it.
Arui a fpirit of judgment, hz.} Both to thef« that fit
in judgment, and to the people ; for juftice Is the ftrongeft
bale and eftabhlhment of authority. And withal, the in-

40 SERMON III.
fluence of It is moft fweet and comfortable to thefe that
are under authority, ; and where It is wanting, that order
and relation of fuperiors and Inferiors, which God hath
appointed in the focietles 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 hberal in pouring out much of this fpirit of
judgment on thofe that fit in judgment. On the contrary,
it is for a heavy puniffiment, when he withdraws his fpirit
from rulers, and leaves them wholly to the corruption and
vanity of their own fpirits.
That fit in judgment.} To all that are in place of au
thority and judicature, from the fupreme to the loweft ma-
giftrate ; for this concerns them all, for they be all raifed
in their fubordination, and feveral places above the people,
for the benefit and good of the people, as the ftars, that
be fet fo high, yet are placed there to be ufeful and bene-
fical to the inferior world.
Now this, fpirit of judgment comprehends in It, both
due wifdom and prudence, for the trial and right judging
of affairs, and for the difcerning betwixt found and per
verfe counfel ; and withal a judgment pradically good,
that cannot be biaffed from the ftraight fine of equity and
juftice by any finifter refped.
Now. feeing the fpirit of judgment is from the Lord,
yea, he is this fpirit ; it ought to perfuade thofe that fit in
judgment, to intreat and pray for this, and to depend upon
it, and beware of felf-confidence. Trufl in the Lord, faith
Solomon, and lean not to thine own underflanding ; if you
do. It will prove but a broken reed. And as they that
fit in judgment ffiould Intreat his fpirit by prayer, fo gene
rally, all muft ffiare with them in this duty, and make
fuppllcation for all that are in authority over them, efpe
cially In extraordinary times. Truly* we have matter of
thankfulnefs, that the Lord hath in fome meafure inclined
the royal heart of our Sovereign to the defires of his peo
ple, and ought ftill to pray, that the Lord would give the
king his judgments. And then, as the pfalmift adds.
The mountains fhall bring peace to the people, and the little
hills, by rlghteoufnefs, Pfal. Ixxii. 3. And for this end,
let all that wiih. the public, yea, their own good, pray

SERMON IV. 41
much for abundance of this fpirit of judgment to be con-
fei'red on them ; your eyes and expedaiions are upon
them. If you would enjoy the lamp, you muft pour in
ofl. This fpirit, indeed, you cannot pour upon them,
but If you pour out many prayers, you may draw it from
above ; he wfll give it, who here promifes to be a fpirit of
judgment. And flrength.} Obferve, the way to be powerful and
fuccefsful againft foreign enemies is, to have religion and
juftice flourifliing at home. And truly, if it plcafe our
God, to anfwer the defires of his people, at this time. It
may fo unite the affedion and ftrength of the two king
doms, (the Lord of hofts being their ftrength) as to make
them a terror to their enemies, whereas they were become
a fcorn and derlfion to them. For your particular, labour
to make the Lord your glory, to have Chrift made unto
you, as the Apoftle fpeaks, both wifdom, and rlghteoufnefs,
and fandification, which are the glory and beauty of the
foul, and redemption from your fpiritual enemies. Draw
ftrength from him, to fight and prevail againft them, till
after the ffiort combat of this Ufe, you obtain the crown,
and dwell in his prefence, where you ffiall fear no more
affaults, neither of fin nor afflidion, but ffiall be for ever
happy In the bleffed vifion of his face. To him, be glory.
Amen.

SERMON IV.

PREFACE.

EXTERNAL worffiip doth openly , acknowledge a
deity, but want of inward fenfe In worffiip fecretly
denieth it ; The fool hath faid In his heart, there Is no God,
It is ftrange to hear fo much nolfe of religion in the
world, and to find fo Httle piety. To prefent the hving
God with a carcafe of lifelefs worffiip. Is to pay him with
ffiells of fervices, and fo to mock him. And It is a more
admirable long-fuffering in him to defer the puniffiment
F

42 SERMON IV.
of fuch devotion, than all the other fins in the world.
The Egyptian temples were rich and ftately fabrics. A
ftranger, who had looked upon them without, would
have imagined fome great deity within ; but if they enter
ed (as Lucian fays, laughing at them) nothing was to be
feen, but only fome ape, or cat, or py'd bull, or fome
other fine god hke thofe. To behold our fair femblance,
of religion that frequent this houfe, it would appear that
we were all the temples of the Holy Ghoft. But whofo
could look within us, would find in many of our hearts,.
luft, pride, avarice, or fome fuch like fecret vice adored
as a God ; and thefe are they that, while our bodies fit
here, do alienate our fouls from the fervice of the eternal
God. So that we are either altogether fenfelefs and dead
before him, or if any fit of fpiritual motion rife within us,
we find it here, and here we leave It, as If It were facrilege
to take It home with us. But did once that fpirit of grac^;
breathe favlngly upon our fouls, we ffiould ftraight re
nounce and abhor thofe bafe idols, and then all the cur
rent of our affedion would run more in this channel ; our
fervices would then be fpiritual, and it would be our hea
ven upon earth to view God in his fanduary ; and the
obtaining of the change is and ffiould be one main end of
this our meeting, and, that it may be the happy effed of
it, our recourfe muft be to the throne of grace by humble
prayer, in the name of our mediator Jefus Chrifl the righ-
'teous.
Isaiah lx. 1.
Arife,fblne,for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord
is rifen upon thee,
ADMIRABLE Is the worth and depth of divine provi
dence ! this either we know not, or at leaft feldom
remember ; while we forget the wonders of providence,
we dired our thoughts to bafer objeds, and think not on
it ; and while we forget the depth of providence (If at
any time we look towards it) we judge raffily and think
amifs of it. If this be true of that general providence
whereby God rules the world, it is more true of his fpe-

SERMON IV. 43
cial providence towards his church. This is both the
moft excellent pjece of it, and therefore beft worth the
reading, and alfo the hardeft piece, and therefore it re-
<juires fobrlety in judging ; above all other things he that
fuddenly judges in this makes hafte to err. To have a
right view of it, it muft be taken altogether, ahd not by
parcels : pieces of rareft artifice, while they are a making,
feem httle worth, efpecially to an unfkflful eye, which
being compleated, commands admiration. P, Martyr
fays well, De operibus Del, antequam adum, non efl judican
dum. There is a time when the daughters of Sion em
brace the dunghil, and fit defolate In the ftreets,vas Jere
miah hath it In his Lamentations, iv. 5. and at that fame
time the voice of Babylon is, I flt as a queen, and fhall fee
noforrow, Ifa. xlviL All is out of order here. But if
we ftay a while, we ffiall fee Sion and Babylon appointed
to change feats, by the great mafter of the world ; Come
down (fays he) daughter of Babylon, and fit in the dufl,
Ifa. xlvii. And here to Sion ; Arlfe, fhine, for thy, light
is come, and the glory ef the Lord Is rlfen upon thee. It is
an entire cataftrophe, both parties find a notable alteration
together, that fame hand that exalts the one ruins the
other. When the fun rifes upon the church, her antipodes
muft needs be covered with darknefs. As we find it In
the next verfe to the text. Darknefs fhall cover the earth,
and grofs darknefs the people, but the Lord fhall arlfe upon
thee, and his glory fhall be feen upon thee.
The Prophet elevated by the fpirit of God to a view of
after ages, as clear as if prefent, feems here to find his
people fitting under the dark mantle of a fad and tedious
night, and having long expeded the fun's return in vain,
before its time, they' give over expedation when it is near
them, and defperately fold themfelves to lie perpetually
in the dark. Now the Prophet, as it were ftanding awake
upon fome mountain, perceives the day approaching, and
the golden chariots of the morning of deliverance hafting
forward, and feems to com.e fpeedily with thefe glad news,
to a captive people, and founds this trumpet In theirears,
arife, fhine, for thy light is come, &c. The very manner
of expreffion is fudden and roufing, without a copulative,
not arife and fhine ; but arlfe, fhine. Sec.
.V , F 2 '

44 SERMON IV.
The words have In them, a clear ftamp of relation to a
low pofture and obfcure condition ; they fuppofe a people
lying or fitting without hght. Deep diftrefs is that dark
foil that beft fets off the luftre of marvellous deliverances ;
and among many other reafons of the church's viciffitudes,
why may not this be one : the Lord Is more Illuftrious in
the world by that deep wifdom and great power that
ffiines when he raifes and reftores her from defperate af
flidions, than if he had ftill preferved her in conftant eafe.
He feems fometimes carelefs of her condition, and regard-
lefs of her groans ; but even then, is he waiting the moft
fit time to be gracious, as our prophet fpeaks. And when
It Is time, out of the bafeft eftate he brings her forth more
freffi; ftrong and beautiful than before. Though you have
lien among tbe pots, ye ftoall be as the wings of a dove cover
ed with fllver, and her feathers with yellow gold, Pfal.
Ixvin. 1 3. Do with the church what you will, ffie ffiall
come through, and that with advantage, mergas profunda,
pulchrior exilit, as one fays of Rome. Keep the church
feventy years captive, yet after that, fhe flail arlfe and
fhine more glorious than ever.
But furely the ftrain of this evangelic prophecy rifes
higher than any temporal deliverance. Therefore we
muft rife to fome more fpiritual fenfe of It, not excluding
the former. And that which fome call divers fenfes of
the fame fcripture, is indeed, but divers parts of one full
fenfe. This prophecy is out of queftion, a moft rich def-
eription of the kingdom of Chrift under' the gofpel.
And In this fenfe, this Invitation to arlfe and fllne is
mainly addreft to myftical Jerufalem, yet not without
fome privilege to literal Jerufalem beyond other people.
They are firft Invited to arlfe and fhine, becaufe this fun
arofe firft In their horizon. Chrift came of the Jews
and came firft to them. The Redeemer fhall come to Zion,
fays our prophet, in the former chapter, but miferable Je
rufalem knew not the day of her vlfltatlon, nor the things
ihat concerned her peace, and therefore are they now hid
from her eyes. She delighted to deceive herfelf with fan
cies of (I know not what) Imaginary grandeur, and out
ward glory, to which the'promlfed Meffiah ffiould exalt
her, and did, m that kind, particulariy, abufe this very

SERMON IV. 45
prophecy ; fo doting upon a fenfe grofly literal, flie for
feited the enjoyment of thofe fpiritual bleflings that are
here defcribed. But undoubtedly, that people of the
Jews ffiall once more be commanded to arife and ffiine,
and their return ffiall be the riches of the Gentiles ; and
that ffiall be a more glorious time than ever the church of
God did yet behold. Nor is there any inconvenience, if
we think that the high expreffions of this prophecy have
fome fpiritual reference to that time, fince the great dodor
of the Gentfles apphes fome words of the former chapter
to that purpofe, Rom. xi. 29. They forget a main point
of the church's glory, that pray not daily for the Jews
converfion. But to pafs that, and infift on the fpiritual fenfe of thefe
words, as direded to the whole church of Chri.ft. They
contain a powerful incitement to a twofold ad, inforced
(as I conceive) by one reafon, under a twofold expreffion,
neither of them fuperfluous, but each giving light to other,
and fuiting very aptly with the two words of command :
Arlfe, for the glory of the Lord is rlfen, and fhine, for thy
light is come,
I will not now fubdivide thefe parts again, and cut
them fmaller, but will rather unite them again Into this
one propofition : the coming and prefence of Chrift en
gages all to whom he comes, to arife and ffiine. In this
propofition, may be confidered the nature of the duties,
the univerfality of the fubjed, and the force of the reafon.
Firfl, the nature of the duties, what it Is to arlfe and fhine,
Arifing hath either reference to a fall, or to fome con
trary pofture of fitting, or lying ; or to one of thefe two
conditions, that are fo like one another, fleep, or death ;
and to all thefe, fpiritually underftood, may It here be re
ferred. This is the voice of the gofpel to the fons of
Adam, arife, for in him they all fell. The firft fin of that
firft man, was the great fall of mankind ; it could not but
undo us, it was from fo high a ftation. Our dafly fins
are our daily falls, and they are the fruits of that great
one. Thou h afl fallen hy thine iniquity, fays the Lord to his
people,. Hofea xiv. 1. As for thefe poftures of fitting and
lying, tiie fcripture makes ufe of them both, to fignify the
ftate of fin. Says not St. John, The ivorld lies in wicked-

46 SERMON II.
nefs, 1 John v. 19 ? Are not the people faid \.ofit in dark
nefs, mentioned Matth. iv. 16.? which is diredly oppofite
to arife and ffiine. In the darknefs of Egypt, it is faid,
the people fat ftill, none arofe from their places. ^ In the
grofs mift of corrupt nature, man cannot beftir himfelf to
any fpiritual adion, but when this light is come, then he
may, and ffiould arife.
Now for fleep and death, fin Is moft frequently repre-
fented In holy writ under their black vizors. To forbear
places where they are feverally fo ufed, we ffiall find them
jointly In one, Eph. v. 14. Arlfe thou thatfleepeft, and
ftand up from the dead ; which place feems to have fpecial
allufion to this very text.
The Impenitent finner is as one buried In fleep ; his
foul is in darknefs, fit for fleep, and loves to be fo. That
he may fleep the founder, he ffiuts all the paffages of light,
as enemies to his reft ; and fo, by clofe windows and cur
tains, makes an artificial night to himfelf within ; not a
beam appears there, though without, the clear day of the
gofpel flilnes round about him. The fenfes of his foul, as
we may call them, are all bound up, and are not exercifed
to difcern good and evil, as the Apoftle fpeaks, Heb. v. 1 4.
And his leading faculty, his underftanding, is furcharged
with fleepy vapours, that arife inceffantly from the inferior
part of his foul, his perverfe affedlons. Nor hath his mind
any other exercife. In this fleepy condition, but the vain
bufinefs of dreaming. His moft refined and wifeft thoughts
are but mere extravagancies from man's due end, and
his greateft contentments nothing but golden dreams : Yet
he is ferious In them, and no wonder, for who can difcern
the folly of his own dream till he Is awake ? He that dreams
he eateth, when he awakes, finds his foul empty, and not
till then, Ifa. xxix. 8. Now while he thus fleeps, his great
bufinefs lies bye, yet fpends he his hand-breadth of time
as faft, while he is faft a fleep, as if he were in continual
employment ; judge then If it be not needful to bid this
raan arlfe.
Laftly, This voice may Import, that man Is fpiritually
dead. God Is the life of the foul, as it is of the body ;
while he dwells there. It Is both comely and adive, but
once deftitute of his prefence, becoraes a carcafe, where.

SERMON IV. 47
befides pirjvatlon of hfe and motion, there is a pofitlve fil
thlnefs, a putrefadion In the foul, unfpeakably worfe than
that of dead bodies, corruptio optlml pejflma. And as dead
bodies are removed from the fight of men, dead fouls are
caft out from the favourable fight of God, till Chrift's fay
ing arlfe, revive them. The minifters of the word are ap
pointed to cry, arife, indifterently to all that hear them ;
and Chrift- hath referved this privflege and liberty, to join
his effedive voice, when and to whom he pleafes. A carnal
man may ffiew his teeth at this, but who Is he that can, by
any folid reafon, charge abfurdity upon this way of dif-
penfirig outward and inward vocation ? I will not here
mention their idle cavils, the fcripture is undeniably clear
in this, that man is naturally dead Infln. The gofpel bids
him arlfe, and it Is Chrift that Is his life, and that raifes
him. Thus we fee, in fome meafure, what it is for men
to arlfe. Now being rifen they muft ffiine, and that two
ways, jointly and publicly, as they m.ake up vlfible church
es ; and hkewife perfonally, in their particular converfa
tion, Firft then. What Is the ffiining of the true church ?
Doth not a church then ffiine, when church fervice Is
raifed from a decent and primitive fimplicity, and decored
with pompous ceremonies, with rich furniture, and gaudy
veftments ? Is not the church then beautiful ? Yes, indeed ;
but all the queftion is, whether this be the proper genuine
beauty or no ; whether this be not ftrange fire, as the fire
that Aaron's fons ufed which became vain, and was taken
as ftrange fire ? Methinks It cannot be better decided, than
to refer it to St. John In his book of the Revelations. We
find there the defcrlptlons of two feveral women, the one
riding in ftate, arrayed in purple, decked with gold and
precious ftones and pearl. Rev. xvii, 3. the other in rich
attire too, but of another kind. Chap. 12. clothed with the
fun, and a crown of twelve ftars on her head. The other's
decorement was all earthly, this woman's is all celeftiai :
What need ffie borrow light and beauty from precious
ftones, that Is clothed with the fun, and crowned with
ftars ? She wears no fublunary ornaments, but, which Is
more noble, ffie treads upon them, the moon Is under her
feet. Now If you know (as you do all without doubt)
which of thefe two is the fpoufe of Chrift, you can eafily

48 SERMON IV.
refolve the queftion. The truth is, thofe thlngsJeem to
deck religion, but they undo it. ' Obferve where they are
moft ufed, and we ffiaU find httle or no fubftance of devo
tion under them ; as we fee in that apoftate church of
Rome. This painting Is diffionourable for Chrift's Spoufe,
and befides, it fpoils her natural complexion. The fuper
ftitious ufe of torches and lights In the church by day, is
a kind of fliining, but furely not commanded here. No, it
is an affront done both to the fun in the heaven, and to
the Sun of Rlghteoufnefs in the church.
What is meant then when the church Is commanded to
ffiine or be enlightened ? Thefe two readings give the en
tire fenfe of the word ; for firft having no light of herfelf,
ffie muft receive light, and then ffiew It, be enlightened and
then ffiine. She Is enlightened by Chrift the Sun of
Rlghteoufnefs, ffiining in the fphere of the gofpel. This
is that light that comes to her, and the glory ofthe Lord that
arlfes upon her. Hence ffie receives her laws and form of
government, and her ffiining is briefly the pure exercife
of thofe and conformity to them.
And the perfonal ffiining of the feveral members of a
church, Is a comely congruity with pure worffiip and difcl-
pline, and It Is that which now is moft needful to be urged.
Every Chriftian foul Is perfonally "engaged firft to be en
lightened, and then to ffiine, and we muft draw our light
for ourfelves from that fame fource that furnlffies the
church with her public light. There Is a word in the ci
vil law. Uxor fulget radiis mariti, the wife ffiines by the
rays of her huffiand's light. Now every faithful foul is
.efpoufed to Chrift, and therefore may well ffiine, feeing
the Suniiimfelf is their hufband. He adorns them with a
double beauty of juftification and fandification: By that,
they ffiine more efpecially to God, by this to men. And
may not thefe two be fignlfied by a double charader given
to the Spoufe in the Cant, vi. 20. She Is fair as the moon,
and clear as the fun ; the leffer light is that of fandifica
tion, y^j/r as the moon ; that of juftification the greater, by
which, fhe is as clear as the fun. The fun is perfedly lu
minous, but the moon is but half enlightened : So the be
liever Is perfedly juftified, but fandlfied only in paft, his
one half, his flefii, Is dark, and as the partial illumination.

SERMON IV. 49
is the reafon of fo many changes in the moon, to which
changes the fun is not fubjed at all, fo the imperfedlon
of a Chriftian's holinefs, is the caufe of fo many waxings
and wanings, and great inequahty In his performances,
whereas .In the meanwhile his juftification remains con-
ftantly hke Itfelf: This is imputed, that inherent. The
light of fandification muft begin in the underftanding, and
from thence be transfufed to the affedlons, the inferior
parts of the foul, and from thence break forth and ffiine
into adion. This Is then the nature of the duties, arife
and fhine.
The univerfality of the fubjed which was the fecond
head, is this, that every man that knows Chrift is here en
gaged to ffiine too. Neither grandeur exempts from the
duty of ffiining, nor doth meannefs exclude from the pri
vflege of ffiining. Men of low condition in this world
need not defpair of it, for it Is a fpiritual ad ; great men
need not defpife it, for It Is a noble ad to ffiine by Chrift's
light. In the 3d ver. of this chap, it is faid to the church.
Kings fhall come to the brightnefs of thy rifing. To what
end, but to partake of her light and ffiine with her ? And
indeed the regal attire of Chrift's Rlghteoufnefs, and the
white robes of holinefs, will exceeding Well become kings
and princes. Give the king thy judgments, 0 Lord, and thy
Rlghteoufnefs to the king's fon.
The third and laft thing propounded was, the force of
the reafon, that Chrift's prefence engages to arlfe and
fhine, wherein It is fuppofed that Chrift declared in the
gofpel, is the light which is faid here to come, and the
glory of the Lord which Is faid to be rifen ; fo that now it
fhould be more amply cleared, how Chrift Is light, and
the glory of the Lord, and what his coming and rifing is,
but of thefe afterwards. I ffiaU clofe now with a word of
exhortation. Arife then, /or the glory of the Lord is rlfen.} The day
of the gofpel Is too precious that any ofit ffiould be fpent
in fleep or idlenefs, or worthlefs bufinefs. Worthlefs bu
finefs detains many of us ; arlfe iramortal fouls from moyl-
ing In the duft, and working In the clay like Egyptian.
captives. Addrefs yourfelves to more noble work ; there
is a Redeemer come that will pay your ranfom, and refcue
G

50 SERMON IV.
you from fuch vile fervice, for more excellent employ
ment. It Is ftrange how the fouls of Chriftians can fo
much forget their firft original from heaven, and their new
hopes of returning thither, and the rich price of their re
demption, and forgetting all thefe, dwell fo low, and dotei
fo much upon trifles ; how is it that they hear not their
well beloved's voice crying, Arlfe my love, my fair one, and
come away ? Though the eyes of true believers are fo en
lightened, that they ffiall not fleep unto death, yet their
fpirits are often feized with a kind of drowfinefs and flum-
ber, and fometimes even then, when they ffiould be of
moft adivity. The time of Chrift's check to his three
difciples made it very ffiarp, though the words are mfld.
What? could you not watch with me one hour? Shake off,
believing fouls, that heavy humour. Arlfe, and fatlate the
eye of faith, with the contemplation of Chrift's beauty,
and follow after him till you attain the place of full enjoy
ment. And you others that never yet faw him, arlfe, and
admire his matchlefs excellency. The things you efteem
great, are but fo through ignorance of his greatnefs ; his
brightnefs, if you faw it, would obfcure to you the greateft
fplendor of the world, as all thofe ftars that go never down
upon us, yet they are fwallowed up in the furpaffmg light
of the fun when it arlfes. Stand up from the dead, and he
fhall give you light. Arlfe and work while It Is day, for the
night fhall come wherein none can work, fays our Saviour
himfelf. Happy are they that arife early in the morning
of their youth ; for the day of life is very ffiort, and the
art of Chriftianity long and difficult. Is It not a grievous
thing, that men never confider why they came into the
world, till they be upon the point of going out again, nor
think how to hve, till they be fummoned to die ? Buthioft
of all unhappy he, that never wakens out of that pleafing
dream of falfe happinefs, till he fall into eternal mifery :
Arife then betimes, and prevent this fad awakening.
And being rifen, put on your beautiful garments, Ifa.
Hi. 1. Draw towards you with the hand of faith, the rich
mantle of Chrift's Rlghteoufnefs. It is time to awake, fays
the Apoftle, Rom. xiii. 11, and prefently after. Put ye on
the Lord Jefus Chrifl. And It is a wonder how a finner
can reft, while he is out of this garment ; for there is no

SERMON IV. 51
Other in heaven nor earth can make him ffiine to God, and
fo ffielter him from the ftroke of juftice. Put him on
then, and fo ffiine ; being thus clothed, thou ffialt ffiine in
juftification, and likewife in fandity. What a privilege is
it to be like God .'' a fandlfied confclence, what can be
faid againft It ? And firft have an enlightened underftand
ing, for that is the proper feat of light ; that ignorant zeal
that Rome commends, expofes religion to fcorn and con
tempt : Heat without light is the charader of the fire of
hefl. I know all are not tied to a like degree of know
ledge, but certainly all are obliged to have a competency,
and diligence for increafe, Afpire th6n to be Intelligent
Chriftians, and to know well what you believe ; let your
minds be filled with knowledge, as the Apoftle fpeaks.
But let it not ftop there, it muft have influence into the
will. Lux efl vehiculum caloris, true light conveys heat.
All the knowledge that the natural man hath of Chrift,
not warming his affedion to Chrift, is but Ignis fatuus, a
vain light. It ffiall never lead him to happinefs. Saving
light produces love, and by that ads. Faith works by
love, fays the Apoftle. That breaks forth and ffiines in
the ilife, in godlinefs, rlghteoufnefs and fobrlety. Shine
then in all thefe, firft in piety towards God, for this is the
reflexion of thefe rays of light back toward their fource,
and this will command the other two. No man that ffiines
in godlinefs will wallow In injuftice and intemperance.
Guile and wrong cannot endure the hght ; they that are
unjuft cannot fhine. And let them never offer to ffiine
among Chriftians that are not fober, but ftained with riot
and uncleannefs ; thefe foul enormities lay wafte the con
fclence, and put out the light. How can any feeds of
grace fubfift undrowned, that are expofed to a daily de
luge of cups ? How can that pure fpirit, that chofe the
likenefs of a ehafte dove, dwell and give hght In that foul
that is a neft of impure and filthy lufts ? No, there can be
no fellowffiip betwixt this celeftiai light, whereby we
ffiould ffiine, and thofe infernal works of darknefs. Let
profane men hold It a chief ftrain of wit to feoff at purity,
but you that pretend heaven-ward In good earneft, and
mean to ffiine in glory, ffiine here In holinefs ; For with
out holinefs no man fhall fee God. And do it with thofe
G 2

52 SERMON IV.
qualifications, (1,) Conftantly in every eftate: Let not
this divine light go out, neither by day in profperlty, ^or
by -night in adverfity. In every place do not ffiine clear,
and be dark in your chamber ; they that do thus have
their reward. That is a fad word, if rightly underftood,
beware of hypocrify. Again, ffiine progreffively, gaining
ftill more and more vidory over darknefs, till you attain
unmixed and perfed light. The way of the juft, fays So
lomon, is like the fhlnlng Hght, that fhlneth more and more
unto the perfed day, Prov. iv. 1 8. Laftly, ffiine humbly
to his glory, whofe light you borrow ; not to ffiew forth
your own excellencies, but his, who hath called you from
darknefs to his marvellous light, 1 Pet. ii. 9. If we be
children of light, our brightnefs muft praife the Father of
lights: Let your light fo fhine before men, that they feeing
your good works, (not yourfelves if you can be hid, as the
fun affords its light and will fcarce fuffer us to look upon
itfelf) ?nay glorify (not you, but) your heavenly Father,
Matth. V. 6. To conclude.
The pure hght of the church Is revived, and the glory
of the Lord is rifen upon you, and upon this glory there
ffiall be a defence, if God be your glory in the midft of
you, he will be likewife a wall of fire round about you.
All the danger is. If we fall ffiort In the duty of ffiining ;
but as you defire that this glory fhould abide and dwell
amongft you, let all eftates of men provoke one another
to ffiine bright in holinefs. You who either by birth or
office are in eminent ftation, know that you were fet there
to be eminent aud exemplary in ffiining, as flars of more
notable magnitude. You who are minifters of this light,
know that you are the light of the world ; and if the very
light become darknefs, how great wfll that darknefs be ?
You that are of a lower order, know that you muft ffiine
too ; for it is a common duty. There is a certain com
pany of fmall ftars in the firmament, which though they
cannot be each one feverally feen, yet being many, their
united light makes a confpicuous brightnefs in the heaven,
whieh is called the mflky way: So, though the fliining of
every private Chriftian is not fo much feverally remarka
ble, yet the concourfe and meeting of their light together,
will make a bright path of holinei^ ffiine m the church.

SERMON V. 53
Now to the end we may each one ffiine in our meafure,
we^iuft learn to turn ourfelves often towards him from
whom our^light is derived. Converfing with bim will make
us more and more like him. There is a fecret unknown
virtue for this purpofe in fecret prayer and meditation ;
were we more in the mount with God, our faces would
ffiine more with men. Let us then refcue from the world
all the time we can, to refort frequently thither, till fuch
time as the foul, which is now often pulled down again by
the fleffi, ffiaU let that mantle fall and come down no more,
but fhine there without fpot, and be for ever fatlsfied with
her Maker's Image.

SERMON V.

PREFACE.
ART Imitates nature, and the nearer it comes to nature
in its effeds, it is the more excellent, Grace is the
new nature of a Chriftian, and hypocrify that art that coun
terfeits It ; and the more exquifite it is In imitation, it is
the more plaufible to men, but the more abominable to
God. It may frame a fpiritual man in image fo to the
life, that not only others, but even the hypocrite himfelf,
may admire it, and favouring his own artifice, may be de
ceived fo far, as to fay, and to think, it lives, and fall in
love with it ; but he Is no lefs abhorred by the fearcher of
hearts, than pleafing to himfelf. Surely this mifchief of
hypocrify can never be enough inveighed againft. When
religion is in requeft, it Is the chief malady of the church,
and numbers die of it ; though, becaufe it Is a fubtile and
inward evil, it be little perceived. It Is to be feared there
are many fick of it that look well and comely in God's
outward worffiip, and they may pafs well In good weather,
in times of peace, but days of adverfity are days of trial.
The profperous eftate of the church makes hypocrites, and
her diftrefs difcovers them ; but if they efcape fuch trial,
there is one inevitable day coming, wherein all fecret things

54 SERMON V.
ffiall be made manlfeft. Men ffiall be turned infide out ;
and amongft. all finners that ffiall then be brought heipre
that judgment feat, the deformedeft fight ffiall be an un-
mafked hypocrite, and the heavleft fentence ffiall be his
portion. Oh ! that the confideration of this would fear us out of
that falfe difgulfe in time, and fet us all upon the ftudy of
fincerlty. Precious is that grace in God's efteem ; a little
ofit will weigh down mountains of formal religion, in the
balance of the fanduary. Which of us have not brought
hypocrify, more or lefs, Into this houfe of God ? Oh ! that
it were not with intention to nourlffi It, but with defire to
be here cured of it ; for he alone that hates It fo much,
can cure it ; he alone can confer upon us that fincerity
wherein he mainly delights. If we have a mind, indeed,
to be endued with It, It is no where elfe to be had, we mufl
intreat it of God by humble prayer, in the name of his
well-beloved Son, by the afliftance of his Holy Spirit.

SECOND SERMON.

IsAlAH LX. 1.

Arlfe, fhine, for thy light is come, and the glory ofthe Lord
is rlfen upon thee,
rw^RULT light is fweet, and it is apleaflng thing to behold
_i- the fun, fays the preacher, Ecclef. xi. 7. but the inter
change of night with day adds to Its beauty, and the long-
eft night makes day the welcomeft ; as that people well
knows, whofe fituation in the world gives them a five or
fix months night all of one piece. It Is reported of fome
of them, that when they conceive their night draws to
wards an end, they put on their richeft apparel, and climb
up to the higheft mountains, with emulation, who ffiall firft
difcover the returning light ; which, fo foon as it appears,
they falute, with acclamations of joy, and welcome it with
folemn feafting, and all other teftlmonies of exceeding
gladnefs. But fuch is the lethargy of finful man, that he

SERMON V. 55
ftirs not to meet his fpiritual light ; and, which Is worfe,
when it comes upon him, it finds him in love with dark
nefs. Inftead of his ffiouts pf joy for this light, many a cry
muft be founded in his ears, to awaken him ; and it is
well too, If at length he hear and obey this voice, Arlfe,
fhine, for thy light is come, &c. It is clear that the words
contain a command, and the reafon of It : The command
to a twdfold ad ; the reafon under two expreffions, pro-
portlo^tely different. Good reafon the church ffiould
arife, when the Lord's glory is rlfen upon her ; and it is
very congruous, ffie ffiould be enlightened and ffiine when
her light is come. Of thofe two ads or duties, fomewhat
was formerly fpoken ; and the reafon likewife was made ufe
of fo far as relative to thofe duties, and tending to their in-
forcement. But the meaning of the phrafes, in which the
reafon is expreft, was rather, at that time, fuppofed, than
either duly proved or flluftrated ; fo that it will be now
expedient to confider, fimply In themfelves, thefe latter
words : Thy light Is come, &c.
So far as this prophecy hath refped to the redudion of
the Jews from the Babyloniffi captivity, that temporal de
liverance, and enfuing peace and profperity, was their
light, and that divine power by which it was effeded, was
this glory of the Lord. And Indeed, both thefe expref
fions are frequently ufed. In fuch a fenfe in holy writ :
When I waited for light, there came darknefs, fays Job, in
his xxx chap. 26. ver. (fo Ifaiah Iviii. 8. and many other
places,) and the glory of the Lord, for a fingular effed
of his power, John xi. 40. Ifa. Ix. 18, and elfewhere.
But this literal fenfe Is but a ftep to elevate the prophet to
a fight of Chrift's fpiritual kingdom, which Is ufual with
him ; as our Saviour himfelf teftifies of another of his
prophecies, thefe things, f aid Efalas, when he faw his glory,
and fpoke of him, John xn. 41. It was a fight of that fame
glory, that makes him fay, thy light was true, &c.
In thefe words, there are three things, concerning
Chrift, reprefented to the church's view, Firfl, his beau
ty and excellency, in that he Is called light, and the glory
of the Lord. Secondly, The church's propriety and inter-
eft in him, thy light, and rifen upon thee, which hath a
reftridive emphafis, as the very next verfe doth clearly

56 SERMON V.
manlfeft. As he is originally the glory of the Lord, and
the hght of the Lord, lumen de lumine, fo he Is communi
catively the church's light and her glory too, as it is ex
preft in the 19th ver. of the fame chap, thy God, thy
glory, thus hath ffie both his worth, and her own right In
him, to confider. Thirdly, His prefence or her adual
poffeffion, he Is come, and Is rlfen. And In thefe the
church, and each faithful foul, may find a double fpring of
affedion, the one of love, the other of joy. The tranf-
cendent beauty of Chrift makes him the cholceft objed of
love, and her property in him or title to him, together
with poffeffion, is the proper caufe of fohd joy.
Firft then, this excellency Is expreft by thefe two cha-
raders, light and the glory of the Lord. Concerning
which, it wfll be fit both to demonftrate that they are the
proper titles of Chrift, and here to be taken for him ; as
alfo, to ffiew what they fignify in him.
Indeed, the apoftle in his fecond epiftle to the Conn- '
thians, 3d chap, infifts much In extolling both the light
and the glory of the gofpel, and in the 4th ver. of the
next chap, fpeaks of the light of the glorious gofpel, but
he Immediately Intimates whence it hath this light and
glory ; the glorious gofpel of Chrift, fays he, who is the
image of God. So that it is moft unneceffary to enquire
whether the Meffiah, or the word that reveals him, be
rather here couched under thefe terms of light and the
glory of the Lord. Thefe two agree fo well altogether,
and thefe words agree fo well to them both, that It were
an injury to attempt to fever them. All the difference
will be this, Chrift is that Incomplex and fubftantial light,
the gofpel that complex light wherein he appears. But
(not to be guilty of dark terms, efpecially In a difcourfe
of light) I take It in this refemblance, Chrift Is the fun,
and the gofpel his proper fphere or heaven, wherein he
gives light to his church. He is primarily the glory of
the Lord, and the gofpel by participation, becaufe it de
clares him : So that much of that which ffiall be fpoken
here of Chrift, wfll be fecondarily to be underftood ofthe
gofpel of Chrift.
That Chrift is light, the fcripture ' fpeaks abundantly.
His own voice, concerning hirafelf, (notwithftanding the

SERMON V. 57
cavil of the Pharifees) is above all exception, for he is
truth Itfelf, / am the light of ihe world, faith he, he that
follows me fhall not walk In darknefs, John viii. 12. The
Father that fent him gives him the fame title, / zvlll give
thee for a Ught of the Gentiles, Ifa. xhi. 6. and xlix. 6.
And not to multiply citations of the Prophets and Evan-
gelifts, who with one confent all magnify this light, take
the true teftlmony of a falfe prophet (and indeed, the fa
vourable witnefs of an adversary is ftrongeft,) It Is that
of Balaam, who faw that Chrift was light, tho' becaufe he
faw him afar off (as he fays himfelf) and had not his eye
fortified, like the true prophets, he difcerned him but as
a ftar. There fhall come a flar out of Jacob, he. Numb.
xxiv. 17. But what need we go fo far, to be certified
what this hght and glory of the Lord is, the Lord of
glory himfelf, feeing the very next verfe to the text affures
us of it ? Upon thee fhall the Lord arife. And in the I9th
ver. The Lord fhall be thy everlafllng light, and thy God
thy glory.
By this time, I hope, it is clear, that the eternal Son of
God, Go-effential with his Father, was he that gave accom
pliffiment to this prophecy, by appearing to the world
wrapped up In the darknefs of human nature. He is that
day fpring from on high that hath vlflted us, as old Zacha
rias fpeaks, Luke I. 78,
Among all created excellencies, none can be borrowed
more fitly reprefenting Chrift than that of light. And is
it not Chrift that decks his church with fupernatural
beauty, and makes It indeed ko^^©-, a comely world, called
out of the world ? But the manifold agreement of light
with Chrift, doth require more particular confideration.
Light is (as they call it) primum vlfible, the firft objed
of fight. And Jefus Chrift, whom the apoftle ftyles God
over all bleffed for ever, is, primum intelligible, the prime
obj§d of the underftanding. What is then becor.ie of
that divine fparkle, that underftanding foul, that the Fa
ther of fpirits breathes Into thefe bodies, that all our
thoughts creep 'here below, and leave their chief and no
bleft objed unconfidered ? Which of us may not com
plain, (though few of us do) that our fouls have either no
wings to elevate themfelves to the contemplation of him,
H

58 SERMON V.
from whom they Iffued ; or if they make offers at it, our
affedlons, engaged to the world, make us, like a bird tied
by the foot, faU prefently down again Into the mire? It
is high time to leave hunting fliadows, and to turn our in
ternal eye to the beholding of this uncreated light.
In this elementary worid, hght being (as \ye hear) the
firft vlfible, all things are feen by it, and it by itfelf. Thus
is Chrift, among fpiritual things, in the eled world of his
church ; all things are made manifeft by the light, fays the
apoftle, Eph. v. 13. fpeaking of Chrift, as the following
verfe doth evidently teftify. It is In his word that he
ffiines, and makes it a, direding and convincing light, tQ
difcover all things that concern his church and himfelf, ta
be known by Its own brightnefs. How Itnp.ertinent thea
is that queftion fo much toffed by the Romiffi chnrch,
how know you the fcrlptures (fay they) to be the wor4
of God, without the teftlmony of the church ? I would
afk one of them again, how they can know that it is day^
light, except fome light a candle to let them fee It ? They
are little verfed In holy fcripture, that know not that It is
frequently called light ; and they are fenfelefs that l^now
not that light Is feen and known by itfelf. If our gofpel
be hid, fays the apoftle. It is hid to. them that pieri.ffi ; th$
god of this world having blinded their minds againft the
light of the glorious gofpel, &c. no wonder if fuch ftand
in need of a teftlmony. A blind man knows not that it Is
hght at noon-day, but by report : but to thofe that have
eyes, light Is feen by Itfelf.
Again, it makes all other things that are In themfelves
to become adually vlfible (as they fpeak ;) fo by fhe word
of this fubftantial word Jefus Chrift, all things in religion
are tried and difcovered. The very authority of the
church which they obtrude fo confidently, muft be ftopt
and examined by thefe fcrlptures, which they would make
ftand to its courtefy, Dodrines and worffiip muft be tried
by this light ; and what will not endure this trial, muft
not be endured In the houfe of God. To the law and to
the teftlmonies (fays the prophet). If they fpeak not according
to this word, it Is becaufe there Is no light In them, Ifei. viii
20. The rays of Chrift's light are difplayed through
both his Teftaments, and In them we fee him.

SERMON V. 59
But oh ! how fublime is the knowledge of him ; none
is ignorant that there Is light, yet what light is, few know ;
the beft wits are troubled to define it : fo all that bear
the name of Chriftians acknowledge that Chrift is, but to
know what he is, is of marvellous difficulty. In a fpecu-
lative way, unfoundable Is the depth of his nature and
properties, dnd his generation who can declare ? fays our
prophet ? I define not, whether his eternal generation, or
his incarnation in time. Thefe are myfteries that fhall
hold the very angels bufy in admiration for ever ; and for
experimental knowledge by faith, how fmall Is the number
©f thofe that are truly acquainted with It ?
Again, light fitly refembles Chrift in purity. It vifits
many impure places and lights upon the bafeft parts of
the earth, and yet remains moft pure and undefiled.
Chrift fees and takes notice of all the enormities, and fin
ful pollutions in the World, (as David fays of the fun, Pfal.
xix.) there is nothing hid from his beams ; yea many of
thofe foul evfls he cures, and purgeth away thefe pollu
tions, and yet Is never ftained by them in the leaft degree.
He is a phyflcian not capable of infedion, and thereforij
while he dwelt among men, he ffiunned not publicans and
finners, but fought them rather ; for with fuch was his
bufinefs and employment. Indeed for d frail man to be
too bold in frequenting profane and obftinate perfons,
though with intention to reclaim them^ is not always fo
fafe. Metui efl ne attrahant / they may pull him in, that
would help them forth, and pollute him that would cleanfe
them. But our Saviour, the Hght c(f the World, runs no
fuch hazard, he Is ftronger than the perverfeft finner, yea
than the prince of darknefs himfelf, over whom his ban
ners are always vidorlous, and purer than to be in danger
of pollution. His precious blood Is a fountain opened for
fin and uncleannefs, finners are purified by it, and it Is
not defiled by them, T'houfaftds ha'^re waifhed in It, yet It
ffiall abide, and always ffiafl be moft perfedly pure : Aiid
fuch a high prlefl was heedful foi- us, «t^>Mt®- undefiled,
and though converfant with finners, to communicate to
them his goodnefs, yet feparatei from finners in Immunity
from their evil, Heb, vii, 26.
To this agrees well that title, the prophet Malachi gives
H2

60 SERMON V.
him, chap. iv. 2. when he calls him the fun of rlghteouf-
nefs, full of purity, and rlghteoufnefs, (as the fun is of
hght) all luminous, without fpot, fubjed to no eclipfe in
himfelf, his light being his own, though our fins Interpof-
ed may hide him fometimes from us, as thofe real eclipfes
in the fun, are rather ours, for we are deprived of light,
but not the fun. Chrift is many ways moft fitly called
the fun ; for fince all created light falls infinitely ffiort of
his worth, the prince and chief of them, the fun, cannot
but fuit beft, fo far as may be, to fet forth his excellency.
The light of the fun is neither parted nor diminiffied,
by being Imparted to many feveral people and nations that
behold it at one time ; nor Is the rlghteoufnefs of this fun
of rlghteoufnefs either leffened to himfelf, or to feveral
believers, by many partaking of It at once ; it Is wholly
conferred upon each one of them, and remains whole in
himfelf. Hence it is, that not only Chrift Invites fo libe
rally finners to come to him, but even juftified perfons
would fo gladly draw all others to lay hold on this rlgh
teoufnefs of their Redeemer ; knowing well, that if all the
world were enriched by It, they themfelves would be no
whit the poorer.
Again, the fun hath a vivifying power, not only of
plants and vegetables, but, if philofophers be right, Sol et
homo generant hominem ; it hath a fpecial Influence in the
generation of man, but Is both more certainly and more
eminently true of this fun we fpeak of, in man's regene
ration ; that he Is the proper and principal efficient of it.
The Evangehft calls him at once. The light and the life of
men, John I. 4, To fay nothing of him as a treafure, he
is the fource of our fpiritual life and motion.
When the fun takes Its courfe towards us In the feafon
of the year, it drives away the ffiarp frofts 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
pleafant ftrains of their natural mufic. When Chrift,
after a kind of winter-abfence, returns to vifit a dechning
church, admirable is the change that he produces ; all be
gins to flouriffi by his fweet Influence ; his houfe, his wor
ffiip, his people, are all clothed with a new beauty, but it
is fpiritual ; and therefore none but fpiritual eyes can dif-

SERMON V. 61
cern It. When he will thus return, all the power and
policy of man can no more hinder him, than it could ftay
the courfe of the ,fun In its circle. In hke manner, a de-
ferted forfaken foul, that can do nothing but langulfli
and droop, while Chrift withdraws himfelf, what inexpref-
fible vigour and alacrity finds it at his returning ? Then
thofe graces, that while they lurked, feemed to have'been
loft and quite extinguiffied, bud forth anew with pleafant
colour and fragrant fmell. It is the light of his countenance
that baniffieth their falfe fears, that ftrengthens their faith,
and cures their fpiritual infirmities. This Sun is indeed
the fovereign phyfician : Unto you that fear my name, ftoall
the Sun of Rlghteoufnefs arlfe with healing under his wings,
Mai. iv, 2.
Finally, All darknefs flies away before him : It was his
arifing in the world that made the day break and the ffia-
dows fly away. The types and ffiadows of the law were
then aboliffied. It was his light that difpelled the mifts
of ignorance and idolatry, and he alone dehvers the foul
from the night of fin and mifery procured by it : All the
ftars, and the moon with them, cannot make it day in the
world ; this is the fun's peculiar : Nor can nature's high
eft hght, the moft refined fcience and morality, make it
day in the foul ; for this is Chrift's.
The common light of reafon, every man that comes Into
the world hath from him as his Creator, but the fpecial
light of grace they alone that are born again have from
him as their Saviour. Grofs is the darknefs of every na
tural mind, till Chrift enlighten it. It can neither difcern
nor receive the things of God, '"¦•' ^Ix"'^'- Te were dark
nefs, (fays the Apoftle) but now are you light In the Lord.
It is nothing elfe but a mafs of darknefs ; and the compa
nion of darknefs is confufion, as it was in the mafs of the
world before hght was created. And what is there under
heaven more confufed than a carnal mind ? The affedlons
quite out of order, and though all naught, yet fometimes
fighting one with another, and continually hurrying the
judgment whither they pleafe. Now to dlflipate this dark
nefs, and remedy this confufion, Chrift ffiines externally
in his word : But too much dafly experience teftifies, that
this is not fuflicient ; therefore to thofe whom he will make

62 SERMON V.
children of the light, to meet with this outward light of
his word, he gives another Internal, by the fpirit. The
fun can make dark things clear, but it cannot make a
blind man lee them : But herein is the excellency of this
fun, that he illuminates not only the objed, but the fa
culty ; d jth not only reveal the myfteries of his kingdom^
but opens blind eyes to behold them. And the firft linea*
ment of the renewed image of God in man. Is that light
in the underftanding, removing not only that fimple Igno*
ranee of divine things, but thefe mifconceits hkewife, and
falfe principles, and that wicked pertinacy, whereof man's
mind is naturally full. He that at firfl commanded light ti
fhine out of darknefs, infufeth faving knowledge and light
into the dark foul of man. And this light (as was faid)
kindles love. It Is vehiculum caloris, hath a powerful In
fluence, begetting heat in the affedlons. Nor can this di
vine light be ever again fully extinguiffied, but conduds
the foul that hath received it, till it be received to the land
of light and perfed happinefs. Thus In our Redeemer Is
the fount am of life, as the Pfalmift fpeaks. And In his light
do we fee light, Pfal, xxxvi, 9,
He Is likewife here ftfled, The glory of the Lord. Ia
2 Sam, 4th chap, the ark of God Is called the glory, but
it enjoyeth that name as a type of Chrift, in whom that
now which the ark contained was fulfilled. The taberna
cle is called the dwelling of God's glory, Pfal. xxvi. 8. like-
wife typifying him in the tabernacle. In whofe human na
ture that glory dwells far more excellently. John I. 14.
EtTKyivi^tTEv h -iiiJ-h, he dwclt In a tabernacle among us, and wi
faw his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God^
full of grace and truth. The author of the epiftle to the
Hebrews calls him ocna.vyocuiA.cc, the brightnefs of his Father's
glory, and the charader of his perfon, Heb. I. 3. And un
der thefe expreffions lies that remarkable myftery ofthe
Son's eternal relation to the Father, which is rather hum-
bly to be adored than boldly to be explained, either by
God's perfed underftanding of his own effence, or by any
other notion. It is true, he is called the wifdom ofthe Fa
ther, but this wifdom is too wonderful for us. He is
called the word, but what this word means, I think, we
ffiall not well know till we fee him face to face, and con-

SERMON V. 63
tenriplate him In the light of glory. Meanwhile we may
fee him to be the glory of the Lord in a fafer way, and
fufficient meafure to guide us on to that clear vifion re
ferved above for us. We faw his glory, fays that fublime
evangehft. But how could this excellent glory be feen
by finful men, and not aftonifli and ftrlke dead the be
holders ? He was made flefb, and dwelt among us, (fays
he) and fo we faw his glory. That majefty that we could
never have looked upon, he veiled with human fleffi, that
we might not die, yea live, by feeing him. There he flood
behind the wall, and ffiewed himfelf through the trellis.
In him dwelt the fulnefs of the Godhead, Col, ii. 9. but It
was »'oit,»ri-A.v<i, bodily : For who could have endured the
fplendor of the Godhead's fulnefs, if that cloud of his body
had not been drawn betwixt ? And through it did ffiine
that grace and truth, that wifdom and power in the work
of our redemption, whereby he was clearly manifefted to
be the glory of the Lord.
Surely we need not now afli the church, or a believing
foul. What is her behved more than another ? Or if we do,
well may ffie anfwer. He Is the chief efl among ten thoufand^
and altogether lovely ; for he is the light of the world, and
ihe glory ofthe Lord. Let not the numerous- titles of earth
ly potentates be once admitted into comparifon with thefe.
If we believe David, in his 62d Pfal. 9th verf. the ftatelieft
things and perfons in the world being balanced with vanity
itfelf, are found lighter than it : And ffiall we offer to
weigh them with Chrift ? If we knew him rightly, we
would not fell the leaft glance or beam of this light of his
countenance for the higheft favour of mortal men, though
it were conftant and unchangeable, which it Is not. It Is
ignorance of Chrift that maintains the credit of thofe vani
ties we admire. The Chriftian that Is truly acquainted
with bim, enamoured with the brightnefs of his beauty,
can generoufly trample upon the fmiiings of the world
with the one foot, and her frownings with the other. If
he be rich or honourable, or both, yet he glories not In
that, but Chrift, wbo is the glory ofthe Lord, Is even then
his chlefeft glory ; and the hght of Chrift obfcures that
worldly fplendor In his eftimation.. And as the enjoyment
¦of Chrift overtops all hia other j-oys, fo It overcomes his

64 SERMON V.
griefs. As that great hght drowns the light of profperity,
it ffiines bright in the darknefs of afflidion : No dungeon
fo clofe that can keep out the rays of Chrift's love from
his beloved prifoners. The world can no more take away
this light, that it can give It. Unto the juft arlfeth light in
darknefs, faith the Pfalmift : And, When I fit in darknefs,
the Lord fhall he a light unto me, fays the church in the 7th
of Micah, 8th verfe. And as this light is a comfort, fo it
is likewife a defence, that fuffers no more of diftrefs to
come near the godly than is profitable for them. There
fore we find very frequently in fcripture, where this light
and glory Is mentioned, protedlon and fafety jointly fpo
ken of : The Lord Is my light, and withal my falvatlon,
wi'OOT72)«////£'a:r, fays David, Pfal. xxvii. 1. The Lord Is
a fun, and he Is a fhleld too,Y{. Ixxxiv. 21. and truly I
think him ffiot-proof that hath the fun for his buckler.
And for glory ; Upon all the glory fhall be a defence, fays
our Prophet In his 4th chap. 5th ver. and the Prophet
Zachary, where he calls the Lord the church's glory In the
mldfl of her, he calls him likewife a wall of fire rou7zd about
her, Zach, n, 4, The only way then to be fafe, is to keep
this light and this 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 fafety, let all men judge. No, keep It
whole, and then they muft come through the fire that will
affault you. Nor Is this light only defenfive of the church
that embraceth it, but likewife deilrudive of all adverfe
powers. See a clear teftlmony for this in Ifa. x, 17, 18.
And the light of Ifrael fhall he for afire, and his holy one for
aflame, (fpeaking there of the Affyrians) " and it ffiall
bum and devour his thorns and his briers in one day, and
ffiall confume the glory of his foreft, and of his fruitful
field, both foul and body, and they ffiall be as when a.
ftandard-bearer fainteth, &c." Let ever then the church
of God entirely obferve this light and glory of the Lord ;
and ffie ffiall undoubtedly be preferved by it.
But to clofe In a word, firft to thofe that know this
light, and then to thofe that are yet ftrangers to it.
You who know Chrift, glory In him perpetuafly. Well
may he be your glory, when he is the glory of the Lord.
There are fome that pretend love to Chrilt, and yet a taunt*.

SERMON V. 65
ing word of fome profane mifcreant wfll almoft make them
afhamed of him ; how would they die for Chrift that are
fo tender as not to endure a feoff for him ? Where Is that
fpirit of Mofes, that accounted the very reproaches of
Chrift greater riches than the treafures of Egypt ? O learn
to glory In Chrift, think highly of him, and fpeak fo too.
Methinks it Is the difcourfe In the world becomes Chrif
tians beft, to be fpeaking one to another honourably of Je
fus Chrift ; and of all men, the preachers of his gofpel
ffiould be moft frequent in this fubjed. This ffiould be
their great theme, to extol and commend the Lord Jefus,
that they may inflame many hearts with his love : And
beft can they do this, who are moft ftrongly taken with
this love themfelves. Such will moft gladly abafe them
felves, that Chrlil may be magnified ; and whatfoever be
their excellencies, they ftill account Chrift their glory :
And they are richly repaid, for he accounts them his glory.
This would feem a ftrange word, if it were not the Apof-
tle's. They are the meffengers of the churches, and the glory
of Christ, 2 Cor. viii. 23. Dehght who will, either in
floth and ignorance on the one hand, or in vain fpecula
tlons and ftrains of frothy wit on the other ; furely thofe
preachers ffiall only be approved in the great day, who
have conftantly endeavoured in their meafure to fpeak the
beft and fitteft they could for their mafter's advantage.
And happy thefe Chriftians, of v/hat eftate foever, that in
all eftates make Chrift their glory, and in all adions have
their eye fixed upon his glory, who is their light and the
glory of the Lord I
Now to thofe that are ftrangers to him, (would to God
none that are to be fpoken to were fuch ;) to them, I fay,
notice would be given both of the excellency and neceflity
of Chrift. Though it were poffible to grope the way to
happinefs in the dark, yet none will deny but to be con-
duded thither by a conftant light, Is both more fafe and
more delightful. But were there any poffibility to attain
that end without this light, the negled of it were not alto
gether fo ftrange. The wonder of all is this, that Chrift
alone being both that hfe, and the way to it., and the truth
or light that guides In that way, yet Chriftians (fo called)
ffiould efteem and look after him as little, as if he were
I

^6 SERMON V.
wholly needlefs. What meaneft thou, O befotted finner ?
Is it fo light a thing to die in thy fins, and eternally for
them, that thou wilt not fo much as open and admit the
light of falvatlon ? What ffialt thou pretend in that terri
ble day ? Though all other kind of people ffiould offer
fome excufe, thou who haft heard the gofpel ffialt be
fpeechlefs. For not only ffiall the rigour of juftice con
demn thee, but mercy itfelf ffiall plead againft thee ; for
thou haft defpifed It. That light did come and was not
embraced, ffiall be the main condemnation. How many
thoufands that make no doubt of heaven, yet ffiall then fall
ffiort of It ? It is not a fuperficial profeffion that will then
pafs current. It Is not fome public fighs and groans from
an unfandified heart, which either come from cuftom, or
fome prefent touch of the word ; nor yet Is it fome fudden
rifings of inward affedion towards Chiift, upon the report
of his worth, that ffiall then ferve the turn. The Intel-
ledlve knowledge of Chrift, the diftind underftanding, yea
the orthodox preaching of his gofpel, the maintaining of
his public caufe, and fuffering for it, ffiall not then be
found fufficient. Only that peculiar apprehenfion of Chrifl,
thofe conftant flames of fpiritual love, that even courfe of
holy walking in his light, ffiall be thefe charaders whereby
Chrift ffiall own his children, and admit them Into the In
heritance of perfed light. One of the fpeakers in the
book of Job, difcourfing of the profperity of the ungodly,
calls it but his candle, and tells how long it can laft : His
candle (fays he) ftoall be put out with hhn ; and that is the
longeft term of it : If it laft his lifetime. It fliall convey him
iio further, he goes into eternity in the dark ; and there
fore, as St. John fays, he knows not whither he goeth.
Quo nunc ahlhls ? faid that emperor to his foul. Is it not
a fad thing, when the foul that knows no other but world
ly light, muft take leave ofit, and enter Into eternal dark
nefs, there to be Inceffantly tormented with prefent an-
guifh, and the frightful expedation of the laft judgment,
where it muft take again that body which was the accom
plice of its wickednefs to be partaker of its puniffiment:
where it ffiall have a double mifery to behold crowns of
immortality diftributed to the godly, after the ffiort com-
bats of tills life, and Itfelf thruft out among the devUs ?

SERMON VI. 67
Then ffiall all men be fome way fenfible, what Is the worth
of this now contemned light, the Lord Jefus Chrift. The
greateft number too late, for they ffiall be banifhed from
it for ever. But the righteous ffiall then moft perfedly
know, and for ever enjoy this light and glory of the Lord.
To whom with the Father of lights and fpirit of grace, be
eternity of praife and honour.

SERMON VI.

PREFACE.
WHAT fhall it profit a man, if he gain the whole
world, and lofe his own foul, faid our Saviour, who
was to lay down a ranfom for it, and knew well that It
would coft infinitely more than the world was worth. Yet
the moft of men value their own fouls at a far lower rate
than the whole world, lofing them for broken morfels of
it ; yea, many times for vain hopes that are never accom-
pllffied. And as thefe men make a miferable bargain, fo,
by the contrary, they that lofe the world, or any thing
worldly, yea, though it were the whole, to fave their fouls,
make a profitable lofs of it. Nature teaches men to ha^-
zard and lofe afl for the life of the body, rather than lofe
it, (although it prove many times very uncomfortable by
the lofs of thefe outward things) and yet the moft part of
men pafs their whole lifetime without one ferious thought
of the excellency and importance of their fouls, whofe hfe
and happinefs is of a higher nature, and neither confifts in,
nor depends upon any thing here below. Hence it is,
that while they. ufe the helps of this prefent life, and the
defences of It v/hen it Is in danger, and ufe them with, fo
much diligence and attention ; the means of that better
life, of their better part, their fouls, they either ufe not at
all, or fo flightly and coldly, that they never find falvatlon
in them. You may find It fome way in yourfelves, the
threatenings and preparations of men againft you have a-
wakened and roufed you more to think upon means of
I 2

68 SERMON VI.
your temporal fafety ; but how few are fenfible and afraid
of the wrath of God, who, as our Saviour tells us, can kiU
both body and foul, and caft them into hell. You want
not frequent advertifement from the word of God, fo plen
tifully preached, that many are periffiing ; one part In
grofs ignorance of God, another In profane and licentious
living, and the greateft part In a formal and lifelefs pro
feffion of religion, without the power of it : And yet where
are they that lay it to heart, and beftir themfelves to re
fcue their fouls from deftrudion ? Certainly whatfoever
men profefs, it is unbelief that is the caufe of impenitence.
Men are not convinced of the purity of God's nature,
nor fenfible of the impurity of their own, therefore they
apply not themfelves In good earneft to the work of re
pentance, and reformation, the livelieft part of It, Labour
then for a more adive and pradical knowledge of God
and divine truths, fuch as may humble and renew your
fouls ; not only that you may be delivered from outward
troubles that threaten you, but much more, that you may
efcape the wrath to come. And becaufe neither the word
preached, nor judgments nor mercies that are fet before
you, are fufficient to quicken a dead foul, or foften a hard
heart, whhout the effedual concourfe ofthe fpirit of God,
let us have recourfe to the throne of grace, by humble
and earneft prayer, in the narae and raediation of Jefus
Chrift.
Psal. xlii. s.
Tet the Lord will command his loving klndnefs in the day
time, and in the night his fong fhall be with me, and my
prayer unto the God of my life,
MAN is born to trouble, as the fparks fly upwards, faith
Eliphaz, Job v. 7, and as It Is the corruption and
finfulnefs of his birth and nature that has expofed him to
trouble, fo nature ufually fets him at work, to look out
for fuch things as may preferve and deliver him from
trouble, or, at leaft, mitigate and temper the bitternefs of
it. And becaufe there Is not any one worldly thing that
hath either certainty or fufficlency enough to ferve at all

SERMON VI. 69
times, therefore worldly and natural men are forced to
make ufe of variety, and are but badly ferved with them
all. The believing foul hath but one comfort whereon
he rehes, but it is a great one, which alone weighs down
all the reft. Bread flrengthens, and wine makes glad the
heart of man, Pi"al. civ. 15. But God Is the flrength of my
heart, (fays the Pfalmift) Pfal. Ixxiii. 26. and the gladnefs
ofit too. Thou hafl put gladnefs in my heart, more than
they have when their corn and wine increafeth, Pfal. Iv. 7.
And therefore, while the reft are feeking after fome fcat-
tered crumbs of goodnefs in the creatures, who will fhew
us any good ? he fixes his choice upon this one thing, the
light of God's countenance. And it is the conftant affur-
ance of this that upholds him. " Waves beat upon him,
yea, and go over him, yet the Lord will command his
loving kindnefs to fliine upon him."
In this Pfalm we may perceive the Pfalmift full of per
plexed thoughts, and that betwixt ftrong defires and
griefs ; and yet, in the midft of them, now and then,
fome advantage, and intermixing ftrains of hope, with his
fad complaints : For, Immediately before, we heard no
thing but the Impetuous noife of many waters, deep calling
unto deep, in the former verfe, "We have here, as It
were, a touch of the fweet found of David's harp, " yet
the Lord will command his loving kindnefs in the day
time," &c.
In the words we have David's confidence, and David's
purpofe ; the one fuiting very well with the other. His
confidence in God's loving kindnefs ; yet the Lord will
command his loving kindnefs. And his purpofe ; " And
in the night his fong ffiall be with me,"
It Is true, thofe words (in the night his fong fliall be
with me) may be taken as a part of the exprefllon of his
confidence, taking his fong for the matter or fubjed of
the fong, the goodnefs of God ; as if he ffiould fay,
" both in the day, and in the night, I ffiall find the fweet
fruits of God's favour and loving kindnefs," But not
excluding that, I rather take It intended, as his refolution,
that It ffiould be his cuftom, in the quiet feafon of the
night, to look back upon God's goodnefs manifefted to
him In the adions and occurrences of the day ; and thus

70 SERMON VI.
entertaining his foul with that fecret difcourfe, he would
ftir it up to the praifes of his God, and withal, would
join prayer for the continuance, and further manifeftatlon
of it. David (as Is hinted before) intermixes ftrains of
hope, not that faint and common hope of poffibility or
probablhty, that after ftormy days h may be better with
him, but a certain hope that ffiall never make afliamed;'
fuch a hope as fprings from faith, yea, In effed. Is one
with it. Faith refts upon the goodnefs and truth of him
that hath promifed, and hope ralfing Itfelf upon faith fo
eftabhffied, ftands up and looks out to the future accom
pliffiment of the promife. Therefore the apoftle, Heb.'
xi. 1 . calls faith the fuhflance of things hoped for, ™o5-air;r,
and the evidence of things not feen ; of all other wavering
hope, Is here, they fay, true. Spes efl nomen boni incerti,
but this can fay. The Lord will command his loving kind
nefs, he.
The Lord will command.} What a fudden change is
here ! would you think this were the fame man that was
even now almoft overwhelmed ? thus faith always con
quers, though feldom or never, without hard conflid, not
only affaulted by troubles without, but, which is worfe,
by Incredulity within : nor affaulted only, but many
times brought under, yet does It not fuccumb and give
over, knowing, that even after many foils, yet in the end
it ffiall overcome.
His confidence you may confider, firft, oppofitely, and
then pofitlvely, or fimply In itfelf. Oppofitely both to his
prefent trouble, and to his complaints, wherein this trou
ble is expreft, and that Is fitly Imphed, though It be not in
the original.
Though the multitude and weight of Job's afflidions
did force out of him fome bitter words, and made him
look back upon the day of his birth, and curfe It ; yet
faith recovers him from his diftemper, and makes him
look forward with joy, even as far as to the bleffed day of
his refurredlon. Job xix. 25. " I know that my Re
deemer liveth, and that he ffiall ftand at the latter day
upon the earth : and though after my fkin, worms deftroy
this body, yet in my fleffi fhall I fee God."
The former words of impatience he fpake indeed, but

SERMON VI. 71
he adheres to thefe, and wiffies that they were " written
with an iron pen, and engraven to abide for ever."
Therefore we hear of him again in fcripture, as a righte
ous and patient man, but of thefe words of his Impatience
not a word. In the 77th Pfalm, what fad expoftula.ions
are thefe the Pfalmift ufes, " Will he be favourable no
more ? Is his mercy clean gone for ever ? Doth his pro
mife fail for evermore ? Hath God forgotten to be graci
ous ? Hath he in anger ffiut up his tender mercies ?"
But fee how he correds them, ver. 10. Then I faid, this
is my Infirmity, but I will remember the years of the right
hand of the mofl high. Thus Jonah, chap. ii. ver. 3,4.
much like this ; but there, literally true. And here deep
calls unto deep, yet In the midft of thofe deeps, faith is not
drowned, you fee it lifts up its head above water ; T^t the
Lord will command, he. Yea, though it takes particular
notice of God's hand in the afflidion, yet it goes not to
another hand for comfort. Thy waves and thy billows ;
yet that fame God, whofe waves are like to deftroy me,
will e're long command his loving kindnefs to fhine upon
me. Though he flay me, yet will I trufl In him. Job xiii.
15. A wonderful expreffion of faith ! He fays not,
though he afflid me fore, but though he flay me ; not
though evil men or Satan ffiould do It, but, though he flay
me, yet wfll I truft In him. What troubled mind can
imagine any thing harder againft itfelf than this ?
1 , Learn then to check thefe exceffive doubts and fears,
by fome fuch refolute word as this. Turn the promife,
firft upon thyfelf, and then upon God, Confider that he
hath promifed life eternal to believers, and then fay,
" Though I faw his hand, as It were, lift up to deftroy
me, yet from that very hand will I exped falvatlon ; for
I have his word engaged for it, that if I believe I ffiall be
faved," I do not fay, that a foul under temptation can
affure itfelf, that God is already reconciled to it, (and
herein poffibly lies oftentimes the miftake ;) for this reflex
ad of affurajsce, though it be our duty to feek after It,
itfelf is rathliei/ gift and reward than a duty. But the
dired and proper ad of faith Is of perpetual ufe and ne-
cefSty, and then moft, when there is leaft fenfe of affur-
ance. And it is no other but a recumbency or reliance.

72 SERMON VI.
rolling over of the foul upon free mercy. That which
breeds us much perplexity. Is, that we would invert God's
order, " If I knew (fay fome) that the promife belong
ed to me, and Chrift were a Saviour to me, I could be
lieve," that Is to fay, would firft fee, and then believe.
But the true method is juft contrary, / had fainted, fays
David, unlefs I had believed to fee the goodnefs ofthe Lord.
He believed it firft, and faw it afterwards. And in this
fame pfalm, labouring to ftfll his difquieted foul, by ele
vating It above his troubles, to look upon his God ; he
fays to It, hope in him now, and e're it be long, thou ffialt
praife him for the help of his countenance, even while his
countenance is with-held. And thus faith ought to tri
umph over fpiritual fears and difficulties.
2. How Incongruous Is It, that outward dangers or trials
ffiould over-match it ; will you truft God, upon his word,
for . falvatlon and eternal happinefs, and be diffident for
the fafety and needful bleffings of this temporal hfe, which
life. In comparifon. Is but a moment, and the beft things
of it but drofs ? confider that you diffionour fauh exceed
ingly, and degenerate from the believing faints of former
ages. Indeed, the promifes of this life, and that which
concerns It, though godlinefs hath them, yet they are not
fo abfolute, nor are they fo abfolutely needful for you.
But confidering the wifdom and love of your heavenly
Father, learn to compofe your minds by it.
/ will not be afraid, though ten thoufands of the people fet
themfelves agalnfl, me round about, fays David, Pfal. Hi. 6.
And left you think him fingular, in the 46th Pfalm, It Is
the joint voice of the whole church of God, " We will
not fear, though the earth be removed, and the mountains
be caft into the midft of the fea : though the waters there
of roar and be troubled ; though the mountains ffiake
with the fwelling thereof. There is a river, the ftreams
whereof make glad the city of God : the holy place of
the tabernacle of the moft high God is In the midft of
her ; ffie ffiall not be moved." That is the .way to be im
moveable in the midft of troubles, as a .|lrck amidft the
waves. When God is in the midft of a kingdom or city,
he makes It firm as mount Sion, that cannot be removed.
When he is in the midft of the foul, though calamities

SERMON VI. 73
throng about It on all hands, and roar like the billows of
the fea, yet there Is a conftant calm within, fuch a peace
as the world can neither give nor take away. On the
other fide, what Is it but want of lodging God in the foul,
and that In his ftead, the world is In the midft of mens
hearts, that makes them ffiake like the leaves of trees at
every blaft of danger ? What a ffiame is It, feeing natural
men, by the ftrength of nature, and help of moral pre
cepts, have attained fuch undaunted refolution and cou
rage againft outward changes, yet they that would pafs
for chriftians, are fo foft and fainting, and fo fenfible of
the fmalleft alterations ? The advantage that we have in
this regard Is infinite ; what is the beft ground-work of a
philofopher's conftancy, but as moving fands In compari
fon of the rock that we may bufld upon ? But the truth
is, that either we make no provifion of faith for times of
trial, or if any we have, we neither know the- worth, nor
the ufe of It, but lay It by, as a dead unprofitable thing,
when we ffiould moft ufe and exercife it. Notwithftand
ing all our frequenting of God's houfe, and our plaufible
profeffion. Is it not too true, that the moft of us either do
not at all furniffi ourfelves with thefe fpiritual arms, that
are fo needful in -the militant life of a chriftian, or we
learn not how to handle them, and are not in readinefs
for fervice ? As was the cafe of that improvident foldier,
whom his commander found mending fome piece of his
armour, when they were to give battle. It were not amifs
before afflidions overtake us, to try and train the mind
fomewhat by fuppofing the very worft and hardeft of
them. To fay, " What if the waves and billows of ad
verfity were fwelled and flowing in upon me, could I then
beheve ? God hath faid, I will not fall thee, nor forfake thee,
with a heap of negotiations, In no wife I will not. He hath
faid, when thou paffefl through the fire and through the wa
ter I will be with thee. Thefe I know, and can difcourfe
of them. But could I repofe and reft upon them in the
day of trial ?" Put your fouls to it, is there any thing or
perfon that you efteem and love exceedingly ; fay, what
if I ffiould lofe this ? Is there fome evil that is naturally
more contrary and terrible to you than many others ?
fpare not to prefent that to the Imagination too, and labour
K

74 SERMON VI.
to make faith mafter of it before-hand in cafe it ffiould
befal you, and If the firft thought of it fear you, look
upon it the oftener, till the vifage of It become familiar
to you, that you flart and fear no more at it. Nor is
there any danger In thefe thoughts. Troubles cannot be
the nearer by thus thinking on them : but you may be
both fafer and ftronger, by breathing and exercifing of
your faith In fuppofed cafes. But If you be fo tender
fpirlted, that you cannot look upon calamities fo much as
in thought or fancy, how would you be able for a real en
counter ? No, fure. But the foul that hath made God
his ftay, can do both ; fee it in that notable refolution of
the prophet, Hab, Hi, 17. " Although the fig-tree ffiafl
not bloffora, neither ffiall fruit be In the vines, the labour
of the olive ffiall fail, and the fields ffiall yield no meat,
the flock ffiall be cut off from the fold, and there ffiafl be
no herd in the flails : Yet I will rejoice In the Lord, I will
joy in the God of my falvatlon. The Lord God Is my
ftrength." And In David, Pfal. xxIH. 4. " Yea, (fays he)
though I walk through the valley of the ffiadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy
ftaff, they comfort me." You fee how faith is as cork to
his foul, keeping it from finking In the bleeps of afflidions.
Yea that big word which one fays of his morally juft man
is true of the he\te\eY,fifradus Illabatur orbis, though the
very fabric of the world were falling about him, yet would
he ftand upright, and undaunted in the midft of its ruins.
In this confidence confidered in itfelf, we may obferve
the objed of it ; The loving kindnefs ofthe Lord. 2, The
manner or way by which he expeds to enjoy it ; The Lord
win command It. 3. The time ; In the day.
His loving kindnefs.} He fays not, return to the houfe
cf God, for deliverance from the heavy oppreffton andfharp
reproaches of the enemy, which would have anfwered more
particularly and exprefly to his prefent griefs, but his lov
ing kli}dnefs. And the reafon of thus expreffing himfelf,
i^concelve to be twofold, 1. In the affurance of this Is
neceffarily comprifed the certainty of all other good things.
This fpecial favour and benignity of the Lord, doth en
gage his power and wifdom (both which you know are in
finite) to the procurement of every thing truly good for

SERMON VI. 13
thofe whom he fo favours. Therefore It Is, that David
chufes rather to name the ftreams of particular mercies
in this their living fource and fountain, than to fpecify
them feverafly. Nor is It only thus more compendious,
but fuller too, which are the two great advantages of
fpeech, and this I take to be the other reafon, 2. A man
may enjoy great deliverances, and many pofitlve benefits
from the hand of God, and yet have no fhare in his lov
ing kindnefs. How frequently doth God heap riches,
and honour, and health on thefe he hates, and the com
mon gifts of the mind too, wifdom and learning, yea the
common gifts of his own fpirit, and gives a fair and long
day of external profperlty, to thofe on whom he never
vouchfafed the leaft glance of his favourable countenance,
yea, on the contrary, gives all thofe fpecious gifts to them
with a fecret curfe ? as here he gave a king in wrath to
his people, fo he often gives kingdoms In his wrath to
kings. Therefore David looks higher than the very king
dom which God promifed him, and gave him, when he
fpeaks of his loving kindnefs. In a word, he refolves to
folace himfelf with the affurance of this, though he was
ftrlpt of all other comforts, and to quiet his foul herein,
till deliverance come ; and when it fliall come, and what
foever mercies with It, to receive them as fruits and effeds
of this loving kindnefs : not prizing them fo much for
themfelves, as for the Impreffions of that love which is
upon them. And it Is that Image and fuperfcriptlon that
both engages and moves him moft to pay his tribute of
praife. And truly this is every where David's teraper ;
his frequent diftreffes and wants never excite him fo much
to defire any particular comfort In the creature, as to in
treat the. prefence and favour of God himfelf. His faddeft
times are, when, to his fenfe, this favour is eclipled. In
my profperity I faid I fhall not he moved. 'And what was
his adverfity that made him of another mind ? Thou hid-
defl thy face and I was troubled. This verifies his pofition
in that fame Pfalm, In thy favour is life. Thus in the 63d
Pfal, at the beginning. My foul thlrfleth for thee In a dry
land where there Is no water ; VxA fcr water where there
is none, but for thee where there Is no water. Therefore
he adds in verfe 3d, Thy loving kindnefs is better than life :
K2

76 SERMON VI.
And all that be truly wife, and of this mind, will fubfcrlbe
to his choice,. Let them enjoy this loving kindnefs and
prize it, that whatever befals them, their happinefs and
joy is above the reach of all calamities. Let them be de
rided and reproached abroad, yet ftill this Inward perfua-
fion makes them glad and contented : as a rich man faid,
" Though the people hated and taunted him, yet when he
came home and looked upon his chefts, Tagamet mlhl plaudo
domi." With how much better reafon do behevers bear
out external injuries ? What inward contentment, when
they confider themfelves truly enriched with the favour of
God. And as this makes them contemn the contempts''
that the world puts upon them, fo likewife It breeds in
them a negled and difdain of thofe poor trifles that the
world admires. The fum of their defires Is (as that Cy-
nick's was of the fun-ffiine) that the rays of the love of
God may ffiine conftantly upon them. The favourable
afped and large proffers of kings and princes would be
unwelcome to them, if they ffiould ftand betwixt them
and the fight of that fun : and truly they have reafon.
What are the higheft things the world affords ? what are
great honours and great eftates, but great cares and griefs
well dreft and coloured over with a ffiew of pleafure, that
promife contentment, and perform nothing but vexation ?
That they are not fatisfylng, is evident ; for the obtaining
of much of them doth but ftretch the appetite, and teach
men to defire mpre. They are not fohd neither, Wifl
not the pains of a gout, of a ftranguary, or fome fuch ma
lady (to fay nothing of the worft, the pains of a guilty
confclence) blaft all thefe delights ? What rehffi finds a
man in large revenues and ftately buildings. In high pre
ferments and honourable titles, when either his body or
mind Is In anguiffi ? And befides the emptinefs of all thefe
things, you know they want one main point, continuance.
But the loving kindnefs of God hath all requifites to make
the foul happy, 0 fatlsfy us early with thy goodnefs, (or
mercy) fays Mofes, that we may rejoice and be glad all our
days, Pfal. xc, 14. . There is fulnefs In that for the vafteft
defires of the ioxA, fatlsfy us ; there Is folid contentment,
that begets true joy and gladnefs ; and there is perma
nency, all our days. It is the only comfort of this hfe,

SERMON VI, 77
and affurance of a better. This were a large fubjed to
infift on, but -certainly -the naming of his lovl/n^ kindnefs
fliould beget in each heart an high efteem of it, an ardent
defire after it, Aud if It do fo with you, then know tha't
it Is only to be found in the way of holinefs. He is a
holy God, and. can love nothing that is altogether unlike
himfelf. There muft aKvays be fome fimilitude and con
formity of nature to ground kindnefs and frlendfhip, and
to maintain it. That faying is true. Idem velle ct idem
nolle, firma amicitia. "What grofs felf-flattery is it, to
think that God's loving kindnefs can be towards you,
while you are in love with fin, which he fo perfedly hates ?
How can the profane fwearer or voluptuous peribn, or
the oppreffor and covetous, or the clofe hypocrite, (worfe
than any of them) reft upon the loving kindnefs of the
Lord in the day of troubles ? No fure. But the terror of
his wrath ffiall be added to all their other calamities ; and
they ffiall find it heavier than all the reft. God will not
pour this precious oil of gladnefs, this perfuafion of his
love, into filthy veffels. Even his own children, when
they grieve and fadden his holy fpirit by unholinefs, ffiall
be fadly puniffied by the withdrawing of thefe comforting
and fenfible expreffions of his love. ,
Labour then you, that as yet never tafted of this love,
to know what It means. Forfalce and hate that which hi
therto have made you ftrangers to it ; for if you obtain
this, it ffiall corafort you when thefe things cannot, but
would rather prove your greateft torment. And you that
have received any teftlmonies of it, entertain it carefully,
for It is your beft comfort both in your beft days, and In
your worft days too.
You would all gladly be dehvered from thefe many
evils that threaten you ; for many they be indeed, and
peace Is a great blefling. But fuppofe you were fecured
from all thefe fears, and he ffiould command, a fudden
calm, (which truly he can do) would you then think your
felves happy ? That life of yours which you fo fear to lofe
by' fire or fword, though you had peace, would e're long
fall Into the hands of fome ague, or fever, or confumption,
and perifli by them, or at the longeft, a few years will
end It : It Is a lighted candle, that though no body blow

78 SERMON Vt.
out, will quickly burn out of itfelf. But this loving kind
nefs Is not fo ffiort lived. It ffiall laft as long as your fouls ;
and fo long as it lafts, they ffiall be happy, Thofe goods
that you fear ffiall be pillaged and fpoiled in v.'ar, how
many hazards are they fubjed to even in peace ? Solomon
tells you. That riches oftentimes (though no body take them
away) make themfelves wings, and fly away. And truly
many times the undue fparing of them Is but the letting of
their wings grow, which makes them readier to fly away ;
and the contributing apart of them to do good, only clips
their wings a little, and makes them ftay the longer with
their owner : But this by the way. Howfoever, in the
day of death, and in the day of wrath, as Solomon fays,
they profit nothing at all, Prov, xi. 4. So then though
you may defire that God would command deliverance for
you ; yet. If you would be truly happy, your greater and
more earneft fuit would be, that he command his loving
kindnefs to appear to your fouls. And having once ob
tained this, you may poffibly be perfecuted, and endure
hard trials, but one thing Is made fure, you cannot be mi
ferable : Nor ffiall you want temporal mercies and prefer
vatlon too, fo far as they are good for you. The inward
affurance of this Ipve ffiall carry you ftrangely and fweetly
through, all outward viciffitudes ; and when the day fhafl
come, that all other comforts ffiall look pale upon you,
then ffiall you find the worth and happinefs of this more
than ever before.
Command} Make it appear to me. Sometimes God is
faid to ffiut up and hide his love from his children, and
that is a mournful time with them. But we read not that
he ffiuts out love, and ceafeth altogether to have affedion
to thofe whom once he loved. And therefore when he
ffiews himfelf again in the gracious manifeftations of his
mercy, he is not faid to begin anew to love them, but only
to command his love, which e're while he had counter
manded to appear.
In the day} If you have a mind to take the day and
night figuratively, for profperous and adverfe times, it
would lead you, In that fenfe, to obferve David's conftan
cy In God's praifes, that not only In the day of dehverance,
bat even in the m'ght of diftrefs, he refolved a fong for

SERMON VI. 79
God. And truly many times God gives his children in
an afflided condition, more fweetnefs of fpirit, and apti
tude, not only to pray, but to praife ; and more fpiritual
delight In himfelf, than In times of outward peace and
profperity. He giveth fongs in the night, faith Job ; and
you know the found of mufic is moft delightful in the
night. But to take It properly, he Is confident that in
the feveral adions and occurrences of the day he ffiould
find the goodnefs and favourable affiftance of the Lord,
and then he refolves. Which leads to the other part of
the text.
In the night-time to meditate on that goodnefs, and frame
a fong of praife to the author of it.
And indeed what is the whole thread of our life but a
checkered twift, black and white, of delights and dangers
interwoven ? , And the happleft paffing of it, is conftantly
to enjoy, and to obferve the experiences of God's good
nefs, and to praife him for them. David was a wife king,
and withal a valiant foldier, and yet we fee he thought not
this experience inconfonant with either of thefe two con
ditions. This precious book of Pfalms (a great part there
of being his) teftifies clearly, that prayer and praifes were
his great employment. A religious difpofition of mind
may not only confift with fortitude and magnanimity, but
is indeed the beft principle and caufe of both, contrary to
the wicked and fooliffi opinion of profane perfons. Whe
ther of the two, do you think, might welcome a day of
battle with moft courage and refolution, he that had paft
the preceding night in reveUing and caroufing, or he that
had fpent it In prayer, and obtained fome affurance of a
better life ? Truly if they went on with equal forwardnefs,
there Is no man, except he were an atheift, but would judge
the one to bebrutlffi fury and precipitation, and the other
true valour.
His fong} In the worft eftate there is ever fome matter
of praife to be mixed with requeft ; and truly we may
juftly fufped that our negled of praifes makes our prayers
unacceptable. And my prayer} In the beft eftate here below, praife
muft be accompanied with prayer. Our wants and necef-
;fities, and ftralts, return daily upon us, and require new

80 SERMON VI.
fupplles of raercy ; and prayer, if we know how to ufe it
right. Is the way to obtain them all.
To the God of my life} Or the God that is my life. This
word is added, as the reafon of all that went before. If
you afli David, why he repofeth fo much upon the loving
idndnefs of God ? what he means to fpend fo much pains
in praifes and prayer to God ? He anfwers, " Becaufe he
is my life. He is the author and preferver of my tempo
ral life ; and all the paffages and accidents of it are in his
hand alone : He hath alfo given me, and he maintains In
me a fpiritual life, yea he is the life of my foul ; it lives
by union with him, as my body does by union with It,
and he hath laid up life eternal for me," Would Chrif
tians think thus indeed, the light of this confiderarion
would difpel their diftruftful fears. Certainly there Is
athelfm at the bottom of them ; if not a denial nor a mif-
conceit of God, at leaft a forgetfulnefs of God, 'See Ifa.
11, 12, 13, " I, even I am he that comforteth you : Who
art thou, that thou ffiouldeft be afraid of a man that ffiafl
die, and of the fon. of man, which ffiall be made as grafs,
and forgetteft the Lord thy Maker, that rhath ftretched
forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth,
&c," Confider thenthat men have no power of our pre
fent life, but by the appointment of God, And befide
that we have another life, which is infinitely more preci
ous than this, a life fpiritual, and which Is the beginning
of eternal life ; and this is altogether out of their danger.
Col, iii, 3. Our Ufe Is hid with Chrift In God. It Is hid,
and wicked men cannot fo much as fee It : . How then
ffiould they take it from us, feeing It is hid, and that not
meanly, it Is hid with Chrift In God? What then ffiall be
come of It ? Read the next verfe, and read it to your
comfort, for there is abundance In It, if you look right
upon it, When Chrifl who Is our life fhall appear, we like-
wife fhall appear with him In glory. They that are In God,
being united to him through Chrift, can never by any
power be feparated from him. It is an indiffoluble union :
Death itfelf, that is the great diffolver of all other unions
civil and natural, is fo far from untying this, that it con-
fummates rt ; it conveys the foul Into the neareft and full-
eft enjoyment of God, who is its life, where it ffiall not

SERMON VH. $1
need to defire that God would command or fend his loving
kindnefs, as it were at a diftance, it fliall be then at the
fpring-head, and fliall be fatlsfied with his love for ever, &c.

SERMON VII.

PREFACE.

WHEREFORE do you fpend money for that which is
not bread, and your labour for that which fatlsfies
not ? fays the Prophet Ifa. Iv. 2, All men agree In this,
that they would willingly meet with fome fatisfylng good ;
and yet if you look right upon the projeds and labours of
the greateft part, you fliall find them flying from it, and
taking much pains to be miferable. And truly confider
ing the darknefs that Is upon the foul of man, it Is no great
wonder to fee thefe mifs their way, and continue wander
ing, 'that hearj not the voice of the gofpel to recal them,
and fee not its light to dired them. But this Is fomewhat
ftrange, that where true happinefs, and the true way to it,
is propounded and fet before men, fo few ffiould follow
it in good earneft. If the excellency of that good did not
allure them, yet one would think that their many difap-
polntments in all other things ffiould drive them home to
it. How often do we run ourfelves out of breath after
ffiadows ? and when we think we have overtaken them,
and would lay hold on them, we find nothing. And yet
ftill we love to befool ourfelves, even againft our own ex
perience, which we fay, ufes to make fools wifer. Still
we chufe rather to ffiift from one vanity to another, than
to return to that fovereign good, that alone can fill the
vafteft defires of our fouls ; rather to run from one broken
clflern to another, as the Prophet calls them, yea and to
take pains to hew them out, than have recourfe to that
Fountain of living waters. One main thing that makes
men thus rove and wander is, that they do not refled u-
pon their own courfe nor themfelves, what is the main end
they aim at, and then fee whether their way be fuita.bie
L

82 SERMON VII.
to that end. If they would be happy (as who would not)
then fure things that are empty, and uncertain, and cer
tainly periffiing,, wIU not ferve the turn. And truly as this
thought would be feafonable at any time, fo efpecially to
us in thefe times wherein, befides the common uncertainty
of outward things, there is an apparent vlfible hazard that
mens lives and fortunes are likely to be put to. Wfll you
make advantage and gain of your trouble? Thus, the
loofer you find other things tied to you, and as it were
upon a running knot, fecure that one thing, and your por-
tion in It, which Is worth all the reft, yea far above them
all, and that alone which can be fecured, and made cer-
tain. Wanting this, what though you had peace and
health, and all Imaginable profperlty, you would ftill be
miferable, being liable to the wrath of God, and eternal'
deftrudion. But if once united to Chrift, and In him re
conciled to God, and entitled to heaven, what can. fall
amifs to you ? You ffiall have joy in the midft of forrow
and afflidion, and peace in the midft of war, yea and life
in death. But think not to attain this affurance, while
you continue profane and godlefs, not feeking it in the
way of holinefs, for there alone It is to be found, and with
al beg it of God by humble prayer.
Psalm cxix, 136,
Rivers of waters run down mine eyes : Becaufe they keep not
thy law.
LOVE Is the leading paffion of the foul, all the reft fol
low the meafure and motion of it, as the lower hea
vens are faid to be wheeled about with the firft.
We have here a clear inftance of it in the Pfalmift, tefli-
fylng his love to God, by his efteem and love of the law or
word of God. What is each of the feveral verfes of this
Pfalm but a feveral breathing, and vent of this love, either
in itfelf, or in the caufes, or in the effeds of it ? Where
he fets forth the excellencies and utilities of God's law,
there you have the caufes of his love ; his obferving and
ftudying it, his defire to know It more, and obferve It bet
ter, thefe are the effeds of his affedlpn to It. The love

SERMON VII. 83
itfelf he often expreffeth, ver, 47, 48, 113, and ver, 140.
Thy word is pure, therefore thyfervant loveth it, and ver,
1 27. / love thy commandments above gold, yea above fine
gold. But as fcarce accounting that love which can be ut
tered how much it is, ver. 97. he expreffeth it moft, by
intimating that he cannot exprefs it ; 0 how I love thy
law I Hence are his defires (which are love in purfult) fo
earneft after it, Amongft many, that is pathetical, ver.
20, My foul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy
judgments at all times. Hence likewife his joy and delight,
(which are love In poffeffion) ver, 14, I have rejoiced in
the way of thy tefllmonles as in all riches ; and ver. 16. /
win delight myfelf In thy flatutes ; I will not forget thy word.
We have his hatred of things oppofite, which is love's an
tipathy, ver. 113./ hate vain thoughts .- But thy law do I
love. And 163 ver. I hate and abhor lying : But thy law
do I love. And in the 139 ver, you fhall find his zeal,
(which is no other but the fire of love ftirred up oi- blown
into a flame) My zeal hath confumed me : Becaufe mine ene
mies have forgotten thy words. And (to omit the reft) in
the 158 ver, his love to the law ffiews Its fympathy in for
row, for the violation of the law, / beheld the tranfgreffors,
and was grieved : Becaufe they kept not thy word. And
here you find this grief fwelHng to fuch a helghth, that it
runs over into abundant tears, " Rivers of waters run
down mine eyes ; becaufe they keep not thy law,"
The words have briefly, thefe rivers, in their channel
and courfe. They run- down mine eyes ; in their fpring and
caufe, to wit, his fympathy with God's law broken by men,
in the latter claufe of the verfe, Becaufe tliey keep not thy
law. But both together clearly teach us, " That godly
men are affeded with deep forrow for the fins of the un-
godly." More particularly confider, (1.) The objed of this af
fedion. (2.) The nature of it. (3.) The degree or mea
fure of It. (4.) Its fubjed.
I. The objed is the tranfgreffion ofthe law, or to take
it (as In the text) In concreto, men tranfgreffors of the law.
They keep not thy law. It is true, the whole creation groan
eth under the burden of fin in effeds ofit, as the Apoftle
fpeaks ; but fin itfelf, is man's enemy, he being that rea-
L 2

84 SERMON Vll.
fonable creature to whom the law was given. Now In the
general. It Is matter of grief to a godly mind, to confider
the univerfal depravednefs of man's nature ; that he is a
tranfgrefforfrom the womb ; that the carnal mind Is enmity
agalnfl God, not fubjed to his law, neither, while it remains
fuch, can it be, Rom, vin. 6, And this grief will go the
deeper, by remembering from whence he is fallen. When
he was new come forth of the hands of his Maker, that
image of God that he ftamped upon him, flilned bright in
his foul : The whole frame of it was regular and comely,
the inferior faculties obeying the higher, and all of them
fubjed unto God. But how foon was he feduced, and
then what a great change enfued ? Quantum mutatus ab
illo ? There is ever fince fuch a tumult and confufion in the
foul, that It cannot hear the voice of God's law, much
lefs obey and keep It. Hence Is that complaint of the
Pfalmift oftner than once. They are all gone out of the way,
and become abominable, there Is none that doth good, no not
one. Mundus immundus ivaSiHiaxsTa!; Ues hurled in it, as the
word Is ufed in the infcriptlon of tombs h^ali hbt»(. Look
abroad in the world, and what ffiall ye fee, but a fea of
wickednefs over the face of the whole, which draws from
a godly difcerning eye that beholds it, thefe rivers of tears?
The greateft part not knowing the true God, nor the true
rehgion, and the true way of his worffiip. And for thofe
that do, yet how unhke are they to It In their lives ! The
reformed churches this way, how unreformed In a great
part !
But more particularly to branch this out a little In feve
ral forts of men ; this godly grief Is a very large fphere, It
wfll extend to remote people, remote every way, not only
in place, but In manners and religion, even to heathens
and grofs idolaters. Yea, the very fins of enemies, and of
fuch as are profeffed enemies to God, yet moves the tender-
hearted Chriftian to forrow and compaffion. Of whom I
now tell you weeping, that they are enemies to the crofs of
Chrljl, Phfllp. Hi. 18. Enemies, and yet he fpeaks of them
weeping. What he writes concerning them he would have
wrhten In tears. If that had been legible. Thus you fee
the extenfion of this grief. But yet, out of all queftion, it
wUl be more intenfive in particulars of nearer concern-

SERMON VII. 85
ment. It is the burden of the pious man's heart, that his
law who made the vi^orld, and gives being to all things,
fliould be fo little regarded, and fo much broken throu'r^h
all the world ; but yet more efpecially that in his own
church amongft his own people, tranfgreffion ffiould a-
bound. Sins within the church are moft properly fcan-
dals, God manifefts himfelf (fo to fpeak). moft fenfible of
thofe, and therefore the godly man is fo too. Whether'
they be the continual enormities of licentious and profane
perfons, which are by external profeffion in the face of the
vlfible church, though Indeed they be in it, but, as fpots
and blemiffies, as the Apoftle fpeaks : Or whether it be
the apoftacy of hypocrites, or (which fometimes falls out)
the grofs falls of true converts. All thefe are the great
grief of the godly. The relations of men either natural or
civil win add fomething too. This forrow will be greater
than ordinary in a Chriftian, he will melt In a particular
tendernefs for the fins of his kindred, parents or children,
hufband or wife ; and moft of all, minifters for their peo
ple. How pathetically does this appear in St. Paul, 2 Cor.
xH. 21. " And left when I come again my God wfll
humble me among you, and that I ffiall bewafl many which
have finned already, and have not repented of the unclean
nefs and fornication, and lafcivioufnefs, which they have
committed," A man cannot but be more particularly
touched with the fins of that nation, and of that city, and
congregation, and family, whereof he Is a member, 2 Pet,
ii. 8. For that righteous man dwelling among them, in fee
ing and hearing, vexed his righteous foul, from day to day,
with their unlazvful deeds. The fins of more eminent per
fons, either in church or commonwealth, wfll moft affed a
prudent Chriftian, becaufe their inclinations and adions
import the public much. Therefore the Apoftle, when he
had exhorted to fupplications and prayers for all men, he
particularly mentions kings, 2ind fuch as are In authority.
And truly, when they are abufed by mifadvice and cor
rupt counfel, fome of thefe tears were very well fpent. If
poured forth before God In their behalf ; for In his hand
(as that wife king confeffeth) are their hearts, compared to
rivers of waters. Let their motion be never fo Impetuous,
yet he turns them whither he pleafeth. And who knows

66 SERMON VII.
but thefe rivers of waters, thefe tears, may prevail with the
Lord to reduce the violent current of that river (a Bang's
heart) from the wrong channel ?
II. But to proceed : The fecond thing to be confidered
in this affedion, is the nature of It. (1.) It Is not a ftoi-
cal apathy, and affeded careleffnefs, much lefs a delightful
partaking with finful pradices. (2.) Not a proud fetting
off their own goodnefs, with marking the fin of others, as
the pharifee did in the gofpel. (3.) Not the derifion and
mocking of the folly of men, with that laughing philofo
pher ; it comes nearer to the temper of the other that
wept always for It, It Is not a bitter, bilious anger, break
ing forth into railings and reproaches, nor an upbraiding
infultation. Nor Is it a vindidive defire of puniffiment,
venting Itfelf In curfes and Imprecations, which Is the rafli ,
temper of many, but efpecially of the vulgar fort. The
difciples motion to Chrift was far different from that way,
and yet he fays to them, 7''ou know not of what fpirit ye
are. They thought they had been of EHas' fpirit, but
he told them they were miftaken, and did not know of
what a fpirit they were in that motion. Thus heady zeal
often miftakes and flatters itfelf. We find not here a de
fire of fire to come down from heaven upon the breakers
of the law, but fuch a grief as would rathei" bring water to
quench It, If it were falling on them. Rivers of waters,
he. III. The degree of this forrow, It Is vehement, not a
light, tranfient diflike, but a deep refentment, fuch as
caufeth not fome few fighs, or fome drops of tears, but ri
vers *. It Is true, the meafure and degree of forrow for
fin, v/hether their own or others, are different in divers
perfons, that are yet true mourners, and they are alfo dif
ferent In the fame perfons, at divers times, not only upon
the difference of the caufe, but even where the caufe Is
equal, upon the. different influence and working of the
fpirit of God. Sometimes it pleafeth him to warm and
melt the heart more abundantly, and fo he raifes thefe ri
vers, in thefe eyes, to a higher tide than ordinary. Some
times they remove again, but yet this godly forrow Is al
ways ferious and fincere ; and that is the other quahty here
* Paige maijim. Pelagus aquarum.

SERMON VII. 87
remarkable in it. It is not a hlftrionlcal weeping, only in
public ; for the fpeech Is here direded to God, as a more
frequent witnefs of thefe tears than any other, who is al
ways the witnefs of the fincerity of them, even when they
cannot be hid from the eyes of men ; (for I deny not but
they may and ffiould have vent in public, efpecially at fuch
times as are fet a-part for folemn mourning and humilia
tion.) Yet, even then, ufually thefe ftreams run deepeft,
where they are ftilleft and moft quietly conveyed. But
howfoever, fure they would not be fewer, and lefs frequent
alone, than in company, for that is a little fubjed to fuf-
picion, Jer, ix, 1 . Oh that my head were waters, and mine
eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for
the /Iain of the daughter of my people. And xiii. 1 7, But if
ye will not hear it, my foul fhall weep in fecret places for your
pride,- and mine eye fhall weep fore, and run down with tears,
becaufe the Lord's flock is carried away captive.
IV. The fubjed of this affedion is, not the ungodly
themfelves that are profeffed tranfgreffors of this law, they
rather make a fport of fin, as Solomon fpeaks ; they play
and make themfelves merry with it, as the Phlliftlnes did
with Sampfon, tfll it bring the houfe down about their
ears : But the godly are they that are affeded with this
forrow, fuch as are careful obfervers of the law themfelves,
and mourn firft for their own breaches, for thefe are the
only fit mourners for the tranfgreffion of others.
Now to- enquire a little into the caufe of this, why the
breaking of God's law ffiould caiife fuch forrow In the
godly, as here breaketh forth Into abundance of tears ; we
ffiall find it very reafonable if we confider, 1 . The nature
of fin, which Is the tranfgreffion or breach of the law, as
the Apoftle defines it. 2. The nature of this forrow and
rhefe tears. 3. The nature of the godly.
1. Sin is the greateft evil in the world, yea, truly, In
comparifon, it alone Is worth the name of evil, and there
fore may juftly challenge forrow, and the greateft forrow.
The greateft of evils It is ; both formally, in that It alone
is the defilement and deformity of the foul ; and caufally,
being the root from whence all other evils fpring ; the
fruitful womb that conceives and brings forth all thofe mi
feries that either roan feels, or hath cauie to fear. Whence

88 SERMON VII.
are all thofe perfonal evils incident to men in their eftates,
or In their bodies, or minds, outward turmoils and dif-
eafes, and Inward difcontents, and death Itfelf, In aU the
kinds of it ; are they not all the fruits of that bitter root ?
Whence arife thefe pubhc miferies of nations and king
doms, but from the epidemic national fins of the people,
as the deferving and procuring caufe at God's hand ? And
withal, oftentimes from the ambitious and wicked prac
tices of fome particular men, as the working and effeding
caufes : So that every way, if we follow thefe evils home
to their original, we ffiall find it to be fin, or the breaking
of God's law. Ungodly men, though they meddle not
with public affairs at all, yea, though they be faithful and
honeft In meddling with them, yet by reafon of their im
pious lives, are traitors to their nation ; they are truly the
incendiaries of ftates and kingdoms. And thefe mour
ners, though they can do no more, are the raoft loyal
and fervlceable fubjeds, bringing tears ho quench the
fire of "wrzth. Rivers of waters. And therefore, forrow
and tears are not only moft due to fin, as the greateft of
evils, but they are beft beftowed upon it, if they can do
any thing to its redrefs, becaufe that is both the fureft and
moft compendious way to remedy all the reft, fin being
the fource and fpring of them all.
This Is the reafon why Jeremiah, Ix, 1. when he would
weep for the flain of his people, Is ftraightway led from
that to bewail the fin of his people, ver. 2, 3, &c. And
in his book of tears and lamentations, he often reduces all
thefe fad evils to fin as caufing them, particularly chap. v.
16. The crown is fallen from our head, wo unto us that we
have finned. He turns the complaint more to the fin
than to the afflidion.
2. Confider the nature of thefe tears. Tears fpent for
woridly croffes are all loft ; they run all to wafte ; they
are lachryma Inanes, empty fruitlefs things : but tears ffied
for the breach of God's law, are the means to quench
God's wrath. The prayers and tears of fome few, may
avert the puniffiment of many, yea, of a whole land ; and
if not fo, yet are they not lofl, the mourners themfelves
have always benefit by them, as you have it in that known
place, Ezek. ix. They that mourned for the coraraon a-

SERMON VH. 89
bominations were marked, and the common defolatlon
took not hold on them. This mourning for other mens
wickednefs, both teftifies and preferves the godly man's
innocence, I fay, It preferves it, as well as teftifies it ; it
•"Sinsqltkeeps them from the contagion of that bad air they live
for without this, fin would foon grow familiar. It is good
for men to keep up, and maintain In their fouls a diflike
of fin; for when once It ceafeth to be difpleafing to a
man, it will, e're long, begin to be pleafing to him,
3. If we confider the nature of the godly, we ffiall fee
this mourning fuit with it exceedingly, both in regard of
his relation to God, and to man. God is his Father, and
therefore It cannot but grieve him much to fee him of
fended and diffionoured. Love to God, and confequently
to his law, and love to men, and defire of their good, Is
the fpring of thefe rivers. A godly man is tender of
God's glory and of his law ; every ftroke that It receives,
ftriketh his heart : and he hath bowels of compaffion to
men, and would be glad if they were converted and faved.
He confiders every man as his brother, and therefore is
forrowful to fee him run the hazard of periffiing in fin.
The former fympathy, whereby the godly man tenders
the glory of God, is from his piety : this latter, whereby
he pities the mifery of man, is from his charity ; and from
thefe flow the rivers that run down his eyes.
To be too fenfible of worldly croffes, and prodigal of
tears, upon fuch flight occafions. Is Httle better than chfld-
iffi or womanlffi ; but thefe tears, that flow from love to
God, and grief for ,fin, have neither uncomellnefs nor ex-
cefs in them. Abundance bf them will befeem any man
that is a Chriftian. Let profane men judge it a weaknefs
to weep for fin, yet we fee David do it. Men of arms
and valour need not fear difparagement by weeping thus ;
it is the trueft magnanimity to be fenfible of the point of
God's honour, which Is injured by fin.
Again, The confideration of this truth will difcover the
world guilty of very much ingratitude to godly men. It
hath always been the cuftom of profane perfons, to feek
to brand religion and godlinefs with difloyalty and turbu
lency, and to make It pafs for an enemy to the peace and
profperlty of ftates and kingdoms. You fee clearly with
M

90 SERMON VII.
what affedion religion furnlffies men towards the public,
caufing them to mourn for common fins, and fo to pre.
vent, as far as in them lies, common calamities. And
this is of no little confequence ; for truly it Is not foreign
power, fo much as fm at home, that ruins kingdoms.
All the winds that blow without the earth, be they never
fo violent, ftir it not, only that which is within its own
bowels makes an earthquake. It was a grave anfwer of
Epaminondas, being afked what he was doing folitary and
penfive in the time of folemn mirth and feafting ? " 'While
my countrymen (fays he) are fo peaceably feafting, I am
thinking on the beft. means to preferve that peace to them,
that It may continue." Which, a little altered. Is appll.
cable to the godly. They are oftentimes mourning for
the fins, and praying for the peace of the places where
they live ; when in the mean time, the greateft part are
multiplying fin, and fo forfeiting their peace.
Rivers of Waters.} " This is a mournful, melancholy
life that thefe preclfians lead," fays the worldling. Yes,
truly. If there were no more in It than what he can per
ceive and judge of. But befides the full joy laid up for
them, and the beginnings of it here, there is even in this
mourning an unknown fweetnefs and delight. The phi
lofopher fays, even of common tears, that there Is fome
kind of pleafure in them, as fome things pleafe the tafte
by their very tartnefs. But of thefe tears, they that know
them, know it to be eminently true, that they are pleafant.
But be this exercife as fad as the profane call it, yet why
obferve they not, that they themfelves are much the caufe
of it, as they may read here, Becaufe they keep not God's
law?
But to pafs by divers inferences that the words afford,
let us take notice of the duty here pradifed, and how
much we are all obliged to the prefent pradice of It,
Who will deny that we have too much matter and occa
fions of it ? Befides the forrow of Sion, and particularly
the blood-ffiedding and diftrefs of our brethren, and our
own danger, what corner of the land, what rank or con
dition of people is there that abounds not in grofs and
halnous violation of God's law ? They keep not thy law,
Magiftrates and Judges turning judgment into gall and

SERMON VII. 91
wormwood : minifters remifs In that great care, the care
of fouls : people wallowing in ungodlinefs and unclean
nefs, fwearing, &c. The greater oppreffing the lefs, and
the lefs defrauding and wronging the greater. No fenfi
ble and notable work of converfion almoft to be feen or
heard of amongft us, the Lord abfenting himfelf from his
ordinances. O that he would dwell in his houfe, and fill
it with a cloud of his glory 1
What vile uncleannefs and wantonnefs ! what ffiameful
drunkennefs and excefs ! and fome fo far from mourning
for others guiltinefs of this fin, that they glory in making ,
others guilty of it, and count it a paftime to make others
drunk. And this is a far greater fin than drunkennefs
itfelf; for thefe men, while they make beafts of their com
panions, they make devils of themfelves, beconiing tempt
ers and provokers to fin. If any fuch be here, either
tremble at the wo that the prophet Habakkuk, chap, H.
denounceth, or confefs that you beheve not the fcrlptures :
" Wo to him that gives his neighbour drink, and puts
the bottle to him to make him drunken. The cup of the'
Lord's right-hand ffiall be turned to thee ; 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 curfings B
how are your ftreets, and almoft afl 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 covetoufnefs, pride and malice, and
envyings one of another, and the reft. But the fum is
this, an univerfal want of the fear of God and his law.
And the caufe of this is, in a great part, ignorance of
God and of his law ; and truly it Is wonderful, under fo
much light and fuch plentiful preaching, to find fo much
darknefs, not only In the fkirts and remote places, but
even in the prime parts of this land. Multitudes that are
ftrangers to the very principles and fundamentals of that
religion which they profefs; and they that have knowledge,
abufing it and finning againft it, continuing in profanenefs.
¦And without this true religion, it Is as impoffible to have
renewed hearts and lives, as to have a houfe without a
M 2

92 SERMON VII.
foundation, or, as we fay, a caftle In the air. And this
athelfm and ignorance amongft people, is in a great part
to be imputed to the corruption and floth of minifters :
and would to God there were not many congregations,
not only altogether deftitute, but fuch as are freezing
under a cold and lifelefs miniftry !
You fee then, we want not caufes of mourning and
humiliation, on afl hands ; but our want Is inward, of
that due difpofition for it, foftnefs of heart, and that love
to God which ffiould melt and molhfy the heart. Let us
then ftir up ourfelves, and one another, to this godly for
row for the fins of the land. There Is need of rivers of
tears for thefe heaps of fin ; as they tell of Hercules his
letting In a river to that monftrous ftable of Augeas, that
could not otherwife have been cleanfed In the time allotted
him. And truly, as the duty lies upon all the faithful, the
minifters of the word ought to be moft eminent In it, the
chief mourners, the precentors, to take up the tune of
thefe themes, Joel ii. 17. And all that wiffi the good of
church and kingdom ought to bear a part In them, ac
cording to their meafure. Have we not much need to
intreat reconcilement with God, that he prove not our
enemy ? Yes, furely, and were we reconciled with him,
we would have little need to fear the power of man.
Now they that would be profitable mourners for others
fins, by all means, muft have thefe two conditions I men
tioned ; to be careful obfervers of the law themfelves,
and to mourn for their own failing and breaking of it.
Now to the obferving of the law, it Is abfolutely needful
to know and underftand It, and that not only In the letter
and fuperfice, but according to the fpiritual fenfe and
meaning of it : for without this knowledge, a man may
light upon fome duty by guefs, as It were In the dark ;
but obferve the law he cannot. They are not only re-
proveable that glory in their own fins, and make fport of
the fins of others, but they miftake it much, that think it
enough to confider their own with grief, and judge the
fins of others an impertinency for them to think on.
They mourn not right for others that begin not at them
felves, fo they mourn never aright for themfelves that end

SERMON VII. 93
In themfelves. He that here thus weeps for others, made
his bed to fwim with thefe rivers for his own fin, Pfal. vi,
6. (2,) As a man muft know this law, fo he muft be in
wardly convinced and perfuaded of the divinity of it, that
it is God's law. (3,) He muft have a deep apprehenfion
of the majefty and authority ofthe lawgiver, to work re
verence, and of his goodnefs to beget love ; and the due
mixture of thefe two wfll both ftrongly command and
fweeten obedience to his commandments. And this obe
dience, though It be not an abfolute and perfed fulfilling
of any one of the commandments, yet it has a refped to
them all, as this Pfalm hath It, which is (fo to fpeak) an
imperfed kind of perfedlon. And from this refped to
the law, which is the obferving of it, will flow that other
condition, of grieving when we break it.
And befides all other things that ffiould make a Chrif
tian's own fin grievous to him, there Is one thing cannot
but move him much, the confideration of the forrow and
fufferings of Chrift. To view the bleedings of the Lord
Jefus, cannot chufe but pierce a believing foul, and make
it fay , " Did my Redeemer ffied his blood for my fins,
and ffiall not I myfelf ffied tears for them ?" I know the
natural conftitutlon of fome denies them tears ; but if it
do fo to any, make up that want with fenfe of inward
grief, and It is well enough. The eye of God can difcern
that as well as the other. But truly, where men have
tears for lighter caufes, (for all other caufes are lighter)
and none for this, they feel not yet the weight of fin, ex
cept that want be through the deepnefs of forrow, which
fometimes will ftop the current of tears, though It ufed to
run at other times ; as they fay, Curce leves loquuntur,
ingentesftupent. But this Is a rare and happy Impediment.
And to anfwer another doubt : if you 'find fometimes
worldly griefs ftir you more violently, yet let this godly
forrow affed you more conftantly, that it may have the
advantage In continuance. If it fall ffiort in the degree.
But as this grief muft begin at home, as they fay of
charity, it muft not be fo felfiffi as to reft there. And
truly, where It comes in that order, it may be fome way
a ftronger evidence of fincerity, to mourn for other fins
than for our own ; for there feems to be more of God in

94 SERMON VII.
it, becaufe there is lefs in it of ourfelves, and of our own
particular intereft.
Now you wfll poffibly think It but an unpleafant duty
that you have heard urged all this while ; but look for
ward, and confider the iffue of it. That which Chrift
fpeaks in particular to his difciples. Is generally true In all
Chriftians, John xvi, 20. Te fhall weep and lament, (fays
he) but the world fhall rejoice ; ye fhall be forrowful, but
your forrow flail be turned (or made) Into joy. The water
of thofe tears ffiall be turned Into wine of confolatlon.
The traffic of thefe rivers is gainful, they export grief,
and import joy. When thefe tears are called feed, the
harveft-crop is called joy. They that flow In tears fhall
reap Infoy. They are here called rivers, and they are an
fwered with a river, Pfal, Ixxxvi, 8. for which they ffiafl
in end be perfedly exchanged. Thou flalt make them
drink of the river of thy pleafures. And Rev. vii, 17,
The Lamb fo all feed them, and lead them unto living foun
tains of waters. Here they run down the eyes and water
the cheeks, and there you read that God ffiall wipe them
away from their eyes. Who would not be content to
weep, to have God wipe away their tears with his own
hand ? be ambitious then to be found amongft the mourn
ers In Sion ; and when ye remove from this valley of
tears, God ffiall at once fully wipe away all the ftain of
fin from your fouls, and all tears for It from your eyes.
And as he ffiall wipe away the tears with the one hand,
he will fet the crown upon your heads with the other.

SERMON VIII,

PREFACE.

LESSED are they that dwell in thy houfe, faith the
Pfalmift, and he adds this reafon, They will hefllll
pralfing thee. There is indeed always In God's houfe
both fit opportunity and plentiful matter of his praifes.
But the greateft number of thofe that frequent his houfe.

SERMON VIII. 95
do not dwell in It, their delight and affedion Is not there.
Therefore they cannot praife him, they come in as ftran
gers, and have no fkill of the fongs of praife. Yea, and
the very children of the family, that worffiip in fpirit and
in truth, find their inftruments (their hearts) very often
quite out of tune for praifes, and fometimes moft of all,
when praifes are requifite. They find ftfll fuch abundant
caufe of complaint in themfelves, weighing down their
fpirits, that they can hardly at all wind them up to mag
nify that God of our mercy, which Is far more abundant.
If we would take a reflex view and look back upon our
carriage this day In the prefence of our God, who is
among us, that would not find much work for fad
thoughts? would not one find that he had a hard and
ftony heart ? another a light inconftant wandering heart
to complain of? a third an unbelieving heart? and fome
all of thefe ? And they (if fuch there be) that have both
deeply forrowed, and been largely comforted will poffibly
for all that, upon former fad experience, be full of fears
and jealoufies, that this fweet temper will not be of long
continuance ; that e're long the world or fome luft, will
find, or make a way to creep in, and baniffi thofe heaven
ly thoughts, and troubles that peace and joy which accom
panies them. Yet notwithftanding all thefe caufes of grief
or fear, our caufes of praife are both more and greater.
And it is no reafon, that the fenfe of our own evil, ffiould
prejudge that acknowledgment of God's goodnefs, yea
rather it ffiould ftir us up to extol it fo much the more,
Ceafe not to bemoan the evils of your own hearts ; but
withal forget not to magnify the riches of his grace, who
hath given himfelf for you, and to you. Thefe two will
not hinder one another, but the due Intermixture of' them
will make a very good harmony. And the fruit of them
will be this, you ffiall ftill have more caufe to praife and lefs
to complain. When fhe Lord ffiall find you humble ac
knowledgers of his grace, he will delight to beftow more
grace upon you, and wfll fubdue thofe Iniquities for you,
which you cannot. And though he is pleafed to do it
but gradually by little and httle, yet in the end, the con-
queft ffiall be full ; and then he who is the author and fi-
nlfcer of your faith, though it is his own work^ yet becaufe

96 SERMON VIII.
it is done In you, he ffiall account the vidory yours, as
obtained by you, and give you as conquerors, the crown
of glory. To him that overcometh (faith he) wlU I give to
fit with me In my throne, he.
There is nothing here, but from free grace. The cou
rage and ftrength to fight in this fpiritual warfare, the vic
tory by fighting, and the crown by vidory, flow all from
that fountain. In all thefe things we are more than con
querors (faith the Apoftle) but how ? through him that
loved us. Therefore if we defire to be fuch, let us humble
ourfelves before the throne of grace, Intreating both for
grace and glory in the name of Chrift our Mediator.
Cant, i, 3.
Becaufe of the favour of thy good ointments, thy name is as
ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
THE natural workings and defires of things are agree
able to their being. The beafts according to, theh*
fenfitive life feek thofe things that tend to the good and
prefervatlon of that Hfe, and affed nothing higher than
thofe, and they are fatlsfied. Man, (except fuch as are
in the loweft ftage and border upon the beafts) finds na
ture, even corrupt nature, ralfing him to higher defires
and defigns. And yet of the beft of them, the Apoftle's
maxim holds true. They that are after the flefh, mind the
things of the flefh, and yet he fubjoins the excellency of
fome men beyond the beft naturalift. They that are after
ihe fpirit, the things of the fpirit, Rom, vin. 5. They muft
be confined to things natural, but are ftrongly moved to
wards fpiritual bleffings, and Chrift the fum of them. And
having once tafted of his fweetnefs can fay, Becaufe of the
favour of thy good ointments , he. They that are elevated
to a fupernatural being, can admit nothing into competi
tion with his love, and this it is that lies under thefe words,
Becaufe of the favour of thy good ointments, he.
Numbers have promifcuoufly been his guefts as this
time, and the greateft number think they came to good
purpofe. But know that you are fo far from partaking of
Chrift in the facrament, that you have not fo rauch as fraelt

SERMON VIII. 97,
his perfumes, if you be not ftrongly taken with his love.
Great are the praifes, and many the duties you owe him
for fo rich favours ; and therefore ffiew your good will,
and endeavour fome payment. But know that none of
them are current except they be ftamped with love. If
you love not, you do nothing ; all your labours and fer
vices without it, are as fo many cyphers, they amount to
juft nothing. And with it, the meaneft of them will find
acceptance. You have briefly In the words, Chrifl' s lovellnefs, and
the Chriftian's love ; the former the caufe of the latter,
both couched under borrowed terms, according to the
whole ftrain of this allegorical fong, to which the true ex
perimental knowledge of this divine love is the beft con>
mentary. In all love, three things are neceffary. (1.) Some good
nefs In the objed, either true and real, or apparent and
feeming to be fo ; for the foul be It never fo evfl, can af
fed nothing but what it takes fome way to be good, (2,)
There muft be a knowledge of that goodnefs ; for the moft
excellent things. If altogether unknown, affed not. (3,)
There muft be a fuitablenefs or agreement of that good
thing with the nature of thofe which ffiould affed it ;
otherwife indeed how good foever it is, it Is not good to
them. Now all thefe we have clearly In this love. (I,) The
goodnefs, the excellency of Chrifl expreffed hy precious oint
ments. (2,) The manifeftatlon and making of it known,
tigvi^edhy the pouring forth of his name. (3.) His fitnefs
and congruity with them here mentioned, under this deno
mination virgins ; fuch as have the fenfes of their fouls,
not ftopt with the pollutions of the world, but pure and
adive, and (therefore as the Apoftle fpeaks, Heb, v. 1 4.)
exercifed to difcern good and evil. Thefe three requifites
thus happily met, muft needs produce love, therefore the
the virgins love thee,
Becaufe of the favour of thy good ointments.} How true is
the Apoftle's word, when he calls Chrift the believers All
things 1 And that radical grace of faith, becaufe it appre
hends Chrift, hath a kind of univerfality ; and It Is reafon
able too, it alone being to the foul, what all the five fenfes
N-

98 SERMON Vlir.
are to the body. It is the eye and the mouth, a wonder
ful eye : It fees him that Is Invlflhle, Heb. iv. 27. The
mouth, /¦/ tafles that the Lord is gracious, 1 Pet. II. 3. Yea,
take thefe two both together in one place, Pfal, xxxiv. 8.
0 tafle and fee that the Lord Is good. It Is the foul's ear,
for what elfe is meant, when it is faid. He that hath an ear
to hear, let him hear ; and was it not that touch which
Chrift took fpecial notice of, and with good reafon diftin-
guiffied It from the common touch of the multitude that
was crowding about him ; that touch alone draws virtue
from him. Some hath touched me, for there is a virtue gone
out of me. And laftly, as It is all thofe other fenfes,
and Chrift its objed in reference to them all, fo here In
its fmelhng, it finds the favour of his fragrant graces, ahd
by that works love, Becaufe of the favour, he.
What ftrange odds is there betwixt the opinion of Chrift's
Spoufe and the world that knows him not ? They wonder
what ffie fees in him defirable ; ffie wonders that they are
not all raviffied with his excellencies. They prefer the
bafeft vanities in the world before him ; ffie finds the
cholceft and richeft things in the world too mean to refera
ble the fmalleft part of his worth. See in this fong how
bufily and fkilfully ffie goes to all the creatures, and crops
the rareft pieces in nature and art to fet forth her well-
beloved, and feems to find them all too poor for her pur
pofe. One while ffie extols him above all things beauti
ful, and pleafant to the eye ; another while above things
deledable to the tafte, as In the former verfe. Thy loves are
better than wine, and here prefers the perfume of his graces
to the moft precious ointments.
When a natural eye looks upon the facrament, to wit,
of the Lord's fupper. It finds It a bare and mean kind of
ceremony. Take heed there be not many that come to
it, and partake of it with others that prize it little, have
but low conceits of It, and do indeed find as little In it as
they look for. But oh ! what precious confolatlon and
grace doth a believer meet with at this banquet ? How
richly is the table furniffied to his eye ; what plentiful va
rieties employ his hand and tafte? what abundance of rare
dainties ? Yet there is nothing but one here, but that one
is all. things to the believing foul, it finds his love is fweet-

SERMON VIII. 99
er than the richeft wine to the tafte, or beft odours to the
fmell ; and that delightful word of his. Thy fins are for
given thee, is the only mufic to a diftreffed confclence.
Thy good ointments.} The holy ointment of the fandua4
ry under the law was compofed according to God's own
prefcription, Exod. xxx. 25, And they were ftraitly for
bid to imitate it, or make any like It, to fignify the lingu
lar hohnefs, the matchlefs worth of the anointing oil of
gladnefs, wherewith our High Prieft, the Lord Jefus, was
anointed above his fellows. And In this he is Incompara
ble, that his ointment he hath not from without. It was
his own divine nature that perfumed his manhood with
thefe precious ointments. God and the fpirit of the Lord,
is faid to have anointed him, Pfal. xlv. 7. Thou lovefl rlgh
teoufnefs and hatefl wickednefs .- Therefore God, thy God
hath anointed thee with the oil of gladnefs above thy fellows ;
and Ifa. Ixi. 1 . The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, be
caufe the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto
ihe meek, he. But know that that Spirit, and the Father
are one In effence with the eternal Son. In that myftical
fong much like to this. In the xlv. Pfalm at the 8th ver.
It is faid his garments fmell of myrrh and aloes, and caffia,
as he comes forth of his ivory palaces. When he came down
from his glorious court above to dwell among men, he
apparelled himfelf like them ; he was clothed with human
fleffi.' But yet that vefture was fo tranfcendently enriched
with all graces as with coftly perfumes, that men might
eafily know there was more under them than a mere man.
Yea even in that low, eftate did fuch beams of his glory
ffiine through, that all whofe eyes were open, did clearly
behold them, and knew him to be no lefs than the only
begotten Son of God, by this, that he was fo full of grace
and truth, John L 14. And thefe are, in a word, thefe
precious ointments, whofe delightful fmell Is here com
mended. Now to enumerate and defcrlbe thefe graces, what
tongue of men, yea or of angels were fufficient ? What
other Is the main fubjed of the whole fcrlptures ? what
mean all the figures and ceremonies of the law ; the coft
ly furniture and ornaments of the temple ; the rich veft
ments of the high prieft ; that fine linen, that filk and
N2 '

JOO SERMON VIII.
gold, thefe gems and precious ftones ? was any of them,
were they all any other but ffiadows and dim refemblances
of the matchlefs perfedions of Jefus Chrift ? It Is ftrange,
that Chriftians have fo low conceits of their high Redeem
er ! What is the gofpel, but a more clear and plentiful
pouring forth of thofe ointments ? What was the great
labour and bufinefs of the holy Apoftles, but the dlffufing
of Chrift's graces through the world ? I determined to know
nothing among you fave Chrifl and him crucified, fays St,
Paul to his Corinthians. What was that other facrament
and this, but coverts under which Chrift conveys himfelf
and his graces to the beheving foul, while the profane and
flight hearted receivers are fent away with empty elements ?
Thus you fee how ample a fubjed thefe graces are In the
general. And truly the confideration of any one particu
lar of them might be the employment of many hours.
Would you hear the wifdom of Chrift ? look what the
Apoftle fays of it, Col. ii. 3. In him are hid all the trea
fures of wifdom and knowledge. Not fome drops of wif-
dom, no, nor ftreams, but a fountain ; a treafure, not one
treafure, but treafures ; many, yea, all the treafures of
wifdom and knowledge ; yet not obvious to every eye,
but, as treafures, are hid. The children of wifdom, which
are the world's fools, have fome knowledge of this his
wifdom, and draw from it for their own ufe ; but to found
the depth of It, who can be able ?
No lefs admirable Is his holinefs, he Is both the Immacu
late lamb, and the undefiled izcrihee, fuch a high prieft he-
came us : Became us ! Yes, holy, harmlefs and undefiled,
Heb. VU, 26. The more we were defiled with fin, the
more ftood we In need of an undefiled and fpotlefs high
prieft. It was as. expedient, that he ffiould be unlike us
in that, as that he ffiould be Hke us in all other things.
Therefore, as for the legal priefthood there was a holy
confecrating oil, this immortal high prieft was anointed
with moft entire and complete holinefs ; and this perfefl:
holinefs of his, is fet forth as myrrh, the beft ointments
and fpices, myrrh which is of a virtue prefervatlve from
corruption. He was not only of excellent fmell, while he
Jived among men, but this myrrh did likewife preferve
and exempt him from contrading any corruption or pol-

SERMON VIII. 101
lution, by the ba:d air of finful company ; fo that he con-
verfed with finners, that he might convert them without
any danger of Infedion.
And as he was thus extraordinarily anointed with the
fpirit of wifdom and holinefs, fo hkewife with the fpirit of
meeknefs, therefore called The Lamb of God, that taketh
away theflns of the world : His voice was not heard In the
flreets. And take in that other grace, which he himfelf
mentions^ together with his meeknefs, as being near in na
ture to It, Humility ; learn of me, for I am meek and lowly
in heart, Matth. xi. 29, Indeed, humihty is an odori
ferous grace, it Is a gracing decoring grace, and it adds a
kind of fweetnefs and luftre to all olher graces ; yea. It
ferves fingularly as a charader for the trial of the truth of
all other graces. As balfam which is the chief of precious
ointments, ufed to be tried, * that Is the trueft and beft,
that put into any liquor, goes to the bottom, that but
flight, which fwims above ; fo thefe graces are moft up
right, that are accompanied with moft humihty. And
that this may be out of doubt, you know that Jefus Chrift
(of whom we now fpeak) as he had moft grace, fo was he
moft exemplary in humihty. And certainly, the fweet
fmell of this good ointment, did fill the whole houfe,
when he waffied his difciples feet, John xiii, as Is faid of
the ointment that Mary poured upon his feet, In the fore
going chapter, John xH.
Amongft many other of his gracious quahties that might
be mentioned, there is one we cannot but take particular
notice of, his love ; the rather, becaufe the fragrant fmell
of his graces Is here faid to beget love. Now you know
that one of the ftrongeft attradives of love, is love, Mag
nes amoris amor, k'^r k^ra, rUret. What made him empty
himfelf of his glory, as the Apoftle fpeaks, but becaufe he
was full of love ? What made him take on the form of a
fervant, fuffer heat and cold, and hunger, and poverty,
but love ? What other was it made him digeft the perfe
cutlons, revilings, and the contradldion of finners, but
love? But the great wonder of his love is this, he died tg
become our life ; who hath loved me, and given himfelf for
pie, fays the great Apoftle St. Paul, And hereby perceive
* To Baal Shemin,

102 SERMON VIII.
we the love of God, becaufe he laid down his life for aj',fay«
the beloved Apoftle St. John. Was it the nails that held
him faft to the crofs, when they tauntingly bid him come
down ? No, it was fiis love, that was ftronger than death.
But all this was nothing to the angry countenance of his
Father, nor would he ever have ventured upon that, if in
finite love had not perfuaded him. No wonder if the
Apoftle call it a love that paffeth knowledge. That you may
know faith he, the love of Chrifl which paffeth knowledge,
Eph. iH. 19, Know it we may, and ffiould, but we mufl
know withal, that we cannot know it fully. And this Is
our comfort, that it is greater than we can comprehend,
for if it were not fo, It would be lefs than we ftand in need
of. So much of his love we may underftand, as may a-
bundaritly inflame our hearts with love to him ; for this
purpofe hath he revealed It, and made his name like an oint
ment poured out. And that is the fecond thing.
His name.} That is, the report and manifeftatlon of his
excellencies. And if you will take It properly of his name
Jefus, and Chrift or the Meffiah, it is true of them, for they
are fignificative of thefe excellencies. Aflc an afflided con
fclence, if Jefus, that Is, a Saviour, be not a precious word,
that hath a fovereign value, both a refreffiing fmell and
a healing virtue. The hammer of the law my break a
ftony heart in pieces, but It is only the blood of Jefus that
can foften It. And where it is effedually poured, either
upon a wounded foul, it heals It, or upon a hard heart. It
mollifies it. For that other name, Chrift, well may it be
called an ointment poured out, for It fignifies his anointing.
And that the fweet favour of this name may affed, read
but that one paffage, Ifa. 1x1. 1. The fpirit of the Lord
God Is upon me, becaufe the Lord hath anointed me to preach
good tidings, he, 'What Ineftimable riches of confolatlon
is there in each of thefe effeds, to which Chrift was anoint
ed, and yet we find not a word among them all for a proud
ftiff-necked finner. Here are good tidings, but it is to the
meek ; comfortable binding up, but it is for the broken
hearted ; liberty, but It is for captives and prifoners, groan
ing under their chains, and defirous to be dehvered ; not
for fuch as delight in their bondage. There is oil of joy
and garments of praife, but they are provided for mourning

SERMON Vin. 103
iejeBed fpirits that need them ; not to the impenitent. On
the contrary, there is a terrible word interjeded in the
midft of thefe promifes. The day of vengeance of our God ;
and that is the portion of Chrift's enemies, and fuch are
all incorrigible finners.
Thus it Is, at the fame banquet from which you come,
one may be filled with fpiritual joy, and the very perfon
that fits next, be fifled with a fecret curfe, ?ind return more
miferable than he came. But let the difconfolate lament
ing finner lift up his head, and behold Chrift, the Son of
God anointed a Prophet to preach falvatlon and liberty to
fuch, a Prieft to purchafe it, and a King to give it.
Now the pouring out of this name is divers. Before the
coming of the Meffiah his name was poured out in pro
phecies and promifes, in types and legal ceremonies, but
more fully when the word was made flefh. Then angels
and holy men, yea, and women, fpake clearly of him.
What was his Father's voice at his baptifm ? The Holy
Ghoft's defcending ? What was his own preaching and
miracles, and converfation, but all the pouring forth of his
precious name ? And In his fufferings and death, what
think you ? Was not his name then poured forth, yea,
his blood with It ? Yes, truly, being extended on the crofs,
and his body pierced In divers places ; his precious oint
ments were ffied abroad towards all the quarters of the
world. Their fmell both reached heaven and the vlfible
earth. God the Father (as he was faid to do in Noah's
facrifice) did much more fmell In his facrifice, a favour of
reft, appeafing his wrath ; and all believers a favour of
peace, a quieting of their confciences. And as aromatic
fpices, when they are pounded out and beaten, fend forth
their fweet fmells moft liberally, fo in thefe his fufferings,
did the obedience, patience and love, and all the graces,
and the name of our Saviour, moft clearly manlfeft them
felves to the world. After he was dead they embalmed
his body, but they knew not that his own virtue would
do more than all the ointments and fpices in the world
could do, not only by preferving his body from corrup
tion, but by raifing It the third day. And truly, after his
refurredlon, his own difciples knew his name better than
ever before, and yet more fully after his afcenficai, when

104 SERMON VIII.'
the Holy Ghoft came down upon them, which was poured,
from heaven on them ; for this very end, that they might
pour forth Chrift's name to the ends of the earth, Adsil,
8. And they did fo, carrying this precious treafure in
earthen veffefs, as that eled veffel St. Paul fpeaks. And
ever fince, God hath continued the pouring forth of this
name, by the miniftry and preaching of the gofpel. It is
true, there are too many of thofe that are employed In
this work, that feek themfelves, and their own ends, rather
than his glory whom they preach. And they that are
more upright, the very beft of them are finful men. But
how mean and unworthy foever they be, defpife not the
gofpel. Let the fweet name, which they pour forth, pre
vail for itfelf, that fo you may reverence and love it, if yoU'
would have falvatlon by it ; and there Is no other name
under heaven, by which that can be obtained.
As this name Is poured forth in the gofpel preached,
fo In the facraments annexed to It ; and particularly in
this, when the bread is broken, and the wine poured out.
And was not this the earneft defire of the receivers of It
this day ? It ffiould have been to have our ffiare In It, for
the refreffiment and curing of our fouls. Nor ffiall any
that came thus, be difappointed. And if not prefently,
yet moft certainly, and that in due time they ffiall find the
fweet fruits of it.
You have heard many ways how the name of Chrift is
poured out, yet there is one more, without which all the
reft are Ineffedual : it is this, the fecret and powerful
working ofthe fpirit of God in the foul. The ordinances
and means of falvatlon do indeed pour forth the name of
Chrift round about a man, but till the Spirit concur with
them, not one drop falls within the foul. And is he not
fo much the more miferable, that hears much of Chrift,
and partakes nothing of him ? yes, furely, a man may
have much common knowledge of Chrift, and may un
derftand well, yea, may preach well, concerning his worth
and graces, and yet not love him. But there is a partl-
. cular knowledge of him by the Infufion of the Spirit, and
where the fmalleft meafure of this is. It prefently wins the
affedion. There Is a fheddlng abroad of the love of God
in our hearts^, that the Apoftle fpeaks of, |J.ora. v. 5. and

SERMON VIH. 105
this draws us after him ; for our love to God is nothing
elfe but the reflexion of his love to us. So then, though
many hear of Chrift, yet becaufe there are but few that
have this fpecial knowledge of him, therefore it is, that fo
few do truly efteem of him and love him ; and they are
fuch as are here called virgins : and that is the third thing.
The virgins.} Similitude and conformity of natures
begets friendffiip ; pure affedlons delight In a pure objed,
and makes them fuch. For the truth is, Chrift doth not
find men naturally fuitable to himfelf, but as he took on
our nature, fo he waffieth away the finfulnefs of our
nature, which he took not on, and makes us that way
conformable to his nature. And they that are fo changed,
though they were formerly lovers of fin, yet by conver
fion, which is called regeneration, they are born again,
and fo become not only ehafte, but even virgins, fpiritu
ally : for by virgins, here are not meant fuch as Romiffi
votaries fancy them to be, no, this virginity may well con
fift with any lawful ftate of life,
Thefe virgins are fuch as be truly holy, and pure in
heart and life, who though they are not perfedly free
from all fin, yet have they affedion to no fin, Thefe
are fingularly delighted with the fmell of Chrift's name
and graces. While the voluptuous perfon, and the profane
worldling, diflikes and defpifes it *. The virgins, they
beftow their affedion whole and entire upon Chrift.
How grofly do you delude yourfelves, that make your
hearts dens of pride, filthy luft, malice and envy, and
thoufands of vanities, and yet think to find a corner In
them to lodge Chrift too ? truly, you would both ftraiten
him in room, and give him very bad neighbours. No,
they that think not a whole heart too Httle for him, ffiall
never enjoy him.
The virgins love thee.} Grace deftroys not the natural
paffions of the foul, but correds them only, by deftroying
their corruption, and fo they become not only not con
trary to grace, but are made the fubjed and feat of grace.
This of love, which Is the chief of them, we fee it abollffi-
eth not, but redifies it, recalHng It to its due objed, and
* Balfamafic fuihus,fic male nardus olent,
o

106 SERMON VIH.
turning it Into the right channel, by which it may empty
itfelf into the ocean of goodnefs.
And this love may well confift with the purity of vir
gins ; yea, it is this love that purifies and makes them
fuch. The virgins love, but whom ? thee. And It is as
reafonable a love as it is pure ; therefore they love thee,
becaufe thou haft made them, in fome meafure, apprehen
five of thy worth, which commands the love of all that
know it ; not a cold and indifferent affedion, but a fuper-
lative ardent love, far over-topping all their olher defires.
And good reafon, fince Chrifl doth Infinitely, and beyond
a,ll comparifon, furpafs all other things defirable. Afk
your own hearts, if you love Chrift thus ; for if not thus,
ypu love him not at all. The apoftle St, Paul's love was
of this fize, Phfl, Hi, 7, 8.. But what things were gain to me,
thofe I counted lofs for Chrifl ; yea, doubtlefs p and I count
all things but lofs, for the exceUency of the knowledge of
Chrifl Jefus my Lord, for whom I have fuffered the lofs of
all things, and do count them but dung that I may win
Chrifl. Thus love will not only undergo difficuhies and
fufferings for Chrift, without either repining or fainting,
but it will even be glad to meet with them, as opportunity
is, to exercife and teftify itfelf. Hard things will feem
moft eafy for his fake, and bitter things exceeding fweet.
In a word, to him that loves, fcarce any thing is impoffible.
Love is the leading paffion of the foul, all the reft con
form themfelves to It, defire and hope, and fear, joy and
forrow. If then you love Chrift, the defires and breath
ings of your foul after him are ftrong and earneft, if he
withdraw himfelf, or appear angry. If either you fee him
not, or fee him look difcontented, your grief wifl be fo
deep that It cannot be allayed by any worldly employ
ments ; yet upon fome former tokens of his love, which is
known to be unchangeable, hope will uphold the foul, tfll
the beams of his grace fcatter the cloud, and break
through. Though our Jofeph feem ftrange, and fpeak
roughly for a while, he cannot long refrain difcove«ing
his affedion. Again, love you him, unfpeakable will be
your joy when he fmiles upon you ? as great will be youy
delight In poffeffion as your defire Is in purfult ; and while
you have his prefence. It will be too hard a tafli for any

SfeRMON VIH. 107
afflidiott to difmay you. Have you Indeed heard Chrift
fpeak comfortably to yoU this day at his holy table ? how
will this enable the fOul, and arm It againft dangers^ and
diftrading diftruftful fears ? Perfed love cafleth out fear,
faith St, John, that is, all bafe and fervlle 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
naturafly to difpleafe thofe they love ; therefore it is, that
love to Chrift, and a careful obferving of his command
ments, are infeparable Companions : yea, love itfelf is the
fulfilling of the law, for it gives up the heart to God, and
confequently the whole man. Then there Is no return
of duty which your receiving of Chrift calls for, (and
what doth it not call for ?) there Is none, I fay, but Is
comprifed under this one of love. Do you owe hira
praifes ? Yes furely ;. then love him that will ftir you up
to praife him. You never knew, but where much love
was in the heart. It made the tongue ready and adive
upon all occafions to praife the party loved. Love will
entertain fmall courtefies with great thanks, much more
where the benefit fo far exceeds all poffible thankfulnefs;
Ought you to ferve and obey him ? doubtlefs he hath for
that purpofe redeemed you with his precious bloiod. Aiid
truly there Is no obedience nor fervice, fo full and fo chear-
ful, as that which flows from love. Should you ftudy
conformity to Chrift, and labour to be like him ? Yes,
for this is to walk, worthy of Chrift ; then there Is nothing
affimilates fo much as love. Men delight In their fociety
whom they love, and by their fociety they do infenfibly
contrad their Cuftoms, and become like them. Thefe
virgins that love Chrift for his graces, they love to con-
verfe with him, and by converfing with him, they receive
of his graces, and have a fmell of his perfumes. Not
only do they by the fmell of his garments, or fuch Impof-
ed rites, obtain the bleffing, but Hkewife fmell Hke him by
the participation of fandifying grace, of his wifdom and
holinefs. In a pure and godly converfation, (abftaining
from the imptire lufts and pollutions of the world) of his
•Irieeknefs and humility. Never think that one aftd the
fame foul can have much pride and much of Chrift ; ever
the more grace a man hath, the raore fenfe hath he like-
O 2

108 SERMON VIII.
wife of his own unworthinefs, and God's free mercy, and
confequently, the more humility. If you love Chrift,
you cannot chufe but be like him In love to your bre
thren. This is exprefly compared, by the Pfalmift, to the
precious ointment poured upon Aaron's head, that ran
down to the very fkirts' of his garments. Our head, and
high prieft, the Lord Jefus, hath Incomparably teftified
his love to believers, whom he Is pleafed to call his bre
thren ; they are far from equalHng him, either In love to
him, or one to another, but they do imitate him In both.
This is his great commandment, that we love one another,
even as he loved us, which is expreffed both as a ftrange mo
tive and a high example. It Is not poffible that a fpirit of
malice and implacable hatred can confift with the love of
Chrift. Finally, Should you be ready tp fuffer for Chrift?
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 confume your drofs, and be foon ex;-
tinguiffied, but this would endure for ever.
By thefe and the like evidences, try whether you indeed
love the Lord Jefus Chrift, And by thefe fruits, you
that profefs to love him, teftify the fincerity of your love ;
and be affured, that If you be now found amongft thefe
virgins that love him, you ffiall one day be of the number
of thofe virgins that are fpoken of. Rev, xiv. 3, 4, that
fing a new fong before the throne of God,
If you hate the defilements of the world, and be not
polluted with inordinate affedion to the creature. It ffiafl
never repent you to have made choice of Chrift, he ffiafl
fill your hearts wich peace and joy in beheving. When
you come to his houfe and table, he ffiall fend you home
with joy and fweet confolatlon, fuch as you would not ex
change with crowns and fceptres. And after fome few
of thefe running banquets here below, you ffiall enter into
the great marriage fupper of the Lamb, where faith ffiafl
end in fight, and hope in poffeffion, and love continue in
perpetual and full enjoyment, where you ffiall be never
weary, but for ever happy, in beholding the face of the
bleffed Trinity, to whom be glory. Amen. t

SERMON IX. 109

SERMON IX.

H

PREFACE.
OW true is that word of our Saviour, who Is truth
itfelf. Without me ye can do nothing, fevered from me,
as that branch that is not in me. They that are altoge
ther out of Chrift, in fpiruual exercifes do nothing at all.
It Is true, they may , pray and hear the word, yea, and
preach it too, and yet In fo doing they do nothing, nothing
in effed. They have the matter of good adions, but it is
the Internal form gives being to things. They are but a
number of empty words, and a dead fervice to a living
God. For all our outward performances and worffiip of
the body is nothing but the body of worffiip, and therefore
nothing but a carcafe, except the Lord Jefus, by his fpirit,
breathe upon it the breath of life. Yea, the worffiipper
himfelf Is fpiritually dead, till he receive Hfe from Jefus,
and be quickened by his Spirit. If this be true, then It
will follow neceffarily, that where numbers are met toge
ther, (as here) pretending to ferve and worffiip God, yet
he hath very few that do fo Indeed, the greateft part being
out of Chrift ; and fuch being without him, they can do
nothing in his fervice.
Romans vih, 7.
Becaufe the carnal mind is enmity agalnfl God ; for it Is not
fubjed to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
THE ordinary workings and adions of creatures are
fuitable to their nature, as the afcending of light
things, and the moving of heavy things downwards ; fo
¦the vital and fenfitive adions of things that have life and
fenfe. The reafonable creature, it is true, hath more li
berty in its adions, freely chufing'one thing andrejeding

110 Sfi'RMON IX.
another ; yet it cannot be denied, that In ading of that
liberty, their choice and refufal follow the fway of their
nature and condition. As the angels and glorified fouls,
(their nature being perfedly holy, and unalterably fuch)
they cannot fin, they can dehght in nothing but in obeying
and ^pralfing that God, in the enjoyment of whom their
happinefs confifteth ; ftill raviflied in beholding his face.
The faints again that have not yet reached that home, and
are but on their journey, they are not fully defecated and
refined from the drofs of fin : there are In them two par
ties, natural corruption, and fupernatural grace, and thefe
keep a ftruggling within them ; but the younger ffiall
fupplant the elder, Grace ffiall in the end overcome,
and in the mean while, though It be not free from mixture,
yet it is predominant. The main bent of a renewed man
is obedience and holinefs, and any adion of that kind he
rejoices in, but the fin that efcapes him, he cannot look
upon but with regret and difcontent. But alas ! they
that be fo minded are very thin fown in the world, eten
in God's pecuhar fields, where the labourage of the gofpel
is, and the outward profeffion of true religion unanimoufly
received. Yet the number of true converts, fpiritual-'
minded perfons, is very fmall, the greateft part ading fin
with delight, and taking pleafure in unrighteoufnefs, liv
ing in difobedience to God, as in their proper element ;
and the reafon is, the contrariety of their nature to our
holy Lord, The carnal mind Is enmity agalnfl God.
The mind <?» '^^t ] Some render it the prudence or
wifdom ofthe fleffi. Here you have it, the carnal mind,
but the word fignifies. Indeed, an ad of the mind, rather
than either the faculty itfelf, or the habit of prudence in it,
fo as It difcovers what is the frame of both thofe. The
m'inding, as it Is ufed, ver 5. conform to that of Mofes,
Gen. vi. Every Imagination of the thoughts of man's heart
is only evil continually. The word indeed fignifies the wife
thoiights. So then take the full latitude of it thus:
*' The carnal mind. In its beft and wifeft thoughts, is dired
emnlty agalnfl God."
Carnal, ris- aapx®..} What is meant by the flefli here?
It Is the whole corrupt nature of man ; and that we may
know by Its oppofitlon to the fpirit, not to the fpirit or

SERMON IX. Ill
foul of a man, for fo it hath no thoughts nor minding,
thefe being proper to the foul, but oppofed to the Spirit
of God.
Now the corruption of nature Is cafled the fleffi, not
without very good reafon, not only to fignify the bafenefs
of It, the fleffi being the more ignoble and meaner part of
a man, but becaufe the greateft part of the fins of mens
hves are about fenfiuve objeds, and things that concern
the fleffi or the body. It lets In temptation of fin to the
foul by the doors of the fenfes, and it gives the laft per
fedlon or accompliffiment to fin, by external ading of It,
The very firft fin, that brought in death and mifery with
it upon mankind, the pleafure of the eye and of the tafte,
were ffiarers in the guiltinefs of it.
The carnal mind.} Man in regard of his compofure 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 duft, but a foul breathed from heaven, from the
Father of Spirits ; a houfe of clay, but a gueft of moft
noble extradion. But the pity is, it hath forgot Its ori
ginal, and is fo drowned In fleffi, that It deferves no other
but to go under the name of fleffi. It Is become the flave
and drudge of the body, and, as the Ifraelites in Egypt,
made perpetually to moyl in clay. What is all your mer-
chandife, your trades and manufadures, your tillage and
hufbandry, but all for the body. In Its behalf, for food and
raiment ? In all thefe, the mind muft be careful and
thoughtful, and yet properly they reach It not, for Itfelf
hath no intereft In them. It is true, the neceffity of the
body requires much of thefe things, and fuperfluous cuf
tom far more ; but It Is lamentable that men force their
fouls to forget Itfelf, and its proper bufinefs, to attend
thefe things only, and be bufy In them. They fpend all
their time, and their cholceft pains upon perifhing things,
and which is worfe, engage their affedlons to them.
They ?nlnd earthly things, whofe end is deflrudion, Philip.
Hi. 19. The fame word that Is here, ip»»!/A« r^r «rap)c®', &c.
Will you confider ferloufly, that your fouls run the ha
zard of periffiing, becaufe you confider not their fpiritual
nature ? When that earthly tabernacle of yours ffiall fall
to the ground (and e're lopg it muft) your fouls muft then

112 SERMON IX.
enter eternity, and though you had as large a ffiare of
earthly things as your earthly hearts now would wiffi,
they afl lofe their ufe in that moment. They are not a
proper good for the foul at any time, and leaft at that
time. If you keep it all your life long, bufy about the
intereft and benefit of the fleffi; the body, how poor wfll
it be when they part, having provided, nothing at all for
itfelf, but the guiltinefs of a finful Hfe, which will fink it
into that bottomlefs pit ? be forewarned then ; for to he
carnally minded Is death, ver 6. preceding the text.
The carnal mind.} Now as fin hath abafed and dege
nerated the foul of man, making It carnal, fo the Son of
God, by taking on our nature, hath fubHmated it again,
and made It fpiritual. The fouls that received him are
fpirltuallzed, yea, as fin made the foul carnal, grace makes
the very body to become fpiritual, making It partaker and
co-worker In fpiritual things, together with the foul, In
doing and fuffering, and participant of the hopes too of
an everlafllng reward. This is the main Chriftian cha
rader our Apoftle gives here, that they are fpiritually
minded, and that their adions fuit their minds. They walk
not after the flefh, but after the fpirit. Whereas before,
with the reft of the world, they were eager In the purfult
of honours, and profits, and worldly pleafures ; the now
ftream of their defires run in another channel, they feek
after honour, and are very ambitious of It ; but It Is fuch
honour as the Apoftle fpeaks of In this epiftle, Rom. Ii. 7.
By patient continuance In well doing they feek for glory, and
honour, and Immortality : their mind is upon profit and
gain, but It is with the fame Apoftle, Philip. HI, that they
may win Chrift, and they account all other things lofs In
comparifon ; and their defires are after pleafure too, but
not carnal pleafures, thofe are both bafe, and of ffiort con
tinuance, but the pleafures they aim at, are thofe that are
at God's right hand, and for evermore, Pfal, xvi, 11.
And that path of life he there fpeaks of, that way of ho
linefs that leads thither, is their delight. Spiritual exer
cifes they go to, not as their tafk only, but more as their
joy and refrefliment. And this change the Spirit of God
works in the foul, making it (yea, and the body wherein
it dwells) of carnal, to become fpiritual, as the fire, to

SERMON IX. 113
which the Holy Ghoft is compared, refines fand and affies,
and makes of them the pureft glafs, which Is fo neat and
tranfparent. Enmity againft God.} Sin hath not only made us unlike
God, by defacing his beautiful image In us ; not only
ftrangers by making us wander far off from him, but ene
mies ; nor enemies only, but enmity In the abftrad ; for
that is emphatical. The carnal mind Is enmity, nothing elfe
but enmity.
Now this enmity is defcribed In the latter claufe of the
text, by an antipathy, fo to call it, or not compliance with
the law of God ; It is not fubjed to the law of God, neither
can It be, to wit, while It remains fuch. There is an abfo
lute Impoffibillty In it, to fuit with the law of God, and
confequently, with God himfelf. The reafon lies in their
oppofite qualities, God is fpiritual and holy, and fo is the
law, as our apoftle hath it in the preceding chapter ; and
the oppofitlon he there makes, betwixt his unregenerate
part and the law, is wholly true of the unregenerate man.
The law Is holy, fays he, ver, 12. and ver. 14. // Is fpiri
tual ; to which too he oppofes, but I am carnal, fold under
fm. Where are now thofe that fo vilify grace and magnify
nature ? or, ffiall I rather fay, nuflify grace, and deify
nature ? Here Is the beft eulogy the Apoftle will beftow
upon the beft of natures, enmity agalnfl God. Nay, all the
fparkles of virtue and moral goodnefs in civil men, and
ancient heathens, is no better ; befides many other things,
to be faid to the virtues of thofe philofophers, as ignorance
of Chrift, by whom alone this enmity Is removed.
I ffiould eafily confefs, nor (I think) can any deny it,
but that there is In the very ruins of our nature, fome
charader left of a tendency to God, as our chief and only
fatisfylng good, which we may call a kind of love, and
when we hear him fpoken of, find it flutter and ftir ; and
hence men fo abhor the imputation of hating God, and
being enemies. Yet this Is fo fmothered under fenfuality
and fleffi, that until we be made fpiritual, nothing appears,
but pradical, and, as they call it, Interpretative enmity.
There is one thing ftains them enough, they were all,
as that father fpeaks, animalia gloria, they aimed not in
P

114 SERMON IX.
their ftudy of virtue at God's glory, but at their own ;
and is not that quarrel enough, and matter of enmity?
fays not he. My glory I will not give unto another ?
But that Is moft ufeful for you, to convince you of
that too good conceit men have of their natural condition.
You would take It hardly, the moft profane of you afl, if
any ffiould come to you, in particular, and tell you, you
are an enemy to God ; but I anfwer, there Is none of you,
if you believe the Scriptures, but will confefs that afl men
are naturally fuch ; and therefore, except we find in our
felves a notable alteration from the condition of nature,
we muft take with it, that we are enemies, yea, enmity to
God : of ftrangers, to become acquainted with him, yea,
which Is more, of enemies to become friends, is a greater
and more remarkable change, than to be incident to a man
without any evidence and fign of it, I know there Is
very great variety in the way and manner of converfion ;
and to fome, efpecially If it be in their tender years, grace.
may be inftllled, and dropt in, as it were, Infenfibly, But
this I may confidently fay, that whatfoever be the way of
working it, there will be a wide and apparent difference
betwixt friendffiip with God, and the condition of nature,
which is enmity againft him. Do not flatter yourfelves,
fo long as your minds remain carnal, ardent in love to the
world, and cold In love to God, lovers of pleafures more
than of God, (as the Apoflle fpeaks) you are his enemies,
for with him there is no neutrahty. That which they fay,
taxing it as a weaknefs in the fex, Aut amat, aut odit,.
nihil efl^ tertium, is In this cafe neceffarily true of afl.
And this Is God's peculiar, that he can judge infallibly of
the Infide. Thofe ffiadows of friendffiip men ufe one
with another, will not pafs with hira. Deceived he can
not be, but men may eafily, and alas ! too many do de
ceive themfelves In this matter to their own ruin.
We may learn hence, how deep fin goes in our natwe,
and confequently, that the cure and remedy of It muft go
as deep ; that all the parts of our bodies, and powers of
our fouls are polluted originally, our very }nind and con
fclence, as the Apoftle fpeaks, for It is Imraerfed In fleffi,
and Inflaved to fleffi naturally; and therefore goes under
its name, we are become all flefli ; that is the fpring of

SERMON IX. 115
our mifchiefs ; we have loft our likenefs with our Father,
the Father of fpirits, the pureft and moft fpiritual fpirit,
till renewed by participation of his Spirit on our fleffi.
And it is the error, not only of natural men, but fome
what of the godly too, that in felf-reformatlon they fet
themfelves againft adual fin, but they lay not the axe to
the root of the tree, this root of bitternefs, this our Inbred
and natural enmity againft God ; and till this be done,
the lopping off of fome branches wfll do no good, while
the root is in vigour thofe wfll grow again, and poffibly,
fafter than before. Bewail every known ad of fin, as
much as you can, for the leaft of them deferves It : But
withal, let the confideration of them lead you Into thoughts
of this feed of rebellion, the wickednefs of our nature,
that takes life with us in the womb, and fprings and grows
up with us, and this will humble us exceedingly, and raife
our godly forrow to a higher tide. We find David taketh
this courfe, Pfal. li. 5. where he is lamenting his particu
lar fin of adultery and murder, it leads him to the finful
nefs of his nature, / was fhapen in iniquity, and in fin did
my mother conceive me, or, warm me ; which he mentlonsj
not to extenuate and diminiffi his fin ; no, he is there very
far from that ftrain, but adds it as a main aggravation. In
deed, the power of original fin, In the regenerate. Is laid
very low, yet not altogether extlnd, which they find often
to their grief, and makes them cry out with our Apoftle,
in the former chapter, 0 wretched man that I am, wh6
fhall deliver me from this body of death. The converted
are already delivered (as he adds) frora the dominion of
it, but not from the moleftation and trouble of it. Though
it is not a quiet and uncontrolled mafter, as it was before,
yet it is in the houfe ftill as an unruly fervant or flave, ever
vexing and annoying them : And this body of death they
ffiall have ftill caufe to bewail, till death releafe them.
This leprofy hath taken fo deep In the walls of this houfe,
that it cannot perfedly be cleanfed till it be taken down ;
and it is this, more than any other forrows or afflidions of
life, that makes the godly man not only content to die,
but defirous, longing, with our Apoftle, to be diffolved, and
be with Chrifl, which is far better.
As this teaches us the mifery of man's nature, fo it fets
P 2

116 Sermon ix.
off and commends exceedingly the riches of God's grSce.
Are men naturally his enemies ? "Why then, admire his
patience and bounty a httle, and then we will fpeak of his
faving grace. Could not he very eafily eafe himfelf of his
adverfarles ? as he fays by the prophet. Wants he power
in his right hand to find out and cut off all his enemies ?
Surely no, not only he hath power to deftroy them all in
a moment, but the very withdrawing of his hand, that up-
holds their being (though they confider It not) would make
them fall to nothing. Yet is he pleafed not only to fpare
tranfgreffors, but to give them many outvsrard bleffings,
Rain and fruitful feafons , as the Apoftle fpeaks. Ads xiv.
And the earth that Is fo full of man's rebellion, is yet more
full of his goodnefs : The earth Is full of thy goodnefs. It
is remarkable, that that fame reafon which is given. Gen,
vi. 5. of the juftice of God in drowning the world, is,
chap, vin. 21, rendered as the reafon of God's refolved
patience ever fince. Then
His grace, in finding a way of reconcilement, and not
fparing his own Son, his only begotten Son, to accomplilh
it. Nor did he fpare himfelf, O matchlefs love ! to lay
down his Hfe, not for friends but for ftrangers ! Not only
fo, but enemies, for unrighteous and ungodly perfons,
fuch as be at enmity againft him, Rom, v. 7, 8. &c. And
having done this, he fends his word, the meffage of recon-
cfllatlon, to rebels, and fends his Spirit into the hearts of
thefe whom he hath appointed to falvatlon, to change their
fpirits, that they perifh not In difobedience; he brings
ihem near that were afar off, having flain this enmity by
the death of his Son,
As many of you then, as have hitherto heard this mef
fage of reconcilement in vain, be perfuaded at laft to give
ear to it. This Is all that God's ambaffadors require, ac
cording to their Inftrudions from himfelf, " That men
would lay down that enmity againft him, and not be fo
fooliffi as wilfully to perlffi In it," 2 Cor, v, 20,
Confider that this enmity Is, ift, Unjuft. 2dly, Unhappy,
Unjuft it is, being againft him who Is the chief objed of
love, who is altogether goodnefs, both in himfelf and to
wards his creatures : It is too much not to love him with
moft ardent and fuperlatlye affedion ; but to entertain en-

sermon IX. 117
mity againft him. Is madnefs : As he faid to one who aflved,
Why are the beautiful loved ? It is a blind man's quefllon.
Certainly we are blind, If we fee not caufe enough, not
only to defift from enmity, bul to be inflamed with his
love. One glance of his amiable countenance is fufficient
to caufe the moft rebellious heart to yield, and lay down
arms, and for ever devote themfelves to his fervice. No,
we know him not, and therefore it is we hold out againft
him : Is he not the living fpring of all our comforts ?
Have we not from him hfe and breath, and all things ?
And is he not ready to forgive iniquity, tranfgreffton and
Jin? Let mercy melt our hearts to him, thofe fweet rays
of love. Let his loving kindnefs overcome thefe ftubborn
hearts or fpirits of ours. Among enemies, the weaker
ufually feeks firft for peace, but here the mighty ; almigh
ty God comes to intreat agreement with finful clay.
But if this prevail not, then think how unhappy this
enmity Is. You that are fo afraid of men, and thefe,
weak men, of men like yourfelves, whofe breath Is In their
noftrlls, will ye not tremble at his power, and be afraid to
continue In terms of hoftility againft him who is the Lord
of hofts, who hath power of the foul and body both, to
kill both and caft them Into hell ? What Is the ftouteft of
men, but as ftubble to the flame of his wrath ? Our God Is
a confumlng fire. The finners in Zion are afraid (fays the
Prophet;) who ff all dwell, fay they, with devouring fire
and everlafllng burnings ? Then If you would not perlffi,
when his wrath Is kindled, take that word of Eliphaz,
Job xxii. 21. Acquaint now thyfelf with him, and he at
peace, thereby good ff all come unto thee.
And to you, lo many as he hath taken into friendffiip
with himfelf, look backward to the gulf you have efcaped,
and forward to the happinefs you are appointed to, and
let the joint confideration of both awaken your hearts and
tongues to praifes. How can your hearts contain fuch a
wonder of love, as he hath manifefted to you, and not run
over In fongs and praife ?
And as you owe him praifes, fo ftudy, being made his
friends, to become more Hke him : That fame idem velle
et idem nolle, to love and hate the fame things with him,
will be a fure teftlmony of friendffiip. And becaufe car-

118 SERMON X.
nallty, or fleffily and earthly mindednefs is here made the
charader of enmity, mortify thefe affedlons, nail them to
that crofs of Chrift, whereby the enmity was taken away.
And further, being once admitted into friendffiip, labour
for a further degree of Intimacy withihim, and forbear
every thing that may hinder that : Ufe frequent converfe
with him, for that both entertains and Increafes friendffiip.
If any thing fall out on your part (as it too often does)
that may occafion any ftrangenefs betwixt you and your
God, reft not till it be removed. And if you walk in this
way, it ffiafl undoubtedly, at length, bring you where you
ffiall abide in his prefence for ever, and ffiall no more fear
any breach or interruption of enjoying him. To him be
praife. Amen.

SERMON X.

Romans xiii, .5, 6, 7, 8.
Wherefore ye mufl needs be fubjed, not only for wrath, but
alfo for confclence fake, he.
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another, he.
THE wifdom and goodnefs of God, that ffiines in the
natural order and dependence of things In the frame
of the. great world, appears likewife, and commends Itfelf
to us, in the civil order he hath inftituted In the focietles of
men, the leffer world. As out of the fame mafs he made
the heaven and the earth, and the other elements betwixt
them, one higher than another, and gave them different
'ftatlons and qualities, yet fo different as to be linked and
concatenated together, concordla dlfordla, and all for the
concern and benefit of the whole. Thus for the good of
men, hath the Lord affigned thefe different ftatlons of rule
and fubjedion, though all of one race. Ads xvn. ralfing
from among men fome above the reft ; and clothed them
with fuch authority, as hath fome reprefentment of himfelf,
and accordingly communicating to them his own name,

sermon X. 119
/ have faid, you are gods. And the very power that is In
magiftracy to curb and puniffi thefe that defpife it, the
Apoftle ufeth as a ftrong and hard cord to bind on the
duty of obedience, a cord of neceflity. But he adds ano
ther of a higher neceffity, that binds more ftrongly and yet
more fweetly, that of confclence : Wherefore ye mufl needs
be fubjed not only for wrath, but alfo for confclence fake.
Obferve 1 . This is the main confideration that clofes the
difcourfe, the great cord that binds on and faftens all the
reft ; all the arguments foregoing therefore, are mainly
here to be prefTed. " Have a reverent and confclenllous
refped to the ordinance of God in the Inftitutlon of go
vernment, and to the providence of God in his choice of
thofe particular perfons whom he calls to it. Contain thy
felf in thy own ftation, and fubmit to thofe fet higher by
the Lord, in obedlatce to hira." This indeed is tbe only
true fpring of all obedience, both to God and to men, for
him, and according to his ordinance. To regulate the out
ward carriage, without the living principle of an enhghten
ed and fandlfied confclence within. Is to build without a
foundation. This is the thing God eyes moft, he looks
through the furface of mens adions to the bottom, follows
them into their fource, examines from what perfuafives
and reafons they flow ; he fees not only the handle of the
dial, but all the wheels and weights of the clock that are
tbe caufe of Its motion, and accordingly judges both men
and their adions to be good or evil as the inward frame
and fecret motions of the heart are in his own worffiip.
The outfide of It may have the fame vifage and plaufible
appearance in a multitude convened to It, and concurring
in it, and no. human eye can trace a difference, and yet,
oh ! what vaft difference doth God's eye difcover amongft
them. He fees the multitude of thefe that are driven to
his houfe, by the power of civil and church laws, or carri
ed to it only with the ftream of company and cuftom, and
thofe I fancy take up the moft room in our churches. But
he fees here and there, where fuch are In any corner that
worffiip him in finglenefs of heart, out of confclence to his
holy command, and of their many obligations, that dare
not let pafs any opportunity they can reach of doing fer
vice to their Lord, and that dare not flight his word. And

120 SERMON X.
thus coming for confclence fake, they do prefent their fouls
to receive his word, give their hearts up to receive the Im
preffion of it, put themfelves under It, to be ftampt by It
according to that Rom, vi. 17. But ye have obeyed from the
heart that form of dodrlne which was delivered you. So
likewife he fees thofe that bear his name to his people, the
minifters of his word. If they preach conftantly and live
blamelefly, and are diligent and irreprovable In all the ex
ternal parts of their walking ; this laft fatlsfies mens quef
tions In their infpedion and vifitlngs : But God's enquiry
and vifiting fearches deeper ; he afks from what heart all
this comes, if from a holy confclence of the weight and
high importance of their holy calling, and a faithful ref
ped to the Intereft of their mafter's glory and his peoples
fouls. And thus, he, as fupreme judge, fits and confiders
the proceedings of judges and magiftrates, not only whether
they do that which is juft ; for often they cannot, eafily
or fafely, do otherwife ; but whether they do It with re
gard to him, or not, that is, whether they judge righte-
oufly, for confclence fake, or not ; whether they do con
fider him, as fitting above them, when they fit down upon
the bench or feat of juftice, and do indeed, X.Y\i\j fpeak rlgh
teoufnefs, Pfal, IvHI. Or If In heart they work wickednefs,
if they have any. corrupt end, or hearts that are not ftraight,
he fits on their heart and judges It. Or If this be done ei
ther for bafe gain, or vain glory, or by compulfion, or out-
ward neceffity, or danger of cenfure ; or if it be this latter,
an Inward neceffity of confclence, which makes a true
willlngnefs. Thus people, if they obey for wrath, which is, for fear
of the magiftrates fword, more than for confclence 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 magiftrates, and others, have in
this nation embraced the reformation, not at all for con
fclence fake, but only for wrath, fear of laws and autho
rity. But although we are not able to follow forth this
fearch to the full, that being the Lord's own prerogative ;
yet, truly, where it is evident to us, that there is nothing
of confclence, though In civil things, it may pafs, yet in
things that are peculiarly matters of confclence in religion,

SERMON X. 121
men ought to be fomewhat wary, according to the utmoft
of due difcerning, and are poffibly fomewhat to blame In
promifcuous admitting of fuch, whofe carriage, yea, whofe
profeffion and religion fpeaks aloud, ihat their compliance
was wholly conftrained obedience, only for wrath, and not
for confclence.
If civil authority Is to be obeyed moft for confclence ;
then church authority, that is more fymbolical with con
fclence, and hath nearer reference to it, ought to aim moft
at that. Convidion and converfion is our work, and not
conftraint, to bring people both by the word, and by a
way of difcipHne, fuiting and backing it, to a fenfe of fin,
and fpiritual thoughts of God and his holy law, that they
may be fubjed more for confclence than for wrath.
And ye people, labour more to find the adings of that
holy fear of God, and confclence of his will. In all your
ways ; ftudy to have an inward light, a pradical fandify
ing light, direding you, and be not merely held in as beafts,
by the authority and laws of men, but learn to know, and
be fenfible of the fovereign authority of the moft high God
and his law, and to have refped unto all his command
ments. If this were once done, how regular a motion
would it keep amongft all fuperiors and inferiors of all
forts. In families and ftates, the one commanding, the other
obeying in God ? It would be as fweet mufic in the cele
ftiai quire of their Hves and affairs. Right informing, and
right moving confciences, would be as continual teachers
within, direding all in obedience, and would make It both
more conftant, fweet and pleafant, as natural motion ;
whereas, it is grievous and violent, that is from wrath or
outward power, and therefore lafts not : As the Ifraelites
worffiipped God aright while their good judges Hved, and
run after idols when they were removed.
Again : This fame obedience for confclence ennobles
and fublimates mens adions, even in civil things, makes
them have fomewhat divine, turns all into facrifice to God,
when all is done for God ; even fervants and children
obeying mafters and parents ; fubjeds magiftrates, for his
commands fake : And ftill thinking. In the whole courfe
of their regular due carriage. In their very calHngs ;
" This I do for God ; my ordinary labour and worHs,
P

122 SERMON X.
and my juft obedience to men I offer up to him." This is
the philofopher's ftone, that turns adions of lower metal
into gold ; I fet the Lord always before me, Pfal. xvi.
Obf 2. Kings, and other powers ofthe world, who are
the enemies, and fometimes the enraged perfeculors of our
holy religion, miftake their quarrel, and are very wrong.
fully mifprejudlced againft it, and upon that falfe fuppofi-
tion do hate and oppofe It, fufpeding It as an enemy to
their dignity and authority ; whereas there is nothing that
doth fo much affert their juft power as religion doth, CivU
laws may tie the hands and tongue to their obedience, but
religion binds all due fubjedion to them upon the very
confciences of their people. Therefore they are both In
grate and unwife, in ufing their power againft religion,
which It fo much ftrengthens. Their power ffiouldftrength-
en it, both by way of due return, to correfpond with it In
that, and even for Its own intereft, receiving a n6w efta-
bHffiinent to itfelf by eftabflffilng religion. Even that maf
ter of Irreligious policy confeffes * that the profeffion of
religion Is a friend to authority ; but if the ffiadow of it do
any thing that way, we fee, contrary to his profane fuppo-
fition, the fubftance and truth of It doth It much more,
Obf. 3, If for confcience fake, fubjedion; then fure in
nothing againft the true rule of confcience, and prime ob
jed of confclence, the authority and law of God. That is
the firft and higheft, and the perpetual, unalterable en
gagement to him, binding kings and fubjeds, high and low.
And if they leave their ftation, we ought to keep ours ftifl
in a ftraight fubjedion to God, For the extent of friend
ffiip, and all other relations, and of all fubjedion and obe
dience, is to be ruled and bounded, ufque ad aras. Glvi
to C^far the things that are Csefar's, but nothing of God's ;
neither ours to give, nor his to receive,
^ For, for this caufe pay you tribute alfo. This the Apoftle
gives as a fign of that conf effed right that magiftrates have
to the fubjedion and obedience of the people, that in all na
tions this homage and acknowledgment is due to them,
tribute paid : "Which it may be he the rather mentions,
becaufe fome queftion might be, what might Chriftians do
concerning this. However this, according to the confti-
* Matchiaveli.

SERMON X. 123
tulion of feveral places, he takes as granted, to be not ori-
ly lawful, but due to be rendered. Here we are not to
infift on the fcanning of this ; but certainly as the power
of a magiftrate is not in this, nor In any other thing, abfo
lute and unbounded, fo the legal and juft paying of tribute
and other revenues by the people, argues their engagement
to thefe fet over them, and Is not as wages to a mercenary
fervant, but an honorary due to their place and calling,
who are the miniflers of God in civil government. So alfo
convenient, yet liberal maintenance to the minifters of
God's own houfe is their right, yet not to enrich them ;
nor yet ought It to be given grudgingly, as undue ; or
fupercflioufly, as to fervants; but with. the chearfulnefs
and refped agreeable to the Lord's fervants, watching for
their fouls.
All tribute and obedience ftill relates to this, and is
grounded on it, the Lord's inftitutlon of power and go
vernment, for the good of men. Though it fometimes
prove otherwife in the exercife of it, yet the ordinance is
pure, and moft wifely fuited to its end, from which the
fin and corruption of men turns It but too often ; fo that
one man rules over another to his hurt, to the hurt of both
the ruler himfelf and of the ruled, Eccl. viH. 9. There is a
time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt ;
each proving a fcourge to the other, in the juft judgment
of God upon both for their iniquities, making a fire from
Abimelech to devour the men of Shechem, and the men
of Shechem deal treacheroufly with Abimelech, Judg. ix.
20, Yet ftill the thing itfelf remains good. Many (kil-
ful phyficians may kill inftead of curing, yet It is but a
caprice to decry all remedies, and the ufe of things medi
cinal, that the God of nature hath furniffied for that ufe.
Men may, and alas ! moft do prejudice their own health,
by either intemperate, or fome way irregular diet, yet this
makes nothing againft the continual neceflity and ufe of
food, nor can diffuade any from ufing it. Thus the abu
fes of authority infringe not this, that magiftrates are a
public good, yea, the unjuft better than none, tyranny bet
ter than anarchy ; there Is fome juftice done In the moft
unjuft government.
But thus they that are exalted to rule, ought to confi-
Q 2

124 SERMON X.
der who raifed them, and for what they are raifed, and fo
faithfully to do juftice. They are raifed high, as the ftars
are fet in their orbs for influence and the good ofthe infe
rior world, and as the rnountains which rife above the
vallies, not to be places of prey and ruin, but by the ftreams
they fend out to refrefli them. So from magiftratesy«J^.
ment ought to run down as water, and jufllce as a mighty
flream. They ought to confider themfelves as minifters,
though called magiftrates with relation to the people, yet
minifters in relation to God, ^E'TBfyoi ^fSand the people's in
him,' as the word ^^t^'p, imports, being conftant labour
ers for their good. Even as the fun Is a minifter, God's
minifter of heat and light to the earth. Would they look
up thus to God, It would make them look down on their
inferiors, not with the ill afped of pride and cruelty, but
the benign looks of good will, fidelity and vigilancy, for
their welfare, knowing that they are appointed for this very
ufe in the world ; not referring to that which Is neareft
here, and neareft themfelves, the receiving of tribute, but
the remoteft good, which Is the chief for which their tri
bute and themfelves are appointed, the puniffiing of the
wicked, and eiicouragement of the good.
Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute,
he. The Apoftle enlarges his exhortation to the general
rule of equity. The hurable, upright mind wfll willingly
fuit with this, and pay refped to men, in obedience lo
God, and therefore primarily to him, which the moft ne
gled. Honour and fear are due to him as to our father
and mafter, and yet where is it to be found ? If I be a Fa
ther where Is mine honour ? and If I be a Maflei where is
my fear ? he. Mai. I. The tribute of praife and glory In
all thefe Is due, and ought not to be purloined, nor any
part detained, but how few are faithful In this ? Muchun-
cuftomed goods pafs among our hands in the courfe of
our lives, many .things wherein we 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 quieteft conveyance, and
all will be forfeited. We ffiall certainly lofe, all, if afl
glory return not to him. All that we have, and are, ffiould
we daily and heartily offer up to him, from whpra we have
hfe and breath, and all things.

SERMON X. 125
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another, he. That
which the Apoftle fet before himfelf, as his own ftudy and
exercife, Adts xxiv. he doth in the latter part of this epif
tle fet forth at large, as ihe duty of every Chriftian, to keep
a confidence void of off ence towards God and men. And hav
ing in the former part of it, treated amply and excellently
of the dodrlne of Chriftians faith and falvatlon, and af-
cended to its higheft caufe, he defcends from thence to
give the rules of a Chriftian life. And he reduces them
to thofe two, 1. To give the Lord his due, which Is, our
felves entire ; our bodies ought lo be a living facrifice,
chap. xii. 1. and that they are not without the foul. And
it is love In the foul that offers up this whole burnt offer
ing to God, the fire that makes it afcend. 2. Towards
men likewife, love is all, of which in many feveral ads of
it, he fpake likewife in the former chapter, ver. 9. &c.
And having Inferted an exhortation to fubjedion to human
authority, as a divine inftitutlon, he now returns to that
main comprehenfive and univerfal duty of love, and paffes
fitly from the mention of other particular dues to fuperi
ors, to this, as the general due or ftanding debt, all men
owe one to another. So, I conceive, this Is not intended
for the further preffing of that particular duty of fubjedion,
by reducing it (feeming hard in itfelf) to the fweet and
pleafant rule, or law of love, but that he paffes wholly
from that particular to this common duty, fo as that is'not
excluded but comprehended here with the reft, though
not efpecially aimed at ; but a Httle rivulet running a while
in its own channel, in the foregoing difcourfe, falls here
in again to the main current ofthe dodrlne of love, begun
in the former chapter. And here he chufes, adapting it
to the ftrain of the difcourfes immediately foregoing it, to
exprefs this under the notion of a debt, Owe nothing, but
love. 1. Let other debt be removed : Owe nothing. That is,
" be not willing to continue debtors of any thing to any,
by undue retaining of fuch things, which being paid are
not owing."
2. " This is a conftant debt, that you muft ftfll pay,
and yet, ftfll owe, love ;" and the reafon added, is moft
enforcing, that we be wiUing and continue, both prayers.

126 SERMON X.
and yet debtors of it. The duenefs of it appears In this,
that the law requires it ; and the compleatnefs of It, that
it is all the law requires. Love is the fulfilling of the law,
which is amplified in the two fubfequent verfes.
This is moft fully true, take love fully as It looks on Its
full objed, God and man ; and fo it Is the fulfilling ofthe
whole law that relates to thofe two in its two tables.
Take it particularly as ading towards men, (as here it is)
and fo It fulfils that part of the law, that whole table that
refpeds man. The moft of thofe commandments are ex
prefly here fet down, and the omiffion of one is fully fup-
plied by that additament. If there be any other. Then a-
gain. It is cleared by the common aim and refult of them
all, to keep our neighbour undamaged, and that, love
doth moft furely and fully; therefore fulfils all. That
negative, work no ill, anfwers the ftrain of all the com
mandments, which Is to defend our neighbours from our
111, being moft of them fuch, and all of them fuch that are
here fpecified, yet both they, and this fum of them. Involv
ing the contrary, working of all poffible good to our
neighbour, in which ftill love fuits It, nothing being both
more averfe from wrong, and more adive in good, than
love, as the fame apoftle hath It, 1 Cor. xHI. Befides
that, it cannot do, no, not fo much as think evil, it Is na
turally carried to bounty and kindnefs, and cannot ceafe
from doing good, a plant that Is fruitful all the year long.
The Apoftle hath very good authority for this abridg
ment of the law ; our Saviour himfelf, Matth, xxii, 40.
And he tastes It out of the books of the law themfelves,
and certifies us, that It Is the fubftance and fum both of
law and prophets. Were this love abfolutely perfed,
the fulfilHng of the law would be fo too ; and where it Is
fincere, as the Apoftle requires It, there Is a fincere and
evangelical obedience, or fulfilling of the law.
In the text confider, (1.) The largenefs of its objed.
(2.) The largenefs of its ading. (3.) The height of its
true original.
1. So far as thou canft acquit thyfelf, owe nothing elfe
to any but love, owe that to all : Not alike famfliar con
verfe neceffary to all, nor alike meafure of beneficence,
nor alike degree of love, but yet love alike fijicere and

SERMON X. 127
real to all : not either a falfe, or an empty fair carriage,
but holy Chriftian love, love rocited in thy heart, and
fpringing up In thy adions, even towards all men, as thy
opportunity and abflity ferves thee, and their condition
requires of thee : not hating nor defpifing any for their
poverty in eftate, or deformity of body, or defeds of
mind, nor for that which works moft on men. Injuries
done to thyfelf; all they can do cannot give thee an ac
quittance, or free thee of this debt of love, for thou art
bound to another. This is the rule of Jefus Chrift, and
the badge of Chriftians, to love their very enemies ; but
this, oh ! how rare ? how few attain It ? yea, how few en
deavour it ? On the contrary. It is by many given over
as a defperate Impoffible bufinefs, they judging of It not
according to that Spirit of Chrift that is his, but accord
ing to the corrupt rancour and bitternefs of their own na
tural perverfe fpirits. Yea, and too many difdain it as a
poornefs and ffieepiffinefs of fpirit to fuffer and forgive.
Be it fo, yet is it fuch a ffieepiffinefs as makes a man like
Jefus Chrift, who as affeep before the ff ear ers is dumb,fo
he opened not his mouth, when his heart within was com
paffionate towards them, as appeared, when he opened it
concerning them. Father forgive them, for they know not
what they do. This Is true greatnefs of fpirit to partake of
his, that is, the higheft and beft of fpirits, and is the fpirit
of meeknefs and love. How much Is this above the com
mon fpirit of the world ? Truly, bafe and poor. Is that
which is difcompofed and put out of frame with every
touch, whereas this Is mighty, and triumphs indeed over
all provocations and injuries,
2, Let us confider the largenefs of Its ading ; it goes
through the law, fulfils It all. That command that is firft
in the fecond table, that is not here expreffed, is it not love
that makes all concerned in It, to fulfil it ? that produceth
mildnefs and moderation In fuperiors, and falthfulnefs and
wilHng obedience in Inferiors ; makes both authority and
fubjedion fv/eet and eafy, where love commands and love
obeys. And for the next. Thou ffalt not kill, doth not
love (as the fun beams) put out the fire by its divine heat,
eat out the earthly, yea, the infernal fire of mixed malice
or raffi anger, that burns naturally in the hearts of men ?

128 SERMON X;.
fuch anger Is cafled brutiffi, Ezek. xxi. 31. burning ot
brutifh (and on the contrary, Prov. xvii. 21. the ambiguity
Is happy, of an excellent or of a cool fpirit, for the cool
fpirit Is fo ; cool from bafe paffion, but burning truly whh
this love,) and then is by very fmall, and many times
merely imaginary caufes, fo eafily blown up, that It flames
forth into grofs murders, or at leaft fuch injuries and vio
lences, or contentions and revilings, as go in God's ac
count, and are writ down in his book, for murders. And
he doth not misjudge, nor mifname things, but they are
really what he accounts them. Love can generoiifly pafs
over thefe things, about which folly and pride makes fuch
a noife. Oh I can I bear this and that ? And thou
wouldeft, by fo faying, fpeak thy ftout heartednefs. Fool,
is this ftoutnefs and ftrength ? Is it not rather the greatefi
weaknefs to be able to bear nothing? Have not the
weaketl; perfons much of that kind of ftoutnefs and
ftrength, who are the fooneft moved and difquieted, wo
men and children, and fick or aged perfons ? but love,
Chriftian love to thy brother, makes the mind truly ftrong
and compofed, not eafily ftirred againft him for every
trifle ; nay, nor for greater matters. Love can endure
much, yea all things, fays the Apoftle, 1 Cor. xni. hath
ftrength to ftand under them, and ftand firm, whereas
bafe minds, void of love, break all to pieces under a very
fmall weight. Bears all, as the fupporters of a ftrong and
firm building ; or rather, as a houfe, covers all, for fo it
fignifies, doth not blaze abroad the fallings of men ; yea,
it hides much, covers a multitude of fins, not only frora
the eyes of others, but even from a man's own eyes,
makes him not behold and look on thofe things that might
provoke him. Yea, it is Ingenious and Inventive of the
falreft conftrudlons of things, to take them by the beft
fide, in the favourableft fenfe, and fo long as there Is any
agreeable way to Interpret any thing favourably, will not
have a hard thought of it, thinks no fll, as there it is.
Not only hath not adive evil thoughts of revenge, or re
turning evil, but willingly doth not judge 111 of what Is
done by others, and that might be fo looked on as to pro
voke, a ^cy/^ETai doth not reckon wrongs fo high as want
of charity moves the moft to do, fets them low, and, as a

SERMON X. 129
healthful conftitutlon, is fweet itfelf, and reliffies all things
right. There is more true pleafure, and content of mind,
in forgiving, than ever any man found in revenge. That
is but a ftveriffi delight that malice and anger hath
wrought, working perhaps greedily, but is Indeed a dif
temper. This love is the very root of peace and concord,
a humble grace, that is not lifted up and infolent, as the
word there is, and fo doth not breed jars about pundilios ;
efteems fo well of others, and fo meanly of Itfelf, that It
cannot well be croft by any. In .that matter of undervalu
ing. But vain fpirits are puft up with a little approbation,
and as eafily kindled up with any affront, or apprehended
difgrace. Love is not Hghtly put out of temper, as fickly
conftitutlons, a fit of a fever or ague, with any blaft or
wrong touch of diet, it Is of a ftronger digeftion, and
firmer health,'
Then for that, not commit adultery, all things of that
kind, though they fpring from a kind of love, yet not
from this love from above, but (as the Apoftle James dif-
tinguiffies wifdom) from the love that Is fenfual and de-
vfliffi. Love Is not the true name of It;, but bafe and bru
tiffi luft. And generally all profane focietles, and fortings
of men one with another, are moft contrary to this pure
love. The drunkards that are cup-friends, as they are
full of jars, and have no conftancy, but are unftable as that
wherein their friendffiip lies, their liquor, are a vfle defpi-
cable fociety, not, worthy ofjnen, much lefs of Chriftians.
This fin hath affinity with uncleannefs, and is ufually
ranked there. Right love to a tippler, Is not to fit 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 perfons we owe not a complacency or delight,
which is moft contrary to this love, but hating their fin
we owe them love, and the defiring and (as far as love
can) the procuring their converfion and falvatlon. Wick
ed converfe cannot confift with this love which is the
fulfilHng of the law, and a combination for the brealcing
of it, and the joining their ftrength together for that end.
Love rejoiceth not in iniquity, but in the truth, makes
not raen rejoice together in fin ; fo foul unclean affedlons,
and a fociety, in order to the gratifying them, is moft
R

130 SERMON X,
contrary to It. True love is moft tender of the chaftity
of oihers, and cannot abide an Impure thought In Itfelf.
So In notfleallng. Love would be loth to enrich or ad
vantage Itfelf, upon the damage of others In a:ny kind, it
doth moft faithfully and fingly feek the profit and profpe
rity of our neighbour, even as our own. And if this took
place, of how much ufe were it in the world ? but oh ! it
is rare. This }neum and tuum is the grand caufe of the ill
underftanding and difcords that are amongft men, when
it is not managed by this love but by felf-love.
And the tendering and preferving of the good name of '
our brethren, Is a proper and very jfemarkable fruit of
this love, which Is fo far from forging falfe defaming fto-
ries, that It will rather excufe,'if It may be done, or If not,
will pity the real fallings of men that tend to their re-
proach ; and on the contrary, will teach men to rejoice in
the good carriage and good efteem of their brethren as of
their own.
In the end, love works fuch a complacency in the gOod
of others, and fuch a contentation with our own eftate,
that it moft powerfylly baniffies that unruly humour of
coveting, which looks on the condition of others with
envy, and on our own with grudging and difcontent.
This law of love written within, doth not only redify
and order the hands and tongue, but the jealoufies, the
very ftirrings of the heart ; it correds the ufual diforder
of Its motion, and bars thofe uncharitable Inordinate
thoughts tha!t do fo abound and fwarm in carnal minds.
3. The original of this love is that other love which
correfponds to the other part, the firft and chief point of
the law, our duty towards God. Love to him is the fum
and fource of all obedience ; when the whole foul and
mmd Is poffeffed with that, then all is acceptable and fweet
that he commands ; firft, what he commands as immedi
ately referable to himfelf, and then, what is the rule of
our carriage to men, as being prefcribed and commanded
by him : for fo, and no otherwife, is this love the fulfil
ling of the law, when it flows from that firft love, love to
God, whofe law it is that commands this othei" love to
men. Some may have fomewhat hke It, by a mfldnefs
and ingenuity of nature, being inoffenfive and well-wiliing

SERMON X. JSl
towards all ; but then only doth it fulfil the law, when
out of regard to the law of God It obeys, and obeys out
of love to him whofe law It is. So then, the love of God
in the heart is the fpring of right and holy love to our
neighbour, both, (1.) Becaufe in obedience to him whom
we love foverelgnly, we wfll love others fincerely, becaufe
he will have it fo. That is reafon enough to the foul pof
feffed, and taken up with his love. . It loves nothing, how
lovely foever, but in him and for him, in order and fubor
dination to his love, and In refped to his will ; and it
loves any thing, how unlovely foever, taking it In that
contemplation. It loves not the deareft friend but in God,
and can love the hatefulleft enemy for him, Amicum In
Deo, et inimicum propter Deum, Aug. His love can beau
tify the moft unamiable, objed and make it lovely. He
faith of a worthlefs undeferving man, or thy moft unde-
fervlng enemy, " love him for my fake, becaufe it pleafes
me ;" that is reafon enough to one that loves him. (2.)
There is that dilating, fweetening virtue in love to God,
that it can ad no other way to men but as becomes love.
Bafe felf-love contrads the heart, and is the very root of
all fin, the chief wickednefs In our corrupt nature ; but
the love of God affimilates the foul to him, makes it di
vine; and therefore bountiful, full of love to all. So
thefe two contradid not, Love, the Lord with all thy heart,
and thy neighbour as thyfelf. " If all our love muft go to
God, what remains for our neighbour ?" Indeed all
muft go upwards, and be all placed on him, and from
thence It Is refounded and regulated downwards to men,
according to his will. But felf-love brings forth pride,
and cruelty, and covetoufnefs, and uncleannefs, and dif
dain of others, and ail fuch kind of monfters ;' fo it is the
main breaking of the law..
All that can be faid, wfll rwt perfuade men to this, till
the Lord by his love teach It and iniprefs It on the heart.
Knqw that this is the badge of Chrift's followers, and his
great rule and law given to them ; and If you wfll follow
him, that you may come to be where he is, then ftudy
this, that as our Lord Chrift loved us, fo alfo we ought
to love one another.
R 2

1-Sa SERMON Xl.

SERMON XI.

PREFACE.

GREAT and various are the evils that lodge within
the heart of raan. Hence proceed evil thoughts,
adulteries, raurders, and raany other mifchiefs, as our Sa-
viour fpecifies there ; they come forth apace, and yet the
heart is not emptied of them. But was this heart thus at
firfl:, when It came newly forlh of the hands of its maker ?
Surely, no : Man was made upright, but he found out
many inventions. Soon did the heart find the way to cor.
rupt itfelf; but to renew Itfelf, Is as Impoffible as to have
been the author of its own creation. Eafily could It de
face the precious charaders of God's image, but it paffes
the art of men and angels to reftore them. Only the Son
of God, who for that purpofe took on him our nature,
can make us, according to the Apoftle's phrafe, partakers
of the di%lne nature. It Is he alone that can baniffi thefe
unclean fpirits, and keep .poffeffion that they return no
more. Have not they made a happy change of guefts,
that have thofe infernal troops turned out of doors, and
the Ring of Glory fixing his abode within them I this is
the voice of the gofpel. Lift up your heads, ye gates, and be
ye lift up, ye everlafllng doors f that the King of Glory may
enter In, Pfal, xxiv. 7. But fmall Is the number of thofe
that open where this voice -is daily founded i Yea, fome
there are that grow worfe under the frequent preaching
of the word, as if fin were emulous, and, as Is faid of
virtue, would grow by oppofitlon. The truth is, too
many of us turn thefe ferious exercifes of religion Intp an
idle divertifement. Take heed that formahty, and cuftom,
and novelty, do not often help to fill up many rooms in
our church. It were indeed a breach of charity, to en
tertain the fulnefs of your affemblies with ill conftrudiof--;
no, it is to be commended. But would to God we ware

SERMON XI. -133
more careful to ffiew our religion in our lives, to ftudy to
know better the deceits and impoftures of our own hearts,
and to gain dafly raore vidory over our fecret and beft
beloved fins. Let our Intentions then be to meet with
Chrift here, and to adriilt him gladly to dwell and rule
within us. If he conquer our inward enemies, thofe with
out ffiall not be able to hurt us. If he dehver us from
our finful lufts, he will ftill our own diftruftful fears.
And that fuch raay be the fruits of our meeting, let us
turn ourfelves towards the throne of grace, with humble
prayer, in the name of Jefus Chrift the righteous,
Psal, lxxvi, 10.
Surely the wrath of, man ffall praife thee : the remainder
of wrath ffalt thou reflraln.
WHAT man is this (faid the paffengers In the ffilp)
that even the winds and the fea obey him ? Chrifl
fuddenly turns a great tempeft into a greater calm, Matth.
vHI, 27, Surely thofe are no ordinary words of com
mand, that fwelling waves and boifterous winds, in the
midft of their rage, are forced to hear, and taught to un
derftand and obey them. Therefore the holding of the
feas In the hollow of his hand, the bridling of the wind,
and riding upon the wings of it, we find peculiarly attri
buted to the Almighty. But no lefs. If not more wonder
ful is another of his prerogatives, to wit, his foverelgnty
over all raankind, over the divers and ftrange motions of
the heart of man. Admirable is It to govern thofe, both
in refped of their multitude and Irregularity, Confider
we what mflllons of men dwell at once upon the face of
the earth ; and again, what troops of feveral Iraaginations
wfll pafs through the fancy of any one man, within the
compafs 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 wil
lingly obedient, were they tradable and eafily curbed, it
were more eafy for us to conceive how they might be go
verned. But to bound and over-rule the unruly hearts
of men, the moft of whom continually are either plotting

134 SERMON XI.
or ading rebellion againft their Lord, to make them all
concur and meet at laft in one end, cannot be done but
by a power and a wifdom that are both infinite. That
God (whofe narae we often mention, but feldom think on
his excellency) Is alone the abfolute monarch* of mens
hearts, and the ruler of afl their motions. He hath them
hmited while they feem moft free, and works his own
glory out of their attempts, while they ftrive moft to diffio
nour him. Surely the wrath of man ffall praife thee, he.
The pfalm is made up of thefe two different forts of
thoughts, the one arifing out of particular experience, and
the other out of a general dodrlne. Thefe drawn from
experience are fet down in the verfes preceding the text,
and in It. With thofe that follow Is the dodrlne, whh a
duty annexed to It ; which two are faith's main fupport
ers. Bypaft particulars verify the dodrlne, and the gene
rality of the dodrlne ferves to explain the particular expe
riences to all wife obfervers. There Is not a treafure of
the merits of faints in the church, (as fome dream) but
there is a treafure of the precious experiences of the faints,
which every believer hath right to make ufe of ; and thefe
we ffiould be verfed in, that we may have them in readi
nefs at hand, in time of need, and know how to ufe them,
both to draw comfort from them to ourfelves, and argu
ments to ufe with God.
The words contain clearly two propofitlons, both of
them concerning the wrath of man. The former halh the
event ofit. Surely the wrath of man ffall praife thee: Th6
latter, the hmitation of it, The remainder of wrath thou wilt
reflraln. That the virtues and graces of men do praife the Lord, _
all men eafily underftand, for they flow from him, his
image and fuperfcrlpdon Is upon them, and. therefore no
wonder If of theni he has from them a tribute of glory.
Who knows not that faith praifes him ? Abraham believed
and gave glory to God. Good works, the fruits of faith,
praife him too, Herein is your heavenly Father glorified {hy^
our Saviour) that you bring forth much fruit. But that
the inordinate wrath of man ffiould praife him, may feem
fomewhat ftrange. Were it God's own wrath, (as wrath
is attributed to him in fcripture) that might praife him, icx

SERMON XI. 135
it is always moft juft ; or were it a due and moderate an
ger of man, upon juft caufe, that were fit for pralfing him
too. In defpite of the ftoics. But that wicked and dif-
ordered wrath, (which Is undoubtedly here meant) that
the wrath of men, that is both uncomely and diffionour
able for themfelves, (though they think otherwife) that
even fuch a wrath ffiould honour God, and praife him, ar
gues well that he halh good right to praifes, when every
thing, .even things that feem contrary to his nature, as well
as to his law, do pay them to him : And that he hath great
power and wifdom who obtains what is due to him, even
from thofe perfons and things, that of themfelves are moft
unwilHng and unfit to pay it. This Is the excellent flcill
of his wifdom, to draw thdt which ffiall go Into the mak
ing, up of the precious compofition of his praife out of this
polfon, for fo the word, here ufed for wrathful heat, dolh
fometimes fignify. And this wrath often proves fo, a
deadly poifon both to thofe it is Incenfed againft, and to
the very breaft that breeds it, and wherein it is kindled.
But for the clearer underftanding of this, I conceive It
will be requifite to confider more diftlndly: (1.) What
this Wrath of man is. (2.) How it dan praife God. And
laftly. The infallibility of this event, Surely the wrath of
man ffall praife thee.
In the 148th Pfalm, where David fumraons the creatures
to raeet in that fong of praife, to keep that full confort, he
calls not only the heavens, and the inhabitants ofit, angels
and lights, but thefe ofthe lower' world to bear their part
in it ; and not only men, beafts, cattle, creeping things,
and the flying fowl, but thefe creatures that do moft re
ferable this wrath here fpoken of, fire, ftormy tempeft, and
dragons, he. The tenor of the pfalm dolh ffiew, that by
the wrath of man Is to be underftood " the undue rage
of evil and ungodly raen againft thofe whom God owns
for his people." The word here ufed fignifies a hot or in
flaming wrath ; and indeed fuch is the feveriffi diftemper
ed anger ofthe church's enemies. And as too miich heat
is an eneray to folid reafon, this hot wrath of theirs makes
ihem Incapable of wife deliberation in themfelves, and in
flexible to the good advice of others. It Is true, they take
counfel how to execute their wrath, as we ffiall hear anon,

136 SERMON XI.
but they take ho counfel that may cool it. Anger defcrib
ed by Its material caufe. Is called a boiling of the blood
about the heart ; but this arlfeth from the apprehenfion of
fomething offenfive, kindling a defire of revenge. Now It
is a wonder what the powers of the world find In Chrift
and his harmlefs flock that can Incenfe them, St, James
fays of the tongue, that it is fet on fire of hell. The fame
is the original of this wrath. Why doth the heathen rage ?
faith the Pfalmift, That is, not only to what pujpofe ? in
timating that it is a fruitlefs rage, and void of fuccefs, in
regard of God's power. But why ? that Is, upon what
occafion ? checking the rage as groundlefs and without
caufe, in regard of Chrift and his church's Innocency. The
caufe is only within themfelves, to wit, that unhappy anti
pathy of the ferpent's feed againft the feed of the wonym.
Thus this wrath of man Is the caufelefs, raallcious enmity
of the wicked againft the church of God. And under
the narae of this paffion I take to be here comprifed like-
wife all the attendants of It, all their crafty complotments
and devices for the ading of their wrath. . As there is
mention of the nation's rage againft Chrift, in the 2d
pfalra, fo likewife of the confultations of thofe that are of
quality fit for it. The rulers take co'unfel together. Further,
this wrath is not barely their Inward fire, f)ut the vent of
it flames into cruel and outrageous pradices, including
likewife all the inftruments they make ufe of. And of all
thefe it Is true, that God fliall gain glory by thera, furely
the wrath of man ffall praife thee.
The wrath of man (fays the Apoftle) accompUffeth not
ihe rlghteoufnefs of God ; how then can It accomphffi his
praifes ? And this Is the fecond thing propounded.
Are grapes gathered of thorns, or figs of thlflles ? Surely
no ; therefore I called this praife, not the fruit or proper
effed of mefn's wrath, but the event or confequerit ofit,
by the efficacy of divine Providence. * The wrath of man
ffall praife thee. " The ufe which thou wilt make of it
ffiall tend to thy praife. Thou will produce fuch effeds
from It, both In the church and upon thine enemies, when
thou fuffereft thy wrath to break forth, as ffiall furniffi
more matter of thy praifes than if thou hadft altogether
reftained it." To inftance this In fome few particulars.

SERMON XI. 137
It is the fury of the church's enemies that has made
known to the world the invincible courage and patience of
tbe faints. Thofe ages that have been moft monftrous in
perfecunon, have moft of all graced Chriftianity. Had
there been no perfecuting emperors, who ffiould have
heard of thofe primitive martyrs, that triumphed over the
cruelty of their torments ? Were there no perfecutlon, nor
peril, nor, fword, againft believers, we ffiould not have
heard the Apoftle fay Immediately after the mention of
thofe. In all thefe we are more than conquerors. They could
not have been fo much as conquerors, had there been no
qonflid. Again, as the wrath of man praifes God In the invinci
ble patience of the faints, fo likewife in the immoveable fla-
bility of the church. Is It not wonderful how fo fmall and
weak a company, as the church hath often been reduced
to, yea, hath always been. In refped of the world, could
efcape the mouths of fo many Hons, fo many enraged ene^
mies that were ready to devour It ? And that we may fee
that this tends folely to the praife of her great protedor,
look the church's fong penned by the royal Prophet, it Is
the 1 24th Pfalm, If It had not been the Lord that was on
our fide, when men rofe up agalnfl us, then they had fwallow
ed us up quick. The great monarchies and kingdoms of
the world, that have rifen with fo rauch fplendor, have
had their periods, and been buried in the duft. That gol
den-headed and filver-bodled iraage degenerated into worfe
metal as It went lower, and the brittle feet was the caufe of
the fall and breaking of all the reft. But the kingdom of
Jefus Chrift, though defplcable In the world, and expofed
to the wrath of the world In all ages, ftands firm and can
not be removed. There is a coraraon emblem of the
winds blowing from all quarters, and upon the globe of
the earth, being in the middle of them, is written Immobi
lis. This fitly refembles the church. Why ? It feems to
be the fport of all the winds, but Is indeed fo eftabhffied,
that all of them, yea, the very gates of hell cannot prevail
agalnfl It. Now the more the church's enemies labour and
moil themfelves to undo her, the more doth their weaknefs
and the power of her Lord appear; fo that thwsths wrath
tfman doth praife him.

138 SERMON XI.
When was the church free from the world's wrath ? To
fay nothing of the church of the Jews, did not thofe wick
ed emperors of Rome think to have made the Chriftian
church ffiort lived, to have drowned her, newly born, in
floods of her own blood ? And In latter ages, who knows
not the cruelties that have been pradifed by the Turk in
the eaft, and the proud prelate of Rome In the weft ? by
which fhe hath foraetiraes been brought to fo obfcure and
low a point, that if you can follow her In hiftory, ft Is by
the trad of her blood ; and If you would fee her. It is by
the light of thofe fires in which her martyrs have been
burnt. Yet hath ffie ftill come through, and furvived afl
that wrath, and ftfll ffiall, till ffie be made perfedly tri-
umphant. *
Further : Man's wrath tends to God's praife In this,
" That God, giving way to it, does fo manage it by his
fublime providence, that it often diredly croffes iheir own
ends, and conduces manifeftly to his." Pharaoh thought
that his dealing raore cruelly with the Jews in their talks
and burdens was wifdom : Let us work wifely (fays he.)
But whereas their ordinary fervility was becorae famfliar
to them, and they were tamed to it, that fame acceffion of
new tyranny did prepare and difpofe the Ifraelites for a
defire of departure, and their departure made way for Pha
raoh's deftrudion. Undigeftible infolency and rage,
haftening to be great, makes kingdoms caft them off,
which would have been far longer troubled with their
wickednefs, had it been more moderate. Surely then the
wrath of man coraraends the wifdora of God, when he
makes hira by that contrive and afford the means of his
own downfal. Job xviH. 7. The fleps of his ftrength fhall
heflraltened, and his own counfel ff fll caft him down, fays
Bildad. And that Is a fad fall ; as that eagle that was
' ffiot whh an arrow triraraed with her own feathers.
But to clofe this point. It is out of all queftion, that ,
the deferved puniffiment of man's unjuft wrath, doth al
ways glorify the juftice of God, and the more he gives
way to their wrath, the raore notable ffiall be both their
puniffiment and the juftice of It, And though God feems
negledive of his people and of his praife, while man's
wrath prevails, yet the truth is, he never comes too late

SERMON XI. 139
to vindicate his care of both ; and when he defers longeft,
the enemy pays dear intereft for the time of forbearance.
In his eternal decree, he refolved to permit the courfe of
man's wrath for his own glory, and when the period which
he halh fixed is come, he ftops man's wrath, and gives
courfe unto the juftice of his own. Nor is there then any
poffibility of efcaping ; he will right himfelf, and be known
by executing judgment. Surely the wrath of man ffall
praife thee. And that Is the third thing propounded, the
infallibility of the event.
The author of nature governs all his creatures, each in
a fuitable way to the nature he hath given them. He
maintains in fome things a natural neceffity of working,
contingency In others ; and In others liberty. But all of
them are fubjed to this neceffity of affeding inevitably his
eternal purpofes ; and this neceffity Is no way repugnant
to the due liberty of raan's will. Sorae entertain and
maintain the truth ; fome plot, others ad and execute
againft it ; fome pleafe therafelves in a wife neutrality, and
will appear fo indifferent, that it would feem they might
be accepted of all fides for judges of controverfies. And
all thefe find no lefs liberty to wind and turn themfelves
whither they pleafe, than if no higher hand had the wind
ing of thera. Shall not only the zeal of the godly, but
even the wrath of the eneray, and the cold difcretion of
the neutral, all tend to his praife whofe fuprerae will hath
a fecret, but a fure and infallible fway In all their adions ?
Whilft fome paffengers fit, fome walk one way, fome ano
ther, fome have their faces towards their journey's end,
fome their back turned upon It, this wife pilot does moft
fkilfully guide the ffilp to arrive with thera all, at his own
glory, Happy they that propound and Intend his glory
as he hirafelf does, for in thera ffiall the riches of his mercy
be glorified. They that oppofe him, lofe this happinefs,
but he is fure not to lofe his glory for all that, to wit, the
glory of his juftice. His right hand ffiall find out all his
enemies ; furely the wrath of man ffall praife thee.
The confideration of this truth, thus in forae raeafure
unfolded, may ferve to juftify the truly wife difpenfatlon
of God againft our imaginary wifdom. Were the matter
referred to our modelling, we would affign the church con-
S 2

140 SERMON XI.
ftant peace and profperity for her portion, and not con
fent that the leaft air of trouble ffiould come near her; 'We
would have no enemies to moleft her, nor ftir againft her,
or if they did ftir, we would have thera to be prefently re-
preffed, and thele, in our judgraent, would be the falreft
and raoft glorious tokens of his love and power, whofe
fpoufe ffie is. But this carnal wifdom is enmity againft
God, and to the glory of God, which rifes fo often out of
the wrath of his enemies. Had God caufed Pharaoh to
yield at the very firft, to the releafe of his people, where
had been the fame of thofe miraculous judgments In Egypt,
and mercies on the Ifraelites, the one fetting out and illu
ftrating the other ? Where had been that name and ho
nour that God fays he would gain to himfelf, and that he
did gain out of Pharaoh's final deftrudion, making that
ftony-hearted king, and his Xvoot^s, fink like aflone In the
waters, as Mofes fings ? Obferve his proud boaftings im
mediately foregoing his ruin, / will purfue, fays he, I will
overtake, I will divide the fpoll, my luft ffall be fatlsfied on
them ; I will draw my fword, and my hand ffall deftroy
them ; foon after, the fea quenches all this heat. Com
monly big threatenings are unhappy prefages of very fll
fuccefs. That hiftorian fays well of God *, God fuffers no
other to think highly of himfelf , but himfelf alone. And in
deed, as he abhors thefe boaftings, fo he delights in the
abafing of the lofty heart whence they flow, and II is his
prerogative to gain praife to himfelf out of their wrath,
Hafl thou an arm like God (fays the Lord to Job) then look
upon the proud and bring them low. Job xl, 9, 11. When
Sennacherib came up againft Jerufalem, his blafphemies
and boaftings were no lefs vaft and monftrous than the
number of his men and chariots ; good Hezekiah turned
over the matter unto God, fpreading the letter of blafphe
mies before him ; God undertook the war, and affured
Hezekiah that the Affyrian ffiould not fo much as ffioot
an arrow againft the city, hut return the fame way became,
2 Kings xix. And the deliverance there promifed and
effeded, is conceived to have been the occafion of penning
this very pfalm. Surely when an angel did In one night
* Deus neintnem alium, quam feipfum, ftnit de fe magnifice feiitlre,
Hfrodof,

SERMON XI. 141
flay 1 85,000 in their camps, that wrath and thofe threats,
tended exceedingly to the praife of the God of Ifrael, The
hook that he put in Sennacherib's noftrlls, (as the hiftory
fpeaks) to pull him back again, was raore remarkable than
the fetters would have been, if he had tied him at home,
or hindered his raarch with his army.
Who is he then that wfll be impatient becaufe of God's
pafience, and judge him flack in judgment, while the rage
of the wicked prevafls a while ? Know that he Is more
careful of his own glory than we can be, and the greater
helghth man's wrath arlfes to, the raore honour ffiall arife
to hira out of it. Did not his omnipotency ffiine brighter
In the flames of that furnace into which the children were
caft, than If the king's wrath had been at firft cooled ?
Certainly, the raore both It and the furnace had their heat
augraenled, the more was God glorified. Who Is that
God (faith he blafphemoufly and proudly,) that can deliver
you out of my hands ? a queftion indeed highly diffionour-
ing the Almighty, but ftay till the real anfwer come, and
not only ffiall that wrath praife him, but that very fame
tongue, though inured to blafphemy, ffiall be taught to
bear a main part in the confeffion of thefe praifes. Let
that apoftate emperor * go taunting the head and toraent-
ing the members of that myftical body, his clofing with
iyry.wix.?- yaXi^aU, Thou hufl ovcrcomc, O Galilean, (raeaning
Chrift) ffiall help to verify that. Whether its courfe be
ffiorter or longer, man's wrath ends always in Gpd's
praife. In like manner, the clofing of the lions mouth
fpake louder to his praife that ftopt thera, than if he had
ftopt Daniel's enemies in the beginning of their wicked
defign. So hot was their rage, that the king's favourable
inclination to Daniel (of which, in other cafes, courtiers
ufe to be fo devout obfervers) yea his contefting and plead
ing for him did profit him nothing, but they hurried their
king to the execution of their unjuft malice, though them-
, felves were convinced, that nothing could be found againft
him, bul only concerning the law of his God. Dan. vl.
14. It is faid, he fet his heart upon him to deliver him, and
laboured to do it tUl the going down of the fun, and then
thofe counfellors, and counfels of darknefs overcame him.
* Julian.

142 SERMON XI.
But upon this black night of their prevailing wrath, fo|.
lowed iramediately a bright morning of praifes to Daniel's
God. When the lions that were fo quiet company all
night to Daniel, made fo quick a breakfaft of thofe accur-
fed courtiers that had raalicioufly accufed him, Evenfo
let thine enemies per Iff, 0 Lord, and let thofe that love thee,
be as the fun when he goes forth in his might.
The other propofition concerns the limiting of this
wrath. The remainder of wrath thou wilt refiraln.
To take no notice, for the prefent, of divers other read
ings of thefe words, the fenfe of them, as they are here
very well rendered, may be briefly this, that whereas the
wrath of man to which God gives way, ffiall praife him,
the reft fliall be curbed and bound up, as the word is, no
more of It ffiall break forth than ffiall contribute to his
glory. Here ffiould be confidered divers ways and means,
by which God ufeth to ftop the heady courfe of man's
wrath, and hinder its proceeding any further. But only.
Let us take out of it this leffon, " That the raoft com
pendious way to be fafe frora the violence of raen. Is to be
in terras of friendffiip with God," Is It not an Incompa
rable privilege to be In the favour, and under the protec
tion of one whofe power is fo tranfcendent, that no enemy
can fo much as ftir without his leave ? Be perfuaded then,
Chriftians, In thefe dangers that are now fo near us, every
one to draw near to him ; remove what may provoke
him ; let no reigning fin be found either in your cities or
in your villages, for he is a holy God. Is it a time to
multiply provocations now, or Is it not rather high time to
be humbled for the former ? What ffiamelefs impiety is
it, to be now Hcentious or intemperate ? to be proud. Id
opprefs or extort ? to profane God's day, and blafpheme
his name ? all thefe fins, and many others, abound amongft
us, and that avowedly. Without abundance of repen
tance for thefe we ffiall fmart, and the wrath of our ene
mies, though unjuft in them, ffiall praife God in our juft
puniffiment ; though doubtlefs, he will own his church,
and be pralfed likewife in the final puniffiment of their
wrath, that rife againft It, There is a remarkable expref
fion in the xcix. Pfalm, of God's dealing with his people,
he was favourable to them) thougb he took vengeance on their

SERMON XI. 143
inventions. A good caufe and a covenant with God, will
not ffielter an impenitent people from ffiarper corredion.
It is a fad word God fpeaks by his Prophet to his own
people, / myfelf (fays he) wiU fight agalnfl you. A dread
ful enemy ! and none indeed truly dreadful but he, O
prevent his anger and you are fate enough. If perverfe
finners will not hear, yet let thofe that are indeed Chrif
tians mourn In fecret, not only for their own fins, but let
them beftow fome tears likewife upon the fins of others.
Labour to appeafe the wrath of God, and he will either
appeafe man's wrath, or howfoever, will turn It jointly to
our ''benefit and his own glory. Let the fear of the moft
high God, who hath no lefs power over the ftrongeft of
his enemies than over the meaneft of his fervants ; let his
fear, 1 fay, poffefs all our hearts, and It will certainly expel
that ignoble and bafe fear of the wrath of man. See how
the Prophet oppofes them in that 8th of Ifaiah, Fear not
their fear (fays he) nor he afraid, hut fandify the Lord,
and let him he your fear, and let him he your dread ; fear
not, but fear. This holy fear begets the beft courage ;
the breaft that Is moft filled with it, abounds moft in true
magnanimity. Fear thus, that you may be confident, not
in yourfelves, though your poHcy and ftrength were great,
(curfed Is the man that trufleth In man, and maketh fleff
his arm) but confident in that God, who is too wife and
vigilant lo be furprized, too mighty to be foiled, and too
rich to be out-fpent In provifion ; who can fuffer his ene
my to come to the higheft point of apparent advantage,
without any inconvenience, yea, with raore renown in his
conqueft. And fo a Chriftian who is made once fure of
this (as eafily he may) is little careful about the reft, his
love to God prevafling over all his affedlons, makes him
very indifferent what becomes of himfelf or his deareft
friends, fo God may be glorified. What though many
fall In the quarrel (which God avert) yet It Is fufficient
that truth in the end ffiall be vidorlous. Have not the
faints in all ages been content to convey pure religion to
pofterity. In ftreams of their own blood, not of others ?
Well, hold faft by this conclufion, that God can Hmit and
bind up the moft violent wrath of man, that though it
fwell It wfll "not break forth. The ftiffeft heart, as the

144 SERMON XI.
current of the moft impetuous rivers, is In his hand, to ap
point Its channels, and turn It as he pleafeth. Yea, It Is
he that hath ffiut up the very fea with bars and doors, and
faid, Hitherto ffalt thou come and no further, here ffall thy
proud waves be flayed. Job xxxviu, 10, 11, To fee the
furges of a rough fea come In towards the ffiore, a man
would think that they were haftening to fwallow up the
land, but they know their limits, and are beaten back Into
foam. Though the waves thereof lofs themfelves as angry
at their reftraint, yet the fmall fand Is a check to the great
fea, yet can they not prevail, though they roar, yet can they
not pafs over It, fays Jeremiah v. 22.
The fum is this : what God permits his church's ene
mies to do. Is for his own further glory ; and referving
this, there is not any wrath of man fo great, but he wiU
either fweetly calm it, or ftrongly reftrain it. To him be
praife, he.

SERMON XII.

Psal, cxii. 7.

He ffall not be afraid of evil tidings ; his heart is fined,
irufling in the Lord.
ALL the fpecial . defigns of men agree in this, they
feek fatisfadlon and quietnefs of mind, that Is, hap
pinefs. This then is the great queftion, who is the happy
man ? It is here refolved, ver. 1. Bleffed is the man that
feareth the Lord, thai delighteth in his commandments.
The bleffednefs Is unfolded as a rich landfkip, that we
may view the well mixed colours, the ftory ahd tiffue of
it, through the whole Alphabet in capital letters. And
take all and fet them together. It Is a moft full complete
bleffednefs, not a letter wanting to it *. Araongft the reft,
* This Pfalm in the Hebrew confifts of 22 fhort verfes, each of
which begins with the letters of the Alphabet, in their order, till they
are all ended. No one letter is here omitted, as is the' cafe in the 25th
Pfalm where the fame order is obferv^d.

SERMON XII. 145
that we have In thefe words Is of a greater magnitude and
brightnefs than many of the reft. He ffaU noi be afraid of
evil tidings.
Well may it begin with a hallelujah, a note of praife to
hira In whom this bleffednefs lies. O what a wretched
creature were man, if not provided to fuch a portion,
"without which is nothing but difappointraent ; and thence
the racking torraent and vexation of a difquieted raind,
ftill purfuing foraewhat that he never overtakes.
The firft words are the infcriptlon. The bleffednefs of
that man I he. So the particulars foflow : where out
ward bleffings are fo fet, as that ihey look and lead higher,
pointing at their end, the infinite goodnefs whence they
flow, and whither they return and carry along with them
this happy raan.
And thefe proralfes of outward things are often evi-
.dently accompliffied to the righteous, and their feed after
thera, and that coraraonly after they have been brought
very low. But when It Is otherwife with thera, they lofe
nothing. It Is good for many, yea, it is good for all the
godly that have lefs of thefe lower things, to raife their
eye to look after higher, the eye of all, both of thefe that
are held fomewhat ffiort, and for thofe that have abundance
in the world.
Thefe temporal promifes were more .abounding ,and
more frequently fulfilled, in their very kind, in the times
of the law, yet ftill the right Is conftant, and all ages- do
' give clear examples of the truth of this word. Where it
is thus, it is a bleffing created by its afped to this promife,
and fo differs from the profperity of ungodly men ; and
where it is otherwife with the righteous and their feed, it
is no ffiift, but a moft folid corafort, to turn their eyes to
a higher compenfation.
But howfoever it go, this ftill holds, He ffall not be a-
frcild of evil tidings. Notwithftanding the hardeft news
that can come to his ears, of any thing that concerns hira
felf or his children, or the reft of God's children In his
charge in the world, His heart is fixed, trufllng in the Lord.
Firft, let us take a Httle of the charader of this bleffed
man. Who is it that is thus undaunted ? The man that
feareth God, T

146 SERMON XII.
All the paffions are but feveral ebbings and flowings of
the foul, and their motions are the figns of Its temper.
Which way It Is carried, that is mainly to be reraarked by
the beating of Its pulfe. If our defires, and hopes, and
fears, be In the things of this world, and the intereft of
fleffi, this Is their temper and diforder, the foul is In a
continual fever : but if they move Godwards, then is it
compofed and calm. In a good temper and healthful pCjint,
fearing and loving him, defiring him, and nothing but him,
waiting for him, and Irufting in him. And when any one
affedion Is right, and In a due afped to God, all the reft
are fo too : for they are radically one, and he is the life
of that foul that is united to him ; and fo in him it moves
' in a peculiar fpiritual manner, as all do naturally in the
dependance of their natural Hfe, on him that is the foun
tain of life.
Thus we have here this fear of God, as often elfewhere^
fet out as the very fubftance of hohnefs and evidence of
happinefs. And that we raay know there is nothing either
bafe or grievous in this fear, we have joined with it, de
light and truft ; delighteth greatly in his commandments :
Which is that badge of love to him, to obferve them, and
that with delight, and with exceeding great delight. So
then, the fear is not that which love cafts out, but that
which love brings in. This fear follows and flows from
love, a fear to offend, whereof nothing fo tender as love;
and that, in refped of the greatnefs of God, hath in it
withal a humble reverence. There is in all love a kind
of reverence, a cautious and refpedive warinefs towards
the party loved ; but efpecially in this, where not only we
ftand in a lower relation, as children to oilr father, but
the goodnefs that draws our love doth infinitely Iranfcend
our meafures artd reach, therefore there is a rejoicing with
trembling, and an awful love, the fearing the Lord and his
goodnefs, Hof, iii, ult. This both fear and truft, the heart
touched by the Spirit of God, as the needle touched with
the load-ftone, looks ftraight and fpeedily to God, yet ftifl
with trembling, being filled with this holy fear.
That delighteth.} Oh ! this Is not only to do them,
but to do them with delight ; foraewhat within is conna
tural and fyrabollcal : Yea, this very law itfelf is writ

SERMON XII. 147
Within, not ftanding as a hard tafk-mafter over our head,
but irapreffed whhin as a fweet principle in our hearts,
and working frora thence naturally. This makes a foul
find pleafure in purging out of fenfual pleafures, and eafe
in doing violence to corrupt felf, even undoing It for God,
having no will but his : the remainders of fin and felf in
in our fleffi will be often rifing up, but this predominant
love difpels them. So this fear works with delight.
And further, that we may know how ferene and fweet
a thing it Is, it is here likewife joined with confidence,
trufting, a quickening confidence always accorapanying it ;
and fo, undoubtedly, it is a bleffed thing. Bleffed Is he
that feareth. Fear founds rather quite contrary, hath an
air of mifery ; but add, whom ? He that feareth the Lord,
that touch turns it into gold. He that fo fears, fears not :
He ffall not be afraid ; all petty fears are fwallowed up in
this great fear, as a fpirit inured with great things is not
ftirred nor affeded at all with fmall matters. And this
great fear is as fweet and pleafing as thefe little fears are
anxious and vexing. Secure of other things, he can fay,
*' If my God be pleafed, no matter who Is difpleafed ; no
matter who defpife rae, if he account me his ; though all
forfake rae, ray deareft friends grow eftranged, and look
another way, if he rejed rae not, that Is my only fear ;
and for that I am not perplexed, I know he will not."
As they anfwered Alexander when he fent to enquire
what they raoft feared, thinking poflibly they would have
faid, Lefl he ffould Invade them : their anfwer was, We
fear nothing but lest heaven fhould faU upon us ; which they
did not fear neither. A behever hath no fear but of the
difpleafure of heaven, the anger of God to fall upon him,
he fears that ; that Is, accounts that only terrible ; but
yet he doth not fear, doth not apprehend it will fall on
him, is better perfuaded of the goodnefs of his God. So
this fear is ftifl joined with truft, as here, fo often elfe
where, Pfal. xxxin. 18. xl. 3. and cxlvH.'Il.
There Is no turbulency in this fear, it is calm and
fweet ; even that moft terrible evil, that which this fear
properly apprehends and flies, fin, yet the fear of that
goes not to a diftradlon. Though there is little ftrength,
and many and great enemies, mighty Anakims of tempta-
T 2

148 SERMON XH.
tions from without, and corruption within, and fo good
reafon for a holy humble fear and felf-diftruft,, yet this
ffiould not beat us off; yea. Is moft fit to put us on to
to truft in hira who is our ftrength. Courage ! the day
ffiall be ours, though we may be often foiled and down,
and fometimes almoft at a hopelefs point, yet our Head
is on high, he hath conquered for us, and ffiall conquer
in us; therefore, upon this confidence, fo fear ,as not lo
fear, Why ffoidd I fear In the days of evd, when the Iniquity
qfmy heels ffaU compafs me about? Pfal. xlix. 5. (which I
take is fome grievous afflidion, and that with a vifage of
puniffiment of fin ; guiltinefs to be read in It, yet not
fear.) " Ifl trufted in wealth, and boaft myfelf in the
multitude of riches, then that being in hazard, I mufl
fear ; leaning on that. It failing, I might fall. But this
is my confidence, ver, 15. God wlU redeem my foul from
ihe power of the grave, for he ffiall receive me ; wealth
cannot, but he can. It buys not a man out from his
hand, but he buys from the hand of the grave." So the
word is ; for the vlfible heavens even their fall, and the
diffolution of nalure^ would not affright a believer, Pfal.
xh. 1, Slfradus Illabatur orbis, he,
Alas I moft perfons have dull or dim apprehenfions and
Ihallow impreffions of God, therefore they have Httle
either of this fear or this truft, God Is not in afl their
thoughts, but how to compafs this or that defign ; and if
they mifs one, then to another, they are caft from one
wave upon another : and If at any time they attain their
purpofe, find It but wind, a handful of nothing, far from
what they fancied It,
Oh 1 ray brethren, my defire is, that the faces of your
fouls were but once turned about, that they were towards
him, looking to hira, continually fearing him, delighting,
trufting In him, raaking him your all. Can any thing fo
elevate and ennoble the fpirit of a raan, as to contemplate
and converfe with the pure ever-bleffed fpring and Father
of Spirits ? Beg that you may know him, that he would
reveal himfelf to you ; for otherwife no teaching can make
him known, it is to light candles to feek the fun, to think
to attain to this knowledge without his own revealing it.
If he hide his face, who then may behold him ? Pray for

SERMON XII. 149
this quickening knowledge, fuch a knowledge as will ef
fedually work this happy fear and truft.
You that have attained any thing of it, defire and follow
on to know the Lord, particularly, fo as your hearts may
repofe on him ; fo fear as you may not fear. He would
have our fpirits calm and quiet, for when they are in a
hurry and confufion, they are then fit for nothing ; all
within makes a jarring unpleafant noife, as of an inftru-
ment quite out of tune.
This fear of God Is not, you fee, a perplexing, doubt
ing, and diftruft of his love ; on the contrary, it is a fixed
relting and truft on his love. Many that have fome truth
of grace are, through weaknefs, filled with difquleting
fears ; fo poffibly, though they perceive It not. It may be
in fome a point of wllfulnefs, a little latent undifcerned
affedation of fcrupling and doubting, placing much of
religion in it. True, where the foul is really folicitous
about its intereft in God, that argues fome grace, but
being vexingly anxious about it, it argues that grace is
low and weak : a fparkle there Is even difcovered hy that
fmoke ; but the great fmoke ftill continuing, and nothing
feen but it, argues there is little fire, little faith, little love.
And this, as it Is unpleafant to thyfelf, fo to God, as
fmoke to the eyes. What if one ffiould be always quef-
tionlng with his friend, whether he loved him or no, and
upon every httle occafion were ready lo think he doth not,
how would this difreliffi their fociety together, though
truly loving each other ? The far more excellent way,
and more pleafing both to ourfelves and to God, were to
refolve on humble truft, reverence and confidence, moft
afraid to offend, delighting to walk in his ways, loving
hira and his will in all, and then refting perfuaded of his
love, though he chaftife us ; and even, though we offend
him, and fee our offences in our chaftifements, yet he Is
good, plenteous in rederaption, ready to forgive. There
fore let Ifrael truft and hope, let ray foul roll itfelf on hira,
and adventure there all Its weight ; he bears greater raat
ters, upholding the frarae of heaven and earth, and Is not
troubled nor burdened with It.
-The heart of a raan Is not fufficient for felf-fupport,
therefore naturally it feeks out fome other thing to lean

1,50 SERMON XII.
and reft Itfelf on. The unhapplnefs Is, for the moft part,
that It feeks to things below itfelf; thefe being both fo
mean and fo uncertain, cannot be a firra and certain ftay
to it. Thefe things are not fixed therafelves, how can
they then fix the heart ? Can a man Have firm fooling on
a quagmire, or moving fands ? Therefore men are forced
in thefe things ftill to ffiift their feat, and feek. about from
one to another, ftill rolHng and unfettled. The believer
only hath this advantage, he hath a reft high enough and
fure enough, out of the reach of all hazards. His heart
is fixed, trufllng In the Lord,
The bafis of this happinefs Is, He trufleth on the Lord.
So the heart Is fixed ; and fo fixed, it fears no ill tidings.
This trifl: is grounded on the word of God, reveahng
the power and all-fufficlency of God, and withal his good
nefs, his offer of himfelf to be the ftay of fouls, command
ing us to reft on him. People wait on I know not what
perfuafions and affurances, but I know no other to build
faith on, but the word of promife, the truth and falthful
nefs of God op ned up, his wifdom, and power, and good
nefs, as the ftay of all thefe, that renouncing afl other
props, will venture on it, and lay all upon him. He that
believes, fets to his feal that God is true ; and fo he is
fealed for God, his portion and Intereft fecured, Ifa, vii.
9. If you will not believe, furely ye ffall not be eflahllffed.
This Is the way to have peace and affurance, which many
look for firft. Thou will keep him in perfed peace whofe
mind Is flayed on thee, becaufe he trufleth In thee, Ifa. xxvi,
3, So here, the heart Is fixed by trufting.
Seek then clearer apprehenfions of the falthfulnefs and
goodnefs of God, hearts more enlarged In the notion of
free grace, and the abfolute truft due to it ; thus ffiafl
they be raore eftabhffied and fixed In all the rollings and
changes of the world.
Heart fixed.} Or prepared, ready, preffed, and In arms
for all fervices ; refolved not to give back, able to raeet
all adventures, and ftand Its ground, God Is unchange
able ; and therefore failh is invincible that fets the heart
on hira, faftens it there on the rock of eternity : Then let
winds blow, and ftorms arife, it cares not.
The firm and clofe cleaving unto God, hath in it of

SERMON XH. 151
the affedion, which Is infeparable from this truft, love
with faith ; and fo a hatred of all ways and thoughts that
alienate and eftrange from God, that remove and unfeltle
the heart. The holieft, warieft heart Is furely the moft
believing and fixed heart ; if a believer will adventure on
any one way of fin, he ffiall find that will unfix him, and
ffiake his confidence, more than ten thoufand hazards and
aflaults from without, Thefe are fo far from moving, that
they fettle and fix the heart coramonly more, caufe it to
cleave the clofer and nearer unto God, but finful Hberty
breeds "inqulet and difturbs all. Where fin is, there will
be a ftorm ; the wind within the bowels of the earth raakes
the earthquake.
Would you be quiet, and have peace within in troublous
times, keep near unto God, beware of any thing that may
interpofe betwixt you and your confidence. It Is good for
me (fays the Pfalmift) to he near God ; not only to draw
near, but to keep near, to cleave to him, and dwell in him,
fo the word. Oh the fweet calm of fuch a foul amidft all
ftorms ; thus once trufting and fixed, then no more fear,
not afraid of evil tidings, not of any ill-hearing. Whatfo
ever found is terrible in the ears df men, the noife of war,
hews of death, even the found of the trumpet in the laft
judgment, he hears all this undifquieted.
Nothing Is unexpeded, being once fixed on God ; then
the heart may put cafes to itfelf, and fuppofe all things
imaginable, the moft terrible, and look for them ; not
troubled before trouble with dark and difmal apprehen
fions, but fatlsfied In a quiet unmoved expedation of the
hardeft things. Whatfoever It Is, though particularly not
thought on before, yet the heart Is not afraid of the news
ofit, hecdiuie fixed trusting on the Lord ; nothing can fliake
that foundation, nor diffolve that union, therefore no fear.
Yea, this affurance ftays the heart in all things, how ftrange
and unforefeen foever to it, " all forefeen to my God, on
whom I truft, yea, fore-coUtrlved and ordered by him."
This Is the Impregnable fort of a foul, " all Is at the dif
pofe and command of my God, my Father rules all, what
need I fear?"
Every one trufts to fomewhat ; as for honour, and
efteemi and popularity, they are airy vain things ; but

152 SERMON XII.
riches feem a more folid work and fence, jet they are but
a tower in conceit, not really, Prov. xvIH. 11. The rich
man's wealth Is his strong city, and as an high wall in his
own conceit, but the najne of the Lord is a strong tower
indeed, ver. 10. This is the thing all feek, fome fence and
fixlnp-. Here It is, we call you not to vexation and tur
moil, but from it ; and as St. Paul faid. Ads xvH. Whom
ye ignorantly worfflp, him declare I unto you. Ye bhndly,
and fruulefly feek after the fhew. The true aiming at this
fixednefs of mind will make that, though they fall ffiort,
yet by the way they will light on very pretty things that
have fome virtue in them, as they that feek the phflofo-
pher's ftone : But the believer hath the thing, the fecret
itfelf of tranquillity and joy, and this turns all Into gold,
their iron chains Into a crown of gold, 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18.
This Is the bleffed and fafe eftate of believers. Who can
think they have a fad heavy life ? Oh ! It Is the only llght-
forae, fweet, chearful condition In the world. The reft of
men are poor, rolling, unftayed things, every report ffiak-
ing them, as the leaves of trees are fhaken with the wind,
Ifa, VU, yea, lighter than fo, as the chaff that the wind
drives to and fro at ils pleafure, Pfal, i. Would raen but
refled and look In upon their own hearts. It is a wonder
what vain childlffi things the raoft would find there. Glad
and forry at things as light as the toys of children, at which
they laugh and cry In a breath. How eafily puft up with
a thing or word that pleafeth us ! Bladder like, fwelled
with a little air, and it ffirlnks In again in difcouragements
and fear upon the touch of a needle's point, which gives
that air fome vent.
What Is the life df the greateft part but a continual
toffing, betwixt vain hopes and fears, all their days fpent
in thefe ? Oh ! how vain a thing is a man even in his beft
eftate, while he is nothing but himfelf! his heart not united
and fixed on God, difquieted in vain, how fmall a thing
wfll do It! He need no other but hi^ own heart, it may
prove difquietment enough to Itfelf, his thoughts are his
torraentors, I know, fome men are, by a ftronger underftanding and
moral principles, fomewhat raifed above the vulgar, and
fpeak big of a conftancy of mind; but thefe are but

SERMON xn. 153
flouriffies, an aded bravery. Soraewhat there may be that
wfll hold out In forae trials, but far fhort of this fixednefs
of faith. Troubles raay fo raultiply, as to drive them at
length from their pofture, and come on fo thick, with fuch
violent blows, as will finite thera out of their artificial
guard, diforder all their Seneca and Epidetus, and all
their own calra thoughts and high refolves. The approach
of death, though they raake a good mien, and fet the beft
face on It ; or If not, yet forae kind of terror may feize on
their fpirits, which they are not able to ffiift off. But the
foul trufting on God is prepared for all, not only for the
calamities of war, peftilence, famine, poverty, or death,
but In the faddeft apprehenfions of foul, above hope, be
lieves under hope, even in the darkeft night, cafts anchor
in God, repofes on him when he fees no light, Ifa, 1. 10.
Tea, though he ftay me, fays Job, yet will I truft on him ;
" not only though I die, but though he flay me ; when I
fee his hand lift up to deftroy rae, yet from that fame hand
will I look for falvatlon."
My brethren, ray defire Is to ftir in your hearts an am-
bilion after this bleft eftate of the godly that fear the Lord,
and truft on him, and fo fear no olher thing. The cora
mon revolutions and changes of the world, and thofe that
in thefe late' times we ourfelves have feen, and the likeli
hood of more and greater coming on, feem dreadful to
weak minds. But let thefe perfuade us the more to prize
and feek this fixed unaffrighted ftation ; no fixing but here
where we make a virtue of a neceffity.
Oh ! that you would be perfuaded to break off from the
vile ways of fin, that embafe the foul and fill It ful! of ter
rors, and difengage thera frora the vanities of this world
to take up in God, to live in hira wholly, to cleave to, and
depend on -him, to efteem nothing befide hira. Excellent
was the anfwer of that holy raan to the emperor, firft ef-
faying him with large proffers of honour and riches, to
draw him from Chrift. Ofl^er thefe things (fays he) to
children, I regard them not. Then after he tried to terrify
him with threatening. ' Threaten (fays he) your effeminate
courtiers, I fear none of thefe things.
' - Seek to have your hearts eftabhffied on hira by the faith
of eternal Hfe, and then it will be affiamed to diftruft him
U

154 SERMON XII.
in any other thing. Yea, truly, you will not much regard,
nor be careful for other things how they be. It will be
all one, the better and worfe of this raoraent ; the things
of it, even the greateft, being both in therafelves fo Htde
and worthlefs, and of fo ffiort continuance.
Well chufe you ; but all reckoned and exarained I had
rather be the pooreft believer than the greateft king on
earth. How fmall a comraotlon, fmall In its beginning,
may prove the overturning of the greateft kingdom. But
the believer is heir to a kingdom that cannot be fhaken.
The mightieft and moft vidorlous prince, that halh not
only loft nothing, but hath been gaining new conquefts all
his days, is ftopt by a fraall diftemper in the middle of his
courfe : He returns to his duft, then his vaft defigns fall to
nothing, in that very day his thoughts perifh. But the be
liever. In that very day, is fent to the poffeflion of his
crown, that Is his coronation-day ; all his thoughts are
accompHffied. How can you affright hira ? Brmg hira word, his eftate
is ruined ; yet my inheritance is fafe, fays he. Your wife,
or child, or dear friend, is dead ; yet my father lives. You
yourfelf rauft die ; well then, I go home to my father, and
to my inheritance.
For the public troubles of the church, doubtlefs It Is
both a moft pious and generous temper, to be more deep
ly affeded for thefe than for all our private ones ; and to
refent common calamities of any people, but efpecially of
God's own people, hath been the charader of raen near
unto him. Obferve the pathetical ftrains of the prophets
bewaihng, when they foretel the defolatlon even of foreign
kingdoms, much raore for the Lord's chofen people, ftiU
mindful of Sion, and raournful for her diftreffes, Jer. ix. 1.
and the whole book of Lamentations. Pfal, cxxxvii. Ifl
forget thee, 0 Jerufalem. Pious fpirits are always public,
as even brave heathens for the coraraonwealth : So he, in
that of Horace *. Little regarding himfelf, hut much foli
citous for the public. Yet even In this, witli much conlpaf-
lion, there Is a calm in a believer's mind, (how thefe a-
* Innienil infomni mol'ventem pullica cnra
Fata virum, cafufque urhis, cunSifque timentem,
Securumque fui.

SERMON XH. 15.^
gree, none can tell, but they that feel It) he finds amidft
all hard news, yet ftill 2^ fixed heart trufllng, fatlsfied in
this, that deliverance ffiall come in due time, Pfal, cii, 13.
and that In thofe judgments that are infllded, raan ffiall be
humbled and God exalted, Ifa, H, 11. and v. 15, 16. and
that in all tumults and changes, and fubverfion of ftates,
ftill his throne is fixed, and with that the believer's heart
likewife, Pfal, xciu. So Pfal. xxix, 10, The Lord fiitteth
upon the flood : Tea, the Lord fitteth King for ever. Or,
fat in the flood, poffibly referring to the general deluge,
yet that then God fat quiet, and ^iWfltteth fClng for ever.
He fteered the ark, and ftill guides his church through all.
So Pfal. xlvi. throughout that whole pfalm. In all com
motions, the kingdom of Chrift ffiall be fpreading and
growing, and the clofe of all ffiall be full vidory on his
fide, and that is fufficient.
Of this, a fingular example is in Job, who was not daunt
ed with fo many ill-hearings, but ftood as an unmoved rock
araldft the winds and waves *.
In this condition there is fo much fweetnefs, that if
known, a man might fufped himfelf rather felfiffily taken
with it, than purely loving God, Such joy in beheving,
or at leaft, fuch peace, fuch a ferene calranefs. Is In no
other thing In thi,s world. Nothing without or within a
man to be named to this of trufting on his goodnefs, he is
God, and on his falthfulnefs, giving his promife for thy
warrant. He coraraands thee to roll thyfelf on hira. The
holy foul ftill trufts in the darkeft apprehenfions. If it Is
fuggefted thou art a reprobate, yet will the foul fay, " I
will fee the utraoft, and hang by the hold I have, tfll I feel
myfelf really caft off, and will not willingly fall off. If I
muft be feparated frora him, he ffiall do it hirafelf, he ffiall
ffiake rae off whfle I would cleave to hira. Yea, to the
utmoft I will look for mercy, and will hope better ; though
I found him ffiaking me off, yet will I think he will not do
it," It Is good to feek after all poffible affurance, but not
to fret at the want of it ; for even without thefe affurances,
which forae Chriftians hang too rauch upon, there Is in
fimple truft and rehance on God, and In a defire to walk
in his ways, fuch a fort of peace, as all the affaults in the
* Ille velut rupes immota manebat.
U2

156 SERMON XIII.
world are not able to raake a breach in. And to this add
that unfpeakable delight in walking in his fear, joined with
this truft. The noble ambition of pleafing him, makes
one carelefs of pleafing or difpleafing all the world,' Be
fides, the delight In his commandments, fo pure, fo juft a
law, hohnefs, vidory over lufts, and temperance, hath a
fweetnefs in it that prefently pays itfelf, becaufe his will.
It Is the godly man alone, who by this fixed confidera
tion In God, looks the grim vifage of death In the face
with an unappalled mind. It damps all the joys, and de
feats all the hopes of the moft profperous, proudeft and
wifeft worldlings. As Archimedes faid, when ffiot, Jvo-
cafll ab optima demonflratlone. It fpoils all their figures
and fine devices. But to the righteous, there is hope in bis
death : He goes through it without fear, without Caligula's
quo vadls. Though riches, honours, and all the glories
of this world, are with a man, yet he fears, yea, he fears
the more for thefe, becaufe here they rauft end. But the
good raan looks death out of countenance, in the words
of David, Though I walk through the valley and ffadow of
death, yet will I fear no evil, for thou art with me.

SERMON XIII,

Matth. xiii. 3.
And he fpake many things unto them in parables, faying,
behold a fower went forth tofow, he.
THE rich bounty of God hath furniffied our natural
life, not barely for ftrid neceffity, but with great
abundance, many kinds of beafts, and fowls, and fiflies,
and herbs, and fruits, has he provided for the ufe of man,
Thus our fpiritual Hfe Hkewife is fupported with a variety ;
the word, the food of It, hath not only all neceffary truths
once fimply fet down, but a great variety of dodrlne, for
our more abundant Inftrudlon and confolatlon. Amongft
the reft, this way of fimilitudes hath a notable comralxture
of profit and delight.

SERMON XHI. 157
Parables, not unfolded and underftood, are a veil (as
here) to the multitude, and In that are a great judgment,
as Ifa. vi. 9, cited here ; but when cleared and made
tranfparent, then they are a glafs to behold divine things
in, more comraodioufly and fultably to our way. All
things are big with fuch referablances, but they require
the dexterous hand of an adive fpirit to bring them forth.
This way, befides other advantages, is much graced and
commended by our Saviour's frequent ufe of it.
That here is fitted to the occafion ; multitudes coming
to hear him, and raany not a whit the better : He Inftruds
us in this point, the great difference between' the different
hearts of men ; fo that the fame word hath very different
fuccefs in them.
In this parable we ffiall confider thefe three things :
(1.) The nature of the word in itfelf. (2.) The famenefs
land comraonnefs of the difpenfatlon. (3.) The difference
ofthe operation and produdion.
The word feed hath in it a produdive virtue to bring
forth fruit according to ils kind, that is, the fruit of a new
life ; not only a new habitude and faffiion of life without,
but a new nature, a new kind of Hfe within, new thoughts,
a new eftiraate of things, new delights and adions. When
the word reveals God, his greatnefs and holinefs, then it
begets pious fear and reverence, and ftudy of conforraity
to hira : When it reveals his goodnefs and mercy, It
works love and confidence : when it holds up in our
view Chrift crucified, it crucifies the foill to the world,
and the world to It : when It reprefents thefe rich things
laid up for us, that bleft inheritance of the faints, then It
makes all the luftre of this world vanlffi, ffiews how poor
it Is, weans and calls off the heart from them,, raifing it to
thefe higher hopes, and fets It on the projed of a crown ;
and fo Is a feed of noble thoughts, and of a fuitable beha
viour in a Chriftian, as in the expofition of this parable,
it Is called the word of the kingdom.
Seed, an iraraortal feed, as St. Peter calls It, fpringing
up to no lefs than an eternal life.
This teaches us, 1. Highly to efteem the great goodnefs
of God to thefe places and times, that were moft bleft
with it. Pfal. cxlvu. 19, 20. He ffeweth his word unto

158 SERMON XIII.
Jacob, his flatutes and his judgment unto Ifrael ; he hath
not dealt fo with any nation, and as for his judgments they
have not known them. ^
2. That the fame difpenfatlon Is to be preached indlf.
ferently to all where It comes, as far as the found can
reach. And thus it was very much extended in the firft
promulgating of the gofpel ; their found went out through
aU the earth, as the apoftle allufively applies that of the
Pfalmift. 3. This teaches alfo minifters liberally to fow this feed
at all times, according to that, Eccl. xi, 6, In the. morning
fow thy feed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand,
he. praying earneftly to hira, that is the Lord not only of
the harveft, but of the feed-tirae, and of this feed to make
it fruitful ; this is his peculiar work. So the Apoftle ac
knowledges, 1 Cor. Hi, 6, I have planted, Apollos watered)
but God gave the increafe.
4. Hence we alfo learn the fuccefs to be very different.
This is moft evident In men : one caft into the mould
and faffiion of the word, and fo moulded and faffiloned
by It ; another no whit changed ; one heart melting be
fore It, another ftill hardened under it.
So then, this is not all, to have the word and hear It,
as If that would ferVe turn and fave us, as we commonly
fancy, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.
Multitudes under the continual found of the word, yet
remain lifelefs and fruitlefs, and die In their fins ; there
fore we muft enquire and examine ftridly, what becomes
of It, how it works, what it brings forth ; and for this
very end this parable declares fo many are fruitlefs. We
need not prefs them, they are three to one here ; yea,
that were too narrow, the odds is far greater, for thefe are
but the kinds of unfruitful grounds, and under each of
thefe huge multitudes of Individuals, fo that there may be
a hundred to one, and It Is to be feared, in many congre
gations. It Is more than fo.
Whence is then the difference ? not from the feed, that
is the fame to all ; not frora the fower neither, for though
thefe be divers, and of different abilities, yet It hangs little
or nothing on that. Indeed, he Is the fitteft to preach that
is himfelf moft like his meffage, and comes forth not only

SERMON XIII. 159
with a handful of this feed In his hand, but with ftore of
it in his heart, the word dwelling richly in hira ; yet how
foever, the feed he fows, being this word of life, depends
not on his qualifications in any kind, either of coraraon
gifts, or fpecial grace. People miftake this much, and It
is a carnal conceit to hang on the advantages of the mini
fter, or to eye that much. The fure way is to look up to
God, and to look into thine own heart. An unchanged
unfoftened heart, as an evil foil, difappoints the fruit.
What though fown by a weak hand, yea, poffibly a foul
one, yet if received in a clean and honeft heart, it will
frudlfy much. There is in the world a needlefs and pre
judicial differencing of men, out of which people will not
come for all we can fay.
The firft bad ground is a high-way. Now we have a
commentary here, whence we may not, nor wfll not de
part, it is authentic and full, ver. 19. they that underftand
not. Grofs brutiffi fpirits, that perceive not what is faid,
are as if they were not there, fit like blocks, one log of
wood upon another, as he faid. * This is our brutiffi
multitude, what pity is it to fee fo many, fuch as have not
fo much as a natural apprehenfion of fpiritual truths ?
the coraraon road of all paffengers, of all kind of fooliffi,
brutiffi thoughts, feeking nothing but how to live, and yet
know not to what end, have no defign, trivial, high-way
hearts, all temptations pafs at -their pleafure, profane as
Efau, which fome critics draw from a word fignifylng the
threffiold, the outer ftep that every foul foot treads on.
Thefe retain nothing, there is no hazard of that, and
yet the enemy of fouls, to raake all fure, left peradventure
fome word might take root unawares, fome grain of this
feed, he is bufy to pick it away ; to take them off from all
refledion, all ferious thoughts, or the remembrance of any
thing fpoken to them. And if any coraraon word Is re-
merabered, yet it doth no good, for that is trodden down
as the reft, though the moft Is picked up, becaufe it lies
on the road. So expreffed by St. Mark Iv. 4.
The fecond is ftony ground. Hard hearts, not foftened
and made penetrable, to receive In deeply this ingrafted
word with meeknefs,^ with humble yieldance and fubmif-
* Lapis fuper lapidem in theatro.

160 SERMON XIII.
fion to It) the rocks. Yet In thefe there Is often fome re
ceiving of it, and a little flender molfture above them,
which the warm air may make fpring up a little ; they
receive with joy, have a little prefent delight In It, are
moved and taken with the ferraon, poffibly to the ffiedding
of forae tears, but the ralfery Is, there Is a want of depth
of earth, it finks not.
No wonder if there Is fome prefent delight In thefe,
therefore the word of the kingdom, efpecially if ftilfully
and fenfibly delivered by fome more able fpeaker, pleafes.
Let it be but a fancy, yet it Is a fine pleafant one : fuch
love as the Son of God to die for finners ; fuch a rich
purchafe made as a kingdom ; fuch glory and fweetnefs.
Therefore the defcriptlon of the new Jerufalem, Apoc. xxi.
fuppofe It be but a dream, or one of the vlfions of the
night, yet it Is paffing fine ; It muft needs pleafe a mind
that heeds what is faid of it. There Is a natural delight
in fpiritual things, and thus the word of the Prophet, as
the Lord tells him, was as a ralnftrel's voice, a fine fong
fo long as It lafts, but dies out In the air ; it raay be, the
rehffi and air of it will remain a while in the Imagination,
but not long, even that wears out, and is forgot. So here
it is heard with joy, and fome is fpringing up prefently :
They coraraend It, and It may be, repeat fome paffages,
yea, poffibly defire to be like It, to have fuch and fuch
graces as are recomraended, and upon that think they
have thera, are prefently good Chriftians In their own con
ceit, and to appearance forae change Is wrought, and It
appears to be all that it Is. But it Is not deep enough,
they talk poffibly too rauch, more than thofe whofe hearts
receive it more deeply ; there It lies hid longer, and little
is heard of it. Others raay think it is loft, and poffibly
therafelves do not perceive that It is there, they are exer
cifed and hurabled at it, and find no good in their own
hearts ; yet there it is hid, as David fays. Thy word have
I hid in my heart. And as feed In a manner dies In a filent
fraothering way, yet is in order to the frudifying, and to
the reviving of It, It wfll fpring up In time, and be fruitful
in Its feafon, with patience, as St. Luke hath It of the good
ground; not fo fuddenly, but much more furely and
folldly.

SERMON XHI. 161
But the moft are prefent, muffirom Chriftians, foon
ripe, foon rotten ; the feed goes never deep, it fprings up
indeed, but any thing blafts and withers It. Little root in
fome, if trials arife, either the heat of perfecutlon without,
or a temptation within ; this fudden fpring-feed can ftand
before neither.
Oh rocky hearts ! How ffiallow, fliallow, are the Impref
fions of divine things upon you ? Religion goes never far
ther than the upper furface of your hearts, few deep
thoughts of God, and of Jefus Chrift, and the things of
the world to come ; all are but flight and tranfient glances.
The third Is thorny ground. This relates to the cares
and pleafures, and all the Interefts of this life. See St.
Mark Iv. 1, and St. Luke vIH, 5, All thefe together are
the thorns, and thefe grow in hearts that do raore deeply
receive the feed, and fend it forth, and fpring up raore
hopefully than either of the other two, and yet choak it.
Oh! the pity.
Many are thus alraoft at heaven, fo much defire of re
novation, and fome endeavours after it, and yet the thorns
prevalL Miferable thorns ! The bafe things of a periffiing
life drawing away the ftrength of affedlons, fucking the
fap of the foul. Our other feed and harveft, our corn
and hay, our ffiops and ffiips, our tradings and bargains,
our fuits and pretenfions for places and employments of
gain or, credit, hufband, and wife, and children, and houfe,
and train, our feaftlngs and entertainments, and other plea
fures of fenfe, our civilities and compliments ; and a world
of thofe In all the world are thefe thorns, and they over-
fpread afl. The lufl ofthe eye, the lust of the fleff and the
pride of Ufe.
And for how long Is all the advantage and delight of
thefe? Alas! that'fo poor things ffiould prejudice us of the
rich and bleffed Increafe of this divine feed.
The laft \& good ground, a good and honest heart; nop
much finenefs here, not many queftions and difputes, but
honeft fimplicity, fweet fincerity, that is all, a humble
fingle defire to eye, and to do the will of God, and this
from love to himfelf. This makes the foul abound in the
fruits of holinefs, receiving the word as the ground of it ;
different degrees there are Indeed, fome thirty, fome fixty,
X

162 SERMON XIII.
and fome an hundred fold, yet the loweft aiming at the
higheft, not refting fatlsfied ; yet growing more fruitful,
if thirty laft year, defiring to bring forth fixty this.
This Is the great point, we ought to exaraine it, for much
is fown and little brought forth. Our God hath done
much for us, (what more could be done ?) yet when grapes
were expeded, wild grapes are produced. What becomes
of all ? Who grow to be more fpiritual, more humble and
meek, more like Chrift, more felf-denying, fuller of love
to God, and one to another ? Some, but alas ! few. Afl
the land is fown, and that plentifully, with the good feed :
But what comes for the raoft part ? Cockle and no grain.
Infelix lolium.
We would do all other things to purpofe, and not will
ingly lofe our end ; not trade and gain nothing ; buy and
fell, and live by the lofs ; not plow and fow, and reap no
thing ; how fenfibly do we feel one ill year ? And ffiafl
this alone be loft labour, that, well improved, were worth
all the reft ? Oh ! how much more worth than all ? Shaft
we only do the greateft bufinefs to the leaft purpofe ? Be
think yourfelves, what do we here ? why come we here ?
if we ftill reraain as proud and paffionate, and as felf-wifled
as before, what will all great bargains, and good years, and
full barns, avail within a while ? That word. Thou fool, ,
this night fhall they fetch away thy foul, how terrible will
it be? We think we are wife In not lofing our labour in other
things ? why, it Is all loft, even where moft gained. What
amounts it to, caft up ? Vanity and vexation of fpirit is the
total fum. And in all our projeding and bufling, what
do we but fow the wind, and reap the whiriwind ? fow
vanity, and reap vexation.
This feed alone being fruitful, makes rich and happy,
fprings up to eternal Hfe. Oh that we were wife, and that
we would at length learn to hear every fermon as on the
utmoft edge of time, at the very brink of eternity. For any
^ thing we know for ourfelves, of any of us It may be really
fo ; however, it Is wife and fafe to do as if it were fo.
Will you be perfuaded of this ? It were a happy fermon if
it could prevail, for the more fruitful hearing of all the
reft henceforward. We have loft too much of our little

SERMON XIII. 163
tirae ; and thus, with the Apoftle, / befcech you, I befeech
you, receive not the grace of God In vain.
Now that you may be fruitful, examine well your own,
hearts, pluck up, weed out, for there are ftill thorns.
Some will grow, but he Is the happleft man that hath the
ffiarpeft eye, and the bufieft hand, fpying them out, and
plucking thera up. Take heed how you hear, think It not
fo eafy a raatter. Plow up, and fow not among thorns^
Jer. Iv.
And above all pray, pray before, after, and In hearing.
Dart up defires to God, he Is the Lord of the harveft,
whofe influence doth all. The difference of the foil makes
indeed the difference of fuccefs, but the Lord hath the
privilege of bettering the foil. He that framed the heart,
changes it when and how he will. There is a curfe on all
grounds naturally, that fell on the earth for man's fake,
but fell more on the ground of raan's own heart within
him : Thorns and briars ffalt thou bring forth. Now it Is
he that denounced that curfe, that alone hath power to re
move it ; he is both the fovereign owner of the feed, and
changer of the fofl, turns a wlldernefs into Carmel by his
Spirit ; and no ground, no heart, can be good till he
change it.
And being changed, much care muft be had ftill of
manuring, for ftill that is in it, that wfll bring forth many
weeds, is a mother to them, and but a ftep-mother to this
feed. Therefore,
Confider It, If you think this concerns you ; he that
hath an ear to hear, as our Saviour clofes, let him hear.
The Lord apply your hearts to this work ; and though
difcourageraents arife without, or within, and Httle prefent
fruit appear, but corruption is rather ftronger and greater,
yet watch and pray ; wait on. It ffiall be better, this fruit
is to be brought forth with patience, as St. Luke hath it.
And this feed, 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 tirae It ffiall fpring up. And this patience ffiall
be put to it but for a little while, the day of harveft Is at
hand, when all in any raeafure fruitful In grace ffiall be ga
thered Into glory.
X 2

164 SERMON XIV.

SERMON, XIV.

2 CoR. VII. 1.
Having therefore thefe promifes (dearly beloved) let us
cleanfe ourfelves from all filthlnefs of the fieff and fpirit,
perfedlng holinefs In the fear of God.
IT is a thing both of unfpeakable fweetnefs and ufeful
nefs for a Chriftian, often to confider the excellency of
that eftate to which he is called. It cannot fail to put him
upon very high refolutions, and carry him on in the divine
ambition of behaving daily more fuitably to his high call
ing and hopes. Therefore, thefe are often fet before Chrif
tians in the fcripture, and are preffed here by the Apoftle
upon a particular occafion of the avoidance of near com
binements with unbelievers. He mentions fome choice
promifes that God makes to his own people, and of their
near relation to, and communion with himfelf. And upon
thefe he enlarges and raifes the exhortation to the univer
fal endeavour of all holinefs, and that as aiming at the very
top and high degree ofit.
In the words are, 1. The thing to which he would per
fuade. 2. The motive. The thing, holinefs in its fufl
extenfion and Intention, Purging ourfelves from all filthl
nefs of the fleff and fpirit, and perfedlng holinefs In the fear
of God.The purging out of filthlnefs, and perfedlng of holinefs,
exprefs thofe two parts of renewing grace, mortification
and vivification, as ufually they are diftinguiffied. But I
conceive they are not fo truly different parts, as a different
notion of the fame thing, the decreafe of fin, and increafe
of grace being truly one thing, as the difpelling of dark
nefs, and augmenting of light. So here the one is ren
dered, as the neceffary refult, yea, as the equivalent of the
other ; the fame thing indeed. Purging from filthlnefs, and
in fo doings perfedlng holinefs ; perfedlng holinefs, and in

SERMON XIV. 165
fo doing purging from filthlnefs. That perfedlon, by which
is meant a growing progreffive advance to\\ards perfedlon.
The words without flraining give us as It were the feveral
dimenfions of holinefs, the breadth, purging aU filthlnefs ;
the length, parallel to raan's corapofure, running all along
through his foul and body, — purging filthlnefs of the flefh
and fpirit ; the heighth, perfedlng holinefs ; the depth, that
which Is the bottom whence it rifes up, — a deep Imprefs
of the fear of God. Perfedlng hoUnefs in ihe fear of God.
Cleanfe ourfelves.} It Is the Lord that Is the fandifier of
his people, he purges away their drofs and tin, he pours
clean water, according to his promifes, yet doth he call to
us to cleanfe ourfelves, even having fuch promifes. Let us
cleanfe ourfelves. He puts a new life Into us, and caufes us
to ad, and excites us to excite it, and call it up lo ad In
the progrefs of fandification. Men are ftrangely Inclined
to a perverfe conftrudion of things, tell them that we are
to ad and work, and give diligence, then they would
fancy a doing In their own ftrength, and be their own Savi
ours. Again, tell them that God works all our works In
us, and for us, then they would take the eafe of doing no
thing ; If they cannot have the praife of doing all, they
wfll fit ftifl .with folded hands, and ufe no diligence at all.
But this Is the corrupt logic of the fleffi, its bafe fophlftry.
The Apoftle reafons juft contrary, Phil. n. 12. It Is God
that worketh In us, both to will and do. Therefore, would
a carnal heart fay, we need not work, or at leaft, may work
very carelefly. But he infers. Therefore let us work out our
falvatlon with fear and trembling, I, e, in the raore humble
obedience to God, and dependence on him, not obftrud-
ing the influences of his grace, and by floth, and negli
gence, provoking him to withdraw or abate It. Certainly
many in whom there Is truth of grace, are kept low in the
growth of it, by their own flothfulnefs, fitting ftill, and
not beftlrring therafelves, and exercifing the proper adions
of that fpiritual life, by which it is entertained and ad
vanced. From aU filthlnefs.} All kind of finful pollutions. Not
as men coraraonly do reforra forae things, and take to
themfelves difpenfatlons in others, at leaft In fome one pe
culiar fin, their miftrefs and then: Herodias, their Dalilah :

166 SERMON XIV.
No parting with that ; yea, they rather forego many other
things, as a kind of compofition for the retaining of that.
Of fleff and fpirit.} The whole man rauft be purified
and confecrated to God, not only refined frora the grofs
outward ads of fin, but from the Inward affedion to it,
and motions of it, that fo the heart go not after it, (Pfal.
cxxxi.) which under reftraints of outward committing fin,
it may do, and very often does. As the Ifraelites lufled
after the fleff pots, their hearts remained In Egypt ftill,
though their bodies were brought out. This is then to be
done, viz. Affedion to fin to be purged out. That Is,
to cleanfe the ground, not only to lop off the branches,
but to dig about, and loofen and pluck up the root.
Though ftill fibres of It will ftick, yet we ought fffll to be
finding them out, and plucking them up.
Further, Thefe not only of the Inner part of all fins, but
of fome fins that are moft or wholly inward, that hang riot
fo much on the body, nor are aded by it, thofe filchineffes
of the fpirit that are lefs difcerned than thofe of the fleffi ;
and as more hardly difcerned, fo when difcerned, more
hardly purged out, pride, felf-love, unbehef, curiofity, &c.'
which though raore retired and refined fins, yet are poflu-
tions and defilements, yea of the worft fort, as being more
fpiritual, are filthineffes of the fpirit. Fleffily pollutions are
thmgs of which the devils are not capable In themfelves,
though they excite raen to thera, and fo they are called
unclean fpirits. But the higheft rank of fins, are thofe
that are properly fpiritual wickedneffes. Thefe In men are
the chief ftrengths of Satan, the inner works of thefe forts
and ftrongholds, 2 Cor. x. 4, Many that are not rauch
tempted to the coraraon grofs fenfuahties, have poffibly
(though an inclination to them, yet) a kind of difdain ;
and, through education, and morahty, and ftrength of
reafon, with fomewhat of natural confcience, are carried
above them ; who yet have many of thefe heights, thofe
lofty imaginations that rife againft God, and the obedience
of Chrift, all which muft be deraoliffied,
Perfedlng holinefs.} Not content with low meafures, fo
much as keeps from hell, but afpiring towards perfedlon ;
aiming high at felf-vidory, felf-denial, and the love of God,
purer and hotter, as a fire fgrowing and flaming up, and

SERMON XIV. 167
confuming the earth. Though men fall ffiort of their
aim., yet it is good to aim high, they ffiall ffioot fo much
the higher, though not full fo high as they aim. Thus
we ought to be fetting the ftate of perfedlon in our eye,
refolving not to reft content below that, and to corae as
near it as we can, even before we corae at il, Phfl. in, 1 1,
12, This is to ad as one that halh fuch a hope, fuch a
ftate in view, and Is ftill advancing towards It.
In the fear of God.} No working but on firra ground,
no folid endeavours In holinefs where It Is not founded in
a deep heart, a reverence of God, a defire to pleafe him
and to be Hke him, which fprings from love.
This moft raen are either ftrangers to wholly, or are
but flight and ffiallow in It, and therefore raake lb Httle
true progrefs in holinefs.
Then there is the motive. Having thefe promifes ; being
cafled to fo fair an eftate, fo excellent a condition, to be
the people, yea, the fons and daughters of God. There
fore they are called to the coming forth from Babel, and
the feparating themfelves from fin, and purging it out.
Holinefs is his image in his children, the more of it, the
more fuitable to that bleffed relation and dignity, and the
firmer are the hopes of the inheritance of glory.
Confider fin as a filthlnefs, hate it. Oh how ugly and
vile is luft, how deformed is fwelling pride, and all fin is
an averfion from God, a cafting the noble foul into the
mire, the defacing all its beauty. Turning to prefent
things, it pollutes itfelf with them, that he who was clad in
fcarlet embraces the dunghill, as Jeremy in another fenfe
laments. Purity of things Is an unmixture and fimplicity cor-
refpondlng with their own being ; and fo is the foul when
elevated above the earth, and fenfe, and united unto God,
contemplating him, and delighting in him, all Inordinate
bent to the creatures, or to Itfelf, (which Is the firft and
main diforder) doth defile and debafe it. And the raore
it is fubllraed and freed from itfelf, the purer and more
heavenly it grows, and partakes the more of God, and re
fembles hira the raore.
This then to be our raain ftudy, firft to fearch out our
iniquities, the particular defilements of our nature, not only

168 SERMON XIV.
grofs filthineffes, drunkennefs, lafcivloufnefs, &c. but oul-
love of this earth, or of air or vanity of mind, our felf-wlll
and felf-feeklng. Moft, even of Chriftians, are ffiort-
fighted in their own fecret evils, the filthineffes of fplrlt-ef-
pecially, and ufe Httle diligence In this enquiry. They do
not feek light from God, to go in before him, and to lead
them into therafelves, as the Prophet had In the difcovery
of Idolatries at Jerufalem. Oh ! that we could once fee
what heaps of abominations lie hid In us, one behind ano
ther. Then having fearched out, we muft follow on to purge
out ; not to pafs over, nor fpare any, but to delight moft
in cafting out the beft beloved fin, the cholceft idol, that
hath had moft of our fervice and facrlfices, to make room
for Jefus Chrift.
And never ceafe in this work, for ftill there Is need of
more purging, one day's work in this difpofes for and en
gages to a further, to the next ; for as fin is purged out,
light coraes In, and more clear difcoveries are made of re
maining pollutions. So then ftill there rauft be progrefs,
lefs of the world, and raore of God in the heart every day.
Oh ! this is a fweet courfe of life, what gain, what prefer
ment, to be compared to it ?
And in this it Is good to have our arabition growing ;
the higher we rife, to afpire ftill the higher, looking far
ther than before, even toward the perfedlon of holinefs.
It is not rauch we can here attain to, but fure. It Is common
ly far lefs than we might ; we improve not our condition
and advantages as we might do. The world is bufy driv
ing forwards their defigns. Men of fpirit are animated,
both by better and worfe fuccefs : If any thing mifcarry,
it fets them on the more eagerly to raake It up, in the right
management of fome other defign ; and when they prof-
per In one thing, that enables and encourages them to at
tempt further. Shall all things feem worth our pains ?
Are only grace and glory fo cheap in our account, that the
leaft diligence of all goes that way ? Oh, ftrange delufion I
Now our cleanfing Is to be managed by all holy. means :
Word and facrament more wifely and fpiritually ufed than
commonly with us ; and private prayer, that purifies and
elevates the foul, takes it up into the mount, and makes il;

SERMON XV. 169
ffiine ; and partlculaly fuppllcating for the fpirit of holi-
nefs, and vidory over fin, is not in vain, it obtains its de-
fires of God, the foul becoming that which It is fixedly fet
upon : Holy refolution, Chriftians much wanting In this,
faint and loofe in their purpofes; the confideration of di
vine truths, the myfteries of the kingdom, the hope of
Chriftians, yea, rich and great promifes, that is particu
larly here the motive. Thefe are all the raeans, holy
means they are, as their end Is the perfedlon of holinefs.
Having thefe promifes.} Now confider whether It is bet
ter to be the flaves of fatan, or the fons of God ; meafure
delight In God with the low bafe pleafures of fenfe. Bleffed
are the pure in heart, for they ffall fee God ; thefe gradu
ally go on together, and are perfeded together.
Why then Is there fuch an invincible love of fin in the
hearts of men ? At leaft, why fo little love of holinefs, and
endeavour after it, fo mean thoughts of it, as a thing either
indecent or unpleafant, when it Is the only noble and the
only delightful thing In the world ? The foul by other
things is drawn below itfelf, but by holinefs it is raifed a-
bove itfelf, and raade divine. Pleafures of fin for a fea
fon, the pleafure of a raoraent exchanged for thofe of eter
nity. But even In the mean time. In this feafon, the foul
is fed with comraunion with God, one hour of which Is
more worth than the longeft life of the higheft ofthe
world's delights.

SERMON XV,

Psal. cxix. 32.
I will run the way of thy cominaridments, when thou ffalt
enlarge my heart.
TO defire eafe and happinefs, under a general repre-
fentation of It, is a thing of raore eafy and general
perfuafion. There is foraewhat In nature to help the ar
gument, but to find beauty in, and be taken with the very
way of holinefs that leads to it, is more rare, and depends
Y

170 SERMON XV.
on a higher principle. Self-love inclines a man to defire
the reft of love, but to love and defire the labour of love,
is love of a higher and purer ftrain. To delight, and be
chearful In obedience, argues much love as the fpring of
it. That Is the thing the holy Pfalmift doth fo plentifully
exprefs In this pfalm, and he is ftill defiring more of that
fweet and Hvely affedion that might make him yet more
abundant in adion. Thus herej / wlU run, he. He pre-
fents his defire and purpofe together, " The more of this
grace thou beftoweft on me, the more fervice ffiafl I be
able to do thee,"
This is the top of his ambition, while others are feeking
to enlarge their barns, their lands, or eftates, or titles,
kings to enlarge their territories or authority, to Incroach
on neighbouring kingdoms, or be more abfolute in their
own ; inftead of all fuch enlargements, this Is David's
great defire. An enlarged heart to run the way of God's
commandments. And thefe other (how big foever they found) are poor
narrow defires ; this one Is larger and higher than, them
all, and gives evidence of a heart already large : But as it
is miferable in thofe, it Is happy in this. Much would flill
have more.
Let others feek raore raoney, or raore honour. Oh !
the bleffed choice of that foul that is ftill feeking more love
to God, more aftedion, and more ability to do him fer
vice ; that counts all days and hours for loft that are not
employed to this improvement ; that hears the word in
public, and reads it in private for this purpofe, to kindle
this love, or to blow the fparkle. If any there be already in
the heart, to raife It to a clear flarae, and frora a little fiame
to make it burn yet hotter and purer, and rife higher.
But, above all means, is often prefenting this In prayer to
him, on whofe Influence all depends, in whofe hand our
hearts are, much more than in our own. It follows him
with this defire, and works on him by his own intereft.
Though there can be really no acceffion of gain to him by
our fervices, yet he Is pleafed fo to account with us as if
there were. Therefore we may urge this : " Lord give
more, and receive more ; / will run the way of thy command'
jnents {when thou ffalt enlarge my heart."

SERMON XV. 171
We have here in the words a required difpofition, and
a fuitable refolution. The difpofition relates to the refolu
tion, as the means of fulfilHng It, and the refolution re
lates to the difpofition, both as the end of defiring it, and
as the raotive of obtaining it. The refolution occurs firft
in the words.
I win run, he.} The way refolved on Is that of God's
commandments, not the road of the polluted world, not the
crooked ways of his own heart, but the high-way, the roy
al way, the ftraight way of the kingdom, and that in
the notion of fubjedion and obedience, the way of thy
commandments. This raan naturally ftruggles againft and
repines at. To be Hmited and bounded by a law is a re
ftraint, and a vain raan could poffibly find In his heart to
do many of the farae things that are coramanded, but he
would not be tied, would have his Hberty, and do it of his
own choice. This Is the enmity of the carnal mind againft
God, as the Apoftle expreffes it, it is not fubjed to the law
of God, neither can it he ; it breaks thefe bonds, and cafts
away the cords of his authority. This is fin, the tranf
greffion of a law, and this made the firft fin fo great,
though In a matter one would think fmall, the eating of
the fruit of a tree ; it was rebellion againft the majefty of
God, cafting off his law and authority, and afpiring to an
iraagined felf-delty. And this is ftill the treafonable pride,
or Independency, and wickednefs of our nature, rifing up
againft God that forraed us of nothing.
And this Is the power and fubftance of religion, the new
iraprefs of God upon the heart, and obedience and refign-
ment to him, to be given up to him as entirely his, to be
moulded and ordered as he will, to be fubjed to his laws
and appointments In all things, to have every adion, and
every word, under a rule and law, and the penalty to be
fo high, eternal death. All this to a carnal or haughty
mind Is hard ; not only every adion and word, but even
every thought too, rauft be fubjed ; not fo rauch as
thought-free, (2 Cor. x. 5.) every thought is brought into
captivity, (as the Apoftle fpeaks, and fo the licentious raind
accounts It) not only the affedlons and defires, but the
very reafonings and,Imaginations are brought under this law.
Now to yield this as reafonable and due to God, to own
Y 2

172 SERMON XV.
his foverelgnty, and to acknowledge the law to be holy,
juft and good ; to approve, yea, to love It, even there
where It moft contradids and controuls our own corrupt
will, and the law of fin In our flefli, this is true fpiritual
obedience ; to ftudy and enquire after the wfll of God In
all our ways, what will pleafe him, and having found it, to
follow that which is here called the way of his command
ments ; to make this our way, and our bufinefs In the
world, and all other things but acceffaries and by-works ;
even thofe lawful things that may be taken In, and ufed as
helps in our way. As the difciples paffing through the corn
plucked the ears, and did eat In paffing, as a by-work, but
their bufinefs was to follow their mafter. And whatfoever
would hinder us in this way, muft be watched and guard
ed againft. To effed that, we muft either remove and
thruft It afide, or if we cannot do that, yet we muft go o-
ver it, and trample it under foot, were it the thing or the
perfon that is deareft to us in the world. Till the heart be
brought to this ftate and purpofe, it Is either wholly void
of, or very low and weak In the truth of religion.
We place religlonmuch in our accuftomed perforraances,
in coming to church, hearing and repeating of fermons,
and praying at home, keeping a road of fuch and fuch du
ties. The way of God's commandments, is raore in doing
than in difcourfe. In many, religion evaporates itfelf too
much out by the tongue, while it appears too little in their
ways. Oh ! but this is the main ; one ad of charily, meek
nefs, or humility, fpeaks more than a day's difcourfe. All
the means we ufe in rehgion 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 trad of our Hves ; In
our private converfe one with another, and our retired fe
cret converfe with ourfelves ; to have God ftill before us,
and his law our rule In all we do ; that he raay be our
meditation day and night, and that his law may be our
counfellor, as this pfalm hath it, to regulate all our defigns,
and the works of our callings by It. To walk foherly, and
godly, and rlghteoiifly in this prefent world ; to curb and
crofs our own wills where they crofs God's ; to deny our
felves our own humour and pride, our paffions and plea-

SERMON XV. 173
fures, to have all thofe fubdued, and brought under, by
the power of the law of love whhin us. This, and nothing
below, this, is the end of rehgion. Alas ! amongft multi
tudes that are called Chriftians, fome there may be that
fpeak and appear like it, yet how few are there that make
this their bufinefs, and afpire to this, The way of God's
commandments. His intended curfe In this way, he expreffes by running ;
it is good to be in this way even in the floweft motions,
love wfll creep where it cannot go. But If thou art fo in
deed, then thou wilt long for a fwifter motion ; If thou do
but creep, be doing, creep on, yet defire to be enabled to
go ; if thou goeft, but yet halting and lamely, defire to be
ftrengthened to walk ftraight, and If thou walkeft, let not
that fatlsfy thee, defire to run. So here David did walk
in this way ; but he earneftly wiffies to mend his pace, he
would willingly run, and for that end he defires an enlarg
ed heart.
Some difpute and defcant too much whether they go or
no, and childiffily tell their fteps, and would know at every
pace whether they advance or no, and how much they ad
vance, and thus amufe themfelves, and fpend the time of
doing, and going. In queftioning and doubting. Thus it
is with many Chriftians, but It were a more wife and cora
fortable way, to be endeavouring onwards, and if thou
make Httle progrefs, at leaft to be defiring to make more ;
to be praying and walking, and praying that thou raayefl
walk fafter, and that in the end thou raayeft run, not fatls
fied with any thing attained, but yet by that unfatisfied-
nefs not to be fo dejeded as to fit down, or ftand ftill, but
rather excited to go on. So it was with St. Paul, Philip.
in. 13. Forgettlngthefethings which are behlnd,2.ndrez,e)\ing
forth unto thofe things which are before, I prefs forward.
If any one thinks that he hath done well and run far, and
will take a paufe, the great Apoftle is of another mind. Not
as if I had attained. Oh no ! far from that, he ftill fets
forward, as if nothing were done, as a runner, not ftill
looking back how much he hath r^n, but forward to what
he is to run, ftretching forth to that. Inflamed with fre
quent looks at the mark and end, Sorae are retarded by
looking on what is paft, as not fatisfied, they have done

174 SERMON XV.
nothing as they think, and fo ftand ftill difcontented ; but
even in that way, it is not good to look too rauch to things
behind, we rauft forget them rather and prefs onwards.
Some, if they have gone on well, and poffibly run a
-. while, yet if they fall, then they are ready, in a defperate
' mal-content, to lie ftfll, and think all is loft ; and in this
peevlffi fretting at their falls, forae raen pleafe themfelves,
and take it for repentance, whereas indeed it is not that,
but rather pride and humour ; repentance is a more fub-
mlffive humble thing. But this is that which troubles fome
men at iheir new falls, (efpecially if after a long time of
even walking or running) they think their projed is now
fpoiled, their thoughts are broken off, they would have
had foraewhat to have rejoiced in, if they had ftill gone on
to the end, but being difappointed of that, they think they
had as good let alone, and give over. Oh ! but the hum
ble Chriftian Is better taught, his falls teach hira indeed to
abhor hirafelf, ihey difcover his own weaknefs to him, and
empty hira of felf-truft, but they do not difmay him to get
up and go on, not boldly and carelefly forgetting his fall,
but In the hurable fenfe of It walking the raore warily, but
not the lefs fwiftly ; yea, the raore fwlftly too, making the
more hafte to regain the time loft by the fall. So then if
you would run in this way, depend on the ftrength of God,
and on his Spirit, leading thee, that fo thou raayeft not
fall, and yet if thou doft fall, arife ; and if thou art plung
ed In the mire, go to the fountain opened for fin and un
cleannefs, and waffi there, bemoan thyfelf before thy Lord ;
and If hurt, and bleeding by thy fall, yet look to him, de
fire Jefus to pity thee, and bind up, and cure thy wound,
waffiing off thy blood, and pouring In of his own.
However it is with thee, give not over, faint not, run
on ; and that thou mayeft run the more eafily and expe
ditely, make thyfelf as light as raay be, lay afide every
weight, Heb. xH. 1, 2. Clog not thyfelf with unneceffary
burdens of earth, and efpecially lay afide that, that, of all
other things, weighs the heavleft, and cleaves the clofeft,
ihe fin that fo eafily befets us, and Is fo hardly put off us,
that fblds fo connaturaUy to us, and v/e therefore think will
not hinder us much. And not only the fins that are more
outward, but the inner clofe-cleaving fins, the fin that moft

SERMON XV. 175
of all fits eafily to us, not only our cloak, but our Inner
coat, away with that too, as our Saviour fays In another
cafe, and run the race fet before us, our appointed ftage,
and that with patience, under all oppofitlons, and difcou
ragements, from the world without, and fin whhin. And
to encourage thee in this, look to fuch a cloud of witneffes
that compaffeth us about to further Us ; as troubles, temp
tations and fin, do to hinder us. They encountered the
Hke fufferings, and were encountered with the like fins,
and yet they run on and got home. Alexander would
have run in the Olyrapic games If he had had kings to
run with : Now in this race, kings, and prophets, and righ
teous perfons, run ; yea, all are Indeed a kingly genera
tion, each one heir to a crown as the prize of this race.
And if thefe encourage thee but little, then look beyond
them, above that cloud of v/itneffes, to the Sun, the Sun
of rlghteoufnefs ; looking off frora all things here, that
would either entangle thee, or difcourage thee, taking thine
eye off from them, and looking to him that wfll powerful
ly draw thee and aniraate thee. Look to Jefus not only
as thy forerunner in this race, but alfo as thy undertaker
in it, the author and finlffer of our faith. His attaining the
end of the race is the pledge of thy attaining, if thou follow
him chearfully on the farae encouragements that he looked
to, who for the joy that was fet before him, endured the crofs,
and defpifed the ffame, arid is now fet down at the right
hand of God.
When thou ffalt enlarge my heart.} In all beings, the
heart is the principle of motion, and according as it Is more
or lefs perfed in its kind, thofe motions that flow from It,
are more or lefs vigorous. Therefore hath the Pfalmift
good reafon, to the end his fpiritual courfe may be the
ftef"^''.fter, and the fafter, to defire that the principle of it,
the heart, may be more enabled and difpofed, which here
he expreffes by its being enlarged.
What this enlargement of the heart Is, a man's own In
ward fenfe ffiould eafily explain to him. Sure It would,
did men refled on it, and were they acquainted with their
own hearts, but the moft are not. They would find the
carnal natural heart, a narrow contraded hampered thing,
bound with cords and chains of Its own twifting and forg-

176 SERMON XV.
ing, and fo Incapable of walking, rauch lefs of running In
this way of God's comraandraents, till It be freed and en
larged. The heart is taken generally In fcripture, for the whole
foul,, the underftanding and will, in its feveral affedlons
and motions ; and the fpeech being here of an enlarged
heart. It feems very congruous to take it in the moft en
larged fenfe.
It is faid of Solomon, that he had a large heart (the farae
word that is here) as the fand of thefea-ffore ; that Is, a vaft
comprehenfive fpirit, that could fathom much of nature,.
both ils greater and leffer things. He fpoke of trees, front
the cedar In Lebanon, to the hyfop in the wall, and of great-
beafls, and fmall creeping things.
Thus I conceive, the enlargement ofthe heart comprifeth
the enhghtening of the underftanding. There arlfes a
clearer light there, to difcern fpiritual things In a more fpi
ritual manner ; to fee the vaft difference betwixt the vain
things the world goes after, and the true folid delight that
is in the way of God's commandments ; to know the falfe
bluffi of the pleafures of fin, and what deformity is under
that painted mafk, and not be allured by it ; to have en
larged apprehenfions of God, his excellency, and great
nefs, and goodnefs ; how worthy he Is to be obeyed and
ferved. This Is the great dignity and happinefs of the
foul, all other pretenfions are low and poor, In refped of
this. Here then is enlargement to fee the purity and beau
ty of his law, how juft and reafonable, yea, how pleafant
and amiable it is ; that his commandments are not griev
ous, that they are beds of fpices, the more we walk In them,
ftill the more of their fragrant fraell and fweetnefs we find.
And then confequently, upon the larger and clearer
knowledge of thefe things, the heart dilates Itfelf in affec
tion ; the more It knows of God, ftill the more It loves
him, and the lefs it loves this prefent world ; love Is the
great enlarger of the heart to all obedience. Then nothing
is hard, yea, the harder things become the more dellghtfuL
^ All love of other things doth pinch and contrad the
heart, for they are all narrower than Itfelf. It is framed
to that widenefs in its firft creation, capable of enjoying
God, though not of a full comprehending him. Therefore

SERMON XV. 177
Therefore all other things gather It in, and ftraiten It from
Its natural fize, only the love of God ftretches and dilates
it. He is large enough for it, yea, it, in Its fulleft enlarge
ment. Is infinitely too narrow for hira. Do not all find
it, if they will afk therafelves, that in all other loves and
purfuits In this v/orld, there is ftill foraewhat that pinches ?
The foul Is not at its full fize, but as a foot in a ftralt
ffioe. Is foraewhere bound and pained, and cannot go free
ly, much lefs run ; though another that looks on cannot
tell where, yet each one feels It, But'when the foul Is
fet free from thefe narrow things, and is raifed to the love
of God, then Is It at eafe, and at large, and hath room e-
nough ; It Is both elevated and dilated. And this word
fignifies a high-raifed foul, and is foraetiraes taken for
proud and lofty ; but there is a greatnefs and height of
fpirit in the love of God, and union with him, that doth
not vainly fwell and lift it up, but with the deepeft humi
lity, joins the higheft and trueft raagnaniraity. It fets the
foul above the fnares that He here below, in which raoft
men creep and are Intangled, in that Way of life that is on
high to the Jufl, as Soloraon fpeaks.
Good reafon hath David to join thefe together, and to
defire the one as the fpring and caufe of the other. An
enlarged heart, that he might run the way of God's com
mandments. Senfible joys and confolatlons In God, do encourage
and enlarge the heart, but thefe are not fo general to all,
nor fo conftant to any. Love is the abounding fixed fpring
of ready obedience, and will make the heart chearful In
ferving God, even without thofe felt comforts, when he Is
pleafed to deny, or withdraw them.
In that courfe or race, is underftood Conflancy, Adivity
and Alacrity, and all thefe flow from the enlargeraent of
the heart,
1. Conflancy : A narrow enthralled heart, fettered with
the love of lower things, and cleaving to fome particular
fins, or but forae one, and that fecret, may keep foot a
whfle in the way of God's coramandments, in fome fteps
of them; but it muft give up quickly, Is not able to run
on to the end of the goal. But a heart that hath laid afide
every weight, and the moft clofe-cleaving and befetting fin
Z

178 SERMON XV.
(as It Is In that place to the Hebrews) hath ftript itfelf of
all that may faulter or intangle It, it runs, and runs on,
without fainting or wearying, it is at large, hath nothing
that pains It In the race.
2. Adivity : Not only holding on, but running, which
is a fwift nirable race. It ftands not bargaining and dif-
puting, but once knowing God's raind, there Is no more
queftion or deraur. / made hafte and delayed not, as In this
pfalra the word is, did not ftay upon why, and wherefore ;
he ftood not to r'&afon the raatter but run on. And this
love, enlarging the heart, raakes it abundant in the work
of the Lord, quick and adive, difpatching rauch in a Ht
tle tirae.
3, Alacrity : All done with chearfulnefs, fo no other
conftraint Is needful, where this overpowering fweet con
ftraint of love is, / will run, not be hauled, and drawn
as by force, but fkip and leap, as the evangelic promife is,
that the lame ffall leap as an hart, and the tongue of tbe
dumb fing : For in the wlldernefs ffall waters break out, and
ftreams in the defart, Ifa, xxxv, 6. The fpoufe defires her
beloved to haft en as a roe and hind on the mountains of
fpices, and ffie doth fo, and each faithful foul runs towards
him, to raeet him in his way.
It Is a fad heavy thing to do any thing as In obedience
to God, while the heart is ftraitened, not enlarged towards
him by his divine love ; but that once taking poffeffion,
and enlarging the heart, that Inward principle of obedi
ence, makes the outward obedience fweet, it'Is then a na
tural motion. Indeed, the foul runs in the ways of God,
as the fun In his courfe, which finds no difficulty, being
naturally fitted and carried to that raotion, he goes forth as
a Bridegroom, and rejoiceth as a ftrong man to run a race.
This is 'the great point that our fouls ffiould be ftudious
of, to attain more evennefs, and nimblenefs, and chearful
nefs, in the ways of God, and for this end we ought to
feek above all things this enlarged heart ; it Is want of
this makes us bog, and drive heavily, and run long upon
httle ground. Oh ! my beloved, how ffiaflow and narrow
are our thoughts of God ? Moft even of thofe that are tru
ly godly, yet are led on by a kind of Inftind, and carried
they fcarce know how, to give fome attendance on God's

SERMON XV. 179
worffiip, and to the avoidance of grofs fin, and go on In a
blaraelefs courfe. It is better thus, than to run to excefs
of riot and open wickednefs, 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 acquainted with that delightful conteraplation
of God, that ventilates and raifes this flarae of love. Petty
things bind and contrad our fpirits, fo that they feel little
joy In God, little ardent adive defire to do hira fervice, to
crucify fin, to break and undo felf-love within us, to root
up our own wills to raake roora for his, that his alone raay
be ours, that we may have no will of our own, that our
daily work may be to grow more Hke him In the beauty
of holinefs. You think it a hard faying, to part with your
carnal lufts and delights, and the coraraon ways of the
world, and to be tied to a ftrid exad converfation all your
days. But oh ! the reafon of this is, becaufe the heart is
yet ftraitened, and enthralled by the bafe love of thefe
mean things, and that is from the ignorance of things
higher and better. One glance of God, a touch of his
love will free and enlarge the heart, fo that it can deny all,
and part with all, and make an entire renouncing of all,
to follow Him. It fees enough in Him, and in Hira alone,
and therefore can neither quietly reft on, nor earneftly de
fire any thing befide Hira.
Oh ! that you would apply your hearts to confider the
excellency of this way of God's coraraandraents. Our
wretched hearts are prejudiced, they think it raelancholy
and fad. Oh ! there is no way truly joyous but this, They
ffall flng in the ways of the Lord, fays the Prophet, Do
not raen, when their eyes are opened, fee a beauty In raeek-
nefs, and teraperance, and huraility, a prefent delightful-
nefs and quietnefs In thera ; whereas in pride, and paffion,
and interaperance, there Is nothing but vexation and dif-
qulet. And then confider the end of this way, and this
race In It, reft and peace for ever ; it is the way of peace,
both In Its own nature, and in refped of its end. Did you
believe that joy and glory that is fet 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 this way, and run on chearfully In It. The
.Z 2

1§0 SERMON XV.
perfuafion of thefe great things above would enlarge and
greaten the heart, and make the greateft things here very
Httle in your eyes.
But would you attain to this enlarged heart for this race ;
as you ought to apply your thoughts to thefe divine things,
and ftretch thera on the promifes made in the word ; above
all, take David's courfe, feek this enlargeraent of heart
from God's own hand, for It Is here propounded and laid
before God by way of requeft : " See \^hat is ray defire,
" I would gladly ferve thee better, and advance more in
*' the way of thy commandments. Now this I cannot do dll
's' my heart be more enlarged, and that cannot be but by
" thy hand. When thou ffalt enlarge my heart." Prefent
this fuit often. It Is In his power to do it for thee ; he can
ftretch and expand thy ftraitened heart, can fpread and
holfe the fails within thee, and then carry thee on fwlftly ;
filHng them not with the vain air of raan's applaufe, which
readily run a foul apon rocks and fpllts it, but with the
fweet breathings and foft gales of his own fpirit, that car
ry it ftraight to the defired haven.
Findeft thou fin cleaving to thee and clogging thee, cry
to him, " Help Lord, fet rae free from my narrow heart.
*' — I ftrive but in vain without thee, ftfll it continues fb,—
" I know little of thee, my affedlons are dead and cold to-
" wards thee, — Lord I defire to love thee, here is ray heart,
" and left It fly out, lay hold on It, and take thine own
" way with it, though It ffiould be In a painful way, yet
*' draw it forth, yea draw it that it raay run after thee,"
All is his own w^orklng, and all his motive Is his own free
grace. Let who will fancy themfelves mafters of their own
hearts, and think to enlarge them by the ftrength of their
own ftretches of fpeculation ; they alone, they alone are
in the fure and happy way of attaining it, that humbly fuit
and wait for this enlargeraent of heart from his hand that
made It.

SERMON XVI. 181

SERMON XVI,

RoM. VHI. 33, 34.

Who ffall lay any thing to the charge of God's Eled? It Is
God that jufifieth, he.
OTHER men may fancy and boaft as they pleafe, but
there are none in the world but the godly alone that
are furniffied with fufficiently ftrong fupports and com
forts againft all poffible hazards, and of thefe doth the
Apoftle treat moft freely, fweetly and plentifully In this
chapter. He fecures believers in their Chrift, touching
thefe two great evils, after-condemnation, and prefent af
flidion, that the one cannot befal them, and the other can
not hurt them.
For their itnraunlty frora the former, they have the clear
word of the gofpel, and the feal of the Spirit ; and that
former privilege made fure, as the far greater, doth fecure
the other as the leffer.
They are freed frora conderanation, and not only fo, but
intitled and infured to a kingdora. And what hurt then
can afflidion do ? Yea, it doth good ; yea, not only it can
not rob thera of their crown, but It carries thera on towards
it, is their high-way to it : If wefufiFer with him, we ffall
alfo be glorified together. Yea, all things to the children
of God do prove advantage ; feverally taken, in their pre
fent fenfe, they raay feem evjl, but taken jointly in their
after iffue, their working together are all for good. In
their fimple nature poffibly they are poifon, yet contem
pered and prepared, they ffiall prove medicinal. All thefe
things are agalnfl me, faid old Jacob, and yet he lived to
fee even all thefe were for him. The children of God are
indeed fo happy, that the harffieft things in their way
change their nature, and become fweet and profitable.
This rauch Is effeded by their prayers, that, have a divine
incantation in thera. They breathe forth the expreffions
of that their love to God, by which they are charadered,

182 SERMON XVI»
them that love God,' and that is put on their hearts, the
impreffion of his love to them, to which they are here led,
by the apoftle, as to the fpring-head of all. All their
coraforts and privileges flow thence, yea, all their love,
and their faith, appropriating thofe coraforts and privile
ges. Yea, the very treafury of all together, Jefus Chrift
hirafelf is the free gift of this free love ; he, as the greateft,
afcertalns all things befides as unfpeakably lefs, ver. 32.
Thefe two are fuch mighty arguments, that no difficul
ty nor grief can ftand before them. The love of God ;
he is with us, who then againft us ? all the world It raay
be, but that all is nothing. Once It was nothing ; it was
that God, that is our God, that loves us and is for us,
that raade it foraething, and If he will. It raay again be no
thing. And as It Is at its beft, it is nothing, being com
pared with another gift that he hath beftowed on us, and
having beftowed that, fure if there be any thing in this
world can do us any good, we ffiall not want it. He thiit
fpared not his own Son, but gave him to the death for us,
will he not with him give us all things ? «
And to clofe all, he makes thefe two great iraraunilies
good to us In Chrift, He fixes there ; there we are freed
from all fear of condemnation, or of being hurt by afflic
tion. No accufation nor guiltinefs can annul the righter
oufnefs of Chrift, and that Is made ours ; no diftrefs nor
fuffering can cut us off from the love of God : and If it
cannot do that, we need not fear It, all other hazards are
no hazard, that being fure.
And In confidence of this, the apoftle gives the defi
ance, cafts a challenge to angels, to raen, to all the world,
upon thefe two points, who ffiall accufe ? who ffiall fepa-
rate ? accufe to God, or feparate frora hira, Whatfoever
tiraes may come, the hardeft that any can apprehend or
foretel, if thefe two be not fufficient furniture againft them,
I know not what is.
Men are coraraonly bufied about other events concern
ing thera and theirs, what ffiall become of this or the
other, and what If this or that fall out ; but the confcience
once raifed to this enquiry, the foul being awake to difcern
the hazard of eternal death, all other fears and queftions

SERMON XVI. X8S
are drowned and loft in this great queftion, " Ara I con
deraued or not ? Is ray fin pardoned or no ?"
And then a fatisfylng anfwer received concerning this,
all is quiet, the foul repofes fweetly on God, and puts all
ils other concernments Into his hands. " Let hira make
me poor and defpifed, let him fmite and chaftife me, he
hath forgiven my fin, all Is well." That burden taken,
off, the foul can go light, yea, can leap and dance under
all other burdens. Oh ! how it feels Itfelf nimble, as a
man eafed of a load that he was even fainting under.
Oh ! bleffed the man whofe fin Is taken off, lifted from his
ffoulders, (that is the word, Pfal, xxxii. 1.) laid over upon
Chrift, who could bear the whole load, and take It away,
take it out of fight, which we could never have done ;
no, they would have funk us for ever. That one word
«'P3, John i. fignifies both, and anfwers to the two, Ifa. Hii.
He hath borne our grief, and carried our forrows ; lifted
them away. Oh ! how fweet a burden, Inftead of this. Is
that engagement of obedience and love to him as our Re
deeraer, and that is all he lays on us. If we follow hira,
and bear his crofs, he is our ftrength, and bears both it
and us. So then this Is the great point, the heart's eafe,
to be delivered from the conderaning weight of fin.
And certainly, while men do not think thus, their hearts
have very flight Impreffions of the truth of thefe things.
I fear the moft of us fcarce believe this conderanation to
corae, at leaft very ffiallowly, and fo they cannot much
confider the deliverance from It provided to us in Jefus
Chrift. I cannot fee how it is poffible for a heart per
fuaded of thefe, to be very careful about any thing befide.
You that eat and drink, and labour and trade, and beftov^
all your time, either In the pains or the pleafures of this
earth, what think vou of eternity ? Is it a light thing for
you to perlffi for ever ? After a few days vainly fpent, to
fall under the wrath of God for ever ? Oh ! that you
would be perfuaded to think on thefe things.
And you that have an intereft In this free and bleffed
eftate, why are your fpirits fo cold, fo unfrequent In the
thoughts of It ? Why are you not rejoicing in the Lord ?
gladdening yourfelves in fecret when you remember this :
" Go the world as it will, my fin is forgiven me ; miftake

184 SERMON XVI.
me, accufe me whofo wfll, my God hath acquitted me in
his Chrift, and he loves me, and lives to Intercede for me."
Methinks I hear fome fay, " Ay, they that could fay
that, might be merry Indeed ; but, alas ! I have no fuch
affurance, Who can lay any thing to the charge of God's eled ?
That Is true ; but here Is the great point of fo hard a refo
lution, am I one of thefe ?"
That the apoftle doth thus fpecify the owners of this
confolatlon, by this high and hidden charader of their e-
ledion, is not to render It doubtful and dark ; for his
main aim, on the contrary. Is both to extend It as far as It
can go, and to make It as clear as may be to all that have
intereft In It : but he defigns them by the primitive ad of
love fixing on them, fo as it is now manifefted to them in
the fubfequent effeds, that flow from the eled called and
fandlfied, and conformed to Jefus Chrift, both by his Spi
rit within them, and the fufferings that without arife
againft them In the world ; fuch as, being the fons of God,
are led hy the Spirit of God, and walk not after the fffh,
but after the Spirit.
And thefe things Indeed confidered as their charaders,
the ftamp of God on them, the impreffions of their elec
tion to life, do check the vain confidence of all carnal un
godly profeffors of the narae of Chrift, and tell them that
their pretended title to him is a mere delufion ; certainly,
whofoever lies in the love of fin, and takes the fleffi for
his guide, that accurfed blind guide is leading him Into the
pit. What grofs folly and impudence is It for any man,
walking In the lufts of his own heart, to fancy and aver
himfelf to be a partner of that redemption, whereof fo
great a part Is to deliver us frora the power of our iniqui
ties, to renew our hearts, and reunite them to God, and
poffefs them with his love.
The great evidence of thy eledlon is love. Thy love
to him gives certain teftlmony of his preceding eternal
love to thee, fo are they here defigned, they that love God ;
thy chufing him is the effed and evidence of his chufing
thee. Now this Is not laborious, that needs to be difput-
ed, amidft all thy frafltles ; feel the pulfe of thine affec
tion, which way beats it, and afli thy heart whether thou

SERMON XVH. 185
love him or not, in this thou haft the charader of thy
eledlon. Know you not, that the redeemed of Chrift and he
are one, they live one life, Chrift lives In them, and if any
man hath not the Spirit of Chrifl, he is none of his, as the
apoftle declares In this chapter ? So then, this we are
plainly to tell you, and confider it, you that will not let
go your fins to lay hold on Chrift, have as yet no ffiare in
him. But on the other fide : the truth Is, that when fouls
are once fet upon this fearch, they coraraonly wind the
notion too high, and fubtilize too much in the difpute, and
fo entangle and perplex therafelves, and drive themfelves
further off from that comfort that they are feeking after ;
fuch meafures and marks of grace, they fet to themfelves
for their rule and ftandard ; and unlefs they find thofe
without all controverfy In themfelves, they will not beheve
that they have an Intereft In Chrift, and this bleffed and
fafe eftate in him.
To fuch I would only fay, are you In a wflling league
with any known fin ? yea, would you willingly. If you
might be faved In that way, give up yourfelf to voluptuouf-
nefs and ungodlinefs, and not at all defire to follow Jefus
Chrift In the way of hohnefs ? then truly, I have not any
thing as yet to fay for your comfort, only there Is a falva
tlon provided, and the door Is yet open, and your heart
may be changed. But on the other fide, are the defires
of thy foul after Chrift, whole Chrift, to be rlghteoufnefs,
and withal fandification to thee ? Wouldft thou willingly
give up thyfelf to be ruled by him, and have him thy
King ? Hadft thou rather chufe to fuffer the greateft af
flidion for his fake, to honour him, than to commit the
leaft fin to difpleafe hira ? Doth thy heart go out after
hira, when thou heareft him fpoke of? Doft thou account
him thy treafure, fo that all the world founds but as an
empty ffiell to thee, when he Is named ? Says thy foul
within thee, oh ! that he were mine ? And, oh ! that I
were his, that I could pleafe him, and live to him ? Then
do not tofs thy fpirit, and jangle and fpin out thy thoughts
in fruitlefs, endlefs doubtings, but clofe whh this as thy
A a

186 SERMON XVI.
portion, and be of good corafort, thy fms are, or mil be
forgiven thee.
I add yet further, if thou fayeft yet, that thou findeft
none of all this, yet I fay, there is warrant for thee to be
lieve and lay hold on this rlghteoufnefs here held forth, to
the end that thou raayeft then find thofe things in thee,
and find comfort In them. Thou art convinced of ungod
linefs, then believe on him that juftifles the ungodly, thou
art condemned, yet Chrift Is dead and rifen, fly to him as
fuch, as the Lamb flain, he that was dead and Is alive, and
then fay. Who Is he that condemneth ? It Is Chrifl that died,
or rather that is rifen. Who ffall accufe ? It is true, they
may clamour and ra'ake a noife, both Satan and thy con
fcience, but how can they faften any accufation on thee ?
If they dare accufe, yet they cannot conderan, when the
Judge hath acquitted thee, and declared thee free, who is
greater than all, and hath the abfolute power of the fen
tence ; all charges, and libels come too late after he hath
once pronounced a foul righteous. And who ffiall con
deran. It Is Chrifl that died, if the fentence of the law be
brought forth ? Yet here is the anfwer, It ought not to
be twice fatlsfied ; now once It Is in Chrift, he hath died,
and that ftands for the believer. Whofoever flies to him,
and lays hold on him for life, he cannot die again ; nor
canft thou die, for whom he died once, or rather Is rifen ;
that raifes the affurance higher, and fets It firmer ; for this
evidences that In his death all was paid, when he being
the furety and feized on for the debt, and once death's'
prifoner, yet was fet free. This clears the matter that
there is no more to be faid ; and yet further. In fign that
all is done, he Is raifed to the height of honour above afl
principaHties and powers, is fet at the right hand of the
Father, and there he fits' and lives to make Interceffion, to
fue out the fulfilling of all for believers, the bringing of
them home, lives to fee all made good that he died and
covenanted for ; fo now his rlghteoufnefs is thine that be-
lieveft, any challenge mult raeet with Chrift firft, and if it
feize not on him, it cannot light on thee, for thou art In
him, married to him. And the fame triumph that he
fpeaks, Ifa. 1. 8, whence thefe words are borrowed, that is
made thine, and thou mayeft now fpeak it In hini. I

SERMON XVII. 189

know not what can caft him down that hath
reft upon, and to comfort himfelf in.
SERMON XVII,

•aa

RoM, VIII. 35, &c.

Who ffall feparate us from ihe love of Chrifl ? ShaU tribu
lation, or dlflrefs, or perfecutlon, or famine, or nakednefs,
or peril, or fword, 'bfc.
IS this he that fo lately cried out, 0 wretched man that
I am I who ffall deliver me? that now triumphs, O
happy raan ! Who ffall feparate us from the love of Chrifl ?
Yes, it is the farae. Pained then with the thoughts of
that miferable conjundion with' a body of death, and fo
crying out, who will deliver ? who will feparate me from
that now ? Now he hath found a deliverer to do that for
him, to whora he is for ever united, and he glories now in
his infeparable union, and unalterable love, that none can
divide him from ; yea. It Is through him, that prefently
after that word of complaint hepralfes God, and now in
hira he triuraphs. So vaft a difference is there betwixt a
Chriftian, taken In himfelf, and in Chrift ; when he views
himfelf In himfelf, then he is nothing but a poor, mifera
ble, polluted, periffiing wretch ; but then he looks again,
and fees hirafelf In Chrift, and there he Is rich, and fafe,
and happy, he triuraphs, and he glories in it above all the
painted profperities, and againft all the horrid adverfities
ofthe world, he lives In his Chrift content and happy,
and laughs at all enemies.
And he extends his triumph, he makes a coraraon good
ofit to all believers, fpeaks It in their name, who ffall fe
parate us ? and would have them partake of the fame con
fidence, and fpeak in the fame ftile with hira. It Is vain
that raen fancy thefe to be expreffions of revelations, or
forae fingularly privileged affurances, then they would not
fuit their end, which Is clearly and undoubtedly the encou
ragement of afl the children of God, upon grounds that
Aa 2

186 SERMON XVII.
pare pecuhar to them from all the reft of the world, but
common to them all, . in all ages, and all varieties of
condition. It is true, all of them have not ahke clear and firm ap-
prehenfion of their happy and fure eftate, and fcarce any
of them are alike at all times ; yet they have all and al-
ways the fame right to this eftate, and to the comfort ofit,
and when they ftand in a right light to view it, they do
fee it fo, and rejoice In it.
There be indeed fome kind of affurances that are more
rare and extraordinary, fome Iraraediate glances, or coruf-
cations of the love of God upon the foul of a behever; a
fmile of his countenance, and this doth exceedingly re-
freffi, yea, raviffi the foul, and enables it mightily for duties
and fufferings. Thefe he difpenfes arbitrarily and freely
where and when he will ; fome weaker Chriftians forae
tiraes have thera, while ftronger are ftrangers to them,
the Lord training them to live more contentedly by faith
till the day of vifion come.
And that is the other, the lefs exftatlcal, but ' the more
conftant and fixed kind of affurance, the proper affurance
of faith. The foul by beheving cleaves unto God In Chrift
as he offers himfelf In the gofpel, and thence is poffeft with
a fweet and calm perfuafion of his love, that being the
proper work, to appropriate him, to raake Chrift, and In
him eternal life, ours : fo it Is the proper refult and fruit
of that its ading, efpecially when it ads any thing
ftrongly to quiet the foul in him ; then being juflified by
faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jefus
Chrifl, and from that peace, joy ; yea even glorifying in
tribulation, as there follows. And thefe fpringing not
from an extraordinary fenfe or view, but from the very
innate virtue of faith working kindly, and according to its
own nature.
Therefore raany Chriftians do prejudice their own com
fort, and darken their fpirits, by not giving freedom to
faith to ad according to Its nature and proper principles ;
they will not believe -till they find forae evidence, or affur
ance, which Is quite to invert the order of the thing, and
to look for fruit without fettling a root for it to grow
from.

SERMON XVII. 189
Would you take Chrift upon the abfolute word of pro
mife tendering him to you, and reft on him, fo this would
ingraft you into life Itfelf, for that he Is, and fo thofe fruits
of the Holy Ghoft would bud and flouriffi In your hearts ;
from that very believing on him, would arife this perfua
fion, yea, even to a gloriation, and an hurable boafting In
his love, who ffall accufe, who ffall condemn, who ffall fe
parate ?
The undivided corapanlon, and undoubted helper and
preferver of this confidence of faith, is an adive love to
Chrift, a conftant ftudy of holinefs, and ftrlfe againft fin,
which Is the grand enemy of faith, that obftruds the very
vital fpirits of faith, that raakes it fickly and heavy In Its
adings, and caufes the palfy in the hand of faith, that it
cannot lay fo faft hold. Therefore this you would be
careful of, yea, know that of neceffity It attends faith, and
as faith grows, hohnefs will grow, and hohnefs growing
will mutually ftrengthen and eftabliffi faith ; the comforts
of the Holy Ghoft are holy purifying comforts, and the
more the foul is purified, and made holy, the more is it
cleared and enlarged, to receive much of thefe comforts.
Bleffed are the pure In heart, for they ffall fee God ; unho
linefs Is as daraps and filthy ralfts in the foul, it darkens all.
Hence it Is evident, in what way Chriftians raay and
ought to afpire to this affurance, it is their portion, and in
this way they are to afpire to It, and ffiall find It, . if not
prefently, yet let them wait and go on In this way, they
ffiall not mifcarry.
Again it appears, that this affurance Is no enemy to
holy diligence, nor friend of carnal fecurity ; on the con
trary, it Is the only thing that doth eminently ennoble
and embolden the foul for all adventures and fervices.
Bafe fears and doubtings, wherein forae place rauch of re
ligion, and many weak Chriftians feem to be In that mif
take, to think it a kind of holy fpiritual temper to be quef
tioning and doubting, I fay, thefe bafe fears can never
produce any thing truly generous, no height of obedience,
they do nothing but entangle and difable the foul for eve
ry good work, perfed love cafts out this fear, and works
a fweet unperplexing fear, a holy warinefs not to offend,
which fears nothing elfe. And this confidence of love is

190 SERMON XVII.
the great fecret of comfort, and of abflity to do good fer
vice. Nothing makes fo ftrong and healthful a conftltu-
tion of foul as pure love. It dare fubmit to God, and refign
itfelf to him, it dare venture Itfelf in his hand, and truft
his word, and feeks no more but how to pleafe him. A
heart thus compofed, goes readily and chearfully unto all
fervices, to do, to fuffer, to live, to die, at his pleafure,
and firmly ftands to this, that nothing can feparate It from
that which is fufficient to It, which is all Its happinefs, the
love of God In Chrift Jefus.
That Is Indeed his love to us, but fo as it Includes infe-
parably the infeparablenefs of our love to him ; for obferve
the things fpecified as moft likely, if any thing, to feparate
us ; ffiall tribulation, diftrefis, he. Now thefe efpecially,
being endured for his fake, cannot iraraediately have any
likely vifage of altering his love to us, but rather confirm
us in it ; but thefe ffiall not feparate us neither by altering
our love to him, by driving us from him, and carrying us
into any way of defedlon, or denial of his name, and fo
cut us off from our union with hira, and Intereft In his love ;
and that is the way wherein the weak Chriftian wfll moft
apprehend the hazard of feparatlon. Now the apoftle
fpeaks his own fenfe, and would raife in his brethren the
fame confidence, as to that danger.
No fear ; not one of thefe things ffiall be able to carry
us away : thefe raighty waves ffiall not unfeltle our faith,
nor quench the flame of our love ; we ffiall be vidors and
more, in all, but how ? Through him that hath loved us.
This his love makes fure ours ; he hath fuch hold of
our hearts as he will not let go, nor fuffer us to let go our
hold : all is faft by his ftrength. He will not lofe us, nor
ffiall any be able to pluck us out of his hand.
Jefus Chrift is the medium of this love, the middle link
that keeps all fafe together betwixt God and man, fo clofe
united in his perfonal nature, and the perfons of men In
and by hira, to the Father. So here' It Is firft called the
loVe of Chrifl, and then in the clofe, the love of God In
Chrifl ; the foul firft carried to him as neareft, but fo car
ried by him into that primitive love of God that flows in
Chrift, and that gave even Chrift to us as before. And
this is the bottom- truth, the firm ground of the Saints per-

SERMON XVII. 191
feverance, which men not taking aright, muft needs quef
tion the matter, yea, may put it out of queftion upon their
fuppofitions : for if our own purpofes and ftrength were
all we had to rely on, alas ! how foon were we fliaken ?
So the love of God In Chrift Is not only here mentioned
as the point of happinefs, from which we cannot be re
moved, but as the principle of firranefs that makes Itfelf
fure of us, and us of it, and will not part with us.
Now it is no pride in a Chriftian, but the trueft humi
lity, to triumph and glory In this. This Is it that makes
all fure ; this is the great comfort, and the vidory of the
Saints. He that loved us, and bought us fo dear, wfll not lightly
flip from us, yea, upon no terms will he let us go, unlefs
forae ftronger than he is raeet with hira, and by force be
reave hira of us ; which we know is Impoffible, He and
his Father, who are one in themfelves, and in their
ftrength, and one in this love, are greater and ftronger
than all ; and he that once overcarae for us, always over-
coraes In us.
Thus he lets teraptalions and tribulations affault us, and
this neither unargues his love, nor endangers his right to
us ; yea, it doth but give proof and evidence of the invin
cible firranefs of both. He fuffers others to lie foft, and
fit warm, and paraper their fleffi at leifure ; but he hath
nobler bufinefs for his champions, his worthies, and moft
of all for the ftouteft of them, he calls them forth to ho
nourable fervices, to the hardeft encounters he fets them
on, one to fight with ficknefs, another with poverty, ano
ther with reproaches and perfecutlons, with prifons and
irons, and with death itfelf: and all this while, loves he
them lefs, or they him ? Oh ! No, he looks on and re
joices to fee them do valiantly ; it is the joy of his heart,
no fight on earth fo fweet to him : and It is all the while
by his fubduing, and In his ftrength, that they hold out In
the conflid, and obtain the conqueft..
And thus they are the more endeared to him by thefe
fervices, and thefe adventures of love for him, and he ftfll
likewife Is the more endeared to them. Certainly the
more any one fuffers for Chrift, the more he loves Chrift,
as love doth grow and engage itfelf by all it docs and fuf-

192 SERMON XVII.
fers, and burns hotter by what it encounters and over
comes, as by fuel added to It : As to Jefus Chrift by
what he fuffered for us, we are the dearer to hira, fo he is
to us by all we fuffer for his fake.
Love grows raoft by oppofitlon frora others whofoever,
when it is fure of acceptance, and the correfpondence of
mutual love in the party loved. Above all, this heavenly
divine love is ftrong as death, a vehement flame, a flame
of God Indeed, as the word is, and many waters cannot
quench it, not all thefe that here follow one another, tri
bulation, dlflrefs, perfecutlon, famine, 7iakednefs, peril,
fword, yea, in the midft of thefe, I fay. It grows ; the foul
cleaves clofer to Chrift, the more attempts are made to
remove It from him, though killed all the day long. (This
paffage from the pfalm is moft fit, both to teftify that per
fecutlon. Is not unufually the lot of the faints, and to give
inftance of their firm adherence to God in all troubles, as
the church there profeffeth ; and if the faints in that dif
penfatlon could reckon In fuch a manner, much more ought
Chriftians, upon a clearer difcovery of the covenant of
grace, and their union with God in Chrift.) The faints
are as In a common butchery In the world, yet not only
as ffieep for the flaughter, but foraetiraes as ffieep for the
altar, raen thinking It as facrifice. They that kill you (fays
our Saviour) ffall think they do God- fervice ; yet even this
pulls not from him, they part with life : Ay, why not,
this life is but a death, and he is our life for whom we lofe
it. All thefe do but Increafe the vidorles and triumphs of
love, and make it more glorious : As they tell of her mul
tiplying labours to that chaniplon, they are not only con
querors, but more than conquerors, by mulllplled vidorles,
and' they gain in them all both more honour and more
ftrength ; they are the fitter for new adventures, and fo
more than fimple conquerors. We overcome, and are
fure not to lofe former conquefts, but to add more and
conquer on to the end : Which other conquerors are not
fure of; oftentimes they outlive their own fucceffes and re
nown, and lofe on a fudden what they have been gaining
a whole Hfetime. Not fo here : We are fecured In the au
thor of our vidorles, it is through him that hath loved us,

SERMON XVII. 19S
and he cannot grow lefs, yea, ffiall ftill grow greater, till all
his enemies be made his footftool.
Having given the challenge, and finding none to anfwer,
and that all, the raoft apparent, are In a moft rhetorical
accumulaftlon filenced, tribulation, dlflrefs, perfecutlon, fa
mine, nakednefs, peril, fword, he. he goes on confidenlly
in the triumph, and avers his affurance of full and final
vidory againft all imaginable power of all the creatures,
neither death nor life, not the fear of the moft terrible
death, ,nor the hope or love of the moft defirable Hfe :
And in the height of this courage and confidence, hefup-
pofes impoffible eneraies, angels, principalities, &c,, unlefs
you take It ofthe angels of darknefs only ; but if it could
be poffible that the other ffiould offer at fuch a thing, they
would be too weak for it.'^No fenfe of any prefent things,
or apprehenfions of things to come, not any thing within
the vaft circle of the wdrld above or below, nor any crea
ture can do it. Here fin is not fpecified, becaufe he is
fpeaking of outward oppofitlons and difficulties exprefly,
and becaufe that is removed by the former challenge, who
flail accufe ? That afferting a free and final acquittance of
all fin, a pardon of the curfe, which yet will never encou
rage any of thefe to fin that live in the affurance of this
love. Oh ! no, and thefe general words do include II too,
nothing prefent nor to come, he. So it Is carried clear, and
is the fatisfylng corafort of all that Jefus Chrift hath drawn
after hira, and united in his love.
It Is enough, whatfoever they raay be feparated from,
the things, or perfons, deareft in this world ; It is no mat
ter, the jewel Is fafe, none can take my Chrift from me,
and Ifafe In him, as his purchafe, none can take me from
him. And being ftill In his love, and through him In the
Father's love, that Is fufficient. What can I fear ? What
can I want ? All other hazards fignify nothing : How lit
tle value are they of? And for how little a while am I in
danger of them? Methinks all ffiould look on a believer
with an emulous eye, and wiffi his eftate more than a
king's. Alas ! poor creatures, rich men, great raen, princes and
kings, what vain things are they that you embrace and
cleave to ; whatfoever they be, foon muft you part ; can
Bb

194 SERMON XVIII.
you fay of any of thera, who ffiall feparate us ? Storms
may arife and fcatter ffiips that fail fairly together in fair
weather : Thou raayeft be reraoved, by public commo
tions and calamities, from t'hy fweet dwelHngs, and focie
tles, and eftates, &c. You raay even Hve to fee, and feek
your parting. At laft you muft part, for you muft die :
Then farewel parks and palaces, gardens and honours, and
even crowns themfelves ; then deareft friends, children
and wife rauft be parted with *. And what haft thou left,
poor foul, that haft not Chrift, but that which thou would
eft gladly part with and canft not, the conderaning gmlt
of all thy fin's ?
But the foul that is In Chrift, when other things are
pulled away, he feels little or nothing, he cleaves to Chrift,
and thefe feparations pain him not. Yea, when that great
feparatlft, death, coraes, that breaks all other unions, even
that of the foul and body, yet fo far Is It frora feparating
the believer's foul frora its beloved Lord Jefus, that, on
the contrary, it carries it into the neareft union with him,
and fulleft enjoyraent of hira for ever.

SERMON XVIII.

Isaiah lix. 1, 2.

Behold, the Lord's hand is not ffortened that it cannot fave,
neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear.
But your iniquities have feparated between you and your
God, and your fins have hid his face from you, that he
will not hear.
GUR vain minds are naturally fruitful In nothing more
than in miftakes of God ; for the moft part we think
not on hira, and when we do it, we fancy hira according
to our own affedlons, which are wholly perverfe and
•crooked. Men coramonly judge it a vain thing to fpend much
pains and tirae in worffiipping him ; and If they are con-
* Linquenda tellus et domus et platens uxor, &c.

SERMON XVIH. 195
vinced in this, and tied to It by the profeffion of his name,
then they think all religion Is a ffiell of external diligences
and obfervances, and count it ftrange if this be not accept
ed. In the forraer chapter we find this, in the Prophet's
conteft with the people about their fafting, and their opi
nion of it, he cuts up their facrlfices, and lets thera fee
what was within, the fkin was found and looked well, but
being opened, the entrails were found rotten. And here
he enters into another' conteft, againft the latent atheifra of
their hearts ; who after their manner of feeking God, not
finding him, and not being delivered, are ready to think
that he either cannot, or will not help, and rather reft on
that grofs raiftake, than enquire Into therafelves for the
true caufe of their continuing calamities ; they incline ra
ther to think It Is forae indifpofitlon In God to help, than
what It truly is, a want of reformation in themfelves that
hinders It. It is not likely that they would fay thus, nor
fpeak it out In plain terms, no, nor poffibly not fpeak it for
mally and diftlndly within, not fo much as In their thoughts,
and yet they might have a confufed dark conceit of this.
And rauch of the atheifra of raan's heart is of this faffiion ;
not forraed into refolved propofitlons, but latent *, in con
fufed notions of it, fcarce difcernible by himfelf, at leaft,
not fearched out and difcerned in his own breaft ; there
they are, and he fees thera not : Not written afferllons,
but flying fumes, filling the foul, and hindering it to read
the charaders of God that are writ upon the confcience.
Impenitency of men, in any condition, and particularly
under diftrefs, is frora the want of clear apprehenfions and
deep perfuafions of God, of his juft anger provoked by
their fin, and of his fweetnefs and readinefs to forgive and
erabrace a returning finner ; his fovereign power, able to
rid them out ofthe greateft trouble ; his ear quick enough
to hear the cries, yea, the leaft whifpering of a hurabled
heart in the loweft deep of his forrow, and his arra long
enough to reach them, and ftrong enough to draw them
forth. He that comes unto God muft believe that he is, fays
the Apoftle. So certainly he that believes that, muft come ;
it wifl fweetly conftrain hira, he cannot but corae that is
fo perfuaded. Were raens hearts rauch impreft with that
* Ezek. viii. Behind the wall.
Bb 2

196 SERMON XVIII.
belief in all their troubles, they would eye men lefs, and
God more, and without delay they would faften upon the
church's refolution, Hof. vi. 1 . Come and let us return
unto the Lord ; for he hath torn, and he wiU heal us ; he
hathfmitten, and he wdl bind us up, he. And this is the
very thing that the Prophet would here perfuade to by this
prefent dodrlne ; and having impleaded them guilty, he
fets them a copy of hurable confeffion, ver. 1 2. &c. Hence
the frequent coraplaints In the Pfalra, Why hideft thou thy
felf? So Pfal. xxii, 2. / cry, but no hearing.
In the words of thefe two verfes, thefe two things ap-
pear, A fad condition, and the true caufe of it.
The condition, I think, I have reafon to call fad ; It is
God hiding his face that he will not hear. This may be
the perfonal eftate of his children, or the public eftate of
his church. From a foul he hides his face, not fo much
in the withdrawing of fenfible comforts, and fweet taftes of
joy, which to raany are fcarce known, and to fuch as do
know thera, coraraonly do not continue very long, but it
is a fufpenfion of that lively Influence of his divine power,
for raifing the raind to the conteraplation of hira, and com.
munion with him In prayer and raedltatlon, which yet
may be, where thofe reliffies and fenfes of joy are not.
And the returns of It appear in beating down the power of
fm, or abating and fubduing it, making the heart more
pure and heavenly, more to hve by faith in Chrift, to be
often at the throne of grace, and to receive gracious an»
fwers, fupplies'of wants, and affiftances againft temptations.
Now when there Is a ceffation and obftrudion of -thefe,
and fuch like workings, the face of God is hid, the foul
is at a lofs, feeks ftfll and cannot find him whom it loveth.
And in this condhlon It cannot lake comfort in other things,
they are too low. It Is a higher and nobler defire than
to be fatisfied, or diverted, with the childlffi things, that
even men delight in that know not God. It is a love fick
nefs, which nothing can cure but the prefence and love of
the party loved. Yea, nothing can fo much as allay the pain,
and give an Interval of eafe, or recover a fainting fit, but
fome good work or look, or at leaft fome kind meffage
from him. Set thee In a palace, and all delights about
thee, and a crown on thy head, yet if his love has ceafed

SERMON xvm. 197
on thy heart, thefe are all nothing without him. It was
after David was advanced to his kingdom, and is in the
pfalra of the dedication of his royal houfe, that he faid,
Thou hideft thy face, and I was troubled, Pfal. xxx. " All
" is dark, all the ffiining marble, and the gold and azure,
*' lofe their luftre, when thou art not here dwelhng with
" me." And thus for the church, God Is the proper light, the
beauty, the life ofit. Deck it with all this world's fplen
dor, with all the dreffes of porapous worffiip, thefe are not
its genuine beauty. And they provoke hira, who is Its
ornaraent, (as is Jer. n, 32.) to depart. But give It the
native purity and beauty of holy minifters, and ordinances
well regulated, yet even that is but a dead comelinefs,
proportion, and feature, without Hfe, when God is abfent.
And for matter of deliverances and working for her,
which is here the thing in hand, none can do any thing in
that, not the wifeft, nor the beft of men, with all their com
bined wit and ftrength, when he retires and comes not
forth, doth not ffiew himfelf on the behalf of his people,
and work their works for them.
Thefe have, it may 'be, fome kind of prayer poffibly,
they offer at extraordinaries, and yet obtain nothing, are
not heard, the faddeft note in all the fong of Lament. HI.
43, 44, Thou hafl covered with anger, and perfecuted us ;
thou hafl flain, thou hafl not pitied. Thou hafl covered thy
felf with a cloud, that our prayer ffiould not pafs through.
Slfll, while that door ftands open, there Is hope and reme
dy for other evils, but that being ffiut, what can a people,
or a foul exped, but growing troubles, one forrow upon
the back of another ; yea, that Is the great trouble, the
hiding of his face, and refufing to hear. Obferve Job
xxxiv. 29. When he giveth peace, who then can make trou
ble ? Now the other in the fame terms would have been,
when he makes trouble, who can give peace? But inftead it
is, when he hides his face, who then can behold him ? No
peace but in beholding hira, and nothing but trouble , that
is the grand trouble when he hides his face, and It Is ex
preffed In both cafes, whether it be perfonal or national,
whether againft a nation or a man only.
This is the thing wherein the ftrength of other trouble*

198 SERMON XVIII.
lie, that gives them weight, when they impart and fignify
thus much, that the face of God Is hid frora a foul or a
. people. "We ought to enquire if this be not our condition at this
tirae, hath he not hid his face frora us ? Are we not left in
the dark, that we know not which way to turn us ? Either
we rauft fit ftill and do nothing, for If we ftir we do but
ruffi one upon another, as in darknefs, contefting each to
hate 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
but behold ohfcurlty,for brightnefs, but we walk in dark
nefs, we grope for the wall as blind, andflumhle at noon-day
as in the night, our counfels ftrangely darkened, and no
right underftanding one of another. By all debates little or
no clearing of things attained, but our paffions are more
enflamed, and parties are further off, the light of found
judgraent gone, and with it the heat of love, inftead of
which that raiferable infernal heat, heat without light, mu
tual hatreds and revfllngs, both fides (verbally at leaft)
agreeing In the general terras both of their defires and de
figns, and yet falling out about modes and faffilons of
them. And to fay no more of parties, the eneraies of re
ligion on both hands, right and left, in adion and in pow
er, and only thofe that love that, we conceive is the way
of truth, ftanding as a naked prey to whether of the two
fliall prevail, Defires and prayers we have prefented, and
fee as yet no appearance of an iffue, but further confufions,
even fafting to ftrlfe and debate. And where are there
any that look like perfons to ftand in the gap, lifting up
holy hands, without wrath or doubting ? Hearts are ftill
as unhumbled, and lives as unreformed as ever, new In-
teftlne troubles are moft likely to arife, few or none lay
ing It to heart, and with calm lowly fpirits raourning before
God for It, Ephraim againft Manaffeh, and Manaffeh a-
gainft Ephraira, and they both againft Judah, and for all
this his anger Is not turned away, but his hand Is ftretched
out ftill.
But generally raen ought to be lefs In defcanting one on
another, and more in fearching and enquiring each into
himfelf, even where it may feem zeal, yet nature and paf-

SERMON XVIII. 199
fion may more eafily let in the olher, but this felf-fearch
and felf-cenfure, Is an uneafy taflc, the moft unpleafant of
all things to our carnal felf-loving hearts ; but the heavy
hand of God ffiall never turn from us, nor his gracious
face turn towards us, till there Is more of this amongft us.
Moft fay their prayers, and as they are little worth, they
look Httle after them, enquire not what becomes of them.
But, my brethren, would we continue to call, and find fa
vourable anfwers, we muft be more vrithin, the heart made
a temple to God, wherein facrlfices do afcend ; but that
they may be accepted, it muft be purged of Idols, nothing
left in any corner, though never fo fecret, to ftir the jea
loufy of our God, who fees through all. O happy that
heart, that is, as Jacob's houfe, purged, in which no more
idols are to be found, but the holy God dwelling there a-
lone as in his holy temple.
Behold, the Lord's hand Is not ffortened, he.} Much of
all knowledge lies in the knowledge of caufes, and In prac
tical things much of the right ordering them depends on
it ; the true caufe of a difeafe found out is half the cure.
Here we have the miferies of an afflided people reduced to
their real caufe ; that which is not the caufe is firft removed.
Behold the Lord's hand is not ffortened, he.
We are not only to be untaught this error that we think
not fo, but to be taught to beheve and think on that truth,
that God is ftill the farae in power and goodnefs, to keep
up the notion of it In our hearts, fo we may call in paft ex
periences, and relations of God's former workings for his
people, and that with much ufe and comfort. He that
brought forth his people out of Egypt with an oulftretched
arm, as ftill they are reminded of that deliverance by the
Prophets, and called to look on it, as the great inftance
and pledge of their reftoreraent by the farae hand, can a-
galn deliver his people when at the loweft, Ifa, 1, 2. where
the like words to thefe.
And in this belief we ffiall not faint In the time of deep
diftrefs, our own, or the church's ; knowing the unaltera
ble, invincible, infinite power of our God, that all the
ftrength of all eneraies Is nothing, and lefs than nothing to
his, their devices knots of ftraw. What Is it that is to be
done for his church, if her and his glory be Interefted in

200 SERMON XVIII.
it ? There remains no queftion in point of difficulty, that
hath no place with hira. The more difficult, yea impoffi-
ble for us, or any human ftrength, the more fit work for
him ; becaufe itis hard for you, ffaU it alfo be hard for me ?
faith the Lord In the Prophet. And where Jeremy ufes
that arguraent In prayer, he hath his anfwer returned In
the fame words, as the echo to the prayer, refounding
from heaven, Jer. xxxii. 17. 27, and that in relation to
the great redudion of the Jews from Babylon, as is ex
prefly promifed, ver. 36, 37, &c. And there the Prophet
gives that firft great example of divine power, the forming
of the world, ver, 17, Behold thou haft made the heaven
and the earth hy thy great power.
Men think it is an eafy common belief, and that none
doubt of the omnipotency of God. But oh ! the undaunt
ed confidence it would give to the heart, being indeed
firmly believed, and wifely ufed and, applied to particular
exigencies. Men either doubt, or which, upon the mat
ter, for the ufe of it Is all one, they forget who the Lord
is, when their hearts mifglve thera, becaufe of the church's
weaknefs, and the enemies powers What is that upon
the raatter ? Remeraber whofe is the church, God's, and
what his power is, and then fee If thou canft find any caufe
of fear, Ifa. xH. 14. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye
men few, or weak men of Ifrael, (fo the word Is) / will
help thee, faith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the holy one of
Ifrael. So Ifa. II. 1 2. /, even I am he, that comforteth you,
(there is the ftrength of it) who art thou, that thouffouldft
be afraid of a man that ffall die, and of the fon of man,
which ffall be made as grafs ? And forgetteft, (ver. 1 3.)
the Lord thy Maker that ftretched forth the heavens, and
laid the foundations of the earth, iifc. Do but think aright
on hira, and then fee If It be poffible for thee to fear. All
thy little doubts and defpondencles of raind will fly and
vanlffi away before one clear thought of thy God. Though
the world were turning upfide down, it ffiall go wefl with
them that fear him.
And as this apprehenfion of God ftrengthens faith, fo
it quickens prayer, it ftirs thee up to feek to him for help,
when thou knoweft and remenibereft that there it is.
There is help in hira, power enough, and no want of rea-

, SERMON XVIII. 201
dinefs and good will neither. If we apply ourfelves to
feek him aright, his hand is as ftrong to fave, and his ear
as quick tb hear as ever. And in this that his ear is not
heavy, is both fignlfied his fpeedy and certain knowledge
of all requefls fent up to him, and his gracious inclination
to receive them. Now thefe perfuafions do undoubtedly
draw up the heart towards him.
Again, as they ftrengthen failh and quicken prayer,
they teach us repentance, dired us inward to felf-examl-
nation, to the fearching, and finding out and purging out
of fin, when deliverance is delayed ; for we are fure it
ftops not upon either of thefe on God's part, either ffiort-
nefs of his hand, or dulnefs of his ear. "Whence is It then?
certainly It muft be fomewhat on our fide that works a-
gainft us, and prejudices our defires. So here, thus you
fee the clear aim of it, Behold the Lord's hand Is not jhort-
ened that It cannot fave, nor his ear heavy that It cannot
hear : What is it then that hinders ? Oh ! it is this, out of
all doubt. Tour iniquities feparate.
Old fins unrepented of, and new fins ftill added, as all
unrepentant finners do ; now this feparates between you
and God, for he Is a holy God, a juft God, hates iniquity,
and between you and your God, that pleads no connivance
at your fins, but rather nearer infpedion, and ffiarper pu-
nlffiraent, he will be fandlfied In thefe that are near him,
in them efpecially ; their fin Is greatened much by that
relation, your God, to fin againft him fo grofly, fo conti-
nuedly, with fo high a hand, and fo impenitent hearts,
not reclaimed by all his mercies,- by the remembrance of
his covenant made with you, and mercies beftowed on
you, nor by the fear of his judgments threatened, nor by
the feeling of them infllded, no returning nor relenting,
not of his own people to their God. Sure, you muft be
yet more puniffied. Tou only have I known of all the fa
milies of the earth, therefore will I punlff you for all your
iniquities. " I let others efcape with many things that I
cannot pafs In you ; you faft and pray it may be, you
howl and keep a noife, but you amend nothing, forfake
not one fin, for all your fufferings, and for all your moan-
ings and cries ; you would be delivered, but do not part
with one of your lufts, or wicked cuftoms,' even for a de-'
C c

202 SERMON XVIH.
liverance, and fo the quarrel remains ftill. tt is that that
feparates, 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 will not, tfll this
wall be down ; you ffiall not fee me, nor find by any gra
cious fign that I hear you," This hides his face that he
will not hear.
This way God hath eftabhffied in his ordinary methods
with his people, though foraetiraes he ufes his own privi
lege, yet ufually he links fin and calaraity together, and
repentance and deliverance together.
Sin feparates and hides his face, not only frora a people
that profeffes his name, but even from a foul that really
bears his name ftamped upon It. Though it cannot fully,
and for ever cut off fuch a foul, yet in part, and for a tirae
it raay, yea to be fure. It will feparate, and hide the face
of God frora thera. Their daily Inevitable frafltles do not
this, but either a courfe of carelefs walking, and many
little unlawful liberties taken to themfelves, that wfll rife
and gather as a cloud, and hide the face of God. Or
fome one grofs fin, efpecially if often reiterated, will prove
as a firra ftone-wall, or rather as a brazen-wall, built up
by their own hands betwixt them and heaven, and will
not be fo eafily diffolved or broke down ; and yet dll that
be, the Hght of his countenance, who is the life of the
foul, will be ecHpfed, and withheld from It,
And this confidered, (befides that law of love that wifl
forbid fo foul Ingratitude, yet I fay, this confidered, even
our own intereft) will make us wary to fin : Though we
were fure not to be yet altogether feparated from the love
cyf God by, it; yet thou that haft any perfuafion of that
love, dareft thou venture upon any known fin ? Thou art
not hazardlefs and free from all damage by it, If thou haft
need of that argument to reftrain thee. Then before
thou run upon It, fit down and reckon the expence, fee
what it wfll coft thee If thou do commit It. Thou know-
eft that once it coft the heart-blood of thy Redeemer to
expiate it, and Is it a light matter to thee ? And though that
paid all that fcore, nothing thou canft fuffer being able to
do any thing that way, yet as an unavoidable prefent fruit
of it. It will draw on this damage, " thou ffialt be fure for

SERMON X.VIII. 203
a time, it raay be for a long tirae, poffibly moft of thy
time, near all thy days it raay darken rauch that love of
God to thee," which if thou doeft but efteem of, think on
it, it changes not in him, but a fad change will fin bring
on thee, as to thy fight and apprehenfion of It ; many a
fweet hour of bleft comraunion with thy God ffialt thou
mifs, and either be dead, and ftupid in that want, and
raourn after hira, and yet find thyfelf, and fighs, and tears
hold out, the door ffiut, yea, a dead wall raifed betwixt
thee and hira, and at beft much ftraitening and pains to
take it down again ; contrary to other walls and buildings,
that are far more eafily pulled down than built up, but
this a great deal eafier built up than pulled down. True,
thy God could caft it down with a word, and it is his free
grace that muft do It, otherwife thou couldeft never re
move it, yet wfll he have thee feel thy own handy-work,
and know thy folly. Thou muft be at pains to dig at It,
and may be coft thee broken bones. In taking it down,
pieces, of it fafllng heavy and fad upon thy confclence, and
cruffiing thee, as David cried out at that work, Pfal. H.
for a healing word frora God, Make me to hear joy and
gladnefs, that the bones which thou haft broken may rejoice.
It will force thee to fay, " O fool that I was, what raeant
I? Oh! it is good keeping near God, and ralfing no dlvi-
fions. What are fins ? Falfe delights, but make ado, and
have ado, a man to provide his own vexation." Now this
diftance from God, and all this turmoiling, and breaking,
and crying e're he appear again, confider, if any pleafure
of fin can countervail this daraage, fure, when thou art
not out of thy wits, thou wilt never raake fuch a bargain
for all the pleafure thou muft make out of any fin, to
breed thyfelf all this pains, and all this grief, at once, to
difpleafe thy God, and difpleafe thyfelf, and make a parti
tion between hira and thee. Oh ! fweet and fafe ways
of hohnefs, walking 'with God in his company and favour ;
he that orders his converfation aright, he fees the loving kind
nefs ofthe Lord, it is ffiewn to him, he lives in the fight
of it.
But if any fuch feparatlon is made, yet. Is It thy great
defire to have It removed ? Why then there Is hope. See
to it, labour to break down, and pray to him to help thee,
C c 2

204 SERMON XVIII.
and he wfll put to his hand, and then it muft fafl, and In
all thy fenfe of feparatlon, look to him that brake down the
middle wall, Eph. II. There it is fpoken pf, as betwixt
men, Jews and Gentiles, but fo as it was alfo between the
Gentfles and God, feparated from his people, and from
himfelf, ver. 16. to reconcile both to God in one body, and
ver. -1 8, Through him we have accefs by one fpirit to the
Father, and then he adds, that they were no more ftrangers
and foreigners, dwelling on the other fide of the wall,
Tra/xo/, as the word is, but fellow citizens, he.
Oh ! that we knew more what It were to live In this "
fweet fociety. In undivided fellowfliip with God, Alas!
how little is underftood this living In him, feparated from
fin and this world, which otherwife do feparate from him ;
folacing our hearts in his love, and defpifing the bafe mud
dy delights that the world admires ; hoping for that new
Jerufalem, where none of thefe walls of fin, nor any one
ftone of them are, and for that bright day wherein there
is no cloud nor mift to hide our fun from us.
Now for the condition of the church, know fin to be
the great obftruder 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 fafts, Ifa, I, 15, Jer. xiv. 12.
The quarrel ftands, fin not repented and removed, the
wall is ftill ftanding ; oaths, and fabbath-breaking, and
pride, and oppreffion, and heart-burnings ftill remaining.
Oh ! what a noife of religion and reformation, afl fides
are for the name of it, and how little of the thing ? The
gofpel Itfelf is defpifed, grown ftale, as trivial dodrlne.
Oh ! my beloved. If I could fpeak many hours without
intermiffion, all my cry would be. Repent and pray. Let
us fearch and try our ways, and turn unto the Lord our
God,. Oh ! what walls of every one's fin are fet to It !
Dig diligently lo bring down thine own ; and for thefe
huge walls of public national guiltineffes, if thou canft do
nothing to them more, compafs them about as Jericho,
and look up to heaven for their downfal. Cry, " Lord,
thefe we ourfelves have reared, but without thee who can
bring them down ? Lord, throw them down for us ; a
touch of thy hand, a word of thy mouth, will make them
fall." Were we lefs bufied In imperlinencies, and more

~ SERMON XVIH. 205
in this moft needful work, it might do fome good ; who
knows but the Lord might make his own way clear, and
return and vifit us, and make his face to ffiine, that we
might be faved.

AN
EXPOSITION. OF THE
CREEJB.
1 Tim. Ill, 9.
Holding the mystery of faith in a pure confcience.
THAT which was the Apoftle's pradice, as he ex
preffes It, 1 Cor. Ix. 22. is the ftanding duty of all
the minifters of the fame gofpel : To the weak to become as
weak, to gain the weak ; and all things to all men, that if
hy any means they inay fave fome. And truly one main part
of obfervance of that rule, is in defcending to the Inftruc-
tlon of the raoft Ignorant in the principles of Chriftian re
ligion. That I aira at, at this time. Is a very brief and plain
expofition of the articles of our faith, as we have them in
that fumraary Confeffion. Not ftaying you at all on the
antiquity and authority of It, both which are confeffed ;
whether It was penned by the Apoftles, or by others in their
time, or foon after it, it doth very clearly and briefly con
tain the main of their divine dodrlne.
But though It be altogether confonant with the fcrlp
tures, yet not being a part of the canon of them, I chufe
thefe words as pertinent to our intended explication of It :
They are Indeed here, as they ftand in the comext, a rule
for deacons ; but Without queftion, taken In general, they
exprefs the great duty of all that are Chriftians, to keep
the mystery of faith, he.
You fee clearly In them a rich jewel, and a precious ca
binet fit for It ; the myftery of faith laid up, and kept In
a pure confclence. And thefe two are not only fuitable,
but infeparable, as we fee in the firft chapter of this epiftle,
ver. 10. they are preferved and loft together, they fuffer

if^N EXPOSITION, &C. 207
the fame ffiip'wreck : The cafting away of the one Is the
ffiipwreck of the other ; If the one perlffi, the olher can
not efcape. Every believer is the temple of God ; and as
the tables of the law were kept in the ark, this pure con
fcience Is the ark that holds the myftery of faith. You
think you are believers, you do not queftion that, and
would lake it ill that others ffiould ; it is very hard to con
vince men of unbelief, diredly and In itfelf : But if you
do beheve this truth, that the only receptacle of faving faith
is a purified confcience, then I befeech you, queftion your
felves concerning that ; being truly anfwered in it, it will
refolve you touching your faith, which you are fo loth to
queftion In itfelf. Are your confciences pure ? Have you
a living hatred and antipathy againft all Impurity ? Then
fure faith is there ; for it Is the pecuhar virtue of faith to
purify the heart. Ads xv. and the heart fo purified Is the
proper refidence of faith, where it dwells and refts as in
its natural place. But have you confciences that can lodge
pride, and luft, and malice, and covetoufnefs, and fuch
like pollutions ? Then be no raore fo impudent as to fay,
you believe, nor deceive yourfelves fo far as to think you
do. The blood of Chrift never fpeaks peace to any con
fcience, but the fame that It purifies from dead works to
ferve the living God, Heb. ix. 13, 14. As that blood Is a
fecrlfice to appeafe God's wrath, fo it is a laver to waffi
our fouls, and to ferve both ends ; it Is, as was the blood
of legal facrlfices, both offered up to God and fprinkled
upon us, as both are expreffed in the Apoftle's words there.
Do not think that God will throw this jewel of faith into
a fly or kennel, a confclence full of defilement and unclean
nefs. Therefore if you have any raind to thefe comforts
and peace, that faith brings along with It, be careful to
lodge it where it delights to dwell, In a pure confcience.
Notwithftanding the unbelieving world mocks the name
of purity ; yet ftudy you above all, that purity and holinefs
that may raake your fouls a fit abode for faith, and that
peace which it worketh, and that holy Spirit that works
both in you.
Faith is either the dodrine which we believe, or that
grace by which we believe that dodrlne : Here I conceive
it is both met and united In the foul, as they fay of the un-

20S AN EXPOSITION *
derftanding In the fchools, Intelllgendo fit illud quod intel
ligit ; fo faith apprehending its proper objed. Is made one
with it. Faith Is kept in a pure confclence, that is, both
that pure dodrine of the gofpel which faith receives, and
that faith which receives it, are together fitly placed arid
preferved, when they are laid up in a pure confcience.
The dodrine of faith cannot be received into nor laid up
in the foul, but by that faith that believes it, and that faith
hath no being without believing that dodrine ; and both
are fitly called the myftery of faith. The dodrine is my-
fterious, and It is a myfterious work to beget faith in the
heart lo receive it : For the things we muft believe are
very high and heavenly, and our hearts are earthly and
bafe till the Spirit renew them. In our confeffion of faith
we have both expreffed ; the firft word is a profeffion of
faith, which receives the dodrine as true, I believe, and
the articles themfelves contain the fum of the dodrine be
heved : And if we that profefs this faith have within us
pure confciences, wherein the myftery of faith, the dodrine
of faith believed, and the grace of faith believing It, both
together as one, may refide, dwell, and be preferved ; then '
- is the text compleatly anfwered In the prefent fubjed.
Remeraber then, fince we profefs this faith, which is
the proper feat of faith ? Not our books, our tongues only,.
or memories, or judgment, but our confcience ; and not
our natural confcience defiled and ftuffed with fm, but re
newed and fandlfied by grace, holding the mystery of faith
in a pure confcience.
I believe in God the Father.}
Not to Infift here on the nature of faith, taking It as com-
prehenfively as we can, it is no other but a fupernatural
belief of God, and confidence in him. Whether we call
God, or the word of God, the objed of faith, there Is no
material difference, for it is God in the word, as revealed
by the word, that is that objed. God is that verltas In*
complexa (as they fpeak) that faith embraces ; and the
word, the verltas complexa, that contains what we are to
conceive of God, and believe concerning him. As, in the
gofpel, the peculiar objed of that faith that faves fallen man.
It is all one, whether we fay it Is Chrift, or the promifes :
For it is Chrift revealed and held forth in the proralfes that-

OE THE CREED, 209
faith lays hold on ; In him are all the promifes of God yea,
and In him amen. So that it is all one ad of faith that
lays hold on Chrift, and on the promifes, for they are all
one, he is in them ; and therefore faith refts on them, be
caufe they include Chrift who Is our refl and our peace,
as a man at once receives a ring and the precious ftone
that is fet in it. This once rightly underftood, any fur
ther difpute about placing faith in the underftanding or the
will, is poffibly in itfelf not at all needful, fure I am it Is no
way ufeful for you. Take heed of carnal profane prefump-
tion, for that wifl undo you ; and labour to be fure of fuch
a faith as dwells in a pure confclence, and it will be fure
not to deceive you.
That confidence which this expreffion bears, beheving
in God, fuppofes certainly (as all agree) a right belief con
cerning God, both that he Is, and what he is, according as
the word reveals him, efpecially what he is relating to us ;
thefe three we have together, Heb, xi. 6. He that cometh
to God must believe that God Is, and that he Is a rewarder
of them that diligently feek him. 1, That he is, 2. To truft
his word, believing that he Is true to his promifes, a re
warder of them that feek him, 3. Upon thefe follows
coming to him, which is this, beheving In that God that
the pfalm fpeaks of, that reliance and refting of the foul
upon him that refults from that right belief concerning
him, and trufting the teftlmony of his word, as it reveals
him. We have difcourfed of the attributes of God elfewhere,
as alfo of the Trinity, which is here expreffed in thefe
words ; I believe In God the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost. That fublirae myftery is to be cautioufly treated of,
and rather humbly to be admired, than curloufly dived in
to. The day will come (truly a day, for here we are be-
fet with the gloomy nightly ffiades of ignorance) wherein
we ffiall fee him as he Is. In the mean time let us devout
ly worffiip him, as he has revealed himfelf to us ; for this
is the true way to that heavenly country, where we ffiall
fee him face to face. And it is our Intereft here to believe
the trinity of perfons in the unity of the Godhead, and to
truft in them as fuch, for this is the fpring of all our hope,
that the raiddle of the three became our Mediator, and the
Dd

210 AN EXPOSITION
Holy Spirit our guide and teacher, and the Father recon
ciles us to himfelf by the Son, and renews us by the Spirit.
Father.} Firft the Father of his only begotten Son
Chrift, and through him our Father by the grace of adop-
tion. And fo Chrift does clearly Infinuate the order of
our filiation, I afcend to my Father, and your Father, my
God and your God. He fays, not to our Father, but to
my Father and your Father, firft mine, 'and then yours
through rae.
Almighty.} This alfo belongs to the attributes of God,
fo we fhall be but ffiort on it here.
\_Almlghty, able in hirafelf to do all things, and the
fource of all power in others,*all the power In the creature
being derived frora hira ; fo that it cannot altogether equal
his, nor refift him, no, nor at all be without hira. Who-
foever they be that boaft moft In their own ftrength In any
kind, and fwell higheft in conceit of it, are yet but as a
brittle glafs in the hand of God ; he cannot only break It
to pieces by the ftrength of his hand, but if he do but
withdraw his hand from fupportlng It, it will fall and break
of Itfelf.
Maker of heaven and earth.} The Son and the Spirit
were, with the Father, authors of the creation ; but it is
afcribed to the Father particularly, in regard of the order
and manner of their working. Whether natural reafon
may evince the creation of the world, we will not difpute ;
we know that he that had very much of that, and is the
great mafter of it in the fchools, could not fee it by that
light ; yet there is enough in reafon to anfwer all the falfe
cavils of profane raen, and very rauch to juftify the truth
of this we believe. However we muft endeavour to be
lieve It by divine faith, according to that of the Apoftle,
By faith we believe that the worlds were framed hy the word
of God. And this Is the firft article we meet withal in the
fcrlptures, and our faith Is put to It In a very high point
in the very entrance.
In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth,
fpeaking Hke himfelf; it is not proved by demonftrations
nor any kind of arguments, but afferted by the authority
of God : And with that which begins the books of the

OF THE CREED. 211
law, John begins his gofpel ; that upon his word, that by
his word made the world, we may believe that he did fo.
This Is fitly added to the title of Almighty as a work of
Almighty power, and therefore a clear teftlmony of It, and
both together will fuit with our profeffion of believing in
him ; for this is a main fupport of our faith, to be per
fuaded of his power on whora we truft. Our God Is able
to deliver us (faid they,) and Abrahara, the Apoftle fays,
he offered up his fon, accounting, or reafoning with himfelf,
or laying his reckoning, that God was able to raife him from
ihe dead.
We make more bold to fpeak out our own queftioning
the love and good will of God, becaufe we think we have
fome reafon in that from our own unworthinefs, but If we
would found our own hearts, we would often find In our
diftrufts forae fecret doubtings of God's power. Can God
prepare a table in the wlldernefs ? faid they, though accu
ftomed to. miracles, yet ftill unbelieving. We think we
are ftrongly enough perfuaded of this, but our hearts de
ceive us, quce fclmus cum neceffe non eft, ea in neceftttate
nefclmus, S, Bern. The heart is deceitful. Gen. xvH. 9.
where he is fpeaking of trufting. It Is not for nothing that
God by his Prophets fo often inculcates this dodrlne of
his power, and this great inftance of It, the creation, when
he promifes great deliverances to hischurch, and the de
ftrudion of their enemies, Ifa. xlv, 12. and li. 12. What
can be too hard for him, that found it not too hard to make
a world of nothing? If thou look on the public, the ene
mies of the church are ftrong ; If on thyfelf, thou haft In
deed ftrong corruptions within, and ftrong temptations
without ; yet none of thefe are almighty, as thy God is.
What Is it thou would 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 him, thou wilt reverence his
wifdom, and reft fatlsfied with his will. This is beheving
indeed ; the rolling all our defires and burdens over upon
an almighty God ; and where this Is, It cannot chufe but
eftabliffi the heart In the midft of troubles, and give it a
cahn within In the raidft of the greateft ftorms.
And try what other confidences you will, they ffiall
prove vain and lying In the day of trouble ; he that thinks
D d 2

212 AN EXPOSITION
to quiet his mind, and find reft by worldly comfort, is, as
Solomon compares his drunkard, as one that lies down in
ihe midft of the fea, that fleepeth on the top of a maft ; he
can have but unfettled reft and repofe that lies there, but
he that trufteih in the Lord, Is as mount Sion that cannot he
removed. When we lean upon other props befides God,
they prove broken reeds that not only fafl, but pierce the
hand that leans on them, Jer, xvu, 7.
There Is yet another thing In this article, that ferves
farther to uphold our faith, that of neceffity, he that made
the world by his power, doth likewife rule it by his provi
dence. It is fo great a fabric, as cannot be upheld and
governed by any lefs power, than that which made It. He
did not frame this world as the carpenter his ffiip, to put It
into other hands and look no more after il ; but as he
made It, he Is the contuiual pilot of it, fits ftill at the helm
and guides It, yea he commands the winds and feas, and
they obey him. And this ferves much for the comfort of
the godly, but I cannot here Infift on It.
And In Jefus Chrift.}
The two great works of God by which he is known to
us, are creation, and redemption which is a new or fecond
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 gofpel with the
firft, and from that paffes on to the fecond. In the begin
ning was the word, he. ver. 1. By him were all things
made. But ver. 14. the other Is expreffed. The word was
made fleff, and he dwelt among us, had a tent Hke ours, and
made of the fame materials. He adds, He %vas full of grace
and truth, and for that end, as there follows, that we might
all receive of his fulnefs , grace for grace. And this is that
great work of new creation ; therefore the Prophet Ifaiah
chap. H. 1 6. foretelling this great work from the Lord's
own raouth, fpeaks of It in thefe terms. That I may plant
the heavens, and lay the foundation of the earth, and fay unio
Sion, thou art my people. Thai making of a new people
to himfelf In Chrift, is as the framing of heaven and earth.
Now this reftoreraent by Jefus Chrift, fuppofes the ruin
and mifery of man by his fall, that fin and death under
which he is born. This we all feem to know and acknow-

OF THE CREED. 213
ledge, and well we raay, for we daily feel the woful fruits
of that bitter root ; but the truth Is, the greateft part of us
are not fully convinced, and therefore do not confider of
this gulf of wretchednefs into which we are fallen. If we
were, there would be more cries amongft us for help to be
drawn out and delivered from it ; this great deliverer, this
Saviour would be of raore ufe, and of more efteem with
us. But I cannot now infift on that point.
Only confider that this makes the neceflity of a Media
tor, The difunlon and diftance, that fin hath made betwixt
God and man, cannot be raade up but by a Mediator, one
to corae betwixt ; fo that there is now no. believing in God
the Father, but by this believing in Jefus his Son, no ap
pearing without horror, yea without perdition before fo
juft a Judge highly oflended, but by the intervention of fo
powerful a Reconciler, able to fatlsfy and appeafe him,
and he tefls it us plainly and gracioufly, that we miftake
not our way. No man comes unto the Father but by me.
Few are our thoughts concerning God, and returning
to him, but If we have any, this Is our unhapplnefs that
naturally we are fubjed to leave out Chrift In them.
We think there is fomething to be done, we talk of re
pentances, and prayer.s, and amendraents, though we have
not thefe neither ; but If we had thefe, there is yet one
thing neceffary above all thefe, that we forget, there is ab
folute need of a Mediator to raake our peace, and reduce
us into favour with God, one that rauft for that end do and
fuffer for us, what we can neither do nor fuffer ; though
we could ffied rivers pf tears, they cannot waffi out the
ftain of any one fin ; yea there is fome pollution in our
very tears ; fo that they themfelves have need lo be waffied
In the blood of Jefus Chrift.
Jefus Christ.} Our anointed Saviour, anointed to be
our King, our great High Prieft, and our Prophet, and in
all thofe our Saviour ; our Prophet to teach us the way
of falvatlon ; our Prieft to purchafe it for us ; and our
King to lead and proted us In the way, and to bring us
fafe to the end of It, Thus Is his name full of fweetnefs
and comfort, mel in ore, in aure melos. In corde medicina, as
Bernard fpeaks. It Is a rich ointment, and in the preach
ing of the gofpel an ointment poured forth, diffufing its

214 AN EXPOSITION
fragrant fmell, for which the virgins, the ehafte purified
fouls of behevers love him, fuch as have their fenfes exer
cifed, as the Apoftle fpeaks, their fpiritual fraelling not ob-
ftruded with the pollutions of the world, but quick and
open to receive and be refreffied with the fraell of this pre
cious narae of Jefus Chrift.
His only Son.} Other fons he hath, angels and men
by creation and adoption, but this his only begotten Son
as God, by eternal and Ineffable generation, and as man
peculiarly the Son of God, both in regard of his fingiflar
unexampled conception by the Holy Ghoft, and by that
perfonal union with the deity, which accompanied that
conception, and by that fulnefs of all grace which flowed
from that union. The unfolding of thefe would require
a long time, and after all, more would remain unfald -and
unconceived by us ; for his generation who can declare ?
Let us remember this, that our fonffiip Is the produd
of his, John I. 14. He Is the only begotten Son of God, and
yet, ver. 1 2. To as many as received him he gave this privi
lege to he the fons of God.
Our Lord.} Both by our loyal fubjedion to him, and
our peculiar intereft in him, thefe go together; .willing
fubjedion and obedience to his laws is an Infeparable com
panion, and therefore a certain evidence of our intereft In
his grace.
Conceived hy the Holy Ghost.}
This Is that great mystery of godlinefs, God manifested in
the fleff ; the King of Glory after a manner divefting
himfelf of his royal robes, and truly putting on the form
of a fervant, the Holy Ghoft framing him a body in the
virgin's womb ; not that It was impoffible to have made
his human nature finlefs in the ordinary way (though the
fchools ufually give that reafon) but that by that miracu
lous and peculiar manner of birth, he might be declared
more than man, as being a way more congruous both to
the greatnefs of his perfon, and the purity of his human
nature. Born of the virgin Mary.}
He was not only of the fame nature with man, which
he raight have been by a new created humanity, but of
the fame ftock, and fo a fit faviour, a near Idnfman, as the

OF THE CREED. 215
word, that in Hebrew is a Redeemer, doth fignify bone of
our bone, and fleffi of our fleffi. We fee then the perfon
of our Mediator very fit for that his office, having both
the natures of the parties at variance which he was to re
concile. And this happy raeeting of God and man in the
perfon of Chrift, to look no further, was a very great ftep
to the agreement, and a ftrong pledge of Its accompliffi
ment. To fee the nature of man that was an enemy, re
ceived into fo clofe embraces with the Deity, as within the
compafs of one perfon, promifed infallibly a reconcilement
of the perfons of men unto God. There the treaty of
peace began, and was exceedingly promoted by that very
beginning, fo that in it, there was a fure prefage of the
fuccefs, it was Indeed as they fay of a good beginning,
Dlmldliim fadl. Had God and raan treated any where
but in the perfon of Chrift, a peace had never been con
cluded, yea It had broke up at firft ; but being In him. It
could not fafl, for in him they were already one, one per
fon, fo there they could not but agree, God was In Chrift
reconciling the world to himfelf.
2. Confidering the work to be done in this agreement,
as well as the perfons to be agreed ; it was altogether need
ful that the undertaker ffiould be God and man * ; the
mediation was not a bare matter of word, but there was
fuch a wrong done as required a fatisfadion ffiould be'
made, (we fpeak not what God might abfolutely have
done, but what was to be done fuitable to God's end,
that was for the joint glory of juftice and mercy. That
mercy and truth might meet, and rlghteoifnefs and peace klfs
each other ;) and becaufe the party offending was not able
for It, he that would effedually fuit for him, muft likewife
fatlsfy for hira. And this Jefus Chrift did, as here fol
lows. Now that he raight do this, it was neceflary that
he ffiould be God able to fave, and man fit to fave man ;
man that he might fuffer, and God that his fuffering
might be fatisfylng ; raan that he might die, and God that
his death might have value to purchafe life to us.
The Son was fit to be incarnate for his work, the mid
dle perfon In the Godhead to be man's mediator with
God. That we had loft was the dignity of the fons of
* Humana divinitas et divina humanitas.

213 AN EXPOSITION
God, and therefore his only Son, only fit to reftore us to
it : the beauty defaced in us was the image of God ; there
fore the repairing and re-lraparting, a fit work for his pureft
and perfedeft Image, his Son, the charader of his Perfon,
Now this Incarnation of the word, the Son of God, is
the foundation of all our hopes ; the fenfe of that great
promife. The feed of the woman ffall brulfie the ferpent's
head : and many others of the fame fubftance in the Pro-
phets ; the great falvatlon fo often foretold, and fo long
expeded by the Jews. When this was fulfilled, that a
virgin did conceive by the Holy Ghoft, Then did the hea
vens drop down rlghteoufnefs from above, and the earth
bring forth falvatlon, Ifa. xlv. This feems to be that
which the church did fo earneftly wiffi, Oh that thou wert
as my brother. Cant. viii.
Suffered under Pontius Pilate.}
Though all his life was one continual ad of fuffering,
from his living in the cratch to his hanging on the crofs ;
yet becaufe of the briefnefs of this confeffion, as likewife
becaufe this laft ad was the greateft and moft remarkable
of his fufferings, and the fcipture Itfelf doth (as fuch) men
tion it moft frequently, therefore it is here Iramediately
fubjoined to the article of his birth.
It Is not for nothing that we have the narae of the Ro
man Judge here expreffed, under whom he fuffered;
though it is nothing to his credit, yet It Is to the credit of
divine wifdom. Even this, confidering the nature and
end of Chrift's death, being to fatlsfy a pronounced fen
tence of juftice ; though for others, it was a very agreea
ble circumftance that he ffiould not be fuddenly or tumul
tuarily murdered, but be judicially, though unjuftly con
demned. Crucified.} Befides, it made his fuffering more public
and folemn ; and the divine providence ordered this, that
he ffiould fuffer under a Roman Judge, and fo fall under
this Roman kind of puniffiment, being in itfelf a very
fliameful and painful kind of death, and by the fentence of
the law accurfed, that we might have the more evidence
of our deliverance from that ffiame, and pain, and curfe,
that was due to us ; The chafllfement of our peace was upon
him, fays the Prophet, and by his Jirlpes we are healed.

OF THE CREED. 217
Suffered.} That he died, and what kind of death you
fee Is expreffed : but as many particular fufferings of his
body are not here mentioned, fo none of thofe of his foul,
but all comprehended in this general word. He fuffered.
Thofe were too great to be duly expreffed in fo fhort a
form, and therefore are belter expreffed by fuppofing
them, and Including thera only in this. He fuffered. As
he that drew the father among others, beholding the fa-
crificlng of his own daughter, fignlfied the grief of the
reft In their geftures, and vifages, and tears, but drew the
father vailed ; fo here the crucifying and death of our
Saviour are expreffed, but the unfpeakable conflids of his
foul are vailed under the general term of fuffering. But
fure that invifible cup that came from his Father's hand,
was far more bitter than the gall and vinegar from the
hand of his enemies ; the piercing of his foul far ffiarper
than the nails and thorns : he could anfwer thefe fweetly
with. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.
But thefe other pangs drew from him another kind of
word. My God, my God, why hast thou forfaken me.
Died.} No lefs would ferve, and therefore he was obe
dient even unto the death, as the fentence againft us did
bear, and the facrlfices of the law did prefigure. When
the facrifices drew back and went unwilHngly to the place,
the heathens accounted It an 111 prefage : never facrifice
more willing than Chrift, / lay down my life for my ffeep,
(fays he) and no man taketh it from me. As a ffeep before
the ff ear ers is dumb, fo he opened not his jnouth, Ifa. 1.
He gave his back to the fmlters, he. For this hour came I
into the world, fays he. And this his death is our Hfe,
though by It we are not freed from this temporal death ;
yet, which is Infinitely raore, we are delivered from eter
nal death, and, which is yet more, entitled to eternal Hfe ;
and therefore do no more fuffer this temporal death as a
curfe, but enjoy It as a bleffing, and may look upon It now,
(fuch as are In Chrift, none other) not only as a day of
deliverance, but of coronation ; the exchange of our pre
fent rags for long white robes, and a crown that fadeth not
away. Buried.} For the further affurance of his death, and
glory of his refurredlon, as likewife to commend the grave
Ee

218 AN EXPOSITION
to US, as now a very fweet refting place, he hath warmed ,
the cold bed of the grave to a Chriftian, that he need not
fear to He down In it, nor doubt that he fcalfrlfe again, as
we know and are after to hear that he did.
Defcended into heU.} The more noife hath been about
this claufe, I ffiall make the lefs. The conceit of the de-
fcent of Chrift's foul Into the place of the damned, to fay
no raore nor harder of It, can never be made the neceffary
fenfe of thefe words ; nor is there any other ground in
fcripture, or any due end of fuch a defcent, either agreed
on, or at all alledgeable to perfuade the chufing It as the
beft fenfe of them. Not to conteft other Interpretations,
I conceive, with fubmiffion, that it differs not much (pof
fibly nothing) from the plain word of his burial. Not
that the author or authors of this fo brief a confeffion,
would exprefs one thing by divers words, but that It may
be, in the ancienteft copies, only the one of them halh
been in the text ; and in after copies, in tranfcrlbers hands,
the other hath crept into it, out of the margin. But re
taining it by all means as it is, it may fignify the abode
and continuance of Chrift's body In the grave ; in which
time he feeraed to have been fwallowed up of death, and
that the pit had ffiut her mouth on him : but it appeared
quickly otherwife ; for. The third day he arofe from the
dead. Thefe are great things Indeed that are fpoken concern
ing Jefus Chrift, his birth and fufferings ; but the greater
our unhapplnefs. If we have no portion in thera. To hear
of them only, and to enjoy nothing of them, is moft mi
ferable ; and thus it Is through our unbelief. Were It as
coraraon to believe in him, as to repeat thefe words, or to
come to church and hear this gofpel preached, then you
would all raake a pretty good plea on It ; but believe it,
it Is another kin4 of thing to believe than all that, or than
any thing that the moft of us yet know. My brethren,
do not deceive yourfelves ; that coraraon high-way faith
will not ferve, you are for all that ftill unbelievers in
Chrift's account ; and if fo, for all the riches of comfort
that are In him, you can receive none frora him. It is a
fad v/ord that he fays, Becaufe ye believe not In me, ye ffall
die in your fins ; " Though I died for fins, not raine own

OF THE OREED. 219
but Others, yet you reraaining in ungodlinefs and unbe
lief, that fhall do you no good, ye ffiall die In your fins for
all that." It is fuch a failh as endears Chrift to the foul,
unites It to hira, raakes Chrift and It one, that makes all
that is his to become ours ; then we fliall conclude aright,
Chrift hath fuffered, therefore I ffiall not. As he faid to
them that came to take him, Is it I you feek ? then let thefe
go free ; fo to the law and juftice of God, " Seeing you
have fought and laid hold on rae, and raade me fuffer, let
thefe go free that lay hold on me by faith ; if you have
any thing to fay to them, I ara to anfwer for thera, yea I
have done It already."
2. You that believe and live by this death, be often in
reviewing It, and raeditating on it, that your fouls raay be
raviffied with the adrairation of fuch love, and warraed
with a reflex love to hira *. Other wonders, as you fay,
laft for a while, but this is a lafting wonder, not to the ig
norant, (the caufe of wonder at other things, is ignorance
indeed) but this is an everlafting wonder to thofe that
know It beft, viz. to the very angels. Let that loved Jefus
be fixed in your hearts, who was for you nafled to the
crofs f. St. Bernard wonders that raen ffiould think on
any thing elfe ; quanta infaniae poft tanti Regis adventum
aliis negotlls, he. Sure it is great folly to think and ef
teem rauch of any thing here, after his appearing ; the
fun arifing, drowns all the ftars. And withal, be daily
crucifying fin in yourfelves, be avenged on it i^or his fake,
and kfll it becaufe it killed hira.
3. Will you think any thing hard to do or fuffer for
hira, that undertook and perforraed to the full fo much
for you I ? If you had rather be your own than Chrift's,
rauch good do It you with yourfelves ; but know, that if
you are not Chrifl;'s but your own, you rauft look for as
little of hira to be yours. If ye be yoUr own, you muft
bear all your own fins, and all the wrath that is due to
them. But if you like not that, and refolve to be no more
your own but Chrift's, then what have you to do but
* Mira I)ei dignitas, mira indignitas noftra.
\ Donee totus fixus in corde, qui tolus fixus In cruce.
X Intolerabilis efl . impudentia, ut ubi fe exinanivit majejias, vermiculus
infietur et intumefcat.
E e 2

220 AN EXPOSITION
chearfully to embrace, yea earneftly to feek all opportu-
nitles to do hira fervice ?
4, Thefe are the fteps of Chrift's humiliation ; look on
them then fo, as to ftudy to be like him particulariy in
that : furely the foul that hath moft of Chrift, hath moft
humihty. It is the leffon he peculiarly recoraraends to us
frora his own example, which is the fhorteft and moft ef
fedual way of teaching. Learn of me, for I am meek and
lowly of heart. He fays well, " Let man be affiamed to
be any longer proud, for whom God hirafelf humbled
hirafelf folow*." He became humble to expiate. our
pride, and yet we will not baniffi that pride that undid us,
and follow that way of falvatlon, which is humility, Je
fus Chrift Is indeed the lily of the valHes, he grows no
where but in the humble heart.
Rofe again the third day.}
When humbled to the loweft, then neareft his exalta
tion, as Jofeph in the prifon. He could die, for he was a
man, and a man for that purpofe, that he raight die ; but
he could not be overcome by death, for he was God, yea,
by dying, he overcame death, and fo ffiewed himfelf truly
the Lord of life. He ftrangled that Hon in his own den.
The whale fvirallowed Jonah, but it could not digeft him ;
it was forced to caft him up again at the appointed time,
the fame with the time here fpecified, wherein the Prophet
was a figure of this great Prophet Jefus Chrift, The grave
hath a terrible appetite, devours all, and ftill cries. Give,
give, and never hath enough, as Agur fays ; yet for all its
appetite, Chrift was too great a morfel for It to digeft, too
ftrong a prifoner for all Its bars and iron gates to keep him
in. It was impoffible he ffould be holden ofit, fays St, Peter,
Ads ii.
He hath raade a breach through death, opened up a
paffage on the olher fide of It into life, though otherwife
indeed veftlgla nulla retrorfum. They that believe, that
lay hold on hira by faith, they come through with him,
follow him out at the fame breach, pafs through death
into heaven ; but the reft find not the paffage out. It is as
the Red fea, paffable only to the IfraeHtes, therefore they
rauft of neceffity fink quite downwards through the grave
* Erubefcat homo fvperbus ejfe, propter quem humilis faSus efl Deus, ¦

OF THE CREED. 221
into hefl, through the firft death into the fecond, and that
is the terribleft of all : that death is indeed what one called
the other. The moft terrible of all terribles, the king of ter
rors, as it is in Job.
Now the only affurance of that happy fecond refurrec-
tion to the Hfe of glory hereafter. Is the firft refurredlon
here to the life of grace ; Bleffed are they that are par
takers of the firft refurredlon, for on fuch the fecond death
hath no pozver. For the refurredlon of Jefus Chrift is to
the believer, the evidence of his redemption compleated,
that all was paid by Chrift as our furety, and fo he fet at
liberty, (which the Apoftle teaches us, when he fays. He
arofe for our rlghteoufnefs ; and again. It Is God that jufti-
fies, who ffall condemn ; it is Chrifl that died, or rather
that is rifen again.) Nor is It only the pattern and pledge
of a believer's refurredlon, but it is the efficient both of
that laft refurredlon of his body to glory, and of the firft,
of his foul to grace,
The life of a believer Is derived and flows forth from
Chrift as his head, and Is rayftically one life with his, and
therefore fo, as hirafelf expreffeth it, becaufe I live, ye ffall
live alfo, Apoc. I. 8. Therefore Is he called the firfl be
gotten from the dead, and the beginning e» '^-aa-ii/ 7!-fWTEuw» Col,
i. 15. He Is firft in all, and from him fpring all thefe
ftreams that make glad the city of God. Therefore the
Apoftle, In his thankfgiving for our new life and Hvely
hopes, leaves not out that, Bleffed he God, the Father of our
Lord Jefus Chrifl ; that is the conduit of all. And he
expreffes it in the fame place, that We are begotten again to
a lively hope, by the refurredlon of Jefus from the dead.
But, alas ! we prejudge ourfelves of all that rich comfort
that Is wrapt up in this, by Hving to ourfelves and our
lufts, and to the world, having not our confciences puri
fied from dead works. How few of us are there that fet
that ambition of Paul before us, defiring above all things to
know him, and the power of his refurredlon. To be made
conformable, that is the knowledge, as he there expreffes
it, a Hvely experienced knowledge of that power.
2, This, rightly confidered, will anfwer all our doubts
and fears In the church's hardeft times ; when in Its deli
verance there appears nothing but impoffibililles ; fo low

222 AN EXPOSITION
that Its enemies are perfuaded to conclude, that it ffiall
never rife again, and its friends are oppreffed with fearing
fo much : yet he that brought up his own Son Jefus from
the dead, can and will reftore his church, for which he
gave that his only begotten Son to the death. Son of man,
fays he, can thefe dry bones live ? (thus often looks the
church's deliverance, which is there the properfenfe,) The
Prophet anfwered moft wifely. Lord thou knowefl, " It Is
a work only for thee to know and to do ;" and by his
Spirit they were revived. And as here It looked hopelefs,
as the difciples thought they were at giving It over, and
blaming almoft .their former credulity. We thought this
ffould have been he that ffould have delivered Ifrael ; and
befides all this, to day Is the third day. True the third day
was come, but It was not yet ended ; yea, he rofe in the
beginning of it, though they yet knew it not, nor him pre
fent to whom they fpake : But toward the end of It, they
likewife knew that he was rifen, when he was pleafed to
difcover himfelf to thera. Thus, though the eneraies of
the church prevail fo far againft it, that it feems burled,
and a ftone laid to the grave's mouth, yet It ffiall rife again,
and at the very fitteft, the appointed time, as Chrift the
third day. Thus the church expreffes her confidence,
Hof. vi. 1,2. In the third day he will raife us up. What
foever It fuffers, It ffiall gain by it, and be raore beautiful
and glorious In Its reftoreraent *,
He afcended Into heaven.} He rofe again, not to remain
on earth as before, but to return to his throne of majefty,
from whence his love drew him, according to his prayer,
John xvn. which was a certain predldlon of it. He had
now accompHffied the great work he came for, and was
therefore by the covenant and tranfadion betwixt his Fa
ther and him, to be exalted to his former glory ; the fame
perfon that before, but with the furceafe of another nature,
which he had not before, and of a new relative dignify,
being to fit as King of his church, which he had purchafed
with his blood.
And to exprefs this. It Is added, that he fits at the right
hand of God, Pfal. cx. 1. &c, Eph. I. 20, 21, &c. By
which, according to its allufive fenfe. Is expreffed, not only
* Mergas profunda, -pulchrior exilit.

OF THE CREED. 223
his matchlefs glory, but his dominion and rule as Prince
of peace, the alone King of his church, her fupreme law
giver and mighty protedor, and conqueror of all his ene
mies, ruling his holy hill of Zion with his golden fcepter
of his word, and breaking his ¦Lucmies the ftrongeft of them
in pieces, with the Iron rod of his juftice, as we have it in
the 2d Pfalm. They attempt in vain to unfettle his throne,
it Is very far out of their reach, as high as the right hand
of God ; For ever, 0 God, thy throne Is eflahllffed In hea
ven. What way Is there for the worms of this earth to
do any thing againft It ?
As in thefe is the glory of Chrift, fo they contain much
comfort of a Chriftian. In that very elevation of our na
ture to fuch dignity, is indeed, as the ancients fpeak, ?nlra
dignatio, that our fleffi Is exalted above all the glorious
fpirits, the angels ; and they adore the nature of man. In
the perfon of man's glorified Saviour, the Son of God.
This exaltation of Jefus Chrift doth fo refled a dignity on
the nature of mankind ; but the right and poffeffion of it
is not univerfal, but is contraded and appropriate to them
that believe on him. He took not on him the nature of angels,
fays the Apoftle, but the nature of the feed of Abraham.
He fays, not the nature of man, though it is fo, but ofthe
feed of Abraham ; not fo much becaufe of his defcent from
that particular ftock after the fleffi, as in the fpiritual fenfe
of Abraham's feed, as It is at large cleared, Rom. ix. The
reft of mankind forfeits all that dignity and benefit that
arlfes to their nature in Chrift, by their diftance and dif
unlon from him through unbelief. But the believer hath
not only naturally one kind of being with the humanity of
Chrift, but Is rayftically one with the perfon of Chrift,
with whole Chrift, God-raan, and by virtue of that myfte
rious union, they that partake of It, partake of the very
prefent happinefs and glory of Chrift, they have a real In
tereft in whatfoever he is and hath, in all his dignities and
power ; and in that fenfe they that are juftified are glori
fied, in that Chrift is exalted, they are fo too in him.
Where a part, and the chief part of themfelves is, and is
in honour, there they may account themfelves to be *.
* Ubi portio mea regnat, ibi me regnare credo.

224 AN EXPOSITION
A man Is faid to be crowned when the crown Is fet upon
his head, now our head Chrift Is already crowned.
In fum, believers have in this afcending and enthroning
of Chrift, unfpeakable comfort through their Intereft in
Chrift, both in confideration of his prefent affedion to
them, and his effedual Interceffion for them ; and In the
affured hope this gives them of their own after happinefs
and glory with him.
1 , 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 ; his Majefty and love fuit very well,
and both in their higheft degree ; * as all the waters of his
fufferings did not quench his love. Nor left he it behind
him buried In the grave, but It arofe with hira being ftrOng-
er than death ; fo he let it not fall to the earth when he
afcended on high, but It afcended with him, and he ftill re
tains It In his glory. And that our fleffi, which he took
on on earth, he took up into heaven, as a token of Indiffo
luble love, betwixt him and thofe whom he redeeraed, and
fends down frora thence as the rich token of his love, his
Spirit into their hearts ; fo that thefe are rautual remem
brances. Can he forget his own on earth, having their
fleffi fo cloffily united to him ? you fee he does not, he feels
what they fuffer, Saul, Saul, why perfiecutefl thou me ? And
can they forget him whofe Spirit dwells in them, and re
cords lively to their hearts the paffages of his love, and
brings all thofe things to their remembrance (as hirafelf
tells us, that Spirit would do) and fo indeed proves the
coraforter by reprefenting unto us that his love, the fpring
of our coraforts ? And when we fend up our requefls, we
know of a friend before us there, a moft true and a moft
faithful friend that fails not to fpeak for us, what we fay
and rauch more ; he liveth, fays the Apoftle, to inake In
terceffion for us. This is the ground of a Chriftian's bold-
nefs at the throne of grace : Yea therefore Is the Father's
throne the throne of grace to us, becaufe the throne of our
Mediator Jefus Chrift is befide it : He fits at his right
hand, otherwife it could be nothing to us but a throne of
juftice, and fo In regard of our guiltinefs, a throne of ter-'
•* Bene conveniunt, el in unafede morantur, majeflas, et amor.

OF THE CREED. 225
ror and affrightment, which we would rather fly from,
than draw near unto.
Laftly, as we have the comfort of fuch a friend, to pre
pare accefs to our pmyers there, that are the meffengers of
our fouls ; fo of this, that bur fouls themfelves when they
remove from thefe houfes of clay, ffiall find admiffion there
through him. And this he tells his difciples again and
again, and in thera all his own, that their intereft was fo
much in his afcending to his glory, Igo to prepare a place
for you, that where I am, there ye may he alfo.
It will not be hard to perfuade them that believe thefe
things, and are portioners in them, to fet their hearts on
them, and for that end to take them off from all other
things as unworthy of them, yea, it will be impoflible for
them to live without the frequent and fweet thoughts of
that place where their Lord Jefus Is, Yet it is often need
ful to remeraber them, that this cannot be enough done,
and by reprefenting thefe things to them, to draw them
more upwards ; and it Is beft done In the Apoftle's words.
If ye be rlfen with Chrift, mind thofe things that are above,
where befits, he. If ye be rlfen with him, follow him on,
, let your hearts be where he is ; they that are one with
him, the bleffed feed of the woraan, do find that unity
drawing them heaven- wards : But, alas ! the moft of us
are Hker the accurfed feed of the ferpent, bafely grovefling
on this earth, and licking the duft ; the converfation of the
behever Is in heaven, where he hath a Saviour, and from
whence he looks for him. Truly there is Httle of a true
Chriftian here, (and that argues that there is little of the
truth of Chriftianity araong us, who are altogether here)
his head In heaven, and his heart there, and thefe are the
two principles of life. Let us then fuit the Apoftle's ad
vice, and fo enjoy the corafort he fubjoins, that by our af
fedlons above, we may know, That our Ufe is hid with
Chrifl in God, and therefore that whe'n he, who is our life,
ffall appear, we likewife ffall appear with him In glory.
From thence he ffall come to judge, he.} We have In this
to confider, 1. That there Is an univerfal judgment, 2.
That Chrift is the Judge. 3. Something to be added of
the quality of the judgment ; all the three we have toge»
ther, Ads xvu, Zl.
Ff

226 AN EXPOSITION
That It Is, Is we know, the frequent dodrlne of the fcrip.
tures, and 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^ve are fo to believe
it as a divine truth : And yet there is fo much juft reafon
for It, that natural men by the few fparkles of light In their
confciences, have had forae dark notions and conjedures
of it, as is evident In Plato and the 'Platonics, and not on
ly the philofophers but the poets : It may be too, that they
have been helped by forae fcattered glimmerings of light
concerning this, borrowed from the Jews, and traditlonaUy
paft from hand to hand among the heathen, and therefore
difgulfed and altered after their faffiion.
If we be perfuaded that there Is a fupreme ruler of the
world, who is moft wife, and juft, and good, this wifl per
fuade us not only that there Is fome other eftate and be
ing, than that we fee here, appointed for man, the moft
excellent, the reafonable part of this vlfible world; but
that there ffiall be a folemn judicial proceeding. In entering
and ftating hira in that after being. The raany miferies
of this prefent life, and that the beft of men are ufually
deepeft ffiarers in them, though it hath a little ftaggered,
not only wife heathens, but fometimes fome of the prime
faints of God, yet It hath never prevailed with any but
brutal and debauched fpirits, to conclude againft divine
providence, but rather to refolve upon this, that of necef
fity there muft be another kind of iffue, a final cataftrophe
reducing all the prefent confufions into order, and making
all odds even, as you fay *. It is true that fometimes here
the Lord's right hand finds out his eneraies, and is known
by the judgment which he executes on them ; and on the
oth,er fide, gives fome Inftances of his gracious providence
to his church, and to particular godly men even before
the fons of men : But thefe are but fome few preludes and
pledges of that great judgraent, forae he gives, that we for
get not his juftice and goodnefs, but rauch is referved, that
we exped not all nor the moft here but hereafter. And
it is certainly raoft congruous that this be done, not only
in each particular apart, but moft confpicuoufly In all to
gether, that the juftice and raercy of God raay not only
* Cum res hominum tanta caligine volvi. Claud,

OF THE CREED. 227
be accompliffied, but acknowledged and magnified, and
that not only feverally in the feveral perfons of men and
angels, but univerfally, jointly, and manifeftly in the view
of all, as upon one theatre, angels and men being at once,
fome of them the objeds of that juftice, others of mercy,
but afl of thera fpedators of both. Each ungodly raan
ffiafl not only read, whether he will or no, the juftice of
God In hirafelf, and his own condemnation, which moft
of thera ffiall do before that tirae in their foul's particular
judgraent : But they ffiall then fee the fame juftice in all
the reft of the condemned world, and the reft in them,
and to the great increafe of their anguiffi, they ffiall fee
likewife the glory of that raercy, that ffiall then ffiine fo
bright in all the eled of God, frora which they themfelves
are juftly ffiut out, and dehvered up to eternal mifery.
And on the other fide, the godly ffiall with unfpeakable
joy behold not only a part as before, bul the whole fphere
both of the juftice and mercy of their God, and ffiall with
one voice admire and applaud him In both, 2, Befides,
the procefs of many raens adions cannot be full at the end
of their life, as it ffiall be at that day ; raany have very
large after-reckonings to come upon thera for thofe fins of
others to which they are acceffory, though comraitted af
ter their death, as the fins of fll educated children to be
laid to the charge of their parents, the fins of fuch as any
have corrupted, either by their counfels, or opinions, or
evil examples, &c,
2. He, the Lord Jefus ffiall 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 ffiall be par
ticularly exercifed and pronounced by our Saviour God-
man, Jefus Chrift. That eternal word by whom all things
were made, by him all ffiall be judged, and fo he ffiall be
the word In that laft ad of time, as In the firft ; he ffiall
judicially pronounce that great and final fentence, that
ffiall ftand unalterable in eternity : And not only as the
eternal Son of God, but withal the Son of man, and fo fit
as King, and Invefted with all power in heaven and earth.
By that Man whom he hath appointed to judge the quick
and the dead. Ads xvn, 31. and Ads I, 1 1, This fame Je
fus ffall fo come, in like manner as ye have feen him go into
Ff 2

228 AN EXPOSITION
heaven. The powers of the world and of hell are com*
bined .igalnft his throne, therefore they ffiall be his footftool
fitting on that throne, and the crown which he hath pur,.
chafed for believers, he ffiall fet it on their heads with his
own hand. This ffiall be exceeding joy and comfort to afl
that have believed on him, that their Redeemer ffiall be
their judge, he that was judged for them, ffiall judge them
and pafs fentence according to that covenant of grace that
holds in him, pronouncing them free from the wrath which
he himfelf endured for them, and heirs of that Hfe that he
bought whh his deareft blood.
And that gives no lefs acceffion to the mifery of the
wicked, that that farae Jefus whora they oppofed and def
pifed, fo many of them as heard any thing of hira, he ffiafl
fit upon their final judgment, and pronounce fentence a-
galnft them, not partially avenging his own quarrel on
thera, no word of that, bul moft juftly returning them the
reward of their ungodlinefs and unbelief; that great ffiep-
herd ffiall thus make that great feparatlon of his ffieep frora
the goats,
3. Of the manner we have thus much here, that he
ffiall come from heaven, as the fcrlptures teach us, Matth.
xxiv, 30, he ffiall vifibly appear In the air, he ffiall come
in the clouds of heaven with ppwer and great glory, attended
with Innumerable companies of glorious angels that ffiall
ferve him, both in the congregating his eled, and fegre-
gating them from the reprobate ; but hirafelf in the bright'-
nefs of his own Majefty, infinitely furpaffing them all,
2 Theff, I, 7. His firft coming was mean and obfcure,
fuiting his errand, for then he came to be judged ; but
that laft coming ffiafl be glorious, for he coraes to judge,
and his judgment ffiall be in rlghteoufnefs, Ads xvii.
31 *. There ffiall be no mif-alledging, or raif-proving,
or niif-judging there ; all the judgraents of raen, whether
private or judicial, ffiall be rejudged there according to
truth, fuch a Judge before whora all things are naked ;
and not only fhall he know and judge all aright, but afl
they that are judged, ffiall therafelves be convinced that it
is fo ; then all will fee that none are conderaned but raoft
defervedly, and that the Lord's juftice is pure and fpotlefs
* jftfis judicabit qui injujle judicatus efl, Aug.

OF THE CREED. 229
in them that perlffi, as his grace, without prejudice to his
juftice, it being fatisfied in Chrift for them that are faved.
The books ffiafl be opened, thofe that men fo willingly,
the moft of them, keep ffiut and clafpt up, and are fo un-
wflllng to look into, their own accufing confciences : The
Lord will proceed formally againft the wicked according
to the books ; no wrong ffiall be done them, they ffiall
have fair juftice, and they ffiall fee what they would not
look upon before ; when by feeing, that might have been
blotted out, and a free acquittance written in its ftead.
And that the believer ffiall read in his confcience at that
day, which through the dimnefs of faith and dark troubled
eftate of his foul, he raany tiraes could not read here be
low. We are gaping ftill after new notions, but a few things
wifely and pradically known, drawn down frora the head
unto the heart, are better than all that variety of knowing
that raen are fo taken up with ; Paucis Uteris opus efl ad
mentem bonam. This and fuch like coramon truths we
think we both know and believe well enough ; but truly
if this great point, touching the great and laft judgment,
were Indeed known and beheved by us, it would draw our
minds to more frequent and more deep thoughts of it ;
and were we often and ferious in thofe thoughts, they
would have fuch influence into all our other thoughts, and
the whole courfe of our lives, as would rauch alter the
frame of them from what they are. Did we think of this
gofpel which we preach and hear, that we muft then be
judged by it, we would be now raore ruled by it ; but the
truth Is, we are willingly forgetful of thefe things, they are
melancholy penfive thoughts, and we are content that the
noife of affairs or any vanities fill the ear of our minds,
that we hear thera not. If we be forced at fome times to
hear of this laft judgment to come, it poffibly cafts our con
fcience into fome little trembling fit for the time, as it did
.FeHx ; but he was not, nor are we fo happy, as to be ffia-
ken out ofthe cuftora and love of fin by it : We promife
it fair, as he did, fome other time ; but if that time never
come, this day wfll come, and they that ffiun to hear or
think ofit, ffiall then fee it, and the fight of it will be as
terrible and amazing; as the timely thoughts of it would

230 AN EXPOSITION
have been profitable. It is no doubt an unpleafing fob-
jed to all ungodly earthly minds, but fure it were our wif
dom to be of that raind now, that then we ffiall be forced
to be of; we ffiall then read by the light of that fire that
ffiall burn the world, the vanity of all thofe things whereon
we now dote fo foollffily. Let us therefore be perfuaded
to think fo now, and difengage our hearts, and fix them
on hira who ffiall then judge us, Klfs the Son, he. They
are only happy that truft in hira ; that which Is the af
frightment of others, is their great joy and defire ; they.
love and long for that day, both for their Saviour's glory In
it, and their own full happinefs, and that their love to his
appearing, is to them a certain pledge of the crown they
are to receive at his appearing, 2 Tira. Iv. 8. at that day,
fays the Apoftle ; this day he efteeras more of than all his
days, therefore he names It no otherwife than that day :
how may we know what day It was he meant ? his corona
tion day. But of all men, fure the hypocrite likes leaft
the raention and reraerabrance of that day ; there Is no
room for difguifes there, all malks rauft off, and all things
appear juft as they are, and that is the worft news to him
that can be.
/ believe in the Holy Ghofl.} God is both a Spirit and
holy ; but this narae, perfonally taken, is pecuHarly that
of the third perfon, proceeding from the Father and the
Son, by a way that can neither be expreffed nor conceiv
ed ; holy in himfelf, and the author and caufe of all hollr
nefs in us.
It Is neither ufeful nor fafe for us to entangle our
thoughts In difputes concerning this myftery, but it is ne
ceffary that we know, and acknowledge, and believe in
this holy Spirit ; it Is he In whora and by whora we be
lieve : we cannot know God, nor the things of God, but
by the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. n. 11. nor fay that Jefus Is
God, but by the farae Spirit, 1 Cor. xu, 3. We know
that this Holy Trinity co-operates in the work of our fal
vatlon ; the Father hath given us his Son, and the Son
hath fent us his Spirit, and the Spirit gives us faith, which
unites us to the Son, and through ' him to the Father :
the Father ordained our rederaption, the Son wrought it,
the Holy Spirit reveals and applies it.

OF THE CREED. 231
The remaining articles have the fruit of that great work,
the fending of the Son of God In the fleffi, his fuffering,
and dying, &c, what It Is, and to whom It belongs ; the
refult of Chrift's Incarnation and death, cid et cujus gratia.
Yea, the great defign of God in the other great work,
that of the firft creation, Vas this fecond ; he made the
world, that out of it he raight make this eled world, that
is cafled his church : the Son fell on fleep, on a dead
fleep, indeed the fleep of death on the crofs, that out of
his fide might be framed his fpoufe, which Is his church.
The Holy Spirit moving upon the fouls of men in their
converfion, aims at this fame end, the gathering and com-
pleating of his church ; he is the breath of Hfe that breath
ed on thefe new creatures that raake up this fociety. So
then, this Is as much as to fay, I verily believe that God
had fuch a purpofe in making the world, and In fending
his Son into It, and they both In fending the Spirit, and
the Spirit in his working to make a holy church, a number
that ffiould ferve God here, and enjoy him in eternity ;
and I believe that God cannot fall ffiort of his end, that
bleffed Trinity dolh not projed and work In vain : I be
lieve therefore there Is fuch a company, there is a holy
univerfal Church ; [univerfal] diffufed through the feve
ral ages, and places, and nations of the world ; [holy]
waffied In the blood of Chrift, and fandlfied by his Spirit ;
that It Is, that it hath in all ages continued from the be
ginning, and ffiall continue to the end of the world, in-
creafing ftill and growing to Its appointed perfedlon,
amidft all the enmities and oppofitlons that it encounters
in the world. Ifend you forth, fays Chrift, as ffeep among
wolves. The prefervatlon of the church is a continuing
miracle. It refembles Daniel's fafety among the hungry
lions, but prolonged from one age to another. The ffiip,
wherein Chrift is, may be weather-beaten, but it ffiall not
perlffi. So then, you fee that this confeffion is alto
gether no other but your acknowledgment of God in hira
felf, three In one, and one in three, and his works of the
creation df the world, and rederaption of man by his Son,
made man for that purpofe, and appropriate to them for
whora it was defigned by his Holy Spirit ; and with this

232 AN EXPOSITION
acknowledgment, our reliance on this God as the author
of our being and well-being.
The communion of Saints.} This fprings iramediately
frora the forraer : if they make one church, then they
have a very near comraunion together ; they are one body
united to that glorious head that Is above ; they have all
one fpiritual life flowing from him : and this communion
holds not only on earth and in heaven apart, but even be
twixt heaven and earth ; the faints on earth make up the
fame body with thofe already in glory ; they are born to
the fame Inheritance by new birth, though the others are
entered In poffeffion before them. This their common
title to fpiritual bleffings, and eternal bleffednefs, prejudges
none of them ; their inheritance is fuch as is not leffened
by the raultitude of heirs, Il is entire to each one, and that
grace and falvatlon that flows from Chrift, the fun of rlghte
oufnefs, is as the light of the fun where it ffiines, none hath
the lefs becaufe of oihers partaking of It. The happinefs
of the faints is called an inheritance In light, which all may
enjoy without abatement to any : they have each one
their crown ; they need not, they do not envy one ano
ther, nor Ottoman-Yi^e, one brother to kill another to
reign alone ; yea, they rejoice in the happinefs and falva
tlon of one another, they are glad at the graces that God
beftows on their brethren, for they know that they all be
long to the fame firft owner, and return to his glory ; and
that whatfoever diverfity Is in them, they all agree and
concenter In that fervice and good of the church ; and fo
what each one hath of gifts and graces belongs to all by
virtue of this comraunion. Thus ought each of them to.
think, and every one of them humbly and charitably fo to
ufe what he hath himfelf, and Ingenuoufly to rejoice in
that which others have, as the Apoftle reafons at large,
1 Cor. xn.
/ believe a holy catholic church, and the communion of
faints.} We may fee the worth and the neceffity of holinefs,
how rauch it is regarded In the whole work ; for this very
thing did Chrift give himfelf for his church, that he might
fandify it, he. Eph, v, 26. fo the end of our redemption :
and if we look as far forward as falvatlon, there perfed

OF THE CREED. 233
holinefs ; nothing unclean ffiall enter that holy city, and
without holinefs no man ffall fee God : and look again as far
back as our eledlon, Eph. i, 4, and thefe that are not par
takers of this, do but delude themfelves, in dreaming of
intereft in the reft : no waffiing In the blood of Chrift to
remiffion, but withal by the Spirit to fandification ; no
comfort to the unholy in their refurredlon, becaufe no
hope of that to follow on It, that follows here, eternal life :
no, without ffiall be dogs. In the bafe and fooliffi opinion
of the world, holinefs is a reproach, or at the beft but a
mean poor coraraendation, as you fpeak of it difdalnfully,
a good, filly, holy body ; and raen are raore pleafed with
any other title : they had a great deal rather be called
learned, or wife, or ftout, or coraely, than holy *. But
God efteems otherwife of it, whofe efteem Is the true rule
of worth. That forecited place, a glorious church : how ?
Holy and without blemlff ; that is Indeed the true beauty
of the foul, makes It like God, and that is Its comelinefs.
We fee the Lord himfelf delights to be known much by
this ftile, and glorified by it. Holy, holy, holy, fo Exod. xv.
Glorious in holinefs ; and the Spirit of God ftill called the
holy Spirit. How much then are they miftaken concern-r
ing heaven, that think to find the way to it out of the path
of holinefs, which Is indeed via regni, the only way that
leads unto it. Reprove you of unholinefs, you fay, you
are not faints. No ? So much the worfe, for they that
mean to ffiare In the pardon of fin, and eternal Hfe, muft
be fuch. If you be content ftill not to be faints, go on ;
but know, that they that are not in forae raeafure faints in
grace here, ffiall never be faints in glory hereafter.
Forgivenefs of fins.} Notwithftanding forgivenefs of
fins, there is a neceffity of hohnefs, though not as meriting
it, as leading unto happinefs. But on the other fide, not
withftanding the higheft point of holinefs we can attain,
there Is a neceffity of this forgivenefs of fins. Thdugh be
lievers raake up a holy church and corapany of faints, yet
there is a debt upon thera that their holinefs pays not ;
yea, they are fo far from having afuperplus for a ftanding
treafure after all paid, that all the holinefs of the faints to
gether, will not pay the leaft farthing of that debt they owe,
* Malumus audire 0 virum ddlHtm, quam 0 virum honum- Sen.
Gg

234 AN EXPOSITION
As for me, I will walk in mine integrity, fays David!, Pfal.
xxvi, 11, How then, adds he, " this fhall juftify rae fuf
ficiently," no, but redeem thou me, and be merciful to me ;
fo 1 John I, 6, 7, If we fay, we have no fin, we are liars,
he. And walk in darknefs, he. And yet in the next
verfe, though we do walk in the light, yet is there need
of the blood of Jefus Chrifl to cleanfe us from all fin ; and
fo throughout the fcrlptures. All the integrity of the
godly under the law did not exerapt them from offering
facrifice, which was the expiation of fin In the figure, look
ing forward to that great and fpotlefs facrifice, that was to
be flain for the fins of the world ; and thofe that believe
the gofpel, the application of that juftlfying blood that
ftreams forth in the dodrine of the gofpel, is not only
needful to wafli in for their cleanfing In their firft conver
fion, but to be re-applied to the foul, for taking off the
daily contraded guilllnefs of new fins. It is a fountain
opened and ftanding open for fin and for uncleannefs, as
that fea of brafs before the fanduary, &c. They that are
clean have ftill need of waffiing, at leall:, their feet, as
Chrift fpeaks to St. Peter.
The confideration of that precious blood ffied for our
fins, is the ftrongeft perfuafive to holinefs, and to the a-
voiding and hating of fin. So far is the dodrlne of jufti.
ficatlon (right underftood) from animating raen to fin.
But becaufe of the woful continuance of fin In the godly,
while they continue in this region of fin and death, there
fore is there a continual neceffity of new recourfe to this
great expiation. Thus St. John joins thefe two, 1 John
ii. 1, 2.
You think it an eafy raatter, and a thing that for your
own eafe you wfllingly believe, the forgivenefs of fins, ft
is eafy Indeed, after our faffiion, eafy to imagine that we
believe fuch a thing when we hear it, becaufe we let
it pafs and queftion it not, we think It may be true, and
think no farther on it, whfle we neither know truly what
fin is, nor feel the weight of our own fins : but where a
foul is convinced of the nature of fin, arid its^own guflii-
nefs, there to believe forgivenefs, is not fo eafy a tafti.
In believing this forgivenefs of fins, and fo the other
privileges that attend it, there be thefe three things gradu-

OF THE CREED. 235
ally leading one to the other. 1. To believe that there Is
fuch a thing, and that it is purchafed by the death of
Chrift, and fo attainable by coming unto him for It, 2.
By this the foul finding itfelf ready to fink under the bur
den of its own fins, is perfuaded to go to him, and lay over
that load on him, and itfelf withal refolves to reft on him
for this forgivenefs, this is to believe In hira who is the
Lord our rlghteoufnefs i 3, Upon this believing on him
for forgivenefs, follows a reflex believing of that forgive
nefs ; not contlnuafly and Infeparably, efpecially if we take
the degree of affurance foraewhat high, but yet in Itfelf It
is apt to follow, and often in God's gracious difpenfatlon
doth follow upon that forraer ad of believing, through
the clearnefs and ftrength of faith in the foul, and fome
times withal, is backed with an exprefs pecuhar teftiraony
of God's own Spirit : to believe and to grow ftronger In
beheving, and to afpire to the affurance of faith is our
conftant duty ; but that imraediate teftiraony of the Spirit
is an arbitrary beam that God referves in his own hand,
yet fuch a gift as we may not only lawfufly feek, but do
foollffily prejudge ourfelves and flight it, if we negled to
feek it, and want fo rich a bleffing for want of affiing, and
withal, labouring to keep our hearts in a due difpofe and
frame for entertaining it. The keeping our confciences
pure, as much as may be, doth not only keep the com
fortable evidence of pardon cleareft and leaft interrupted
within is, but is the likelieft to receive thofe pure joys,
that flow iraraediately into the foul from the Spirit of God.
The teftlmony of our confclence is (if we darap it not
ourfelves) our continual feaft, but that teftiraony of the
Spirit is a fuperadded tafte of higher corafort out of God's
own hand, as it were a piece of heaven in the foul, which
he foraetiraes chears it withal : where he hath firft given
much love and ardent defires after himfelf, they are ffiort
of that light. In the fulnefs whereof we hope to dwell here
after. But befides that, God Is moft free In that particu
lar, and knows what is fitteft for it ; the greateft part even
of true chTlll:ians yet do not fo walk, nor attend to that
fpiritualnefs. that Is capable of fuch vifits.
The refurredlon of the body.} The comfort of thefe
privileges, oppofed to thofe grand evils that we feel or
Gg 2

2S6 AN EXPOSITION
fear, fandification to the power of fin, juftification or for
givenefs to the guflt of fin, the refurredlon tQ temporal
death, and Hfe eternal to the fecond or eternal death.
This is the raifing of the felf-fame body that is laid In
the duft, otherwife, the giving of a body to the foul again,
muft have fome other name, for refurredlon it cannot be
called. That God can do this, notwithftanding all imaginable
difficulties In it, have vs* not proof enough in what he
hath done ; fure that which he did in the beginning of
tirae, the framing the whole world of nothing, is more
than a fufficient pledge of this that is to be done in the
end of tirae.
Thai he will do it, we have his own word for it, and
the pledge of it in ralfing his Son Jefus, therefore called
ihe firfl begotten from the dead ; this as relating to behevers
who are one with him. The refurredlon of the dead in
general is an ad of power, but to the godly an ad of
grace, to the wicked of juftice ; both ffiall rife by the
power of Chrift, but to the one as a judge, and a judge
that ffiall condemn thera ; to the other as their Head, and
their Saviour, Jofeph's two fellow prifoners were both
taken out ofthe prifon, and at the fame time, but the one
to the court, the other to the gallows ; fo in the refurrec-
tion, John v. 29.
The confeflion of faith being of fuch things as belong
to believers, and are their happinefs, therefore their refur
redlon is particularly here Intended, as we fee eternal life
and glory is fubjoined to it. •
Our bodies are raifed that were companions and par
takers of our good and evil in our abode upon earth, that
they may In eternity be companions and partakers of our
reward : thofe of the ungodly to fuit their condemned
fouls, ffiall be filled with ffiarae, and vilenefs, and mifery ;
and thofe that were In their lower eftate here temples of
the Holy Ghoft, ffiall be filled with that fulnefs of joy,
that ffiall run over from the foul unto thera ; they ffiall
be conforra to the happy and glorious fouls to which they
ffiall be united, yea to the glorious body of our Lord Jefus
Chrift. There ffiall then be nothing but beauty, and
glory and immortality in them that are now frail and mor^

OF THE CREE
tal, and being dead, do putrify an,
ffiall change our vile bodies, and make
moft glorious body ; but as St. Bernaro
would be fure of this, that our bodies ffaU be
in the glory to come, fee our fouls be here conj
that humility which he fo much manifefled wh.
among men ; if we would that then our vile boo^
like his glorious body, let our proud heart now ,
Hke his humble heart.
Life eternal.} Our confeffion of faith ends in
which is the end of our faith, our everlafting falvatlon,
eternal life ; of which, all that we can fay is but ftamraei
ing, and all our knowledge and conceiting of it but igno
rance, in regard of what it is ; yet fo rauch we know, or
may know of it, as. If we knew aright, would certainly
draw us more Into the defires and purfult of it. The
very name of life is fweet, but then efpecially as it is here
meant. In the pureft and fweeteft fenfe, for a truly happy
life *. For a life full of mifery is fcarce worth the narae
of life, and the longer It were, the worfe ; therefore the
miferable eftate of daraned fouls, though Iraraortal in it, is
called death. So then by this life, true and full bleffed
nefs being meant, and then that added, that it is eternal
Hfe, what can be iraagined raore to raake it defirable.
So happy, that there ffiall not be the fmalleft drop of
any evil or bitternefs in it, pure unmixed blifs, nothing
prefent In it that is difpleafing, nor nothing wanting that is
delightful ; and everlafting, that when miflions of years
(if there were any fuch reckoning there) are rolled about,
it ffiall be as far frora ending as at the firft.
A very Httle knowledge of this bleffed life, would make
us clean out of love with the life, that now we make fuch
account of : what can it be that ties us here ? the known
ffiortnefs of this life, were It more happy than It Is to any,
might make it of lefs efteem with us ; but then withal,
being fo full of miferies and fins, fo ftuffed with forrows
round about us, and within ourfelves ; that if the longeft
of it can be called long, It Is only the raultitude of raiferles
in It, can challenge that name for It. Such a world of
bodily difeafes, here one's head paining hira, another his
* Non eji vivere, fed valere^ vita.

238 AN EXPOSITION, &C. I
ftomach *, fome complaining of this part, fome of that,
and the fame party fometimes of one malady, fometimes
of another; what difappointments and difgraces, and crofs
encounters of affairs; what perfonal and what public ca-
lamities, and then fin the worft of all ; and yet all cannot
wean as. We cannot endure to hear nor think of reraov
ing ; and the true reafon is, unbelief of this eternal life,
and the negled of thofe ways that lead to It. Be perfuad
ed at length to call In your heart from the fooHfh chace
of vanity, and confider this glorious life that is fet before
you. Do you think the provifion you raake for this
wretched prefent life worth fo raany hours daily pains,
and give eternal life fcarce half a thought In raany hours,
poffibly not a fixed ferious thought in many days ? fure if
you believe there is fuch a thing, you cannot but be con
vinced, that It Is a raoft prepofterous unwife courfe yoa
take, in the expence of your tirae and pains upon any thing
elfe raore than on life eternal. Think what a fad thing
it will be, think you, when your foul rauft reraove out of
that little cottage wherein It now dwells, not to be better
ed by the removal, but thruft out Into utter darknefs;
whereas, if ye would give up with fin, and embrace Jefus
Chrift as your joy and your life, in hira you would prefent
ly be put into a fure unfailing right to this eternal life ; it
is a pure life, and purity of life here, is the only way to It.
Bleffed are the pure in heart, for they ffall fee God.
* Quam male nobis convenit, nunc de ventre, nunc de capite, &C, hot
eostingtre folet in alieno habitanlibus. Sen.

AN
EXPOSITION OF THE
LORJD'S FRA YE R.
Matth, VI. 9.
After this manner therefore pray ye.
THE malice and flight of Satan, in reference to good
adions, works firft In attempting wholly to divert us
from them ; but if that take not, the next is, to pervert
their ufe, and corrupt them fo In doing, that they lofe
their acceptance with God, and we confequently lofe th»
fruit and comfort of them. And as there Is no religious
exercife that he hath raore quarrel at, and owes greater
enmity to, than prayer, being the moft conftant croffer of
his defigns, there is none from which he more endeavours
to eftrange men, either wholly to lay it down, or to fre
quent ceffations ; or if that cannot be, but that the light
of confcience ftill calls for fomewhat at leaft that raay pafs
with a raan for prayer, yet if Satan can get it turned to hy
pocrify and forraality, he knows he needs not fear it, for
fo it wants the Ufe of prayer, and remains nothing but a
dead carcafe, and therefore can neither pleafe the living
God, nor hurt him who is its enemy.
Therefore our Saviour here warns his difciples to avoid.
In praying, thefe two evils, the vain oflentatlon of hypocrites,
ver, 5. and the vain repetition of the heathen, v. 7. not to
think. It prayer to tumble out a multhude of empty words :
and upon that takes occafion to fet this matchlefs copy of
prayer, the way of example being the ffiorteft and HveHeft
way of teaching. Thefe words that are but the entry, are
not to be piift ; there is in them, 1. The duty of prayer

240 AN EXPOSITION OF*
fuppofed. 2. The prefcribing of this form. 1. Pray..
2. After this manner.
The ufe and neceffity of prayer Is taken for confeffed,
as before, ver. 6, 7. VVhen ye pray, and when thou prayefi.
And the confideration of this exercife, and of this pattern
of it, is with good reafon acccouUted among the moft ne
ceffary principles of rehgion ; without it indeed all religion
withers and languiffies. The law of God is fo pure and
exad a rule, that we cannot come near the perfedlon of
it, and therefore fall under Its curfe. When we under
ftand it fo, that drives us to the gofpel, to feek falvatlon
there ; and the articles of the gofpel, of our Chriftian
failh, are fo high and myfterious, that nature cannot aright
underftand or believe them ; and therefore both law and
gofpel drive us lo, prayer, to feek of God renewing grace
to conforra our hearts In forae raeafure to the holy law of
God, and faith to lay hold on Jefus Chrift, and falvatlon
in him held forth to us.in the gofpel. Prayer is not taken
in Its ftrid gramraatlcal fenfe, in which the words ufed for
it fignify only petition or requeft ; but as comprehending
together whh petition, confeffion and thankfgiving, may
be called briefly and plainly z. pious Invocation' of God ; and.
not fpeaking abftradly of prayer, but according to the
eftate of fallen man. It is very fit to add the exprefs men
tion of the Mediator, that Is an invocation of God In the
narae of Chrift ; for it never afcends to God as pleafing
incenfe, but when it paffeth through that golden cenfer,
and is perfuraed with the fweet odours of his merits and
interceffion. His entrance into heaven hath opened up
the way for our prayers to come in, and there is no accefs
to the throne of grace, but by that new and living way, as
the Apoftle fpeaks. But how much better is the frequent
pradice than much difcourfe^ and bufinefs in defining it ;
whatfoever is faid aright in this. Is for the other as its end,
as Gerfon hath it out of an ancient philofopher, Inquirimus
quid fit virtus, non ut fclamus, fed ut honl efficiamur. We
enquire what virtues are, not to know them, hut to have
ihem : And Indeed to do otherwife is but anfwerable em
ployment to ftudy the nature of riches, and talk of them,
and remain poor, poffeffmg none.
It is not needful to ftay upon diftlnguiffiing prayer, by

THE lord's PRAYER. 241
the different matter of petitions, or things to be requefted,
which poffibly fome of the different names of prayer in
fcripture do fignify. This may fuffice, that it be of fuch
things as are conform to the will and promifes of God,
and defired with a fuitable difpofition of raind, and there
fore I call It a pious invocation. It is the higheft Impudence
to prefent God with unjuft or frivolous defires, et qute
fcire homines nolunt Deo narrant. Sen, We ought to reve
rence the Majefty of God, and regard that In our requefts.
There is a difference betwixt folemn prayer, and fudden
ejaculations, but it is not a difference in their nature, but
only In continuance ; the former is here raeant, therefore
of it, &c. Only this of the other, it is to be wiffied that
it were raore known, and raore in ufe with Chriftians, for
it is (no doubt) a very happy means of preferving the
heart in holy temper, and conftant regard of God in all a
man's adions, and is a raain point of anfwering the h,i^o{-
\Xe'&word, pray continually ; when in company, and apart
a man ufeth fecret ffiort motions of the foul to God, that
may be very frequent in the day, and night, whereas mens
caflings, and natural neceffities, and employments allow
them but fome certain parcel of both for foleran prayer ;
and thefe frequent looks of the heart to heaven exceeding
ly fweeten and fandify our other eraployraents, and diffufe
fomewhat of heaven through all our adions. Solemn
prayer at fit times is a vifiting of God, but this were a con
ftant walking with him all the day long, lodginig with him
in the night. When I awake, fays David, I ani flill with thee.
And thefe fudden dartings ofthe foul heaven- wards, raay
fometimes have more fwiftnefs and force than larger fup
plications, having much fpirit, as it were, contraded into
them ; and they would no doubt. If ufed, be anfwered
with frequent beams of God's countenance returned to
the foul, as it were in exchange ; for though whole life
times of prayer are not worthy the leaft of thofe, yet it
pleafes God thus to keep intercourfe with thefe fouls that
" love him, and for the ejaculations of their defires to him,
looks back on them, and fo they Interchange as it were
fudden glances of love that anfwer one another. The Lord
is pleafed to fpeak thus himfelf, and the fouls that know
this love, underftand it, Thou hafl ravlffed my heart, my
Hh

242 AN EXPOSITION OF
fifler, my fpoufe, with one of thine eyes. But though fuch
looks in ejaculation will refreffi a foul Inflamed with the
love of God, yet it fuffices not, they rauft have times of
larger and more fecret converfe with their beloved, and
particularly in the exercife of folemn continued prayer,
and if cut ffiort of It at any tirae, will raifs it as rauch, as
an healthful body its accuftomed repaft.
But it would feem, that though there may be fome rea
fon for confeffion and thankfgiving, yet that which hath
moft peculiarly the name of prayer, petition, is fuperfluous :
He that knows our wants better than ourfelves, and what
is fitteft to beftow upon us, and forgets not at all, what
need we put him in raind, and follow hira with fo many
fuits ?
This Indeed is a ftrong reafon againft vain babhngs In
prayer, and imagining to be heard merely for long conti
nuance, and multitude of words ; and our Saviour himfelf
doth here ufe It fo, ver. 8, but withal he ffiews us clearly,
that it makes nothing againft the exercife of prayer. In
that he adds iramediately upon thefe words. After this
manner therefore pray ye.
Although the Lord knows well our wants, and doth ac
cording to his own good pleafure, yet there Is for prayer,
1. Duty. 2. Dignity. 3, Utility.
1, Duty. We owe this homage to God, not only to
worffiip him, but particularly to offer up our fupplications,
and to acknowledge him our King, and Ruler of the whole
world, and to teftify our dependence upon him, as the
giver of every good gift ; it Is not becaufe he Is unwilling,
and loth to give, For he gives liberally, and upbraids none,
yet fays the Apoftle there. If any man lack wifdom, let him
afl it. So of all wants, that which thankfgiving doth ac
knowledge after receipt, fuppHcation doth beforehand ;
his power, and truth, and goodnefs, &c. this is his ftifl,
the God that heareth prayer, and therefore this homage is
due to him. To him ftoall aU fieftj come.
2. Dignity. This is the honour of the faints, that they
are admitted to fo near and frequent converfe with the
great God, that they do not only exped from him, but
may fo freely fpeak to him of their defires and wants, and
may pour out their complaints Into his bofom. Abraham

the LORD SPRAYER. 243
is fenfible of the greatnefs of this privilege, by refleding
upon the greatnefs of his diftance : It is an unfpeakable
honour for duft and aflies to be received into fuch fainill-
ai-ity with the Lord of heaven and earth.
3. UtiUty. It quiets and eafes the heart when it is trou
bled to vent Itfelf lo God, as there is fome natural eafe In
fighs and tears ; (for otherwife nature fliould not have
been furniffied with them, nor teach us to ufe them ;) ihey
difcharge fome part of grief, though addreffed no whither,
but only let out, more when It is in the prefence of fonie
entire friend ; fo that they muft be moft of all eafing, when
they are direded to God in prayer *. Mine eye poureth
forth tears unto God, fays Job ; and David, Myfighlng Is
not hid from thee. Cafl thy burden on the Lord, fays the
Pfalmift. The Lord calls for our burdens, would not have
us wreftle with them ourfelves, but roll them over on him.
Now the defires that are breathed forth in prayer are, as
it were, the very unloading of the heart ; each requeft that
goes forth, carries out foraewhat of the burden with it,
and lays It on God. Be careful in nothing, fayS the Apof
tle : That were a pleafant life Indeed, if it raight be ; but
how ffiall that be attained ? Why, this Is the only way,
fays he. In all things make your requefls known unto God :
Tell hira what are your defires, and leave thera there with
him, and fo you are fure to be rid of all further difquieting
care of them ; try as raany ways as you will, 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 exercifed, and they
gain by that, as all habits do. They are ftrengthened and
increafed by ading failh. In believing the promifes : And
that Is the very bafis of prayer ; It cannot fubfift without
the fupport of faith. And hope Is raifed up and fet on
,tIp-toe, i.voy.alo-A.m, to look out for accompIIffiment, and
love it. Is that which delights it, to irapart its mind to him
on whom it is fet, and thus tp entertain converfe and con--
ference with hira : And all hours feem ffiort to it that are
thus fpent ; and by this It ftill rifes to a higher flame, It Is
* Cor ferenat et purgat -oratio, capaciufque effcit ad excipienda divina
munera. S, Aug.
H h 2

244 AV EXPOSITION OF
blown and ftirred by prayer. The more the foul con-
verfes with God, doubtlefs the more it loves him.
And this fpeaking your defires to God in prayer, makes
the heart ftill more holy, invites it to entertain new de
fires, but fuch as It raay confidently acquaint God withal.
In relation to the particular things defired, it not only fits
and difpofes the heart for receiving them as bleffings, but
withal it is a real means of obtainment, by reafon of God's
own appointraent, and of his proraife. He hath bound
hirafelf by his proralfes, not to difregard the prayers of his
people : His ear Is open to their cry, fays the Pfalmift ; and
the many inftances in fcripture, and experience of the
church in all ages, bear witnefs to the truth of thefe pro
mifes. Imralnent judgments averted, great armies conquer
ed, and the very courfe of nature countermanded, the fun
arrefted, by the power of prayer. Mofes's hands only
held up to heaven, routed the Amalekites more than all
the fwords that were drawn againft them *.
The goodnefs of God is expreffed in his promifes ; and
thefe proralfes encourage prayer, and prayer is anfwered
with performance, and thankfgiving returns the perform
ance In praife to God, Pfal, 1. 15. So all ends where it
began. In him who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and end of all things.
If you would be rich In all grace, be much In prayer.
Converfing with God affimflates the foul to hira, beautifies
it with the bearas of his hohnefs, as Mofes' face ffiined
when he returned frora the mount. It Is prayer that brings
all our fupplles from heaven, (as that woraan, Prov, xxxi,
14.) draws more grace out of God's hand, and fubdues
fin and the powers of darknefs ; it entertains and aug
ments our friendffiip with God, raifeth the foul from earth,
and purifies It wonderfully. Their experience, that have
any of this kind, teacheth them, that as they abate in pray
er, all their graces do fenfibly weaken : Therefore when
the Apoftle hath fuited a Chriftian with his whole armour,
he adds this to all, pray continually ; for this arms man and
his armour both with the ftrength and protedlon of God,
armatura armatura oratio.
After this manner.
* In Aurelius his tirae tlie legion ofthe Chriflians is called KtVofoX®'.

the lord's prayer. 245
They that know any thing of their own wants and po
verty, and of thebounty and fulnefs of God, cannot doubt
of the continual ufefulnefs of prayer ; and they that are
fenfible of their own unfkilfulnefs, will acknowledge, that
as prayer is neceffary, fo there is neceffity of a diredlon
how to perforra it. The difciples found this In therafelves,
when they faid. Lord teach us to pray, as St, Luke hath it,
where he records this prayer. And our Saviour here
marks the errors of hypocrify and babbling in prayer that
are fo incident to raen, and teacheth his difciples, After
this manner therefore pray ye.
As for prefcribing forms of prayer In general, to be
bound to their continual ufe In private or public, Is no
where pradifed. Nor is there, I conceive, on the other
fide, any thing in the word of God, or any folid reafon
drawn from the word, to condemn their ufe.
There is indeed that Inconvenience obfervable in their
much ufe, and leaning on them, that they eafily turn to
coldnefs and formality ; and yet, to fpeak the truth of this,
it is rather imputable to our dulnefs, and want of affedion
in fpiritual things, than to the forms of prayer that are
ufed. For whereas forae raay account, it rauch fpiritual
nefs to defpife what they have heard before, and to defire
continual variety in prayer. It feeras rather to be want of
fpiritualnefs that raakes that needful, for that we find not
our affedlons lively in that holy exercife, unlefs they be
awaked and ftirred by new expreffions : Whereas the foul
that is earneft on the thing itfelf for itfelf, panting after
the grace of God, and the pardon of fin, regards not in
what terras it be uttered, whether new or old ; yea, though
it be in thofe words It hath heard and uttered a hundred
tiraes, yet ftfll it Is new to a fpiritual raind. And fure the
defires that do move in that conftant way, have more evi
dence of fincerity and true vigour In them, than thofe that
depend upon new notions and words to move them, and
cannot ftir without them. It raay be It Is no other but a
falfe flaffi of temporary devotion that arlfes in a man's
heart, which comes by the power of fome raoving ftrain
of prayer that Is new. But when confeffions of fin, and
requefts of pardon, though in never fo low and accuftora-
ed terms, carry his heart along with them heaven-wards.

246 AN exposition of
it Is then more fure that the Spirit of God dwelling in
him, and the fenfe of the things themfelves, the efteem of
the blood of Chrift, and the favour of God, do move the
heart, when there Is no novelty of words to help it. So
then, I hough the Lord beftows rich gifts upon fome of
his fervants, for his glory and the good of his church ; yet
we ffiould beware, that in fancying continual variety In
prayer, there be not more of the fleffi than of the Spirit,
and the head working raore than the heart. It is remark
able that (as they that fearch thofe things obferve) the
words of this prayer are divers of thera fuch, as come near
the words of fuch petitions as were ufual among the Jews,
though he, in whom was all fulnefs and wifdom, was not
fcarce of matter and words ; fo little was novelty and va
riety confiderable in prayer in his efteem, Miftake it not,
the Spirit of prayer hath not his feat in the Invention, but
in the affedion. In this many deceive themfelves, in that
they think the work of this Spirit of prayer to be mainly
in furniffiing new fupplles of thoughts and words ; no, it
is raalnly In exciting the heart anew at times of prayer, to
break forth itfelf In ardent defires to God, whatfoever the
words be, whether new or old, yea poffibly without words ;
and then moft powerful when it words It leaft, but vents
in fighs and groans that cannot be expreffed. Our Lord
underftands the language of thefe perfedly, and Hkes It
beft ; he knows and approves the raeaning of his own
Spirit, looks not to the outward appearance, the ffiefl of
words, as men do.
But to fpeak particularly of this form that Is above all
exception ; it Is given us as the pattern and model of afl
our prayers, and the clofer they keep to It, the nearer they
referable, they are the raore approvable. It Is a wonder
then how any can fcruple the ufe of this prayer itfelf: For
if other prayers are to be fquared by it, what forbids to
ufe that which is the fquare, and therefore perfedeft ? If
they be good by conformity to It, Itfelf muft be better.
The mumbling it over without underftanding and affec^
tion. Is indeed no other but a grofs abufe of it, and taking
of the name of God in vain, as all other lifelefs prayer is.
And this Is not only the poplffi abufe of It, but loo much
our own ; for when we do nof both Underftand, and atten-

the lord's prayer. 247
tively raind what we fay, it Is all one to us, though in our
own tongue, as If with thera we faid it In an unknown
language. It Is a fooliffi fuperftitious conceit, to iraagine
that the rattling over thefe words Is fufficient for prayer ;
but It Is, on the other, fide, a weak groundlefs fcruple, to
doubt that the ufe of it, with fpiritual affedion, is both
lawful and commendable.
oSt..,-.] It is a particle both for the matter and manner
of prayer.1 . The matter.
This may be our rule, that whatfoever we cannot re
duce to fome part of this prayer, as contained under It,
ffiould be no part of ours. If we take not heed to this,
we may abufe the throne of God with undue and unwor
thy fulls, and afk thofe things that It were a puniffiment to
give us : therefore Plato chufed well that word, give us
what is good for us, whether we afl It or not ; and what is
evil give us not, though we floould defire It, Not to fpeak
now particularly, we fee In the matter of this prayer In
general, that fpiritual things are to be the main of all our
prayers ; and In things temporal, not to lodge fuperfluous
inordinate defires, but In a moderated ufe to feek things
neceffary. 2. For the manner: Obferve, 1. The order of this
prayer, that the foul put Itfelf in the fight of God, and
him In its own fight, beginning as here with due thoughts
of the majefty of God, to whom we pray ; and this Is of
very great confequence : but raore of this hereafter. 2.
That the glory of God Is wholly preferred to all our own
contentraent of what kind foever, that is to be the firft-
born and ftrength of all our defires, and all that we feek
for ourfelves muft be in relation to that his glory, direded
to it as our higheft fcope. And becaufe we are naturally
full of felf-love, and our hearts are carried by It towards
our own intereft, and therefore will be ready to ftart afide
like deceitful bows, and flip us in our aiming at that mark,
therefore there be three feveral petitions, all of that ftrain,
to make them fteady and fixed towards it, to defire in all
things, and above all things, that our God may be glori
fied. 3. Brevity, oppofed to that babbhng which our Saviour

248 AN EXPOSITION OF
reproves and particularly correds by this form ; that fault
he lays on the heathen, not upon the Jews, for they blamed
it too, and their dodors fpake againft it, alledging that
place that Is very pertinent, Eccl. v. 2. where he argues
from our exceeding diftance and the greatnefs of God,
becaufe men ufe not to entertain great perfons with long
empty difcourfes. Know then before whom thou art in
prayer, and have fo much refped to the majefty of God,
as not to multiply idle repetitions, fuch as wife men can
not well endure, how much lefs the all-wife God.
BxrloXoyU and iToxvxoylx are here put as one, becaufe the one
is the confequent ofthe other ; where there is rauch fpeak
ing, there wfll be vain fpeaking and empty repetitions *.
In multitude of words there wanteth not fin, fays Solomon ;
and we fee it, that they that lay a neceffity upon themfelves
of a long continuance and many words in prayer, as if it
were otherwife no prayer at all, they fall Into this inconve
nience of Idle repeating ; and this is moft unbefeeming
our accefs to the majefty of God, as if there were fome
defed either In his knowledge, or in his attention, or af
fedion to thofe that feek him. Therefore, though this
was the coraraon fault of the heathen, yet forae even of
thera had fo rauch difcerning as to condemn this folly,
and Inveigh againft it f, acknowledging both the wifdom
of God, and his love to mankind, and that he underftands
far better what Is fit for us, than we ourfelves, and there
fore was not to be diffionoured with idle tedioufnefs in
prayer. But is then all length and much continuance In prayer,
and all redoubhng of the fame requeft reprovable ? furely
no. Were there nothing elfe to perfuade us of this, our
Saviour's own pradice were fufficient, who prefcribed this
rule, and yet Is found to have fpent whole nights in prayer,
and to have Iterated the fame requeft ; and doubtlefs
(which can be faid of no other) his example is as perfed
a rule as his dodrine.
This then briefly Is the fault here, when the long con
tinuance, and much repetition in prayer is affeded as a
thing of itfelf available, when heaping on words, and beat-
* Xiur TO t' 'hiTtDi woAAa ra xyfia. Soph,
•f Paucis verbis rem divinam facito. PI.

the lord's PRAYER, 249
ing often over the fame words, though the heart bear
them not company, is judged to be prayer ; and generally
whenfoever the tongue outruns the affedion, then is prayer
turned into babbling. Yea though a man ufe this very
ffiort form here prefcribed, yet he may coramit this very
fault againft which it was provided, he may babble in fay
ing it ; and it is to be feared the greateft part do fo. Men
judge (and that rightly) a fpeech to be long or ffiort, not
fo rauch by the quantity of words, as by the fenfe ; fo that
a very ffiort fpeech that is erapty of fenfe raay be called
long, and a long one that is full, and hath nothing iraper
tinent, is truly ffiort * : thus as men judge by the fenfe of
fpeech, God judgeth by the affedion of prayer, that is the
true fenfe of It, fo the quality is the rule of the quantity
with him. There is no prayer too long to him, provided
it be all enlivened with affedion ; no Idle repetition where
the heart fays every word over again as often and more
often than the tongue. Therefore thofe repetitions in the
Pfalms ; Lord hear. Lord incline thine ear. Lord attend, he.
were not idle on this account ; God's own Spirit did
didate them, there was not one of them empty, but came
from the heart of the holy pen-men, full fraught with
the vehemency of their affedlons. And it is reported
of St. Auguftin, that he prayed over for a whole night,
Noverim te, domine, noverim me : becaufe his heart ftill fol-
lowed the fuit, all of it was prayer. So that in truth,
where the raatter Is new, and the words ftill diverfe, and
very rich in fenfe, yet with God it raay be idle raultiplying
of words, becaufe the heart ftays behind ; and where the
fame words are repeated, that a raan feeras poor and
mean in the gift of prayer to others, yet if it be not defed
of affedion, but abundance of It (as it raay be) that raoves
often the farae requeft, it Is not empty, but full of that
fenfe that the fearcher of hearts alone can read. I had
rather ffiare with that publican in his own words, and fay
it often over, as If I had nothing elfe to fay, God be merci
ful to ?ne a finner, faying it with fuch a heart, than the moft
excellent prayer where the outfide is the better half.
'* yib/it ut mifltiloquium deputem, quando neceffaria dicuntur, quantalihet
fermonum multidudine ac prolixitate dicantur. Brevitas eji etiam in hngif-
fima oratione, cui nihil inejl alieni. I i

250 AN EXPOSITION OF
So then this Is the miftake of raen, to think to make
words pafs for prayer with God, and to raake up what is
wanting inwardly, with multitude of words and long con
tinuance ; a fooliffi compenfation, that will no way fatlsfy
him. that fays, above all, my fon, give me ihy heart ; and
no length nor words can fupply the want of that with him.
Yet many do thus, they give large meafure of that which
is altogether worth nothing ; as the orator faid bf thofe
that make a poor fpeech pafs for fomething, with crying it
out with a loud voice, that they were like to thofe cripples
that got a horfeback to hide their halting. It Is thus here,
and the church of Rome halh It for their coraraon ffiift,
they have fliut out the heart out of this eraployment,
where it hath moft intereft, by praying In an unknown
tongue ; and this defed they raake up with long continu
ance, and repetition of pater-nofters, with a devotion as
cold and dead as the beads they drop. And fo they with
their breviaries, notwithftanding of their narae, fall dired
ly Into this fooliffi heatheniffi vanity of idle length and
repetitions. Thus do we too, though we fpeak our own known
language, when either In fecret or in public we fuffer our
hearts to rove in prayer, and hear not ourfelves what we
are praying, how then can we exped that God ffiould
hear us ?
If the affedion can be brought to continue In it, prayer
in fecret cannot be too long : but let us not think It virtue
enough that it Is long, let It rather be brief with ftrong
bent of mind, than long without It * ; as a fmall body
ftrong dnd full of fpirits. Is much better than the greateft
bulk that Is dull and fplritlefs. And when we pray in
company, becaufe men cannot know the temper of other
mens hearts, ufually a convenient raids betwixt extremes,
viz. briefnefs and length, feems moft fuitable.'
But, alas ! how few be there that keep conftant watch
over their affedlons in prayer, and endeavour to keep the
heart bent lo It throughout ? Oh ! how rauch fin Is com
mitted by us this way that we obferve not ?
* Non efl (ut quidam putanl) orare in multiloquio, Ji diutius, oretur,
alind efl fermo multus, aliud diuturnus affectus. AbJli multa loquutio, fed
non defit multa precatio. Aug.

THE lord's prayer. 251
This Is a great leffon, and requires ftill our diligence,
even all our lifetime, to learn it better and better, how to
pray. We have here indeed a complete copy, bul we cannot
follow it ; he that let it us rauft put his Spirit within us,
to lead our hand and heart that we may follow it, as he
here ffiews, how we ffiould pray. We are not born with
this 3Lrt,fimus oratores, and I may add the other word, true
of us, in regard of our vanity of mind, and the devices
that arife In It, nafclmur poetce. , Omnis fidlo cordis, he.
Gen. vi. 5, Eccl, vu, ult. We rauft have that Spirit of
his, the Spirit of Prayer, to teach us effedually, and make
us learn this divine art of prayer, according to his rules.
Although we are thus externally taught by our Saviour's
dodrlne, yet unlefs we be taught within by the Spirit, we
are never the nearer, we know neither what to afk, nor
how to afk ; but that Is a happy fupply, and they raay re
joice in it that have It, the Spirit of God helping their Infir
mities, and making Interceffion for them : how ffiould they
but fpeed in their fuits with God, that have both his own
Spirit interceding, by framing and inditing their petitions,
and his own Son interceding at his right hand by his
merits ?
Our Father.}
He that follows me (fays our Saviour) ftjaU not walk in
darknefs. It Is our fafeft in all our ways to be led by him,
particularly in our accefs to the Father by prayer; he
leads us in by his interceffion, through him we have
fio-a'yoy^v, acccfs, or rather addudlon, takes us by the hand
to bring us to the throne of grace, gives us his Spirit to
frame our minds, and teach us with what difpofition to
pray. Here he leads us, by putting words in our mouths,
and furniffiing us what to fay,
1 . The preface or corapellation.
2. The petitions,
3, The conclufion.
1. By the preface we are In general taught this, (e're
we confider particularly the words of it;) 1, To endea-
voiy: to have right thoughts and apprehenfions of God,
ori'' whora we call. 2, At our entry or beginning to pray,
to fet ourfelves before him, and him before our own fight,
II 2

252 AN EXPOSITION OF
to have the eye of our mind fet on that Deity we worfliip.
This would do much to the curing that common difeafe
of our prayers, the wandering and roving of our minds;
an evil that they cannot but be fenfible of, and often be-
wail, that take any notice of their own inward carriage
with God, that trace their own hearts, and- afk account
of their behaviour in prayer *. Oh ! light inconftant
hearts ! (may they fay) as the Latin reads that, Pfal, xl.
Csr meum dereliquit me. How raany regard them not at
all ? but they that do, find it their ordinary trick to give
them the flip. And this is one great caufe of our wander
ings, that we do not, at our entrance to prayer, compofe
ourfelves to due thoughts of God, and to fet ourfelves in
his prefence ; this would do rauch to awe us, and ballaft
our minds, that they tumble not to and fro, as Is their
cuftom. There be not many that do, but it would prove
no doubt much help, would we tafk ourfelves to this,
never to open our mouths to God, till the eye of our foul
were fixed upon him, and taken up with confidering of
his prefence. But of this more when we come to thefe
words, Who art in heaven.
Our Father which art in heaven.} Our Father ; the
mercy of God is in this, to beget in us the confidence of
faith : in the other, which art in heaven ; the majefty of
God to work us to reverence : though there Is fomewhat
in the word Father likewife to perfuade reverence, and
foraething in the other that confirras faith ; but more of
this hereafter ; yet if we take that which appears moft,
and Is predominant, the former mainly fupports faith, and
the latter begets humility.
The frame of it is extenfive ; not My Father, but Our
Father, and fo throughout ; befides that it was a pattern
both for pubhc and private prayer, and fo it was fitteft to
run in the larger and public ftile. It doth no doubt, (as
all have taken it) teach the charitable extenfion of our
prayers, where they are moft private, to take In with our
own the good of others, and when we are bufieft and moft
particularly dealing for ourfelves, yet not to ffiut out our
brethren. Let the place and performance of fecret prayer
be as private as may be, but the ftrain and fuits public, as
* Nihil eji in nobis corde fugacius. Greg.

THE Lord's prayer. 253
well as perfonal. The privateft prayer of the godly is a
public good, and he lofes nothing by that ; for, befides
that his particular is not hindered by taking In others, he
hath this gain, that by the fame reafon he likewife hath a
ffiare in all the prayers of others. And this (though little
confidered by the moft) is one point, and not a fraall one,
but a very profitable and corafortable point of that article
oi o\ir {a,ilh. The communion of faints, that every behever
hath a ffiare in all the prayers of all the reft ; he Is partner
in every ffiip of that kind that fets to fea, and hath a por
tion of all their gainful voyages.
But he that in prayer minds none but himfelf, doubtlefs
he is not right in rainding himfelf ; howfoever this he
may be fure of, that In keeping out others from his prayers,
he bars himfelf from the benefit of all others prayers like-
wife. Si pro tefolo oras, pro tefolus oras. S. Ambr. So
that felf-love itfelf may here plead for love to our brethren.
Forget not the church of God, and to feek the good of
Zion ; it is not only your duty, but your benefit. Are
you not all concerned In it ? if indeed you be parts of that
myftical body : and It hinders not at all, but rather ad
vances your perfonal fuits at God's hands, when he fees
your love to your brethren, and defire for the church's
good. Let not therefore any eftate, no private perplexity
or diftrefs, nor very forrow for fin, take you fo up, as to
be all for yourfelves ; let others, but efpecially the public
condition of the church of God, find room with you.
We find it thus with David, when he was lamenting his
own cafe, Pfal. li. and Pfal. xxv. ult. and elfewhere ; yet
he forgets not the church. In thy good pleafure do good to
Zion, and build up the walls of Jerufalem. So then let this
be the conftant tenor of your prayers, even in fecret :
when thou prayeft alone, ffut thy door, fays our Saviour
here ; ffiut out as much as thou canft the fight and notice
, of others, but ffiut not out the intereft and good of others,
fay Our Father, as the heathen call their God, ztznirtf, ice.
Father.} He Is indeed our Father, * as the author of
our being, beyond all the vlfible creatures ; he breathed
upon man the breath of life. But the privilege of this
our natural relation, the fin of our nature hath made
* To- ^9 yh®' la-jih. Afts xvii.

254 AN EXPOSITION OF
fruitlefs and comfortlefs to us, till we be reftored by grace,
and raade partakers of a new Sonffiip : We are Indeed the
workmanffilp of God, but being defaced by fin, and con
fidered in that eftate, our true narae is children of wrath,,
But the Sonffiip that eraboldens us to draw near unto
God as our Father, is derived frora his only begotten Son.
He becaraelhe Son of raan, to raake us anew the fons of
God. Being thus reftored, we may indeed look back
upon our creation, and draw out of it to ufe in prayer with
God, that we are his creatures, the workmanffilp of his
hands, and he in that fenfe our Father. But by reafon of
our rebellion, this arguraent Is not ftrong enough alone,
but rauft be fupported with this other, as the main ground
of our corafort, that wherein the ftrength of our confi
dence lies, that he is our Father in his Son Chrifl ; that by
faith we are invefted Into a new fonffiip, and by virtue of
that may call him Father, and move hira by that name to
help and anfwer us, John I. 12. To as many as received
him, he gave power to become the fons of God. Our adop
tion holds In Jefus Chrift as the head of this fraternity ;
therefore he fays.j Igo to my Father, and your Father, to my
God,' and your God. He fays not, to our Father and our
God, but feverally, mine and yours ; teaching us the or
der of the new covenant, that the fonffiip of Jefus Chrift
is not only more eminent in nature, but in order, is the
fpring and caufe of ours, as St. Cyril well obferves *. So
then he that here puts this word In our mouths, to cafl
God Father, he It Is by whom we have this dignity and
comfort that we call him fo.
But this adoption is accompanied (that we think it not
a naked external name) with a real change, and fo great
a change, that it bears the name of that which Is the real
ground of fonffiip, it is called regeneration. And thefe are
infeparable, there be no fons of God by adoption, bul fuch
as are withal his fons by regeneration and new birth:
There Is a new Hfe breathed Into them from God ; he Is
not only the Father of Spirits, by their firft infufion Into
the body, and enlivening it by them, but by this new In
fufion of grace into the fouls of men (as it feemS lo fignify
there, Heb. xii. where he Is fpeaking of fpiritual fons) and
* Cyril. Hierof. Calech.

THE lord's PRAYER. 255
enhvening them by it, which were dead without it, as the
body is without them ; and the Spirit of God renewing
thera, Is the Spirit of adoption, by which they cry, Abba Fa
ther. He gives thera a fupernatural life by this Spirit fent
into their hearts, and the Spirit by that regeneration which
he works, afcertalns thera of that adoption which is in
Chrift Jefus, and in the perfuafion of both they call upon
God as their Father.
So then you that would have this confidence in approach
ing to God to call him Father, lay hold on Jefus Chrift as
the fountain of fonffiip ; offer not to come unto God, but
through him, and reft not fatisfied with yourfelves, nor
your prayers, till you find fome evidence that you are In
him. And know that there Is no evidence of your por
tion In the Son, but by the Spirit ; therefore called the
Spirit ofthe Son, by which we call God Father, Gal. iv. See
whether, the Spirit of God dwells and rules in your hearts ;
for they that have not the Spirit of God are none af his, fays
the Apoftle ; but In the fame chapter he affures you, that
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are undoubtedly
ihe fons of God.
If you then call on the name of God, and particularly by
this name, your Father, depart from Iniquity ; be affiamed
to pretend to be his fons, and yet be fo unlike him, wal
lowing In fin. It cannot be that the fons of fo holy a
God, can be altogether unholy, and delight to be fo ; no,
though they cannot be perfedly free from impurity, yet
they that are indeed his chfldren, do certainly hate impu
rity, becaufe he hates it.
Do you draw near unto God In his Son Chrift ? Do
you give yourfelves up to be led by his Spirit ? then you
may account, and call him your Father ; and if you may
ufe this word, there is abundance of fweetnefs In it ; It is a
fpring of comfort that cannot run dry, and It hath influ
ence into all the petitions ; as Hkewife the other word,
which art in heaven ; " thou that art fo great and fo good."
Whofe narae and whofe kingdom ffiould we defire to be
advanced fo much as our own Father's our heavenly Fa
ther ? and his will to be obeyed on earth, as it Is In hea
ven. Of whora ffiould we feek our dafly bread, but of our
Father ? and efpecially fo rich a Father, poffelTor of hea-

2.56 AN EXPOSITION OF
ven and earth ; and forgivenefs of our gracious Father,
and condud, and protedlon. In the hardeft condition
that can befal you, ye raay corae to your Father ; all the
world cannot bar your accefs : And there is no child may
go to his Father with any fuit with raore confidence, than
you raay to your Father : And If there be mercy and pow
er enough In God, thou cannot raifs of help ; he halh the
bowels of a Father, Pfal. cin. 1 3. yea, fays our Saviour,
Can you that are evil give your children good things, how
much more will your heavenly Father, he. The love of pa
rents to their children they have frora him ; he hath given '
it to nature, fo It is but a drop to the ocean of fatherly love
that Is in hirafelf *. Let not then unworthinefs fear his
chfldren ; parents love their children and do thera good,
not becaufe they fee they are raore worthy than others,
for it may be far otherwife, but becaufe they are their
OWUi Yea, though we have run aftray from hira, and forgot
very far the duty of children, yet he cannot forget the love
of a Father ; and our beft is to return to him, it cannot
be well with us fo long as we go any whither elfe. The
prodigal found It fo, and therefore though he was con
vinced of that, that he was unworthy to be called his fon,
yet he refolves to return, I will go to my Father. Yea, though
to thy fenfe he ffiould feem to rejed thee, yet let not go
this hold, if thou haft but a defire to believe In him and
love him, though thou canft find no more, and even while
thou doubteft whether he is thy Father or no, yet prefs
him with the name, call him Father, fpeak to him as thy
Father ; Jefus his Son, In whom he Is well pleafed, doth
warrant thee. Though he ftay me, yet will I trufl In him,
fays Job ; So refolve thou, though thou faweft his hand,
as it were ready to throw thee into hell, yet cry to him
ftill, and ufe this very name. Father rejed me not ; never
any periffied with fuch a purpofe.
Who art in heaven.}
Servethe Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. This
compeUation taken together, and rightly underftood, works
* Ante petitionem magnum aceepimus, ut pojfimus dicere, pater, quidenitif
jam non det filiis petentibus pater, qui jam hoc ipfum dedit uteffent filii?
S. Aug.

THE lord's PRAYER.

that due teraper of prayer, the mixture of thefe two, joy
and fear, confidence and reverence. There was fome fuch
thing fpoke of Auguftus, but It is moft true ofthe divine
Majefty, that they that dare fpeak raffily to him, know not
his greatnefs ; and they that dare not fpeak to him (pro
vided It be with due reverence and refped) know not his
goodnefs. That we all Invocate one Father, teaches that new law
of love one to another, which our Saviour, the author of
this prayer, fo often recommends, and makes the very
badge of his difciples. It ferves to comfort the meaneft,
and to abate the loftinefs of the greateft that pray thus, as
St. Auguftine well obferves, that they all meet and agree
in this ; the greateft kings, and their meaneft fubjeds, all
muft fpeak lo God as their Father, not only all alike hav
ing their being from him as the Father ofthe Spirits of all
fleffi, but the fame adoption belonging unto all, high and
low, that are behevers. All the pomp and command and
pleafures of princes, cannot make them happy without
this grace of adoption ; and no outward bafenefs prejudges
any, but they may be happy by partaking of it. In this
likewife Is very clear our leffon of love to God, becaufe
our Father ; for though (as they fay) love doth defcend
much liiore than It afcends, and Is here moft of all verified,
yet it doth afcend from the children to their parents by
way of reflexion, efpecially from the fons of God to him
as a Father, who Is love itfelf. And as this name draws
the foul to the throne of grace with affured expedation of
mercy, fo it commands withal (as we faid) honour and re
verence, efpecially being accompanied with this other word
that mainly enforces that (» " t»'V ^'^1r) in the heavens, an
fwering the Hebrew word which is plural, and fignifying
that the glorious God is above all the vlfible heavens ;
and thus the profane authors fpeak of God likewife.
We know, although we are guilty of much forgetting
it, that the Lord is every where prefent, neither excluded
nor included anywhere; that'he fills all places, not-as
contained In them, but containing them, and upholding
thera, and all things in them : But he is in heaven after a
fpecial manner, in the brighteft manifeftatlon of himfelf,
Kk

258 AN EXPOSITION OF
and the pureft fervice performed to hira there. They can
not contain hira, as Soloraon expreffes it, 1 Kings viii. 27,
yet his throne Is there, there he dwells, as in his principal
palace, in greateft Majefty, as David teaches us, Pfal. xi. 4,
and often elfewhere. But that he is not ffiut up there,
and regardlefs of things below, we learn In that fame place ;
for he adds. His eyes behold, and his eye-lids try the children
of men. This Is added, 1. For Dlfllndlon ;. as the Apoftle dif
ferencing hira frora the fathers of our fleffi, calls him tbe
Father of Spirits : fo here, from earthly fathers, our hea
venly Father.
Obferve. We cannot here know God according to what
he is, in himfelf, and t herefore he Is defcribed to our capa
city, and to our profit, fo as we are able, and as it moft
concerns us lo know hira here, by his gracious relation to
us as our Father, and by the excellency of his dwefling, as
a fign of his greatnefs, that he is in heaven, both which
are extrinfical to his effence : But thus we raay learn thus
much to worffiip and love hira as the beft and greateft, in
finitely exceeding all that we can conceive of him.
2. As it is for diftindlon, fo it is fuch a word of differ
ence as is of excellent ufe.
1 . To raake the foul hurable and reverend In approach
ing to God In prayer, if we confider it ; will we not be
wary how we behave ourfelves In the prefence of fo great
a King ? It Is very ftrange that our fouls ffiould not be
poffeffed with the deepeft lowlinefs and felf-abafement in
the fight of God ; worms in the duft, before the Majefty
that dwefls In heaven. This Solomon expreffes. He is.in
heaven, and thou on earth, therefore let thy words he few.
What is this we find in ourfelves that raakes us fo drunk
with felf conceit, not only in converfe one with another,
but with God ? Surely we know him not, at leaft we con
fider not who he is, and where he dwells, and who we are,
and where we dwell. Surely il would lay us low, If, when
we come before God, we would confider him as the moft
glorious King fitting on his throne, and compaffed with
glorious fpirits, that offer him fpotlefs praifes, and we our
felves coming before him, as bafe frogs creeping out of

THE lord's prayer. 259
our pond, where we dwell amidft the raire of finful pollu
tions. Thus Indeed his highnefs ffiould humble us in coming,
but It ffiould not affright us from coming before hira ; for
though he is in heaven, and we on earth, yet he is our Fa
ther : Thus ought we to join thefe two, and behold them
jointly, that we may have that right pofture of mind by
thera that fuits with prayer, humble boldnefs.
There may be undue diftruft, but there cannot be too
much humility of Spirit In prayer : The more humble
the fitter to come to God : And he the raore wilHng to
coriie into the foul, and dwell in It ; for that is the other
houfe that rie hath chofen. They feera very fll fuited to
gether ; if the higheft heavens be the Lord's one dwefling,
it would feera fit that the other ffiould be the richeft pa
laces on earth, or ftately built teraples. No, the other Is
fuch a one as we moft defpife, but God prefers before
other, even the raoft furaptuous building, Ifa, IvH. 15.
Thus faith the high and lofty One that Inhabiteth eternity,
whofe name Is holy ; I dwell In the high and holy place, with
him alfo (a ftrange alfo) that Is of a broken and humble fpi
rit, he. The higheft heavens are the habitation of his glo
ry, and the hurable heart hath the next honour, to be the
habitation of his grace.
2, As the word hurables the foul in God's fight, fo it
elevates it to heaven where God dwells, and fixes it there
in prayer ; and this elevation Is not contrary to huraility :
The foul that is laid loweft in itfelf, is raoft fubhme in con
verfe with God *. And thus ought our hearts to afcend
in prayer, which, alas, we ufually fuffer to lag and draw
the wing heavily on the earth. Unto thee, 0 Lord, fays
the Pfalmift, Pfal. xxv, do I lift up my foul ; that is the
right and natural raotion of prayer. But there Is another
lifting up, that our fouls are better acquainted with, which
is fpoken of in the pfalra iraraediately foregoing. That
lifting up of the foul unto vanity ; and the more fo Hft up,
the further off from God. O the vainnefs of our hearts !
and how hard Is It to eftabliffi them on him that dwells on
high ? Even while we are fpeaking to hira, we fuffer them
to break loofe and rove, and to entertain fooliffi thoughts :
* Sublimiter humilis ct humiliter fuUimis. S. Cypr.
Kk 2

260 AN EXPOSITION OF
We would not ufe a king or great perfon fo, nor any man
whom we refped, when we are fpeaking to hira ferioufly,
to interralx irapertinencies, and forget what we are a fay
ing : But we dare offer grofs nonfenfe to the all-wife God ;
though the words go on in good fenfe, yet the prayer is
fo to hira, when the heart intermixes vain thoughts. Po
lum term mlfcet, confufes and fpoils all. And this Is the
great tafk (as we have faid) to bring the heart before God,
to fet it on his holy mountain in heaven, while we pray,
(it ffiould be fo certainly) and leave fervlle earthly thoughts
at the foot of the mount.,
3. It gives confidence. 1. Of the power of God, his
rich ability to grant all our requefts : He, that Lord of
all, and as greateft poffeffor, hath his throne In the higheft
heavens, and doth what pleafeth him In heaven and in
earth ; this, with the olher, compleats our comfort, good
will and power, our Father In heaven. And this we may
apply to all our wants for affurance of fupply, and to all
our enemies, and the church's enemies, that our prayer
ffiall be heard for their foil and difappointment. He fits in
heaven and laughs, Pfal. ii. They rage, and tumult, and con-
fult, he. A great buftle and noife they keep, and he fits
and laughs at them ; he fcorns all their proud attempts :
For that with eafe he can fcatter thera in a raoraent ; one
word of his raouth overturns thera and all their contriv
ances. 2. It is a confirmation of our portion In heaven : If he,
who Is in heaven, be our Father, then our Inheritance Hes
there. In that land of peace where It cannot be loft or im
paired, and he wfll bring his children to the poffeffiori of
it. To be the fons of God is not a ftfle without an eftate,
an empty title ; no, he that makes us fons, raakes us heirs
likewife. Sons we are in Chrift, and co-heirs with Chrift.
He carae down to earth for this purpofe, to raake a new
purchafe of heaven for us, and he is returned thither to
prepare it for us. / go to prepare a place for you, that
where I am, ye may be alfo.
Hallowed, he thy Name.}
The fenfe of many wants and neceffities drives a Chrif
tian daily to God in prayer, yet certainly that which draws
hira moft ftrongly to it,. Is of a higher nature. The fenfe

THE lord's prayer. 261
of his duty to God, and the delight he hath to do that ho
mage and honour to him ; and therefore In prayer the
main current of Jiis heart runs that way, and fo agrees with
this pattern given us by our Saviour : Wherein we fee
clearly that our prime defires are to be beftowed on the
glory of God, and that not only placed firft, as to be pre
ferred before all other fuits, but to be regarded ftill In all
the reft, and they all referred to It. And to make the Im
preffion of this defire the deeper on our hearts, and to give
the fuller vent of it in expreffion to them that have it,
there are, you fee, three of thefe fix petitions fpent on it ;
this Is the firft of thera. Hallowed he thy name. This fuits
well with the flile here given to God, Our Father, If I
be a Father, where is my honour ? fays the Lord by his
Prophet : And here his chfldren are taught to join thefe
two together, thou art our Father, and fo glorious a Father
dwelhng in heaven ; therefore our defire is, that thou
mayeft have honour, that thy narae raay be hallowed, and
thy kingdora corae. We will enquire,
1, "What is meant by his name, 2, What is the hal
lowing or fandifying It. 3, What the petition itfelf is.
Briefly, his name is himfelf, as he Is raade known to us,
and conceivable by us, and differenced frora all other be
ings, as raen are by their naraes one from another ; for to
this purpofe are all thefe feveral names and attributes given
him that we find in fcripture, that we may fo conceive of
himfelf as here we are capable.
2, To fandify his name (we know) cannot be to infufe
holinefs into It, or effedually to raake it holy ; for neither
can we fo raake any thing holy, nor can the name of God
be fo made holy, for it is moft holy^f itfelf, yea he is ho
linefs Itfelf, and the fountain of all holinefs ; but according
to the double fenfe of the word bleffing, as mutual betwixt
God and raan, fo is this of fandifying, Bleffed he the God
(fays the Apoftle, Eph, i. Z.~) and Father of our Lord Jefus
Chrift, who hath bleffed us with all fpiritual bleffings. His
benedicere is benefacere ; he bleffeth us really, as the giver
of all bleffings, and of bleffednefs itfelf; and our bleffing
him is no other, but the acknowledging of this, that it Is
he that bleffeth us, and pralfing him fo? It. Thus he fanc-
tifies us, make us holy, purifies us by his Spirit from our

262 AN EXPOSITION OF
natural unholinefs and filthlnefs, according to his promife,
Ezek. xxxvi. 25, and according to our Saviour's prayer,
John xvu, 17. and we fandify the Lord and his narae, (as
here, and Ifa,, viii, 13,) when we know and acknowledge
that he is holy, and ufe his narae hoHIy ; and thus they
only fandify, who affedlonately pray thus, that his name
may be fandlfied, whofe hearts he hath firft fandlfied and
made them holy.
More particularly and diftlndly, the fandifying of God's
name hath in it thefe things, 1. To have right thoughts
of the holinefs and majefty of God, 2, That upon fo con
ceiving of him, our hearts be reverently affeded towards
him. 3, Not only to have that due apprehenfion and re
verence of his holinefs in ihe habit, and fo let it lie dead
within us, but often to ftir up ourfelves to the remera
brance and confideration of It, to call in our thoughts
to ad about it ; fo this wfll increafe our knowledge
and reverence, (as all habits grow by ading) and will ex
cite the foul to praife hira, as the Pfalmift fpeaks. Give
thanks at the remembrance of his holinefs. 4. The declar
ing and extolling of his holinefs, fpeaking upon all feafon
able occafions honourably of his narae. 5. The humble
fenfe and acknowledgment of our own unholinefs In his
prefence ; and therefore all thefe lowly confeffions of fins,
and of their own unworthinefs that we find In the prayers
of the prophets, are fo many hallowings of the pame of
God, giving the glory of hohnefs to hira alone, and taking
with the ffiarae of their own pollutions, thus Dan. ix. Ifa.
Ixiv. &c. As fome of the Americans have a cuftom,
when they appear before their King, to put on their worft
apparel, that all the njagnificence may reft upon him alone,
and appear the better. , Thus though the majefty of God,
in itfelf being Infinite, needs nothing elfe to coraraend It,
yet to our apprehenfion of it. It raay be thus ; and the
faints In defire of his glory may intend this, to fet off the
luftre of his purity and excellency, in the humble confef
fions of their own vilenefs. To thee,. 0 Lord, belongeth
rlghteoufnefs, but to us confufion of face. 6. The hallowing
of God's name is an earneft endeavour of conformity with
him In holinefs ; §rft in heart, that muft be the principal
feat of it, and theii holinefs In all our words and adions.

THE lord's prayer. 263
and the whole courfe of our lives. This Is that which the
Lord perpetually preffes upon his people. Be ye holy, for I
am holy ; and this is the moft effedual fandifying of his
name by way of declaring It holy, when his people
walk in holinefs. Though you tell the world, that he is
holy, they know him not, they can neither fee him nor his
holinefs ; but when they fee that there are men taken out
of the fame lump of polluted nature with therafelves, and
yet fo renewed and changed, that they hate the defile
ments of the world, and do indeed Hve holily in the midft
of a perverfe generation ; this may convince them that
there Is a brighter fpring of holinefs where it is In fulnefs, ,
from whence thefe drops are that they perceive in men ;
for feeing It Is not in nature, there muft be another prin
ciple of It, and that can be no other but this holy God ;
thus Is his name hallowed, and he known to be holy by
the holinefs of his people, ^o then the petition lakes in
all, and in It we defire the fandifying and raagnifying
of God's narae in every poffible way. 1 . By ourfelves,
that we raay raind his glory, and by his grace fandify his
name, 2, By others, that our Lord may be raore known
and honoured in the world ; they would gladly have many
hearts and many tongues brought In to confefs the Lord,
and his holinefs and greatnefs. Thus the Pfalmift ftirs up
the angels to blefs the Lord, Pfal. cIH. not that they need
exciting, but to ffiew his own affedion to God's praifes.
3. And becaufe there is ftill fome alloy and mixture of
unholinefs, in afl the hallowing of his name here below,
all our fervices ftained ; therefore, as the godly do in this
requeft, wiffi all the exalting and fandifying of God's
name among men, that is attainable here, fo, I conceive,
they do as it were applaud to thofe purer fervices and
praifes that are given him above ; and fenfible how far
they fall ffibrt themfelves, they are glad to think that there
be fuch raultitudes of angels, and glorified fpirits, hallow
ing and pralfing his narae better and raore conftantly ;
not ceafing day nor night to cry, holy, holy, holy. Lord
God almighty. And here they follow as they can, and
give their acclaraation, though in a lower key, yet as loud
as they are able, even fo. Lord, hallowed he thy name.
Now the caufe and fource of this their great defire of ex-

264 an exposition of
ailing and hallowing the name of God, is their love to
hira, which the fight that he hath given thera of his excel
lency halh kindled in their hearts.
After that, their chief delight is to think of hira, and
fpeak of his nam.e ; gladly would they have him highly
efteemed by all, and this Is their grief, that they can find
fo few to bear thera company, and help them In this, In
hallowing and extolling his name, which is fo deep en
graven on their hearts. See how pathetically the Pfalmift
repeats that again and again, Pfal, cvii, 0 that men would
praife the Lord for his goodnefs, and his wonderful works
to the children of men. And when they hear or fee any
thing tending to the diffionour of his name, this wounds
them, and pierces them through as a fword, as the Pfalmift
fpeaks. They are far frora envy or evil eye, yea they re
joice in the gifts and graces that God beftows upon others,
although it be beyond whaj they have themfelves ; for
ftill it ferves their defires, and anfwers what they are moft
earneft In, It tends to the hallowing and glorifying of the
name of God. And what they have therafelves, they are
not In danger to grow vain upon It ; rather they wonder
at the free grace of God, and extol that, and think with
themfelves, " What am I, that he ffiould have had com
paffion on me, and plucked rae out of the crowd of the
loft world, and given rae any defire to hallow his name,
while others are blafpheraing it, and delighting to diffio
nour It ?" but ever the more they receive frora God, they
are the raore humble, the more defirous of his praife, and
regardlefs of their own. Any holinefs that Is in them
they know well is from him, and therefore all the glory
of holinefs muft return thiiher, frora whence holinefs ori
ginally comes ; and the very end for which they defire In
creafe of holinefs in themfelves^ Is to the end that they
may the more hallow his name, from whom they have it ;
and by the increafe of their ftock, there may be an increafe
of the tribute of praife to God.
But, alas ! how far are we from this mind ? what hy
pocrify is it, for the fame mouth to utter this requeft, that
dare profane the name of God by vain fwearing ? That
which is holy, as the Hebrew word imports, is feparated
from common ufe, (although it was not holy before) and

THE lord's PRAYER. 265
ought not to be profaned ; leaft of all this name, that Is
not made holy by fuch a feparatlon, but is primitively
holy in itfelf; and they that ufe it raffily and unhoHly, are
deeply guilty of defpifing the raajefty of God, It Is not
poffible that any that is truly fenfible of his greatnefs and
holinefs, can cuftomarily abufe his name, that bleffed name
that he hopes to blefs for ever. You fay, it is your cuf
tom ; It is a wonder to hear raen fpeak thus as an excufe,
it Is the deepeft accufation. Are not raen known by their
cuftoms ? Do not thofe difcover what they are ? It is
your cuftom, what gain you by that ? You muft confefs,
it is fuch a one as is the cuftom of the children of Satan,
the profeffed enemy of God's name, as the delight and
cuftom of hallowing his name is the badge of his children.
2, It is your cuftom ; then know, it is his cuftom not' to
acquit them, but make them feel the weight of his puniffi
ing hand, that dare make it a cuftom to diffionour his
name. Again, they that profane his holy day, they that
fandify not his name by calling on it daily In private, and
generally all that by an unfandified life do blot the profef
fion of Chriftians, what do they mean to lie fo grofly, not
unto men but unto God, to his face, in praying thus ? as
if they defired the hallowing of his narae by all, and yet
do nothing but unhallow it themfelves. Think it not fuf
ficient to the hallowing of his name, that his houfe and
worffiip Is purged of abufes, though they be holy, yet un
lefs we ourfelves be holy too, we pollute all In our ufe of
them, the worffiip, and fabbaths, and name of God, our
filthy hands defile all. Let us not thus provoke God, left
in juft wrath and punlffiments, he fandify his own name
upon us, which we profane, as he threatens againft the
Jews by his Prophets,
Be not fatisfied to think flighty and fuperficially of God,
take time to confider hira, and know who, he Is ; and then
you will reverence him In your thoughts. It deferves and
requires all the whole heart to be taken up with it ; and
alas ! what is a heart, a narrow thing, though the largeft
of hearts, as Solomon's, large as the fand of the fea, to an
infinite God ! We can find time for our earthly thoughts,
and for vain fooliffi thoughts, that are good for nothing,
and ffiall we ffiut out God, or think any fudden paffing
L 1

266 AN EXPOSITION OF
look enough for him. 2, Behave yourfelves with regard
of him in his worffiip ; ay-a ay/ar, let holy things be done
hohly. 3. Honour It in your Hves, efpecially fuch as do
know his narae, grow daily raore refpedive and tender of
it, and be raore circurafped In your adions, and as he who
hath called you is holy,fo be ye holy in aU manner of conver
fation. Thy kingdom come.} He that is the beginning of all
things, muft likewife of neceffity be the end of thera all,
and then are our intentions righteft and pureft, when we
are raoft poffeffed with the defire of that higheft end, the
glory of God, and look ftraighteft unto it : and if this pur
pofe ought to diftufe through all our adions, certainly in
prayer it ffiould be raoil lively and adive, becaufe prayer is
fo dired, and exprefs a turning of the face of the foul unto
God, and fetting of Its eye upon hlra._ Therefore, this pe
tition follows forth the farae defire with the forraer, wlffi-
ing honour to God. He Is a raoft holy God, and the for
raer requeft was for his glory In that. In the fandifying
of his narae ; he is a King, a great King, the greatefi of
all, and this wiffies his glory in that fenfe, that his king
dom raay be advanced. Thy kingdom come. 1 . We ffiall
enquire what his kingdora is. 2. What Is the coming
of it. And, 3. Shafl fpeak of the petition itfelf.
This kingdom Is not his univerfal fupreraacy overall
the world, and all the creatures in it, as being their
Maker and their Preferver, and fo having the higheft and
jufteft title, and the moft abfolute kind of dorainion over
all things ; but his peculiar royalty over his church. By
the forraer he is called King of nations, Jer. x. 7, and by
the latter, his ftile Is King of faints, Apoc. xv, 3, Of the
forraer the Pfalralft fpeaks, Pfal, xxiv, 1. but that which
he adds ver, 3. concerns the latter, and fo on in the Pfalm,
and ver, 7. Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates, that the King of
glory may come In.
This kingdom Is gathered and feleded out of the other,
and though the lefs in quantity, yet In God's account the
far more precious than all the reft ; the church is the
jewel in the ring of the world. In It he hath his pecuhar
refidence and chief delight ; as kings chufe one of their
palaces, and (If they have more) one of their kingdoms to

THE lord's prayer. 267
dwell in more than another. Thofe things that are hid
from the reft of the world concerning this King, are
made known to his fubjeds of this his feled kingdom,
and it Is in it that he opens up, difplays after a fpecial
manner more than in all the world befides, both the glory
of his majefty, and the riches of his bounty, here In part,
and fully hereafter, and according to that difference it is
diftlnguiffied into the kingdora of grace, and that of glory.
The kingdora of grace Is to be confidered, 1. In the
external raeans and adrainlftration of It. 2. In Its inward
being and power : In the forraer fenfe, it is of a larger ex
tent ; but In the latter, of a raore unlforra nature in itfelf,
and more conform to Its head. The former, the kingdom
of grace in Its outward adrainlftration, is plainly the whole
vlfible church ; but the Inward power of the kingdora of
grace, is only In the hearts of thofe that are truly fandlfied,
and members of the invifible church.
Jefus Chrift is ordained and anointed the King and
head of both, political ; but of the one, natural, and there
fore altogether indiffoluble, not only in regard of the
whole, but of each part and meraber of it.
The vlfible church is but a Httle parcel, a kingdom
chofen out of the world ; but the truly godly, that are
alone the fubjeds of the inward kingdora of grace, are but
a fraall part of that part, a choice part of the vlfible
church, as it is a choice part of the vlfible world.
Now thefe three, the kingdom of glory, and thofe two
kinds of the kingdora of grace ftand in this fubordination ;
the inward kingdom of grace, is the way and preparation
for that of glory, and the outward kingdom of grace in
the vlfible church, is the means and way of introducing,
and eftabflffilng, and increafing the inward ; fo that both
of them look forward to the kingdom of glory, as their ut
moft end, and ffiall terminate and end in it.
The firft of thefe, the external or poHtical kingdom of
Chrift In the vlfible church, confifts in his abfolute and
fupreme authority, to appoint the laws of his church, and
rulers by thefe laws. And the ufe. of the word, and fa
craments, and difclpline, according to his own appoint
ment, is the acknowledgment of him as King of his church.
The other, the inward kingdom of grace, is then re-
Ll 2

268 AN EXPOSITION OF
ceived In the heart, when the Spirit of God moves it to a
wflling fubjedion to Jefus Chrift, and the whole foul fub-
mits itfelf to be governed by him ; he enters indeed by
conqueft, and yet Is raoft gladly received ; it is both a
lawful and a favourable conqueft, becaufe he frees the
foul, which Is his by fo many rights, from the tyranny of
a raoft cruel ufurper, the prince of darknefs, and brings
in a kingdom full of fweetnefs and happinefs ; there is no
worfe in It than thefe, rlghteoufnefs, and peace, and joy in
the Holy Ghoft^
This is the folly of an unbeheving mind, that It enter
tains moft falfe prejudices againft the kingdom of Chrift,
thinks that if it let him in, it ffiall be controlled and curb
ed, and therefore refolves againft it, and ftudies how to
hold him out, confults (as It is in the 2d Pfalm,) againft the
Lord and his anointed. But this is a lamentable madnefs
to dream of liberty in the midft of chains, and to be afraid
of a deliverer ; there is no foul that opens to this King of
glory, but can teftify that it never knew what true liberty
was, till it admitted this kingdom of God, till there was
a throne for Chrift eretted within It.
The third, the kingdom of glory, would you hear
wherein that confifts ? It is fuch as we cannot hear, nor
fpeak of as It is. And this indeed fays more of it than all
we can fay, that the excellency of It is unfpeakable, yea
unconceivable : this we are fure of, to fpeak coraparative-
ly of It, (which Is our help In things we underftand not in
themfelves) that all the kingdoms of the world, unite all
their glory together, are bafe and poor In refped of it,
but fplendlda In ferlco, and that all the delights we have
here, not only of nature, but even of grace, are lefs to it
than the fmalleft fparkle is to the fun In Its brightnefs.
All that Is done here by our King Chrift, in the ruling of
his church, and power of his ordinances, and beftowing of
graces on his own, are but preludes and preparations for
that, and when thai cometh, this way of ruling his church
and people ffiall ceafe, as having attained Its end, Chrift
ffiall deliver up the kingdom to the Father ; word and fa
craments and difcipHne ffiall be at an end, and then God
ffiall be all In all.
2. The coming of the kingdom of God in the forraer

THE lord's prayer. 269
two, Is the extending and fpreading of them to thefe places,
and perfons that have not yet received them, the increafe
of their power where they are entertained ; for they come
gradually, and that kingdom of glory as It Is concerned in
the other, comes forward in them fo far, and haftens to
wards Its perfedlon ; but in Itfelf as their confummation,
it fliall corae at once altogether in the end of time.
3, So then in the petition all thefe are Included, and In
their largeft extent ; for it is to take it too narrow and too
low, to reftrain It only to our own Intereft in this kingdom,
either of grace or glory, or both. Thus David excites ad
to praife the Lord, Pfal. ciii, but moft his own foul begins
with that, and ends with it. Although all they that de
fire It aright, do defire that they may partake of It, (for If
they defire that God may be glorified, they cannot, but
even out of love to that glory, befides their own happinefs,
defire that they themfelves may be among thefe that may
honour God as the fubjeds of his kingdom) yet they ftay
not there, but dilate their hearts to wiffi the advancement
and accorapHffiment of his kingdom in all the eled, and in
all thofe ways that tend to It ; and their love may rife to
that high ftrain, as whhout confidering their own intereft
at all, yea, fuppofing that they were to be ffiut out of his
kingdom themfelves, yet ftill to wiffi. Thy kingdom come.
" Let others enjoy and blefs thee. Lord, for ever, even
though I ffiould be excluded : Let thine eled be gathered,
though I were none of thera : Be thou great, O Lord,
whatfoever becorae of rae."
1 , Confidering what a height of glory will arlfe to God
out of the final fubduing of his enemies, and full deliver
ance of his church, and the bringing home all his children
after all their fufferings and forrows, to fit down together
to that great raarriage-fupper of the Lamb ; they cannot
but thus breathe forth their longings and wiffies, that that
time may be haftened, and the fulnefs of their Lord's king
dom accompHfiied, where it ffiafl abide for all eternity.
2. Both in relation to that end, and likewife in refped
ofthe very prefent glory that redounds to God in it, they
earneftly defire the advancement and enlargeraent of
Chrift's kingdom here on earth. For befides that thus it
is rifing to its perfedion, it is no finall prefent glory to our

270 an exposition of '
King Chrift, as a teftiraony of his invincible power, that he
rules in the very raidft of his eneraies, and in defpite of
thera all, Pfal, cx. Not only fits fure and keeps his own,
thruft at him who will, but when he pleafes gains upon
thera, and enlarges his territories, and grows greater by
their refiftances and oppofitlons. He Is here, as IDavid, of
ten affaulted, and put to defend his kingdora often In war,
but always a' conqueror ; but after this raflltant kingdom
he ffiall be as Solomon, who likewife typified him, reign
ing in perfed peace.
Now becaufe the enemies of his kingdom are not yet,
as they ffiall be, afl under his feet, but round about hira,
and inceffantly plotting and working againft him, and Sa
tan hath his kingdora and his throne in the world oppofite
to Chrift ; therefore this is one chief point of this requeft,
that all adverfe power raay be brought low, that all his
eneraies raay lick the duft, and raelt before hira as wax
before the fire : And for us, efpecially In thefe times, that
that kingdom of antichrift, the fon of perdition, may, an-
fwerably to that his name, be brought to perdition, that
God would remeraber his promife, (for" the faithful are
called his remerabrancers, though he forgets not, and hath
his fet time for judgment, yet he loves to be ftirred up by
the cries of his chfldren) that he would make good at length
thofe words he hath fpoken of Babel's ruin, and the flou
riffiing eftate of his church In thefe latter tiraes.
That the power of the word, and purity of religion,
maugre afl the policy and power of raen oppofing it, raay
fpread and extend itfeff, and raake irrefiftlble progrefs, as
the fun In his courfe : That Jefus Chrift raay be daily talk
ing further poffeffion of the nations, even to the ends of
the earth, according to the patent of his Father's donation.
And the certainty of its endurance and growth till it be
corapleat, ffiould not abate, but increafe the vigour of our
prayers for it ; and the nearer things are their accompliffi
ment, the more ufuafly the Lord excites the hppes and
prayers of his people aboufthera, and they pray the more
earneftly, Dan, Ix, moving naturally In It, and therefore
fafteft when neareft their place.
Again, we pray In this, that where Chrift doth reign In
his outward ordinances, there he would bring in his fpiri-

THE lord's prayer. 271
tual kingdom into the fouls of raen, that Sinners may be
converted unto him : The love of the glory of Jefus Chrift
will defire this earneftly, that raany hearts may be brought
in to fubmit to hira ; for the glory of a King is In the mul
titude of his fubjeds. Further, that they who are his
people may grow more conform to his laws ; that his do
minion may be more powerful In their hearts and Hves ;
and particularly, that we ourfelves may find It fo. You
that will not receive the kingdom of God within yourfelves,
to what purpofe do you fpeak this, as if you defired it to
be enlarged, and flouriffi abroad ? You can have no com
fort In it, remaining flaves to fin, and fo enemies indeed to
it ; neither the kingdora of Chrift in the government of
the church on the one fide, nor on the other, the coming
of his kingdom 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 means to partake of the
happinefs of the latter. Why wiffi you the day of the
Lord ? as the Prophet fays of that day he there fpeaks of:
Miftake It not, though that day of his kingdora ffiall be all
glory In itfelf, it ffiall be to you, reraaining ftill Impenitent,
darknefs and not Hght, full of horror and amazeraent, 2.
As you can have no corafort In his kingdom, fo you can
not really wiffi Its advancement ; you wiffi it well elfewhere,
as if you were content it ffiould be any where, rather than
within yourfelves. But would you indeed have his king
dom to be embraced and advanced, then do for one, let
him be thy King ; firft give him thine own heart, and then
wiffi him many more, for then thou wilt wiffi it heartily
and truly. You that have received this kingdom, yet have
need ftill, even in that fenfe, to wiffi the coming of It in
further degrees and fuller efficacy. Find you not many
rebels yet unfubdued ? No doubt they that fearch and know
their own hearts, will, and often do complain of them to
their King, " O fuch fwarms of lufts, and unruly irregular
defires ! when ffiall they all be brought into fubjedion ?"
.And fo they lift up their wiffi, frora this to the other, the
fufl and glorious kingdora, and fay again and again. Thy
kingdom come. This is the -noble defire that takes up the
hearts of the godly, whfle others are defiring and purfuing
low bafe things ; thehr minds, and their endeavour to their

272 an exposition of
power, are chiefly fet upon this, the advancement of the
kingdom of God, They feek not themfelves, and their
own things, with the world, to the prejudice of this king
dom ; no, they defire to lofe any thing, to fuffer contemptst
and abafements themfelves, fo this kingdom may flouriffi.,
St, Paul cares not what he be accounted, modo magnificetur
Chrlftus, Phil, I. as the faithful minifters of ftate, (and wife
princes chufe fuch) that are not making up themfelves to
their mafter's diladvantage, but always preferring his ho
nour to their private benefit, feehng his loffes and gains
more than their own ; as was faid of St. Auguftin, Domi
nicis femper lucris gaudens, et damnis mcerens. This is the
right temper of the fervants and minifters of Jefus Chrift,
to be all for their mafter, wiUing that their name, and
eftates, and lives, and all may make a part of his footftool
to ftep up to his throne ; not forced as his enemies to be
fo, but willingly laying themfelves low for his glory. And
this comfort they have, that when his kingdom ffiall come
in its fulnefs, and all his enemies ffiall be trodden down
for ever, then they ffiall be glorified with him, and ffiall
fee his glory with exceeding joy. Therefore do they fo
often defire his coming, and are fo weary of all they fee
here: And when he fays himfelf, for their affurance and
comfort. Surely I come quickly, their earneft defire raakes
thera eccho, Evenfo, come Lord Jefus.
There is fome lofs to the fleffi, if we will hear it In this
defire in each kind ; the ereding of Chrift's kingdom in
purity in his church, thrufts out the outward pomp and
magnificence that naturaUy we like fo well : His kingdom
of grace cannot be in the foul, without the forfaking of all
our accuftomed and pleafing ways of fin ; but they that
know the excellency. of his kingdom, are well content to
forego all that fuits not with It, Thus that his kingdom
of glory may come, the world muft be burnt up, &c. and
that we particularly may come to it, we rauft pafs through
death ; but it Is worth all.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.}
I will dired my prayer to thee, fiiys David, Pfal. v. The
word is, I will fet It in order, or orderly addrefs It, which
s not the curious contriving either of the words, or me-
hod, (for there raay be moft of that, where there is leaft

THE lord's prayer. 273
of this right direding It to God) but the due ordering of
the frame and defires of the heart ; and certainly one main
point of that is taught us, as we have faid, in the order of
this prayer, in this pariicular, that It not only prefers the
honour of God to all our own intereft, fetting the heart
firft upon that ; but keeps It to It, caufes It to dwell upon
that in three feveral petitions, varying the expreffion of
that one defire, as often as there be feveral requefts follow
ing of our own concernment, teaching us that that doth,
in its own worth, and therefore ffiould Hkewife in our af
fedion, itfelf alone being but one, weigh down all the dif
ferent things befides that we can defire : And thus withal
it is accommodate to our dulnefs, for that our hearts would
not readily with one word be either duly ftirred up, or
ftretched forth in the heavenly defire ; fo that both to ex
cite and dilate them the raore, it is thus iterated without
vain tautology. This fo ffiort and corapleat a form given
us by fo wife a Mafter, Is far from that, yea, it was parti
cularly intended in oppofitlon to that abufe. And not only
doth the dignity of the thing Itfelf, and our Indifpofednefs
require this adding of one requeft to another concerning
it, but there Is In the petitions therafelves a very profitable
difference, though their fcope is one ; they are as fo raany
feveral arrows aimed at the fame mark.
The firft. In general, wiffies all manner of honour to
the name of God : And becaufe his name Is efpecially ho
noured In the advancement, and in end compleating of his
fpiritual kingdom, the fecond is particular in that ; and
becaufe, until that kingdom be corapleated and brought
all together. It lies in two feveral countries : There Is one
part of It already above, which is the appointed place for
the perfedlon and perpxetulty of this kingdom ; another
part here below, bi^t tending thither. And this third pe
tition particularly concerns thefe of this lower region and
condition ; defiring this, that In obedience to their King,
they may be as conforra as is poffible to thofe above, Thy
will be done on earth, as It Is In heaven.
Thy will.} God Is raoft perfedly one, and his will one,
yea, his will is hirafelf, he is purus adus ; yet in refped of
its feveral objeds or circumftances that concern them, it is
diverfly diftlnguiffied in fchools, fometimes needlefly,.yea
M m

274 AN EXPOSITION OF
erroneoufly, but fome of them are found and ufeful. But
here we ffiall not need them rauch. His wfll is taken ac
cording to a very ufual figure, for that which he wifls,
and we defire here, that we ourfelves and others may be
obedient to his will In every thing, even here on earth,
that he may be acknowledged and ferved, not only in hea
ven, but here likewife.
For this (no queftion) means not the equahty of our o-
bedience to theirs, but the quality of it, that though it fall
very far ffiort of fo perfed a pattern, yet It raay bear forae
referablance to II, as a fcholar's writing, though it be no
thing fo good as his copy, yet raay have fo much likenefs,
as to ffiew he follows it. It doth no wrong, but helps a
.! man much In any thing, the more perfed example 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
ffioot not fo high as he aims, yet the higher he takes his
aim, the higher he ffioots. And that we may not think
it ftrange that we have here the citizens of heaven fet be
fore us as a model for obedience, we have our heavenly
Father himfelf propounded by our Saviour In the forraer
chapter, as our example for perfedlon. Be ye perfed, as
your heavenly Father is perfed.
The obedience in heaven is, 1. Univerfal, without
chufing and excepting ; and this is, becaufe the will and
Coraraandof God is the very reafon of it. Pfal, cui, 20.
the angels are faid to do his commandments, and to hearken
to the voice of his word ; they wait but for a word frora hira,
and that is enough. And in this ffiould we defire to be
like thera. Though we cannot fully keep any one com
mandment, yet ffiould we exclude none of them frora our
endeavour ; yea the rather, becaufe we want that perfec
tion in the degree, ffiould we ftudy this other, which Is a
kind of perfedlon in the defign and. purpofe, to have
refped to all the commandments, as David fays ; to have
our eye upon thera all, as the word there Is : So Pfal. xvi.
8. / have fet the Lord always before me, \jequallter pofui}
in an even coriftant regard of his will. And the want of
this difcovers, that rauch of our obedience hath not the
right ftamp on it, no way heavenly.
A man raay think he approves and does the will of God

THE lord's PRAYER. 275
in fome things, where lit Is but by accident, becaufe the
letter of the commandment is coincident with his own
will ; and fo it is not the will of God, but his own, that
moves him : Therefore in doing that which God com
raands, he does not God's will, but his own ; and there
fore when they raeet not, but are contrary, there it appears,
for he leaves God's will then, and follows his own. A
covetous father condemns the prodigality of his laviffi fon,
and the fon again cries out againft the avarice of his nig
gardly father. And thus both feem to condemn fin : But
the truth Is, neither do it ; It is but two extreme fins fight
ing together, neither of them regarding the rule that God
hath fet ; It is but their two idols choaking each other, as
the heathen fet their gods together by the ears. But they
that therefore hate fin, becaufe of God's countermand, and
love his will for itfelf, their obedience is more even, and
regards the whole will of God, and at all times ; for there
is that univerfality too in their obedience, conform to
that of heaven : So ffall I keep thy law (fays David) conti
nually, for ever and ever.
See a man's carriage when tempted or provoked to fome
fin ; for when the occafion Is out of reach, and out of
fight, what wonder then he forbears ? But when It offers
itfelf, as by company. Intemperance, or curfing or fwear
ing by paffion, it appears, if a man yield then, that fin was
not out before, but only lay clofe and quiet within till It
was ftirred, as raud in the bottora of water, natura vexata
prodit felpfam. So a raan may for his own gain, or his
own glory, do God's will. Jehu could fay to Jonadab,
Come and fee my zeal for the Lord.
2. It is chearful. It is the very natural motion of glo
rified fpirits to be aded and moved by the will of God,
They excel in ftrength, fays the Pfalralft in that Pfal, cui.
and do his commandments. They have no other ufe for all
their ftrength, that Is the proper employraent of it. Thus
the godly man. In fo far as he is renewed (for in fo far he
fulls with heaven) delights himfelf in the way of God's
commandments, takes more pleafure In keeping thera, than
profane men do in all their pleafures of fin, by which they
break tfiera. He Is never well but when he is In the way
of obedience, and the ways of fin are painful and grievous
Mm 2

¦276 AN exposition of
to him ; then hath he moft Inward gladnefs and content
ment, when he keepeth clofeft to his rule. And the rea
fon why he finds the law of God thus pleafant Is, becaufe
it Is not to hira as to the ungodly one without, driving him
violently, but It is within him, and therefore moves him
fweetly, / delight to do thy will, 0 my God, Pfal. xl. 8. and
he adds. Thy law Is within my heart, or In the midft of
my bowels ; fo Pfal. Ixxxiv. In whofe 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 unanimoufly and
harmonloufly ; there is neither an evil eye of envy among
them, nor a lofty eye of pride, whatfoever degrees there
be among them in their ftations and employments. Not
to be curious In that, nor obtrude ourfelves into things we
have not feen, yet fure the leffer do not envy the greater,
nor the greater defpife the lefs ; and the reafon is, becaufe
they are all fo wholly taken up, and fo ftrongly united in
this joint defire of doing the wfll of God. Thus ought
his fervants here, each one in his place, and according lo
that which God hath difpenfed to hira, the greateft hum
bly, and the meaneft contentedly, raind this, and nothing
but this, tb do his will.
Anfwerably to the. fenfe of this petition do godly raen
in prayer, 1, "V^ent their regret and grief unto God, that
there Is fo little regard and obedience to his will araongft
men, that they fee the greateft part taking pleafure in un
righteoufnefs, as the Apoftle fpeaks. Thus David, Rivers
of water run down mine eyes, becaufe men keep not thy law.
And as they bewail ungodhnefs without them, fo efpeci
ally the ftrength of corruption within themfelves : They
begin there, and exprefs their grief in the prefence of God,
that they are fo clogged and hampered v/ithfin, cleaving
faft to them, and croffmg their purpofes of obedience ;
faying with the Apoftle, I find a law In my members war
ring agalnfl the law of my mind. 2. They declare their
defire of redrefs, both in themfelves and others ; that their
great defire is, that more obedience were given unto God,
and particularly that they had more faculty and ftrength
to ferve him, Pfal. cxix. 4, 5. 3. They pray in this, for
the effeding of this their defire, that God would incHne

THE lord's PRAYER. 277
mens hearts, and particularly their own, to the obedience
of his will, (whatfoever vain will-worfhippers fay, they are
mdeed in that fenfe e^Ai^pnaaoi, make a deity of the will)
not doubting that it is in his hand to do fo, and that he
hath more power of our hearts than we ourfelves have ;
otherwife it were In vain to put thefe fupplications into his
hand, if he have no power to anfwer them, to give them
the real anfwer of performance. Incline my heart unto thy
law, he. Turn us, 0 Lord, he. 4. They do in this re
queft offer up their own hearts to God, to be faftiloned
and raoulded to his will : And every godly man, If he had
the hearts of all the men in the world in his difpofe, he
would difpofe them the fame way, lodge them with his
own, and make one facrifice of all ; his own he gives whol
ly, refigns it up to his Lord, to be as a piece of wax in
God's hand, pliable to what form he will, to do with it
what he wifl, to turn out and baniffi whatfoever difpleafes
hira, and to make it to his owji mind. In a word, this Is
the defire of a Chriftian, that his own will may be annlhi-'
lated, and the wfll of God placed in its room, that he may
have no willbut God's, ihat he may be altogether fubjed
to God's comraanding, and his working will, to do' what
he coramands, and to be heartily content with what he
does ; for both thefe are In It *.
Where he commands any thing, though our ovifn cor
rupt will grumble at It, and think It hard, we muft tread
upon it to obey his will, making that the rule of all we do.
To, this end we muft endeavour to be acquainted with his
will, and know what it is, otherwife we' cannot do it ; but
once knowing It, this is the end of knowing, to do, other-
wife (you know) that knowledge will make us the worfe
for it, the raore guilty.
It is a fafe and comfortable thing to walk every ftep by
his diredlon ; the conftant regard of that. Is that (we fee)
which conforms us to heaven. It was obfervable how this
will prevailed with Abraham ; he was a loving father, it
appears, and upon Sarah's private motion, while there
was no more, he could not find in his heart to put Iffimael
out of doors, that was but the fon ofthe bond woman ; but
upon God's commarid he was ready to put Ifaac to death,
* It is love that makes tliis union of wills. Idem velle et idem nolle.

278 AN EXPOSITION OF
that was the fon ofthe promife. And he that taught us to
pray thus, gives us his own example In this, and he did
the will of his Father indeed, as It Is done in heaven, and
he came to the earth for that purpofe ; then faid he, Lo I
come to do thy wiU, 0 my God ; and In that great and moft
painful part of his work, not my will, but thine be done.
For our adions then, let his word be our guide ; and for
the events of things, and all .that concerns us, let his good
pleafure and wife difpofing be our will ; let us give up the
rudder of our Hfe into his hand, to be fteered by him.
For our adions, is it not better to obferve his will, than
to be fubjed to our own corrupt wills ? and to Satan's,
led captive at his wiU? And as it Is our beft to do what
pleafeth him, fo in all his dealing with us to be pleafed
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 mur
mur and ftruggle under afflidion. There is nothing to be
gained by this ; Who hath reflfled his wUl at any time ?
In aU things he doth what he will, whether It like us or
not ; our repining hinders not ¦ his working at all, but it
hinders our own corafort ; our wreftling and fretting doth
but pain ourfelves. If we be his (as we profefs) then we
may be affured he loves us ; and if we believe that, and
withal beheve that he Is wifer than we, then we muft con
fefs, that whatfoever he doth with us Is better than our own
chufing for ourfelves could be.
This is the only way of conftant quietnefs and content
ment of mind. Who is there outwardly fo profperous,
but meets with many things that crofs his will ? Now he
that hath renounced his own will, and is fixed upon a con
tinual complacency with the good pleafure and providence
of God, to will what he wills, and nothing elfe ; every
thing that befals him, he looks upon that fide of It as
God's will, and fo is fatlsfied, " Doth God think this
good, and ffiall I think It evfl ?"
There Is difference of eftates, but all eoraing from the
fame hand, which Is Job's confideration, to erabrace and
kifs the worft that can corae, is our duty ; It Is the Lord
(faid David) let him do with me what feems good In his eyes, '
2 Sara. X. 12. Thus, *' wilt thou have rae poor or rich,

THE lord's prayer. 279
healthful or fick, efteeraed or defpifed ? Wilt thou that I
live, or that I die ? I ara thine, thy wfll be done."
Give us this day our daily bread.} Man Is made up of
two different principles, a foul derived frora heaven, and
a body at firft raoulded out of earth, as Nazianzen expref
fes It, 'wva.s ^ x«s- the breath of God, and the duft of the
earth * : and according to his corapofure, fo is this prayer
compofed ; being raade for his ufe, it is wifely fitted to
his condition.
The greateft part of It Is taken up with fuch defires as
are fpiritual, and fo raoft fuitable to his worthier part, his
foul, fuch as do immediately concern God, and fuch as
properly concern itfelf. Yet the body is not wholly ffiut
out, though the meaner part ; yet being a part, of man,
and the workmanffilp of God, this one petition is beftow
ed upon Its concernment.
Obferve in it briefly, 1. The raatter or objed of the re
queft. 2. The qualification of it. The matter under the
name of bread, not only bread for all food, as the Hebrews
do ; but food, fo named, for all other neceffaries. By
bread, as the chief fupport and ftaff of man's life, is raeant
all needful temporal bleflings, food, and raiment, and
health, and peace, &c. a bleffing on the works of our cal
ling, and the feafons of the year, and all our lawful tem
poral affairs.
Though a godly man looks upon the neceffities of this
Hfe as a piece of his prefent captivity, and is often looking
beyond it to that purer Hfe he hopes for ; yet in the mean
while he doth. In obedience to God, ufe thefe things, and
in dependence upon God he feeks them at God's own
hand. In the requeft, together with its objed, as here we have
it, there Is, 1. Piety. 2. Moderation. Godhnefs, and fo-
bernefs. . '
1 . Piety, afking our bread of God ; afl^Ing it in the true
notion by way of gift. There is a natural cry or voice of
our neceffity, and that not only ungodly men, but unrea-
fonable creatures have, the very beafts and fowls, as the
Pfalm hath it. The ravens afl their meat from God : but.
* Ex igneo fpiritu, et terreno corpore.

280 AN EXPOSITION OF
this fpiritual cry of prayer, is the peculiar voice of God's
own children.
Now to afk bread, or needful temporal things at the
hands of God, Is not only no way Incongruous to the piety
and fpirltual-mindednefs of a chriftian, nor no wrong to
the raajefty of God ; but on the contrary, it were impiety
in raan, and an injury to God not to do fo. We have
here the warrant of his own coraraand, pray thus, and Is
it not raoft reafonable ?
1. Seeing thefe things are neceffary for us to receive,
and in the hand of God to beftow, why ought we not to
feek them there ?
Although in his wifdom he knows what we need, and
is in bounty raoft ready to furniffi us, yet this Is the ho
mage we owe to God, to prefent ourfelves and our necef
fities before him, and feek our fupplles by prayer. In It
there is a clear acknowledgment of the divine providence
and goodnefs, and of our faith and rehance on it ; and
faith Is not only fignlfied in prayer in thefe things, but is
aded and excited, and by that means Is Increafed and
ftrengthened, 2, Godlinefs hath both kinds of promifes,
thofe of, the life to come, and thofe of this Hfe ; and as
godlinefs halh right to them both, fo it teacheth to ufe
them both, and particularly this way, by turning the pro
mifes into prayers, as a means appointed by God, both to
fit us for obtainment, and to obtain the performance of
them. 3, Though a man hath his provifion by him, not
only of a day, but of many years, yet hath he need ftfll
daily to afk it of God, for it is ftill in God's hand to give
it him, or not to give, though it is in a man's own hind
in prefent poffeffion: 1. It is In God's difpofe to continue
it to him, or fuddenly to pluck it from him out of his
hand, or even out of his mouth, ut bolus ereptes e faucibus.
How many have been thus on a fudden turned out of
great eftates into extreme poverty, either by the hands of
men, which are moved by God, or by fome immediate
accident from his own hand, and others by little and Httle,
their eftates confuming and melting as fnow-balls. In the
former the judgment of God Is as a Hon, and In the latter
as a moth, as the Propl;iet fpeaks. Again, 2. If God do
continue a man In his poffeffions, yet there is further need-

THE lord's prayer. 281,
ful for his cheerful ufe of daily bread, that calmnefs and
content of mind, and healthfulnefs of body, that are
God's peculiar gifts, without which all is unfavoury. Is
the mind in bitternefs or difteraper, or the body tied to its
fick-bed ? this difreliffies a raan's daily bread, though it
be of the richeft kind. 3. Having bread and a difpofition
to ufe it, yet there Is further an influence of bleffing from
God needful to make it ferve its proper end ; and without
this, that ftaff of life Is but as a broken ftaff in a man's
hand that cannot fupport him. 4. Befides that ordinary
bleffing, there is yet fomething further that a godly raan
defires, and defires It raoft of all, a fecret charader and
ftamp ofthe 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 faid) a peculiar voice of
God's own children in this requeft, fo God knows It par
ticularly, and diftlnguiffies It from the coraraon voice of
natural raen, and other creatures that call for fupply ; and
therefore he gives that peculiar voice of their fuit a pecu
liar anfwer, together with the daily bread which he gives
to others, and a coraraon bleffing on It, they have forae
thing that is not given to others. This Is that which par
ticularly fweetens their bread, that they receive It after- a
fpecial raanner out of their Father's own hand, having
hurably afked It by a prayer as his gift.
That is the other thing obfervable in the word of the
requeft, give.
We are nof by this forbidden, no, nor difpenfed with
from labour and honeft Induftry for It, but after all our
labour we are ftill to acknowledge all as a free gift,
both the bread we obtain by labour and the ftrength by
which we labour. Juft as we find it of the other bread,
the bread of Hfe, John vi.. 27. Labour for It, which the Son
of man wUl give ; laboured for, and yet given. The fruit
of our labours may be a juft reward frora raen, but It Is
always free frora God, even thefe loweft benefits to the
beft and holieft men : / am lefs (fays Jacob) than the leafl
of thy mercies. We have no motive for the leaft mercy
but his own goodnefs, as our Father ; fo that It fuits with
this, as with all the other requefts here, though we de-
ferve nothing, yet he is our Father : it is proper for chfl-
N n

282 AN EXPOSITION OF
dren to aflc bread of their Father, as our Saviour teaches
us in the next chapter, therefore he teaches us here to fay.
Father, give us bread.
2. The moderation of the defire appears. In comparifon
of the number of the olher petitions, all the reft for things
fpiritual, and but one for temporals ; thofe that regard
the glory of God as the chief, are three to one with It,
and thofe that concern our own fpiritual good two for one.
Thus for the number ; and the order or place, which
fo many have taken quite contrary. It fuits very well with
this, as the leaft of our requefts, and fo to be accounted
by us. It is ftrange that this right place of It ffiould have
feared men from its right meaning, and perfuaded thera
to take it for our fpiritual food, or the bread of life, be
caufe It Is the firft of the three. But taking it as it is, for
this life's neceffaries, there is no need of fuch reafons as
fome give for its ftanding in this order, that are a little
light and unfohd. But to omit even thefe that are more
pertinent, which juftify this order, though this petition be
lefs than the two following, it feems truly the only fit
place for It, for that very reafon, becaufe It Is the leaft.;
It is known to be the ordinary courfe of fkilful orators to
place the meaneft part of their fpeech in the middle ; and
in this let the ear of any underftanding mind be judge,
whether It founds not, much better, that this requeft pafs
in the middle, than if the prayer ffiould have ended with
it, whereas now It begins fpiritually and clofes fo. And
this petition, which is de Impedimentis mUilcs noflrce, (for
the things of this life prove fo too often) Is caft in the
middle. Now, how few are there that follow Chrift's eftiraate
in this, that. have the very ftrength of their defires, and
moft" of their thoughts on things that are fpiritual, and do
but in paffing lend a word to the things of this life * ; this
proportion few will admit, it makes not for their purpofe.
The Apoftle gives this charader of thofe that perlffi, that
ihey mind earthly things.
But to confider the words, each word defigning the
matter of this requeft doth clearly teach us moderation in
it. Give us our dally bread. Having food and raiment.^
* Quamprimum a corpore ad animam redeundum. Sen.

THE lord's prayer. 283
(fays the Apoftle, 1 Tira. vi. 8,) let us be content. How
few be there of us. If any, that want thefe, and yet how
few that have contentraent ? It is the enormity and bound-
leffnefs of our defires, that caufeth this. There is no ne
ceffity of curious food and rairaent, but fuch food as nou-
riffies, and fuch raiment as covers.
Our daily bread, in the original e'T'«o-;o,. Not at all to
difpute the word, its genuine fenfe is, fuch as is fit for our
daily fiftentatlon, therefore rendered daily bread ; and an
fwers well to the word in that petition of Agur, Prov, xxx.
8. convenient or proportionable food, and fo agrees with
that we faid of bread ; proportionable, not to our luft, but
our neceffity. This was the fin of the Jews, and a moft
irapertinent fin in the wlldernefs, they afled meat for their
lufl ; they were not content of bread for themfelves, but
muft have raeat for their luft too, rauft have that fed like-
wife. We are not to be carvers of the proportion our
felves, but leave that to God, who-knows beft what is con
venient for us ; therefore the word is there, of my fet or
ordained portion, ordained by thee.
Our bread, 'h/^'^v.} Not feeking any other but that which
is our own by our juft induftry, and God's free gift.
What is it but the bafe iniraoderate defire of having, that
ftretches a man beyond this ? When a raan lays down that
conclufion with hirafelf, that he muft have fo much, then
it follows, that any way tending to that he muft ufe, if he
can, by right ; but if not, any way rather than mifs ; by
violence and oppreffion, or by deceit, through all ways
fair and foul * : When a man Is once upon that journey
there Is no flopping, untill either God recal him, or he
plunge himfelf in the pit of deftrudion: They that wlU be
rich (fays the Apoftle) that are refolved upon that, they
fall into temptation, and divers fnares, that drown men, hca
that is the iffue.
This day,} It is true that this condemns not a due pro
vidence in raen for therafelves and their famihes. In a juft
and moderate way ; but men deceive themfelves In this,
few ftay there, but under that name harbour grofs avarice
and earthllnefs. But in this word, we have the true tem
per of a Chriftian. mind, that whatfoever is his own lawful
* Si poffis reSe,fi non, quocunque modo rem. Hor.
Nn 2

284 AN EXPOSITION OF
providence, and whatfoever is the fuccefs of it, that he
lives and rehes on, Is the providence of God, not his own ; *
he lives upon that frora one day to another, as a chfld in
his father's houfe ; and for provifion for afterwards thinks
it Is as good in God's hand as if it were In his own, and
therefore afks not fo rauch ftock or fo rauch yearly rent,
but bread for to day. If he have much land or great re
venues, yet truftsno more in that, than If he had nothing ;
and If he have to-day, and nothing for to-morrow (as the
IfraeHtes had manna) yet trufts no lefs in God than if he
had thoufands ; he refolves thus, " Whether I have much
or Httle I am at God's providing, and live upon that from
day to day ; the Lord is my ffepherd, I ffall not want, Pfal.
xxni. 1,"
Thefe two go together, as we have obferved them here
together, godhnefs and moderation, godlinefs in this parti
cular, of cafting over our care of teraporal things on God,
by prayer, Phil, iv, 5, Let your moderation be known, he.
But how ffiall we have It ? Make your requefls known unto
God, and that in all things ; that will eafe you, and not
trouble hira. But when we lodge fuch defires as are not
fit Indeed to be iraparted to hira, this is our ffiarae and
proves our vexation. It is a wonder what raen raean ;
but It is a folly fo rooted In men's hearts that no difcourfe
wfll pluck it up ; they imagine that there Is happinefs in
having much, and will neither believe religion, nor reafon,
nor experience, though all teach the contrary. They can
not be, perfuaded to make this the rule of their defires,
daily bread, and for to-day, but are ftill projeding for long
time to come, though they are not fure of a day. Men
are ftill beginning to live, even when their years tell them
they ffiould be thinking how to die ; are ^on new con
trivances for the world, when they muft ffiortly leave It :
And this is one point of this our difeafe, that it grows ftfll,
and is ftrongeft in old age, when there is leaft reafon for
it *. "U'^hat is this that riches can do ? Our Saviour tells us,
if we will believe him, that Man's life doth not confifl In the
abundance of the things he poffeffeth ; f there Is foraething
* Quo min^is via reft at, eo plus viatici comparare.
¦j- Ad fupervacuafudatur.

THE lord's PRAYER. 285
neceffary we fee, and truly that is not much, and what is
more than ferves, many times proves but more encum
brance ; one ftaff will help a man in his way, but a bundle
of ftaves would burden and weary him. 'Would men but
ftop a Httle and afk themfelves, ' What is this I do ? What
do I aim at in all my turraoll ?' It might poflibly recal
them, would ihey but hear Solomon's queftion, and tell
him what good the rich have of poffeffmg more than they ufe,
but only of beholding them with their eyes ; if there be any
thing more, it is more care and troubles *. He that hath
a hundred rooms hath but one body, he can lodge but in
one at once ; he that might have fea and land ranfacked
for deHcates to his table, hath hirafelf but one appetite to
ferve with thera all.
Then confider that beyond the bounds of this petition,
ifa man once pafs, there be no bounds after, he knows
not where to ftay | ; one thoufand would have fomething
more to fave It unfpent, and when that grows a little, it Is
beft even to make another thoufand, and fave that too,
and fall a fcraping for more.
And If this is always a frenzy, moft of all in thefe times.
Behold, fays God to Baruch, / will break down that which
I have built, and that which I have planted will I pluck up,
even this whole land, and feekefl thou great things for thy
felf? Jer. xlv. 4, 5. " But is it not wifdora to be provi
dent, and fee far before a man ; and to look no further
but to the prefent. Is the charader of a fool ?" True it is
indeed, and therefore the truly wife raan defpifes this pro
vidence for a bafe uncertain life, and is content If alive but
frora one day to another ; but there is a higher defign in
his head, a providence of a further reach that fees afar oft'
indeed, to raake himfelf an eftate for eternity, that takes
up his thoughts and pains ; the other is the groffeft ffiort-
fightednefs, to look no further than a moment ; It is in
deed, iJ-v-Tja^m^, as St. Peter fpeaks. But that Hfe the Chrif
tian's eye Is upon, is of another nature, where none of
thefe poor things ffiall have place. No marrying, nor giving
in marriage, as our Saviour fays, fo no eating nor drink-
* Et cum circum laqueata leSa volantes,
\ Depinge ubi f ifl am.

286 AN EXPOSITION OF
ing, no need of bread, nor of this prayer for it, but we
ffiall be as the angels of God.
And forgive us our debts, he.} Thy loving kindnefs, fays
David, is better than life. Therefore this requeft rifes a-
bove the forraer : In it we fought bread for the prefent
life ; In this we entreat his favour, not corn, nor wine, nor
oil, but that that glads the heart more than thera all, The
light of his countenance, that the thick cloud of our fins be
difpelled by a free pardon, as he proralfes, Ifa, xliv, 2.
In this petition we have, 1, The requeft. 2. The claufe
added. That which Is here called debts, St. Luke hath
fins ; and here in the obfervation our Saviour adds, they
are called, Trawrw^arai, offences. Now fin, as It is called a
debt, is taken for the guiltinefs of fin, which Is no other
but pcenas debere, to owe the fuffering of puniffiment, or
an obHgement to the curfe which the law hath pronounced
againft fin ; and becaufe this refults fo Immediately from
fin, therefore fin is often put for the engagement to puniffi
ment, fo the Apoftle's phrafe, 1 Cor. xv. ult. may be ta
ken. So then, the debt of fin being the tie to puniffiment,
which follows upon it, the forgiving of fin can be no other
than the acquitting of a man from that curfe, fetting him
free from his debt, his engagement to fuffer ; and there
fore to Imagine a forgivenefs of fin with- retaining of the
puniffiment. Is dired nonfenfe and a contradldion.
To pafs the words of this requeft through our mouths
(as the reft) Is an eafy and common thing, but altogether
fruitlefs ; but to offer It as a fpiritual fuppllcation of the
heart unto God, Is a thing done but by a few, and to as
many as do offer it fo. It never returns in vain, but Is cer
tainly granted. Now to offer it fo as a Hvely fpiritual fuit
unto God, there are neceffarily fuppofed in the foul that
prefents it, thefe things,
1. A clear convidion and deep fenfe of the guiltinefs
of fin, both in general what this guiltinefs is, what Is that
debt that fin engages us in, that mifery to which it binds
us over, 1 . As the deprivement of happinefs, the lofs of
God and his favour for ever. 2. The endlefs endurance
of his wrath, and hotteft indignation, and all the anguiffi
that that is able to fill the foul with to all eternhy. Unfuf-
ferable, inconceivable torment ! defcribed to us Ijy fuch

THE lord's prayer. 287
things as we can underftand, but going Infinitely beyond
them, A gnawing worm that dies not, and afire that cannot
be quenched, this is the portion of the finner from God, and
the heritage appointed to him, as Zophar fpeaks. Then
In particular there muft be a feeing our own guiltlnefsf, a
man muft know himfelf to be nothing elfe but a mafs of
fin, and fo fuel for that fire ; muft fee himfejf a tranfgreffor
of the whole law of God, and therefore abundantly liable
to that fentence of death.
2. Upon this apprehenfion will follow a very earneft
defire to be free, and fuch a word as that, 0 wretched man
that I am, whoftoall deliver me I And feeing no way either
to fatlsfy or efcape without a free pardon, the foul then
looks upon that as Its only happinefs, with David, Bleffed
is the man, O the bleffednefs of that man ! whofe iniquity
is forgiven, and whofe fin Is covered.
3. In this requeft there is a taking of It as a thing at
tainable, for It is implied that there is no Impoffibility in
it ; and this arlfes from the promifes of God, and the tenor
of the covenant of grace, and the Mediator of that cove
nant revealed in the word, apprehended only in their ge
neral tenor.
4, It imports a humble confeffion of gufltinefs before
the Lord, as follows there, Pfal. xxxii. / acknowledge my
fin, he. and hide not mine iniquity. The way to find God
hiding and covering It, he perceived was for himfelf not to
hide it, the way to be acquitted at God's hand, is for the
foul with humihty and grief to accufe itfelf before him.
5. Where there is this fenfible knowledge and humble
acknowledgment of fin and mifery, and earneft defire of
pardon, then doth a raan truly offer this fuit unto God
with ftrong affedion, Lord, this Is my requefl, that niyfitn
may be forgiven ; and prays it in faith, which is a more
particular laying hold on the promifes, believing that he
will forgive, and therefore waits for an anfwer, to hear
that Voice of Joy and gladnefs, as David fpeaks ; to hear
the word of his pardon from God fpoke Into his foul. And
for this caufe (befides the need of daily pardon for daily
fins) the raoft godly raen have need to renew this fuit,
that together with pardon they may obtain the comforta
ble perfuafion and affurance of it ; and though they have

288 AN EXPOSITION OF
fome affurance, yet there be further degrees of It poffible
and defirable, clearer evidences of reconcilement and ac
ceptance with God.
~ Forgivenefs Itfelf Is indeed the raain, and is often grant
ed, where the other, the affurance of it, is withheld for a
time, but there Is no queftion that we may, yea, that we
ought to defire It, and feek after it. He is bleffed that is
pardoned, though as yet he know It not, yet doubtlefs it
abates much of his happinefs for the time that he does
not know it *.
As the philofopher fays. The poor man thinks him happy
- that Is rich, and the fick man him that Is In health ; their own
want makes them think fo. Now this forgivenefs of fin
Is happinefs Indeed, yet a man muft firft feel the want of
it, before he judge fo : but here Is the difference when he
hath obtained It, he ffiall think fo ftill ; whereas the other
being tried, are found to fall ffiort, and do not raake any
man happy.
Seeing this Is a requeft of fo great raoraent, raay we not
wonder at ourfelves, that are fo cold and Indifferent in It ?
But the true reafon of this is, becaufe fo few are truly fen
fible of this heavy debt, of the weight of fin unpardoned.
A man that feels it not prays thus, not much troubling his
thoughts whether It be granted or no ; but he that Is In
deed preffed with the burden of fin, cries In earneft. Lord,
forgive. David knew what he faid, when he called him
bleffed whofe fin h forgiven, the word is, that is unloaded of
his fin. He was a king, and a great captain, but he fays
not, he is a bleffed man that wears a crown, or that Is fuc
cefsful in war, but he whofe fin Is taken off his ffioulders ;
whatfoever he Is otherwife, he is a happy raan ; it Is In
vain to offer a confcience groaning under fin any thing
elfe, until It be eafed of that, if you fliould fee a man
lying grovefling under fome weight that is ready to prefs
him to death, and fliould bring fweet mufic to him, and
cover a table with delicates before him, but let him lie
ftill under his burden, could he (think you) take any plea
fure in thofe things ? Were It not rather lo raock him to
ufe him fo ?
And though we feel it not as troubled confciences do,
* Non eji beatus, eJfe qui fe non putet.

THE lord's PRAYER. 289
yet we are truly miferable in all enjoyments, until this
forgivenefs be obtained. To what purpofe daily bread,
yea what is the greateft abundance of all outward things^
but a gllftering mifery. If this be wanting ? But he that
Is once forgiven, and received into favour with God, what
can befal him amifs ? though he hath no more of the
world but daily bread, and of the coarfeft fort, he hath a
continual feaft within ; as he that faid, brown bread and
tbe gofpel Is good fare. Now the gofpel is the dodrine of
this forgivenefs of fin, and is therefore fo fweet to an
humbled finner ; yea, though a man have not only a
fmall portion of earthly comforts, but be under divers af
flidions and chaftifements, yet this makes him chearful In
all, as Luther fald.^ Feri Domine, he. ufe me as thou wilt,
feeing thou haft forgiven my fin, all Is well.
Laflly, As there muft be earneft defire in the requeft, fo
withal firm belief; afl In faith. If once thou art become
a humble fuller for mercy, and that is the great defire of
thy heart, that God would take away thy fin, and be re
conciled to thee ; then know that he will not caft back
thy petition in difpleafure, now he is gracious, and what
foever thou haft been, confider what he is. Doth he re
ceive any for any thing In themfelves ? What is the caufe
he pardons any, is it not for his own name's fake ? Ifa.
xlin. 25. And will not that reafon ferve for thee as much
as others ? Will It not avail for raany fins, as well as for
few ? Haft thou multipHed fin often, abufed his mercy,
but now mourneft before him for it ? then he will multi
ply to pardon, Ifa. Iv. 7. Jer. Hi. 1. Thou haft rebelled
much, but he is thy Father, and hath the bowels of a fa
ther to a repenting child : and this ftile we give him in
this prayer, as fitly urging all our fuits, Father, forgive us
our fins ; therefore forgive, becaufe thou art our Father.
And then confider, that he that puts this petition amongft
the reft In our mouths, hath fatisfied for behevers, paid all
their fcores, and anfwered juftice to the full, and in him
we are forgiven : It Is a free forgivenefs to us, though he
hath paid for it ; and he himfelf was freely given to us,
to undertake and fatlsfy for us. Yet let not any thus em
bolden themfelves to fin ; this were the groffeft Impu
dence, to come to crave pardon of fin while we delight In
Oo

290 AN EXPOSITION OP
it, and to defire it to be forgiven while we have no mind
to part with it and forfake it ; for this privilege belongs
only to repenting and returning finners.
As we forgive our debtors.} This Is added, ioth as a
fit motive for us to ufe with God, and a fuhable duty that
he requires of us : the former we may perceive In the
manner that St, Luke hath it. For we alfo, fays he, ^c.
'? Thou, Lord, requireft of us to forgive others, and thou
workeft It in fome of us to do fo ; how much raore then
may we hope tbat thou wilt forgive us? If there be any
fuch goodnefs In us. It Is from thee, and therefore Is infi
nitely more in thyfelf, as the ocean of goodnefs."
Again, this is likewife a very profitable arguraent to
raove us to this duty, as we fee clearly by our Saviour's
returning to fpeak of it after the prayer : it is not only
bound upon us by his precept, but by our prayer.
This (as) juft as before in the third petition, means
not equality In the degree, but conformity in the thing.
Now the requeft running thus, they that do not forgive
their brethren, turn it into a moft heavy curfe to them
felves, and in effed pray daily. Lord, never forgive me my
fin ; and whether they fay thus or no, he will do thus, if
we be fuch fools as not to accept of fuch an agreement.
He hath infinite debt upon our heads, that we fliall never
be able to pay ; now though there is no proportion, yet
he Is gracioufly pleafed without further reckoning to for
give us all, and difcharge us fully, if we accept (as it were)
of this his letter of exchange, and for his fake forgive our
brethren the few pence that at the moft they can be owing
us, in lieu of the thoufands of talents that he acquUs to
us. And by this, as our certain evidence, we may be af
fured of our pardon, and rejoice in it, as our Saviour after
clearly affirms ; and therefore the contrary (which he like-
wife tells us) may well take our debates, and hatreds, and
defires of revenge, as a counterfign, teftlfying to us, that
we are not forgiven at God's hands,
And think not to fatisfy him with fuperficial forgivenef-
fes and reconcilements : would we be content of fuch par
don from God, to have only a prefent forbearance of re
venge, or that he ffiould not ¦ quarrel with us, but no
further friendffiip with hira; that he ffiould either ufe

THE lord's prayer. 291
ftrangenefs whh us, and not fpeak to us, or only for fa-
ffilon's fake ? And yet fuch are raany of our reconcile
ments with our brethren. God's way of forgiving is
thorough and hearty, both to forgive and to forget, Jer.
xxxi. and if thine be not fo, thou haft no portion in his.
What a bafe miferable huraour is this fame defire of re
venge, this fpirit of malice that poffeffes raen, and think
themfelves brave in it, that they forgive no Injuries, can
put up no affronts, as they fpeak ! Solomon was of another
mind, and he was a king, and a wife king, and knew well
enough what honour meant ; It is the glory of a man to
pafs hy a tranfgreffion, faid he. And we fee Inferior ma
giftrates and officers raay puniffi, 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 God, Matth. v. Be you perfed,
as your heavenly Father is perfed ; and the perfedlon is,
do good to them that perfecute you, he. as he caufeth the fun
toffine on the jufl and unjufl.
There is more true pleafure In forgiving, than ever any
man found in revenge. Fr. Defales faid, " That whereas
men think it fo hard a thing to forgive a wrong, he found
it fo fweet, that if the contrary were coraraanded him, he
would have much ado to obey it." Were the law of love
written in our hearts, it would be thus with us ; it would
teach us effedually to forgive others, if we knew and
found in our experience the boundlefs love of God In for
giving us.
And lead us not into temptation, hef\ As the dodrine
of divine mercy, miftaken and abufed by carnal minds,
emboldens them to fin ; fo being rightly apprehended and
apphed, there is nothing more powerful to poffefs the
heart with indignation againft fin, and love of holinefs :
fo that this requeft agrees moft fitly with the forraer ;
where that is prefented aright, the heart will be no lefs
fincere and earneft in this other. The guiltinefs of fin,
and the prevailing power of it, are the two evfls that the
godly feel more than all other preffures In the world ; de
hverance from both Is jointly promifed in the new cove
nant, Jer. xxxi. and here jointly entreated In thefe two
petitions. We ffiall explain,
1. What this temptation and evil is.
O o 2

292 AN EXPOSITION OF
2. What Is meant by not lead into It, and to deliver. '
Temptation.}' In the original nso-,.ior, a trial, that which
gives proof of a man's ftrength and of his difpofition,
draws forth what is within him. And thus in moft things
we meet withal in the wdrld, there Is fome tempting fa
culty to try us what we are, on the ufing of them ; but
efpecially fuch things as are more eminent in their nature,
that have much power with us. As eminent place and
public charge try both the abflity and Integrity of men,
afflidions try the faith and ftablHty of mens minds. In
juries try whether they are truly meek and patient or no ;
they ftir the water that was poffibly clear at top, and fo
try whether it be not muddy at the bottom *,
But by temptation here are meant, occafions and pro
vocations to fin. So likewife the word (evil) in the
other claufe, is not to be taken for afflidions and croffes,
but for the evil of fin, or for that evil one, as he is called,
1 John Ii. 13. and that particularly in relation to the evil
of fin, wherein he hath fo frequent and fo great a hand.
There be outward things that are not in therafelves
evil, and yet prove temptations to us, becaufe they meet
with a depraved corrupt heart in us ; as riches, and ho
nour, and beauty, &c, and to intemperance, dainty meats,
or the wine when It Is red In the cup, as Solomon fpeaks ;
and upon thefe, men fometimes turn over the blame of
their diforders, but moft foollffily.
Other temptations and tempters there be without us,
that are themfelves evil, and by templing partake of our
fin; the profane example and cuftoms of the world, un-
p-odly men by their pradices, and counfels, and entice
ments, drawing others to fin, putting oihers into the fame
mire wherein they are wallowing,
. But the moft effedual tempter of all, is that which the
Apoftle St, James gives up as the chief, and without which
indeed none other could prevail. Every 7nan Is tempted of
his own conciipifcence ; whofoever it is that begets It, that
Is the womb wherein all fin is conceived, and that brings It
forth, as he there adds ; yea this were able of Itfelf to be
fruitful In fin, though there were not a devil to tempt It
to It, and doth no doubt often tempt us without his help,
* Natura vexata prodit ferpfam.

THE LORD S PRAYER. 293
Yet, becaufe he is fo continually bufied In this work, is
fo conftant a ftickler in the greateft part of fins In the
world, therefore it is not unhkely that this is particularly
meant of hira.
Howfoever, he is out of doubt the greateft of all out-
•Vvard tempters (and therefore It is pertinent to confider
his ffiare in them) the moft fcilful, the moft adive and
diligent, and he that manages all other kind of temptations
againft us, both fuch as are without us in the world, and,
fuch as are within us, he works upon our own corrup
tion, ftlrring and blowing it up by his fuggeftions, and
fometimes throwing In balls of his own infernal fire, that
are grievous and abominable to the foul into which he
cafts them. It is his narae and profeffion, o -ffEi^o-v, that
great pirate, that robs upon all feas, that is every where
catching the fouls of raen. And he Is well feen In his
trade, a knowing fpirit, that raanifefted his fl<ill flirewdly'
in his firft effay againft man, that ferpent's firft poifon
killed the whole race of mankind ; and now he Is perfeded
by long experience and pradice, hath his raethods, as arts
after a time are drawn Into method. He hath his topics,
¦his feveral forts of teraptalions for feveral tempers, and
hath great infight into the fubjed he is to work upon, and
fo fits the one to the other.
The profane that will be eafily drawn to the groffeft
fins, he Is not at the pains to find out other ways for them,
but hurries them along In that high way to deftrudion,
ufing his advantage either of their grofs ignorance or
hardnefs of heart, he. Others that are refolved to Hve
•outwardly blaraelefs, he endeavours to take and hold faft
to himfelf by pride, and felf-love, and malice, and covet
oufnefs, by formality in religion. Unbelief, which are
things, though fmaller wrought than fome others, yet that
dre as ftrong, and hold men as faft to be led captive at his
will,
¦ And the godly, becaufe they are efcaped -and fet free
from his tyranny, and he is defperate of reducing them,
yet becaufe he can do no more, he is fure to be a perpe
tual vexation and trouble to them, fo far as he is let loofe ;
he is moft unwearied in his affaults, gives them no refplle.

294 AN EXPOSITION OF
neither when he gains upon them, nor when he is foiled
and repulfed. Let us next confider.
2. What the requeft is, — not to be led into tempta
tion, — and, to be delivered.
Lead us not,} Not that God doth follcit a man to fin,
for that is moft contrary to his moft pure nature, as St.
James tells us plainly. He is neither fo tempted, nor tempts
he any : but his leading into temptation is briefly, 1 , To
permit a man to be terapted. 2, To withdraw his grace,
and fo deliver up a man Into the hand or power of the
temptation. Now this Is that we pray, that the Lord be
pleafed either to bear off affaults frora us, and fuffer us
not to be terapted ; or If he let teraptation loofe upon us,
yet to give us the better, to order it fo that It overcbrae us
not. That which is here raeant by leading, or carrying
us 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 conflid of a temptation he would
not leave us there, but bring us fair off again ; and thus
the whole petition runs, lead us not, but deliver us. And
in this it is, that he would furniffi us with his own grace,
the holy habits of grace to be wiihin us, as a conftant gari;
rifon. And then, that either he counterraand our eneray
frora affaulting, or that they be fuch as overraatch not the
ftrength he hath given us, but raay be below It ; or that
he fend us the auxiliary ftrength of fupervenient affifting
grace to that we have, that howfoever the forces that corae
againft us may be turned backward, and we may have the
corafort, and he the glory of our vidorles.
So then In this we are taught, 1, To know the danger
wherein we are ; that we live in the raldlT; of eneraies, and
fuch as are ftrong and fubtle, that we have the prince of
darknefs plotting againft us, and the treacherous corrup
tion of our own hearts ready to keep correfpondence with
him, and betray us to him. Thai he hath gins and fnares
laid for us in all our ways, Laqueos uhlque, laqueos in clho
et potu, ^c. Aug. Med. in our folitude and In our con
verfe, in our eating and drinking, yea fnares in our fpiri
tual exercife, our hearing, preaching, prayer, &c. and
therefore as he here teaches us to pray againft them, we
muft join that, to watch againft them. 2, To be fenfible

THE lord's PRAYER. 29*5
of our own weaknefs and Infufficiency, either for avoiding
or overcoming thefe dangers, 3, To know the all-fuffi-
cient ftrength of God, his fovereign power over all adverfe
powers, that they are all under his command, fo that he
can keep thera off us, or fubdue thera under us as he
pleafeth, and fo to have our recourfe to this, and reft in It.
The firfl of thefe confiderations, if it lake with us, will ftir
us up to watchfulnefs, and the other two will perfuade to
prayer ; and thefe are the two great prefervatlves againft
temptation that our Saviour pref'crlbes, Watch and pray,
left 'you enter into temptation : Watch, how can we fleep fe
cure, and fo many enemies that fleep not ? If we pray and
watch not, we tempt God, and we lead ourfelves into
temptation. It Is our duty (mock the word who will) to
walk exadly or precifely, a>'f'S'wr, to look to every ftep, to
beware of the leaft fins: For they, 1, By multkude make
up a great wdght. 2,' They prove ufually introdudions
to greater fins ; adrait but fome inordinate defire into your
heart that you account a'fmall raatter, and It is a hundred
to one but it ffiall prove a little thief got in, to open the
door to a nuraber of greater ; as the Rabbins fpeak, a lefs
evil brings a raan into the hands of a greater *,
2, Avoid not only fins but the Incentives and occafions
to fin ; as St, Chryfoftom obferves well that of our Savi
our, when they ff ad fay here is Chrifl, and there Is Chrifl,
he fays not, believe them not, but go not forth to fee ; and
Soloraon's inftrudlon for avoiding the aUureraents of the
ftrange woraan, fays not only, go not In, but come not near
the door of her houfe. The way of fin is down hill f ; a
man cannot ftop where he would, and he that will be tam
pering with dangerous occafions. In confidence of his refo
lution, ffiall find himfelf often carried beyond his purpofe.
If you pray, then watch too ; but as that word commands
oar dihgence, fo this imports our weaknefs in ourfelves,
and our ftrength to be in another, that as We watch we
muft pray, and without this we ffiall watch In vain, and
be a prey to our enemy. Truly had we no power beyond
our Own, we might give over, and be hopelefs of coming
through to falvatlon, fo maUy eneraies and hazards in the
* Levius malum inducit in manus gravioris. Drus.
f Motus in proclivi.

296 AN EXPOSITION OF
way, Alas ! might a chriftian fay, looking upon the
multitude of temptations without, and corruptions within
himfelf, and the weaknefs of the grace he hath. How can
this be? ftoall lever attain my journey's end? But again
when he looks upward, and lifts his eyes above his diffi
culties, beholds the ftrength of God engaged for him, dl-
reds his prayers to him for help, and Is affured to find it ;,
this upholds him, and anfwers all. There is a roaring
lion that feeks to devour, but there is a ftrong refcuing
lion, the lion of the tribe of Judah, that will dehver. The
God of peace, fays the .Apoftle, wlU hrulfe Satan under your
feet ftiortly He fays not, we ffiall bruife him under our
feet, but God fliall do it ; yet he fays not, he ffiall bruife
him under his own feet, but under yours ; the vidory
ffiall be ours, though wrought by him ; and he fliall do It
ffiortly, wait a while and it fhall be done ; and the God of
peace, becaufe he is the God of peace, he ffiall fubdue that
grand difturber of your peace, and fhall give you a perfed
vidory, and after it, endlefs peace ; he ffiall free you of
his trouble and moleftation. Grace is a ftranger here,
and therefo're hardly ufed, and hated by many foes ; but
there Is a proraife of a new heaven and a new earth, where
dwells rlghteoufnefs, there it ffiall be at home, and quiet,
no fpoiling nor robbery in all that holy mountain.
For thine Is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
This pattern (we knov;) Is the line under which all our
prayers ought to move, all our requefts to be conform
to it ; and are certainly out of their way, when they decline
and wander from it. And if we obferve it, we may clear
ly perceive it is a circular line ; as indeed the exercife of
prayer Is a heavenly motion, circular as that of the hea
vens, begins and ends in the fame 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, fo that our requefts that concern ourfelves are caft
In the raiddle, that all our defires may move within this
circle ; though the things we pray for concern ourfelves,
yet are not to terminate in ourfelves but in him, who Is
Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of all things ; to
defire not only the bleffings of this life, but tfie bleffednefs

THE lord's prayer, 297
of the life to come, more for his glory than for our own
good. This is genuine and pure love of God, In the pardon of
our fins and falvatlon, to rejoice raore in the glory of di
vine raercy, than in our own perfonal happinefs ; thus It
ffiall be with us, when we ffiall be put In poffeffion of It,
and we ought to afpire to that raeafure of the fame raind
that can be attained here, while we are in the defire and
hopes of It,
For thine Is the kingdom.} Though this claufe Is left out
In divers tranflations, and wanting in forae Greek copies,
yet it Is fo agreeable to the nature of prayer, and the per
fedlon of this prayer, that we ought not to let it pafs un
confidered. There is in It an enforceraent of our prayer, but efpeci
ally it is a return of praife ; " Good reafon we defire
earneftly the fandifying of thy narae, and eoraing of thy
kingdom, and obedience to thy will, feeing thefe are fo pe
culiarly due to thee, namely, kingdom, and power, and
glory ; and feeing thou art fo great and rich a King, raay
we not crave with confidence at thy hands all needful good
things to be beftowed on us, and that all evil raay be avert
ed frora us, that we raay find thee gracious to us, both In
giving and foi'glvlng ; and as In forgiving us the guilti
nefs of fin, fo in freeing us from l^^e power of fin, and pre
ferving us from the power of our fpiritual eneraies that
would draw us Into fin ? We are under thy royal protec
tion, we are thy fubjeds, yea thy children, thou art our
King and Father, fo that thy honour is engaged for our
defence. Whatfoever fura our debts araount to, they are
not too great for fuch a King to forgive, they cannot rife
above thy royal goodnefs ; and whatfoever be our ene
mies, all their force is not above thy fceptre ; though they
be ftrong, too ftrong for us, yet thou art rauch more too
ftrong for them, for power Is thine ; and this we know,
that all the good thou doft us, will bring back glory to
thy name, and It is that we moft defire, and that which Is
thy due ; the glory is thine."
Thus we fee all our places of argument for our requefts
are in God, none of thera In ourfelves ; as we find this In
the prayers of the Prophets, /or thine own glory, and /or
Pp

298 AN EXPOSITION OF
thine own name's fake ; nothing In ourfelves to raove GoJ
by, but abundance of mifery, and that moves not but by
reafon of his bounty ; fo ftill the caufe of his hearing, and
the argument of our entreating. Is in himfelf alone, 'Were
it not thus, how could we hope to prevail with him ? yea,
how durft we offer to come unto him ? It Is well for us
there Is enough in himfelf both to encourage us to corae,
and to furniffi us with motives to perfuade him by, that
we come not in vain, Mofes had not a word to fay for
the people In ihemfelves, fuch was their carriage, his mouth
was ftopt that way, yet he doth not let go this, " What
wilt thou do with thy mighty name ? It Is true they Have
trefpaffed, yet if thou deftroy thera, thy narae will fuffer.
Lord confider and regard that, and we know the fuccefs
of it," Thus a Chriftian for himfelf, " Lord, I am raoft
unworthy of afl thofe things I requeft of thee, but whatfo
ever I am, thou art a liberal and mighty King, and it is
thy glory to do good freely, therefore it is that I come un
to thee ; my neceffities drive me to thee, and thy goodnefs
draws me, and the more poor and wretched I ara, the great
er will be thy glory. In helping rae,"
But it is withal an exColling and pralfing the greatnefs
of God, and fo we are to confider it.
Thine Is the kingdom.} " Other kings and kingdoms
there be, but they are as nothing, they deferve not the
naming in comparifon of thine ; they are but kings of lit
tle mole-hills, to the bounds of thy dominion ; the greateft
kingdoms of the world are but fmall parcels of this globe
of earth, and Itfelf all together, to the vaft circumference
of the heavens, is as nothing, lofes all fenfible greatnefs.
This point that men are fo bufy dividing among them with
fire and fword, what if one man had the foverelgnty of it
all ? he and kingdom both were nothing to thine ; for fea
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 lefs than thine, fo they hold of thine, thine
is fupreme ; all the crowns and fcepters of the earth hang
at thy footftool." All kings owe their horaage to this
great King, and he difpofeth of their crowns abfolutely
and uncontrolled as he will, he enthrones and dethrones

THE lord's prayer. 299
at his pleafure, throws down one and fets up another ; as
we have a great monarch confeffing It at length, upon his
own experience, being brought down from his throne, on
purpofe to learn this leffon, and was feven years in learn
ing on It, Dan, iv. 34.
The power.} The creatures have among them feveral
degrees and feveral kinds of power, but none of them, nor
all of them together have all power, this is God's, He is
all-powerful in hirafelf, primitively powerful, and all the
ppwer of the creatures is derived frora hira ; he is the
fountain of power : So that whatfoever power he hath
given unto men, or any other creature, he hath not given
away from himfelf; it is ftill in himfelf more than In thera,
and at his pleafure he can call it back, and withdraw the
influence of It, and then they reraain weak and powerlefs.
And when he gives thera power, he ufeth and difpofeth of
both thera and their power as feeras him good ; there
fore his ftile is, the Lord of hofls. He can command more
arraies than aU the kings and princes of the earth, from
the moft excellent to the meaneft of the creatures, all are
his trained bands, from the hoft of glorious fpirits, to the
very armies of graffioppers and flies ; and you know that
as an angel was eraployed againft the Egyptians, fo like-
wife thefe conteraptible creatures were upon fervice there
too, and being armed with comraiffion, and with power
frora God, did perforra the fervice upon which they were
fent fo effedually, that the wifeft of heathens were forced
to confefs, this is the finger of God.
This is the Lord to whom we addrefs our prayers, that
cannot fafl in any thing for want of power, for he doth
what he will in heaven and in earth.
Glory.} In thefe two confifts mainly the eminency of
kings, in their power and their majefty ; but they exceed
not the meaneft of their fubjeds, fo far as this King fur-
paffeth the greateft of them in both, Pfal. xciii. 1. Clothed
with both Majefiy and firength. They are often refifted,
and cut ffiort of their defigns for want of fufficient power,
and are the beft of thera often driven to ftralts ; fometimes
men, foraetiraes raoney or raunition, or fome other necef
fary help is wanting, and fo their enterprlzes fall behind ;
Pp 2

soo AN EXPOSITION OF
but this King can challenge and defy all oppofitlons ; /
work (fays he) and who ffall let it ?
And as their power, fo their raajefty and glory Is Infi
nitely ffiort of his ; he is the King of glory, as the Pfalralft
ftfles hira, alone truly glorious, both In the excellency of
his own nature, and the extrinfical glory that arlfes to him
out of his works. Of the former we can know but little
here, for that light wherein he dwells Is to us inacceffible ;
but this we know, that he is infinitely above all the praifes
even of thofe that do behold him, Likewife how unfpeak
able is that glory that ffiines in his works ! In the fraraing
of the whole world, and in the upholding and ruling of it
from the beginning, in which appear the two former that
are here afcribed to hira, his kingdora and his power, and
fo this third, his glory, fprings out of both. Then if we
confider the glorious attendance that is continually about
his throne, as the fcrlptures defcrlbe It to us. It drowns all
the pomp of earthly thrones and courts In their higheft de
gree, -See Apoc. iv.
For ever,} This kingdom, and power, and glory of God,
befides their tranfcendent greatnefs, have this advantage
beyond all other kingdoms, and power, and glory, that
his are/or ever and ever ; all other are periffiing, nothing
but pageants and ffiows that appear for a while, and pafs
along and vanlffi. It was a wife word of a king, (efpeci
ally at fuch a time) when he was riding in a ftately tri
umph, and afked by one of his courtiers, thinking to pleafe
hira, what Is wanting here? he anfwered, continuance.
Where are all the magnific Kings that have reigned in
former ages ? Where is their power and their porap ? Is it
not paft like a dreara ? And not only are the kings gone,
but the kingdoms therafelves, the greateft in the world
fallen to nothing ; they had their time of rifing, and again
of decHning, and are buried in the duft : That golden-
headed Image had brittle feet, and that was the ruin and
break of It aU. But this kingdom of the raoft High Is an
everlafting kingdora, arid his glory and power abide for
ever. Not only things on earth decay, but the very Hea
vens wax old as a garment, (fays the Pfalralft) but thou, 0
Lord, art flill the fame, and thy years have no end.
1. It is a thing of very great importance for us to hay?

THE lord's prayer. 301
our hearts eftabhffied in the behef of thefe things, and to
be frequent In remembering and confidering them ; to
know that the kingdom Is the Lord's, that he foverelgnly
rules the world, and all things In It, and particularly the
great affairs of his church ; that he Is the raighty God,
and therefore that there is no power, or wifdora, nor coun
fel of men, able to prevail againft hira ; and that In thofe
things wherein his glory feeras to fuffer for the prefent. It
ffiall gain and be advanced in the clofure.
2. Let us always, and in all things, return this to him as
his peculiar due ; " Thine is the glory, it belongs to thee,
and to none other," Deo quce Deifunt.
3 Let us think raoft reverently of God : Oh that we
could attain to efteeraing thoughts of him, to think more
of his greatnefs and excellency beyond all the world ! It is
our great folly to admire any thing but God, this Is be
caufe we are ignorant of him ; certainly he knows not
God, that thinks any thing great befide him.
Amen.} In this word concenter all the requefts, and are
put up together ; fo he it. And there is In it withal (as all
obferve) a profeffion of confidence that it ffiall be fo. It
is frora one root with thefe words that fignify believing and
truth, the truth of God's promifes perfuades belief, and it
perfuades to hope for a gracious anfwer of prayer. And
this is the exceUent advantage of the, prayer of faith, that
it quiets and eftabllffies the heart In God. Whatfoever
be Its eftate and defire, when once he hath put his petition
into God's hand, he refts content in holy fecurity and af
furance concerning the anfwer, refers it to the wifdom and
love of God, how and when he will anfwer ; not doubt
ing that whatfoever it be, and whenfoever, it ffiall both be
gracious and feafonable. But the reafon why fo few of
us find that fweetnefs and comfort that Is In prayer, is, be
caufe the true nature arid ufe of it "is fo little known.

AN
EXPOSITION OF THE
TEJf COMMAMJDMEMTS.

Exod. xx. 1.
And God fpake all thefe words, faying.
IT Is the charader of the bleffed raan, and the way of
bleffednefs, to delight in the law of God, Pfal. i. And
becaufe the eye Is often upon that whereon the affedion
and delight of the heart Is let ; the fign of that delight in
the law. Is to have the eye of the raind much upon it, to
meditate on it day and night. And that we may know this
is not, as the ftudy of raany things are, erapty fpeculation
and fruitlefs barren delight, we are further taught the foul
(as fixed in this delight and meditation) is a tree well plant
ed, and anfwerably fruitful. The mind that Is fet upon
this law, is fitly fet for bearing fruit. Planted by the rivers
€f water ; and is really fruitful, Bringeth forth its fruit in
his feafon.
If this holds true of the law In the largeft fenfe 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 farae fumraary of the rule
of man's life, delivered by the Lord himfelf, after fo fingu
lar a manner, both by word and writ.
So then the expHcation of it being needful for the Ig
norant, It will be likewife profitably delightful for thofe
that be moft knowing and beft acquainted with It ; It Is a
rich mine, that we can never dig to the bottom of. He Is
called the bleffed man, that is ftill digging and feeking fur
ther into the riches of it, Meditating on it day and night.

AN EXPOSITION OF, &C. SOS

His work going forward In the night, when others ceafe
frora working.
We have in the creed, the objed of faith ; in the law,
the exercife and trial of love : For love is the fulfilling of
the lazu ; and. If ye love me, keep my commandments, faith
our Saviour. And prayer Is the breathing of hope, or, as
they call it, Interpretatio f pel. Thus in thefe three furaraa-
rles are the raatter of thefe three prirae theological virtues,
faith, hope and charity.
The law rightly underftood addreffes us to the articles
of our faith : For feeing the difproportion of our beft obe
dience to the exadnefs of the law, this drives us lo feek
falvatlon In the gofpel by believing ; and our natural Ina-
bilily to believe, drives us to prayer, that we raay obtain
faith and perfeverance In it, at his hands who is both the
firft author and finiffier of our failh.
The preparation enjoined the people, teacheth the holi
nefs of this law ; the fire, and thunder, and lightening, and
upon thefe, the fear of the people, teftify the greatnefs and
Majefty of the law-giver, and withal his power to puniffi
the tranfgreffors of It, and juftice that will punifli ; that
as he ffiewed his prefence by fire feen in delivering this
law, fo he is (as the Apoftle teacheth us, alluding to this)
a confuming fire to them that negled and difobey it. The
liraits fet about the mount, that they might not approach
It, even after all their endeavour of fandifying and pre
paring, read humility to us, teaching us our great diftance
from the holinefs of our God, even when we are moft ho
ly and exadeft in our preparations. Next,
Sobriety, ip««v hr to a-w(pmy, not to pry into hidden things *,
to hear what is revealed to us, and coraraanded us, and to
exercife ourfelves In that. Hidden things belong unto God,
he. And laftly, Thatthe law of Itfelf is the miniftration
of death, and hath nothing but terror In it, till the Meffiah
-the Mediator appear, and the foul by his perfed obedience
be accounted obedient to the law ; but we muft not infift
on this now.
God fpake.} The preface is twofold. 1. That of Mofes.
2. Of God himfelf.
Thefe words.} Ten words, Exod. xxxiv. 28. and Deut.
* Scrutator Majeflatis opprimetur a gloria.

S04 AN EXPOSITION OF
V. 22. He added no more. Hence we may learn, (1.)
The perfedlon of this law, that no more was needful to
be added. (2.) The exceUency cf it, being fo ffiort and
yet fo perfed. For as it Is the excellency of all fpeech, as
of coin (as Plutarch hath It) to contain much In little, moft
value in fmalleft quantity ; fo efpecially of laws that they
be brief and full.
That we may the better conceive of the perfedion of
this law, we muft not forget thefe rules that divines, give
for the underftanding of it in its due latitude. (1.) That
the prohibitions of fin contain the coraraands of the con
trary good, otherwife the number of precepts would have
been too great. And on the contrary, (2.) Under the
name of any one fin, all homogeneous, or fins of that kind
are forbidden, (3,) All the inducements and occafions
of fin, things that corae near a breach, to be avoided ; that
which the Rabbins call the hedge of the law, not to be bro
ken. They that do always that they lawfully raay, forae
tiraes do raore. (4.) It Is fpiritual, hath that prerogative
above all huraan laws, reaches the heart, and all the rao
tions of it as well as words and adions. This fuprerae
law-giver alone can fee the behaviour of the heart, and
alone Is able to puniffi all that offend, fo much as in thought.
It were a vain thing for men to give laws to any, more
than that they can require account of and corred, which
is only the fuperfice and outfide of human adions. But
he that raade the heart, doth not only give his law to it,
but to it principally, and examines aU adions there in their
fource and beginning, and therefore oftentimes that which
men applaud and reward, and do well in fo doing, he juft
ly hates and punlffies,
God fpake.} All that was fpoken by his meffengers the
Prophets with warrant from him, was his word, they but
the trumpets which the breath of his mouth, his Spirit,
made to found as it pleafed him ; but this his moral law
he privileged with his own Imraediate delivery. Men raay
give forae few rules for fociety, and civil life, by fhe dark
light that remains in natural confciences ; but fuch a rule
as may dired a man to anfwer his natural end, and lead
him to God, muft come from himfelf. All the pureft and
wifeft laws that raen have compiled cannot reach that, they

TfiE COMMANDMENTS. 305
can go no higher In their courfe, than they are In their
fpring, That which is from the earth Is earthly, faith our
Saviour. He added to this fpeaking, the writing of them likewife
himfelf In tables of ftone, that they might abide, and be
conveyed to after ages. At firft they were written in the
heart of man by God's own hand ; but as the firft tables
of ftone fell and were broken, fo was it with man's heart,
by his fall his heart was broken, and fcattered amongft
the earthly periffiing things, that was before whole and
entire lo his maker ; and fo the charaders of that law
written in it, were fo ffiivered and fcattered, that they could
not be perfedly and diftindly read in It ; therefore it
pleafed God to renew that law after this manner, by a
moft folemn delivery with audible voice, and then by
writing it on tables of ftone. And this is not all, but this
farae law he doth write anew In the hearts of his children.
Why It pleafed him to defer this folemn promulgation
of the law to this time, and at this time to give it to a feled
people only, thefe are arcana imperil indeed, which we are
not to fearch into, but to raagnify his goodnefs to us, that
he hath ffiewed us the path of life, revealing to us both
the precepts of this law, and the grace and proralfes of the
gofpel. It was the all- wife God that fpake all thefe words, there
fore he knew well his own aira and purpofe in thera, and
doth certainly attain it.
It was not Indeed that this law might be the adequate
and complete means of raan's happinefs, that by perfed
obedience to it he might be faved ; for the law is weak
for this, not In itfelf, but thro' the fleffi, Rom. vin. 3.
altogether impoffible for it alone to fave us, becaufe im
poffible for us to fulfil It.
But It dolh profit us much if we look aright upon It.
1. It difcovers us to ourfelves, and fo humbles us, frees
us frora the pride that is fo natural to us In the raidft of
our great poverty and wretchednefs : for when we fee how
pure the law Is, and we compared with it to be all filthlnefs
and defilement, Our.befl rlghteoufnefs, (as Ifaiah fays) as
filthy rags ; this caufeth us to abhor ourfelves* : whereas
naturally we are abufed with felf-love, and felf-flattery

S06 AN EXPOSITION OF
arifing frora It. The point of the law (as they* in the, A£ts
were faid to be pricked in their hearts) pricks the heart,
that is fwelled and puffed up with pride, and raakes it fall
low in fenfe of vilenefs.
2. As this difcovery humbles us In ourfelves, it drives
us out of ourfelves. This glafs ffiewing us our pollution,
fends us to the fountain opened ; when we perceive that
by the fentence of the law, there is nothing for us but
death, this makes us hearken diligently to the news of
redemption and pardon proclaimed In the gofpel, and
haftens us to the Mediator of the new covenant. As the
fpoufe was then fingularly rejoiced to find her beloved,
when ffie had been beaten and hardly ufed by reproach
ing ; the foul Is then gladeft t.o meet with Chrift, when it
is hardeft buffetted with the terrors and threatening of the
law. His proraife of eafe and refreffiraent founds fweet after
the thunderings and lightnings of Mount Sinai. A raaii
will never go lo Chrift fo long as he is not convinced of
mifery without hira, of Impotency in hirafelf, and in all
others to help hira.
3. It reftrains the wickednefs even of ungodly raen ;
the brightnefs of it raakes them foraetiraes affiaraed of
thofe works of darknefs, which otherwife they would com
mit without check ; and the terrors of it affright them
foraetiraes from thai, which they would otherwife comrait
without ffiame.
4, But chiefly it ferves for a rule, and fquare of life to
the godly, A light to their feet, (as David fays) and a
lantern to their paths. - Either they have no rule of life,
(which is impious and unreafonable to think) or this is it.
Chrift came not to diffolve it, but to accorapHfli and
eftabflffi it ; and he did carefully free it from the injurious
gloffes of the Pharifees, and taught the right fenfe and
force of it, Matth. v. He obeyed it both in doing and
fuffering, both performing what it requires, and In our
ftead undergoing what it pronounces againft thofe that
perform It not. It is a promife primely Intended for the
days of the gofpel, as the Apoftle apphes, / will write my
law In their hearts. It is a weak conceit arifing upon the
miftake of the fcrlptures, to make Chrift arid Mofes as

THE COMMANDMENTS. 307
oppofites ; ho, Mofes was the fervant In the houfe, and
Chrift the Son ; and being a faithful fervant, he Is not
contrary to the Son, but fubordlnate to him. The very
aboHffiraent of the cereraonial law was not as of a thing
contrary, but as a thing accorapliffied in Chrift, and fo was
an honourable aboliffiment. And the removing of the
curfe and rigour of the raoral law frora us, was without
wrong to it, being fatisfied in a better for us, our furety
Jefus Chrift.
They are happy that look fb on the law of God, as to
be raade fenfible of ralfery by It, and by that raade earneft
in their defires of Chrift, and that judge themfelves ; the
more evidence they have of freedom from the curfe of the
law, to be not the lefs, but fo much the more obliged to
obey the law ; that are ftill raaking progrefs and going on
in that way of obedience, though it be with continual
halting, and often fturabling, and foraetiraes falling ; yet
they fhall certainly attain their journey's end, that perfedion
whereof they are fo defirous.
This were the way to lowlinefs, riot to corapare ourfelves
with others, in which too raany are often partial judges,
but with this holy law. We ufe not to try the evennefs
of things with our crooked ftick, but by the ftraighteft
rule that we can find. Thus St. Paul, The law is
fpiritual, I am carnal: He looks not how rauch he was
more fpiritual than other men, but how rauch lefs fpiritual
than the law.
/ am the Lord.} This is the trueft and moft conftant
obedience, which flows jointly frora reverence and love.
Thefe two are the very wheels upon which obedience
moves. And thefe firft words of the law are raoft fit and
powerful to work thefe two ; Jehovah, fovereign Lord to
be feared and reverenced ; Thy God ; and then, that
hath wrought fuch a deKveranee for thee : therefore In
both thefe refpeds raoft worthy of the higheft love.
This preface cannot ftand for a coraraandraent, as forae
would have It : for exprefly it coraraands nothing, though
by inference it enforceth all the comraandraents, and is
indeed fo intended. Though it may be conceived to have
a particular tie with the firft comraandraent'which follows
it immediately, yet certainly it is withal a raoft fit prefac e
Qq2

308 AN EXPOSITION OF
to thera all, and hath a perfuafive Influence Into them all ;
commanding attention and obedience, not in the low way
of human rhetoric, hut flllo imperatorio, in a kingly phrafe,
becoming the majefty of the King of kings, I am Jehovah.
Here we have three raotives to obedience, 1, His
univerfal foverelgnty, Jehovah, 2, His particular relation
to his own people. Thy God. 3, The late fingular mercy
beftowed on th.^m. That brought thee out of the land of
Egypt, Each of thera fufficient, and therefore all to
gether raoft ftrongly concluding for obedience to his
commandments, 1, Jehovah. Not to infift on the ample confideration of
this name of God, of which Divines, both Jewiffi and
Chriftian have faid fo rauch, forae raore cabbaliftically and
curloufly, others raore foberly and folldly. This they
agree in, that it is the incoraraunicable name of the divine
majefty, and fignifies the primitivenefs of his being, and his
eternity ; that his being is not derived, but Is In and from
himfelf; and that all other being Is from him : That he Is
from everlafting to everlafting in hirafelf, without any
difference of time ; but as eternity is expreffed to our
conceiving. He who is, and who was, and who is to come.
Alpha and Omega.
Now it is moft reafonable, that feeing all things, man
kind, and all the creatures that ferve for his good, receive
their being from hira, we likewife receive laws frora him.
2. His majefty Is alone abfolute and independent ; and
all the powers ofthe world, the greateft princes and kings,
hold their crowns of him, are his vaffals, and owe obedience
to his laws, as much as their meaneft fubjeds, that I fay
not more, in regard of the particular obhgation that their
honour and eminency given them by him, doth lay upon
them. 3. Jehovah. What are the nuraerous ftfles wherein
princes delight and glory fo much, but a vain noife of no»
thing in comparifon of his narae, / am ? and In all their
grandeur, they are low petty majeftles, when mention is
made of this Jehovah, Who flretched forth the heavens, and
laid the foundations of the earth, and formed the fpirit of
man within him, Zach. xn. 1. What gives a man, when
he gives all the obedience he can, and gives himfelf in

THE COMMANDMENTS. 309
obedience to God ? what gives he him, but what he hath
firft received from hira, and therefore owes it all as foon as
he begins to be ?
This authority of the law-giver Is the very Hfe of the
law ; it Is that we fo readily forget, and that is the caufe
of all difobedience, and therefore the Lord inculcates it
often, Levit. xix. 36, 37, / am the Lord, ver. 31. and
again repeated, ver. 37.
This is the Apoftle St. Jaraes's argument, by which he
ftrongly proves his conclufion. That he that tranfgreffeth
in one, is guilty of all. He urges not the concatenation of
virtues in themfelves, though there is truth and force in
that, he that hath one hath all ; and fo, he that wants any
one hath none : but the famenefs of the authority Is his
medium, For he that faid. Thou ffalt not commit adultery,
faid alfo. Thou fhalt not kill. Jam. ii. The authority Is the
farae, and equal in all. The golden thread on which thefe
pearls are ftringed, If It be broken in any one part, it
fcatters them all. This name of God fignifylng his
authority, keeps the whole frarae of the law together, and
if that be ftirred, it falls all afunder.
Thy God.} Neceffity is a ftrong but a hard argument,
if it go alone. The foverelgnty of God ties all, either to
obey his law, or undergo the puniffiment. But love is
both ftrong and fweet, where there founds love in the
command, and the relation of the commander, there it Is
received and ' chearfully obeyed by love. Thus then,
" Thy God, in covenant with thee," cannot but move
thee. We fee then the gofpel interwoven with the law, thy
God often repeated, which Is by the new covenant, and
that by a Mediator. God expeds obedience from his pe
culiar people, it is their glory and happinefs that they are
his. It adds nothing to hira, but much every way to them ;
he is pleafed to take it as glory done to him, to take him
to be our God, and doth really exalt and honour thofe
that do fo, with the title and privileges of his people, Deut.
H. 17, 18. If his own children break his law, he cannot
but take that worfe.
Who brought thee out ofthe land of Egypt.} By the re-

310 AN EXPOSITION OF
membrance of their late great dehverance, he mollifies
their hearts to receive the impreffion of this law. .
Herein was the peculiar obligement of this people ; but
ours, typified by this. Is not lefs, but unfpeakably greater,
from the cruel fervitude of fin, and the prince of darknefs ;
from thefe we are dehvered not to licentioufnefs, and II-
bertlnifm, but to true liberty. If the Son make you free,
you ffall he free Indeed. Delivered, Luke i. from the power
of our enemies. To what end ? To ferve him without fear,
that terror which we would be fubjed to, if we were not
delivered ; and to ferve him all the days of our lives : And
that all, if raany hundred tiraes longer than it is, yet too
little for hira. It Is not fuch a fervitude as that of Egypt,
from which we are dehvered, that ended to each one with
his life ; but the ralfery frora which we are redeeraed,
begins but In the fulnefs of it when life ends, and endures
for ever.
The gofpel fets not raen free to profanenefs ; no, it Is
a dodrine of holinefs, JVe are not called to uncleannefs, but
to holinefs, (faith the Apoftle ;) he halh indeed taken off
the hardnefs, the iron yoke, and now his comraandraents
are not grievous. His yoke is eafy, and his burden light ;
and they that are raoft fenfible, and have raoft affurance
of their deliverance, are ever the raoft adive and fruitful
in obedience ; they feel therafelves light and nimble, hav
ing the heavy chains and fetters taken off, Pfal. cxvi. 16.
Lord, I am thy fervant, thou hafl loofed my bonds : And
the comfortable perfuafion of their rederaption, is that
cd of gladnefs that fupplles and difpofes them to run the
way of God's coraraandraents.
PRECEPT I.
Thou ffalt have no other Gods but me.
The firft thing in religion Is to ftate the objed of It
right,, and to acknowledge and receive it for fuch. This,
I cofifefs, is the intent of this firft precept of the law,
which is therefore the bafis and foundation that bears the
weight of all the reft ; and therefore (as we faid before)
though the preface looks to them all, yet it looks firft to

THE COMMANDMENTS. 311
this that Is neareft It, and is knit with it, and through it to
all the reft. The preface aflerted his authority as the
ftrength of his law, and this firft precept comraands the
acknowledgraent and erabracing of that his authority, and
his alone as God. And this is the fpring of our obedience
to all his coraraandraents.
But before a particular explication of this, a word,
1. Of the divifion of this law. 2. The ftile of it.
I. Divifion. That they were divided, 1 . Into two tables.
2. Into ten words or coramandments, none can queftion.
We have the lawgiver's own teftlmony clear for that ; but
about the particular way of dividing them into ten, and
the matching of thefe two divifions together, there hath
been and ftill is fome diflerence ; but this I will not, Infift
on. Though Jofephus and Philo the Jew would (to raake
the number equal) have five precepts in each table ; yet
the matter of thera Is raore to be regarded, and perfuades
the contrary, that thofe that concern piety, our duty to
God, be in the firft table ; and thofe together in the fe
cond that concern equity, or our duty to raan ; and the
furamary that our Saviour gives of the two tables Is evi
dently for this. And that, thofe precepts of piety, thofe
of the firft table are four, and they of the fecond fix^
And fo that firft and fecond, as we have them, are differ
ent and make two, and the tenth but one, hath the voice'
both of antiquity and reafon, as many Divines on the De
calogue do ufually evince at large ; which therefore were
as eafy, as it Is needlefs to do over again.
The mud of the Romiffi church to the contrary, is
plainly Impudent prefuraptlon and partialky, chufing rather
to blot out the law, than reforra their manlfeft breach
ofit. 2. That I would fay of the ftile of the commandments.
Is but In this one particular, briefly : We fee the greateft
part of them are prohibitive, or (as we ufually call them,
though fomewhat Iraproperly) negative. Thou ffalt not,
he. This, as Is obferved by Calvin and others, intimates
our natural bent and Inclinement to fin, that It fuffices not
to ffiew us what ought to be done, but We are to be held
and bridled by countermands from the pradices of ungod
hnefs and unrighteoufnefs.

'312 AN 'EXPOSITION OF
Thou fhalt not haw, he.} This order here, and fo in
the reft, 1. The fcope. 2. The fenfe of the words. 3.
What it forbids. 4. What it commands : And thefe fel
low each upon other ; for out of the fcope the fenfe is beft
gathered, and from that the breach and obfervation.
As the fecond coraraandraent concerns the folemn form
of divine worffiip, that it be not fuch as we devlfe, but as
himfelf appoints. The third, the quahficatlon or manner
of It, not vainly and profanely, but with holy reverence.
The fourth, the folemn time fet apart for It, the fabbath.
So, this firft precept aims at fomewhat which Is previous
to all thefe.
Many diftinguifli this and the fecond, per Cultum inters
num et externum, by the Internal and external worfflp :
And a grave modern Divine, efpying fome defed In that,
doth it, per Cultum naturalem et Inflltutum, hy natural and
inflltute. But. I confefs, both omit, at leaft they exprefs
not, (it may be they take it as implied) that which is main
ly Intended, the objed of worfliip ; that that Jehovah that
gave, and himfelf fpake this law, be received and acknow
ledged for the only true God, and fo the only objed of
divine worffiip. And this is that which he calls, Cultus
naturalis., natural worfflp, that primitive worffiip, the reli
gious habitude of man to God, giving himfelf entire, out
ward and inward, to his fervice and obedience ; for this Is
no other but to own him, and him only for that Deity, to
whom all love and worfhip and praife is due.
It is fure not fo convenient to reftrain this precept to
inward worffiip only, for each precept binds the whole
man to obedience ; and therefore I would not give the
firft motions of concupifcence In geneifal, for the fenfe of
the tenth coraraandment, as we ffiall ffiow when we come
td fpeak of that. Certainly even outward worffiip given
to a falfe god, breaks this firft commandment.
The fcope 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 anfwerably adored ; that we neither change
him for any other, nor join any other with him, nor be
negledive and flack in honouring and obeying him : So
that as we are particularly by each feveral precept inftrud*

THE COMMANDMENTS. 313
ed in, and obliged to the particular duties of it, by this we
are generaMy tied to give obedience to them all. It is no
way inconvenient, but moft fit in this general notion, that
this firft commandraent import the obfervance of Itfelf,
and of all the reft.
II. Tbe fenfe of the words, Nsn habebis. Heb. Non
erunt tibi, he.
1 . Erit tibi Deus., Thou ffalt have a God. Know and
believe that there is a Deity. 2. Seek to know which is
the true God.^ that thou mayeft acknowledge hira. 3.
" Know me as I have revealed myfelf In my word ; know
and believe that I Jehovah, the author and deliverer of
this law, that I am God, and there Is none elfe, Ifa. xliv.
8." 4, " Offer not therefore either to forfake me, or to
join any other with rae ; alienate no part of ray due from
me, for my glory I will not give unto another."
5. " Take rae for thy God ; and give fervice, and honour,
and thyfelf unto me."
Before my face.} " Set them not up in my fight, for I
cannot fuffer them, nor their worffilppers ; if they come
In ray fight they will provoke rae to anger," The word
here for face, foraetiraes fignifies anger in fcripture ; and
it feeras to allude to his clear raanifeftation of himfelf to
his people In the delivery of the law, and further to clear
the dodrine of pure and true religion ffiining In the law,
which is, as it were, the light of the face of God : In
which regard, the nations that knew him not, may be laid
not to have their gods before his face ; for though he fee
them, they faw not hira. Again, before my face, " If thine
idolatry be never fo fecret, though it were but in heart,
remember that It will be in my fight ; thou canft not fteal
away any of my glory to beftow any where elfe, fo cun
ningly and fecretly, but I ffiall efpy thee. If thou canft
have any other gods that I cannot know of, and fee not,
thou mayeft ; but if thou canft have none but I ffiall fee
them, then beware, for if I fee It, I wfll puniffi it."
III. Breaches or fins againft this commandment.
We cannot particularly name all, but fome main ones.
1. That inbred enmity, that habitual rebellion that is in
our natures againft God ; o-y,/.9wr l%9, that Connatural ene
my that takes life with us as as iboh as ourfelves in the
R r

314 AN EXPOSITION OF
worab. To <i:nfA.x r^r o-afxor, ihe minding of the fleff ; Rom.
vin. 6. and the evidence of that, it-ymTdaa-frai, It cannot be
ordered, is ever breaking rank. Sorae even of thofe that
beftow mourning upon fin, yet do not often enough con
fider the bitter fountain, and bewafl it. The wifeft way to
know .things. Is following thera horae to their caufes.
Thus David, Pfal, li, 5, Behold, I was ffapen in wicked
nefs, and in fin hath my mother conceived me,
2. Atheifm. Though there is in the confciences of all
men an indelible convidion of a Deity, fo that there have
been, few of thofe monfters found profeffed athelfts ; yet
there is in us all naturaUy this of atheifra, that by nature
we would willingly be rid of that light, and quench that
fparkle if we could : And all ungodly men do live contrary
to it, and fight againft it,
3, The grofs idolatry of the heathens ; their ¦n<,hv%n%T,
raaking gods of beafts, almoft of every thing, and beafts
of themfelves, Nullus enim terminus In f alfo. The writers
of the priraitive church have raightily and learnedly con
futed thera : But we will not ftir this dunghill* The
fcripture calls Idols fo ; HilluHm.
4, Witchcraft, necromancy and raaglcal arts, that raake
a god of the devfl.
5, Rome's invocation of faints and angels ; though they
take never fo much pains to clear It, they do but waffi the
blot more. Thus In the farae matter, Jer, ii. 22, Though
thou take thee nitre and much foap, yet thine Iniquity is mark
ed before me, faith the Lord. All their apologies take it
not away, let thera refine it never fo much with pamphlets
and diftlndl.ons ; all they attain by fpinning it fo fine, is
but to make it a part of the myftery of iniquity,
6. Erroneous opinions concerning God, and generally
herefies in rehgion.
7. Pradical or interpretative athelfm, or Idolatry, whe
ther; of the two you will call it ; for it is both -in the fives
of the moft : And the world is full of this, being fuch as
delares they have no God, or that this God is but fome
bafe idol in his ftead ; particularly amongft ourfelves, 1.
Grofs ignorance of God, and no endeavour to attain the
knowledge of hira, though in the raidft of the light and
means of knowing. 2. Univerfal profanen!efs flowing from

THE COMMANDMENTS. 315
this Ignorance, Hof. iv. 1, 2, 3. The hearts of men that
ffiould be the teraples of God, are full of idols ; though we
hide them in the clofeft corners, they are before his face,
he fees them, vid. Ezek vin, Luft, and pride, and covet
oufnefs. Confider, that which you beftow moft thoughts
and fervice on, that which you are raoft affedionate and
earneft in. Is not that your God ? And Is there not forae
thing befide the true God that is thus deep in the hearts
of the moft of us ? Take pains to make the comparifon,
look upon the temper of your minds ; (to fay nothing of
much more time fpent upon other things than on hira :)
How ardent you are in other affairs that you think concern
you near, and how cold in ferving and honouring him ?
But though In particular under-gods. In what ferves their
honour, they differ, all raen naturally agree in the great
idol, himfelf. Every man is by corrupt nature his own
god. Was not this the firft wickednefs that corrupted
our nature ? Te ffall be as gods ; " and It ftlcks to it ftill.
Men would pleafe themfelves, and have therafelves forae-
body, efteemed and honoured ; and would have all ferve
to this end. Is not this God's right and due they give
themfelves, to be the end of all their own adions, and fa
crifice all to their own glory ?
IV, What it commands.
Now by thefe we may eafily gather the contrary, what
is the obedience of this coraraandraent.
Though the graces are duties properly belonging to this
coraraandraent, forae divines think fit to expatiate into the
feveral coraraon places of them, in explaining this com
mandraent : Yet, with all refped to them, I think it not fo
fit to dwell upon each of thefe herein ; their full handling
rather belonging to that place of divinity that treats of the
head of fandification, and thofe infufed habits of which it
confifts. So to know the true God, this Jehovah, as to be per
fuaded foverelgnly to love, and fear, and truft in him, to
ferve and adore him.
He is to be feared, for he is great : Who would not fear
thee, thou King of nations 1 To be loved, for he is good ;
and becaufe both great and good, only fit to be wholly re
lied on and hoped in.
Rr 2

SIS AN EXPOSITION OF
But love is aH„ It gives up the heartjandby that all the
reft to the party loved; 'it Is no more its own. Oh 'that
we could love hira ! Did we fee him, we would. It is las
uncreated beauty that holds glorified fpirits* ftill beholding
and ftfll delighted ; but we, becaufe we know him not, if
we have any thouglits of him, how ffiort are they ? pre-
featly down again, fall to the earth, and Into the mire e're
we are aware. Therefore,
Set yourfelves to know, and love, and worffiip this God ;
labour that there may be lefs of the world, and lefs of
yourfelves, and more of God in your hearts ; more fettled
and fixed thoughts of him, and dehght in him. Think
not that this is only for the learned, or only for fome; re
tired contemplative fpirits that have nothing elfe to do ;
he is the moft High, and fervice and honour Is due to him
from all his creatures ; and from his reafonable creatures,
reafonable fervice : And what this is, hear from the Apof
tle, and let his exhortation, or his intreaty, perfuade you
to It, I befeech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
tbat you prefent your bodies a living facrifice, (and they are
not living without the foul) holy, acceptable unto Gad, which
is your reafonable fervice, Rom. xii. 1. and your trueft o-
bedience to this coraraandraent.
PRECEPT II.
Thou ffall not make unto thee any graven image.
The fixft commandEiaent binds us to acknowledge and
worffiip the true God; this, to tbe true worffiip of that
God, As God Is not known but by his own teaching and re
vealing himfelf, fo he cannot be rightly worffiipped but by
his owii prefcription and appointment.
This is the aim of this fecond commandment, to bind
up man's hands, and his working fancy that fets his hands
at work, and to teach him to depend upon divine diredlon
for the rule of divine worffiip, and to -offer him nothing
in his fervice, but what he hath received from hin-t in
command. The prohibition is general ; Non fades tibi,
thou ffialt not devlfe any thing to thyfelf In the worffiip

THE COMMANDMENTS, SI7
-of God : And under that grofs device of Images, and' wor
ffiipping thera, exprefly named, are comprehended all
other inventions and will-worffilp.
There is in the words, 1. The precept. 2, The en
forcement of it. i
I Precept. 1. Thou fhalt not make. Thou ffialt not ima
gine, nor invent, nor imitate the invention of othere, Thoa
ffialt not make, nor caufe to make : In a word, thou ffialt
he no way acceffory to the corrupting of divine worffiip,
with any refemblance, or iraage, or huraan device at all.
The former a particular word, fignifying the then moft
ufual kind of imagery ; but the other of a moft large and
general fenfe, for all kind of fimilitude and reprefentatlon.
So that the difpute the church of Rome drives us into for
her intereft in this matter, about e'S«^o« and "x^v, 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 coraraandraent ; the forraer whereof is
more particular than either of thefe two, and the latter
more general and comprehenfive than either they or any
one word we have to render It by.
Ofthe things which are in heaven, he,} Becaufe the
vain mind of man had wandered up and down the worfd,
and gone through all thefe places to find objeds of idola
try : In heaven, the fun, and moon, and ftars ; on the
earth not only men, but beafts and creeping things; and
fiffies in the waters, and made images of them to worffiip ;
the Lord is therefore particular In his countermand.
2. The fecond part of the precept Is concerning their
worffiip. Thou fhalt not bow down to them, nor ferve. them.
The forraer word is more particular, fpeclfying one ufu
al fign of worffiip, the inclining or bowing of the body.
The other general: Thou ffalt not ferve them, I, e. give
thera no kind nor part of rehgious worfhip at aU, on what-
foeter prelence.
' Here again the poplfli writers make a noife with that
diftindlon, under which they think. to ffiift the cenfure of
idolatry: Call it. what they wiU, AaTfEu™, or J»^£"^"', fure It
comes under the word In the original, which fignifies rell-
^ous fesvice or wbrffiip. Neither can they ever find in all

318 AN EXPOSITION OF ¦
the fcrlptures, that any thing of that kind ffiould be beftow
ed lower than upon the Majefty of God hirafelfi
This Is then the tenor of the commandment. 1. That
no image or reprefentation of God be made at all, as is
expreffed In many other fcrlptures, as giving the fenfe of
this precept. 2. Nor that any referablance of any crea
ture be raade for a religious ufe. 3. That neither to any
creature, nor to any referablance or image be given any
part of divine worffiip, although it were with a pretence,
yea, and Intention of worffiipping the true God in and by
thera ; which if it were a fufficient excufe, as the church
of Rome dreams it is, certainly the Ifraelites golden calf,
and many other the groffeft idols have been In the world,
might come and find room to ffielter under it.
For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.} This follows
the other part, the binding on, or enforcing of the precept
by threatening and promife annexed. Particularly, there
be thefe five things, by which God defcrlbes himfelf here^
to perfuade obedience to this coraraand, 1- His relation
to his people. Thy God. 2. His power both to puniffi
and reward. El. The firong God. 3. The exad regard
he hath to his own glory and zeal, or jealoufy for it. A
jealous God. 4. The certainty and feverlty of his juftice,
puniffiing the tranfgreffors of this his law, on themfelves
and their pofterity, Vifiting, he. 5. The plenty and riches
of his goodnefs to the obedient. Shewing mercy, he.
This commandment, and the fourth, are longer than
the reft, and more backed with arguraent, becaufe the
light of nature difcerns lefs in thefe than In the reft. The
outward manner of the worffiip of God, and God's exad
nefs In that, to be ferved not as we wfll, but as he himfelf
fees fit, and concerning the lime of It.
Of the firft argument from God's relation to his people
before in the preface, here It Is repeated, becaufe it fuits.
with the word that follows, jealous. 1. Thy God ; Thy
hufband by particular covenant, and therefore jealous of
thy love and fidelity to me in ray worffiip. 2. El. able to
right myfelf upon the mightieft and proudeft offender.
Do we provoke the Lord to jealoufy, (fays the Apoftle) are
•weflronger than he ? 1 Cor. x. There joining -thefe two
together (as here they are) his ftrength and his jealoufy.

THE COMMANDMENTS. Sl9
5. Jealous, He is the Lord and hufband of his people, and
idolatry is therefore fpiritual adultery ; as they are often
reproached with it under that name by the Prophets, Jer.
iii, 1. &c. So that by that fin particularly his anger is
ftirred up againft them. The very contrad of this
marriage with his people we have, Exod. xix. 5. 4. Vlfltlng,
As judges and magiftrates ufe to vifit thofe places that are
under their jurifdidlon, to make enquiry after abufes
committed in tirae of their abfence, and to punifli them,
1 Sam. vn. 16. Thus he that Is always every where
alike prefent, yet becaufe he dolh not fpeedily puniffi every
fin at the firft, therefore when he doth execute judgment
in his appointed time, then Is he faid to vifit, and fearch,
and find out that iniquity, which in his time of for
bearance, he feemed to the ungodly either not to fee, or
not to regard.
Of the Fathers.} It Is true, the prophet correding the
perverfe fpeech of the people of his time, affirms, That'the
fon ffall not hear the iniquity of the father, he. Ezek. xvui.
to wit, he repenting and returning, and being no way
culpable of the Hke iniquity, which the people then falfly
prefumed of therafelves : But neither is it here faid, that
the godly children ffiall fuffer for the fin of their ungodly
parents or anceftors ; but becaufe this fin of idolatry or
falfe worffiip in any kind, dolh as commonly and readily
defcend to pofterity, as any other, and there is fcarce any
plea for falfe religion that takes more, // was the religion
of our fore-fathers ', this kind of threatening may poffibly
for that caufe be here particularly fuitable.
But fure that is not all that is here Intended, that, if the
children do continue In the fin of the parents, they ffiall be
puniffied ; but that for fo high a tranfgrefllon as this, he
may juftly, and often doth in judgment give the children
over to the fins of their parents ; his gtace being free, and
fp not being bound to his creature to furniffi grace, but
where he wifl, they go on In the fin of their fathers, and
bring upon themfelves further punjfhment, not only tera
poral, but fpiritual and eternal. It Is not neceffary for its
- verifying that it be always fo ; for God, we know, hath
converted many chfldren of ungodly, yea, particularly of
idolatrous parents, and ffiewed them mercy : But^ in that

S2 0 AN EXPOSITION OF
he juftly may do thus, it Is a juft threatening ; and In that
he often doth thus, it is a true threatning, although in
mercy he deal 'otherwife where it pleafeth him.
That hate me.} What ! this Is fo harffi a word, that no
body will own it. Not the moft diffolute and wicked, not
the groffeft idolaters. Yet generally the love of fin wit
neffes againft men poffeffed with it, that they are, ^torvXih,
haters of God ; and particularly the love of Idols and falfe
worffiip, alienates the foul from God, and turns it to en
mity againft him. Men feem poffibly to themfelves In
falfe worffiip humble and devout. Col. H. 1 8. but it is to
hate and diffionour the divine Majefty, to bring to him
and force upon him,- as it were. In his own prefence, in his
immediate fervice, that which Is moft hateful to him.
Shewing mercy to thoufands.} " Bleffing them and their
pofterity, being their God, and the God of their feed."
That love and keep, he.} " That therefore obey me,
becaufe they love me, and teftify they love me by obeying
me," This is a general truth In regard of all the com
mandments, though raore particularly to be applied to
this, to which it is annexed. It forbids,
1, Making any Image or refemblance of God at all,
Deut. Iv. 15. Te faw no manner of fimilitude, he. To whom
will ye liken me ? Ifa. xl. &c,
2. The giving any kind of religious honour and worffiip
to any creature or created referablance. Job xxxi. 27. Pfal.
cxv. The reafon why raen are fo propenfe to both thefe,
is, becaufe they are fo much addided to fenfe, and their
minds are fo blinded, that they cannot conceive of the fpi
ritual nature of God. Therefore being driven by con
fcience to fome kind of worfliip and religion, they incline
to have fome vlfible objed of it ; the foul having loft its
fight, leans upon the body, would make it up, and fupply
it by the eye of fenfe.
3. All fuperftitlon and wiU-worflilp, all felf-pleafing
ceremonlesand Inventions in the fervice of God, how porap
ous and plaufible and devout foever they feem to be, in
ftead of decoring, they do indeed deface the native beauty
of divine worffiip ; and, as poplffi pidures on glafs win
dows, they may feem rich and gay, but they darken the

THE COMMANDMENTS. 321
houfe ; they keep out the light of faving truth, and obfcure
the fpiritual part ofthe fervice of God.
4. All grofs material conceits and apprehenfions of God.
Other particulars may be reduced to this command ; for
this and the reft narae but the main offences and duties.
Then it commands,
I. To learn, and carefully and pundually to obferve
the prefcription of God in every part of his own worffiip,
and diligently to be exercifed in it, as in hearing, prayer,
facraments, &c.
2, In worffiipping hira to have the pureft fpiritual no
tion of his Majefty that we are able to attain to, God
deals by both, by reprefenting his juftice and his mercy to
perfuade his people to obedience, to drive them by fear of
the one, and draw thera by the fweetnefs of the olher.
Thus paftoi-s are to fet both before their people ; but as he
delights raoft in the preffing of his mercy, and perfuading
by that ; fo certainly it is that, that prevails raoft with his
own children, and doth raoft kindly raelt and raould their
hearts to his obedience,
Vifit iniquity to thirds and fourths, butffew mercy to thou
fands that keep my commandments.} Although it be not per
fed, yet it is fuch a keeping as flows frora love, and therer
fore love raakes up what Is wanting In It ; and that Is not
perfed neither In us here, and therefore mercy makes up
what Is wanting in both. It Is not fuch love and obedi
ence as can plead for reward upon raerit, but fuch as ftands.
in need of raercy, and it is free grace and raercy that re
wards it.
Love and keep.} Thefe two are infeparable. No keep
ing the coramandments without love, no love without keep
ing them. Try then the one by the other, the fincerity
of your obedience by examining the fpring of it, if It arife
from love ; and try the reality of your love, if it be adive
and fruitful in obedience.
You know how ftudious love Is to pleafe, how obferv-
ant of their will whom it affeds, preferring it to their own
will, and defirous to have no wfll but the fame ; makes
hard things eafy, and cannot endure to have any thing
called difficult to It : Much love to God would do this, it
¦would turn all duty Into delight. Did we once know
S s

322 AN EXPOSITION OF
what this were, we Would fay with St. -Auftln, What needs
threatening and punlffment to thofe that love thee not. Is it
not punlffment enough not to love thee ? If you would have
all yoUr obedience fweet and eafy to yourfelves, and ac
ceptable to God, feek above all things hearts inflaraed with
his love. PRECEPT III.
Thou ffalt not take the name ofthe Lord thy God In
vain, he. <
The Pfalmift ftlrring up himfelf to the praifes of God,
Pfal. Ivii. 8. calls up his glory to it. Awake my glory. By
glory the Hebrew interpreters underftand the foul ; the
Septuagint and oihers the tongue : So the Apoftle, follow
ing the Septuagint, renders it, from Pfal. xv. Ads II.
It fuits well with both : The foul being the better part
of man, far excelling the body ; and araongft the parts of
the body the tongue having this excellency, to be the organ
of fpeech, and fo the interpreter of the mind : And this
difference from the beafls, as the foul Is, may well partake
of its honourable name, and be called man's glory.
But that which gives them both beft title to that name,
is that exercife to which he calls them, the pralfing and
glorifying of their Lord and Maker, Then are they indeed
our glory, when they are fo taken up and employed, when
the one conceives, and the other utters his glory.
And as it becomes them always to be one, as they have
one name, the foul and the tongue to agree, fo efpecially
ffiould this one name given them be anfwered by their
harmony and agreement in his own work, for which chief
ly they have that name, in giving glory to God ; and It is
that which this commandment requires: Forbidding that
which Is the ignominy of man, both of Ws foul and of his
tongue, and degrades them, turns them out ofthe name
of glory, to be called ffiame and diffionour, that is. Irre
verence, and diffionouring the glorious name of GOD :
And therefore, on the contrary, comraanding the reverent
and holy ufe of his narae and fervice ; and that We always
endeavour fo to fpeak and think of hira,. and fo to walk

THE COMMANDMENTS. 323
before him, as thofe that feek beyond all things . that his
narae raay be glorified in us and by us. For though falfe
fwearing and vain fwearing are main breaches of this com
mandment, (as we ffiall ffiew afterwards) being primely
forbidden by It, yet It extends generaUy to all our fpeeches
concerning God : Neither is it to be reftrained there, and
kept within that compafs, as If It gave only law to the
tongue ; although Indeed the tongue halh a very great
ffiare In it, both in the breaking and keeping of it, yet cer
tainly the precept in its full fenfe goes deeper into the
foul, and gives a rule to the fpeech of the raind, our
thoughts concerning God ; and larger, ftretches itfelf forth
to our adions and life, that hath as loud a voice to thofe
with whora we converfe as our tongues, and is the more
confiderable of the two, giving a truer charader of raen,
what they are indeed, than their words can do.
The firft coraraandment teaches and enjoins whom we
ffiaU worffiip. The fecond, what worffiip we ffiall give
hira. This third ffiews us with what difpofition and inten
tion, and anfwerably with what raanner of expreffion we
ffiall worffiip him, and ufe his name, that it be not vainly,
and after a coraraon trivial raanner, but In holinefs and hu
mility, and defire of his glory.
So then this coraraandraent concerns particularly that
which is the great end of all the works of God, Theglor-y
of his name. He made all things for himfelf, Prov. xvi.
his works of creation for this end, Ifa. xlin. 7. of rederap
tion and new creation of the eled world, Eph, i, AUto his
praife and glory : And for this end calls he us frora dark
nefs to light, to ffiew forth his praifes or virtues, 1 Pet. Ii.
9. This we are to intend with hira, and that this precept
requires of us, that what he airaed at in all his works, the
farae we raay intend in all ours : And this is an excellent
thing, the holieft and happieft condition, to raake God's
purpofe ours, and have the farae end with him. Here It
is particularly true, Summa religionis efl imitari quem coUs,
The main of religion is to imitate him whom we worfflp.
Thus are we to live, and particularly fo to worffiip him and
make mention of his name; that we be ever fenfible of
its worth and greatnefs, and fo beware that we Indignify it
S s 2

324 AN EXPOSITION OF
not, but always feek to advance the honour and glory of
it ; and that is the very fcope of this commandment.
There is in it, 1. The precept itfelf, 2. The annexed
coraralnation. In the precept, 1. What his name, 2. To take it. 3.
What In vain.
The name.} 1, The naraes that are given hira in fcrip
ture, Jehovah, Elohim, he. It was a fooliffi and profane
ffiift of the Jews, that thought themfelves free, if they
abufed not the name Jehovah : And fo they became fu
perftitious in the forbearing that, and licentious in the abufe
of the reft ; and fwearing by other things In heaven and
earth, &c. Which therefore our Saviour reproves, giving
the true fenfe of this commandraent, Matth, v. And this
is the nature of fuperftltion, to raake frivolous undue re
ftraints, by way of compenfation of that profane liberty
and loofenefs in the commandments of God, which is its
vtfual companion, 2, All the attributes of God, by which
the holy fcrlptures fet him forth to us. 3, Generally any
thing whatfoever by which God Is raade known unto us,
and diftlnguiffied from aU others, and by which we make
mention of him, which are the ufes of a narae. In a
word, that of St, Paul expreffeth It fully and fitly, To iw^h»
ta- ©.£3.
Thou ffalt not take.} that is. Thou ffialt not take, or
lift Up, or bear. 1, Not ufe It fecretly by thyfelf, or with
in thyfelf, in thine own thoughts, without reverence ; not
take It in vain. So, 2, Not raake raention of it, or exprefs
it to others vainly ; not lift it up In vain. 3, Not bear, not
be caUed by it, or have It called upon thee ; not profefs it
in vain. In vain,} 1, Falfely and diffimulately, 2. Profanely.
3, Unprofitably, to no purpofe, 4. Lightly and incon-
fiderately, without due regard, and holy fear.
2, The annexed commination.
He will not hold him gulltlefs.} " He wfll not clear him.
The fovereign judge, from whofe hand no offender can
efcape, except he willingly fet him free and abfolve him,
he will not abfolve thera that abufe his narae." And it
means further, he wiU not clear him, that is, he will cer
tainly puniffi hira, and do judgment on hira as guilty. And

THE COMMANDMENTS. 325
this is the rather particularly here expreffed, becaufe men
are fubjed fooHffily to promife therafelves impunity in this
fin, think cither there remains no guiltinefs behind it, but
it pafles as the words do ; or if there be any, yet being
but a mutter of words, wherein the moft ufual and known
breach of this comraand confifts, that the guiltinefs of them
is fo fmall, that any little excufe may wipe it off; that it
is but inadvertence, or a bad cuftom, or fome fuch thing.
"No, (fays the Lord, the law-giver himfelf) delude not
yourfelves, think not the honour and diffionour of my
name a light matter ; or if you will, yet I will not think it
fb, nor you ffiall not find It fo ; though you eafily forgive
and clear yourfelves, I will not clear you, but will ¦vindi
cate the glory of my name In your juft puniffiment, which
your fin of taking it In vain did abufe and diffionour ; and
you ffiall feel in that puniffiment that you are not gulltlefs,
as you iraagined." The narae of GOD Is great and weigh
ty and honourable, (as the fame Hebrew word fignifies
both) and therefore, qui affumunt vel attollunt, as the word
here is, they that offer to lift up this weighty name lightly
and regardlefly, it ffiall fall upon them, and they ffiall be
cruffied under the weight ofit.
There are many queftions relating to this command
ment handled and difcuffed by divines, as of an oath, a
vow, &c. which, for our purpofed brevity, we will pafs
by ; and only, according to our ufual raethod, add forae
chief heads of the violation and obfervance of this com
mandraent. 1. Air falfe fwearing or perjury, which Is to take his
narae alter the groffeft manner, in vain, or in mendacium,
as the word likewife fignifies ; to call truth itfelf, the firft
verity, to partake of a lie. But he Is not mocked, for as
the nature of an oath imports invocating him as the high
eft both witnefs and judge of truth, and puniffier of falfe-
hood, he always in his own due time makes It good on
thofe that dare adventure upon that gufltinefs In fo high a
kand. • '2. Papal difpenfatlon of oaths, which is a moft hainous
fin, and becomes him that Is emirienfly called '^,6^ man of
fin. It Is more than perjury, for It is ^ profeffed avowed

326 AN EXPOSITION Or '
patrociny of perjury, together with an impudent conceit
of a privflege and right lo do fo.
3, Equivocatory oaths, by which, if It were lawful, the
groffeft perjury might be defended ; for there is nothing
fo falfe, but fome mental refervation raay raake it true.
4. Abufing the narae and word of God to charras and
fpells. 5. Execration and curfing by the narae of fatan, which
is no other but invocating hira.
6. Swearing by any creature.
7. Abufing and vilifying the glorious and holy name of
God, by paffionate, or by vain and coraraon cuftoraary
fwearing. 8, Swearing for ends of controverfy, and In weighty
matters, where an oath is lawful, yea neceffary, yet doing
it without due reverence, and confideration of the great
nefs of God, and the nature of an oath.
9. Abufing of the word of God, either wrefting it to
defence of error, or making fport and jefting with it.
10. Scoffing and taunting at hohnefs, and the exercifes
of religion.
1 1 . Diffionouring the religion which we profefs, by un
worthy and unfuitable carriage of life.
12. Performing prayer, or any other religious exercife,
only out of cuftom, without affedion and delight, and
holy regard of the prefence and raajefty of God in his
worffiip. More might be added, which for brevity we
omit. Is it not the higheft ffiame of Chriftians to take plea
fure to vilify and abufe that holy name of God, that faints
and angels are bleffing above, and which we hope (as we
pretend) to blefs with them for ever ? If any dare offer to
excufe it, by provocation or paffion, that otherwife ufe it
not ; confider what a madnefs this is, becaufe man halh
injured thee, thou wilt Injure God, and be avenged upon
his name for it. And you that plead cuftom, accufe
yourfelves raore deeply ; that tells you are guilty of long
continuance in, and frequent coraraiffion of this horrible
fin. Were the fear of God In mens hearts, it would pre
vail both above their paffion and their cuftora. Did they
believe this, that the Lord wiU not clear In his great day,

The commandments. 327
it would fright thera out of their cuftom. Were there a
law made, that whofoever were heard fwear ffiould be put
to death, you would find a way to break your cuftora :
God threatens eternal death, and you fear not, becaufe
indeed you believe not.
Generally, the reverent and holy ufe of the narae of
God : And particularly, 1 . In cafe of neceflity, by advifed
and religious fwearing by his name, and his alone, In judg
ment, truth and rlghteoufnefs, 2, Confider his name
often, to take It Into our thoughts, to raedltate on his glo
rious attributes, and on his word and works ; in both
which thofe attributes ffiine forth unto us, 3, To delight
to make mention of his name upon all fit occafions, and
to fpeak to his glory. 4, To adorn our holy profeffion of
religion with a holy life, with wife and circurafped walk
ing, that it may not be evil fpoken of by our means.
5. That our heart and affedion be in the fervice of God
which we perform, otherwife (how plaufible foever the
appearance and outfide of It is) it Is nothing but guiltinefs
within, a taking of his narae in vain, who will not hold
them gulltlefs that dp fo, 6. Above all exercifes, to de
light in the praifes of God, which Is moft properly the ex
alting and magnifying of his narae, the lifting it up on
high. The Pfalmift abounds In comraending it; it is good,
it is comely, it is pleafant : Oh! that we could refolve
with him, Pfal. xxxiv. 1,2,/ wiU blefs the Lord at all
limes ; his praife ff ad he in my mouth continually : My foul
ffall make her boafl in the Lord, he. This is, as we can,
to bear a part here with glorified fpirits ; and a certain
privilege to us, that after a few days we ffiall, be adraitted
into their nuraber.
PRECEPT IV.
Remember to keep holy the fahbath-day, he.
Amongft all the vlfible creatures. It is man's peculiar
excellency, that he is capable of confidering^ and v/orffilp-
ping his Maker, and was made' for that purpofe ; yet
being cOinpofed ofthe duft ofthe earth, and the breath of
God, a body and a foul, the neceffities of that meaner

328 AN EXPOSITION OP
part, while we are in this life, employ as much, and take
up a great part of our little time. And in this -regard
God hath wifely and gracioufly fet apart a day for us, one
of each feven to be appropriate to that our higheft em
ployment, the contemplating and foleran worfliipping of
his majefty. This the fcope of this precept,
1. The precept itfelf. 2. The reafon of it, and motive
to Its obedience. The precept itfelf is firft briefly expref
fed. 2. Further explained and urged;
Remember.} This word ufed, 1, It feems to refled
upon by-paft omiffion and forgetfulnefs, for though it was
inftituted in paradife, and was not now a new unheard of
thing to this people, as appears by Exod, xvi. 23, yet it Is
like they were much worn out of the obfervation and
pradice ofit, efpecially during the time of their captivity
In Egypt. So then it is renewed thus, " Keep holy this
day which you know was fo long ago appointed to be fo,
be not now any more unmindful and regardlefs of It."
2. Such a way of enjoining feems more particularly need
ful in this than in the reft, becaufe It is not fo written In
nature as the reft, but depends wholly upon particular in
ftitutlon, which may alfo be the caufe why it is fo large,
and the form of it alone amongft all the ten, both negative
and pofitlve. Thou ffalt do no work, and, remember to keep
it holy. 3. But the main reafon of this, remember. Is, the
main thing or aim In this precept, as both the badge, and
the preferver and Increafer of all piety and rehgion. And
therefore is It, that it is fo often preffed in the books of the
law, and fermons of the prophets to the people of God,
and fo often called a fign of God's covenant with them-,
and their mark of diftindlon from all other people *.
The fahbath-day.} It is called a day of reft, from the
beginning and original of Its inftitutlon, God's reft ; and
from the end of its inftitutlon, man's reft ; both which
follow In the words of the command : The one is the ex
ample and enforcing reafon of the olher.
That thou keep holy.} God fanttified It' by Inftituting
it, and man fandified it by obferving it according to that
inftitutlon. * Exod. xxiii. 12. ahd xxxi. ] 3, 14-. Levit. xix. 30. 25. 2, &c.
jferem. xvii. Ifai. Iviii. IS, It, &:c.

THE COMMANDMENTS. 329
This fandifyiag Is, 1 . In ceffation from earthly labour.
2. In their ftead to be wholly poffeffed and taken up with
fpiritual exercife, both in private and in public. The for
mer is neceffary for the being of the latter, that ceffation
for this work ; and the latter is neceffary for the due
being of the former ; we cannot be vacant and entire for
fpiritual fervice, unlefs we ceafe from bodily labour, and
this ceffation or refting frora bodily labour, cannot be a
fandifying of this day unto God, unlefs it be accompanied
with fpiritual exercife.
In the following words, that part is only expreffed,
the reft or abftinency from work ; but the other Is
fuppofed as the end of this, that they ffiall not do their
own works, that they may attend upon God's, his fo
lemn worffiip. And that Is Iraplied In that word, // is
the fabbath ofthe Lord thy God, both of his own appoint
ing, and for this end this work, that he raay be more fo
lemnly worffiipped. And likewife the Anllthefis that
feems to be In that word. In fix days thou ffalt do all thy
work, imports, that on the feventh thou ffialt do God's :
Not fo called, that any benefit arifes to him by our fervice ;
no. Our goodnefs reaches him not at all. That way, that
worffiip that is far above ours, that of the angels, can add
nothing to him, for he is infinite. Even this work, fab-
bath's work, and all our prayers and praifes offered to
him, and all performances of his worffiip, they are our
works in refped of the gain and advantage of them, it
coraes all back to us. But his worffiip Is his work ob-
jedlvely, he is the objed ofit, and diredively by particular
prefcription from himfelf ; and, if you wfll add effedively
too, never done aright but by his own grace and affiftance.
Six days ffalt thou labour, he.} The comraand of due
labour and diligence in our particular callings, is not of
this place, it belongs properly to the eighth precept, and
fome way to the feventh ; here it is only mentioned pre-
miffively, and for iUuftratlon of this duty here enjoined.
And further, there is under it a raotive from abundant
equity, feeing God hath made the proportion thus, not
pinched to us, but dealt very liberally In the time granted
for our own work ; what grofs, not impiety only, but ini
quity and ingrathude will it be, to' encroach upon that
T t

330 AN EXPOSITION OF
fmall part he hath; nominated and. fet apart for his fervice?
This was a great aggravation of our firft parents firft fin,
that.having the, free ufe of all the trees In the garden be
fides, they would not bate that one that was forbidden
them. In homage and obedience to him that had given
thera. all the reft, and given them themfelves, who a flttle
before. were nothing.
Thou ffalt labour.} Not fo as In them to forget and
take no notice of God, not at all to call upon hira and
worffiip him, and think to acquit all by fome kind of at
tendance on hira on the fabbath. They that do fo are
moft unfandified therafelves, and therefore cannot fandify
the fabbath to God. . Such profane perfons do profane
and pollute all they touch with their foul hands, for fuch
be all profane hands lift up to God In prayer. The life
of the godly Is not a vifiting of God only In his houfe on
this day, but a daily and conftant walking with God in
our own houfes, and In all our ways, making both our
houfes and our hearts, his houfes, his temples, where he
may dwell with us, and we may offer hira our dafly facrlfices.
Only the peculiar of this day Is, that we raay not divide
it betwixt heaven and earth, but it ffiall be wholly for the
fervice of God, and no work at all to have place in it that
may hinder that, and fulls not with the fandifying of It ;
for fo we are to underftand the word. No manner of work.
Neither thou nor thy fervant, he.} As each one is o-
bllged perfonally, fo they that have coraraand of others,
are bound to bind thera to obfervance, and the cattle to
reft, becaufe their labour Is for raan's ufe, and therefore
his refting infers iheirs ; as likewife their reft is for a paf
five conforraity, that man raay fee nothing round about
hira, but what raay incite to the obfervance of this day ;
which was the reafon, in foleran fafts, of the beafts fafting
likewife, for raan's further humiliation. The ftranger, ,If
converted and profeffing their religion, the fame reafon
for hira, as for all others within a raan's houfe ; and if a
ftranger to their religion too, yet they raight, and oyght,
as here Is coramanded, oblige him to this part of outward
conforraity, ceffation frora work, which otherwife would
be an offenfive and fcandalous fight ; and withal if they
did any work for thofe with whora, they dwell, their ffiare

THE COMMANDMENTS. 331
would be deeper in the fin, than of fuch a ftranger, not
profeffing their religion.
For in fix days.} It is not pertinent here to fpeak of
the reafon of this, why God made fix days work of that,
which he could have done In one Inftant ; here it Is only
urged exemplarily, as the reafon why God did fandify
this day, and why we ffiould fandify' it. His reft you
know is not of wearinefs, or at all of ceafing from motion ;
For he faints not, neither is wearied, as he tells us by the
Prophet ; yea, he moves not at all In working. Omnia
movet ipfe immotus. But this reft Is this, that this was the
day that iraraediately followed the perfedlng of the crea
tion ; and therefore God bleffed it with this privilege,
(that is the bleffing of it) that it ffiould be to men holy,
for the contemplation of God and of his works, and for
folemn worffiip to be performed to hira,
Alf the other precepts of this law reraaining In full force
in their proper fenfe, it cannot but be an injury done to
this coraraand, either flatly to refufe It that privilege ; or,
which is little better, to evaporate it into allegories. Nor
was the day aboHffied as a typical ceremony, but that fe
venth only changed to a feventh ftill, and the very next to
it : He that is Lord of the fabbath, either hirafelf irame
diately, or by his authority In his apoftles, appointing that
day of his refurredlon for our fabbath, adding to the re
membrance of the firft creation, the meraorial of accora-
pllffilng the new creation, the work of our rederaption,
which appeared then raanifeftly to be perfeded, when our
Redeemer broke the chains of death, and arofe from the
grave, he that is the light of the new world, ffiining forth
a-new the fame day that light was made in the former
creation. This day was St. John in the fpirit taken up
with thofe extraordinary revelations, Apoc. I, 10, They
were extraordinary Indeed ; and certainly every chriftian
ought to be in the fpirit in holy meditations and exercifes
on this day tnore than the reft, winding up his foul, that
the body poifes- downwards, to a higher degree of heaven-
llnefs, tb be particularly Careful to bring a humble heart
to fpeak to God In prayer, and hear him In his v/ord ; a
heart breathing after hira, longing to megt with himfelf In
his ordinances. And certainly It Is fafer and fweeter to
Tt 2

332 AN EXPOSITION OF
be thus affeded towards, the Lord's day, than to. be much
bufied about the debate of the change.
The very life of religion doth rauch depend upon the
foleran obfervation of this day : confider but, if we ffiould
interralt the keeping of it for one year, to what a height
profanenefs would rife In thofe that fear not God, which
yet are reftrained (though not converted) by the preaching
of the word, and their outward partaking of public worr
Jhip ; yea, thofe that are moft fpiritual, would find thera
felves lofers by the interralffion.
1. Bodily labour on this day, where neceffity unavoid
able, or piety coraraands not. 2. Sporting and paftimes *.
This is not to make it a fabbath to God, but to our lufts,
and to Satan ; and hath a ftronger antipathy with the wor
ffiip of God, and that temper of mind they intend in it,
than the hardeft labour, 3, Refting frora thefe, but
withal, refting frora the proper work of this day, negleding
the worffiip of God in the afferabhes of his people ; the
beafts can keep it thus, as we fee in the precept, 4. Re-
forting to the public worffiip of God, but In a cuftoraary
cold way, without affedion and fpiritual delight in it.
5. Spending the reraainder of the day incongruoufly. In
vain vifits and difcourfes, he,
1, By pious reraerabrance of it, and prieparation,
fequeftrjng not only the body from the labour, but our
fouls from the cares and other vain thoughts of the world.
2. Attending upon the public worffiip of God willingly
and heartily, as the joy and refreffiment of our fouls, Ifa.
Iviii. Pfal, cxxii. 3, Spending the remainder of it In
private holily, as much as may be. In meditation of the
word preached, and conference. In prayer, reading, and
meditating on the great works of God, of creation, re
demption, &c.
This is the loveheft brighteft day In all the week to a
fpiritual mind ; thefe refts refreffi the foul In God, that
finds nothing but turmoil in the creature. Should not
this day be welcome to the foul, that fets It free to mind
its own bufinefs, which is on other days to aitend.the bu
finefs of ils fervant, the body ? And thefe are ascertain
* Sabb. vituli qurei, -' '

THECOMMANDMENTS. 333
pledge to it of that expeded freedom, when it ffiall enter
to an eternal fabbath and reft in him fbrever, who is the
only reft of the foul.
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 image of God in man, or the new man,
is made up of holinefs and righteoufnefs, Eph. iv. 24.
Thefe two are that of which the whole law of God is the
rule : The firft table, the rule of holinefs or piety towards
God : The fecond, of righteoufnefs or equity towards
men. And of the coraraandraents that concern this, the
firft aims at the preferving of that order which God hath
appointed in the feveral relations of fuperiors and inferiors ;
that is the fcope of this fifth comraaridment.
Daily expeiience teacheth us how needful this is, that
God give a particular precept concerning this ; in that we
fee how few there are that know aright, either how to
comraand and bear rule as fuperiors, or as Inferiors to obey
and be fubjed : And there is one evil very natural to men
that mifleads thera in both, pride and felf-oplnion, which
often makes fuperiors affed excefs in comraanding, and
inferiors defedive in due obedience.
It hath the firft place in the fecond table. 1. As being
the rule of order and fociety amongft men, which is need
ful for the better obferving of aU the reft; and in all
authority there is a particular refemblance of God, and
tlierefore fitly placed next to thofe precepts, that contain
our duty to himfelf. He Is pleafed to ufe that Interchange
of names with fuperiors that teftifies this refeniblance,
not only to take theirs to himfelf, to be called a father, a
mafler, or king, is'c. but to coraraunicate his own name to
them, and call them gods. And where the Apoftle fpeaks
of God as the father of fpirits, he draws a reafon from that
obedience we owe to the fathers of our fleffi, as the fub
ordlnate caufes of our being *.
1. The precept. 2. promife. And it is called by the
* Tlfura 0io» r/^at [iiTs-sniTa ^s asio ynriixs. Pliocill.

334 AN EXPOSITION OF
Apoftle, the firfl commandment with promife. For the laft
claufe of the' fecond coraraandment, though It imply a pro
mife, yet (as Is ufually obferved) it is gerieral to the keep
ing of afl the commandments ; whereas this is appropriate.
But again. It is a promife of a mercy in general, this of
one particular blefling. 3. It Is not formaUy a promife,
though it Implies one indeed, and Is Intended fo ; but It Is
fet down by way of defcrlption of God, frora his mercy
and bounty to thofe that keep his precepts ; as the claufe
foregoing It, expreffes his juftice In puniffiing the re
bellious. Honour,} Under this Is comprehended whatfoever is
due to fuperiors, by virtue of that their ftation and relation
tous; Inward refpedive thoughts and efteem of theni,
and outward expreffion, and fignifying of it by the ufual
figns'of honour, and by obedience and gratitude, &c.
Thy father, he.} This relation is named for all the reft,
as being the firft and moft natural, 2, The fweeteft and
moft affedionate fuperiority ; and therefore the fitteft to
regulate the comraand of fuperiors, and to perfuade inferiors
to obedience. Magiftrates are fathers for raens civil gOod
in their focietles, and dwelling together ; rainifters, fathers
for their fpiritual good and fociety as chriftians.
That thy days may he long, he.} That it is faid, which the
Lord thy God ffall give thee. Is peculiar to that people to
whom this law was firft delivered ; but the'fubftance of
the promife being coraraon, extends to aill with the pre
cept. This bleffing of length of days, is particularly fit for the '
duty ; that they Who honour their parents, who are the
fecond caufes of their life, ffiall be bleffed with long life.
This, as all other promifes of temporal things, is ever
to be taken with that condition, without which they might
change their quality, and pro-ve rather punlffiments; but
God always beftows thera on his own, and therefore ought
to be underftood fo to proraife them, in fo far as they are fit
for them, ahd may be truly good In their particular enjoy
ment, and as they conduce to a greater good,
1, All difobedience in Inferiors to the juft commands of
thofe that God hath placed In authority above them:
flubbornnefs and rebellion in children againft their parents.

THE COMMANDMENTS. 355
or defpifing and difefteem of them for their meannefs in
body, or mind, or eftate. The precept Is not, " Honour
thy parents for their riches, or wifdom, or comelinefs ;"
but, ," honour ihem as thy parents, and becaufe they are
fo," Againft this coraraand Is all olher difobedience, or
refradorlnefs of thofe that owe obedience ; wives to iheir
huffiands, fervants to their raafters, people to their paf
tors, &c.
2, Superiors break it, when they abufe their authority
to ferve their pride ; their fcrewing it loo high is very
unpleafant, a particular diffionour to God, and defaces the
refemblance they have of hira ; fpoils their harmony, as a
ftring too high wound up : And befides that, it is very
dangerous, being the ready way to break it. As in raagi-
ftracy and public governraent, tyranny is raoft obfervable,
there is petty tyranny in mafters and parents, &c. In ex
treme harffinefs and bitternefs, &c, /^^ wix-ivsn, ,fays the
Apoftle, &c. Again, when fuperiors walk unworthily,
and fo diveft therafelves of that honour which belongs to
thera. -, pirft. That children give due refped and obedience to
their parents ; and all that are fubjed to the authority of
others, though they, have not fuitable deferving, give it to
their ftation, in obedience to God who coraraands ; for
though they, perfonally confidered, do not, yet certainly
God deferves our obedience. And it is fo much the purer
to hira, when other . incitements failing, yet we obferve
that which fails not at all. All obedience lo men is liralted
thus, that It be In the Lord, and with regard to his fupre
raacy ; and therefore no authority can oblige to the obedi
ence of any coraraand that croffes his. Authority Is pri-
raitively and originally in God, and he gives not his
glory to another ; he gives not away any of his pecuhar
authority to raan, but fubftltutes him : And our firft .tie
i§ to God, as his creatures, and this is univerfal;, the
greateft kings are his vaffals, and owe, him homage, and
np a,iithorily derived from him can free us from. t.ha.t vvhich
we owe to himfelf. There is a ftraight line of fubprdina-
tion, and if fuperiors leave, this, weare to adhere to it,
looking diredly. to God, keeping ..our ftation, ,Sorae of
the fchoolmen think that the Inferior angels therefore fell

336 AN EXPOSITION OF
with the chief In the apoftacy, becaufe they looked fo much
upon hira, that they confidered hira not in fubordination to
God, and fo left their ftation, as the apoftle fpeaks.
Secondly, The duty of all fuperiors is, 1, To confider
that their higher ftation is not for therafelves, and for their
own advantage, but for thofe that are In fubjedion to
them ; aS the ftars are fet in the higheft place, but are for
the benefit of the inferior world, by their Hght, and heat,
and influence. Let them be for lights in the firmament of
heaven, to give light upon the earth. Gen. i. 1 5. 2, Let
them always remember to comraand in God, and for hira ;
to prefer his honour to their own, feeing he gives coramand
concerning theirs, that they make It fervlceable for the ad
vancing of his ; for to this purpofe hath he, given them
authority, and given command that they be honoured :
And his promife Is to honour thofe that honour him, but they
that defpife him ffaU be defpifed. This raany fuperiors have
felt becaufe 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 fureft and raoft effec
tual way to raake thera obedient children to them : If they
teach them to obey God, you fee he coramands thera to
obey their parents; and therefore In obedience to hira
they will do fo.
PRECEPT VI.
Thou ffalt not kill: or. Thou ffaU do no murder.
The world was at firft perfed harmony, but fin made
the breach at which difcord entered, enmity betWixt God
and man, and enmity betwixt man and man. As the fin
that hath poifoned man's nature, makes him a rebel to
God, fo it raakes thera tygers and wolves one to another :
And that farae ferpent that at firft envenomed our nature,
doth ftill hifs on wretched man, both to difobedience a-
galnft God, and enmity and cruelty againft one another.
"We fee, how foon this evil followed upon the former ; the
firft parents difobeyed God, and the firft children, the one
killed the other. In oppofitlon to this evil, God hath

THE COMMANDMENTS. 337
given this to be one of his ten precepts. Thou ffalt not
kill. Having given a rule touching the particular relations of
men ; the foltowing commandments of the fecond table
concern the general duties of all men one to another ; and
this fixth regardeth his being or life.
Not kiU.} This ties not up the fword of juftice, which is
in the magiftrate's hand, from puniffiing offenders, even
with death thofe that deferve it ; but rather calls for the
ufe of it, not being to be carried in vain, as the Apoftle
fays ; not a gilt fword only for ffiew, but to be drawn and
weilded for the execution of juftice ; both that, in the juft
puniffiment of fin, Koxao-ir, the finner may eat of the fruit
of his own ways, and fo God the fuprerae judge and foun
tain of juftice raay be honoured, Tz/Awa, and that by that
exaraple, na^Eiy/xa, others raay be terrified from the like of
fences. And thus, juft killing by the fword of the raa-
giftrate, is a raain means of the obferving this coraraand
ment amongft men. Thou ffalt not kill.
By the Hke reafon is juft war likewife freed from the
breach of this coraraandraent. But,
The fcope of the precept being the prefervatlon and
fafety 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 forbidden. And not only the hain
ous fault of murther, which human laws do puniffi, but
all the feeds and beginnings of this fin in the heart, to
which principally, as the fountain of our adions, the fpiri
tual law of God is given, as the authentic Inlerprelatlon of
our Saviour teacheth, Matth, v, and particularly touch-
Hig this commandraent, ver. 21, &c.
1. AU fixed hatred of our brethren Is forbidden, as the
higheft degree of heart-raurther. Thou ffalt not hate thy
brother in thy heart, Levit, xix. And 1 John Iu. 15.
Whofoever hateth'hls brother Is a murtherer ; and he adds,
that ye know that no murtherer hath Ufe eternal abiding in
him. So then, he is in a woful deadly condition in whofe
heart this hatred dwells, , .
This is an infernal kind of fire, like your fires under
groand, that cannot be quenched ; fo far is it frora the
temper of any truly fpiritual and heavenly mind to be fub-
U u

338 AN EXPOSITION OF
jed to it. There Is not any thing more contrary to the
Spirit of God, and the work of his grace, than the fpirit
of malice, although it never break forth to revenge ; yet
if the heart rejoice when evil befals thofe It diflikes, al
though it come from another hand, yet God accounts It,
as if he, that Is glad at it, had inflided It, and been the
worker of It. Therefore Job protefts thus. That he re
joiced not at the deflrudion of him that hated him, nor lift up
his foul when evU found him. Job xii. 29.
2. Raffi anger, either that which is altogether without
juft caufe, or upon fome juft caufe arifes to an undue mea
fure. And is not this the ordinary difeafe of the greateft
part, an habitual bitternefs of fpirit, that is put out of Its
feat, and troubled with every trifling caufe, peeviffily ftirred
up with the ffiadow and Imagination of a wrong, where
none is done ?
3, The vent of thefe paffions of envy and hatred, or
fudden raffi anger, by railings and ftrlfe and bitter fpeak
ing, by feoffs and taunts, by whifperings and detradloiiu
which are the common exercife of bafe and unworthy fpi
rits, ,, j
This commandment requires, that to the avoiding and
forbearance of all injury to the life of our neighbour, we
add a charitable difpofition and defire of preferving It, and
do accordingly ad that charity to our utmoft power to the
good and comfort of his life ; ufing towards him meek
nefs and patience, clemency and beneficence, doing him
good, fupplying his wants, as we are able : For it is cruel
ty to the life of our poor brethren, to be ftraight-handed
towards them in the day of their neceffity and our abun
dance, at leaft of our comparatively better eftate, 1 John
Hi, But we think we do much this way, when upon right
trial we would find ourfelves exceeding defedive ; we
look upon our few and petty ads of charity vt'Ith a multi
plying glafs, and fee one as it were ten, 'Who almoft are
there, that will draw fomewhat frora their exceffes, to turn
into this channel ? that wifl abate a lace from their gar
ment, or a difli frpni' their table, to beftow upon the ne
ceffities of the poor ? In a word, we ought not only to be
free from hurting, but be a tree of Ufe to our neighbour.

THE COMMANDMENTS, 339
Let US then be convinced of our gufltinefs in breach of
this precept. Men think it much if they can forgive, upon
acknowledgment and fubmiffion of thofe that have injured
thera ; but they afpire not to this, cordially to forgive thofe
that ftill continue to wrong and provoke thera, to cora-
paffionate thera, and pray for thera, and repay all their evil
with meeknefs and good-will.
We confider not how fublime the rule of Chriftianity
is, and how low our fpirits are, and how far off" from it.
Be not overcome of evil, (fays the Apoftle) but overcome evil
with good, Rom, xu. It is eafy to overcome a raan that
refifts not, but yields ; to pardon injury when it ceafeth,
and intreats pardon : But when it holds out, and is fo ftout
as ftfll to fight againft that goodnefs and meeknefs thfit it
meets withal, yet the Chriftian ought to perfift in thefe,
and overcome It with good. And fee our Saviour's rule
to them that will be his difciples, Matth, v, againft hatred
and wrath. Labour for hurable fpirits. Pride is the fpring
of raalice, and defire of revenge, and of raffi anger and
contention. This raakes men eafily fwell againft any
thing that croffes thera, becaufe they have laid down this
with therafelves, that they deferve to be obferved and re-
fpeded, and not croffed at all ; and when they find it
otherwife, It kindles thera to anger : And it is not the de
gree of provocation, but the different teraper of raens fpi
rits makes thera raore or lefs fubjed to anger. It raatters
not how great the fire be, but where it falls.
Confider firft, that thefe turbulent paffions carry their
puniffiraent along with thera ; they rankle and fefter the
foul, and fill it full of pain and difturbance ; whereas the
Spirit of raeeknefs raakes the foul of a Chriftian like the
higheft region of the air, conftantly cahn and ferene : The
Apoftle fpeaking of this coraraandraent of love, fays. That
tbe commandments of God are not grievous. Certainly there
is fuch a true pleafure In raeeknefs, forgiving of injuries,
and loving our very enemies, that did men know it, they
would chufe it for the very delight and fweetnefs of it,
though there were no comraand to enforce it.
2. Confider, particularly againft raffi anger, how weak
and fooliffi a thing It Is. Anger refleth In the bofom of fools,
faith Solomon, A fool's breaft is the very natural place
Uu2

340 AN EXPOSITION OF
of anger, where it dweUs, But, as he fays elfewhere, A
man of underflanding Is of an excellent fpirit, Prov. xvii. 9.
the word is, a <r(?o/y^'n'/. What a fenfelefs miftake-is It
for men to think It ftrength and greatnefs of fpirit to bear
nothing, to be fenfible of every touch, and ftand upon their
pundflios? Is it not evident weaknefs to be able to fuffer
nothing:? We fee the weakeft perfons moft fubjed to an
ger, women, children, and the fick, and aged perfons;
old age being both a con tinued ficknefs, -and a childlffifi
nefs, as they caU It, and as the dregs of man's life turned
into vinegar : It is the weaknefe of all thefe that makes
them fretfifl .¦*. In a wcffd, it Is the glory of a man to pafs
by a tranfgreffion ; every one can be angry, and moft are
they that are weakeft ; but to be above it, and have it un*.
der comraand. Is the advantage of thofe that are truly
wife, and therefore worthy of our ftudy to attain It.
3. That which ffiould raoft prevail with Chriftians to
ftudy love and meeknefs of Spirit, and a propenfion to do
good tp all, is the conformity that is in this temper to our
head and Redeemer Jefus Chrift, to partake of his dove-
like Spirit, Learn of me (fays he) for I am meek 'and lowly
in heart. Gal, v, 20, 21, 22, 33. And this he halh given
as the comraiffion and badge of his difcipiesi that as he
loved them, fo they love, one another. i! '
PRECEPT vn.
. Thm flak not commit Adultery,
As, the perverfenefe of nature hath found out crooked
ways, and finful abufes of things that We enjoy and ufe;
the^ hply law of God aims at the redlfylng tkelb abufes^
and'; bounding and Hmitiingour ways by a, ftraight rule. '-
And this precept particularly bars us from all finful un
cleannefs, under the^ name of one kind of It. i h-^
That anfwerably to our condition or eiftate.of life, What
foever it is, fingle,. pr. married, we ought to endeavour that
cleannefs, and purity of foul and body, that becomes the
temples of the Holy Ghoft.
I purpofe not to reckon up particularly the. feveral forts
* '£/r o|y Tp6T5T«( rS-ro to Aswojaehok. OmneinfirmUtk natura querulum.

THE COMMANDMENTS, 341
and degrees of fin of this kind ; for chaftity Is a delicate
tender grace, and can fcarce endure the much naming of
itfelf, far lefs of thofe things that are fo contrary to it ;
thotgh in the law of God given to the people of the Jews,
there is exprefs mention of the grofs abominations of this
kihd^ becaufe pradilfed by the Gentiles, and to be forbid
den them. Arid though the Apoftle, writing to the Gen
tiles newly, converted from thofe abominations, of necef
fity mentions particulars of them; yet, further than that
ijeceifity of reproving them, where they are in cuftom re-
qoiiies, he hates the very naming of them, Eph. v, 3, 12,
As the old Roraan fatirlfts, while they feem to reprove
vice,' rather teach it by their impudent defcrlptlons of It ;
the new Roman cafuifts, fome of them, are as foul that
way. It raay fuffice to regulate us in this. If we beheve this
truth, that whatfoever is in this kind, befide the lawful ufe
of marriage, is a breach of this holy law of God, whether
it be in adion or in words, or fo much as in thought.
And, if this be true, (as it is, if we believe truth itfelf, our
Saviour's Interpreiation) that an unchafte look, or thought,
mak^a man guilty, then fure whatfoever is beyond thefe,
is more grofly iinful.
What a ffiameful thing is it, that our holy profeflion of
religion ffiould be fo diffionoured by the abounding of un
cleannefs amongft us? In many it breaks forth fcanda-
loufly ; and if there be any that live in that way of wick
ednefs undifcovered, and walk fecretly In it ; yet the pure
Lord who perfedly fees and hates it, will call them to ac
count, and judge them, according to the Apoftle's word,
Hebuxiii, 4. Confider this likewife, any of you that have
not lamented your forraer impure converfation, but being
reformed outwardly by your years, or condition of Hfe,
yet never have inwardly repented, and beeii deeply hum
bled for the fins' of your youth. True eohv^rfion is not
foiHght & work : David, Pfal. xxv, remembers his former
fins, and prays eaFneft}y,that God wouldnotremember them
againft hira : And on the contrary, you that think not! on
them, may juftly fear that God wiU remember them, be
caufe you yourfelves have fprgot them.
They that give their tongues the liberty of fcurrilous jeft-

S42 AN EXPOSITION OF
ing, and Impure fpeeches, cannot but have filthy hearts,
their noifome breath argues rottennefs within,
Yeathey that proceed no further in uncleannefs, than
to entertain and lodge the fancies or thoughts of it, rolling
them in their beds,' and delighting in them, even fuch are
exceeding guilty and abominable in the fight of God, who
doth not only fee into the heart, but moft of all eyes and
regards it. ' Keep th / heart above all keeping, fays Solomon,
for from thence are the Iffues of life. Certainly, they that
can difpenfe with themfelves in thefe Inward heart unclean-
neffes, and find noremorfe, cannot think the Spirit of God
dwells within them ; for if he were there, he would be
•ffiewing his difcontent and anger againft that unholinefs,
which Is fo contrary to him.
And this they that have any truth of grace will find,
that if they be riot eiiher free from the affaults, or at leaft
thofe filthy birds, fuch Impure thoughts be not perfedly
beaten away, when they light on the foul, if they ftay but
any time with them, although they afterwards do chafe
them but with Indignation ; yet they do leave fuch a ftain,
as grieves and faddens the holy Spirit in them, and for a
time they find it not ad in prayer, and In fpiritual comfort
fo chearfully as before. Let no corrupt (or rotten) com
munication proceed out of your mouth, fays the Apoftle, and
grieve not the holy Spirit : Rotten fpeech grieves the holy
Spirit, and fo do fuch thoughts too, which are a man's
fpeech with himfelf ; and therefore being moft farailiar
and frequent with him, ought to be moft regarded, and
watched over. There is not any thing wfll more readily
dry up the fweetnefs and fpiritiial molfture of the foul,
and caufe the' graces in it to wither, than the impure fire
of luft ; therefore you that have any beginnings of grace,
and would have It flouriffi, beware of this, and quench it
in its firft fparkles ; If you do not, it may in a little tirae
rife above y&Ur power, and ftill prove very dangerous.
If you would be freed from the danger and importunity
of this evfl, make ufe of thefe ufual and very ufeful rules,
1. To be fober and' temperate in diet, withdraw fuel,
2: Be' modeft and circumfped in- your carriage, guard
your ears, and eyes, and Watch over all your .deportment,
beware of undue and dangerous fanifliarlties with any.

THE COMMANDMENTS. 343
upon what pretence foever. 3, Be choice In your fociety,
for there is much in that, 4. In general, fly all occafions
and incentives to uncleannefs; but truly the fohd care
muft begin within, otherwife all thefe outward remedies
will prove but empiric medicines, as they call them,
1. Firft then, lean not upon moral refolves and particu
lar purpofes againft uncleannefs, but feek a total entire
change of the heart, and to find the fandifying fpirit of
grace dwelling within you.
2. Labour to have the heart poffeffed with a deeo ap
prehenfion ofthe holinefs and purity of God, and then of
his prefence and eye upon all thy adions, yea thy moft fe
cret thoughts. His eye Is more piercing than that any
wickednefs can be hid from him, and more pure thanto
behold it without mdignation. The darknefs is as noon
day to him. I cannot fteal a thought out of his fight,
though it be never fo' fudden and ffiort. Then think,
*' If I pretend to communion and converfe with ray God,
he is all holinefs, therefore uncleannefs can never attain
that to which 1 afpire : What communion hath light with
darknefs, or Chrift with Belial, and fhall I lofe or hazard
the fweetnefs of his prefence for fo bafe a delight ? How
can I offer that heart to him In prayer, that halh been
wallowing in the mire of unclean pradice or imagination, ?"
Refolve to drive out the affaults that you are Incident to :
" How ffiall I do, or think thus ? my holy. God is looking
on me." This was Jofeph's prekrvmon, Shad I do this
evd, and fin agalnfl God? .
3. Aquaint yourfelves with fpiritual delights, andthis
will make a happy diverfion from thofe that are . fenfual
and earthly. Somewhat a man muft have to delight hi.
It is the Philofopher's remark, that they that know not
the true pleafure of the mind, turn to the. bafe pleafures
of the body.
Some moral men feeking higher delight of the mind,
in their way have perfuaded lliemfelves to a generous^dlf-
daln of their bodies.?, H-ow much more powerfully may
fupernatural delights of the foul, righteoufnefs and peace
and joy in the Holy Ghoft, wean it .from thofe, grofs fen
fual pleafures, that: the; beafts have in coraraon. with us,
at leaft from the immoderate defire, and all unlawful pur-

344 AN EXPOSITION OF
fuit of them. Nothing indignifies the foul more than luft.
When David had finned this way, it had fo made havoc
of grace within him, that he cries not only for cleanfing,
but for a new creation, as If all were undone, Create in
me a clean heart, he, Pfal, 11. and found it fo flavlffi and
Ignoble a fin, that he prays to be re-eftabliffied by God
with a free or noble fpirit,
4. Increafe In the love of Chrift ; for as that grows,
there is a decreafe of the love of fin, yea, of the iraraode-
rate love of all inferior things : As the fun-beams eat out
the. fire, this divine and heavenly love confumes the other.
All our love is too fcarce or poor for hira, when it is re-
coUeded and drawn all together to run only towards him ;
and therefore there is none to fpare upon the fleffi, and
the lufts of it, nor upon any creature, but as he allows
and appoints : The fenfe of his love tak^ up the whole
foul, and he lodging In It, is that true Agnus caflus that
makes it ehafte, that bundle of myrrh that hath a virtue
to preferve the chriftian from the corruptions of luft.
That love of Jefus Chrift is ftrong as death, kills all op
pofite affedlons ; aftd indeed it alone is worthy of the
foul, the noble iramortal foul. Oh how is it abafed wherii
it is drawn down to fenfuality, and fo made a flave to its
fervant the fleffi ! Major fum et ad majora genitus (could a
Roman Phflofopher fay) quam utflm mancipium mei corpo
ris, I am greater, and born to greater things than ta be a
flave to my body. How unworthy is it, that being capable
ofthe higheft good, the fruition of God, we ffiould forget
ourfelves fo far as to ferve vile luft, and forfeit the happi
nefs and pleafures of eternity ? Far be it from us, God
hath called us to holinefs, and not to uncleannefs, fays the
Apoftle. Fly all unlawful and forbidden delights ; and thofe that
are lawful, do not engage your hearts to them, love them
not imraoderately : And they can fcarce be loved without
excefs, if loved at all, ShaU I fay then, if you ufe them
yet love them not, referve that for purer enjoyments ?
Says not the Apoftle this, Let them that rej-olce, be as if
they rejoiced not ; and particularly. They that marry, as if
they married not ? And his reafon Is weighty. For the fa
ff ion of this world paffeth away, he.

THE COMMANDMENTS. 345
Remember to what a pure and exceUent condition we
are called as chriftians, and with what a price we are
bought to be holy ; and let it be our firm purpofe and
ftudy to glorify God in our fouls and bodies, for they are
hi& PRECEPT VIII.
ThouffaU not fteal.
God is the God of order, and not of confufion : It is
he that hath authorized and appointed propriety of poffef
fions unto men, and withal that fociety and commerce
am^ongft them that ferves for their mutual good ; and
(propriety referved) makes one man in what he poffeffes
ufeful and helpful to another : And hath given this pre
cept of his law, to regulate them in thefe things, to be the
rule of that which we call contentation or juftice, equity
towards our neighbour, in raatter of his goods or proper
poffeffions. This then being the fcope of the coraraandment, what
foever breaks this hedge, is, as comprehended under the
name of theft, here forbiddem AH manner of injuftice
and wrong done to our neighbour in his eftate, whether
by violence, or by flight of hand, by force or fraud, yea
if it be but io rauch as in affedion or defire ; for (as we
have often faid) the law is fpiritual, and binds not only the
hands but the heart.
So then, not only grofs robberies and thefts are here
forbidden, but all oppreffion and extortion in fuperiors,
aU purloining and unfaithfulnefs in inferiors ; too ftrid
exadion In mafters, and flothfulnefs in fervants, or what
foever elfe may tend to their mafters damage ; all bribery,
and receiving of gifts, to the perverting of juftice ; all de
ceit and over-reaching in commerce, or trading, or bar
gaining ; taking advantage in buying or 'felHng, or any
contrad, upon the ignorance or fimplicity of thofe we
deal withal ; all defire and feeking of our neighbour's lofs
to our gain ; all the degrees of facrilege and firaony ; all
idlenefs and negled in mens particular callings, by which
they either impoverlffi themfelves, and are worfe than in-
X X

346' AN EXPOSITION OF
fidels, not providing for theirs faraflies ; or, if they have
certain provifion by their calhngs. In negleding the duties
of theni, they, wrong thofe from v;hom, or for whofe
fakes they are fo provided, as magiftrates and minifters,
who have or ffiould have honourable maintenance for
their public fervice, the one In the common-wealth, the
other in the church : As it is a great fin to curtail or de
tain what is due that way, fo It Is no lefs wickednefs in
thera, if they be remifs and carelefs of thofe duties to which
they are obliged for the public good. In a word, whofo
ever can digeft any kind of undue gain to themfelves, or
do any prejudice to their neighbour in the leaft, are guil
ty ; yea, they fin againft this precept that do not with all
their power further the advantage and good of their neigh
bour in his outward condition, that do not help and relieve
thofe they fee in want, fo far as their' ability reaches.
There is a kind of right that the poor have to fupply ;
it is not merely arbitrary to you. Though they have not
fuch a right as to take It at their own hand, or to feek it
at the houfes of human juftice, yet they have fuch a right
as that your hand ought not to detain it. Wlth-held not
good from them to whom It Is due, Prov, Hi. 27. which is e-
vidently raeant (and interpreters lake il fo) of all kind of
doing good, even that of charity and beneficence to the
needy, as appears by thefollowrng claufe, when.lt Is In the
power of thine hand to do It, and the Septuagint '^"'"'^f^^.'^^"'
«S£«. It is due, they have a right to it, though not fuch
as they can implead for before mens courts or judicatures,
yet in the court of confcience, and in the fight of God, it
is duly theirs; the word is, From him that Is Lord. of It.
It Is bread of the hungry that moulds by thee, and the drink
cf the thlrfly that fours hy thee *. Although thou art in
poffeffion, haft fuperflulty by thee, what he wants is his by
right, he Is Lord of It ; for the Lord pf all hath turned
over his right to thy poor brother.. The Lord himfelf
needs il not ; thy goodnefs cannot reach him ; he hath
furniffied thee with fuch as need it, and may be his., re
ceivers, and have warrant from him to take it up in his
ftead : And be fure he wfll acknowledge the Receipt of it ;
* Efurientium panis efl qui apud le muccfcit, et fitienlium potus - qui- apud
te acefcit. Ambi,

TH'E COMMANDMENTS, 347-
thou haft his own Word and writ for it, a bill of exchange
under his own hand, that what you give to the poor be
put upon his accounts. He that giveth to the poor lendeth
to the Lord, and he wiU repay it : And again. In ihat you
did it unto one of thefe, fays our Saviour, ye did It unto me.
Itis the fureft and moft lafting part of a man's eftate that is
put Into their hand, if God be folvendo, if he be a fuffici
ent debtor ¦*, It is treafure laid up in heaven.
So then this precept requires uprightnefs and equity in
all our dealings, a defire to right and advantage our bre
thren as ourfelves, willing their gain and profperity as our
own; dfligence and induftry In our callings, and giving
to all others their due. Though men are not obliged to
afottlffi fimplicity, but ought to endeavour fo to underftand
their afliali-s, that they may avoid circumvention by others
craft ; yet a prudent fimplicity is the right ftamp of a
chriftian mind, to be fingle and ingenuous, and rather to
fuffer lofs from others, than caufe them any. In a word,
the Apoftle's rule is exprefs and full, 1 Theff, iv, 16..
That no man over-reach or defraud his brother In any matter .^
and he adds a very forcible reafon, becaufe the Lord Is the
avenger of all fuch ; as we have alfo, (fays he) forewarned
you and tefllfied. Men are ready to find out poor ffilfts to
deceive themfelves, when they have forae way deceived
their brother ; and to ftop the raouth of their own con
fcience with forae quibble, and forae flight excufe, and
force therafelves at length to believe they have done no
wrong : Therefore the Apoftle, to fright them out of their
ffilfts, fets before them an exader Judge, that cannot be
deceived nor mocked, that ffiall one day unvail the con
fclence, and blow away thefe vain felf excufes as fmoke ;
and that juft Lord will puniffi all injuftice. He is the aven
ger of aU fuch.
At the firft view a man would think the breach of this
comraandment concerns but few perfons, fome thieves
and robbers, and fome profeffed deceivers, or if you add
fome cozening tradefmen and merchants ; but the truth
is, there Is fcarce any of the comraandraents fo univerfally
and frequently broken, and whereof the breach Is fo little
obferved, and therefore fo feldora repented of by the great-
¦* Qtias dederis folas femper habebis opes,
Xx 2

348 A^ EXPOSITION OF
eft part. As the Apoftle Jaraes fays, He is a perfed man
that offends not in his words; truly he is a rare man that
offends nop, and that remarkably, if men would remark
therafelves, againft this coramandment. Thou ffalt noffleal.
To fay nothing of the oppreffion and hard exadions of
fuch' as are fuperiors of lands, grinding the faces of the
poor, and fqueezlng them till the blood come ; and fo
putting in the fame blood of the jxior araongft their
eftates, that many tiraes proves a canker to all the reft;
and the thieviffinefs of fervants, and of the poorer fort,
maiking no confcience at all of whatfoever they can filch
from their mafters, or thofe that are richer than they,
counting all they can fnatch good booty and lawful prize :
To pafs by likewife the particular deceits that are ufual In
feveral callings, and are incorporate with thera throiugh
lorig cuftom, and become a part of the myftery of thofe
GaUings, and therefore men difpenfe with themfelves In
them, as the Infeparable fin of their calling, and have no
rfimorfe for them : Not to infift on thefe and fuch like,
confider how frequently this Meum et Tuum, mine and
thine, proved the apple of ftrife betwixt the neareft
friends, and divides their affedlons, and begets debates
araongft thera ; parents, and children, and brethren, he.
And certainly there is always fome unjuft defire on one
fide itt thofe contentions, and fometimes on both fides.
How few are there that bave hearts fo weaned from the
¦- world, as in all things to'prefer the fmalleft pointJof equity
to the greateft temptation of gain? that in their affairs,
and all that concerns them, are univerfally careful to deal
¦with an even hand, and even heart ; and to keep clofe to
that golden rule drawn in nature, but almoft loft and fmo-
thered in the rubbiffi and corruption of nature, but drawn
anew by our Saviour's hand^not only in bis gofpel, but
in the hearts of his real followers. That which thou wmld-
eft'-haHie others do to ihee, do4hojt'unto them : That when
they have any thing to tranfad, wherein is their brother's
intereft and their own^ do in their thouj^hts change places
with him, fet him' in' their own room, and themfelves' in hLs,
and deal with him after tbit manner ;;iliat' think, f What
would I be willing to have done\ tO( m.^' were I he, that
fame will I do to him ? Were I in that pooits raan's condi-

THE COMMANDMENTS. 349
tion that begs an almsj would I not rather have fome relief,
th$n a fihurhffi, or at leaft, an empty anfwer ? were I he
that buys, would I not, and. might I not juftly and rea-
f©nably will to have it -fo, that no more be exaded of rae
than, the right and due price? then fo will I ufe him."
How few that walk (I fay) by this rule ? and yet all that
do not thus, are breakers of this commandment in the
fight of God. :.
How few that are inviolable obfervers of equity, and are
truly iHbettal and bountiful anfwerably te their power ?
that will foraetiraes on purpofe bate^ a diffi from their
tjkble, or a lace from their garment, not tq make their
ftock greater, but to beftow on the poor ? that are truly
defirous ofthe good and profperlty of others, and further
U all they can ? .
, It Is to be like God, this is the particular, Matth. v.
wherein fikenefs to our heavenly Father is preffed ; and
this is meant by Homo homini Deus. Certainly were we
acquainted with it, it is raore true delight to be not only
jufl but liberal, than to poffefs much ; it is not to poffefs,
but to be poffeffed by it, to have iheaps, and no heart nor
ps>W^ to ufe them. . He that is thus, doth not only de
fraud others but himfelf, fteals * from his own neceffities
to facrifice to his God, his qbeft or bag- When a man
hath fuch a fum, and though. he bath: uife for it dares not
hresfc it, what is it better than if it were ftill under ground
in the mine, it is no raore at his fervice ; yea, fo rauch
the worfe that he is racked betwixt plenty and want, be
twixt haviag and not having it. ! IC'-'
-Botl^the covetous and the prodigal fin againft this
commandment : The covetous by unjuft ways of gaining,
and unjuft rkeeping what het hath gained, keeping it up
both from others and himfelf f And tbe-prodigal by pro-
fufenefei making fooKffi wants to ; himfelf, that drive him
upon unjuft ways of fupply t. Tlius he that is prodigal
muft be covetous tq© ; and. though men think not fo,
thefe two vices that feem fo oppofite, nofo.only may, but
do often dwell together, and covetoufnefs is prodigality's
purveyor, being fire for it to feed it, for otherwife it could
* Quicquid ontAibiis abfluUt,Jibi negat.
f Turpiter amittens quod turpius reparet. Sen,

350 AN EXPOSITION OF
not fubfift, but would ftarve within a while. Here then
both avarice and prodigality are condemned ; only true
equity, and frugal and wife liberality are obedience to it.
The raain caufes of all unjuft and iUiberal dealing are
thefe two, 1, Diffidence or diftruft of the divine providence
and goodnefs. 2. And that n^^ih'x, that farae A^ior
fceleratus habendi, the fond defire of having much.
1. When a raan doth not fully truft God with provid
ing for hira, and bleffing him In juft and lawful ways, biit
apprehends want unlefs he take fome more liberty and
elbow-room ; this makes him ftep now and then out of
the way, to catch at undue gain by fraud and over-reach
ing, or fome fuch way : But this is a moft fooliffi courfe,
this is to break loofe out of God's fatherly hand, and fo to
forego all that we can look for frora him, and to take ways
of our own, to chufe rather to go a ffiifting for ourfelves
in the crooked and accurfed ways of unrighteoufnefs, than
to be at his providing. Labour therefore for fixed belief
of his wifdom and goodnefs, and all-fufficiency, and then
the greateft ftralts and wants will not drive you to any in-
dired ways, wherein you run from him, but will ftill draw
you nearer to himfelf, and there you will ftay and wait
upon his hand till he fupply you.
2. Defire of having rauch, or covetoufnefs, whether it
be to hoard up or laviffi out. But this is a raadnefs ; this
defire of having much Is never cured by having much, it
is an unfatiable * dog-hunger.
That known determination of the morallft was the moft
true, that to be truly rich, is not to have much, but to
defire httle ; labour then not to defire much, or rather
defire much, defire to have the Lord for your portion ; f
and if you indeed defire him, you fliall have him, and if
you have him, you cannot but be fatisfied, for he Is all :
To hira therefore be all praife, honour, and glory for ever.
Amen.
* 'Ssf.liJ.nz, vel camna fames.
\ Non efl illud defiderium, irhion^ta fed •nan^tot. '"

THE COMMANDMENTS. 351
PRECEPT IX.
Thou ffalt not bear falfe witnefs agalnfl thy neighbour,
', The Apoftle St. Jaraes, In that fliarp but raoft true
cenfure of the tongue, might well call it an unruly evil.
There are but ten precepts or words of the law of God,
and you fee two of them, fo far as concerns the outward
organ and vent of the fins there forbidden, are beftowed
on it, tending, if not only, yet mainly to keep it In order ;
one in the firft table, and this other in the fecond, as being
ready to fly out both againft God and man, if not thus
bridled. The end of the commandraent is to guard the good
name of men from injury, as the forraer doth his goods ;
this poffeffion being no lefs, yea, rauch raore precious
than the other : And, becaufe the great robber and
murtherer of a good name. Is the mifchievous detrading
tongue, aded by a malignant heart ; it requires in the
heart a charitable tendernefs of the good name of our
brethren, and that will certainly prove truth and charitable
fpeech In the tongue,
. Though divines here ufually fpeak of lying. In the
general notion and extent of it, and not amifs, being moft
of all exercifed in the kind here raentioned ; yet there' be
fuch lies, as may be more fitly reputed a breach of fome
other comraandment ; and poffibly, the fin of^ lying in
general, as It Is a lie, a dffcrepance of the fpeech from the
mind, and fo a fubverting of the divine ordinance fet in
nature, raaking that which he" hath made the interpreter
ofthe raind, to be thedifguifer ofit, and withal dlfregard-
ing God as the fearcher of the heart, and fovereign witnefs
of truth, and avenger of falfliood ; I fay, thus it may
poffibly be more proper to refer It to another command
ment, particularly to the third : Bu,t, it imports not much
to be very pundual In this ; It is feldom or never that one
coraraandraent Is broke alone, moft fins are complicate
difobedience, and in fome fins, the breach of many at once
Is very apparent. As to Inftance, In perjury, if it be to
teftify a falffiood againft our brethren, both the third

332

AN EXPOSITION OF

commandment and this ninth are violate at once ; and if
it be In fuch a thing as toucheth his life, the fixth likewife
fuffers with them.
This perjury or falfe teftiraony in a public judiciary
way, is, we fee, by the exprefs words and letter of the
coraraand forbidden, as the higheft and raoft halnous
wrong of this kind * : But under the narae of this (as it
is In the other commandments) all the other kinds and
degrees of offence againft our neighbours good name are
comprifed. 1. AU private ways of calumny and falfe im
putation. 2, All ungrounded and falfe furmlfes or fufpi-
clons, all uncharitable conftrudion of others adions and
carriage. 3, Strld remarking of the faults of others, with
out any calling fo to do, or honeft intention of their good ;
which appears, if, having obferved any thing that of truth
is reprovable, we feek not to reclaim them by fecret and
friendly admonition, but paffing by themfelves divulge it
abroad to others : For this is a raoft fooliffi felf-deceit to
think, that becaufe it Is not forged, but true that thoa
fpeakeft, this keeps thee free of the comraandment ; no,
thy falfe intention and malice f makes it calumny and falfe-
hood in thee, although for the matter of it, what thou fay-
eft be moft true ; all thou gaineft by It is, that thou doft
turable and bemire thyfelf In the fin of another, and mak-
eft It poffibly more thine, than it is his own, that commit
ted it ; for he, may be, hath fome touch of remorfe for it ;
whereas It Is evident thou delighteft in it : And though
thou preface it with a whining feigned regret and femblance
of pitying him, and add withal fome word of commending
him in fomewhat elfe ; this is but the gilding and fugaring
the pill to raake men fwallow it the more eafily, and thy
bitter malice pafs unperceived. They that by their calling
ought to watch over the lives of others, muft do it faith
fully and diligently, adraonifhing and rebuking privately ;
and where that prevafls not, they may, yea, they ought to
do It more publicly, but all in love, feeking nothing but
the glory of God and the falvatlon of fouls. 4. Eafy
hearing and entertaining of raifreports and detradlon when
* Ut tejlis falfi aut teflimonium falfi non dices aut refpondebis.
f 'A^tjflf/KovTfr « a'/aiT'), Eph. iv, IVe tnuji not only fpeak tht truth,
tut in love.

THE COMMANDMENTS. 333
others fpeak them, Exod, xxiii, 1, this is that which main
tains and gives fubfiftenee to calumny, otherwife it would
ftarve and die of itfelf, if no body took it in and gave il;
Mgi^. When maHce pours it out, if our ears be ffiut
againft it, and there be no vefl'el to receive it, it would fall
like water upon the ground, and could no more be gather
ed up ; but there is that fame bufy humour that men have,
it is very bufy, and yet the moft have of it raore or lefs, a
kind (rf delight and contentraent to hear evil of others, un
lefs it be of fuch as they affed ; to hear others flighted
and difeftefiraed, that they readily drink in not without
fome pleafure, whatfoever is fpoken of this kind. The ear
trieth the words (as he fays In Job) as the mouth tafleth
meats, but certainly the moft ears are perverfe and diftem
pered In their tafte, as fome kind of palates are ; can find
fweetnefs in four calumny. But, becaufe men underftand
one an<ithers diet In this, that the moft are fo ; this is the
very thing that keeps up the trade, makes backbiting and
dfitradions abound fo in the world, and verifies that known
obfervation in the moft, that the flanderer wounds three
at once, himfelf, him he fpeaks of, and him that hears :
For this third, truly it Is in his option to be none of the
number ; if he v/ill, he raay ffiift his part of the blow, by
not beheving die flander ; yea, raay beat It back again with
eafe upon the flanderer himfelf by a check or frown, and
add that ftroke bf a repulfe to the wound of gufltinefs he
gives himfelf, 5. They offend that feek in any kind, at
the expence of the good narae and efteem of others, to in
creafe their own, out of others ruins to malce up them-
ieives * ; and therefore pull down as much as ihey can«
and are: glad to have others to help thera to detrad from
the repute of their brethren, particularly any that are In
likelihood to furpafs and obfcure them ; and for this rea
fon incline always rather to hear and fpeak of the imper-
fedions and difpralfe of others, than to their advantage,
and would wfllingly (Ottoraan hke) kill the good narae of
their tnrethren, that theirs may reign alone f. This is a
* Ex alieni nominis jaSura gradum fbi faciunt ad gloriam. Salu'ft,
f The Rabbins frequently condemn this. Hammith Cabbed,- &e. qui
homrat fe ex ignominia focii fui, non habet partem in fecula venturo, Beref.
Rab. Item, qui per contemptum aliorum laudern fuam ounrit, mifernn'.nn
Yy

354 AN EXPOSITION OF
vile difeafe, and fuch as cannot be incident to any mind
that is truly virtuous and gracious ; no, fuch need not
this bafe diffioneft' way to raife therafelves, but are glad tp
fee virtue, arid whatfoever Is praife-worthy, to flouriffi in
whorhfoever ; thefe are lovers of God Indeed, and his glo
ry, and not their own ; and therefore as all he beftows on
themfelves, they venture back the honour ofit to hira, fo
they are glad to fee many enriched with his belt gifts ; for
feeing all good that all have belongs to God, as the fo
vereign owner and difpenfer, this contents and rejoices his
children when they fee many partake of his bounty, for
the more Is his glory : And as in love to their brethren,
they are always willing to lake notice of what Is commend
able in them, and to commend it, fo they do this the more
Villingly, becaufe they know that all praife of goodnefs at
laft terminates and ends In God, as Solomon fays of the
rivers. Unto the place from whence they come, thither they
return again. 6, They fin againft this coraraandraent, that
although they no way wrong their neighbours good narae,
yet are not careful to do their utraoft to right it when it
fuffers, to reraove afperfions frora thera, and to clear them
all that raay be.
For this is here required, to defire and delight in, and
further the good narae of others, even as our own, to look
moft willingly on the falreft fide of their adions, and take
them in the beft fenfe, and be as Inventive of favourable
conftrudlons (yet without favouring vice) as raahce is wit
ty to mifinterpret to the worft : To obferve the commend
able virtues of our brethren, and pafs by their failings;
as many, like fcurvy flies, fliip over what Is found in raen,
and love to fit upon their fores.
It is lamentable to confider how much this evfl of mu
tual detradlon, and fupplanting the good name one of ano
ther Is rooted in man's corrupt nature, and how it fpreads
and grows in their converfe, as the Apoftle St. Paul cites
it out of the Pfalmift, as the defcrlption of our nature.
Their throat is an open fepulchre, they have deceitful tongues,
and the poifon of afps is un,der their lips, Rora. HI. Their
throat an open fepulchre, fufl of the bones as It were of
ejl omnium hominum. Quis efl honors dignus ? qui honorat alios homines,
Aboth. c. 4.

THE COMMANDMENTS. 355
Others good naraes that they have devoured ; And, Rora.
i. amongft other their endowments, they are whifperers,
backbiters, defpiteful. But It is ftrange that Chriftians
ffiould retain fo much of thefe evils, that profefs themfelves
renewed, and fandified, and guided by the Spirit of God.
Confider in your vifits, and difcourfes, if foraething of this
kind doth not entertain you often, and laviffi away that
time you might fpend in rautual edifications, abufing it to
defcant upon the adions and life of others, in a way as
neither concerns nor profits us, taking an Impertinent
fooliffi delight in enquiring and knowing how this party
lives, and the other ¦*. This Is a very coraraon difeafe, as
Nazianzen obferves ; and thus raen are moft ftrangers at
home, have not leifure to ftudy and know and cenfure
themfelves, they are fo bufied about others. It may be
there is not always a height of malice in their difcourfes,
but yet by rauch babhng to no purpofe, they Aide Into idle
. detradlon and cenfure of others befides their Intention,
for in multitude of words there wants notfln.
And the greateft part are fo accuftoraed to this way,
that If they be put out of it, they rauft fit durab and fay
nothing. There Is, I confefs, a prudent obfervation of the
adions of others, a reading of raen, as they call it, and it '
raay be by a Chriftian done with Chriftian prudence and
benefit ; and there raay be too an ufeful way of raens im
parting their obfervation of this kind one to another con
cerning the good and evil, the abilities more or lefs that
they reraark in the world ; but truly it is hard to find fuch
as can do this a-rlght, and know they agree In their pur
pofe with honeft harralefs minds, intending evil to none,
but good to themfelves, and adraitting of nothing but what
fuits with this, Araongft a throng of acquaintance a man
ffiall, it may be, find very few by whofe converfation he
may be really bettered, and that return him fome benefit
for the expence of his time In their fociety. Howfoever,
beware of fuch as delight in vanity and lying, and defam
ing of others, and withdraw yourfelves from thera, and
fet a watch before your own lips ; learn to know the fit
* Curiofum genus ad cognofcendam vitam alienam, defdiofum ad corri''
gendam fuam. Aug. conf. 1. 10. chap. 3. bSeh srwr vSu roiT at^fintoif
vs- TO XfiXsh T« aXXoTpia. Orat. 1.
Yy 2

356 AN EXPOSITION OP
feafon of filence and fpeech, for that is a very great point
of wifdora, and wfll help very much to the obferving this
precept, to give your tongue to be governed by wifdom
and piety ; let it not be as a thorny buffi pricking and
hurting thofe that are about you, not altogether a barren
tree yielding nothing, but a fruitful tree, a Tree of life to
your neighbour, as Solomon calls the tongue of the righ
teous. And let your hearts be poffeffed with thofe two excel
lent graces, humility and charity, then will your tongue
not be In danger of hurting your neighbour, for it is pride
and felf-love makes men delight In that. Thofe are the
idols to which raen make facrifice of the good name and
reputation of others. The humble man delights In felf-
difefteera, and Is glad to fee his brethrens narae flouriffi,
it is pleafing mufic to him to hear of the virtues of others
acknowledged and coraraended, and a harffi difcord to his
loWly thoughts to hear any thing of his own. And the
other, charity, thinks no evil. Is fo far frora cafting falfe
afperfions on any, that it rather cafts a veil upon true fail
ings and bkraiffies. Love covers a multitude of fins, it is
like God's love that begets it, which covers all the fins of
his own children.
PRECEPT X.
ThouffaU net covet, he.
It is a known truth, that there is no found cure of dif
eafes without the removal of their inward caufe ; there
fore this fecond table of the law, containing the rule of
equity for the redrefs of unrighteoufnefs In mens dealing
one with another, doth in this laft precept of it ftrike at
the very root of that unrighteoufnefs, the corrupt defires
and evil concupifcence of the heart, Thou ffalt not covet,
he. The Romiffi divifion of this into two, is fo grofly abfurd,
and fo contrary both to the voice of antiquity and reafon,
that it needs not ftay us much to ffiew it fuch. The thing
forbidden is one, ThouffaU not covet ;¦ and if the feveraj
things not to be coveted divide it, it wiU be five or fix, as

THE COMMANDMENTS. S57
well as two : Though It be Peter's pretended fword makes
the divifion, yet certainly it Is not Paul's ^cSorty^'n., not a di
viding of the word aright, but cutting it as it were befides
the joint. The truth is, they would never have railtook
fo far as to have offered at this divifion, were they not
driven ^pon it by an evil neceffity of their own making ;
becaufe they have quite cut out the fecond, they are forced,
for making up the number, to cut this in two. This is
but to falve a firft wrong with a fecond, it is Vltlum primes
concodionls quod non corrigitur in fecunda, as they fpeak ;
having fraoth'ered one coraraandraent, they would have
this divided, as the harlot the living child. The fubjed
of this coraraandment, that which it forbids Is not I con
fefs original fin in Its nature and whole latitude ; no, nor
all kind of finful motions iraraediately arifing from It, but
fuch as concern huraan things, belonging to this fecond ta
ble as their rule ; as is clear in all the particulars named
in the coraraandment, and the general word that clofes it
including the reft, and all other things of that kind, Nor
any- thing that is thy neighbours. Nor is it needful (with
others) for the diftlnguiffiing this precept from the reft,
to call this concupifcence here forbidden, only the firft ri
fings of it In the heart, without confent, whereas the other
comraandraents forbid the confent of the will ; I conceive
there Is no danger to fay, that both are forbidden, both In
this and the reft, but In this raore exprefly.
For what great neceffity is there of fuch fubtle diftln
guiffiing ? May not this be fufficient, that what Is Included
in the other comraandraents duly underftood, it pleafed
the Divine wifdom to deliver In this laft raore exprefly,
that none raight pretend ignorance, and fo to provide for
the raore exad obfervance of juftice and equity araongft
raen in their adions> by a particular law given to the heart,
the fountain of thera, regulating It in Its difpofition and
motions, even the very firft ftirrings of it, which do moft
difcover its difpofition ?
¦ And that this Is no tautology, nor a fuperfluous labour,
unfuiting the exquifite brevity of this law, we will eafily
confefs, if we confider, that natural hypocrify and felf-In-
dulgence that is In men, that makes them ftill lefs regard
the temper and adings of their hearts, than their outward

358 AN EXPOSITION OF
carriage, notwithftanding this exprefs commandment con
cerning It; how much raore would they have thought
their thoughts, at leaft fuch as proceed not to full confent,
exerapted frora the law. If there had been nothing fpoke
of them, but they only included in the other ¦ precepts ?
We know how the dodors of Rome extenuate the matter^
and how favourable their opinion Is In this point, notwith
ftanding this clear voice of the law of God condemning all
coricupifcence. The Apoftle St. Paul confeffes ingenuouf
ly his own ffiort-fightednefs, though a Pharifee inftruded
in the law, that unlefs the law had faid. Thou ffalt not luft,
Rora, vH, he had not found It out in the other command
ments, nor known the finfulnefs of it.
This all-wife lawgiver knew both the blindnefs of raan's
mind, and the hypocrify and deceltfulnefs of his heart, and
therefore takes away all pretext, and turns him out of all
excufe, giving this laft commandraent exprefly concerning
the heart, and fo teaching hira. the exad and fpiritual na
ture of all the reft.
This commandment purfues the Iniquity of man Into Its
beginning and fource. Our Saviour calls the evil heart,
an evil treafure ; it Is an Inexhauftible treafure of evil,
yea it dimlnlffieth not at all, but increafeth rather by fpend-
ing : The ading of fin, confirraing and augraenting the
corrupt habit of it In the heart. Out of this evil treafure if
fue forth thofe pollutions that defile the whole man, evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, he. Matt. xv.
It is not proper here to fpeak at large of the firft motions
of fin in general, and of the way to difference (if any fuch
can be given as certain) the Injedions of fatan; evil
thoughts darted in by him;^ and fuch as fpring immedi
ately from that corruption that lodgeth within our own
breafts, and other things that concern the fubjed : Only
this we ought to obferve as pertinent and ufeful, that If
we did confider the purity ofthe law of God, and the im
purity of our own hearts, the continual rifings of finful
concUpifcences within usj that ftain us and all our adions,
this would lay us a great deal lower in our own opinion
than ufually we are. The law Is fpiritual, hut I am carnal,
fold under fin, fays the Apoftle.
Men think it is well with thera, and they pleafe them*?

THE COMMANDMENTS. 359
felves to think fo, and glory in it, that their whole life
hath been outwardly unblameable, and poflibly free from
the fecret comraiffion of grofs fins : .But would they that
are thus raoft fpotlefs, look a little deeper Inward upon
the Inceffant workings of vain finful thoughts, that al leaft
touch upon the aftedion, and ftir It fomewhat ; and con
fider their hearts naturally like boiling pots, ftill fending
up of this fcuni of evil concupifcence, and as a fountain
cafteth forth her waters, as Jeremy fpeaks, this bitter pol-
fon-fprlng ftfll ftreaming forth, and even in the beft not
fully dried up.
There are three tranfgreffions, * fay the Talmudlfts,
from which a man can no day ever In this life be free ;
the thoughts of fin, wanderings In prayer, and an evil
tongue. Certainly the due fight of thefe would abate much of
thofe gay thoughts that any can have of themfelves, and
from the beft and moft fenfible would draw out the Apof
tle's word, 0 wretched man that I am, who ffall deliver
me, he. Rom, vii, 24. There is nothing that doth more
certainly both humble and grieve the godly man, than the
fenfe of this ; and becaufe till then it will not ceafe to vex
him, nothing raakes him more long for the day of his full
deliverance, and makes him cry, Ufquequo Domine, 'ufque-
quo ? 0 how long 0 Lord, how long ?
2. We are taught by this coraraandment that great
point of fpiritual prudence, to obferve the beginnings and
conception of fin v/ithin us, and to cruffi it then when It is
weakeft, before It pafs on in its ufual gradation, as the
Apoftle St, Jaraes raakes It, Ja. i, 14, 15. If it draw us
away but to hear it, it wIU .entice us, take us with delight,
and then it will by that work us to confent, arid having fo
conceived It will bring forth . fin, and fin finiffied will
bring forth death.
3, Becaufe (as we fee) the very concupifcence Itfelf,
though it proceed no further, pollutes and leaves a ftain
behind It; this calls for our dihgence, to feek that reno-
* Tres funt tranfgrejjiones, a quibus homo nullo die, inquiunt Talmudir.i,
nunquam in hac vita Ub'eVabitur, cogitationes peccati, attentio orationis, (i. e.
i^uod nunquam fatis at tento per omnem attentienem orare poffit';)et lingua
thala. Bava. Bofca. f. 1342. . ,,

360 AN EXPOSITION OF
vation and habitual purity of heart Infufed from above,
and the daily increafe of it, being begun, that raay free
us more and more from that depraved concupifcence and
the defilements of it. Think it not enough to cleanfe the
tongue and the hands, but above aU endeavour for clean
nefs of heart, and that will keep aU the reft clean, Ja. iv. 8.
Jer. Iv. 14.
The concupifcence particularly here forbid, we fee, is
an inordinate defire, or the leaft beginning of fuch a de-
lire of thofe outward things that belong not to us. Thy
neighbour's houfe, he. for all breach of the other com
mandments of this fecond table have their rife and begin
ning from fuch defire ; therefore this is fet laft, as the
hedge to guard all the reft from violation : For certainly
he that flies the leaft motion of a wrongful thought, will
never proceed to any injurious word or adion. So then,
this commandment is broken by the leaft envious look
upon any good of others, or the leaft bendings of raind
after ir for ourfelves, and by that coramon mifchief of felf-
love, as the very thing that gives Hfe to all fuch undue
defires, and by that coraraon folly of difcontent at our
own eftate, which begets a wiffiing for that of others ;
and this, though it be not joined with an exprefs defire of
their lofs or hurt, yet becaufe it is the feed and principle
of injuftice, therefore it is finful, and here forbidden.
And on the contrary, much of the obfervance of this
precept lies In that avri^-^oi, that contentednefs and fatis
fadion of mind with our own eftate, which wfll furely
keep us free from this difordered coveting. Therefore
primely labour to have that wife and fweet contentation
dwelling within you, and banlfli all contrary thoughts, by
thefe and other fuch like confiderations, -
1 . If you do indeed believe that it is the fovereign hand
of God that divides to the nations their Inheritance, as Mo
fes fpeaks, Deut. xxxu. 8. and fo likewife to particular
men, that he carves to every one their condition and place
in the world, you cannot but think he hath done it more
wifely than men could do for themfelves. They could
never agree upon it, every man would think It beft for
himfelf to be in the beft and higheft condition, and that is
not poffible ; but it is beft for the making up of the uni-

THE COMMANDMENTS. 361
verfe, that there be thofe differences God hath made, and
frora the higheft to the loweft he hath fet each one in that
ftation he thought good. There is not a coramon foldier
in an array but would wiffi to be a commander, and fo if
each raight have his wfll, all would eomraand and none
obey. The like holds In raafters and fervants, and In a4
fuch other differences. So then, feeing thofe differences
are in tbe world, and feeing it wholly belongs to hira that
rules the world to difpofe of thera, our part is no raore
but contentedly to accept of his difpofe, and to ferve bim
in the ftation where he hath fet us.
2. If you be fuch as have evidence you are the children
of God, then you know he dolh not only allot your con
dition wifely, but withal In peculiar love and favour ; he
perfedly knows> what outward eftate is particularly fitteft
for you, and will conduce raoft to your higheft good, and
wfll not mifs to give you that, and no other. And cer.-
talnly it is true in raatter of eftate, as of our garraentSj not
that which is largeft, but that v/hich fits us beft, is beft
for us.
3, Confider that no outward condition hath contentraent
in it of itfelf, this rauft arife frora foraewhat within : Men
fee the great attendance and train of fervants that wait
upon princes and other great perfons, but they fee not the
train of cares and perplexing thoughts that raany tiraes go
along too, and are more infeparable attendants than any
of the reft ; they fee their fine cloaths and ftately build
ings, but they fee not the fecret malecontents and vexa
tions that dwell with them, and are the very linings of
their rich apparel. Light things often difcontent thera ;
look but on their very paftiraes and recreations, they are
foraetiraes as rauch troubled with difappointment in thofe,
as the poor raan is wearied with his labour. It was not a
much greater crofs that vexed Haman ; all his advance
ment availed not without Mordecai's courtefy : A ftrange
difeafe, that he felt more the pain of another man's ftiff
knee, than the contentraent of all his honours. But whofo
knew their deeper vexations would adraire thera lefs,
when croffed in their arabition or friends, or the huffiand
and wife not finding that harmony of difpofitions and af
fedlons : Few or none but have fomething that a man
Z z

362 AN EXPOSITION OF, &C.
would willingly leave out, if he were for his wiffi to be ill
their condition. The ffiorter and furer way then to con
tentment, is, to be contentedly what he is.
4. Confider thofe that are below you, and in a far
meaner condition, and by that argue yourfelf, not only to
contentment, but to thankfulnefs. We pervert all, when
we look below us, it raifes our pride ; and when above
us, it cafts us into difcontent : Might we not as well con-
trarlwlfe draw humflity out of the one, and contentraent
Out of the other.
5, Seek to be affured that God is yours, then whatfoever
others poffefs, you will be fure not to covet it^ nor envy
them. Thofe that have raoft, you will pity, if they want
hira ; and thofe that have him, you will have no evil at
them for ffiaring with you, but love them the more : For
that infinite good is enough for all that chufe hira, and
none do fo but thofe whom he hath firft chofen in eternal
love.

A
BISCOURSE ON
Matthew xxii. 37, 38, 39.
Jefus faid unto him. Thou ffalt lovf the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with filthy mind ;
a,nd thy neighbour as thyfelf.
THE wifdom and raeeknefs of our Saviour Is the more
reraarkable, and ffiines the brighter, by the malice of
his adverfarles; and their cavils and terapting queftions
occafion our benefit and inftrudlon. Thus here.
We fee the words are the fura of the whole law, and
they are taken out of the book of the law : They are called
two commandments ; the forraer is the fura of the firft, the
latter of the fecond table. Thou ffalt love the Lord thy
God, he. That is, fays our Saviour, the firft and great
commandment. Our firft obligeraent is to God, and
through him and for his fake to men : The fecond like
to it.
Seems it not rather contrary than like to the forraer ;
whereas in the forraer the whole ftreara of love is direded
in one undivided current towards God, this other comr.
mandment feems to cut up a new channel for it, and to
turn a great part of it to men. Thy neighbour as thyfelf?
No, they are not contrary, if we take them right ; yea,
they do not only agree, but are infeparable ; they db not
divide our love, but they fet it in its right courfe ; firft
wholly to God, as the fovereign good, and only for hira
felf worthy to be loved ; and then back frora hira, it Is ac
cording to his own will derived downwards to our neigh
bour ; for then only we love both ourfelves and others
aright, when we make our love to hira the reafon and the
rule of both *. So then dur love is to be iraraediately di-
* Minus enim te amat, qui aliquid prefer te amat, et non propter te.
Incipiat homo amare Deum, et non amabit in homine nift Deum. Aug.
Zz 3

364 A DISCOURSE ON
vided betwixt hira and our neighbour, or any creature^
but is firft all to be beftowed on him, and then he dlffufes
by way of reflexion fo much of it upon others as he thinks
fit ; being aU in his hands, it is at his difpofe, and that which
he difpofes elfewhere as here, (Thou ffalt hve thy neigh
bour as thyfelf) it is not taken off frora him, but abiding
ftill in him, as in its natural place : As light doth in the
fun, flows forth from him by fuch an emanation as divides
it not ; as bearas flow forth frora the fun and enlighten
the air, and yet are not cut bff frora it.
So then the fecond is like unto the firft, becaufe it
fprings frora it, and depends on it, it coraraands the fame
affedion ; love in the former placed on God, and in this
extended from him to our neighbour. And like in this
too, that as the forraer is the fura of the firft table, and fo
the firft and great commandraent ; fo this is the fura of
the fecond table, and therefore next unto it in greatnefs
and iraportance.
All the precepts that can be found in the law and pro
phets are reducible to thefe, and all obedience depends
upon this love. 1 , Confider this, how thofe are the fura
of this law. 2, Particularly in themfelves.
Not only becaufe it is love facilitates all obedience, and
is the true principle ofit, that makes it both eafy to us, and
acceptable to God ; but befides this, that love difpofes the
foul for all kind of obedience, this very ad of love is in
effed all that Is coraraanded In the law. For the firft laid
to the firft table, it Is fo much one with the firft coramand
ment, that it expreffes moft fitly the pofitlve ofit, oppofite
,to that which Is there forbidden, " Thou ffalt have no
other Gods before me, but thou ffialt have rae alone for thy
God, or beftow all divine affedion,' and all worffiip that
is the fign and expreffion ofit, upon rae only. Thou ffalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, he. And if
thou loveft rae alone, thou wilt not decline to any l^Ind of
falfe worffiip, that were to vitiate thy affedion, and to
break that conjugal love and fidelity to which thou art
bound by covenant, being my people as by a fpiritual
marriage." Therefore is idolatry fo frequently called,
in the phrafe of the Prophets, Adultery and uncleannefs :
And in the letter of that commandment, the Lord ufes

MATTHEW XXII. S65
that word, which in its ufual fenfe is conjagd, and relates
to marriage, I am a jealous God ; and in the clofe of that
precept expreffeth particularly this affedion of love, as
particularly interefted in it, though extended to all the
reft, Iffew mercy to thoufands of them that love me.
Is it not a genuine property of love to honour and re
fped the name of thofe whom we love, and therefore It is
altogether inconfiftent with the love of God to vflify and
abufe his name ?
They that underftand the true ufe of that holy reft of
the fabbath-day, do know that it frees the foul, and makes
it vacant from earthly things for this purpofe, that It may
fuHy apply itfelf to the worffiip and conteraplation of God,
and converfe with hira at greater length. Then certainly
where there is this entire love to God, this will not weigh
heavy, will be no grievous tafk to It, It will erabrace and
gladly obey this coraraandraent, not only as Its duty, but
as its great delight ; for there is nothing that love rejoices
in raore, than In the converfe and fociety of thofe on whom
it is placed, would wfllingly beftow raoft of its time that
way, and thinks all hours too ffiort that are fpent in that
fociety. Therefore not only they that profanely break,
but they that keep It heavily and wearily, that find it ra
ther a burthen than a delight, may juftly fufped that the
love of God is not In them ; but he that keeps his day
chearfully, and loves It, becaufe on it he may more libe
rally folace and refreffi himfelf in God, may fafely take it
as an evidence of his love to God.
Now that after the farae raanner the love of our neigh
bour Is the fura of the fecond table, the Apoftle St, Paul
proves it for us clearly and briefly, Rom, xin, 9, lO, All
the commandments touching our neighbour are for guard
ing him from evil and injury. Now Love worketh no ill
to his neighbour, therefore is ihe fulfilling of the law. He
that truly loves his neighbour as hirafelf, will be as loth
to wrong him as to wrong hirafelf, either in that honour
and refped that is due to him, or In his life or chaftity, or
goods or good name, or to lodge fo much as an unjufl de
fire or thought, becaufe that is the beginning and concep
tion of real injury. In a word, the great diforder and
crookednefs of the corrupt heart of man, confifts in felf-

S66 A DISCOURSE ON
love ; it is the very root of all fin both, againft God and
man ; for no man commits any offence, but itJsfome way
to profit or pleafe himfelf. It was a high enormity of
felf-love, that brought forth the very firft fin of raankind;
that was the bait that took more than either the colour or
tafte of the apple, that it Was defirable for knowledge ; it
was in that that the raain ftrength of the teraptation lay,
ye ffall be as Gods, knowing good and evil. And was it
not deep felf-love to affed that ? And it is ftill thus, though
we feel the miferable fruits of that tree : the farae felf^
love poffeffes us ftill, that to pleafe our own huraour and
lufts, our pride, or covetoufnefs, or voluptuoufnefs, we
break the law of God, the law of piety, and of equity and
charity to raen. Therefore the Apoftle, foretelling the
iniquities and irapletles of the laft times. Covetous, boafters,
he, and loroers of pleafures, more than lovers of God ; he
fets that on the front, as the chief leading evil, and the
fource of ali the reft, lovers of their ownfelves : Men ffiall
be lovers of themfelves, therefore covetous ; and lovers of
themfelves more than lovers of God, becaufe lovers of their
Bwtfelves, 2 Tim, IH, 2, Therefore this Is the fura of that
which God requires In his holy law, the reforraing of our
love, which is the coraraanding paffion of the fojil, and
wheels all the reft about with It In good or evil. -¦,
And ils reformation is in this, recalHng it from ourfelves
unto God, and refleding it frora God to our brethren ;
loving ourfelves fovereignly by corrupt nature, _ we are
enemies to God, and haters of hira, and cannot love ou?
neighbours but only in reference to ourfelves, and fo far
as it profits or pleafeth us do fo, and not In order and rcr
fped unto God : The higheft and the true redrefs of this
diforder, is that which we have here in thefe two precepts
as the fubftance of afl ; firft that all our love afcend to
God, and then what is due to raen defcend frora thencej
and fo paffing that way it is purified and refined, and is
fubordlnate and conforraed to our love of him above all,
which Is the firft and great commandraent.
Here we have the fuprerae objed of love, to whom it
is due, the Lord thy God, and' the meafure of it, which is
indeed to know no meafure.'f*, with all thy heart, all thy
* Modus ejl nefcire modum', fubtilius i/la diflinguere facile efl magit
.quam folidum.

MATTHEW XXir. S67
foul, and all ihy mind, (for which in Deut. thy ftrength,)
Luke hath both ; the difference is none, for afl mean that
the foul, and all the powers of It, unite and combine thera
felves in their moft intenfe and higheft ftrength to the
love of God, and that all the workings of the foul, and
adions of the whole raan be no other, but the ading and
etercife of this love.
He accounts nor accepts of nothing we can offer him,
if we give not the heart with it ; and he will have none of
that neither, unlefs 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 affedion of a hundred, yea of all the
men in the world, yet could he not love God anfwerable
to his full worth and goodnefs : All the glorified fpirits,
angels, and raen, that are or ffiall be In their perfedions,
loving him with the utmoft extent of their fouls, do not
altogether make up fo much love as he deferves, yet he
is pleafed to require our heart, and the love we have to
beftow on hira ; and though it is Infinitely due of debt, yet
he will take it as a gift. My fon, give me thy heart.
Therefore the foul that begins to offer itfelf to hira, al
though overwhelraed with the fenfe of its own unworthi
nefs, and the raeannefs of its love, yet raay fay, " Lord, I
ara affiaraed of this gift I bring thee, yet becaufe thou
calleft for it, fuch as it is, here it is, the heart and all the
love I have, I offer unto thee ; and had I ten thoufand
tiraes more. It ffiould all be thine ; as rauch as I can I
love thee, and I defire to be able to love thee raore ; al
though I ara unworthy to be adraitted to love, yet thou
art raoft worthy to be loved by me, and befides thou doft
allow, yea coraraandeft rae to love thee ; ray loving of
thee adds nothing to thee, but it makes me happy ; and
though it be true, the love and heart I offer thee Is infi
nitely too little for thee, yet there is nothing befides thee
enough for it."
The Lord, or Jehovah, thy God.} There lie the two
great reafons of fove, ^J ay^mnv and to JSov, Jehovah the
fpring of being and goodnefs, infinitely lovely. AU 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 that we enjoy, that fpread forth thofe hea-

368 A DISCOURSE ON
vens that roll about us, and comfort us with their light
and motions, and influ^ces ; and eftabhffied this earth
that fuftains us ; that furniffieth us with food and raiment,
and in a word (and it is the Apoftle's) that gives us, f"w
xai iriow xMi •adnx, Life, and breath, and all things ; and to
the believer, his God in a nearer propriety, by redemp
tion and peculiar covenant. But pur mifery Is, the mpft
of us do not ftudy and confider hira, what he is In him
felf and to us, and therefore do not love him, becaufe we
know him not.
And thy neighbour as thyfelf.} If we will not confefs
nor fufped ourfelves, , how much we are wanting In the
former, yet our manlfeft defed in this will difcover it,
therefore the Apoftle, Rom xiii. and Gal. v. fpeaks of
this as all, becaufe though inferior to the other, yet con-
neded with it, and the fureft fign of it. For thefe live
and die together. The Apoftle St. John is exprefs in It,
and gives thofe hypocrites the lie plainly. If any man
(fays he) loves God, and hates his brother, he is a liar, he.
"We have no real way of expreffing our love to God, but
in our converfe with men, and In the works of love to
wards them.
Certainly that fweet affedion of love to God, cannot
confift with raalice and bitternefs of fpirit againft our bre
thren. No, it fweetens and calms the foul, and raakes it
all love every way.
As thyfelf.} As truly both wiffiing, and to thy power
procuring his good, as thy own, Confider how rauch un
wilHng thou art to be injured or defamed, and have the
farae thoughts for thy brother, be as tender for hira. Bu't
how few of us afpire to this degree of charity ?
Thy very enemies are not here excluded ; if felf-love
be ftill predominant in thee inftead of the love of God,
then thou wflt make thine own intereft the rule of thy
love ; fo when thou art, or conceiveft thou art wronged
by any, the reafon of thy love ceafeth ; but if thou love
for God, that reafon abides ftill * : " God hath command
ed me to love my enemies, and he gives me his example,
he does good to the wicked that offend bim."
And this is indeed a trial of our love to God : One
* Amicus diligendus in Deo, et inimicus prepter JJeum. Aug.

MATTHEW XXII. 369
hath marred thee, that gives thee to think that thou haft
no caufe to love him for thyfelf; be it fo, felf-love forbids
thee, but the love of God commands thee to love him.
God fays, " If thou loveft rae, love hira for my fake,"
And if thy love to God be fincere, thou wilt be glad of
the occafion to give fo good a teftiraony of it, and find a
pleafure in that which others account fo difficult and
painful.

3 A

BISCOURSE ON
Hebrews viii, 10.
For this is the covenant that I wdl make with the houfe of
Ifrael after thofe days, faith the Lord; I wdl put my
laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts :
And I will be to them a God, and they ffall be to me a
people. '
rr^HE two great evils that perplex fenfible minds, are
-B- the guiltinefs of fin, and the power of It ; therefore
this new covenant hath In It two proralfes oppofite to thefe
two evils, free pardon to remove the guilt of fin, and the
fubduing of Its power by the law of God written in the
heart. Of this latter only for the prefent. Having fpoke
fomewhat of the fenfe of the law in ten coraraandraents,
and of the fura of it in two, this reraains to be confidered
as allogether neceffary for obedience, and without which
all hearing and fpeaking, and all the knowledge of it, will
be fruitlefs ; though it be made very clear and legible
without, we ffiall only read it, and not at all keep It, un
lefs it be likewife written within.
Obferve, 1 , The agreeraent of the law with the gofpel :
The gofpel bears the complete fulfilling of the law, and
fatisfylng its higheft exadnefs in our furety Jefus Chrift,
fo that way nothing is abated ; but, befides in reference to
us ourfelves, though it take off the rigour of it frora us,
becaufe anfwered by another for us, yet it doth not aboHffi
the rule of the law, but eftabliffieth it. It is fo far from
tearing or blotting out the outward copies of it, that it
writes it anew, where it was not before, even within, fets
it upon the heart in fure and deep charaders. We fee
this kind of writing of the law is a promife for the days of
the gofpel, cited out of the prophet Jeremy, &c.
There is indeed no fuch writing of the law in us, or

A DISCOURSE &C. 371
keeping of it by us, as will hold good for our juftification
in the fight of God, therefore that other proraife runs
corabined with it, the free forgivenefs of Iniquity. But
again, there is no fuch forgivenefs as fets a raan free to
' Kcentioufnefs and conterapt of God's law, but on the con
trary binds hira raore ftrongly to obedience ; therefore to
that fweet proraife of the pardon of fin, is infeparably joined
this other of Inward writing of the law. The heart Is not
waffied frora the guiltinefs of fin in the blood of Chrift,
that it raay wallow and defile itfelf again in the fame
puddle, but it is therefore waffied that the tables or leaves
of it may be clean, for receiving the pure charaders of that
law of God which is to be written on it.
Concerning this writing there are three things you raay
mark. 1. What it is. 2. What Its neceffity, 3. Who
is its writer. The writing of the law in the heart. Is briefly
no other but the renewing and fandifying of the heart by
.the infufion of grace, which Is a heavenly light that gives
the foul to know God aright ; and that is added here as
the farae with the writing of the law in the heart, and an
illuftration of it. They ffall all know me front the leaft of
them to the greateft. And this light bringeth heat with
it *. That right knowledge of God being in the foul,
begets in it love to hira ; and love is the farae with the
fulfiUing of the whole law : It takes up the whole foul,
/ will put it in their mind, and write it in their hearts. If
we will diftinguiffi thofe, then it is, they ffiaU both know
it and love it, it ffiall not be written anew in their heads,
and go no deeper, but written in their hearts ; but we
may well take both for the whole foul, for this kind of
knowledge and love are infeparable ; and where the one
is, the other cannot be wanting.
So then a fupernatural fandified 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 wti.oi tt^-^oyj'i-, the law
giver himfelf, his narae and wfll is engraven on It through
out, on every part of it, all that they know of God ffiall
not be by raere report, ¦ and by the voice of others, but
they ffiall inwardly read and know him within themfelves,
* Lux ejl vehiculum caloris,
3 A 2

372 A DISCOURSE ON
Which (by the by) raakes not the public teaching and
work of the miniftry fuperfluous to any, even to thofe
that know moft of God, but fignifies only this, that all
they that do indeed receive and believe the gofpel, are In
wardly enlightened by the Spirit of God to underftand the
things of God, and have not their knowledge on bare truft
of others that inftrud thera, without any particular per
fuafion and light within ; but what they hear of fpiritual
things, they ffiall underftand and know after a fpiritual
manner. And the univerfality of the proraife fignifies,
that this kind of knowledge ffiould be more frequently and
more largely beftowed In the days of the gofpel, than it
was before,
2. The neceffity of writing the law on the heart. Al
though, there be in the natural confcience of man fome dim
charader of the law, convincing him of grofler wicked
neffes, and leaving him inexcufable, of which the Apoftle
fpeaks, Rora, ii. 15. yet he is fo far naturally frorn the
right knowledge of God, and the love of his whole law,
that, inftead of that knowledge, his raind is full of dark
nefs, Eph, iv. 1 8. and contrary to that love, his heart Is
f>offeffed with a natural enmity and antipathy againft. the
aw of God, Rom. vHI. 7. There Is a law within him
diredly oppofite, which the Apoftle calls the law of fin,
Rom. vH. 23, fin ruling and commanding the heart and
whole man, making laws at Its pleafure *, and obtaining
full obedience. Therefore of neceffity, before a man can
be brought to obey the holy law of God, the inward frame
of his heart rauft be changed, the corrupt law of fin muft
be abrogate, Ilom.. vi, and the foul renounce obedience to
it, and give itfelf up wholly, .e'j'u irov, to receive the ftamp
and Impreffion of the law. of God ; and then having it
written within upon his heart, his adions will bear the
refemblance, and be conform unto it.
In this promife. that- God makes to his people, he hath
regard to the nature of tbat obedience that he requires,
becaufe he will have it fincere and cordial, therefore he
puis a living prlriciple of it within, writes his law in the
heart, and then.it is inthe words and adions derived from
thence, and is more in the heart than in them : the firft
* Tolerabis iniquas interius leges. Claud,

HEBREWS VIII. 10. 373
copy is In the heart, and all the other powers and parts of
a man follow that, and fo by that means, as It is fincere,
fo it is univerfel. The heart Is that which commands all
the reft : and as the vital fpirits flow from It to the whole
body ; thus the law of God, being written in it, is diffufed
through the whole man : It raight be in the memory or
in the tongue, and not In the reft ; but put it in the heart,
and then it Is undoubtedly in all.
Being written In the heart, raakes the obedience like-
wife univerfal in the objed (as they fpeak) to the whole
law of God, When it is written only without a raan, he
may read one part and pafs over another, raay poffibly
chufe to conforra to fome part of the law, and leave the
reft ; but when the full copy of it is written in his hearty
then it is all one law : and as in itfelf It Is infeparable, as
St. James teacheth us, fo It Is hkewife In his efteera and
affedion and endeavour of obedience ; he hath regard
unto all the coraraandraents as one, becaufe of his love ,to
the law of God, he hates not only fome, but every falfe
way, as David fpeaks. He that looks on the law without
hira, wfll poffibly forbear to break it while others look
upon him, his obedience lies much In the beholder's eye ;
but he that hath the law written within, cannot chufe but
regard it as much in fecret as in public, although his fin
might be hid from the knowledge and cenfure of men, yet
ftill it were violence done to that pure law that is within
his breaft, and therefore he hates It alike, as If It were
pubhc. This is the conftant enemy of all fin, this law
within him, / have hid thy law in my heart, fays David,
that I might not fin agalnfl thee, and makes a man abate
nothing of his courfe of obedience and holinefs becaufe
unfeen, but like the fun that keeps on Its motion when it
is clouded from our eyes, as well as when we fee it.
In a word, this v^riting of the law In the heart makes
obedience a natural motion, I mean by a new nature ; It
fprings not from outward conftraints and refpeds, but
frora an inward principle, and therefore not only is it
Univerfal and conftant, but chearful and eafy. The law
only written In tables of ftone Is hard and grievous ; but
make once the heart the table of it, and then there is no
thing more pleafing. This law of God makes fervice

374 A DISCOURSE ON
delightful, even the painfuleft of it, Pfal. xl. 8. The fun
that moves with fuch wonderful fwiftnefs, that to the
ignorant it would feem Incredible to' hear how many thou
fands of miles It goes each hour ; yet becaufe It is naturally
fitted for that courfe, it comes, as the Pfalralft fpeaks, like
a bridegroom forth of his chamber, and rejoices as aflrong
man to run a race. If the natural raan be convinced of
the goodnefs and equity of the law of God, yet becaufe
it is not written within, but only coraraands without, It Is
a vjolent raotion to him to obey It, and therefore he finds
it a painful yoke. But hear David, In whofe heart it was,
fpeak of it, how often doth he call It his delight and his
joy? If any profane perfons objed to a godly man his exad
life, that it Is too precife, as if he writ each adion before
he do it ; he may anfwer, as Demoflhenes to him that
objeded he wrote his orations before, he fpake them, that
he was not at all affiamed of that, although they were riot
only written, but engraven before-hand. Certainly the
godly, man lives by this law that Is written and engraven
on his heart, and needs not be affiamed ofit.
It is true, the renewed man, even he that hath this law
deepeft written in his heart, yet while he Hves here, is ftill
molefted with that Inbred antinomian, that law of fin that
yet dwells In his fleffi ; though the force and power of it is,
broken, and its laws repealed In his converfion, and this
new pure law placed In its ftead : yet becaufe that part
which Is flefli In him ftfll entertains and harbours it, where
it creates and breeds a chriftian daily vexation, becaufe fin
hath loft dominion, it is ftill pradifing rebelHoh againft
that fpiritual kingdom and law that Is eftabllffied in the
regenerate mind : As a m^u that hath once been ih pof
feffion of rule, though ufurped, yet being fubdued, he is
ftill working in that kingdom to turbulent pradices. But
though by this (as the Apoftle was, Rom. vH, 4.) every
godly man is often driven to fad perplexities and coraplaints,
yet in this Is his corafort, that law of his God written there
hath his heart and affedion, fin is dethroned and thruft
out of his heart, and hath only an ufurped abode within
hira againft his will, he fides with the law of God, and

HEBREWS VIII. 10, 375
fights with aU,hIs power for It againft the other ; that holy
law is his delight, and this law of fin his greateft grief,
3. I win write,} The Lord promifes himfelf to do this,
and It Is indeed his prerogative ; he wrote it at firft on ta
bles of ftone, and this fpiritual engraving it on the heart
is much more his pecuhar. Other raen raight afterwards
engrave it on ftone, but no raan can at all write It on the
heart, not upon his own, rauch lefs upon another's. Upon
his own he cannot, for It is naturally taken up and pof
feffed with that contrary law of fin, (as we faid before)
and is willingly fubjed to It, loves that law, and therefore
in that pofture It neither can nor will work this change
upon itfelf, to difpoffefs that law which it loves, and bring
in that which it hates. No man can write this law on the
heart of another, for it is inacceffible, his hand cannot
reach it, he cannot corae at It, how then ffiould he write
any thing on it ? Men in the ralniftry of the word can but
ftand and call without, they cannot fpeak to within, far
lefs write any thing wiihin. Though they fpeak never fo
excellently and fpiritually^ and exprefs no other but what
is written on their own hearts, and certainly that Is the
moft powerful way of fpeaking, and the likelieft for mak
ing impreffion on the heart of another ; yet unlefs the hand
of God's own Spirit carry It into the hearer's heart, and
fet on the ftamp of It there, it will perlffi as a found in the
air, and effed nothing. Sonus verborum noflrorum aures
percutit, maglfler intus, Nolite putare quenquam hominem
• aliquid difcere ab alio homine, admonere poffumus per flrepl-
tum vocis noflrce, fi non eft intiis qui doceat, Inanls ftrepltus
eft nofter, Aug. in 1 Jo, Tr, 3. Let this ever be acknow
ledged to his glory ; the voice of raen raay beat the ear,
but only he that raade the heart can work upon It, and
change and raould It as it pleafeth him : This Is his own
proraife, and he alone raakes it gopd. He writes his law
on the hearts of his children, and by this work of his grace
prepares thera for glory ; they that, have this law written
in their hearts, their, names are certainly written in the
book of life.

8BORT CATECHISM,

Queftion. T"^ 7 HAT is naturally every raan's chief de»
Anfwer. To be happy.
Q. Which is the way to true happinefs ?
A. True religion.
O. What Is true religion ?
A. The true and Hvely knowledge of the only true
God, and of hira' whom he hath fent, Jefiis Chrift.
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 himfelf, and his Son
Jefus Chrift, is to be learned from his own word, cour
tained In the holy fcrlptures of the Old and New Tefta-
raent. Q. What do thofe fcrlptures teach us concerning God ?
A. That he is one Infinite, eternal Spirit, moft wife, and
holy, and juft, and merciful, and the all-powerful Maker
and Ruler of the world.
Q. What do they further teach us concerning him ?
A. That he Is Three in One, and One in Three, the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft.
Q. What wfll that lively knowledge of God effedualljf
work in us ?
A. It wfll caufe us to believe In him, and to love him
above all things, even above ourfelves, to adore and wor
ffiip hira, to pray to him, and to praife him and exalt him
with all our might, and to yield up ourfelves to the obedi
ence of all his comraandraents, as having both raade us,
and raade himfelf knov/n to us for that very end.
Rehearfe then the articles of our belief,
I beheve In God the Father, &c,
Rehearfe the ten comraandraents of the law, which are
the rule of our obedience, and fo the trial of our love.

A SHORT CATECHISM. 377
A. God fpake thefe words, I am the Lord thy God,
&c. Q, What is the fiimmary our Saviour hath given us of
this law ?
A, Thou ffialt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy foul, and with all thy mind, and thy neigh
bour as thyfelf.
O. What is the effedual means of obtaining increafe of
faith and power to obey, and generally all graces and blef
fings at the hand of God ?
A. Prayer,
Rehearfe that moft excellent and perfed prayer that
our Saviour hath taught us.
A. Our Father which art in heaven, &c.
O. In what eftate was man created ?
A. After the image of God In holinefs and righteouf
nefs. O. Did he continue In that eftate ?
A. No. But by breaking the coraraandment which his
Maker gave hira, eating of the fruit of that tree which was
forbidden hira, he raade himfelf and his whole pofterity
fubjed to fin and death.
O. Hath God left man in this ralfery, without all raeans
and hopes of recovery ?
A. No. For he fo loved the world that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whofoever beheveth on hira ffiould not
periffi, but have everlafting life.
d. What is then the great dodrlne of the gofpel ?
A. That farae eoraing of the Son of God in the fleffi,
and giving himfelf to the death of the crofs to take away
the fin of the world, and his rifing again from the dead,
and afcending into glory.
g. What doth that gofpel mainly teach and really per
fuade all the followers of it to do ?
A. It teacheth them to deny ungodlinefs and worldly
lufts, and to live foberly and righteoufly and godly in this
prefent world.
g. How hath our Lord Jefus hirafelf expreffed the
great and neceffary duty of all his difciples ?
A. That they deny themfelves, and take up their crofs
• and foUow him.
3 B

378 A SHORT CATECHISM.
V
O. Rehearfe then forae of the chief points wherein we
are to follow our Lord Jefus Chrift ?
A. 1. To furrender ourfelves whoUy to our heavenly
Father, and his good pleafure In all things, even in the
ffiarpeft afflidions and fufferings ; and not at all to do our
own will, or defign our own praife or advantage, burin
all things to do his will and intend his glory.
2. To be fpotlefs, and ehafte, and holy, in our whole
converfation, 3, Add a third. To be raeek and lowly, not to flander
or reproach, to mock or defpife ary ; and if any do fo to
us, to bear it patiently, yea to rejoice in it.
4, A fourth, Unfeignedly to love our Chriftian bre
thren, and to be charitably and kindly affeded toward all
men, even to our enemies, forgiving thera, yea and pray
ing for them, and returning them good for evil ;¦ to com
fort the afflided, and reheve the poor, and to do good for
all as we are able,
Q. Is it neceffary that all Chriftians Hve according to
thefe rules ?
A. So abfolutely neceffary, that they that do not fo in
forae good raeafure, whatfoever they profefs, do not really
believe In Jefus Chrift, nor have any portion In him.
Q. What vlfible feals hath our Saviour annexed to that
gofpel, to confirm our faith, and to convey the grace of It
to us ?
A. The two facraments of the New Teftaraent, baptifm
and the Lord's fupper,
Q. What doth baptifm fignify and feal ?
A. Our waffiing frora fin, and our new birth in Jefus
Chrift. Q. What doth the Lord's fupper fignify and feal ?
A. Our fpiritual nouriffiraent and growth in hira, and
transforraing us raore and more Into his likenefs, by com
memorating his death, and feeding on his body and blood,
under the figures of bread and wine,
Q. What is required to make fit and worthy comraunl-
cants of the Lord's fupper ?
A. Faith in our Lord Jefus Chrift, and repentance to
wards God, and charity towards all raen.
Q, What is faith In our Lord Jefus ?

A SHORT CATECHISM. 379
A, It is the grace by which we both believe his whole
dodrine, and truft in him as the Redeeraer and Saviour of
the world, and entirely deliver up ourfelves to hira, to be
taught and faved and ruled by him, as our Prophet, Prieft,
and King.
Q. What is repentance ?
A. It is a godly forrow for fin, and a hearty and real
turning frora all fin unto God.
O. What is the final portion of unbeHeving and unre
pentant finners ?
A. The everlafting torments of devils.
Q. What Is the final portion of them that truly repent
and believe, and obey the gofpel ?
A. The bleffed life of angels, in the vifion of God for
ever.
A queftion for young perfons before their firfl admiffion to
ihe Lord's fupper,
O. Whereas you were in your infancy baptized into
the narae of Jefus Chrift, do you now upon diftind know
ledge, and with firm belief and pious affedion, own that
Chriftian faith of which you have given an account, and
withal your baptifraal vow of renouncing the fervice of fa
tan, and the world, and the lufts of the fleffi, and of de
voting yourfelf to God in all holinefs of life ?
A. I do fincerely and heartily declare ray belief of that
faith, and own my engageraent to that holy vow, and re
folve, by the affiftance of God's grace, to continue in the
careful obfervance of it all my days.

3B 3

TEN SERMONS, NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED.

SERMON I,
Romans xiii. 11, 12, 18, 14.
^nd that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to a-
wake out of fleep ; for now is our falvatlon nearer than
when we believed.
The night is far fpent, the day is at hand : let us therefore
cafl off the works of darknefs, and let us put on the armour
of light.
Let us walk honeflly as in the day ; not in rioting and drunk
ennefs, not in chambering and wantonnefs, not in ftrife
and envying.
But put ye on the Lord Jefus Chrift, and make not provifiori
for the fleff, to fulfil the lufts thereof,-
TF^HE higheft beauty of the foul, the very Iraage of God
A upon it, is holinefs : He that Is afpiring to it hirafelf,
is upon a moft excellent defign ; and If he can do any
thing to excite, and call up others, to it, perfprras a worls
of the greateft charity.
This Paul doth frequently and preffingly in his writings.
This epiftle, as it doth admirably clear the dodrine pf jufti
fication, it doth no lefs earneftly urge the dodrine of fanc-
tlficatlon ; That one fentence about the raiddle • thereof
does excellently unite them ; and fo is the fumraary of all
that goes before, and all that follows, (Th^re is therefore
now no condemnation, he. chap, viii, 1,)
The prefent words are as an alarra, or raorning watch
bell, of fingular ufe, not only awaking a Chriftian to his
day's work, but yithal minding him what it Is ; and thefe
two ffiall be all oiir divifion of them, ift. Our awaking
founded, 2, Our walking direded. The former, ver.
11, 12, tells us. It is time to rife, and calls us up to put on
pur cloaths, and, being fpldlers, our arms. The lalter^

SERMON I. 381
ver. 1 3, diredeth our behaviour and employment through
out the day. The laft verfe doth fliortly, and that fully
and clearly, fold up both together. We fliall lake the
words juft as they lie.
And that knowing the time.} This imports much in all
adions, and here it is the Apoftle's great argument : Now
it is unfit to fleep, knowing the time ; however it might
have been before, now it is very unfeafonable and unfuit
able, that you lie fnorting as at raldnlght. Do you know
what o'clock it Is ? It Is time to rife ; it is morning, the
day begins to appear.
Obfervation. All the days of finful nature are dark
night, in which there is no right difcerning of fpiritual
things : Some light there is of reafon, to dired natural
and civil adions, but no day-light till the fun rife. It is
night ftill for all the ftars, and the moon to help thera :
Notwithftanding natural fpeculatlons, that are raore re
mote, and all prudence and policy for affairs, that come
fomewhat nearer to adion, yet we are ftill in the night,
and you do think that a fad life ; but, the truth Is, we
fleep on In It, and our heads are ftill full of new dreams
that keep us fleeping. We are conftantly drunk with cares
or defires of fenfe, and fo our fleep continues, Sometiraes
it Is called Death, dead in fins, he. Now, fleep is brother
to death ; and fo by it not unfitly is the farae ftate refera-
bled : No fpiritual life we have at all, and therefore in
that fenfe are truly dead. But becaufe there is in us a na
tural Hfe, and in that a capacity of fpiritual life, therefore
we are faid to be afleep. As In a dead fleep, our foul is
bound up and drowned In fleffi, a furcharge of the va
pours of grofs fenfible things that we glut ourfelves withal,
and the condition of our wifeft thoughts. In relation to our
higheft good, are nothing but drearas and reveries. Your
projedings, and bargainings, and buildings, thefe be a
better fort of dreams ; but your envyings, and mulual def^
pifings and difcontents, your detrading and evll-fpeaking,
thefe are more impertinent, and to yourfelves more per-
plexing : And your fweeteft enjoyments In this life, that
you think moft real, are but ffiadows of dehght, a more
pleafant fort of dreams. All pomps and royal folemnitles,
the fcripture calls f«>'')«o-/«f) Ads xxv. 23. A man will

382 SERMON I.
not readily think fo, while he Is in them, Somnium narrare
vigilantis eft ; we do not perceive the vanity of our dreams,
and know that they are fo, and declare them to be fo, tfll
we be awaked. Sometiraes in a dream a raan wfll have
fuch a thought that it is but a dreara, yet doth he not
throughly fee the folly thereof, but goes on in it. Sorae
natural raen have foraetiraes a glance of fuch thoughts,
that all thefe things he is either turmoiling or delighting
in are vanity, and nothing to the purpofe, yet he awakes
not, but raves on ftill in thera ; he ffilfts a Httle, turns on
his bed as a door on its hinges, but turns not off, does not
rife. But the fplritual-ralnded Chriftian, that is Indeed awake,
and looks back on his forraer thoughts and ways, O how
does he difdain hirafelf, and all his forraer high fancies
that he was raoft pleafed with, finding them dreams ! O
what a fool, what a wretch was I, while my head was full
of fuch fluff, building caftles in the air, imagining and
catching at fuch gains, and fuch preferments, and plea
fures, and either they ftill running before rae, and I could
not overtake thera, or if I thought I did, what have I now,
when I fee what It Is, and find that I have erabraced a ffia
dow, falfe hopes, and fears, and joys ? He thinks he hath
eat, and his foul Is empty, Ifa. xxix. And you that will
fleep on, may; but fure I am, when you come to your
death-bed, if poffibly you awake then, then ffiall you look
back, with fad regret, upon whatfoever you moft efteeraed,
and gloried In, under the fun. While they are coming to
wards you, they have fome ffiew ; but, as a dream that is
paft, when thefe gay things are flown by, then we fee how
vain they are.
As that luxurious king caufed paint on his tomb two
fingers, as founding one upon another, with that word,
AU Is not worth fo much, Non tanti eft. I know not how
men raake a ffiift to fatlsfy therafelves ; but, take a fober
and awakened Chriftian, and fet hira in the raidft of the
beft of all things that are here, his heart would burft with
defpair of fatisfadion, were it not for a hope that he hath,
beyond all that this poor world either attains, or Is feeking
after ; and that hope is mdeed the dawning of the day that
is here fpoken of.

SERMON I. 383
It is time to awake, fays he, Salvation Is 7iearer than when
ye believed. That bright day you look for is hafting for
ward ; it is nearer than when you began to believe ; the
night Is far fpent, the grofs darknefs is already paft, forae
day-light it Is, and is every raoraent growing, and the per
fed full inornlng-light of it is very near,
Obf. Grace, and the gofpel that works It, compared
with the dark night of nature. Is the day, and it Is often fo
called : The Apoftle here caUs It fo. Let us walk honeftly
as In the day. But yet that fame Hght of the gofpel fhin-
ing to us in the word, and within ys by the Spirit, is but
the appearance or approaching of the day, a certain pledge
of It, yea, a kind of beginning of It, telling us that it is
hard at hand. It Is one and the farae light, and where It
enters Into any foul, it makes fure that eternal full day to
it, that it ffiall not be difappointed of, more than the day
can go back, and the fun fail to rife when the dawning is
begun : And this begun light Is ftill growing clearer, and
tending to the perfed day, .Prov, Iv. 1 8. And at the firft
peep or appearance of it, fo rauch it is, that the foul is
called to awake and arife, and put on day-cloaths, and ap
ply itfelf to the adions of the day ; and that is the thing
the Apoftle here preffes by it.
^ O the bleffed gofpel, revealing God in Chrift, and call
ing up finners to coramunion with him, difpeUing that
black night of ignorance and accurfed darknefs that other-
wife had never ended, but paffed on to an endlefs night of
eternal mifery ! Says not Zacharias with good reafon in his
fong, Luke i. that it was through the tender mercy of God
that this day-fpring from on high did vifit us ?
Now, fays the Appftle, this day appearing. It Is time to
awake ; and the longer fince It began to appear, and the
clearer the light grows, the raore high tirae Is il to awake
and rife, and caft off night-cloaths and night-works, works
of darknefs, and to put on garraents, yea, armour of Hght.
He that is a foldier, his garments are not on, till his arms
be on, and his fword about him, then he Is ready ; efpeci
ally in a time and pofture of war, and the enemy lying
nigh, even round about him ; and this Is every Chriftian's
ftate while he is here. An arraour of Hght, not only ftrong
and ufeful, but comely and graceful, fit to walk abroad in ;

384 SERMON I.
bright ffiining arraour ; as your old poets defcrlbe their
charapions, dazling their enemies eyes.
And thus apparelled, to behave ourfelves fuitably, to
•walk honefily as in the day, not in rioting and drunkennefs :
That is a night-work, as the Apoftle hath it, 1 Thef. v.
To ftagger and reel in the ftreets in day-light, to be drunk
in the morning, is moft ffiameful, fo Is that fpirit of
drunkennefs as unbefeeming a chriftian ; to fee them
hurrying and juftling one another, as drunk with love of
earthly things, and their fpirits by that befotted, and
unfitted for fpiritual things, that they find no pleafure in
thera. Chambering and wantonnefs.\ All impure lafclvious con
verfation, how vile are thefe, and unfit for the Hght : even
nature Is afiiaraed to be feen In thefe things, in the natural
light of the day ; much raore wfll grace In the fpiritual
Hght of the gofpel.
Strife and envy.} As ffiuffles and hot quarrels are raoft
of all unfeenily In the ftreets In day-light, fo the quarrels
and jarrings of chriftians are very ffiaraeful before the light
wherein they walk. The gofpel of Chrift, the grand
dodrine thereof, is meeknefs and love. But, O where
are they, thefe graces that fo abound in the dodrlne of
chriftianity, and yet are fo fcarce in the lives of chriftlaris ?
Where are they that look gladly on the good of others,
and bear evils and Injuries from their neighbours patiently,
and repay evil with good ? Thus It ought to be ; but, on
the contrary, how ready are the moft to part on the leaft
occafions, to bite and fnarl at each other ? more ftill of the
fpirit of the dragon than of the dove. My brethren, re
meraber and confider that the gofpel light ffiines araongft
us, and that more clearly than in forraer times, and more
clearly than to raoft people in the world in thefe times, and
do not outface and affront the bleffed light with the ac
curfed works of darknefs ; you raight have been profane
in forraer tiraes, or in forae other place, at a cheaper
rate. Know, that If this glorious light do not break off your
courfe of fin, it will increafe your load of judgment; the
heavleft of all condemnations, Is to live in darknefs, and
to live' and die in it, in the midft of light, Amongft all

SERMON I. 885
your defperate accurfed wiffies, this ffiall 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 that we aim at were gained. If chriftians could
be brought to confider who they are, and walk Hke thera
felves, it would raife them above the bafe pleafures of fin,
and fnares of the world. The way of life is on high to the
juft : There Is a holy loftinefs, a difdain of all impure for
did ways. It is faid of Jehoffaphat, that his heart was
lift up in the ways of the Lord, 2 Chron. xvu. 5. As a
vain felf-concelted lifting up of the heart is the great enemy
of our^ welfare, as it Is written of another, even of a good
king, (Hezekiah) that his heart was lift up, therefore was
wrath upon him ; fo there is a happy exaltation of the
heart, where it is raifed In God, to defpife all comraunion
with the unholy, and unholy ways of the world. This,
my brethren, is that I would, were wrought in you by the
confideration of our holy calling. We are called to holi
nefs, and not to uncleannefs. Te are the chUdren ofthe
light and ef the day : bafe night ways, fuch as cannot en
dure the Hght, do not become you. O that comelinefs,
that the faints ffiould ftudy, that decorum they ffiould
"keep in all their ways, Ew^iJ^ovaif, one adion like another,
and all like Chrift, Hving as in the light. They that con
verfe with the beft corapany, fuch perfons are obliged to
raore decency In apparel. We live in the light. In the
corapany of angels, of God, and Jefus Chrift ; and there
fore ffiould not ad any thing that is low or raean, unbe
feeming the rank we keep, and the prefence of thofe we
frequent. . When the king paffes through the country Ip
progrefs, they that fee him feldom, being either to attend
him in his way, or to receive them Into their houfes, will
labour to have all things in the beft order they can for the
time ; but they that live at court, and are daily in the
king's prefence, are conftantly court-like In their habit and
carriage, and all about them. O Followers of the Lamb,
let your garraents be always white, yea, let him be your
garment ; cloath yourfelves with himfelf; have your robes
made of his fpotlefs fleece,
'Ver. 11. Put on the Lord Jefus.} No refemblance is
more ufual than that of peoples cuftoms to their cloaths,
3 C

386 SERMON I.
their habitudes to their habits : This the Apoftle ufed In
the foregoing words. Put on the [furniture, orj armour of
light, having caft off the works, as cloaths of darknefs,
night-cloaths ; and the word, walking decently, has fome- '
thing of the fame referablance contained In it : and here
we have the proper beauty and ornaraent of Chriftians,
even the Lord Jefus, recoraraended to thera under the
farae notion. Put on, he. Hira we put on by faith, and
are cloathed with hira as our righteoufnefs. We come
unto our father, in our elder brother's perfumed garments,
and fo obtain the bleffing, which he, in a manner, was
ftrlpped of for our fakes, did undergo the curfe, and was
made a curfe for our fakes : fo the Apoftle fpeaks of him ;
we put him on, as the Lord our rlghteoufnefs, and are made
ihe rlghteoufnefs of God In him. This inveftiture is firft,
when our perfons are raade acceptable, and we come into
court. But there is another putting of him on, in the con
formity of holinefs, which always accompanies the forraer,
and that is it which is here meant. And this I declare
unto you, that whofoever does not thus put him on, ffiall
find themfelves deceived in the other, if they imagine it
belongs to them.
They that are the fons of God, and have the hope of
inheriting with him, do really become- like him, even heirs
in forae degree, 1 Jphn HI, 3, and that bleffed expedation
we have, is to be fully like him : When he appears, we ffall
be like him, faith the Apoftle ; and In the raean while are
endeavouring to be fo, and foraewhat attaining It, as he
adds. Every one that hath this hope, purifieth himfelf, as he
is pure. He is the only begotten Son ; and we are fo
reftored In him to the dignity of fons, that withal we are
really changed into his likenefs : He Is the Image of the
father that is renewed upon us.
It is the fubftance of religion, to be like him whom we
worffiip ¦¦*. Man's end and perfedion Is likenefs to God.
But, oh ! the diftance,, the unlikenefs, yea, the contrariety,
that is faUen upon our nature ; the carnal mind is enmity
io God, the foul, as it were, become fleffi, and fo moft
unfuitable to the father bf fpirits, It is become Hke the
beaft that perlflies. Now, to repair and raife us, this was
* Suinma religionis imitari quem colis.

SERMON I, 387
the courfe taken : we could not rife up to God ; he carae
down to us, yea, unto us, to raife and draw us up again
to him. He becarae like us, that we raight becorae like
him. God firft put on raan, that raan raight put on God.
Putting on the Lord Jefus, we put on man, but that raan
is God ; and fo, in putting on raan, we put on God.
Thus, putting on Chrift, we put on all grace : This, not
only by ftudying him as our copy and example, but by
real participation of his fpirit ; and that fo as that daily the
likenefs is growing, while we are carried by that fpirit to
ftudy his exaraple, and enabled in forae raeafure to con
forra to it ; fo that thefe two go together, growing in grace,
and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift.
He is the Armour of light before fpoken of; all our orna
ment and fafety is in hiraJ Sorae pidures of great per
fons you have feen, with arras and robes on at once ; thus
we, when cloathed with Chrift, have our arras and robes
both on at once, yea, both In one, for he Is both. So this
is the great ftudy of a Chriftian, to eye and read Chrift
much, and, by looking on him, to becorae raore and raore
like him, making the impreffion deeper by each day's
meditation, and beholding of hira; his fpirit In us, and
that love his fpirit works, making the work eafy, as
fympathles do : And ftill the raore the change is wrought,
it becoraes ftill the raore eafy to work it ; this Is excellently
defcribed by this Apoftle, 2 Cor. IH. 18.
Now we fee our bufinefs : O that we had hearts to it !
It Is high, it is fweet, to be growing more and raore
Chrlft-like every day. What is the purchafe or conqueft
of kingdoras to this ? O ! what are we doing, that raind
not this raore, even they whofe proper work it Is ? How
remifs are they In It, and what fraall progrefs do they
make ? Are we lefs for the world and ourfelves, and raore
for God this year than the forraer, raore raeek and gentle,
abler to bear wrongs, and do good for thera, raore holy
and fpiritual in our thoughts and ways, raore abundant
and fervent in prayer ? I know there will be tiraes of dead-
nefs and winter feafons, even In the fouls of Hving Chrif
tians ; but it is not always fo, it will corae about yet : fo
that, take the whole courfe of a Chriftian together, he Is
advancing, putting on ftlU raore of Chrift, and living in
3 C 2

388 SERMON I.
him. There is a clofer union betwixt the foul and this its
fpiritual cloathing, than betwixt the body and its garraents ;
that doth iraport a tranfchange into Chrift, put on as a
new life, or new felf. The Chriftian by faith doth this,
he puts off hirafelf, old carnal felf, and inftead thereof
puts on Jefus Chrift, and thence forward ha:th no more
regard of that old felf, than of old caft cloaths, but is all
for Chrift, joys in nothing elfe. This is a riiyftery which
cannot be underftood but by partaking of it.
My brethren, learn to have thefe thoughts frequent and
occurrent with you on all occafions. Think, when about
any thing, how would Chrift behave himfelf in this, even
fo let me endeavour.
You will poffibly fay. They that fpeak thus, and advlfe
us, do not do thus, O ! that that were not too true ; yet
there be fome that are real in it, and although it be but
little that is attained, yet the very aira is excellent, and
foraewhat there is that Is done by it. It is better to have
fuch thoughts and defires, than altogether to give it up ;
and the very defire, being ferious and fincere, does fo
much change the habitude and ufage of the foul and life,
that it is not to be defpifed.
Now follows. Arid make no provifion for the fieff, he.
and It wfll follow neceffarily. We hear much to little
purpofe. O ! to have the heart touched by the fpirit with
fuch a word as Is here. It would untie It from all thefe
things, Thefe are the words, the very reading of which
wrought fo with Auguftine, that, of a licentious young
man, he turned a holy faithful fervant of Jefus Chrift.
While you were without Chrift, you had no higher nor
olher bufinefs to do, but to attend and ferve the fleffi ; but
once having put him on, you are other men, and other
manners do become you. Alia aetas alios mores poftulat.
This forbids not eating and drinking and cloathing, and
providing for thefe, nor decency and comeHnefs in thera :
The putting on of Christ does not bar the fober ufe of
them ; yea, the moderate providing for the neceffities of
the fleffi, while thou art tied to dwell in It, that may be
done in fuch a way as ffiall be a part of thy obedience and
fervice lo God ; but to lay In provlfiions for the lusts of It,
i$ to vidual and furniffi his eneray and thine own ; For

SERMON I. 389
the lusts of the fleff do ftrive againft God's fpirit, and war
againft thy foul. Gal. v. 17. l Pet, H, 11,
This was the quarrel betwixt God and his own people
in the wlldernefs : bread for their neceflities he gave them,
but they required bread for their lufts, (which fliould ra
ther been ftarved to death than fed) and many of thetn
fell in the quarrel : He gave them their defire, but gave
thera a plague with it, and they died with the raeat be
tween their teeth. Many that feem to follow God, and to
have put on Chrift, yet continuing in league with their
lufts, and providing for them, they are permitted a while
fo to do, and are not withheld from their defire, and feem
to profper In the bufinefs ; but though not fo fudden and
fenfible as that of the IfraeHtes, there Is no lefs certain a
curfe joined with all they purchafe and provide for that
unhallowed ufe. It is certainly the pofture and employ
ment of moft of us, even that are called Chriftians, to be
purveyors for the fleffi, even for the lifts of it* ; thefe
lufts coraprehending all fenfual, and all worldly fleffi felf-
pleafing projeds, even fome things that feera a little raore
decent and refined, corae under this account, W^hat are
men coraraonly doing, but projeding and labouring be
yond neceffity, for fuller and finer provifion for back and
belly, and to feed their pride, and raife themfelves and
theirs foraewhat above the condition of others about them ?
And where mens Interefts raeet In the teeth, and crofs
each other, there arife heart-burnings and debates, and an
evil eye, one againft another, even on a fancied prejudice,
where there Is nothing but croffing an humour : fo the
grand idol is their own will that muft be provided for, and
ferved in all things, that takes them up early and late, how
they may be at eafe, and pleafed, and efteeraed and ho
noured. This Is the provifion fof the fleff and its lufls ; and
from this are all they called that have put on Chrifl, not
to a hard, mean, unpleafant Hfe, Inftead of that other, but
to a far raore high and raore truly pleafant life, that dif
graces all thofe their former purfuits that they thought fo
gay, while they knew no better. There is a tranfcendent
fweemefs in Chrift, that puts the fleffi out of credit. Put
sn Chriji, thy robe royal, and make no provifion, he. and
* Ad fupervacuum fudare.

390 SERMON II.
fure thou will not then go and turmofl in the kitchen. • A
foul cloathed with Chrift, ftooping to any finful delight,
or an ardent purfult of any thing earthly, though lawful,
doth wonderfully indignify itfelf : ' Methinks it is as a king's
fon in his princely apparel, playing the fcullion, fitting
down to turn the fpits, A foul living in Chrift indeed
hath no vacancy for the fuperfluous luxurious deraands of
fleffi, yea, fupplles the very neceffities of it with a kind of
regret, A nqceffitatibus meis libera me, Domine, faid one.
Oh ! raife up your fpirits, you that pretend to any thing
in Chrift, delight In him, and let his love fatlsfy you at ali
tiraes. "U^hat need you go a begging elfewhere ? All you
would add raakes you the poorer, abates, fo much of your
enjoyment of him ; and what can compenfate that ? Put
on the Lord Jefus, and then view yourfelves and fee if you
be flit to be flaves to fleffi and earth,
Thefe two. Put on the Lord Jefus, and, make no provifion,
are diredly the reprefentation of the church, Apoc, xn.
A woman cloathed with the fun, and the moon under her
feet, needed borrow no beauty from It, or any thing under
it. She left the fcarlet, and the purple, and gold, to the
harlot after fpoken of, for her dreffing.
The fervice of the fleffi Is a work the chriftian cannot
fold to, till he forget what cloaths he has on. This Is all,
my brethren. Oh ! that we could be perfuaded once to
put on Chrifl, and then refolve and reraeraber to do no»
thing unbefeeming that attire.

SERMON II."
Psal. cvii. 43.
Whofo Is wife, and will ohferve thofe things, even they ffall
underfland the loving kindnefs of the Lord.
MOST men live a brutal fenfitive life, live not fo
much as the life of reafon ; but far fewer the divine
life of faith, which is further above common human rea-

SERMON II. S91
fon than that is above fenfe. The fpiritual light of grace
is that which raakes day in the foul ; all other wifdom Is
but night-light. Then I faw that wifdom excelleth folly, as
far as light excelleth darknefs, Eccl. n. IS. This higher
fort of knowledge is that the Prophet fpeaks of.
Having difcourfed excellently through the Pfalm, of the
wifdom, power and goodnefs of God, fo legible in his pro
vidence towards men^ and often called up the dull minds
of men to confider thefe his works, and blefs him for
them, he clofes with this applaudment of their happinefs
that truly do fo, Whofo Is wife, he.
. They that fpake It, know not how true their fpeech Is,
that have called the world a nefl of fools. It is true, there
is very little, even of natural clearnefs of judgment amongft
men, but fure far lefs of this true fpiritual wifdom ; fo
that, if we read this as a queftion, Whofo Is wife ? Oh ! how
few, and yet moft Iraagine they are, few convinced they
are fools, and that Is the height of their folly. That word
is raoft true. Job xi. 12. Vain man would be wife, though
he be born as the wild afs's colt. In youth he runs wild,
unbroken and unufeful, and In fuller age hath but a brutiffi
flavlffi life, yokes In with his beafts, In the farae kind of
labour, or In little better ; turmoiling and drudging to
ferve his bafe lufts, his gain, his pleafure, and forgets quite
what high condition the foul that fparkles within him is
born to, and made capable of; In a word, knows not God.
That Is both his folly and ralfery. How rauch paffes, e're
we confider what we, live for? And though all applied,
how Incapable are a great many to know any thing * ?
To this purpofe there is a notable word. Job xi. 8, 9,
Now, to ftir up your defires and endeavours after this
wifdora ; confider, that it Is the proper excellency of the
rational iiature, the true elevation of huraan nature, to be
wife : And they that are not fuch, or know fomewhat of
their own defed, yet would wfllingly pafs for fuch, and
had rather be accounted uncomely, yea, even unhoneft,
than unwife, (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 defire really to be wife, if It were
in their power. * Inter homines quid hsmiiie rarius P

592 SERMON II.
Now, it were good to work on this defign within us,
and to have it drawn into the right channel. Would you
be wife, then feek true wifdom. The moft that men feek
and admire In themfelves and others, are but falfe ffiadows
and appearances of wifdora ; knowledge either of bafe
low things, as to fcrape and gather together, or elfe of
vain, unprofitable things, and that knowledge that is for
the raoft part but iraaginary : For moft things in ftate-
affairs take another bias and courfe, are not fo rauch rao
delled by wit, as moft men Imagine ; and for the fecrets
of nature, we have little certain knowledge of thera ; how
fliort is our life to attain any knowledge ? (that is an ex
cellent word. Job via, 9,) but the knowledge here fet be
fore us. Is the beft kind of knowledge, of the higheft
things, divine things : I fay, the beft kind of knowledge
of them ; for there are notions, even of thefe things, that
have little in them, either curious fruitlefs difputations of
fuch points as are raoft removed both from our notice and
our ufe, or an ufelefs knowledge of ufeful things : But
this Is a well-regulated and fure-footed knowledge of di
vine things, as God himfelf hath revealed thera.
This wifdora defcends frora. above; therefore, for the
attainraent of it, thefe two are neceffary, \fl. To know
that we want it, fenfibly and feehngly to know this, that
we know nothing of the things of God, Multl adfaplen-
tlam pervenirent, nlfi fe jamjam pervenlffe arbitrarentur.
Many men would have attained to wifdom. If they had not
fancied or imagined that they had already attained to it. I
fpeak not now of the loweft fort, the grofly, the brutlffily
ignorant, even of the letter of divine truths, but fuch as
can give themfelves or others, if put to it, a good account
of the principles of faith and holinefs, have read and heard
much, and poffibly learned and retained not a little that
way, yet ftill are but ignorants, ftrangers to this heavenly
wifdom : Therefore men muft firft know this, that they
may go new to fchool again and become as little chfldren,
1 Cor, Hi, 19, Wifdom Invites no other, Prov, Ix, 4.
Theflrange woman, and fp all the intlceraents to fin, they
invite the fame perfons, ver, 16, but to a dired oppofite
end : She calls the fools to befool them, to drown them
in folly and wretchednefs ; but wifdom calls them, to un-

SERMON II. 393
befool them, to recover them, and teach them the way
of life.
Idly, Being convinced and fenfible of the want of It, to
ufe the right way to attain It, to give all diligent attend
ance on the word and ordinances of God, to defire it of
him. Defire is all : If you defire much, you ffiall have
much. 'Vent thy defire this way heavenwards, whence
this wifdom defcends, this Hght fprings from on high :
Man cannot raife himfelf to it without another ; If any
man lack wifdom, if he is but once fenfible of that ; why
then the fweeteft, eafieft way to attain it that can be de
fired, is pointed out, let him afl It of God, who gives libe
rally, and reproaches not, does neither harffily refufe, nor
upbraidingly give it, delights to give it to them that afk It,
even his own holy Spirit, the fpring of this wifdora, as he
halh promifed.
We are all too little In this Humble feeking and begging
this divine knowledge, and that is the caufe we are fo ffial
low and fmall proficients : If thou cry and lift up thy
voice for underftanding, Prov. H. 3, &c. fearch for it as
for hid treafures ; fit down upon thy knees and dig for It :
That Is the beft pofture, to fall right upon the golden
vein, and go deepeft to know the mind of God, In fearch
ing the fcrlptures, to be direded and regulated in his
ways, to be raade flcilful In ways of honouring him, and
doing hira fervice ; this, raen nor angels cannot teach
him, but himfelf alone.
Of this wifdom we have here the charader and privi
lege : \fl. The charader ; that obferves thofe things, that
looks back to the dodrlne of the Pfalmift, which Is very
divinely fweet, extolhng the goodnefs of God in general
in his deaHngs with raen, and inftanclng in divers occur-
fant and remarkable particulars the fitnefs and mildnefs of
his chaftifements, the feafonablenefs and fweetnefs of his
deliverances, correding us for our greater good, and re
lieving us In our greateft need, when we are neareft de-
fpairing of relief: This Is exemplified in travellers and
prifoners. In fick raen and fearaen, and In the various dif-
pofal of the ftate of all fprts of perfons, the higheft and the
meaneft ; and the repeated fweet burden of the fong Is,
0 that men would praife the Lord for his goodnefs, he,
3D

394 SERMON n.
And In the end the refult of all, ver, 42, the joy of the
godly, the ffiame and filencing of the wicked, that ufually
eiiher raiftake, or flight, or defpife the providence of God
in the rule of human affairs, readily fpeak big their own
thoughts, which are vain, promlfing themfelves continual
fuccefs : In the end he fliall clear himfelf, and glad the
fouls of his people, and cloath his enemies with ffiame.
Wait a while, and thus It fliall be ; they fliall change
places. He pours contempt upon princes, and, fets the
poor on high frora afflidion, and fo rights hirafelf, and
them that wait on him. Then the righteous ffall fee It and
rejoice, and all Iniquity ftoall flop her mouth ; and it is a
great point of true wifdom, rightly to obferve thefe things.
This obferving hath In it, Ifl, A believing notice of
thefe things, to take fuch Inftances aright, when they
meet our eye, to know thefe things to be Indeed the
Lord's doings ; and fo, when we are in any prefent ftralt,
to believe accordingly the fame infpedion of his eye, and
fecret condud of his hand, to be in all. Now, it Is a great
point to have the heart eftabhffied In thefe perfuafions.
We are generaUy much defedive in this, and they moft
that leaft fufped themfelves ofit. But withal, the obferv
ing or keeping thefe things, (fo the word is) this firm be
lieving hath in it thefe two, following on it, and flowing
from it, ferious contemplation, and fuitable adion,
Ifl, Often to turn our eye to the view of thefe things,
and to keep it on them, fo as td have our hearts warmed
with them, to be deeply taken with wonder and love.
But alas ! our fouls are drowned in fleffi, dragged down
from things that become them, and are worthy of thera,
to drudge and weary therafelves In the raire and clay.
How few are there that raake It a great part of their daily
bufinefs, to behold God in his works and ways with them
felves and oihers ? Some, in refped of others, are called
great fpirits : But oh ! What are they ? 'U^'hat a poor
greatnefs is It, to projed for a great eftate, or great places
and titles, or to conceive great revenges of little wrongs ?
There Is foraething even in nature of greatnefs of fpirit,
very far beyond the baftard falfe charader that raoft take
of it ; that is above raoft things others iraagine great,
and defpifes them : But true greatnefs is this, to have a

SERMON II, 395
mind much taken up with the greatnefs of God, admiring
and adoring him, and exciting others to do fo ; grieved,
and hoilly angry, that raen regard him fo little, breathing
forth fuch wiffies, as thefe of the Pfalmift, both lo exprefs
their own thoughts, and to awake fleeping befotted men
about thera, 0 that men would praife the Lord for his
goodnefs, he. could wiffi a voice that could reach many
thoufands ; and if they had one audible to all the world,
would ufe It no otherwife than to be precentors of the
praifes of God, to call up and begin the fong, 0 that men
would praife, he.
Confider yourfelves, my brethren, and trace yourfelves
into your own hearts, whether often in the day your
thoughts run this way, finding the meditation of God
fweet to you, or, If they do not run out rauch more to vain
things, and are feldora here ; either hurried and bufied
in a furcharge of affairs ; or, if vacant, yet fpinning them
felves out in frothy fooliffi fancies, that you would be a-
ffiaraed to look back upon. You raight entertain divine
and heavenly thoughts, even while about your earthly
eraployraents and-refreffiraents; but this Is little known,
and little fought after. Make it your bufinefs to learn
more of this wifdom : Call in your hearts, commune often
with yourfelves and with God ; be lefs abroad, and more
within, and more above : It is by far the fweeteft life.
Beg of God to wind up your hearts, when you find them
heavy and dull, that they follow you flowly in this, and
need rauch pulling and haling frora your hand ; a touch
frora his hand will raake them mount up eafily and nirably.
Oh ! feek his drawing : Draw me, we will run after thee.
And when you meet together, let this be your bufinefs,
to fpeak of hira that alone is to be exalted, that doth and
difpofeth all as he pleafes. Say to friends, and kindred,
and neighbours, O ! how great and how gracious a God
have we ! Oh ! that we could blefs him !
2dly, To keep thefe things, is to walk according to the
firm belief and frequent thoughts of them, to fear him,
and to walk hurably and warily, becaufe our follies draw
on his rods, and to ftudy to pleafe him, and no matter who
be difpleafed ; and when he correds, lo fall down hum
bly under his hand, that hath our ficloiefs and health, our
3D 2

396 SERMON II.
life and death, and all that concerns us. In his abfolute
power. If any thing advance or advantage us before
others, endeavour to be the raore lowly and fervlceable to
him ; if In a low condition, to blefs and reverence him,
for his prefence will turn the meaneft cottage, yea, the
darkeft dungeon, into a palace.
The chief delight of the faints is to offer praifes to God,
to gather them in from all his works, to fend up to him :
And his chief delight in all his works is to receive thefe
praifes of them from their hands ; they articulate thera,
make a reafonable facrifice of them, Pfal, cxlv. All thy
works ffall praife thee, and thy faints ffall blefs thee. We
are called to this high work, yet He behind, and raoft un
worthily and foolifhly abafe ourfelves in other things.
But they that are wife, if there be any, will mind this,
will not let the Lord's marvellous and gracious doings pafs
without notice. It is a high proof of his love to us, that
he loves to be feen work by us, and ftoops lo take our ac
clamations and approvements, hath fuch regard to them,
and rewards them fo richly ; even thus, Whofo Is wife, and
will ohferve thefe things, they ffall underfland the loving
kindnefs ofthe Lord. Obf. They that are wife and ohferve,
ffall underfland further ; to him that hath ffall be given,
to hira that ufetuUy hath, that is, to have, and fo there
meant, improves it to his advantage that gave it. The
greateft difficulty is to begin, as one faid of his growing
rich, " That he came hardly by a Httle riches, and eafily
by great riches." Having once got a ftock, he grew rich
apace ; fo once taking, be It but the firft leffons of this
wifdom, learning thefe well, ffi'all facilitate thy knowledge
exceedingly : The wife Increafeth learning, Prov. i. Wouldft
thou but receive and hearken to the eafieft things repre
fented by God, thefe would enlighten and enlarge thy
foul to receive raore ; efpecially walking by the light thou
haft, be it never fo Hille, that invites and draws in more.
Be diligent in the pradice of that you know ; if you would
know more, believe it, that Is the way tp grow : Whofo ob
ferves, [keeps thefe things, ads according to the know
ledge of them] he ffiall underftand, John vH, 17. ffiall un
derftand it by finding it, (ffiall underftand it in themfelves,
the word is In the reciprocal mood, Hithpahel) it ffijU

SERMON 11. 397
be particularly and effedually ffiown unto him ; they fliall
experience it, and fo underftand it, and that is the only
lively, underftanding of it. Men may he;\r, yea, deliver
large difcourfes of it, and yet not underftand the thing :
Happy are they to whom this is given. Solus docet qui dat,
et difclt qui reclplt.
Loving kindnefs.} Heb. Gracloufncfs ; all forts of kind-
neffes, even outward and coramon mercies, in thofe ffiall
he underftand his goodnefs, (in recoveries and deliveries
from dangers, and bleflings, be their portion in them, l?Is
or more) though the things be common, yet they come to
be his own by a particular ftamp of love, tha'c 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 them, the loweft
things are difpofed of, in order lo the higheft ; their daily
bread given them, by that fame love that gives them
Chrift, all is given in him : So the curfe Is taken away,
and all is fweetened with a bleffing. A Uttle that a righ
teous man hath Is better than the abundance of the wicked.
But the things they chiefly prize and defire, as indeed
they deferve fo to be, are of another fort ; in their very
being and nature, are love-tokens, effeds of that peculiar
free grace, that chofe them to life ; and this is called the
light of God's countenance, his everlafllng love. Now, they
that are wife, and obferve thefe things, ihey jh all underfland
this loving kindnefs : Not that they firft are thus wife^ be
fore they partake of this loving kindnefs : No, by it this
wifdora was given thera ; but this promife is made to their
improvement of that' gift, and walking In thofe ways of
wifdom : Not only are they loved of God, but they ffiall
underftand It ; he will manlfeft himfelf to them, and tell
them he loves them : And the more they walk in thefe
ways, the more clearly ffiall they perceive and powerfully
find his love manifefted to them.
This is the higheft Inducement that can be to fuch as
have any intereft in It ; when this love halh but ortce touch
ed thera, though as yet they know It not certainly, yet It
works that efteera and affedion, that nothing can be ad
mitted into comparifon with It ; while carnal men wallow
in the puddle, thefe are the chryftal ftreams a renewed

39S SE,RM0N ir.
foul defires to loathe In, even the love of God, O ! let me
find that : No matter what I have, or what I want ; in
poverty, or any diftreffed forfaken condition, one good
word or good look from him makes me up : I can fit
dov-jn content and chearful, and rejoice in that, though all
the world frown on me, and all things look dark and
comfortlefs about me, that Is a piece of heaven within the
foul. Now, of this experimental underftanding know
ledge of this love, there are different degrees, a great lati
tude in this : To forae, at fometimes little glimpfes and
inlets of it, in a more immediate way, (but thefe ftay not,
fuavls hora, fed brevis mora ;) others are upheld In the
behef of It, and live on it by faith ; though it ffiine not fo
clear, yet a light they have to walk by : Though the fun
ffiines not bright out to them all their life, yet they are
led home, and underftand fo much love in their way, as
ffiall bring them to the fulnefs of It In the end. Others,
having paft moft of the day, have a fair gllmpfe In the
very evening or clofe of it ; but, howfoever, they that
walk in this way by this light, whatfoever raeafure they
have of it, are led by it to the land of light. The con-
nedlon here made you fee. They that wifely ohferve thefe
things, ffall underfland this loving kindnefs. A wife ob
ferving of God's ways, and ordering our own to his mind,
is the certain way to attain much experienced knowledge
of his love.
This love Is moft free, and from the beginning to the
end works of itfelf; but, in the method of it, he hath
thus linked things together, made one portion of grace,
in the ufe of it, draw on another ; and this his children
would "prudently confider. There Is fuch a Hke fpeech,
Pfal, 1. 23. Whofo offereth praife, glorifieth me ; and to him
that ordereth his -converfation aright, will I ffew the falva
tlon of God.
The contemplation of God In his works, fets the foul
open to receive the Influences of love ; by looking towards
him, it draws his eye towards it, as one look of love draws
on another. Certainly, many that have fome defire of
the light of God's countenance, and evidences of his love ;
yet, In not applying their fouls to confider him, do much
prejudge therafelves.

SERMON II. 399
Heavenly thoughts do refine the foul, as fire works
itfelf higher, and to a purer flame, by ftlrring. To be
bleffing God for his goodnefs, giving him praife In view
of his works ki the world, and for his church, and parti
cularly for us ; this both difpofes the heart lo a more fui
table temper for receiving divine comforts, and invites
him to let them flow In into it. For if he have fuch ac
knowledgments for general goodnefs and common mer
cies, how much larger returns ffiall he have upon the dif
coveries of fpecial love ? It is a fight of God as reconcILd
thou wouldeft have ; now, praife fets a man amongft the
angels, and they behold his face.
Again, adion, walking in his ways humbly and care
fully, and fo waiting, never wants a fuccefsful return of
much love. How can he, who is goodnefs itfelf, hide and
referve himfelf from a foul that yields up itfelf to him,
hath no delight but to pleafe him, hates and avoids what
may offend him ? This, fure, is the way, if any under
heaven, ta enjoy communion with him.
They that forget him, and difregard their ways, and
are no way careful to order them to his Hking, do but de
lude -themfelves with miftaken fancies of mercy. ¦ I be
feech you be warned ; there cannot be folid peace in the
ways of fin : No peace to the wicked, faith my God, Out
ward common favours you may fhare for a time ; but
thefe have a curfe with them to you, and you ffiall quick
ly be at an end of thefe receipts ; and then you would
look towards him for fome perfuafions of his loving kind
nefs, but are like to find nothing but frowns and difplea
fure. 0 .'' confider this, ye that forget God, (that is the
greateft difeafe) left he tear you In pieces, and ihere be none
to deliver you.
Even they that have fome title to this love of God, and
are defiring further evidence ofit, yet do often fit exceed
ingly in their own light, and work againft their end, ftill
bent on that affurance they would have, and yef negled
the way to It, which certainly Is in a manner to negled it.
Were they more bufied in honouring God, doing hira
what fervice they can in their ftation, ftriving againft fin,
acknowledging his goodnefs to the world, and even to
themfelves, that they are yet In the region of hope, not cut

400 SERMON II,
off In their iniquities. Thus offering praife, and ordering
their converfation aright, fubmitting unto him, and giving
him glory, their affurances and comforts, in the meafure
he thinks fit, would come In due time, and fooner in this
way than in any other they could take.
Obferve thefe things ; beware of fin, and ye ffall under
ftand the lo-vlng kindnefs of the Lord. It is true, this love
of God changes not, nor hangs on thy carriage, nor any
thing without itfelf; yea, all our good hangs on it: But
know, as to the knowledge and apprehenfion of it, it de
pends much on the holy frame of thy heart, and exad re
gulation of thy ways. Sin obftruds and darkens all :
Thefe are the clouds and mifts ; and where any believer
is adventurous on the ways of fin, he ffiall fmart for It.
Where fin is, there will be a ftorm, as Chryfoftora's word
is of Joffiua*, the experience of all witneffeth this: No
ftrength of faith will keep out floods of doubting and
troublous thoughts, where any novel fin hath opened a
gap for them to ruffi In by. See David, Pfal. li. expreffing
himfelf, as if all were to begin again, his joy taken away,
and his bones broken, and to fenfe all undone ; nothing
will ferve but a new creature. Create In me a clean heart,
O God, and renew a right fpirit within me.
There is a congruity in the thing itfelf, and God hath
fo ordered it, that vexation and anguiffi ftill attend fin,
and the ways of holinefs be ways of peace. Say men what
they will, great falls leave wounds and fmart behind them,
and ihey muft be waffied with ffiarper Hquor before balm
and oil be poured Into them. And not only will more
notorious, breaches difturb thy peace, but a trad of care
lefs and fruitlefs walking. If thou abate of thy attendance
on God, and thy fear cool towards him, lagging and fal
ling downwards to fomething you are caring for and taken
with, you fliall find an eftrangement, may be, infenfible at
firft, and for a while, becaufe of thy floth, that doft not
obferve diligently how it is with thee ; but, after a time,
it ffiall be more eafily known, but more hardly mended :
And there is none of us but might find much more of
God in this our way homewards, if the fooHffinefs and
wanderings of our hearts did not prejudge us.

SERMON III. 401
Be perfuaded then you whofe hearts he hath wrought
for himfelf, to attend better on him, and the advantage
ffiall be yours : Doubt It not ; and though for a time you
find It not, yet wait on, and go on in that way, it ffiall not
difappoint you. The more you let go of the falfe vain
comforts of the world for his fake, the raore richly yoa
ffiall be furniffied with his. Oh ! we make not roora for
them ;¦ that Is the great hindrance : Confider him, behold
his works, blefs him, confefs him always worthy oi praife
for his goodnefs, and his wonderful works to the chddren of
men, however he deal with thee in particular ; and affur-
edly he ffiall deal gracioufly with thee ; and e're long thou
ffialt find, and be forced to acknowledge it : Though it
may be thou want thefe bright ffilnlngs of comforts thou
wouldft have, yet, looking to him, and walking before
hira, obferving thefe things, thou ffialt have of his Hght to
lead thee on, and a calm within ; fweet peace, though
not that height of joy thou defireft.
There be often calm fair days without ftorm, though
it be not fo clear fun-ffiine, and In fuch days a man raay
travel comfortably. I would have Chriftians called off
from a perplexed over-preffing this point, of their parti
cular affurance. If we were more ftudious to pleafe him,
forgetting ourfelves, we ffiould find him remember us the
more ; yet not for this neither, but fimply for hirafelf.
In a word, this is thy wifdora ; raind thy duty, and refer
to him thy comfort.

SERMON III.
Psal. cxiX. 96.

/ have feen an end of aU perfedlon } but thy commandment
is exceeding broad.
G1 RACE is a divine light in the foul, and ffiews the true
^ colours of things.' The Apoftle overffioots not, when
he fays, The fpiritual man judgeth ad things : He hath un-
3 E

402 SERMON III.
deniably the advantage : He raay judge of natural things,
but the natural raan cannot judge of fpiritual things ; yea,
the trueft judgraent of natural things, in refped to our
chlefeft end fprings particularly frora fpiritual wifdora, that
makes the true paraUel of things, and gives a juft account
of their differences, as here.
, I have feen an end, he. All that have any meafure of
fpiritual light are of this mind, but certainly they that are
more eminently bleffed with II, have a more high and
clearer view of both parts, David, who is generally, and
with greateft likelihood, fuppofed to be the author of this
pfalm, was fingularly advantaged to make this judgraent
of things : He had, no doubt, a large raeafure of the know
ledge of God and of his law, which here he declares to be
fo large ; and being both a wife ^nd a great man, raigh
know more than raoft others, everi of all other perfedions,
trace them to their utmoft, and fee their end, as he expref
fes It. This fame verdid we have frora his fon Soloraon,
after rauch experience In all things ; who having the ad
vantage of peace and riches, did particularly fet himfelf to
this work, to a moft exad enquiry after all things of this
earth : He fet nature on the rack, to confefs its utmoft
ftrength, for the delighting and fatisfylng of man ; whh
much pains and art extraded the very fpirits of all ; and,
after all, gives the fame judgment we have here, his book
writ on that fubjed being a paraphrafe on this fentence,
dilating the fenfe, and confirming t,he truth of it. It car
ries its own fum in thefe two words, which begin and end
it, that Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity ; and the other,
Fear God, and keep his commandments, that Is the whole
duty of man : And thefe here are juft the equivalent of
thefe two ; the former of that beginning word, / have feen
an end of aU perfedlon ; and the latter pf that, but thy
commandment Is exceeding broad. And when mean men
fpeak of this world's greatnefs, and poor men cry down
riches, Il paffes but for a querulous peevlffi humour, to dlf-
credlt things they cannot reach, or elfe an Ignorant mif-
prifion of things they do not underftand ; or, taking it a
little further, but a felf-pleafing ffiift, willingly underpriz
ing thefe things of purpofe, to allay the difpleafure of the
want of them ; or at the beft, if fomething of truth and

SERMON ill. 403
goodnefs be In the opinion, yet that the affent of fuch per
fons is (as the teraperance of fickly bodies) rather a virtue
made of neceffity, than erabraced of free choice : Bul to
hear a wife raan, in the height of thefe advantages, pro
claim their vanity, yea, kings frora the very thrones where
on they fit, in their royal robes, to give forth this fentence
upon vail the glories and delights about thera, is certainly
above all exception. Here are two, the father and the
fon ; the one raifed frora a raean condition to the crown ;
inftead of a ffiepherd's ftaff, to wield a fceptre, and that,
after raany afflidions and dangers In the way to It, which
to fome palates gives a higher rehffi and fweetnefs to ho
nour, than if It had Aid on them, e're they could feel it, in
the cheap eafy way of an undoubted fucceffion. Or, If
any think David's beft days a little cloudy, by the remains
of Infurredlons and oppofitlons. In that cafe ufual, as the
jumbling of the water not fully quieted for a while after
the farae is over ; then take the fon, fucceeding to as fair
a day as heart can wiffi, both a coraplete calra of peace,
and bright fun-ffiine of riches and regal pomp, (and he
able to improve thefe to the higheft ;) and yet both thefe
are perfedly of the fame raind in this great point. The
fon having peace, and time for it, though a king, would
make his throne a pulpit, and be a preacher of this one
dodrine, to which the father's fentence is the -fitteft text I
have feen.
The words give an account of a double profped ; the
latter, as it were, the difcovery of a new world after the
travelling over the old, expreffed In the forraer claufe, /
have feen an end of all perfedlon, I. e. taken an exad view
of all other things, and feen their end ; but thy comraand
ment is of exceeding extent and perfedion, and I fee but
a part, and theue is no end of it.
I have feen an end,} I have tried and raade experlraent
of much of what this world affords, and the reft I fee to
the uttermoft of it, how far it reaches. The Pfalralft, as
ftanding. on a vantage ground, fees clearly round aboul;
him the fartheft horizon of earthly excellencies and advan
tages, and finds thera not to be Infinite or unraeafurable,
fees that they are bounded, yea, what their bounds are,
how far they go at their very fartheft, an end of all, even
3E 2

404 SERMON III,
perfedlon ; and this Is In effed what I find, that their end
drops ffiort of fatisfadion, A raan raay think and defire
beyond thera, yea, not only raay, but rauft ; he cannot
be terrainate by their bounds, wfll ftill have a ftretch fur
ther, and feels thera leave him, and then finds a void : All
which he fays moft ponderoufly in thefe ffiort words ; giv
ing the world the flight, thus, " It is not fo great a mat
ter as men imagine it ; the beft of it I have examined, and
confidered It to the full, taken the whole dimenfion : All
the profits and pleafures under the fun, their utmoft goes
but a ffiort way ; the foul Is vafter than all, can look and
go much farther,"
I will not attempt the particulars, to reckon all, or be
large in any ; the preacher Solomon hath done this match-
lefly, and who Is he that can come after the king ? If any be
fick of that poor difeafe, efteera of riches, he can tell you
the utmoft of thefe, that when they increafe, they are in
creafed that eat them, and what good Is to the owners there
of, fave the beholding of them with their eyes. Yea, locking
them up, and not ufing them, and ftill gathering, and all
to no ufe ; this Is a madnefs, it is all one as If they were
ftill in the mines under the ground, and the difference
none, but in turmoiling pains in gathering, and tormenting
care In keeping. But take the beft view of them fuppofing
' that they be ufed, I. e. fpent on faraily and retinue ; why
then, what hath the owner but the fight of thera for hira
felf? Of all his diffies, he fills but one beUy; of all his
fair houfes, and rich furnUhed rooms, he lodges but in one
at once ; and If his great rent be needful for his great
train, or any other ways of expence, is it a vantage to need
much ? Or is he not rather poorer that needs five or fix
thoufand pounds by year, than he that needs but one
hundred ?
Of all the feftlvities ofthe world, and delights of fenfe,
the refult is, laughter is mad, and mirth, and orchards,
and mufic, thefe things pafs away as a dream, arid as ftill
to begin ; and fo grofs and earthly are they, that for the
beafts they may be a fit good ; for the divine iraraortal
foul they cannot. A horfe lying at eafe in a fat p-afture
may be compared with thofe that take delight In them.
Ilonour and efteem are yet vainer than thefe pleafures

SERMON III. 405
and riches that furniffi thera : Though they be nothing
but wind, compared to fohd foul-delights ; yet as to na
ture, there is in thera foraewhat raore real than in the
farae of honour, which Is no rapre indeed than an airy
imaginary thing, and hangs more on others than any thing
elfe, and not only on perfons above them, but even thefe
below ; efpecially that kind, that the vanity of raan is
much taken with, all popular opinion, than which there
is nothing raore light and poor, and that is raore defpifed
by the elevated fort of natural fpirits ; a thing as unworthy
as it is unconftant. No flavery like the affeding of vul
gar efteera ; it enthrals the mind to all forts, often the
worthleft ffiare leaft in it, Ecclef. ix, 11, 15. True worth
is but fometimes honoured, but always envied, Ecclef. Iv.
4, And with whorafoever it is thou feakeft to be efteem
ed, be It with the raultitude, or raore chiefly with the wi
fer and better fort, what a narrow thing is It at largeft ?
How raany nations neither know thee, nor thofe that
know thee ?
Beyond all thefe things Is Inward worth, and even that
natural wifdora, fuch as fome minds have, to a far more
refined height than others ; a man by It fees round about
hira, yea, and within hirafelf : That Soloraon grants to be
an excellent thing, chap, iv, 13, yet prefently finds the
end of that perfedion, ver. 16. that guards not frora dif-
afters and vexations ; yea, there is in it an innate grief,
amidft fo many follies, chap. vii. 18. Yea, give a man the
confluence of all thefe, which is fo rare, make hira at once
rich and honourable, and healthful, and encorapaffed with
all the delights of nature and art, and wlfe^ to raake the
beft iraproveraent of all they can well afford, and there Is
much in that ; yet there Is an end of all thefe perfedions :
For there Is quickly an end of himfelf that hath them ; he
dies, and that fpoils all ; breaks the ftrings, and that ends
the rriufic. And the higheft of natural wifdom, which is
the foul of all nature's advantages, that ends then, if prac
tical or political. In that day are all ftate projeds and
high -thoughts laid low, if fpeculative ; for in fplte of a^U
fciences and knowledge of nature, a man goes out In the
dark; and If thou art learned In raany languages, one
death filences all thy tongues at once. So Solomon, Ecclef.

406 SERMON III.
ii, 16, Yea, I fuppofe a man were not broke off, but con
tinued ftfll in the top of all thefe perfedions ; yea, imagine
much more, the chlefeft delights of fenfe that have ever
been found out, raore folid aud certain knowledge of na
ture's fecrets, aU raoral corapofure of fpirit, the higheft
dorainion, not only over raen, but a deputed coraraand
over nature's frarae, the courfe of all the heavens, the af
fairs of all the earth, and that he was lo abide In this
eftate ; yet would he fee an end of this perfedlon, that is. It
would corae ffiort of raaking hira happy. It is an union
with a higher good by that love that fubjeds all things to
him, that alone Is the endlefs perfedion: Thy command
ment Is exceeding: broad.
You may think this a beaten fubjed, and poffibly fome
other cafes or queftions fitter for Chriftians ; 1 wiffi it were
more needlefs : But oh ! the deceltfulnefs of our hearts ;
even fuch as have ffiut out the vanities of this world at the
fofe-gate, let them In again, or fome part of thera at leaft,
at the poftern. Few hearts clearly corae off untied from
all, ftill lagging after fomewhat, and thence fo httle de
light in God, in prayer, and holy things ; and though
there be no fixed efteem of other things, yet that undif-
pofednefs to holy ways argues fome fickly humour latent
in the foul, and therefore this Is almoft generally needful,
that raen be called to confider what they feek after, Amidft
all thy purfuits, ftop, and afk thy foul, for what end all
this ? At what do I aim ? For, fure by mens heat in thefe
lower things, and their cold Indifference for heaven, it
would feem we take our portion to be here : Bur, oh !
miferable portion at the beft ! O ! ffiort-llved happinefs 1
Look on them, and learn to fee this the end of all perfec
tions ; and have an eye beyond them, till your hearts be
well weaned from all things under the fun, .O ! there is
little acquaintance with the things that are above it, little
love of them ; ftill fome pretenfions, fome hopes that flat
ter us, I wfll attain this or that ; and then — Then what ?
What if this night, thou fool, thy foul ffall be required of
ihee? But thy commandment.} The former part of this fentence
halh within every raan's breaft foraewhat to fuit with It
and own it ; readily, each raan according to his experi-

SERMON III. 407
ence, and the capacity of his foul, hath his fenfe (If awak
ing) of the unfatisfadion of all this world ; give him what
thou wflt, yet ftill there is empty room within, and a pain
in that emptinefs, and fo vexation ; a tormenting windinefs
in aU : And men of more contemplative minds have high
er and clearer thoughts of this argument and raatter, and
may rife to a very high moral contempt of the world, and
fome of them have done fo. But this other part is more
fublime, and peculiar to a divine illumination ; that which
we find not without, we would have within, and work out
of ourfelves, which cannot be extraded from things about
us. Philofophy is much on this, but it Is upon a falfe
fcent, and ftill deluded : No, it is without us, not within
us, but above us ; that fulnefs Is In God, and no commu
nion with him, or enjoyment of him, but in the way of
his commandment ; Therefore this Is the difcovery that
anfwers and fatlsfies. Thy commandment Is exceeding broad.
Commandment : He fpeaks of all as one, I conceive, for
that tie and connexion of them all, for which he that
breaks one is guilty of all : A rule they are, and fo one,
as a rule muft be, one authority through all ; that is the
golden thread they are ftrung on, break that any where,
and all the pearls drop off; Then ffall I not be affamed,
when I have refped to all thy commandments : Otherwife,
one piece ffiames another, Hke uneven and Incongruous
ways ; the legs of the larae not being even, make an un-
feeraly going. And as it is here, fo a plural word is join
ed with the fingular, ver. 137, and Pfal. cxxxii. Deum
tradunt Hehrcel, una voce, eloquio uno, hoc eft, uno Spiritu
et halitu, fine ulla Interfpiratlone, mora, paufa, vel dlfllnc-
ilone, ita ut omnia verba, tranquani verbum unum, et vox
una, fuerant, elocutum. Atque hinc volunt duplicem' Illam
acentuum rationem in Decalogo ortam, ut altera una. Ilia Dei
continuata elocutio, altera hominum tarda et dlfllnda, judl-
cetur. And It Is fitly here fpoken of, as one oppofed to all va
rieties and raultitudes of things befide. Thy commandment,
each Hnked to one another ; and that one chain reaches
beyond all the Incoherent perfedions In the world, if one
were added to another, and drawn to a length. This com
mandment is exceeding broad ; the very breadth immenfe.

408 SERMON III.
and therefore the length muft be rauch raore fo, no end
ofit. That good to which It leads and joins the foul. Is
enough for it ; coraplete and full In its nature, and end
lefs in its continuance : So that there is no raeafuring, no
end of It any way ; but all other perfedions have their
bounds of being, and period of duration ; fo each way an
end is to be found of thera. Now, in this the oppofitlon
is the more admirable, that he fpeaks not exprefly of the
enjoyment of God, but of the coraraandraent of God : He
extols that above all the perfedions of the world ; which
is much to be remarked, as having In It a clear charader
ofthe pureft and higheft love. It had been more obvious
to all, had he faid, " I have feen the utmoft of aU befides
thee, but thou, O God, the light of thy countenance, the
bleffed vifion of thy face, that alone boundlefs and endlefs
happinefs ;" or to have taken It below the full perfed en
joyment of glory, but fome glances let In to the foul here,
a comfortable word from God, a look of love. O ! how
far furpaffing all the continued careffes and delights of the
world ; he fpeaks not of that neither, but Thy command
ment Is exceeding broad. As the Apoftle fays. The foollfh-
nefs of God is wifer than mens wifdom, 1 Cor. i. So here,
that of God, that feems loweft and hardeft, is Infinitely be
yond whatfoever Is higheft and fweeteft In the world ; the
obeying his commands, his very fervice is more profitabfe
than the world's rewards ; his comraands raore excellent
than the perfedion of the world's enjoyments : To be fub
jed to him is truer happinefs than to coramand the whole
world. Pure love reckons thus, " Though no further re
ward were to follow, obedience to God (the perfedlon of
his creature, and its very happinefs) carries its full recom-
penfe In Its own bofora." Yea, love delights moft in the
hardeft fervices : Il Is felf-love to love the embraces and
reft of love, but it is love to him Indeed to love the labour
of love, arid the fervice of it ; and that not fo much be
caufe it leads to reft, and ends in it, but becaufe it is fer
vice to him whora we love : Yea, that labour Is in itfelf a
reft ; it is fo natural and fweet to a foul that loves, as the
revolution of the heavens, which Is a raotion in reft, and
reft in motion ; changes not placej though running ftill :
So the motion of love is truly heavenly, and circular ftill

SERMON III. 409
In God ; beginning in him, and ending In him ; and fo
not ending, but ftiU moving without wearinefs.
Let us fee what the commandment is, and that will clear
, it ; for it is nothing but love : All Is in that one. Love the
Lord, he. So the comraand that is here called fo broad,
is love ; there is no raeafuring that, for Its objed is ira-
menfurable. We readily exceed in the love of any other
thing ; but in the love of God, there is no danger of ex-
' ceeding ; its true raeafure is to know no raeafure.
According as the love is, fo Is the foul ; it is made like
to, yea, it is made one with that which It loves. By loving
grofs bafe things. It becoraes grofs, and turns to fleffi, or
earth ; and fo, by the love of God, is raade divine, is one
with him *. So this Is the excellency of the comraand
enjoining love. God hath a good- will to all his creatures ;
but that he ffiould make a creature capable of loving him,
and appoint this for his coraraand. Oh ! herein his good
nefs ffiines brighteft. Now, though fallen frora this, we
are again invited to it ; though degenerated and accurfed
in our finful nature, yet we are renewed in Chrift, and
this coraraand Is renewed In him, and a new way of fulfill
ing It is pointed out.
This command Is broad ; there Is room enough for the
foul In God, that is hampered and pinched in all other
things. Here, love with all thy foul, with all thy mind, he,
ftretch It to the utraoft ; there Is enough for it here, it
muft contrad and draw Itfelf to other things, / wlU walk
at liberty, fays I>avid,/or I feek thy precepts : That which
perverfe nature judges thraldom, once truly known, is on
ly freedom ; this becaufe the law Is love, and fuch a love
as brings full content to the foul. Man hath not an ob
jed of love befide God ; too raany tfiat can torraent and
trouble him, but not one that by being loved of him, fatls
fies and quiets hira ; whether he loves things without him,
or hirafelf, ftill he Is pained and reftlefs. All olher things
he loves naturally. In reference to hirafelf; but himfelf is
not a fufficient obj'ed for hira : It muft be foraething that
adds to, and perfeds his nature, to which he rauft be united
in fove, foraewhat higher than himfelf, yea, the higheft of
* Si terram amas, terra es ; Ji Deum amas, quid vis ut Scam, Deus
es ? Aug.
3 F

410 SERMOM III.
aU, the Father of Spirits, that alone completes a fpirit and
bleffes It, to" love him, the fpring of fpirits, •- . ¦ <-
Now, this love, as obedience to his commands. Is a thing
in Itfelf due, and exprefly cpmraanded too. This is the
thing that furpaffes all purfuits, and all enjoyraents under
heaven, not only to be loved of God, but to love hira;
yea, could they, be fevered, this rather would-be the de
formity and m.Ifery of the creature, to hate him. This is
the hell of heU.
And to love him, not only with complacency, a defire
to enjoy him ; but, moreover, wiffiing hira glory, doing
hira fervice, defiring he raay be honoured by all his crea
tures, and endeavouring ourfelves to honour hira ; that Is
our work, applauding the praifes of angels and all crea
tures, and adding ours, Pfal. cin, 22, fweet, wflling, entire
fubraiffion to his, will, ready to do, to fuffer any thing for
hira. Oh ! away all bafe muddy pleafures, all falfe night
ffiows of earthly glories, all high attempts and heroic vir
tues ; thefe have their raeafure and their clofe, and prove
in the end but lies. This coraraand, this love alone. Is
the endlefs perfedlon and delight of fouls, that begins here,
and is corapleted above. The happinefs of glory Is the
perfedion of hohnefs ; that is the full beauty and lovell
nefs of the fpoufe, the Lamb's wife.
Oh ! how rauch are the raultitudes of raen to be pitied,
that are hunting they know not what, ftill purfuing con
tent, and it ftill flying before, and they at as great a dif
tance as when they promifed themfelves to lay hold on It.
It Is ftrange what men are doing, Ephraim feedeth on the
wind. The moft ferious defigns of men are raore fooliffi
than the plays of children ; afl the difference Is, that thefe
are fourer and raore fad trifles *.
Oh ! that ye would turn this way, and not ftill lay out
your Money for that which Is not bread, he. You would
find the faddeft part of a fpiritual courfe of life hath under
it more true fweetnefs, than all your erapty mirths, -that
found rauch, and are nothing, Hke the crackling of thorns
under the pot : There is more joy in enduring a crofs for
God, than In the frafles ofthe world ; In a private defpifed
afflidion, without the narae of fuffering for his caufe, or
* Trifles ineptia.

SERMON III. 411
any thing in It like raartyrdora, but only as eoraing from
his hand, kifling it, and bearing it patiently, yea, gladly
for his fake, out of love to him becaufe it Is 'his will fo to
try thee, what can come amifs to a foul thus corapofed ?
I wifh that even they, who have renounced the vain
world, and have the faces of their hearts turned God-
wards, would learn more this happy life, and enjoy it
mb^e, not to hang fo rauch upon fenfible coraforts, as to
delight in obedience, and to wait for thofe at his pleafure,
whether he gives much or little, any or none. Learn to
be ftill finding the fweetnefs of his coraraands, which no
outward or inward change can difreliffi ; rejoicing in the
adings of that divine love within thee : Continue thy con-
flldx with fin, and though thou mayeft at times be foiled,
yet cry to him for help ; and getting up, redouble thy ha
tred at it, and attempts againft it. Slill ftir this flame of
God, that will overcorae : Many waters cannot quench it.
It is a renewed pleafure, to be offering up thyfelf every day
to God. Oh ! the fweeteft Hfe in the world, to be crof
fing thyfelf, to pleafe him ; trampHng on thy own will, to
follow 'his.

SERMON IV.
Habakkuk hi. 17, 18.
Although the fig-tree ffall not hldffo'm, neither ffall fruit be
in ihe vines ; the labour of the olive ffall fall, and the
fields ffall yield no meat ; the' flock ffall be cut off' from
the fold, and there ffall be no herd In the flails.
Tet I will rejoice In the Lord, I will joy In the Godofmyfal-
vdtim., "^OST mens induftries and employments are- moft
without tj^^m, hut certainly our main and worthleft
bufinefs lies within u^ ; nor is ever a man fit for t|ie vari
eties and viciffitudes of time and affairs without, till he have
taken fome pains to fome good purpofe within himfelf. A
3F 2

412 SERMON IV.
diftempered difcompofed mind Is a limb out of joint, which
is fit for no adion, and moves both deformedly and pain
fully. That which we have tP dp, my brethren, for which
thefe our meetings are commanded of God, and ffiould be
attended by us, apd that we ffiould follow out, when We
are gone frora hence, is this, the reducing of our fouls to
God : Their difunlon from him Is their disjointing, and
they are never right till they refix on him ; and being
there, they are fo right, that nothing can come wrong to
them. As they are not readily enfnared with eafe and
plenty, fo neither lightly aftoniffied with want and trou
ble ; but, in the ebb of all other comforts, can hold the
Prophet's purpofe, to joy In the Lord, and rejoice In the God
of their falvatlon.
This we may hear and fpeak of, but truly few attain It.
I fear raany of us are not fo rauch as feeking after it, and
afpiring to It, A foul really converfant with God is taken
up with him ; all its aftedlons work and move towards
hinij as the Prophet's here, his fear, his joy, his truft, ver.
16, 17, 18, 19, This is a prayer, as it is entituled, but
it Is both a prophetical and an unufual one, a prophecy
and a fong (as the word added imports) of Habakkuk the
Prophet on Neginoth. The ftrain of it is high, and full
of fudden raptures and changes, as that word fignifies :
As here, having expreffed much fear in the foregoing
words, a ffiivering trembling horror, yet adds fuch an
height of invincible kind of joy ; as the needle of the com
pafs fixedly looking towards him, yet not without a tremb-
fing motion. Thus, we have the temper of the pfalmift,
rejoice with trembUng ; which fuits well to fp fublirae an
objed, joying in God, becaufe he Is good ; yet joy ftill
mixed whh holy awe, becaufe he Is great : And this efpe
cially in time of great judgments, or In the lively appre
henfions or repref'entations of them, whether before or af
ter their infliding ; whether they be on the people of
God for their iniquities, or on the enemies of God for their
oppreffions and cruellies to his people, while, he made
them inflruraents for their corredion. In both, God is
formidable, and greatly to be feared, even by thoXe that
are neareft to him : This we find in the Prophets feeing
judgments afar off, long before their day,,:which they had

SERMON IV. 413
comraiffion to denounce : So this prophet here, not only
difcovers great awe and fear at what he faw and foretold
concerning God's own people the Jews, but at the after-
reckoning with the Chaldeans, his and their enemies.
When God coraes to do judgraent on the wicked, this
will make thera that ftand by, and fuffer not with thera,
yet to trerable ; yea, fuch as are advantaged by it, as ufu-
?illy the people of God are, their eneraies ruin proving their
deliverance. The majefty and greatnefs of God, and ter-
rlblenefs of his march towards them, an4 feizing on them,
as It is here highly fet forth, this works an awful fear In
the hearts of his own children, they cannot fee their Fa
ther angry but it makes thera quake, though It be not
againft thera, but on their behalf. And this were our
right temper, when we fee or hear of the hand of God
againft wicked raen, that run their own courfes againft
all warning, not to entertain thefe things with carnal re
joicings and Hghtnefs of raind, or with boafting infulta-
tions ; to applaud indeed the righteoufnefs of God, and to
give hira his glory ; but withal, to fear before him, though
they were ftrangers, and no way a part of ourfelves, and
to have a humble fenfe of the Lord's dealing in it ; fo, Pfal,
Hi, 6. and to learn to reverence God, in all our ways to ac
knowledge him ; to be fure to take him along with us, and
to undertake nothing without hira.
And this fear of judgraents in others, is the way not to
feel thera on ourfelves. When God fees that the found
of the rod on others backs will hurable a foul or a people,
he will fpare the ftroke ofit. They that have raoft of thig
holy fear of God's anger, fall feaft under the dint of it,
Bleffed Is he that feareth always / but he that hardens his
heart, ffaUfaU into mifchief. He that fears it not, ffiall
fall into It ; he that fears and trerables at it, ffiall efcape :
So the prophet here trufts for himfelf, / tremble in myfelf,
that I might refl in the day of trouble, ver, 16, and, upon
his confidence, arifes to this high refolution.
The words, to raake no other divifion of them, are a
conjundure of &fadfuppofltion, and a chearful pofition or
purpofe, Althmgh the Fig-tree, he. This Is a thing that may
come, andj poffibly, that the Prophet did forefee would

414 SERMON IV.
come, amongft other judgments, and It Is of all other out
ward fcourges theforeft, ftioft fraarting, and raoft fweep-
ing, cuts off raoft people, and can leaft be fuffered and
ftifted. It Heth araongft the reft in the ftore-houfe of
divine judgments; he that fiirniffied the earth, and gave
being by the word of his mouth to aU thefe things, hath
ftill the fole abfolute power of thera ; they obey hig word
of coraraand ; and rightly looked upon, in our ufe of therii,
and the fweetnefs we find In thera, lead us to hira, as the
fpring of being and goodnefs. He Is Invifible In his na
ture. In his works moft vlfible and legible ; not only the
fpaclous heavens and glorious lights In thera, but the
meaneft things on earth, every plant and flower in their
being and growing, yea, every pile of grafs, declare God
to us.
And it Is fupernatural delight in natural things, to fee
and tafte him In them. It Is raore pleafant than their natural
rehffi : It is the chief Inner fweetnefs,- the kernel and
marrow of all, and they that take not the pains, and have
not the fliill to draw It forth, lofe the far better half of
their enjoyraents, even of the things of this earth. To
think how wife he Is that devifed fuch a frarae, how power
ful that raade all thefe things, how rich he rauft be that
ftill continues to furniffi the earth with thefe varieties of
provifions ; how fweet muft he be, whence all thefe things
draw their fweetnefs ? But, alas ! we are brutiffi, and in
our ufe of thefe things we differ little or nothing frora the
beaft. We are called to a higher life, but we Hve It not.
Man is in honour, but he underflands it not ; he is as the
beafl thatperlffes. Now, becaufe we acknowledge God fo
Httle in the ufe of thefe things, therefore he is put to it,
(fo to fpeak) to leach us oUr leffon, in the want and de-
prlveraent of them, which our dulnefs Is more fenfible of.
We know things a great deal better by wanting them
than by having them, and take more notice of that hand
that hath power of thera, when he withdraws, than when
he beftows thera,
Befides all other provocations and particular abufes of
thefe things in intemperance and luxury, were it no more
but the very difacknowledging of God, the inobfervance
of his goodnefs; this calls for' a famine, to diet us into

SERMON IV. 415
wifer thoughts, and reraeraber us of our own and all other
creatures dependance on that God whora we fo forgot, as
to ferve our Idols and bafe lufts upon his bounty. This
was the cafe of Judah and Ifrael, Hof. H, 8, 13, but when
more fparingly fed, and better taught in the wlldernefs,
thefe were reftored again, ver, 14, 15, then all acknowledge
the dowry of that bleffed marriage with himfelf, ver. 16.
which is fo far beyond all account.
How wretched ingratitude is It, not to regard and love
him in the ufe of all his mercies ; but horrid ftupidity, not
to confider, and feek lo him in their withdrawment, or the
threatning of it. Few have a right fenfe of his hand in
any thing ; they grumble and cry out, but not to hira, as
of oppreffion. Job xxxv. 9, 10. So of this very judgment
of famine, Hof. vii. 14. Ephraim howled, and cried not to
me, did not humbly and repentingly feek to me by prayer ;
but a natural brutiffi fenfe of their wants preffed out com
plaints ; they howled, as a hungry dog would do for
bread : this Is all the raoft do. In years of dearth, or
harvefts threatening It. No beaft In the mountain or
wlldernefs Is fo untamed as the heart of man, which, when
catched in God's judgments, lies and cries as a wild bull
in a net. It is true, they are fomewhat nearer fober
thoughts iji diftrefs and grief, though natural, yet nearer
fpiritual grief, than their rairth and laughter ; but it rauft
have a touch of that fpirit above, to raake It fpiritual, to
make It change to gold, to turn it to godly forrow. No
fcourge carries a power of changing the heart with it ;
that Is a fuperadded work. Many people, and particular
perfons, have been beat as In a raortar with variety of
aftll^tlons, one eoraing thick upon another, and yet are
never the wifer, and yet have not returned unto me, faith
ihe Lord.
, Therefore, if you be afflided, join prayer with your
corredion ; and beg by It, that God would join his fpirit
with It : feek this in earneft, elfe you ffiall be not a whit
the better, but ffiall ftfll endure the fmart, and not reap the
fruit thereof; yea, I beheve, fome are the, worfe, even by
falfly iraaglning they are belter, partly prefuming it rauft
be fo, and, partly, raay be, feeling fome prefent raotions
and meltings In the time of afflidions, which evaniffi and

416 SERRftON rv.
prefently dool when they are off the fire : Ay, but thefe
two together make a happy man ; Bleffed Is he whotnthm
cotredeft, and teaches out of thy law. ¦ ' ¦
Although the fig-tree ffaU not bloffom.} This foraetlmes
does, and at any time may befal a land; but however, it
is very ufeful to put fuch cafes. It is true, there is great .
odds betwixt real and Imagined diftreffes; yet certainly
the frequent viewing of its pidure, though it is no raore in
thy imagination, hath fo rauch likenefs, as fomewhat abiteS
the ftrangenefs and frightfulriefs of its true vifage, when it
coraes, '
There Is a fooliffi pre-apprehenfion of poffible evfls,
that, whether they come or no, does no good, but makes
evils to come perplexingly before-hand, and antedates
their mifery, and adds the pain of many others that will
never come : Thefe are the fumes of a dark diftempering
humour, vain fears, that vex and trouble fome minds in
prefent, and do not wafte any thing of any grief fo come
after. But calmly and compofedly to fit down and con
fider evil days eoraing, any kind of trials that probably,
yea, or poffibly, raay arrive, fo as to be ready to entertain
thera without aftoniffiment ; this is a wife and ufeful
exercife of thy mind, and takes off much of the weight of
fuch things, breaks them In falling on us, that, they come
not fo fad down, when they light firft upon the aippreben-
fion. Thus, It is true, nothing comes unawares to a wife
man ; he hath fuppofed all, or as bad as any thing that
can corae, hath acquainted hi& raind with tbe horrideft
fiiapes, and therefore, when fuch things appear, will not
fo readily ftart at thera.
This I would advife to be done, not only In things w6
can raore eafily fuffer, but thofe We think would prove
hardeft and raoft indlgeftible, to Inure thy heart to thera j
not to be, as fome, fo tender-fancied, that they dare not fo
much as think of forae things, the death of a dear friend,
or huffiand, or wife, or chfld, that Is oftner to be viewed
rather ¦ than any other event : bring thy mind to it, as a
ftarting horfe to that whereat it does raoft ftar tie at.
What if I ffiould be bereft of fuch a perfon, fuch a thing ;
this would make it much raore tolerable when thou art
put to It. What if the place where I live were vifited

SERMON IV. 417
with all at once In fome degree, peftflence, and fword, and
famine ? How would I look on thera ? could my mind
keep its own place and ftance, fixed on God in fuch a
cafe? What if I were turned out of ray good furniture
and warra houfe, and ftript not only of acceffory but
neceffary things ; as here he fuppofes, not only the lalllng
of delicacies, the fig-trees, wine and oHves, but of com
mon neceffary food : the fields not yielding meat, and the
flocks cut off; thy little ones crying for bread, and ihou
haft none for them : you little know what the tendereft
and dellcateft among you may be put to, Thefe tiraes
have given many real inftances within thefe kingdoras, of
ftrange changes in the condition of all ranks of perfons :
or, think if that thou abhorreft that, what Ifl were fraitten
with botches or loalhforae fores on ray fleffi ; or if by any
accident I ffiould lofe an arra, or an eye, or both eyes ?
What if extrerae poverty, and ficknefs', and forfaking of
friends, corae all at once ? Could I welcome thefe, and
make up all in God, find riches, and friends, and fulnefs
in him ? moft men, if they would fpeak truly to fuch
cafes, muft declare them unfufferable, I were undone, if
fuch a thing befel me, or fuch a comfort were taken from
me, moft would cry out, as Micah did, Judg, xvii. They
have taken away my Gods, he. for fo are thefe things ; our
hearts cleave to, and principally joy in them. He that
worftips maramon, his purfe is the fenfibleft piece of hira ;
he is broke, if fire, or other ravage of war, throw hira out
of his neft, and empty it. He that makes his belly his Gad,
(fuch they .are the Apoftle fpeaks of) how could he endure
this cafe the prophet puts here, the falHng of vines, of
flcncks and herds ?
It were good to add to the fuppofe of want fomewhat
of the reality of it ; fometirae to abridge thyfelf of things
thou defireft and loveft ; to inure thy appetite to a refufal
of what it calls for ; to pradife fomewhat of poverty ; to
learn to need few things, &c.
It is ftrange raen ffiould be fo fooliffi as to tie themfelves
to thefe things, that have neither fatisfylng content in them,
nor certain abode. And why ffiouldeft thou fet thy heart
on things which are not, fays Solomon, a non-ens, a fancy ?
how foon may you be parted ? He that i$ the true God,
3 G

418 ' SERMON IV.
God alone, how foon can he pull thefe falfe God? from
you, or you from thera; as In that word. Job xxvu. 8.
What is the hope of the hypocrite that he hath gained, when
God takes away his foul? Like , that cafe in the parable,,
Luke xii. 1 9. Soul, fake thy refl ¦: a ftrange Inference from
' full bams ! that was fufficient provifion for a horfe, a fit
happinefs for hira : but for a foul, though It were to ftay,
how grofs and bafe a portion ? but it cannot ftay neither.
This night thy foul ffall be required of ihee, he.
The only firm pofition is this ofthe prophet,, Tet will I
rejoice in the Lord. And fuch times indeed are fit to give
proof of this ; to tell thee, whether it be fo Indeed, where
thy heart is built. While thy honour, and wealth, and
friends are about thee. It Is hard to know whether thefe
ftoops bear thee up, or another invifible fupporter; but
when thefe are plucked away, and thou art denuded round
about, then it will appear. If thy, ftrength be in God, if
thefe other things were but flourlflies about thee, and thou
laldft no weight on thera at all ; he that leans on thefe,
muft faU when thefe fall, and his hope is cut off, and his
trufl as afplder's web. He ffall lean upon his houfe, but it
ffall notfland, he. Job vin, 14, 15. They that clafp their
hearts about their houfes or eftates, within a while they
are either fadly pulled afunder, or fwept away together.
But, oh! the bleffed, the high condition of a foul fet
on God, untied, independent frora all things befide hira ;
its whole dependence and reft placed on him alone, fitting
loofe to all the world, and fo not ftirred with alterations :
yea, ' the turnings upfide-down of huraan things, if the
frame of the heaven and earth were falling to pieces *, the
heart founded on him that made it abides unmoved, th?
everlafllng arms are under -it, and bear it up.
Do ye believe, ray brethren, that there is fuch a thing,
that it Is no- fancy ? yea, aU Is but fancy befide it. Do
you beheve ? Why then is one day after another put off,
and this not attained^ nor the foul fo rauch as entered or
engaged to a ferious endeavour after it, looking pn. all
things elfe, corapared to this noble defign, as vanity,?
how often and eafily are their joys daraped, that rejoice in
other things, their hopes broken, and what they expeded
* SifraSus illabatur orbis.

SERMON IV. 419
moft, Ibon proves a lie ? As the word fpoken of the oHve
here fignifies, as if the labour of it ffiould He *, a fair vin
tage or harveft promifed, and eiiher withered with drought,
or drowned Whh rain ; indeed lies at the beft. But the
foul that places its joy on God, is ftill freffi and greeuj
when all are withered about It. Jer, xvii. 6, 7. Acquaint
thyfelf with him betimes in eafe. It is a fad cafe, lo be to
make acquaintance with him, when thou ffiouldeft raoft
make ufe of his friendffiip, and find comfort In his love.
Now, this joy in God cannot remain In an irapure un-
holy foul, no raore than heaven and hell can mix toge
ther. An impure unholy foul I call not that that is, ftain
ed with fin, for no other are under the fun, all muft then
quit all pretenfions to that eftate ; but fuch an one as wil
hngly entertains and delights in any finful luft or way of
wickednefs; that delight and this is diredly oppofite.
And certainly the raore the foul is refined from all de
lights of fin, yea, even frora finlefs delights of fenfe and
of this prefent world, it hath the raore capacity, the fitter
and the larger roora for this pure heavenly delight.
No language can raake a natural raan underftand what
this thing is, to rejoice in God: Oh! it is a rayftery,.
Moft raind poor childlffi things, laughing and crying at a
breath at trifles, eafily puffed up, and as eafily caft 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 overflow and drown
all other things, both your worldly joys and worldly for
rows, that you find thera not? And thus it would be. If
we knew him. Is he then our Father, and yet we know
Ilim not ?
Although all fail, yet rejoice in him that fails not, that
alters not": He is ftill the fame in himfelf, and to the fenfe
of the foul that is knit' to hira ; then fweeteft, when the
world Is bittereft : When other coraforts are whhdrawn,
the lofs of thera brings this great gain,, fo rauch the more
of God, and his love imparted, to make all up. They that
ever found this, could almoft wiffi for things that oihers
are afraid of.- If we knew how to improve thera, his
^arpeft vifits would be his fweeteft ; thou wouldeft bfe
* Spem mentitiafeges.
3 G 2

426 SERMON IV.
glad, to nc&tch a kifs of his hand, whfle he is beating thee,
or.pufliiig away fomething frora thee that thou loveft, and
blefs hira while he is doing fo.
Rejoice in God, although the fig-tree bloffom not, he, yea,
rejoice in thefe hardeft things, as his doings. A heart re
joicing In him, delights in all his will, and Is furely pro.
vided to the moft firra joy in all eftates : For if nothing
can corae to pafs befide pr againft his will, then cannot
that foul be vexed that delights in him, and halh no will
but his, but foUows hjm in all tiraes, in all eftates ; not
only when he ffiines bright on thera, but when they are
clouded. That flower thit follows the fun, doth fo' even
in cloudy days ; when It doth not ffiine forth, yet it fol
lows the hidden courfe and motion of It : So the foul that
moves after God, keeps that courfe when he hides his
face, is content, yea, is glad at his will In all eftaies, or
conditions, or events. And though not only all be wi
thered and blafted without, but the face of the foul little
better wiihin to fenfe, no flouriffiing of graces for the pre^
fent, yet rejoices In him, and in that everlafting covenant
that ItlU holds, ordered in all things andfiure, as the fweet
finger of Ifrael fweetly expreffes it, 2 Sam. xxv. 5. For
this, fays he, is all my falvatlon, and all my defire, although
,he Mo^eit; n$t to grow : That is a ftrange although, and
yet is he fatisfied even in that.
This joy In God, as my God, the God of my falvatlon,
pught to exercife the foul in the darkeft and worft tiraes,
and ought to ftick to it, not to let go this confidence ; ftill
e^^peding falvgtion from him, and refting *on him for it,
though not having thefe fenfes and affurances that thou
defireft. This weak believers are eafily beaten from by
temptation ; but we are to ftand to our right In him, even
W^W W6 fee it not : And when it is faid to thee, as Pfal.
,^Ur that there is no help for thee in God, tell all that fay fo,
fh&fX\e,Heis:,my God, my glory, and the lifter up if my
.head, as here he fpeaks.
Rejoice Iq him ftill as thy God ; and, however, rejoice
fn him as God. I will rejoice in Jehovah, glad that he is
(jod, that his eneraies cannot unfettle nor reach his throne ;
t!ha,t he, rules, afUd is glorious in all things ; that he Is felf-
bleffed, ahd needs nothing : This is the pureft and higheft

SERMON V. 421
kind of rejoicing in him, and is certainly moft diftant and
moft free from alteration, and hath, indeed, moft of hea
ven in it.

SERMON V.
1 CoR, I, 30.
But of him are ye in Chrifl Jefus, who of God is made unit
UJ wifdom, rlghteoufnefs, fandification, and redemption.
THE great defign of the gofpel is to bring men to
Jefus Chrift ; and, next to that, to inftrud thofe
that are brought to him In the cleareft knowledge, and to
keep thera in the freffi reraerabrance of the privileges and
happinefs they have In him. This the apoftles, writing to
new converts, are much on, and Paul moft abundamly;
but no where more excellently and fully than in thefe
words. As that is a great and much commended oracle, yu^'
iriodiroi, ( Know thyfelf ) fo alfo there can be nothing more
corafortable and profitable for a chriftian than this poiht,
to imderftand his new being, to know hirafelf as out of
hirafelf in Chrift, to ftudy what he is there. Oh ! what
joy, what humility, what holinefs would it work, were we
well feen and much converfant in this fubjed, viewing
ourfelves In this light, as here the apoftle reprefents a be
liever to hirafdf. Of him are ye in Chrifl Jefus, he. -
If we look back a Httle, we fee his aim Is to vindicate
the dodrine of Chrift from contanpt in that chief point,
which is the greatdl corafort and glory ; yet lies openefl
to the world's raifprifion, the dodrlne of the crofs, Chrift
crucified. Hira we preach, fays he, let raen take it as
they plaafe;; be hera ftumbllng to the Jews, and foollff nefs
to the Gentiles, yet, to thera that believe in both, he Is the
power bf God; and wifdora of God. ' "^
' As in) the' perfon of Chrift, glory was wrapt up in raean
nefs ; fo in tus fufferings ahd death, and the dodrine of It,

422 -SERMON V.
(and In the way of preaching It) they are not dreffed with
human wifdom, or excellency of fpeech, (this would be
as incongruous asthat rich gaudy attire they cover the
iraage of the virgin with, and her child lying In a ftable)
and that aU might be fuitable, fo is It in the perfons of
thefe that believe on hira. Brethren, you fee your calling,
he. and God's purpofe in this is, that no fleff ffould glory
before him.
This is the grand difeafe of fleffi, to fwell in conceit of
any Httle advantages, real or Iraagined, forgetting itfelf
and hira frora whora it receives all, receives Its very felf,
the being It hath, and all fuperadded good. Now, God
is pleafed, in juftice on fome, and great mercy to others,
fo to order raoft things In the world, as to allay this tu
mour ; often bringing down high things, and raifing low ;
arid fo atterapering and levelling difparities, as to take men
off from felf-glorylng. Proud undertakings, we fee, are
commonly moft difgracefuUy broken. Nor Is there any
furer prefage of the fpeedy ruin of any affairs or perfons,
than prefumptuous boafting. This Is God's Work amongft
ftien, as even natural men have obferved, to abafe high
things, to exalt low things ; he goes from one thing to
another, pulling down the creft, and blafting the glory of
all huraan excellency, breaking the likelieft projeds, and
effeding what is leaft to be expeded, withdrawing man
frora his purpofe, to hide pride from his eyes, as he fpeaks.
Job xxxin. 17. To this purpofe, Job x. 11, 12. 1 Sam.
ii. 4 j 5. and the virgin in her fong, Luke i. 51 , 52.
Whatfoever men bear themfelves big upon, and begin to
glory in, they call the hand of God to cruffi It, raifing an
idol of jealoufy In his fight. AU high things have their
day, the daiy of the Lord on all the cedars of Lebanon,
and he alone exalted. If ever this was the cafe in any
time, we raay fee It Is legible in ours, in great letters.
This the very refult of his ways, ftalnln'g the pride pf all
glory, defeating witty counfels, making courifellors raad,
throwing down all plumes and trarapling them In the
mire, that no part or perfons in the kingdom can fet out
for any triumph of courage, or wit, or any other excel
lency, but fomewhat ffiall be clearly feen to meet and daffi
it in pieces, that no fleff may glory before him : And this to

SERMON V. 423
fouls that love God, Is the main happinefs of the tiraes,
and that wherein they will chiefly rejoice.
The particular here fpoken of is eralnently fuited to this
end, the choice and calling of perfons to the dignity of
chriftians, not many wife, he. but the mean things, he. and
the raoft Infignificant, things that are not, non-enila, very
nothings, to 'annul things that feera raoft to be foraething.
Thus It was in the firft tinies ; and though afterwards, by
means of thefe meaner perfons, greater were caught and
drawn in to Chrift, philofophers and kings, &c. yet ftill It
reraains true in all times, that, predominantly, the choice
is of the meaner fort, God teftlfying how little he efteems
thefe things that raen count great, thefe endowraents of
wit and eloquence that raen adraire in forae : Alas ! how
poor are they to hira ; he refpedeth not any who are wife
in heart ; they are nothing, and lefs than nothing In his
eyes : He is the author pf all thefe. Job xxxiv, 19, (even
wife raen admire how little it is that men know, how fmall
a matter lies under the found of thefe popular wonders, a
learned man, a great fcholar, a great ftatefman : How
much more doth the all- wife God meanly account of thefe i
he often difcovers, even to the world, their meannefs ; he
befools them,) So, valour, or birth, or worldly greatr
nefs, thefe he gives, and gives as things he makes no great'
reckoning of, lo fuch as ffiall never fee his face ; and cafls
to the inheritance of glory poor defpifed creatures, that
are looked on as the offscourings and refufe of the world ;
thofe are raifed from the dunghill and fet with princes,
made the fons 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
affurance they have, and the clearer their view Is of the
ftate they are called to, the more humble they are ; ftill
laying thefe together, what was I in myfelf ? and, what
ara I in Chrift ? And, In comparing thefe, ihey are fwalr
lowed up with amazement, at that love that made this
change; and for this very end doth the apoftle es^prefs
thus their eftate, Te are of him In Chrifl Jefus,. he.
This Is a new being, a creation ; for. In relation to this
being, we are nothing in our naturals; and, then confi
dering that, in relatiqn to others, the meaneft are often

424 SERMON "^.
chofen and made partakers of this being, that having no
thing naturally great of nobility or morality, or high in-
telleduals, the moft nothings are often chofen, and made
partakers of this being, to illuftrate the power of him that
makes thera exift. In kings, fomewrhat may be obferved
of this In their choice of favourites, and raifing men that
are not of higheft deferving, as affeding to ffiew their free
dora In choice, and their power in raaking out of nothing,
and fo they love to have thera called their creatures ; but
thefe are but ffiadows,' both are poor creatures, both are
eafily thrown down : But God dolh indeed ffiew In his
choice his freedora and power In his new creature ; he
draws them out of the loweft bottom of nothing, and
raifes them to the raoft exceUent kind of being that crea
tures are capable of, to be the fons of God, and fo heirs,
joint heirs with Chrifl Jefus, he.
Te are of him in Chrifl Jefus, he. This rauft be taken
in an eminent fenfe. AU the creatures are of God ; but
man, even in his firft creation, for the dignity of his being,
and flow way of forming, was accounted to be of God, in
a pecuHar manner, formed to his own likenefs, and there
fore called the Son of God, Ads xvu. called his off-
fpring. But in this new being much more are we fo ;
we are of him as his children, partakers of the divine na
ture, and that fo faftened, that it abideth t And the me
dium of this excellent and permanent being Is primely to
be confidered ; for in him it becomes fo. It is both high
and firm, being in the natural fon, as the foundation of it ;
therefore here expreffed, as bearing the whofe weight of
this happy fabric.
Of him ye are in Chrifl Jefus, he. The life which be
lievers derive frora God is through him ; he is that eter
nal word, by which all things were made, in their firft
creation, and do ftill fubfift, Heb. i. John i. And he is
made the bafis of the fecond creation, in a wonderful way,
becoming himfelf a creature ; and fo the root ofthe new
progeny Is from heaven, the Sons of God : So It follows In
both thefe cited fcrlptures, John i, 12, 13, 14. the word
was made fleff ; and fo they that receive him are made
the fons of God. And fo, Heb. H. 10, 11. he. amply
and excellently is that myftery unfolded. The firft frame

SERMON V. 425
of matt, at leaft, the excellency and beauty of il, was
broken by his faU ; therefore a new model is framed of a
feleded number, to be a new world, more firm than the
forraer, united unto Godfo clofe, as never to be fevered
again. Man, though he was made holy and God-like,
spntinued not. In that honour. Now, God hirafelf be
coraes a man, to make all fure, that is the foundation of
an indiffoluble union. Man Is knit lo God In the perfon
of Chrift fo clofe, that there is no poffiblHty of dividing
them any more ; and this union of our nature In his per
fon is raade the ground of the union of our perfons with
God. We find our own fleffi in Chrift catch hold of a
man, and in that may find God, and are made one with
him by faith In Chrift ; and this all the powers of hell
cannot diffolve. Our Hfe none can cut off frora his, more
than a raan can cut a beara from off the fun. We are and
fubfift of God in Chrift. This Is an unknown myftery,
biit, were It known, would prove a depth of rich inex
hauftible confolatlon. The world doth not know what
chriftians are : This is no wonder ; for truly they know
not themfelves, or but very Httle. How would it elevate
their fpirits, but not in pride. Oh ! nothing is more
humbling than this, as the apoftle here Implies ; but it
would raife them above the world, and fuit their defires
and their adions to their condition, having all under foot,
that the world accounts great ; walking as heirs of heaven,
led and moved by the Spirit of Chrift in thera ; thinking,
when folicited to any bafe way, how doth this become the
fons of God ? ShaU one that lives in Chrift indignify hira
fo much, as to borrow corafort or pleafure from any fin,
for the kifling and deftrudion whereof he laid down his
precious life.
;Oh ! my brethren, that this divine ^ambition were kind
led in your breafts, to partake of this high and happy
being, and leave all your purfuits to follow this, reftlefs
tlfl you be in Chrift : For folid abiding reft, fure I am,
out of him there is none; and then, being in him, re
member where you are, and what you are. Walk in
Chrift, and live like hira, as one with hira indeed ; >let his
thoughts and defires be yours. What was his- work, yea,
what his refreffiment, his raeat and drink? To do his
3H

426 SERMON V.
Father's .wfll. Oh ! when. ffiall we find ourfelves fo mlnd-
edi.asthe apoftle's word is, ihe fame mind in us that was
in Chrifl. w . , t
Who of God is made unto us wifdom, he.} Known unto
God are all his works from the beginning. It was not an
accidental after- device in, God, (for In hira there can be
nqfuch thing) but was his great fore-thought projed, out
of the ruins of man's firft eftate to raife a fairer and firmer
fabric, new from the very foundation. And in the new
foundation lies the raodel and excellency and ftablHty of
the whole ftrudure. This Is the choice of all his works,
wherein he chiefly glories, his mafter^piece, which great
angels adraire ; and this Is it, Who of God Is made unto us
wifdom,, he. and th&t is one letter of his narae. He Is
called Wonderful, that is here fpoke of; fo aU is wonder
ful in this work : Wonderful, firft, that he ffiould be raade
any thing, the Maker of all things hirafelf raade foraething
that before he was not, then made to us. That he ffiould
be raade any thing, to our Intereft and advantage, who
are a corapany of traitors, and made unto us of God, the
God againft whora we rebelled, and continued naturally
eneraies. The purpofe bred In the Father's own breaft,
to give out his Son from thence to recover us, and bring
us back. O ! aftoniffiing depth of love ! Then made unto
us. What ? What not ? "We made up in hira, for ever
rich and happy : He raade all unto us, all we need, or can
defire, Wifdom, rlghteoufnefs, fandification^ and redemption.
Without hira we are undone, forlorn caitiffs, raaffes of
mifery, as you fay, having nothing neither in us nor on us ;
nothing but poverty and wretchednefs, blindnefs and na
kednefs, altogether ignorant of the way to happinefs, yea,
ignorant of our very mifery ; a neft of fools, natural fools,
children of folly, (as. they that are renewed by and pro
vided with this wifdora, are called children of wifdom)
guflty, filthy, condemned, flayes.
This is the goodly pofture we are. in, out of Chrift;
yet, who refents. It ? How few. can be brought tO' ferious
thoughts about it ? Nay, are not the moft in the midft of
this mifery yet full of high, conceit of their worth, wit,
freedom, &c, ,As frantic Bedlamltes,.v lying .naked and
filthy in their chains,, yee dreaming they are great and wife

SERMON V. 427
perfons, commanding and ordering all about them, poffi
bly, that they are kings, a ftick in their hands a fcepter,
and their iron chams of gold. This Is a pleafing madnefs
for the time ; yet who does not pity it that looks on ?
Methinks I fee one of this fort, when I fee one evidently
deftitute of Chrift, bearing himfelf big upon the fancy of
his parts, and birth, and riches, or ftoutnefs, and upon
any crofs word fwelling againft oihers, threatening high,
and protefting they will be flaves to none ; not knowing
that, even while they fpeak thus, they are wretched
caitiffs under the hardeft and bafeft kind of flavery. En
quire, ray brethren, if ever you had a right and clear view
of your natural ralfery, otherwife you are, it is likely, ftill
in it : And though you profefs to believe in Chrifl, are
not yet gone out of yourfelves to hira ; and not knowing
your great need of hira, do certainly raake little efteem
and little ufe of hira. You are full, and reign without
hira : All is well and In quiet ; but it is the ftrong raan
yet poffeffing the houfe, and keeping you captives as quiet
as he can, that you look not out, or cry for a deliverer :
He Is afraid of hira, to be difpoffeffed and turned oUt by
hira that is ftronger, the raighty Redeeraer that carae out
of Zion. Oh ! that raany araongft you were crying to
hira, and waiting for him, to corae unto you for your
refcue. Made unto us wifdom, righteoufnefs, fandification, and
redemption.} To fupply and help aU, he Is our raagazine,
whither to have recourfe to ; for this end replenlffied with
aU the fulnefs of God, the very fulnefs of the Godhead
dwelling in him ; the Spirit not given to him by raeafure.
He is fit to be made our wifdora ; the wifdora of the Fa
ther, as here in this place the apoftle lately called him,
the wifdom of God. In him are hid all the treafures of wif
dom and knowledge. They that find hira, and come in to
him, find It fo ; but the moft look but on the fuperfice,
they hear his name, and know not what is under It.
Righteoufnefs.} By fulfilling the whole law, and all
righteoufnefs,' Matth. HI. and yet fuffering the rigour of It,
as if he had tranfgreffed it : No guile, no fpot was found
on hira ; he was holy, harmlefs, undefiled, feparate from fin
ners, and yet the greateft finner by imputation (wh\te and
3H 2

428 SERMON V.
ruddy) he laid on him the Iniquity of us all. And Pfal. xl.
which Is prophefied of him. Mine Iniquities have taken
hold on me ; he owns them as his, though not his, and en
dured all that jufllce could require, entered and paid the
debt, and is acquitted and fet free again, and exalted at
the right hand of God. So it is evident that he is righte
ous, even in that reprefentatlve and fponfional perfon he
put on. •
Sandlficatlon.} Chrift is a Hving fpring of that, anoint
ed above his fellows. In hira is no mixture of any iniquity.
The Holy Ghoft defcended on the apoftles in the ffape of
fire : There was fomewhat to be purged In them ; they
are to be quickened and enabled by It for their calling ;
Bul in hira, as a dove, there was no need of cleanfing or
purging out any thing ; that was a fyrabol of the fpotlefs
purity of his nature, and of the fulnefs of the Spirit dwel-
ling In him.
And redemption.} Chrift Is mighty to fave, and having
right to fave, a kinfraan, a brother ; and as he hath bought
freedora for finners, will put thera in poffeffion of It, will
effed and coraplete It : All that are In hira are really de
livered frora the power of fin and death, and ffiaU, e're
long, be perfedly and fully fo ; they ffiall be lifted up a-
bove thera, no longer to be molefted with any remainders
cf either, or with fear of them, or fo rauch as any grief
for thera. And that day Is called the day of redemption,
to which we are before-hand raade fure, and fealed by the
Spirit, We cannot then doubt of his fitnefs and fulnefs to be
thefe,' and thefe for us ; but withal, we rauft know that
is defigned fo to be raade unto us, and carae, and did, and
fuffered all for this purpofe ; and having done, returned,
and now lives, to be thefe to us. It Is his place and office,
and fo his delight ; he loves to be put upon the perform
ance of this, lo be their wifdora and righteoufnefs, raade
of God to us. It Is agreed betwixt the Father and him
that he be fo : He Is the wifdom of God, and made of
God our wifdom. Wonderful ! that the fame that is his
own wifdom, and no lefs, he would make ours. And
now, in a fenfe bf all our ignorances and follies. It becoraes
us to go to hira, to apply ourfelves to him, and apply him

SERMON V. 429
to US, He is called our head', and fo moft filly, for II is
the place of all our wifdom, that lies In our head. And
all the reft, Rlghteoufnefs, fandification, and redemption :
If he be righteoufnefs in himfelf, and holy, and vidor
over his eneraies, and fet free frora wrath and death ; then
are we fo too in hira, for he is ours, and fo ours, that we
becorae what he is, are inrighted to all he hath, and en
dowed with all his goods ; though poor and bafe in our
felves, yet raarried to him, that is the title : We are made
rich, and noble, and free : We are righteous and holy,
becaufe he Is, * The wife fflnes with the rays of her huf
band. All debts and pleas are taken off, he ftands be
twixt us and all hazard, and In him we ftand acquitted
and juftified before God.
That that raakes up the match, and ties the knot of this
union. Is faith. He Is made of God unto us wifdom, rlghte
oufnefs, he. tendered and held out as all thefe, in the pro
mife of the gofpel ; not only declared to be really furniffi
ed and fit fo to be, but offered to be fo, and we warrant
ed, yea, invited and intreated to receive hira as fuch ; but
he is effedually raade to be this to us, to rae, by believing,
brought horae and apphed of God, and faith wrought in
the heart to entertain and unite to him ; f it, clofes the
bargain, and raakes hira ours. Now, in that he is raade
unto us, not of ourfelves, but God, for that is his gift and
work, we cannot believe raore than we can fulfil the
whole law ; and though men think It a coraraon and eafy
thing to accept of fo fweet an offer at fo cheap a rate, no
thing being required but to receive hira ; yet this is a thing
that naturally all refufe : No man comes, (fays he) except
the Father draw hlni.^ Though raen be befeeched to
corae, yet the raoft wdl not come unto me that they may have
life. To as many as received him, he gave the privilege to
become the fons of God : And yet for aU that, raany did not
receive hira ; yea, as there it is expreffed. He came to his
own, but his own received him not. They thai were neareft
to hira in natural relation and intereft, yet refufed hira,
for the moft part, and attained not this bleffed fpiritual in
tereft In him unto life.
* Ux6r fulget radiis marHi.
"t H ir/o-l/f-iVosjsrei, '''

430 SERMON V.
It would be confidered, ray brethren, Chrift is dally
held out, and none are excluded or excepted, all are invit
ed, be what they wfll, that have need of hira, and ufe for
hira ; and yet who is perfuaded ? Oh ! Who hath believed
our report ? One halh his farra, another his oxen, eatch
forae divertlferaent or another.; Men are not at leifure
for Chrift. Why ? you think, raay be, you have received
him. If it be fo, you are happy. Be not deluded. Have
you received him ? Do you find him then living and rul
ing wiihin you ? Are your eyes upon him ? Do you wait
on hira, early and late, to fee what his will Is ? Is your foul
glad In him ? Can you. In diftrefs, ficknefs, or poverty,
clafp to him, and find hira fweet, and allay all with this
thought, " However things go with rae, yet Chrift is in
me ?" Doth your heart cleave to him ? Certainly, if he
be in you, it will be thus ; or, at leaft, your moft earneft
defire will be, that it raay be thus.
Men will not believe how hard a raatter it is to beheve
the fulnefs and fufficlency of Jefus Chrift, till they be put
to it In earneft to raake ufe of hira ; and then they find it,
when fin and death are fet before their view, and difcover
ed in their native horrldnefs unto the foul, when a raan
is driven to that. What ffall I do to be faved? Then, then
is the tirae to know what notion he hath of Chrift. And
as the difficulty lies in this, in the firft awakening of the
confcience from fin, fo. In after-times of temptation, and
apprehenfion of wrath, when upon fome new added guil
tinefs, or a new fight of the old, in a frightful raanner, ^«
revives, and the foul dies, it is ftruck dead with the terrors
of the law : Then to keep thy hold, and find another life
in Chrift, the law and juftice fatisfied, and fo the confci"
ence quieted in hira, this Is indeed to believe.
It is a thing of huge difficulty to bring men to a fenfe of
their natural mifery, to fee that they have need of a Savi
our, and to look out for one ; but then being brought to
that, it is no lefs, if not more difficult, to perfuade thera
that Chrift Is he ; that as they have need of him, fo they
need no raore, he being able and fufficient for them, AU
the waverings and fears of mifbellevlng rainds do fpring
from dark and narrow apprehenfions of Jefus Chrift. All
the doubt is not of their intereft, as they imagine ; they

SERMON V. 431
wlio fay fo, and think it is fo, do not perceive the bottom
and root of their own malady : They fay, they do no whit
doubt but that he is able enough, and his righteoufnefs
large enough ; but all the doubt is, if he belong to me.
Now, I fay, this doubt arlfes from a defed and doubt of
the former, wherein you fufped It not. Why doubts thou
that he belongs to ihee ? Doft thou fly to him, as loft and
undone in thyfelf ? Doft thou renounce all that can be
called thine, and feek thy Hfe in him ? Then he is thine.
He came to feek and to fave that which was loft. Oh ! But
I find fo rauch, not only former, but ftfll daily renewed
and increafing guiltinefs. Why ? Is he a fufficient Savi
our ? Or, Is he not ? If thou doft fay, he Is not, then it is
manlfeft, that here Hes the defed and miftake : If thou
fayeft, he Is, then haft thou anfwered all thy objedions of
that kind ; rauch guiltinefs, rauch or Httle, old or new,
neither helps nor hinders, as to thy intereft In him, and
falvatlon by him. And for difpeUing of thefe ralfts, no
thing can be raore effedual than the letting In of thefe
gofpel bearas, the clear expreffions of his riches and ful
nefs In the fcrlptures, and eminently this, made of God,
wifdom, righteoufnefs,
Wifdom.} Both objedlvely and effedively. Objedl ve
iy, I mean, all our wifdom, to be In the right knowledge
and apprehenfion of hira ; and this fuits to the Apoftle's
^prefent difcourfe. The Jews would have a fign, and the
Gentiles, wifdora ; but we preach Chrift : So chap, n.
/ determined to know nothing, fave Chrifl crucified. He was
learnedly bred, and knew raany things befide ; much of
nature, and much ofthe law : But all this was to him over-
dated, ufelefs ftuff ; it was as if he never had heard of,
nor known any thing elfe but Jefus Chrift. We may
know other things ; but this, and this alone. Is our wif
dom, to know himi, and him crucified : Particularly, we may
have knowledge of the law, and by it the knowledge of
fin; but in relation to our ftanding before God, and fo
our happinefs; which is the greateft point of wifdom, Jefus
Chrift, Is .aione, and is aU. And the raore firmly a foul
eyes Chrift, and lofes, all other knowledge, and itfelf in
conteraplating hira, the raore truly wife and heavenly it is.
And effeifiivelyhe is our wifdom. All our right know-

432 SERMON V.
ledge of him, and belief In him, flows frora himfelf, is de
rived frora him, and fent into our fouls. His Spirit Is con^
veyed Into ours ; a beam of himfelf, as of the fun : This
fun of righteoufnefs is not feen hut by his own light ; fo
that every foul that Is made wife unto falvatlon,; that is
brought lo apprehend Chrift, to cleave to-him, and repofe *
on hira, it is by aniramlffion of divine Hght from himfelf,
that ffiews him, and leads unto hira. And fo we know
God In him. There Is no right knowledge of the Father
but in the Son ; God dwelling In the man' Chrift, will be s
found or known no where elfe ; and they that confider,
and worffiip God out of Chrift,. do not know or worffiip
the true God, but a falfe notion and fancy of their own.
The Shechlna, the habitation of- the Majefiy, is Jefus
Chrift ; there he dwells as between the cherubiras over
the raercy-feat. To apprehend God fo, is to love hira,
and truft in hira all our life, to hope to find favour and
blifs with him ; this Is the only wife knowledge of him :
Now, this alone is in Chrift, and from him. He contains
this reprefentation of God, and gives his own light to fee
it ; fo that a Chriftian's defire would be. In relation to Je
fus Chrift, that of David to the temple, as a figure of him.
One thing have I defired of him, and that will I feek after,
ihat I may dwell In the houfe ofthe Lord ; that I may get In
to Chrift, to know God there, to behold the beauty ofthe
Lordi, There we fee beauty indeed, the Father's glory,
and fo as our Father, reconciled to us, we fee him merciful
and gracious. And as to behold, fo ftfll to enquire in his ,
temple, to advance In the knowledge of God, ftudying
him in Chrift ; to adraire what we fee, and feek ftfll to fee
more. And to know that this knowledge of God, as we
have it in Chrift, fo from him. He reveals the Father ;
he came from his bofom for that purpofe. We cannot be
lieve on him, cannot come near God through him, but as
he lets forth of his light, to condud and lead us in, yea,
powerfully to draw in, for his light does fo. ' Now, know
ing and apprehending him by his own light, his Spirit,
the Apoftle clears it, that this is our wifdom, by thofe rich
titles added : According to which we find him to us, when
we receive from him that wifdom, by which we apprehend

SERMON V. 433
him aright^ and lay hold on him ; then made unto us rlgh
teoufnefs, fandification and redemption.
Righteoufnefs.} This doubtlefs Is meant of the righteouf
nefs by which we are juftified before God ; and he
is made this to us, applied by faith : His rlghteoufnefs be
comes ours. That exchange raade, our fins are laid over
upon him, and his obedience put upon us. This, the
great glad tidings, that we are made righteous by Chrift :
It is not a righteoufnefs wrought by us, but given to us,
and put upon us. This carnal reafon cannot apprehend,
and being proud, therefore rejeds and argues againft it ;
fays. How can this thing be ? But faith clofes with It, and
rejoices In it ; without either doing or fuffering, the fin
ner Is acquitted and juftified, and ftands as gulltlefs of
breach, yea, as having fulfilled the whole law. And happy
they that thus faften upon this rlghteoufnefs ; they raay
lift up their faces with gladnefs and boldnefs before God :
Whereas the raoft induftrious felf-faving juftlciary, though
in other mens eyes and his own, poffibly for the prefent,
he raakes a gllftering ffiew, yet when he ffiall corae to be
exarained of God, and tried according to the law, he ffiall
be covered with ffiarae, and confounded In his folly and
guiltinefs. But faith triumphs over felf-unworthlnefs, and
fin, and death, and the law, ffirouding the foul under the
mantle of Jefus Chrift ; and there it is fafe : All accufa-
tions fall off, having no where to faften, unlefs forae ble-
mlffi could be found In that rlghteoufnefs In which faith
hath wrapt itfelf. This is the very fpring of folid peace, and
fills the foul with peace and joy. But ftfll raen would have
foraething within therafelves to raake out the raatter, as if
this robe needed any fuch piecing ; and not finding what
they defire, thence difquiet and unfettlement of raind a-
rifes. True it is, that this faith purifies the heart, and worki
hohnefs, and all graces flow frora it : But in this work of*
juftlfying the finner, itis alone, and cannot admit of any
mixture, as Luther's refemblance Is, " Faith is as the bride
with Chrift In the bed-chamber alone ; but when ffie cora
eth forth, hath the attendance and train of other graces
with her." This well underftood, the foul that believes on
Jefus Chrift, will not let go, for all deficiency in itfelf; and
3 I

434 SERMON V.
yet fo refting on him, will not be flothful nor regardlefs of
any duty of holinefs : Yea, this Is the way to abound In
all the fruits of the Spirit, firft, to have that wifdora from
hira, rightly to apprehend and apply hira as our righte^
oufnefs, and then ffiall we find all furniture of grace in
hira ; he will likewife be fandification. Say not, " Un
lefs I find forae raeafure of fandification, what right have
I to apply hira as ray righteoufnefs ?" This inverts the or
der, and prejudges thee of both. Thou muft firft, without
finding, yea, or feeking any thing in thyfelf but ralfery
and guiltinefs, lay hold on hira as thy righteoufnefs ; or
elfe thou ffialt never find fandification by any other endea
vour or purfuit.
He It Is that Is raade fandification to us, and out of him
we feek It in vain. Now, firft, he muft be thy righteouf
nefs, before thou find hira thy fandification : Siraply, as a
guilty finner, thou muft fly to hira for ffielter ; and then,
being corae in, thou ffialt be furniffied, out of his fulnefs,
with grace for grace. As a poor raan purfued by the jufti-
ciary, flying to a ftrong caftle for fafety, and being in it,
finds It a rich palace, and all his wants fupplled there.
This raifunderftanding of that raethod is the caufe of
much of that darknefs and difcorafort, and withal of that
deadnefs and defed of graces, that raany perfons go droop
ing under, who will not take this way, the only ftrelght
and fure way of life and corafort. Now,
Sandlficatlon.} He is to us not only as a perfed pattern,
but as a powerful principle. It Is really the Spirit of Chrift
in a believer, that crucifies the world, and purges out fin,
and forras the foul to his likenefs. It Is impoffible to be
holy, not being in him ; and being truly in hira, it Is as
irapoffible not to be holy : Our pothering and turraoiling
without hira, raakes us lofe our labour; and In this point
indeed. Little wit makes much labour.
Redemption.} Sin is often prevailing, even in believers ;
and therewithal difcomforts and doubts arifing, as it can
not otherwife chufe : Oh ! how do they groan and figh as
captives ftill to the law of fin and death. Well, there Is
in our Lord Jefus help for that too, he Is redemption, that
is, the corapliraent and fulnefs of deliverance, the price
jhe paid once for all. Now he goes on to work that deH-

SERMON VI. 435
rerance by conqueft, that he bought by ranfom : It Is go
ing on, even when we feel it not ; and within a little while
it ffiall be perfeded, and we ffiall fee all the hoft of our ene
mies that purfued us, as Ifrael faw the Egyptians, He dead
upon the ffiore. Courage ! that day is coming ; and cril
this, that he that glories, may glory in the Lord : Is it not
reafonable ? No felf-glorying ; the raore faith, the lefs ftill
of that. A behever is nothing in hirafelf : All Is Chrift's :
Chrift is his all ; (that treafurer, that being called to aa
account, becaufe that out of nothing he had enriched him
felf fuddenly, raany thought he would have been puzzled
with it ; but he, without being rauch raoved, next raorn
ing came before the king in an old fuit that he wore be
fore he got that office, and faid, " Sir, this fuit on ray
back is raine, but aU the reft is thine :" So our old fuit is
ours, all the reft Chrift's, and he allows it well) and in the
full and pure glory that afcends to God in this work, are
we to rejoice raore than in the work itfelf, as our falva-
tion. There is an hurable kind of boafting that becoraes
a Chriftian, My foul ffall glory, or make her boafl in God,
fays David, all the day long. What was I before I met
with Chrift ? thinks a believer : And now what am I ?
And, upon that thought, wonders and loves. But moft
of the wonder is yet to come ; for he conceives but Httle
ifyhat we ffiall be.

SERMON VI.
Jeremiah x. 23, 24.

0 Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himfelf; it is
not in man that walketh to dired pis fteps.
0 Lord, corred me, but with judgment ; not in thine anger,
left thou bring me to nothing.
TT cannot be expreffed what an advantage a heart ac-
-l quaint with God hath. In all the revolutions and changes
of the world, when it turns in to him, and gives vent to
31 2

436 SERMON VI.
its griefs and defires into his bofom, and fo. finds eafe.
This the Prophet does here, after the denouncing of a
heavy judgment, he turns towards him frora whora he
brought that raeffage, to entreat for thera to whora he
brought It, After a very fad clofe of his ferraon, he adds
this ffiort but very fweet prayer ; prefents hirafelf, and
fpeaks in that ftile, as jreprefentlng the whole people, Cor
red me, 0 Lord ; makes their calamity, as it were, all his
own ; bears their perfon, and prefents his petition for them
in his ovvn name. The prophets, though they could not
but applaud and approve the juftice of God that fent them
in the harffieft news they brought ; yet withal could not
beinfenfible of the miferies of his people : And fo we find
thera raixing pathetical coraplaints and prayers for them,
with the predidlons of judgments againft them,
Obfer. And thus are all his faithful minifters affeded to
wards his church. The Lord himfelf Is pleafed to exprefs
a kind of regret, foraetiraes In the puniffiing of them. As
the tender-hearted father feels the laffies he lays on, though
highly deferved by the ftubbornnefs of his children, Hof.
xi, 8. How ffall I give thee up, Ephraim? how ffaU I de
liver thee, Ifrael? how ffall I make thee as Admah? how
ffall I fet thee as Zeboim ? Mine heart is turned iivlthln
me, my repentings are kindled together. So It well becomes
hisi fervants to be thus affeded, when they deliver fad news
to his people, to return praying for them : Thus going, as
angels betwixt heaven and earth, befeeching the people to
return unto God, and befeeching God to return to his
people, and fpare them.
The Prophet, in this prayer, firft preralfes a pofition
fuiting his purpofe ; and then, upon that, prefents his fup
pllcation. The pofition he lays, to raake a double benefit
of it in order to his petition. It Is both a fure ground for
himfelf to ftand on, and a fit argument to raove God by.
Thus it is, and thus he intends and ufes it, at once to fup
port his own faith, and work on the goodnefs of God by
it. Befide the fitnefs of the truth itfelf for both thefe ends,
we find forae print of both, In the very way of expreffing
it, 0 Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himfelf,
he. fo expreffing both his own perfuafion of the truth of

SERMON VI. 437
it, I know, and reprefenting it to God, as a fit truth to
urge his fuit by, 0 Lord, I know.
• Obfer. A great part of the ftrength and art of prayer
lies in this, firft, to have the mind furniflied with fit con
ceptions of God, and eftabhffied in the firm perfuafions of
tbera ; in that Is much of the ftrength of prayer : Then
filly to call up, and ufe thefe conceptions and perfuafions,
for our own fupporling and prevailing with God ; In that
lies the art of it.
We poffibly do think that we do fufficiently believe both
the goodnefs and power of God, efpecially his power, none
fufpeding hirafelf of the leaft doubt of it ; yet our per
plexing doubts and fears, our feeble ftaggerings in faith
and prayer, upon particular preffing difficulties, difcover
evidently a defed here, though ftill we will not own it.
And alas ! how Httle faculty have we in the moft needful
times, to reft on his ftrength, and to ftir up ourfelves, to
ftir him up by prayer, to do for us, holding firm to that
great point of his abfolute foverelgnty and power over all
things, and holding it up to hira, entreating hira by It to
appear and work for us : " Lord, It is in thy hand ; that
I know, and that is enough to rae : Thy good-will I dare
truft," (for there Is iraplied a fecret confidence of that)
" this contents rae, that thou haft full power ofthe bufi
nefs." That Is the thing here the prophet fixes on, 0
Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himfelf.
" As there is In us no power to turn off the judgraent
determined, all our wit and ftrength can do nothing to that ;
fo we are fure there is no power in our enemies to do any
thing,, either beyond or befide thy appointment, in the ex
ecution of it : And upon this. Lord, we come to fuppli-
cate ' thee^ for mitigation. Whh men it often falls out,
either In juft punlffiments, or unjuft oppreffions, that the
minifters and under-officers do exceed their coraraiffion,
and overdo their bufinefs; yea, foraetiraes add little lefs
of their own, than all that coraes to, that is appointed to
thera : But with thee, O Lord, it is not fo. As our ene
mies cannot ftir of therafelves without order frora thee ;
and as thy coramiffions are always all juft, fo thou feeft to
the performance, art prefent at it, which often raen can-

438 SERMON VI.
not be : And fo nothing is or can be done befide thy no
tice and allowance."
His pofition is this. The way of man is not in himfelf;
and repeated more plainly, /'/ is not in man that walketh io
dired his fteps. Thus, by a double negation, putting It al
together out of his power ; and under this the pofitlve
truth is couched, that the abfolute difpofal of all the ways
of raen is wholly in the fuprerae hand of God ; according
to that, Prov. xx. 24. Man's goings are ofthe Lord. How
can a raan then underftand his way ? He doth not cer
tainly know any thing of his own doings ; even he that
feeras to know raoft, to advife and dehberate upon all he
does, yet hath no power of his contrivements, knows not
which way they will turn, tlU the event doth clear it ; and
even then, looking back, is often amazed at the ftrange
courfe of things, fo far different from, and poffibly con
trary to all his witty projedings and models, often does
not attain his own, but never fails to accomphffi God's
purpofe, even when his Intentions are leaft for it, yea, when
they are moft againft it : Let us build a tower, faid they.
Gen. xi. left we be fcattered abroad y and that was the veryf
thing caufed their fcattering. Jofeph was fold by his bre
thren, that they might not bow before him, as he had dreara-
ed ; and this brought It to pafs. Pharaoh fays, Let us
deal wifely. And that way of oppreffing thera, left they
ffiould go away, both ftirred up God to deliver thera, and
difpofed thera to depart. And not to raultiply inftances,
generally in all the ways of raen, they have their defigns
moft times excentric to God's ; but his holds always, and
theirs no further, than they are his. Have we not our
felves feen Inftances of this ?
Man confults and determines freely ; yet even thefe in
ward adings of the mind and will, are ordered and framed
by the hand of God, and it cannot otherwife be. It is a
moft vain fancy, to imagine that any thing In this Is Incon
fiftent with the natural liberty of his will, or that any fuch
Hberty can be in any creature, as confifts not with his ;
but becaufe in thefe inward adings, man finds hlnifelf
more at his choice, though all is fecretly over-ruled, and
in the event of things, God's fovereign difpofe is raore le
gible ; therefore thefe two are expreffed with forae kind

SERMON VI. 439
of difference, Prov, xvi, 9, A man's heart devifeth his
way, but the Lord dlrcds his fteps : That is, when he halh
devifed, that does not carry it ; (he raay devife and fancy
things twenty ways, and think he is taking freely his own
courfe, but he ffiall find in the iffue another hand than his
own. It Is not In man that walks, as the word is here, he
walketh, and yet the diredion of his fteps is in another
hand,) But in the devifings too, the Lord fo ads man,
that he Is turned which way it pleafeth him ; even the
heart, and that of the moft uncontrouled, the raoft irape-
tuous torrent, the king's heart is in his hand, as the rivers
of waters, he. When men either determine themfelves,
or follow unallowed ways for deterraination, as thofe,
Ezek. xxi, 21. yet are they ordered of God. This he
does infallibly and uncontroulably, yet In fuch a way as
there is nothing diftorted or violented *. All is fo done ;
things are in their own courfe, and raen are in their volun
tary choices, yet all fubferving the great Lord, and his
ends, and his glory, that made them all for himfelf; (as
the lower orbs have each their raotion, but are all wheeled
about with the firft : Men know not what he is doing
by them, and what In the end he will do with them, Ifa.
X. With the rod of Affyrla he fcourges his children, and
then throws the rod in the fire, ver, 15, 16, The horfe-
leech draws the blood to fiU itfelf, but the phyfician In
tends the patient's health.) Men are drawn on by tempo
ral profperings and fucceffes to drive proudly and furi-
oufly, till they drive themfelves over the edge of the pre
cipice appointed for their ruin ; and all his exalting them
for a feafon. Is, In end, to exalt himfelf in their greater
and raore reraarkable deftrudion. / wdl get me a name upon
Pharaoh, and all his hoft. Men are bufy, confulting or
ading with or againft one another, and he fits and laughs
at their wifeft plots ; he alone Is in all affairs, doing all his
own will In heaven and In earth.
Oh ! the folly and blindnefs of men, that think to carry
all to their minds, and walk as mafters of their own de
figns, and never have any ferious thought of him, In whofe
hands both they, and all their bufinefs, and all the affairs
of ftates and kingdoms of this world, are as a piece of wax,
* Fortiter etfuavitsr.

440 SERMOM VI.
to frariie thera to what he pleafes. He that deftroyi. the
counfels of the wife, and makes the diviners mad, that pours
contempt upon princes, leads counfellors away fpoiled, and
maketh the judges fools : He that hath fet liraits to all things,
to the raging of the fea, raakes the fraall fand give check to
the great ocean, when it brake out of the womb, he had a
cradle provided for It, and fwadhng bands. Job xxxviii.
and there, though it rolls to and fro, yet cannot get out.
Oh ! it is ignorance of God raakes raen ruffi on, and not
enquire whether he be with them or no. Mofes was wife
and ftout, and leader of a numerous people, yet he would
not ftir on other terras ; If thou. go not with us, let us not
go up hence : Well, if raen will on their peril, be It ; let us
reverence God ; for even this is from him, and he will
gain his glory out of it. The way of man Is not in himfelf.
If we fee their folly, let us learn to be wifer, to keep clofe
to him, and defire his gracious diredion of our ways ; for
it is not in our hands, even when we intend beft. And for
public affairs, let us reft fatisfied In his part. Amidft all
difprders, he is ordering all wifely and juftly, and to them
that love him, gracioufly ; therefore we ought not to be
difmayed. Let us calra our thoughts with this, reraem
ber who It is that rules all, and difpofes of peace and war,
and all affairs, and we cannot wiffi them In a better hand.
I ara perfuaded, that In all the coraraoilons of the world,
when a believer thinks on this. It cannot but calm and
compofe his fpirit exceedingly, My Father rules all. Let
this fo quiet our fears, as that withal it quicken our pray
ers, and ftir us up to the work of this day, repentant hum
ble feeking unto God ; feeing all Is In his hands, our peace,
our liberties, and our enemies that threaten to bereave us
of both. Oh ! that the effed of all our troubles and
dangers were to drive us raore to God, to raake us throng
more about the throne of grace, to draw forth our King
for our help. Oh ! our irapenitence and unreformednefs,
that turns hira to be our eneray, and that only, men are
nothing ; and now in fo great ftralts, yet fo little calling
on him ! Oh ! , ray brethren, what are we doing ? O !
Pray, pray ; it is our God that coraraands all ; and we
may fay it, upon his own warrant. It is prayer that com
mands hitn.

SERMON VI. 441
Carrel mey hc.^1 When- thehandiof God is ftretched
out agatBift a people or a perfoUj^ certainly there is no run
ning from hira.: The only wife and fafe courfe is, to run
in to him ; tjhis the prophet does in behalf of his people,
and by his. example teaches them fo to do. As the pro
phet iflitters his own fenfe and defires in this prayer, fo he
fets it as a copy to the people of God, In time of judgment,
to pray by, ffiews them the way, which is not vainly to
offer to fly from him, or proudly to ftand put againft him,
to their undoing, but to humble themfelves under his
mighty hand, fuppllcating him, yielding themfelves, and
begging quarter, Corred me, 0 Lord, with judgment, not
in anger, left thou bring me to nothing. That I fuffer for
my rebeUion, good reafon ; yet. Lord, do not utterly
deftroy rae ; which wfll be. If the weight of thine •'nger
fall', upon rae : and for that, tho' Indeed we have deferved
it, yet there is another vent for It, and pardon us to fay fo,
fitter matter for it. Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen ;
let It go out that way. So we fee the fuppllcation hath
thefe two particulars in It, an averfion, and a diverfion : an
averfion Q§ the anger of God, from his own people under
corredion ; and a diverfion of it upon his and their '
enemies : Lord, turn from us, and pour it out thene, , The
averfisn Is prefented', quahfied with a humble fubraiffion,
declaring exprefly they decline not that corredion of God,
but only deprecate his. confuming anger..
Corred me, 0 Lord, but with judgment, that is,.- with
meafure ; fuchi as the difcretion and. love of a father re
folves on towards; his child : Thus much, will I cojtred
him for his good, and no further.
Nop In thine anger. God Is pleafed to, exprefs his idlfi-
pleafure againft fin, by wrath' and; angerj even towards
his own children,: but the anger here the prophet entreats
exception from for the church. Is. anger oppofed; to judg
raent-, unbounded deftroying anger, thab knows no liraits
nor ftop, but the devouring of thefe againft whora it Is
kihdledi This is fpoken in our language, but is to be
underftood in a way fuiting the purity of God* In him
truly is no paflion at aU, rauch lefs any that Is not ordered
by wifdora and* judgraent. He Is not carried in heat be
yond his purpofed, meafure, but knows well how far he
3 K

442 SERMON VI.
intends to go with any, and goes no furtl^er. But as his
anger means his jufl punlfhing of fin, fo his unlimited
anger fignifies no other but his juft proceedingin puniffi
ment, to the utter deftrudion of inflexible ¦ finners; and
to this is oppofed here hie correding with judgment, that Is,
in a fatherly gracious raoderation, fuch as does not utterly
ruin and cut off, but indeed reclaims and converts fir.r.ers
unto hira.
This fubraiffion and yieldance to a meafured corredion,
is a thing raoft reafonable; they that know any thing
aright of themfelves and God, will not refufe it.
Firft, Refleding on their own finfulnefs, which when
truly difcovered, even where there Is leaft, yet Is there
enough of It to juftify even utter deftrudion: Therefore
have we good reafon, unrepiningly to receive fuch raoderate
corredion from the hand of God, as he thinks fit, and to
wonder that it Is no more. It Is one true charader of
repentance under the rod^ to accept the punlffment of our
iniquity, to have our untamed fpirits brought low, to ftoop
to God, to acknowledge our puniffiraent to be far lefs than
our iniquity ; and that it is of his goodnefs that we are not
confuraed, as the church confeffes. Though we feel it
heavy, and the raeafure hard, yet felf-knowledge and con
fcience of fin will lay the foul low, and raake it quiet, will
fay nothing, or if any thing. It will be confeffion of its own
gufltinefs, and the righteoufnefs of God ; ftill clearing him
in all*, as it is Pfal. li. 4. and ufing that other, Pfal. cxix.
whatfoever is fo inflided. Righteous art thou, 0 Lord, jufl
are thy judgments : which words a good king ufed, being-
put in prifon, and hardly dealt with; fo the Pfalmift,
Pfal. xxxviii. 3. (There Is nofoundnefs in my fleff becaufe
of thine anger, neither is there any refl in my boms becaufe of
my fin) juftlfies God's anger, by his own fiui Thus
Daniel makes confeffion for this people, under the very
captivity here threatened, when it had lafted out the full
term, Dan. Ix. .
And knowing our fin, ought we not to. allow God the
clearing of his own juftice, his purity and hatred of fin,
in puniffiing it, and poffibly raoft exemplarily here, in
thofe that are neareft hira, his own people and chfldren,
can leaft endure it there. This, efpecially,. when we con-

SERMON VI. 443
jfider hissfovereignty and greatnefs, that. he Is tied to ho
account of his adings ; and though we did not fee fo
clear reafon for our fufferings in our defervings, there Is
reafon enough in his will. And this, well confidered,
would bring us to rauch hurable fubralflion in all, / was
dumb, fays David, / opened not my mouth, becaufe thou dldft
it. The biffiop of Troyes meeting Attila marching to
wards the city, afked who he was ? / am, faid he, the
fcourge ofGod, andcaufed fet open the gates to him ; but
God raarvelloufly reftrained the foldiers In that city.
But yet further, as our own guiltinefs, and God's righ
teoufnefs and greatnefs, plead for this compliance with his
chaftlferaents ; fo even his goodnefs, and our own profit,
in thera. There is in his chaftlfing of his own people
very ranch raercy, that they raay not be conderaned with
the world. , . Their afflidions have. a fecret ftarap of love
on thera ; By this is the iniquity of Jacob purged, he. He
purifies a people in his furnace, that they raay be holy
unto him, gives his own many fweet experiences of fecret
fupport and comfort in afflidion, and feafonable delivery
out of it, and brings thera forth with advantage. The
peaceable fruits, of rlghteoufnefs, Heb. xii. He hurables
and pua-ges, a-.people or perfon, by his rods, and prepared
thera for greater, raercies to enjoy thera, both raore fweetly
and ufefuUy ; renews his covenant, and the rautual en-
dearraents of love betwixt hirafelf and his people ; accord
ing to the gracious proraffes raade to his people, in rela
tion to this very judgraent here threatened, and after in
flided onthera, Ifa. liv. Ezek. xxxvi.
We, poffibly, think it ftrange that our preffures and
troubles ftill continue, and rather grow upon us than
sbate : ^utyrie judge not wifely concerning this ; the raoft
part curfing and repining, others falling into a dead hope
lefs ftupldnefs, not caring what becorae of things: but
our beft courfe were, to turn to him that fmites us, to
acknowledge our rebellions and his juftice, to eye men lefs
and G.od more, in our fufferings, and confefs that our
provocations exceed all that Is come upon us, to fall down
humbly before God, and take fubmiffively with his chaftife
ments, Corred me, 0 Lord, but with judgment, he, and
with the church, twiU bear the indignation of the Lord^
3 K 2

444 SERMON VI.
becaufe I have finned againft him, Mic, -Viii, Thus Hkewife,
in .private perfonal corre^ings, let us learn to behave our
felves meekly and humbly, as the children of fo great and
good a father ; whatfoever heinfllds, not to murmur, nor
.entertain a fretful thought of it, Befides the undutlfulnefs
and unfeemhnefs of it, how vain is it ? What gain we by
ftruggHng, and cafting up our hand, to caft off the rod,
but the more laffies ? Otir only way is to kneel, and fold
lumder his hands, and kifs his rods, and, even while he Is
fmlting us, to be blefling hira, fending up confeffions of
his rlghteo-ufnefs, and goodnefs, and falthfulnefs, only en
treating for the turning away of his wrath, though it ffiould
,be with the continuing our afflidion ; that Is here the
ftile of the prophet's prayer, Corred me, 0 Lord, but not
in anger : and, according to this full, even where troubles
are chaftifements for fin, yet a chfld of God may find
much fweetnefs ; reading much of God's love In fo deal
ing with them ; not fuffering thera to grow wanton, and
forget hira ; as in much eafe, even his own children fome
times do : and as they may find much of God's love to
ihem in ffiarp corredions, they raay raife and ad much
of their love to him In often-repeated refignments and
fubraiffions of themfelves, and ready confenting to, yea,
rejoicing in his good pleafure, even In thefe things that to
their fleffi and fenfe are moft unpleafant.
Now, to the petition, the averting of his anger : That
is the great reqyeft of them that know and fear him ; and
there Is high reafon for ill, the heavieft fufferings are light
without it : But the leaft ingredient of that adds inex-
preffible weight to the fmalleft afflidion. This was the
thing, likely, made the vifage of death fo fad to holy raen
in fcripture, David, Hezekiah, he. that at thefe times it
had forae charader of God's anger againft thera upon It,
carae to them as a meffenger of difpleafure : fo a thing
fraall in itfelf may be a great curfe. To be caft out un
buried Is no great matter, natural men flight It * ; there is
little difference, to, he eaten of beafts above ground, or of
worms beneath : yet when foretold to a man as a judg
ment denounced from God, as againft that king, Jer.
xxii. 19. It hath its own weight, carrying fome ftamp of
* Calo tegitur, qui non habet urnam.

SERMON VI. 445
God's defpifing hira ; and though a man feels it not when
it is done, yet he feels it, looking on it before-hand,
efpecially as threatened of God, fees himfelf, as It were,
dragged about and torn.
Now if any Httle particular crofs marked with God's
prefent anger become fo heavy, how rauch more is his
abiding prolonged wrath ? The thing here fpoken of,
anger, to which no bounds is fet, that (fays he, in name
of his people) would bring me to nought ; there Is no ftand
ing before it, it will make the ftouteft and proudeft to
ffiake, yea, ffiakes them to pieces. If the wrath of a king
he to meaner men as ihe roaring of a lion, ho>v m.uch
more terrible, even to kings themfelves, is the wrath of
God ? This great king, whofe voice flakes the mountains,
and makes the earth to tremble^, armies of terrors and
deaths are nothing to a look of his angrry countenance.
If he withdra-ws his anger. Job ix. the proud helpers ftoop
under him ; the helpers of pride, the great Atlafs's of the
worid, that are thought to bear up all thofe, that for their
wit and power are thought the fupporters of the king
doms, how foon are they cruihed to pieces by a touch of
this anger of God, and perlff at the rebuke of his counte
nance ? O Lord, fays that holy raan, (confidering the frailty
of poor man, and the power of God) who knows the power
<f thine anger, Pfal, Xc, even according to thy fear fo is thy
varath ; full as rauch, yea far raore terrible than any can
apprehend it.
They that dare go on in ways, wherein it raay be but
fufpeded that he Is againft them, oh ! they know him not.
Let us confider, and fear before him ; and, for the land,
flill entreat the turning aWay of his wrath, rather than
deUverances from any preffures, " Lord, while thou
thinkeft good further to afflid us, fo as to draw us nearer
to thee. We are content ; yea, we ffiall blefs ihee : But
whatfoever thou do with us, fuffer not thy hot difpleafure
to arife againft us, for then we are undone." So this is
all a foul under his hand, In afflidion, ought to fay, Corred
me, but not in wrath, left thou bring me to nothing : " Thou
knoweft I cannot ftand before that," He Is pleafed to
look to this, and to exprefs it, as that which moderates
his anger, eyen when juftly incenfed, Ifa, Ivu. 16. / wUl

446 SERMON VI.
not contend for ever, neither will Ihe (dvociy wroth,; for fhe
fpirit ffould fail before, me, and the fouls which I have made,
to lay this before, hira, " Lofd, if thou will, how qui(;kly
and how eafily couldfl thou break into pieces, or fink
into nothing, not only me, a Httle atora of it, but the entire
frarae of this whofe world, and therefore ftrive not with
me," This often Job reprefents, and God is pleafed-, to
move hirafelf, to reft-rain his wrath, and draw forth his
mercy by It, Pfal, Ixxv. 38, 39. and Pfal. cui, 14, his great
corapaffion lays hold on fuch confiderations ; and this raay
furniffi great confidence to fouls under a fenfe of wrath,
that do but fall down and entreat for mercy. He that fo
often prevents us, when we feek It not, will he caft any
away that feeks and fuits for It ?
The diverfion, briefly, is to the heathen, the profeffed
and obdured eneraies of God and his chuch : " Thy
wrath, O Lord, raay have its courfe, and yet fpare thy
people : There Is matter enough for it round about, good
for nothing elfe, and good reafon for It, befides all other
wickednefs, their fpiie and cruelty againft thy people, /or
they have eaten up Jacob,"
Next, the charader of the ungodly, that are fit fewel
for this fire, that know not, and call not on thy name, that
profefs not, pretend not to be thine. Tremble you that
are too Hke thefe, though repute amongft the people of
God. Seek the knowledge of God, and worffiip him,
families and perfons, left this curfe corae upon you.
Now, this prophetical foretelling the utter deftrudion of
the church's eneraies, whereas the church is correded in
meafure, and not deftroyed : She is firft puniffied ; but
they that corae laft, the enemies, the heavieft wrath faUs
dow'n there and fmolhers thera, ends on thera, and raakes
an end of them, Jer. xxx, 11. The belief of this may
uphold the faithful In the church's greateft diftreffes.
W^hen at the loweft, then the wrath Is neareft, changing
place, and reraoving to her enemies,
And this Is to be fo defired and prayed for, in reference
to the iraplacable eneraies of God, that we beware we mix
nothing of our own Intereft or paffion with it;; as wrath
m God is without any difturbance * ; fo fomewhat like is
* Mfluas et tranquillus es.

SERMON VII. 447
the defire ofit in the godly, calra undlfterapered love of
the name of God, And fo ffiall the faints rejoice in the
final vidory and triumph of Chrift over all his eneraies,
and their final ruin in that day, when they fliall be made
his footftool: Then they ffiall have a pure complacerity
iand delight in his juftice, (that ffiall make all even;) arid
why are we difquieted, if We hope for that day ?

SERMON VII.
Isaiah xxx, 15 — 19.
For thus faith the Lord God, the holy One of Ifrael, In re
turning and rest ffall ye be faved, in quietnefs and in
confidence fhall be your strength ; and ye would not.
But ye faid, no, for we will flee upon horfes, therefore ffall
ye flee : And we will ride upon the fwift, therefore ffall
they that pnrfue you, be fwift.
One thoufand fhall flee at the rebuke of one : At the rebuke
of flve ffall ye flee, till ye be left as a beacon upon the top
of a mountain, and as an enfiign 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 judgment ;
bleffed are all they that wait for him.
IN the fentence of that greateft and biggeft judgment
that ever yet carae on the world, the univerfal deluge,
as we have it^ Gen vi, that Word doth raoft lively exprefs
the reafon of it, My fpirit ffall not alway strive with man :
For thus It Is, while he fpares even his own people, he is
at a continual ftrife with thera, by gracious entreaties and
mercies, by advices and warnings and threatenings, ftill
contefting ; that is the way he ufes in the conteft, on his
part, againft refufes and revofts and rebellions on their
part. Thus here.
The queftion betwixt him and 'his people here. Is about
the help of Egypt : This God often declares to be wholly

448 SERMON vn.
againft his; mind, and their own good ; yet tb^ on all oc
cafions had.fo ftrong a mind lo it, that they could not be
diverted. The prophet here hath his raeffage concerning
this point, to, preach it, and to write It,, to remain ad per*
petuam rei memoriam, as they fpeak, ver, 7, 8. fhews them
plainly, tbat this, courfe was wholly without the counfel
and confent of God, yea, diredly againft it, and that it
fhould fucceed accordingly : The ftrength of Pharaoh fhall
be their ffame, and their trust In the ffadow of Egypt., their
confuflon ; it ffiall prove to you according to its name, a
land of dlstrefs, ver, 6. and' trouble, inftead of help. And
if you would know what would fuit that other name of
Egypt better, that were humble yieldance to God, and
confidence In him, ver, 7. your Rahab, your beft Egypt,
your trueft ftrength were, to fit ftill : This Is here again
reprefented to them, fo, gladly would he reclaim them.
For thus faith the Lord.}- The words have ft:, God's
exprefs advice to his people, ^dly. Their peremptory re
fufe ofit. Sdly, His juft fentence paft upon their obftina-
cy. The advice prefaced with the ufual words of the pro
phets. Thus faith the Lord ; for in tbat lies the dignity and
authority of the meffage. His advices, doubtlefs, are the
cholceft and the fafeft ;, yea, his counfels are all commands,
requiring duly the moft abfolute obedience.
The Lord Jehovah^} Were but his word known to be
his, and taken fo, how would our fouls melt, and yield to
the Impreffions of It, when we read or hear?. Oh! learn
to hear hira, to take every word of his as' frora his own
mouth, every time the law is read, as If thou heard It from
mount Sinai, So think, " Now God Gomraands me to
fear him-" as if yoU heard him fpeaking from heaven ;
that would level more our opinion, of men, and make lefs
difference of his meffengers.
Another word of his ftile Is here added, the holy. One of
Ifrael. This is much .to be confidered by his people, the
hohnefs of his natlire^ and withal the nearnefs of his rela^
tion to them ; and fo the reverence and obedience we owe
hira, our deep engagement to holinefs,. as his people, his
children. This is his iraage in us, if we are truly fuch.
All his fons and daughters are like him, holy, as he is holy.
The blind bafe world thinks It a word of difgrace, but the

SERMON VIK 449
great God owns H as a chief point of his glory, a diamond
of his crown, and frequently expreffes it as one of the
titles he moft delights to be known by. Holy, Holy, Holyi
And as this is beheld, the heart cannot but be filled with
reverence and holy fear, and felf-abafement ; as this pro*
phet befe, in feeing the vifion, chap, xvi, and hearing that
voice, Then faid I, ivo is me, fir I am undone.
This is here ufed fitly, to fear his people frora rebel
lion, the unholy way, on which they were fo bent ; and
the rather, becaufe they were grown weary of it, and de-»
fifed not to hear this word, ver. 1 1 . therefore the raore
repeated, ver, 1 2. Becaufe you defpife this tuord, you ffall
hear it the note. The prophet will neither be mocked nor
threatened out of it, will both deliver his meffage, and
give the King that fent him his own title ; and Oh ! that
we knew bim, according to it, underftood what this raeans,
the holy One cf Ifrael. He was a holy man, and knew
fomething, yet confeffes his own ignorance in that point :
There rauft be fome knowledge of it, to difcover ignorance
of it, Prov, XKS. 8. / neither learned wifdom, nor have the
kmwledge cftbe hdly.
In returning and reft, he.} In leaving off the pains ya
take ki meffages and jfitornies to Egypt, in humbly and
quietly compofing yourfelf to Wait on me, and truft on
me ; fubmitting to my hand, in what I bring upon you^
Md frora the fame hSfidj raine alone, expeding dehver
ance in due time. This does not bar the ufe of ail lawful
means, but as it ffiuis out psfplexirig cares and turmoil^
even In thofe good means, fo it exprefly forbids all inter-*
meddling with all unwarranted ways, fuch as G©d doth
not dlfed us to, but rather diffUade us from,
And if this be the fafeft way, fure it is the fweeteft
eafieft way : Tihfere cannot be any thing eafier than to be
quiet and fit ftill, to reft and truft, and fo be fafe and
llroffg ; and as it is in this particular, fo generally it is in
all fhe Ways of God ; they are the only eafy, peaceable,
fweet Ways^ the learft pains, arid fureft advantage. And
the ways of difobedience, befides what coraes after, are,
even for prefent, raore turbulent^ laborious perplexed
ways, what a harry and pother are men put in, to ferve
their lufts, or their ambition ; which if they attain, does
3L

450 SERMON .VIL.
not quit'the coft arid the pains,: Befidesithlat, often theiV
hopeis mock thera ; and after long purfuit, they emb«al!©
a fhadow. Thus men woo their own vexationv and take
a great deal of raore pains to bemiferable, than they ffiould
be put to, to raake thera happy. What a; pity, toipay fo
dear for hothiiig,' 'to give their riches andv treafures, and
to be at pains too, to carry them to a people that ffiall not
profit them, * both their expence and travel.laid out to no
purpofe ? The voluptuous, or covetous, or ambitious, how
do they projed and drudge, and ferve their wretched lufts,
that when they have done one piece of fervice, are ftfll to
begin another ? And what is the profit of all, ffiame and
forrow at laft ? The humble fober-minded . chriftian faves
all that pains, and hath his heart's defire in quietnefs and
confidence t- His great defire and delight is God^; by
defiring and dehghting he hath hira, PfaL xxxvii. 4. De
light thou in the Lord, and he ffall give thee, thy heart's
defire, himfelf; and then fure thou ffialt have , all : Any
other thing, commit to him, and he ffall bring It to pafs \.
Strange ! Men raight have God at an eafier rate than
the pooreft vanities they are hunting after^ and yet they
will not ; a full fountain of living waters ready provided,
yet will be at pains to hew out fcurvy cifterns, that, after
all their pains, are but broken ciflerns, and can hold m
water. ' - , ;, ¦ ,
I know not what raen are doing, ftill at.iwork, and
might better fit ftill, troiibling themfelves, and all about
them, and cannot well tell for what. Oh ! the fweet peace
of believing and obeying God»; they truly conquer fitting
ftfll §, in all times they are fafe under the ffiadow of the
Almighty, and ftrong in the. Lord, andJn the^power of his
might, Andye would not, but faid^ No.} Thus men foraetlmes
flatly rejed his counfels; and when they are not fo grofs
as plainly to fpeak it out, yet. fay fo. In doing fo, and for
good manners fake will blanch it with reproaching the
meffengers, will not have it to be God's mind;; ; but mens
* Et oleiim et operam.
¦\ Vacat temperantia- Sen. ' '*" *
J Sed, non habebunt rtqulem, qui bcjliam adorant. ' - .! ' i-
'^ Varro de Romanis conjilio cunSla agentibust Sedendo vineebant,

SERMON VII. 451
own fancy, a falfe vifion, wHI own nothing fori truth but
w4ia«ifaits>their.haraour and defign. Firft, they refolve
ort 'rtieir courfe without acqviainting God, afk not his ad-
\ie&^. Then, wlien he is pleafed to give it. by his, meffen
gers, they rejed it, not under that name, as God's advice,
bet will not haveit pafs for this, becaufe it croffes their
already-determined courfe ; if it favoured that, then no
queftion. Welcome enough, as his word, that is meant by
thefe words, ver. 10. And fo they ufed Jeremiah long-
after, in this very point, Jer. xlu. 2. And fo they go on
to take their own courfe, No, but we will flee upon horfes.
And this is the nature of carnal hearts, generally inclin
ed to rebel, and take a way of their own, cafting the
counfels of God, as not fuiting with the ftate, wit, or
points of honour: They find more feehng and real fub
ftance in fenfual things than in the promifes of God ; thefe
feem airy unfure things to them, therefore they would
ftill fee apparent means, and where thefe fail, think it but:
a fancy toTeft on God, dare not truft him fo but as withal
to do for themfelves, although nothing can be done but
what he forbids, which therefore cannot be done, without
giving up with hira, and departing from their truft oa
him. Ail this cleaves to us, and much caufe have we to
fufped ourfelves, when it is but doubtful that there ap
pears little or no evidence of God's counfel or good-will
to a bufinefs, but rather clear charaders of his diflike-
And much of our own will, a ftout uncontroulable bent:
to it, confclous to ourfelves of this, that either- we have not
alked advke of God at all, or veiy flightly, not being;
much upon our knees with it ; or, poffibly, in afking his
advice, haye brought our anfwer with us, in our own
breafts, the lying oracle, that making anfwer, and we con
fenting to delude ourfelves, not hearkening to any thing
that does noeclink and found to our purpofe.
Our hearts are exceedingly deceitful, and particularly
Irii this point of withdrawing our truft frora God, and fol
lowing hira in his wayis, to truft on the arm of fleffi, on
policy and ftrength, and felf-refolved undertakings, rather
than on him without thefe. Ill men think thofe that ad
vife thera to truft on God, are filly fellows,, knows not
what belongs to policy and reafons of ftate ; a fancied
3L 2

4li 5ERM(?N Vlh
wifdom it Is,'th*t mm are ^ijamoured with, and leek not
to a higher wifdom, confider japt God, that he alfo is wife,
Ifa, xxxi. 2. There is, I think, jn th^t word a tairt fcorn
qf the folly of their feeming wifdom. Be It you are wits,
yet you will not deny fome wifdom to God 5 yet h$ alfo is
Wife. So they think not on hig power neither ; therefore
he puts thera is mind that the Egyptimf are men, &5c.
ver, 3, ^i\i
Well, if you be refolved on that courfe, fays God, then
know mine too, that I ara refplved upon : Therefore ye
¦fiaUflee, ffiall have fleeing enough ; and if you be fwift,
they that purfue you fkail be fwifter, and one ffall ferve to
chafe a thoufand, the rebuke, the very terror of one. This
is the condition of the mightieft people and beft appointed
armies, when forfaken of God. There Is no ftrength nor
courage, nor any thing of worth In any of the creatures,
but as it is derived from God ; it Is dependent op him in
the continuance and ufe of jt. Why are the valiant men
fwept away ? Jer. xlvi. 15, They fiood n^t,beccmfe the Lord
did drive them. We have feen this, and the turn of it on
both fides, how men become a prey to any party, when
the terror from God Is upon them, 1
Therefore learn we to fear him, to beware of aU ways,
wherein we may juftly apprehend him to he againft ns,
cleave to him and to his truth, when it is loweft, and when
no human meatus of help appear, then thjak you hear him
faying to you. Stand fliU and fee the falvatlon ofthe Lord.
'Ver. 18, Therefore will the Lord wait, he.} There is
no language of men por angels fit to exprefs the graciouf-
nefs of God's punlffiments, and the threatenings of them,
as if it were violently drawn and. forced from, him ; but
mercy, and the fweet promifes thereof, naturally flowing
from him. Thus, here, he Is forced to give up his people'
to their own counfek, beeai*fe they wfll not follow his ad
vices; and entreats but to be quiet, and let him do for
them ; But feeing they wiU not fit ftill, and be fafe at his
diredion, they muft run their own courfe, and. fall in it.
But it cannot pafs fo, they muft not be quite given over ;
the Lord halh an Intereft in them, that he wiU riot lofe.
They muft Indeed for a. time eat the fruit of their own
way^, and that is net a feafoa to itew th^ra, favoun j but

SERMON Vli. 453
the Lord WlU wait a better hour, he is rfefolved lo ffiew
them mercy, and will find his own time for it ; therefore
will he wait, that he may be gracms.
And this is he moved to, according to bis gracious na
ture, by the greatnefs of their diftrefs and defolatlon,
fbough procured by themfelves, their great, their inflexible
ftubbornnefs ; yet he pities to fee them fo left as a beacon
pn th4 top of a mountain, he. Therefore, &c. Thus we
have the proper arguings of free mercy, which otherwife,
to our narrow thoughts, may feem ftrange, and fomewhat
inconfequent : Such a therefore as this fo unexpedcdly
changing the ftrain, doth genuinely and fweetly follow
upon the premifes, when free love is the medium ; that
intei'venlng in the midft, makes the fweet tum, " Your
iniquities prevail to bring you low, and lengthen out your
-calamities ; therefore I will let that have its courfe, and
wjU ftay till my fit time come to do you good. Mean
while I will lye hid, and be as fitting ftiU ; but when that
time comes, I will get up and ffiew myfelf." He will be
exalted, that he may have mercy on you ; for the Lord is
a God of judgment, he is wife, and juft, and good,' and
knows his meafures of affliding his people, his tiraes and
ways of delivering them, and bringing deftrudion on his
enemies, and will not flip this feafon ; and it being fo, this
certainly follows, that they are bleffed that wait on him.
Obfer. 1 . The ftrong Inclination of God to ffiew raercy :
He would wiUingly have his people to find nothing but
eafe; delights in the profperity of his fervants, would
havethem conftantly 'have a fweet, peaceful, yea, chearful
life, by conftant walking in his ways : But they are often
the enemies of their own peace, grieve his Spirit, and turn
him to be their enemy. Bat' he cannot perfift in that to
bis own ; he longs to be at his' way of mercy and loving
kmdnefe again ; he retains not his anger for ever, becaufe
mercy pleafes him ; h^-i&flids judgment for fin, but that
be delights in ia mercy :' Therefore, fays the prophet.
Lam. Hi, Though'he caufe grief, yef he will have compciffion,
aeefffxiing' to the multitude 'of his mercies : For he doth not
willingly afflid; 'nor grieve the children of tnihi. Though
hedcith grieve them, iyet not wfllingly; they themfelves
procure and draw on that, by grieving His Spirit, but he

454 SERMON vn.
wfllingly ffiews mercy, for that 'bounds. 'There is fuch.
multitude and plenty of it, that, as to full breafts, it is a
pleafure to hira to let it forth. The two Words, gracious
and merciful, that ftand firft in the riarae of God, Exod.
xxxiv. 6. the one fignlfies/rcf grace, the other tender bow
els of meriy. This is no emboldment to continue In fin,
yea It is of all things the moft fit encouragement and in
ducement to a finne: to return frora his fin ; and foil Is
ufed and urged throughout the fcrlptures, Ifa, xxxi. 5) 6.
and Iv. 7. Jer, HI. 12. In public calamities, were a people
charging the caufe thereof upon therafelves, fearching
their hearts and their ways, and turning in to God, hum
bly acknowledging their iniquity, and entreating pardon.
Oh ! this Is the thing he would not defpife ; yea, it is that
he looks and longs for, and upon that would readily for
get all paft difloyaltles, Jer, iu. 1 . Yea, at the found of
their repentings, his bowels would refound with compafs
fion by a fecret fyrapathy and harraony, as one ftring well
tuned to another, ftirs when It Is touched. Thus, Jer.
xxxi. 18, 19, 20.
This a finner ffiall find In his returning unto God, more
than we can exprefs or promife in his name. Oh ! He
waits to be gracious, raeets thee gracioufly, yea, hath firft
touched thine heart fecretly, firft drawn it towards hirafelf,
before it ftirred, or had a thought that way. Now, no
more upbraidings, or reraerabrance of all thy wander
ings, an ad of perfed oblivion is paft, Jer, xxxi, 34, Is
thy heart any little foftened, and relents towards hira ?
Then the controverfy Is ended, and his thoughts are now,
how to corafort thee. Art thou bufy indiding accufa^.
tions againft thyfelf? then raakes he it his part, to wipe
away and blot out. Coraeft thou horae with a heart full
of holy ffiarae and grief, and thy raouth full of hurable
confeffions of thy difobedience ? Then knoW it is thy ten
der-hearted Father raeets thee, raoft ready to forgive thee ;
yea, to interrupt thy confeffions in the middle with em^
braces and kiffes of love, <>•
But, alas! we prejudge ourfelves of' the fweet' experi
ences of thefe tender raercies, by the hardnefs of our
hearts, and by the Hghtnefs and vanity of thera, ' Oh that
indignity ! Our God ftill waiting to be gracious, to heap

SERMON vn'. 455
tip more of his love to us ; but we are bufied In other
things, and not at leifure to wait on him. Oh ! what are
they ? Thefe things that take us up ; great raatters ! Alas !
forry trifles, all day long, and when we are at leifure, yet
are not at leifure; for then we rauft take our eafe, muft
go to fleep ; and fo ftill he is put off and forced to retire,
after he flayed till has head be filled with dew, and his locks
with tlM drops ofthe night.
0 Qhfsv. 2, The Lord doth moft exadly and wifely raea
fure both the degree and the tirae of his people's afflic
tions, though they have brought thera upon therafelves ;
and, juftly he raight leave thera fo. This he will not do,
he Is a God of judgraent. This Is largely and fweetly ex
preffed, in a referablance of huffiandry, Ifa. xxviii. 24.
ad ult. He knows how rauch and how long outward or
inward trouble Is fit for every one ; and where the lefs
will ferve, will not ufe the raore ; knows what need forae
fpirits have to be bruifed and broken-beyond others, either
vmder difgrace or poverty, or the proper preffures of the
Spirit within, apprehenfions of wrath, or withdrawments,
at leaft of coraforts, and hath fet his days for deliverance
of. his church, and of every believer under afflidion ; fo
the ftile of the prophet, In that day, fpeaking as of a cer
tain prefixed day, and that no power ot wit of raan can
difappoint : And it is fo chofen, as it ffiall be evident to
be the fitteft, that it could not fo well either have been
fooner or later ; all things concurring to make It moft
feafonable to his people, and honourable to his own name.
The V fion for the appointed time, Hab, H. 3, though it tarry,
wait for It, It fhall come, and ffall not tarry. That is
ftrange, though It tarry, it ffall mt tarry. . But in the ori
ginal there are two words, the one importing an undue
flownefs, or conftrained , retardment, that cannot be fo, it
ffall not tarry. Though it tarry,, thai is, though it ftay it
felf, and corae not till the appointed time: So the.Other
¦jvord, fignifies ; thus, Pfal, cH, 13, He wdl arlfe, and have
mercy upon Zion ; for the fet time is come. Now, for this
the,:|l,ord waits : Jt is not want of love, but' abundance of
wifdom, that he delivers not fooner, halh chofen the fitteft
time, in hlSi all-dlfeerning wifdora; yet there Isin his love
an earneft kind . of longing that the time were come.

456 SERMON Vii.
Thus here, he waits to be gracious, arid will be e.talted,
will chearfully and gladly r^Ife up himfelf, and appeal- to
ffiew mercy to his people, and bring his enemies low ;
coming forth, as it were, to judgment, and fitting doWft
On his throne, in which pofture he was riot feeft while
they prevailed and triumphed, and his church was under
their oppreffion ; but when the time of their reftoring and
confolatlon comes, he then is to fit on his throne, and fo
is exalted to ffiew them raercy. Hence the Pfalmift fo
often defires, that the Lord would arife, Pfal, Ixxvi, 10.
xiv. 22, and utters predidlons, affuring that he will arife %
and exciting his people to rejoice in that, Pfal, Ix. 7, 8.
and Pfal. kcvl. xcvH, and Xcviii,
Thus the church In her faddeft condition ought hopei-
fully to remeraber and reft on it, that the day is deter
mined, and cannot fafl. Our falvatlon Is in God ; he
laughs at his enemies, when they are In the top of prof
perity and pride, fees that their day is coming. Now,
certainly the firm perfuafion of this would much ftay our
minds ; but either we do not believe, or do not improve,
and ufe thefe truths, and draw that comfort from tbera,
that abounds In thera. Our God lofes no time ; He is
waiting, till his appointed time ; and if he wait;, it becoraes
us fo do : That is our duty here, to wait on him ; this
faith does, arid fo makes not hafte, neltiier goes out to any
undue means, nor frets Impatiently within, at the deferring
of deliverance, but quietly refts on God,, and Waits for
him. This, as it Is our duty, fo our happinefs, and fo it
it is here expreffed. Upon corifidefacion, that fhe Lord
waits to be gracious, aftd vfrill be exalted to ffiew raercyi
the prophet Is carried to this acclamation,- to the happinefs
of behevers : 0 .' bleffed they that wait for hint ! ¦ "j
oi
Their thoughts fall In, afld meet with his : For he id
waiting for the faffle day they wait for; and if be be not
difappdlntedi, they fliall not. We are riatardlly irregular
in our affedioHs arid notions ; ^rid the only ordering of
them', is by redcdng' them to a conformity with the ways
and thoughts? of God, that keep aft unalterable fixed
courfe, as tbe heavens: the Way, I fay, to redify our

SERMON Vll. 457
thoQghts^ is, to fet them by his, as clocks and watches,
thatt'fo readily go wrong, too flow or too faft, are ordered
by ibe fun, that keeps its courfe. Oh ! that we were
more carefql to fet and keep our hearts in attendance on
Godj winding- them up in meditation of him, and con«
foarming theitt in their motions and defires to his difpofe
in-allj^for afl that concerns us, and for the limes of all,
bcilig! quiet, yea, glad in this, that the Pfalmift makes his
joy, My times are in thy hands, 0 Lord ; and fure that Is
the beft. Were I to chufe, they ffiould be in no other
han^, neither raine own, nor any others. Alas ! what
filly poor, creatures are we ? How Httle do we know what
is fit for us In any kind ? and lefs what time is fit for any
raercy to be bellowed upon us. When he with-holds
mercies or comforts for a feafon, It is but the due feafon ;
it Is but to ripen them for us, which we in childlffi hafte
would pluck green, when they would neither be fo fweet
nor fb^wholeforae. Therefore It is our wifdom and our
peace to refign all things into his hands, to have no will
nor defires, but only of this, that we may ftill wait for
him : AU ffiall be well enough, if we be but rid of the vain
hopes and expedaiions of this world : None who Indulge
them are fo well, but they are ftill waiting for foraewhat
further. Now, araldft all that, our foul raay fay with Da
vid, and fpeak It to God, as known to him, that it is fo
indeed : And now. Lord, what wait I for ? My hope is in
thee : My expedation, or waiting, the fame word that' is
here, isr all placed upon thee. Is It fo, brethren ? Are our
hearts gathered In from other things, to this attendance,
while the moft about ns are gaping for the wind? Have
we laid all up in God, to defire and wait for him, and pre
tend to nothing befide him ?
I would do fo, raay a foul think ; but can I hope that
he will look on me, and beftow himfelf on fuch a one as
I am? To that I fay nothing, but look on his word : Jf
thou thinkeft that warrant good enough, here It Is for thee,
that they are certainly bleffed that wait for him. This^ is
afiurance enough. Never was any that waited for him
miferable with difappointraent. Whofoever thou art that
doft indeed defire him, and de.fireft to wait for him, fure
thou refolveft to do it in his ways, wherein he is to be
3 M

458 SERMON VII.
found, and wflt not willingly depart from thefe; that
were fooHffily to prejudge thyfelf, and not to be true to
thy own end. Therefore look to that, do not keep, com
pany with any fin ; it may furprize thee foraetiraes as an
eneray, but let it not lodge with thee as a friend.
And raind this other thing, prefcribe nothing to God :
If thou haft begun to wait, faint not, give not up, wait on
ftill : It were good reafon, were it but upon little hope,
at length to find him ; but fince It Is upon unfafling affur
ance, that in end thou ffialt obtain. What folly were it, to
lofe all, for want of waiting a Httle longer ? See Pfal. xl. 1.
In waiting I waited, waited and better waited, but all was
overpaid ; he did hear rae : So Pfal. cxxx, / wait and
wait, until the morning : Thefe two joined are all, and
may well go together, earneft defire, and patient at
tendance. Thefe words, as others of the prophet, we call confo
latlons, I conceive, look beyond the deliverances from
outward troubles, to the great proraife of the Meffias :
Sure I ara, the ftrain of foraething following is too high
for that, and cannot but have an afped to the days of the
gofpel, as that, ver. 26. Now, the Lord hath fet his time,
ihat fulnefs of time for the coming of the bleffed Son in
the fleffi, and till that tirae carae, the Lord was waiting to
be gracious, to open up his treafures raore fully than ever
before ; which when he did, then was he exalted to ffiew
mercy, and exalted in ffiewing raercy : Chrift hirafelf was
lifted up on the crofs, there to ffiew that rich raercy that
is for ever to be admired ; lifted up, to ffiew his bowels,
as the word is here. Did he not let us fee Into his heart,
there to read that love that can no otherwife be uttered ?
And In that the Lord was moft" eminently manifefted a
God of judgraent, wifdora, and juftice, and raercy, all
ffiining brighteft In that contrlveraent. There he was lift
up,- and then after that Hft up Into glory, that is the defire
ofthe nations, the falvation and joy of all ages, bpth before
and after. Before he carae, they were frora one age to
another waiting, and more particularly at the time of his
coming; God ftlrring up the expedation of believers to
welcome hira, being fo near, Luke H. 25. 38. And in aU
tiraes, before and after that he is the happinefs pf fouls.

SERMON VIII.

and they only are bleffed that wait for him. Whether
yOu do, or do not beheve It now, the day is coming, when
all the world ffiall know it to be fo.

SERMON YIII.
Jeremiah xiv. 7, 8, 9,

O Lord, though our iniquities teflify againfi us, do thou it for
ihy name's fake ; for our backflldlngs are many, we have
finned agalnfl thee,
0 ihe hope of Ifrael, the Saviour thereof In time of trouble,
why ffouldeft thou be as aflranger in the land, and as a
way-faring man, that turneth afide to tarry for a night ?
Why ffouldefl thou be as a man aflonied, as a mighty man
that cannot fave ? yet thou, 0 Lord, art in the midft 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 In the
world foretold, as having received comraiffion againft this
people. In all troubles felt or feared, this is ftill the great re
courfe of them that are acquainted with it, and can ufe It,
PRAYER. And their labour in it is not altogether loft,
even where the judgraent is determined and unalterable,
as here it was ; for fome raitlgations of tirae and raeafure
are defirable, and by prayer attainable : And whatfoever
there is of that kind, the prayers that have been raade long
before, have had a concurrence and influence in it, and a\-
ways at the leaft, prayer carries the perfonal good of them
that' prefent it ; if it return unto their bofora, as David
fpeaks, without effed for others, it returns not thither
empty, brings peace and fafety thither with It, they fave
their own fouls. The mourners, If they turn not away
the deftroyers weapons from the city, yet they procure
one fent along with an ink-^horn with their own marking
and fparing. And were there nothing In this, nor any
3M 2

460 S.ERM0N VIII.
following effed, prayer hath within itfelf its own reward :
Did we know it, we would think fo. The very dignity
and delight of fo near ajccefs to God, to fpeak with him fo
freely, this In itfelf is the moft bleffed and honourable pri
vflege that the creature Is capable of; It is a pledge of
heaven, foraething of it beforehand, a ftanding In preten-
fion to the life of angels *, (to be but a little lower, as the
word Is, Pfal. viii.) Many pradife a form, few know the
vital fweetnefs of it.
Oh ! my brethren, be afpiring to raore heavenlinefs,
and an higher bent of the foul in it than yet you know,
and ufe it more that way, ufe It for yourfelves andvothers,
this whole land, thefe kingdoms, the church of God
through the whole earth. No times that we have feen
wherein it hath been more needful, and none wherein lefs
plentiful ; none that fllrs up himfelf to lay hold on God.
Some, no doubt there are in thefe times ; yet fo few, fo
general a decay and negligence In the zeal and -frequency
of prayer, that to fpeak of there is none. And Is it not fo
now with us ? Many difcourfe one to another, and yet raoft
to little or no purpofe ; but little is fpoken where nothing
would be loft; in humble fupplicatlon to God : And this
is the faddeft fign of that long lafting trouble. Oh ! pity
the kingdora and yourfelves, and learn to pray.
This prayer of the Prophet Is made up of the two ufual
ingredients, confeffion and petition.
0 Lord, Jehovah.} A chief point of prayer is the pre
fenting of the foul before God, remembering to whom we
fpeak, that it is to the great King, the holy God, which
this expreffes, where it is indeed, when we fay, O LORD,
or ffiould remind us of, when we forget It, to have fuch
apprehenfions as we can reach, of his glorious Majefty.
Confider, if' we find our hearts filled with him when we
are before him. Oh ! how feldora think we that he is
God, even while we fpeak to hira, and how quickly do we
forget It, and let flip that thought, when we have any
thing of It, how fopn are we out of it, andmultiplying vain
words ; fprfp are all thefe we utter to him without this.
Oh ! pray to be, taught this point of prayer, and watch
over your hearts In prayer, to fet them thus, when you
* Angelornm candidati. T-ertD-lh'

SERMON VIII. 4GI
enter to him, and to call thera in when they wander, and
pluck them up when ihey flumber, to think where ihey
are, and what they are doing.
f)iir iniquities teflify agalnfl us.} Confeffion fitly begins.
All the difference betwixt God and us lies In this, our ini
quities. Now, humble confeflion Is one great article of
pacification, it is a thing judgment certainly aims at, Hof.
V. 15, a thing mercy is mainly moved with, Pfal. xxxii. 5.
Jer, xxxi. 18,
When we are to encounter any enemy or difficulty. It Is
fin weakens us : Now, confeflion weakens it, takes away
the power of accufatlons, anticipates the great accufer,
leaves him nothing to fay, takes off the ftroke of fins, teftl
fying againft us, fays, " You need not, I confefs all, and
raore than you can fay."
For this, a right knowledge of God's law is requifite,
and then a diligent ufe of It ; laying it to our ways, as a
ftraight rule to ffiew our unevennefs, vvhich without it we
difcern not : Set that glafs before you ; but, withal, beg
light from heaven to fee by, otkerwife our applications to
this work pf fearching our hearts, and comparing them
with the law, is but poring In the dark, where nothing Is
to be feen of our fpots, though we fet the glafs before us,
and open the leaves of it. The fpirit of a man is the candle
of the Lord ; but it is fo when he lights it, and direds a
man by it in to himfelf, to fee the fecret corners and pol
lutions that He hid within him : Sin difcovered by this
Hght, appears in Its native likenefs, and that makes lively
refentraents and confeffions,
Their confeffion of fin varied here In three feveral ex
preffions, none of thera empty ; the adding one to ano
ther, teftlfying a deep fenfe, and each of them having much
under it, when iffuing from an awakened fenfible mind.
Our iniquities teflify against us. This expreffes a deep
and clear convincement. Our iniquities are undeniable ;
they ftand up and give in witnefs againft us, and we can
not except againft them, nor deny the charge they lay.
And thus It ffiall be with all tranfgreffors In their day,
and each of us. , It is not far off, our particular day, It Is
coming, when the moft ignorant ffiall be forced to know,
and the raoft obiftinate and impudent ffiall be forced to ac-

462 SERMOM VIII.
knowledge their Iniquities, Such as now will not be warn
ed and convinced, that hide their fin as men, as Adam,
that ffiew therafelves in that his chfldren, they (as he) ffiall
be caUed for, and forced to come out of the thickets, and
convlded of their difobedience. This men find foraetiraes
in a day of diftrefs, when forae outward or inward preffure
feizes on thera, lays on the arreft, and brings them to ftand
and hear what thefe witneffes have tp fay againft them.
However, there Is a day coming for this at the long-run,
a day of particular judgment for each one, and that great
foleran day for all together ; the light of that fiery day
ffiall let thera fee to read the bill they would not look on
fooner. < If raen would confider this, when fin is fpeaking them
fair, and enticing thera, in how different a ftfle It will af
terwards fpeak. It would fpoll the charra of It, as Soloraon
fpeaks of the strange woman, Prov, v, 34. So are all the
ways of fin, thofe farae fins that looked fo pleafing and
friendly, and entreated thee, ffiall appear again In another
tune, and with other language, to witnefs againft thee,
and cry for vengeance. Men think fin evaniffies as it is
aded, and forget It as if they were to hear no raore of it,
and know not that It ffiall all be forth-coraing again, even
thoughts, words and adions : All is kept for a court-day ;
Iniquities fealed up In a bag, as Job fpeaks, as writs to be
produced In the procefs againft thee. Oh ! how little
know you, what the amazeraent Is, of a raan's "fins fur-
rounding him, and teftlfying againft hira, that he is a re
bel againft God, and to be conderaned ; and no fcarclty,
fuch multitudes of them, one corapany fucceeding ano
ther, as that word. Job x. Thou renewest thy witneffes
against tne, not by twos or threes, but thoufands, arraies of
thera. This is raore affrightful than to be encorapaffed
with drawn fwords, or to fee a whole army raarch up upon
a raan, it were nothing to thefe bands rauftered up, Pfal.
I. 21. There Is no way to efcape but by prevention, taking a
day before-hand to judge thyfelf, and call thefe witneffes,
and hear them, and pafs fentence ; this would fave the la
bour. God is defirous to have the matter thus antidpated,
and turns it over to thee, to judge thyfelf, that he raay not

SERMON VIII, 463
judge. Why defer we ? Is It not worth the while and thfi
pains ? And then for that day, when it would feera fo ter
rible to have thefe witneffes ftand up, thy fafety is, having
judged and conderaned thyfelf, to take fanduary in Chrift,
and make him thy advocate, to anfwer all for thee : He
can and will do It to the full ; yea, he halh already anfwer
ed all that thy fins, were they many more, can fay. O !
happy the man that takes this courfe. Sin not upon this
account ; none fure wfll do that. Thefe things I write unto
you, that ye fin not : But then if any raan not fo ralnded do
fin, here is that corafort, We have an advocate wlththe Fa
ther, Jefus Christ the righteous.
Our backflldlngs are many.} This the double dye of his
peoples fins, they are not fimple tranfgreffions, but treach
eries, revolts, breaches of promifes, of covenant and vow,
turnings back, going out frora God, adultery, prbftltuting
their hearts to idols, to bafe lufts ; a heart profeffed to be
married to Its Maker, running a gadding after ftrange va
nities. And who of us hath not this fadly to fay againft
ourfelves? " How often have I vowed myfelf thine, and
with fome kind of hopes and purpofe to have been true to
it ; but how foon hath all evaniffied ?" Oh ! the unfpeak
able unfaithfulnefs, not only of coraraon formal profeffors,
but of real believers. And thefe provoke God highly, go
moft to his heart, to be flighted by his own, to whom he
hatli fo particularly ffiewn himfelf, and imparted of his
love. And we have finned agalnfl thee.} This that comes laft
feems to found leaft ; but I take It as meaning moft, as If
they would have offered at particular confeffion ; and then
feeing fuch a huge raultitude, and no end, were forced to
retire, and ffiut up all in this general word, " We might
and would fpeak of many things,. but they are too many,
we are overwhelraed ; what ffiall we fay ? We have finned
agalnfl thee." Thus Job, I have finned agalnfl thee, what
fhall I do unto thee. As In David's confeffion, Pfal. li-
THEE, the great, the holy God, bur God. This were our
bufinefs, Inftead of rauch difcourfe and debate of things,
to fall down and confefs unto God. Begin at ourfelves,
our own breaches and backflldlngs, andthenadd the pub
hc national guiltinefs. Oh ! we are a finful people, and

464 SERMON Vlin &
few to lay it to heart: All ranks are highly gmlty; .aujl
where are they. that retire and mourn for their abomhla*
tions ? thofe, continued and raultiplied, are the. continuers.'
and multipliers of our plagues,' fword and peftilence, and
threathlngs of famine. If you have a mind to do any thing
for the land, and ' for yourfelves, your families and little
ones. Oh ! apply to this work, to confefs and bewail our
iniquities, It may be, yea, I dare fay, it ffiall be, ^the Lord
will return and have mercy on us. •'¦-.-.,.
O Lord, though our Iniquities testify against us.} In all
our approaches unto God, It is a prirae thing to take him
up according to his name : This Is the very ground of the
Accefs and confidence of finners, and there Is no coming
near him without It. We have heard it, that he is the.
Lord, merciful and gracious, he. Not fo much as confef*
fions can be made without this, much lefs petitions pre
fented ; inftead of coming to fall down before him, to ac
knowledge fin, the foul would run quite away, and though
that were in vain, would feek to hide itfelf, that it might
not at all appear. But apprehending his goodnefs and
readinefs to forgive, this draws the heart to hira ; and be
ing drawn in, this makes Ic melt before him. In this fome
Chriftians miftake much, when they hold off from the ap
prehenfions of God's gracioufnefs, to the end that they
may be the more humble and deeply affeded with their
fins : No, no ; this is that which warms, and foftens, and
makes the foul pHable, fit to receive any form from his
hand : Therefore the people of God, and the prophets in
their narae, ftill lay hold on that, and interweave it both
with their confeffions and petitions, as the main ground of
their confidence In prefenting both,
, The petition Isin thefe two words, that begin and- clofe.
Do for us'; leave us not. The reft is argument,' backing
and preffing the petition with familiar and pathetical ex-
poftulations ; and In them the whole ftrength of the argu
raent Hes in a mutual intereft, that they are his people, and
he is their- God. But take the words as they He,
Do thou for thy name's fake.} It is not expreffed what
or how, and It is beft fo ; that Is referred to hitn that
knows •^vhat is beft, which we do not. It is In general an
ad of grace that Is fuited for ; but, for way and time, all

SERMON VIII, 465
is put in his hand. True it is, that foraetiraes prayer is and
muft be fomewhat more particular, upon particular war
rant, or upon account of the coraraon liberty that God
gives his children, to prefent freely the particular thoughts
and defires of their hearts to him ; but It is good always
to clofe thus, or that it be underftood fo, when not ex
preffed, that we refign that matter to him, to raake his
own choice of things, and ufe his own way : Only we en
treat his favour, and owning of us, and our condition, that
he be for us, and do for us ; and this Is fafe and fweet, to
let hira chufe. We often perplex ourfelves about that
which lies not in our way, and is not our part to be bufied
in, what things ffiall be done. This he undertakes for,
and wfll be careful of: Be not afraid. Pfal. xxxvii. 5.
Commit thy way, roll thy way upon the Lord, trufton the
Lord, and he will do it ; there is no raore In the Hebrew,
*' Turn it over to him, and be quiet, and let him alone, he
wifl do well enough." Befides, that Is all reafon, if raen
knew what peace of fpirit there is in this refignment, they
would chufe it before any way that can be thought on,
and it never yet repented any that chofe it.
For thy name' s fake.} This the unfailing argument, that
abides always the farae, and h'ath always the fame force,
when nothing is to be faid for ourfelves but guiltinefs ; yet
this narae we raay plead by, though our iniquities testify
against us, as the Hebrew word is : " Though they return
us harffi anfwers, as from thee, fpeaking nothing but juft
refufes of pur fails, and rejeding of ourfelves ; yet. Lord,
remember thy own name ; and from thence we look for a
better anfwer : Do according to that, and ybr thy name's
fake, in regard of ftrangers and enemies, that will reproach
thy name, in the ruin of thy people, and thy name's fake,
in regard of thy peoples knowledge of it, and confidence
in It, that In all their ftralts do exped their help from thee,
thy promifes made to them, and covenant raade with
them : In thefe Is thy name, and they do caft therafdves,
and rely on it. Now fee, whether it raay be for thy glory
to caft thera ofe": Whatfoever we are, look to thy own in
tereft, and do for that ; do for thy name's fake."
In the next claufe, and more particularly, a part of his
name is expreffed, the hope of Ifrael; that is apiece of his
3 N

460 SERMON vin.
royal ftile, by w^hlch hetis known in the' world : Ahd In
this' appeareth the wonderful' condefcendence and bounty
of God to his creatures, lo chufeanunlberof perfons, that
he will pafs his word to engage himfelf tO be theirs 1 Not-
only to forgive us who are his debtors by our fins, but to
become himfelf a debtor to us by his promifes; and he
loves to be chaUenged on them, and preffed with them. It
is a maxim of court-flattery, that mean perfons ought not
to urge a king upon his vpord ; but this greateft king-takes
nothing better from the meaneft of his fubjeds, "Lord,
thou haft undertaken the protedlon of us thy people, and
now It lies upon thee, in point of honour and truth, to
fave us."
The hope of Ifrael.} All people, and every man, have
fomething they rely on and make their hope, and they of
ten chufe the moft broken rotten hopes, that fafl while
they lean upon them, and not only fail, but hurt them, as
Egypt called to Ifrael : Therefore it proved as a broken
reed, that not only flew In pieces in their hand, bun the
fpllnter run up into their hand and hurt them, Howoften
have we found it thus, been difappointed, yea wounded by
our vain hopes, pierced through with many forrows ? as
the Apoftle fpeaks of thofe that love and truft in riches :
Therefore Job difclaims this, that he never raade gold his
God ; If I made gold my hope, chap, xxxi, 24, 'There is a
word of one of his friends fpeaking, chap. xxii. 25, The
Almighty ffall he thy defence -, the word is. The Almighty
ffall he thy gold. To them that account and make himfo
he Is both ; for they are rich enough in him in the great
eft fcarclty, and fafe enough In him In the greateft dangen
But you would look to it : Enquire Well what is' thy
hope, what thy heart readieft turns to, and cleaves ' to, to
Corafort itfelf in any diftrefs, yea in the tiraes of the great
eft eafe: What are thy thoughts raoft biaffed' arid turned
to, with oftenefl; and deepeft delight ? Canft thou fay,- 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 paffes over hufband or wife, or children, or
riches, or delights, or any thing would ftand in thy way,
and ftays not, till it be at him, and there rejoices in his
love, fits down under his ffiadow content and happy, wfll-

SERMON VIII, 467
ingi that others ffiould rule and ffiare the w Orld as they
pleafe, that thou doft not envy them, yea, canft even pity
them, with aU their gay hopes and great projeds; yea,-
though thou do not find at all times, yea, poffibly, fcarce
at any time, that fenfible prefence of God, and fliining of
his clear difcovered love upon thee, yet ftill he Is thy hope,
thou art at appoint with all the world, haft given up aU to
wait on him, and hope for him, doft account thyfelf richer
in .thy firaple hope, than the richeft raan on earth is in his
poffeffions. Then art thou truly fo, for the hope of God
is heaven begun, and heaven coraplete is the poffeffing of
hira. The Saviour, not exerapting from trouble, hut faving in
time of trouble. The reafon for Ifrael's trouble lay In their
own fin and fecurity, and abufe of eafe and peace ; but yet
they were not left to perlffi in trouble, but had a Saviour
in time of trouble, who was then raoft eyed and confidered,
and found to be fo. In the furnace, both the faith of his
people and the truth of his proralfes are tried.
The chlldreri of God were rauch beholden to their trou
bles, for clear experiences of therafelves 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 ma
nlfeft hirafelf to be fo.
Wicked men have their times of trouble too, even here,
but have no title to this Saviour, * If therafelves, or
friends, or raeans can help thera, it Is well ; but they can
go no further. But the church, the Ifrael of God, when
aU help fails on all hands, have one great recourfe that
cannot fail, the ftrong God, her Hope and Saviour in time
of trouble, or ftraitnefs : When there Is no way out, he can
cut out a way through the fea, can divide thdr eneraies, or
whatfoever is their greateft difficulty, and raake a way
through the raiddle of it. Well raight he fay, Happy art
ihou, 0 Ifrael, who is like unto thee, 0 people faved by the
Lord, theffield of thy help, he. Men are under-favlours
in outward deliverances, fo It is faid. He raifed them upfia-
wiours,: But he is THE SAVIOUR, AU others have
comraiffions from him : All their ftrength, and all their
fuccefs, is frora him ; without him, no ftrength, nor wit,
* Sue fortun/e fabri.
3N 2

468 SERMON VIII.
nor courage, avail : All falls to pieces when he withdraws
his hand. Give us help from trouble ; for (hys the church)
'valn Is the help of man. We have found this, if any peo
ple ever did, and have had real ledures, to teach us to
ceafe from man ; for whereinis he to be accounted' of ? Yet
fftill we are ready to look to multitudes, pr to the quality
of men that yndertake : But if we do fo, yet ffiall that
prove our ffiarae and difappointment ; and it ffiall never
go well with us, till our dependence and confidence come
clear off from all creatures, and we fix itfelf entirely upon
hiva, who is our ffleld and our flrength.
Thus ffiould a foul, in particular diftrefs, efpecially in
ward, wherein the help lies raoft Incoramunlcably and dm-
mediately in God's own hand, learn to truft him ; and
though thou art not clear in thy intereft as a believer, yet
plead thy intereft as a finner, which thou art fure of. God
in our fleffi hath enlarged the nation of Ifrael : All that
will but look to hira, he is their Savloar ; Look unto me,
and be faved, all the ends of the earth. Now he hath ftiled
himfelf the Saviour of finners ; prefs hira by tbat, "Lord,
I do look to ihee, do for me, O Saviour ; help, I am in
trouble." So, in any particular temptation, either to fin,
or to.diftruft becaufe of fin, " Now, Lord, here is an op
portunity for thy power and thy grace to glorify itfelf."
And though thou find thyfelf finking, yet believe, and thou
fhalt not drown.
Why ffouldefl thou be as aflranger, he.} The main
thing defired was his conftant abode with them. Some
paffing deliverances he wrought ; but that was not enough,
came as a flr-anger, to flay a night, refreffied them with a
tranfient vifit, and away again. Thus we may fay, he hath
ftill done for us ; when we were in defperate ftralts he
carae and helped, but then we were left to fuch counfels
as bred us new troubles : He hath not fo evidently yet
taken up his refidence, though he hath built him an houfe
amongft us, we truft, with that intention, to dweU with us.
This we are to full and entreat for. Why art thou as one
aflonied? looking on our miferies as an amazed ftranger,
as not concerned in our affairs or condition, and not caring
what become of us, as a traveller, but paffing through,
and having no further intereft nor regard ; or, a mighty

SERMON VIII. 469
man tbat cannot fave, as Sarafon after his hair was cut, &c.
A mighty man that cannot fave, either as wearied or bound,
or fomewhat hindered, though ftrong enough,
" Now, Lord, look not on, own our fufterings, and be
ftir thyfelf: Make it appear that thou faint efl not, neither
art weary, nor that any thing can ftand before thee and
be thy hinderance. Break through our fins, the greateft
hinderance of all, let not thofe ftop thy way, nor bind thy
hands ; for thou art in the midft of -us, though we fee
thee not fo in thy work as we defire, yet here we know
thou art In thy fpecial good- wfll and power, as thou art In
our profeffion and homage done to thee as our King a-
mongft us ; that teftifies thy prefence. Thou canft not fo
hide thyfelf, but there are ftill fome charaders of thy pre
fence, and we are called by thy name, thy people. If we pe
riffi, thy name being upon us, what becomes then of it ?
Therefore leave us not ; though thou ftrlke us, yet ftay
with us, and we ffiall live in hope of favour and deliver
ance, if thou go not away, our cries and prayers, at leaft
our miferies, will move thee,"
Thefe things make up our plea. We are a raoft un
worthy people, yet called by his narae. In co^^enant with
him ; fo his gl'Ory is interefted. We muft not let go this ;
and what advantage fo great, as to have our intereft wrapt
up in his ? His glory and our fafety in one bottom, to fink
and fwim together, then there is no hazard. Therefore
keep clofe to his intereft and his covenant, and beg his
ftaying with us, and arifing for us, and lay hold on him
for this end : It is a pfeafant violence ; and were there
many to ufe it towards him, our deliverance were not far
off.

470 SERMON IX".

SERMON IX.
Luke xiii. 1 — 10.
There were prefent at that feafon fome that told him, of the
Galileans, whofe blood Pilate had mingled with their
:. facrlfices.
And Jefus anfwering, faid unto them, fuppofe ye that thefe
Galileans ivere finners above all the Galileans, becaufe
ihey fuffered fuch things ? ,
/ teU you, nay'; but except ye. repent, ye ffall all likewife
perlff.
Or thofe eighteen, upon whom the tower In SUoamfell, and
ftew them, think ye that they were finners above all men
ihat dwelt In Jerufalem ? •.'¦_ 'm
/ tell you, nay ; but except ye repent, ye ffall all likewifo
perlff. i '1
He fpake alfo this parable : a certain man had a fig-tree
planted in his vineyard, and he came and fought fruit
thereon, and found none.
Then faid he unto the dreffer of his vineyard, heboid, thefe
three years I come feeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find
none ; cut It down, why cumbereth it the ground?
And he anfwering, faid unto him. Lord, let it alone this year
alfo, till I ffall dig about it, and dung it -.
And if it hear fruit, well ; and If not, then after that thou
ffalt cut it down.
IT is no eafy or coraraon thing, to give God's ways a
right conftrudion ; for the raoft part, we either let
them pafs unobferved, or unframe our obfervations, look
ing through thefe principles and paffjons of our own, that
give things another ffiape or colour than what is truly
theirs. This was here the cafe. This fad accident ffiould
have been obferved by them that heard it, and might
have been fpoken of by them to very good purpofe ; but
our Saviour knew well what they meant by reporting the

SERMON IX. 471
ftory, and what thoughts they had of It, and of themfelves,
and by his anfwer, it would feem, all was not right with
them. The fad related we have not any further account of In
facred hiftory, nor any thing that we can cleariy and
certainly call it in any human writer ; it Is commonly
conceived to have been done at Jerufalem, where Pilate
abode, and his power was exercifed and done upon the
followers of that Judas of Galilee, fpoken of Ads v. being
fuch as denied it to be lawful to give obedience to the
Roman empire, or to offer facrifice for the intereft and
good of h : when they, it is likely, were coming together
to offer at Jerufalem, and to maintain and to fpread their
opinion, Pilate comes upon them, and while they were at
the folemnlty, raakes a facrifice of them to that authority
they refufed to facrifice for ; whether juftly or no, we can
not determine, our Saviour does not : But if it was juft,
fure it was very tragical and fevere, fuitable to that charader
Philo gives of his difpofition that aded it *. The flrain
ing of juftice coraraonly breaks it; a Httle of the other
fide is of the two, doubtlefs, the fafer extreme.
However, this ftroke, and all others, as they corae from
the fupreme hand, are righteous, whatfoever be the tem
per or intent of the lower ador, and whatfoever be the
nature of the adion, as from him, the fovereign hand of
God Is in thera, and chief in them. No evd in the city but
the Lord does it. And yet all evils, as he doth them, both
are good and well done. Adions^ whether voluntary or
cafual, as thefe two here, yet do powerfully iffue from the
firft being and worker; and, as from him, are both un-
akerably certain and unqueftlonably juft. Thus they
that here report It, feem to have judged of this paffage,
that it was a juft puniffiraent of fin ; and our Saviour con-
tefts not about that, but rather feems to agree to them fo
far, and draws that warning out of it ; only correds the
mifconeeit It feems they were in, in thrufting it too far off
from themfelves, and throwing it too heavy upon thofe
that facrlficed.
Think ye that they were finner s,- he.} Though It were
an error to think that all temporal evils are intended ot
* ' AniiKiKTOv,

472 SERMON IX.
God, as punlffiraems of forae particular guiltinefs, and to
be taken, as infallibly concluding againft either perfons or
caufes as evil ; yet certainly the hand of God upon our
felves or others is wifely to be confidered, and it will Very
often be found a puniffiraent pointing to the fin ; and It is
certainly an argument of Very great ftiffnefs and pride of
heart, not to obferve and acknowledge it, and a fure pre
fage either of utter ruin, or, at leaft, of a heavier ftroke.
Any that Is fet againft the Lord, and will not be humbled,
whether by what he fees on others, or what he feels on
himfelf, Ifa. xxvi. 1 1 . ffiall find he hath an overmatch to
deal with, that will either bow him or break him.
Think ye that they were finners above all men that dwelt
in Jerufalem?} Our Saviour goes not to fearch Into the
quarrel, and to conderan or juftify either the one party or
the other ; that was not for his purpofe, his aira was to
redify the miftake of thofe he fpoke to, and to draw forth
of their own relation what was moft proper for their ufe.
Much of our hearing and teUing of news hath Httle of this
in it ; and with moft perfons it doth not rehffi, to wind
things that way. Some, even good perfons, do accuftom
themfelves, and take too 'much Hberty, to an empty fruit
lefs way of entertainment In this kind ; and, if we raake
any reraark, it coraraonly keeps abroad, comes not horae
to ourfelves. Be it any judgraent, be the perfons great
finners in a finful courfe, yet they are not always the
greateft of all, becaufe they fuffer, and oihers efcape, as we
readily think, and they here conclude concerning thofe
Galileans, God is to be adored and reverenced, who ufeth his own
freedom In this, does injuftice to none, yet chufes them on
whom he will do exemplary juftice, and whom he will let
pafs, and gives not account of this to any ; fome lefs
wicked have been enfamples to them that were much more
wicked than they.
Do not flatter yourfelves In the conceit of exemption
frora fome ftroke which others in the fame way with you
have fallen under, or even from fome courfe which others
have run and fmarted in, and bear yourfelves big upon
the name of God's people. But trerable before the Lord,
and fearch year own hearts, and let us think, though we

SERMON IX. 4^3
may .not be guilty of fuch public fcandalous evils, as others
fall into, and are puniflied for, yet how full are we of
fecret malice, pride and luft, &c, and wonder at the
patience of God to ourfelves, while mvfltitudes have been
fwep« away round about us. Think you that they that
have died by fword or peftilence of late, w.ere greater fin
ners \han we that are b-jhlnd ? Oh no ! but except we re-
fentt we ffall all likewife perlff. Enow of thefe arrows
are ftiJi in God's arfenal ; and though he ufe not thefe
to us, yet remember death and judgment and eternity are
before us, and they call for wife and fpeedy confideration
and repentance.
Oh ! you that go on in your tranfgreffions, after aU that
is come upon us, that were drunkards and fwearers, &c.
and are fo yet, what think you, becaufe the heat of public
judgmeittts 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 feize on you ? Oh ! that will
never hold ; they wfll not, nor cannot keep to you. And
if you hold on your courfe, when the day of vifitatlon ffiall
come, how much heavier fliall It be by all this forbearance ?
You fhall wiffi you had been cut off with, the firft. The
day is at hand, when it ffiall be eafier for them than for
yon ; only, the advantage Is, that there is an exception yet
founding In your ears. Except ye repent, ye ffall aU likexvlfa

Lbe&ech you, my brethren, enter Into your own hearts,
and be not always out of yourfelves, and fo out of your
wits; confider the Lard's way and your own, and won
der at his goodnefs ! why am not I made an example to
others, as weU as fo many have been made examples to
me ? Now, let me fall down at his feet and beg of him,,
that as he hath not made me an example of Juftice all this
while, he may now make me an example of raercy and
free grace to all that ffiall look on me.
Our Saviour, to their reported Inftance, adds another
hiunfelf, that was no doubt late and recent with them, to
tbe fame purpofe, and in tbe fame ftrain. Think .ye that
ihey were finners above aU men that dweU In Jerufalem ?.l
tellysu, nay ; but except ye repent, yeffatt aU Hkewife. perifh.
Not iuft after the^ fame particular mana.er,but the hkenels
30

474 SERMON IX<
is In periffiing, " you ffiafl as certainly perifh as they are
periffied :" and this to many impenitent finners is verified
in their cutting off^ even by fome teraporal judgraent,
after long abufed forbearance ; and often very hke thofe
they have feen inftances of, and would not be Warned by ;
thus, to raany of the Jews, In the death of raany, thoufands
of them, and the deftrudion of their city by the Romans,
in which there was much likenefs with the two explanatory
judgments here raentioned. But the univerfal and far
more difmal periffiing of unrepenting finners is, that death
that lies unfeen on the other fide of that death we fee,
and are fo afraid to look on. Oh ! faw we the other,
this would appear nothing, it would be the only terrible
of all terribles indeed. And how terrible foever. It is the
unfalHng attendant of unrepentance ; thefe God hath
linked together, and no creature can fever thera, conti
nuance in fin and periffiing, repentance and life. It is
faith indeed that lays hold on our pardon and life in Chrift,
and by that we are juftified and faved : yet fo as this Is ftill
true ; fo that the other nowife croffes it, that there Is no
life without repentance. And this wrongs not the gofpel
at all, to preach and profefs repentance, yea, it is a prirae
point of preaching the gofpel : and here we find the great
preacher of the gofpel, who is himfelf that great fubftance
and fubjed of the gofpel, this is his dodrine. Except ye
repent, ye ffall all likewife perlff. There Is no right preach
ing of the gofpel but the dodrlne of repentance rauft be
in it ; the drawing and turning of the foul to God, from
whom it is gone out by fin : This the gofpel aims at ; and
there is no preaching of repentance without the gofpel.
The law Indeed difcovers fin, but that is not enough to
work repentance, for that there muft be a door of hope
opened to a finner, at which he raay corae in, hoping to
be pardoned and accepted, upon returning and fubmitting ;
this the gofpel only does. And whenfoever the prophets
preached repentance, there was fomewhat that always ex
preffed or imported the notion of the gofpel ; God declar
ing hirafelf reconcileable, ready to forgive and receive
hira. Now, not fpeaking of the nature of repentance, which
here were pertinent, I ffiall only defire you to feek to

SERMON IX. 4-75
¦kno'w the nature of It, by feeling the power 'of it within
you *. Oh ! happy they that do : Were the fweetnefs of
It known, we might perfuade moft by that ; but that can
not be known, till we be perfuaded and brought to re
pentance. The delight In thofe tears, .the pleafure in cru-
'cifying fin, eyen the moft pleafant fins ; the foul then in
its right motion, when turnliTg towards God, finds itfelf
moved fweedy ; but it is thrown, and diftorted, and dif
appointed In turning from hira, and following firiful lufts :
But here, neceffity is the argument, the higheft neceffity ;
if it may be neceffary for you not to periffi, then is It ne
ceffary for you to repent. Had any of you an ulcer,
though painful, to be lanced, yet If told It muft be, elfe
you would die ; that raakes a raan call for It, and entreat
it; Lord, what is the madnefs ofthe rainds of raen! Do
we believe that there is fuch a thing after all that Is here,
as perifliing and faving, eternal death and eternal life, and
can we think on any thing elfe, fo as to forget thefe, to be
flight and unrefolved concerning them, and yet eat, and
pleafe the fleffi, and feek to raake other things fure, and
leave thefe to their hazard ? The God that raade your
hearts perfuade thera ; for who elfe can ?
The parable that follows, foUows out the fame dodrlne
of repentance, and that upon the motive of patience and
forbearance. Particulars would not be overftralned and
fqueezed for morahty ; the main is God's difpenfatlon,
and his expedation In his orchard the church.
Our Saviour is rauch in this way of teaching, calls in
natural things to ferve fpiritual ends, and fo afl are fit to
do, had we the faculty to extrad it. A fpiritual mind
draws that which is fyrabollcal with it out of all : Such
may fruitfully walk in the gardens and orchards, and feed
on the beft, though they ftir nothing. The great Lord is
himfelf the planter of his vineyard ; his own hand fets
each tree, and the foil Is fruitful ; there is fap and molfture,
Thisis to be underftood of his vlfible church and ordi
nances ; for the planting here Is that, Chriftians are much
coBjpared to things living, growing and fruitful, to the
vine and fig-tree ; there is fo high engagement to be fo,
Ifa, v, and real Chriftians are truly fo.
* Malo /entire compunBionem, quam fire ejus definitionem, Kempis.
3 O 2

476 SERMON IX.
And he fought fruit thereon.} Good reafon had he-fo
to do, having fo planted it ; thofe trees that are left wfld
in the barren wlldernefs, no fruit is to be expeded on
them, at leaft no garden fruit, fuch as grows in the gar
den of God, Some natures have fome kinds of fruits,
and fome fweeter than others, but they are but wild figs.
God's delight Is to come Into his garden, and there eat
his pleafant fruits. Natural men may, after their faffiion,
be temperate, and patient, and charitable; but to believe
on God, and love him above themfelves, and from fuch
principles to do all they do, this is not to be expeded.
Now all that are planted In the church of God, are in
name fuch trees as ffiould have their fap in them, (that is,
faith and love) and bear anfwerable fruits : They are called
trees of rlghteoufnefs, the planting of the Lord, that he may
be glorified, Ifa. 1x1, He himfelf knows who are indeed
fuch, and knows that the reft can bear no fuch fruit, yet
in regard of outward difpenfatlons and their own profef
fion, he fpeaks after the manner of men ; he comes and
feeks fruit. Men that think they may live In the face of
the church, and make ufe of his ordinances, and yet be
as excufably barren of aU the fruits of holinefs, as if they
grew upon a common heath, it is ftrange they ffiould not
conceive their own folly, and know that God reckons o-
therwlfe, and according to the ground he hath fet them in,
.and manuring he beftows on them, looks for forae fuitable
fruit. But the moft are thus, they confider not what they are,
think it a kind of Impertinent importunity, to prefs them
to holinefs, to meeknefs, to bearing wrongs, to heavenly
mindednefs, to fpiritual adivity, and ufefulnefs to others.
Why, it is ftrange, what think ye, my brethren, are we
Chriftians, or, are we not ? We have a name, that we are
adiv«, and are dead ; congregations are filled with fuch ;
and when the Lord comes and feeks fruit. In the greateft
part he finds none. If Hes, oaths, curfings, &c. were the
fruits, enough of thefe; but zeal for God, love to our
brethren, felf-denial, humility, if thefe be they, alas!
where are they ? So much preaching. Sabbaths, fafts and
covenants; and where is fruit, the fruits of the Spirit?
GaL V. Oh ! empty leaves, and fome promlfing green-

SERMON IX. 47>7
Hek, but the raoft belie the hope they give. And we of
this land, who are engaged fo high, what could have been
done raore ? Though lying far north, yet have we much
of the gofpel funffilne, and are bound by our own promife,
and covenant, and folemn oath to God, to be more fruit
ful, yet this is ftill broke. Who that had feen our firft
meltbgs into tears, or fair buds of ftlrring zeal, could
have iraagined we would have been fo barren ?
Now, the conference with the vine dreffer about it,
though that is much for the fulnefs of the parable, yet
may imply God's imparting of his thoughts, concerning
his church, to his faithful rainifters, fuch are included
under that narae here ; for he blames him not as ne
gledive, but complains of the barrennefs of the tree. In
the cutting down may be forae pointing at church cenfure ;
but, I conceive. It Is rather to exprefs God's purpofe con
cerning the barren tree, than to give order or command
about it. Doubtlefs, the Lord would have his vine-dref-
fers fenfible of the frultleffnefs of his trees, though it be
not by any notable negled on their part,
Thefe three years.} This expreffes the great patience
of God, that fpares fo long, fpeaks not of cutting down at
the very firft. Thus, of long tirae hath he waited on
many of us, raany raore years than to the ftrid number
here named ; on how many of us a great part of our life
time ? Whence is it that we are not afraid of this word, as
it were, here founding In our ears, cut It down, why troubles
it the ground? takes up room, and does no good, yea,
hmders and prejudges others, as all ungodly fruitlefs per
fons in the church of God do.
The vine-dreffer entreats and obtains an year more :
This the faithful labourers of God will not fail lo do ; to
preaching to his people, they will join much prayer for
them, that they raay be raade fruitful, and mean time may
be fpared, and not periffi in their unfruitfulnefs, will dou-
bfe their endeavours In the fenfe of that danger to ail
other pams wfll add this, the watering them with tears.
God is gracious, and eafy to be entreated, and forbears
yet, and waits. Oh ! It Is not yet too late. Any of you
that at length are ftirred to any real defires of fruinulnels
to him, I dare give you warrant to be confident of Ins not

47'8 SERMON IX.
only forbearance upon fuch a defire^ but his favourabfe
acceptance of it, as a good fign, yea, as already a beglii-
nlng of fruit. Indeed, in cafe of peoples remaining barren
after all, the end will be to cut down ; and to every
fruitlefs and godlefs perfon araongft you, it is not long to
that day. It will be upon you e're you are aware. As
John preached. The ax Is laid unto the root of the trees ;
therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is
hewn down, and cafl Into the fire, Matth, Iii. 10. God
is taking his ax, aa It were, and fetching his ftroke at you,
and you know not how foon it may light, and you be cut
down, and cut off frora all hopes for ever, never to fee a
day of grace raote, nor hear a ferraon raore, cut down
and caft into the fire to burn, and that never to end.
Oh ! for fome foul to be refcued, were It even now, oh !
To-day, To-day If you will hear his voice, harden not your
hearts. Real Chriftians, though not altogether barren, (that is
impoffible). yet are not fo plentifully fruitful, little of the
increafes of God, fuch as he may be invited to his garden
for, fuch as the vine-dreffers may rejoice in, yea the raafter
hirafelf. The Lord raaketh a kind of boaft of us, as raen
will do of trees In their gardens, that they have rauch
fruit, though poffibly having a raeaner appearance and
ffiew than moft of the reft. Oh ! what a joy and glory
were It to our God, to have unobferved obfcure Chriftians
abounding In fweet fpiritual fruits, leadened with fruit,
and hanging down the head, ftooping the lower, ftill the
more humble for it, referring all to himfelf, living to him,
doing all for him. But alas ! we are erapty vines, bring
ing forth fruit to ourfelves, ferving our own wills and hu
mours, and barren to hira : But for this end are we plant
ed in the houfe of God, and ingrafted into the Son of
God, that bleffed Hving root, to be fruitful to his praife ;
it is his credit. Herein is your heavenly. Father glorified, that
ye bear much fruit, he.
Now for this are requifite, 1/?, Much prayer; for
though here he fpeaks as an ordinary mafter, yet it Is his
fecret influence does ^, From me Is thy fruit found ; and
prayer draws down that, Idly, Much faith In Chrift, liv
ing to him, and drawing fap from him ; fuch as do all In

SERMON X.

479

his ftrength, and are much m application and attradlon.
ffiall be found the moft abundant In all choice and fweet
fruits ; that abide in him, that is. In the very adings of
faith are more in him than many others that yet are in
hini : Bui, alas ! this is a thing we fpeak much, and know
httle of.

SERMON X.
Preached before my Lord Commiffioner and the
Parliament, 14th Novetnber, 166'9.
John xxi, 22.
 What is that to thee ? Follow thou me.

OF aU that ever Hved on earth, the moft bleffed was
this handful and fmall company our Lord choofed
for his conftant attendants, to fee his divine miracles, en
joy his fweeteft company, and to hear his divine dodrine.
What a holy flame of love muft have burned In their
hearts, who were always fo near the Sun of Righteouf
nefs, It was indeed a fad hour, wherein that was eclipfed,
and the Lord of hfe lay dead in the grave : And what a
deluge of joy was in their hearts when he rofe again ; and
what a tranfport was It when they faw him afcend, and a
ffiining cloud klffing his feet, and parting him from them.
In the interval, as he had rifen himfelf, fo he is ralfing
them frora their unbehef. St. Peter not content with a
bare 'forfaking his Lord, had alfo denied hira ; but he falls
not a quarrelling, but fpeaks of love to thera, and blows
up thefe fparkles of love with this threefold queftion.
St, Peter anfwers fervently, but moft modeftly : Where
upon his Lord gives him a fervice fuitable to his love.
Feed my ffeep ; for which none are qualified but they that
love hira. But when he grows bold to afti a queftion, he
gets a grave check, and a holy command, What is tbat ta

480 SERMON 'X.
thee? Follow thou me. This was a tranfient ftumble in
one who but lately recovered of a great difeafe, did not
walk firraly. But it is the coraraon trad of molt, to wear
out their days with irapertinent enquiries. There Is a na
tural defire in men to know the things of others, and to
negled their own, and to be more concerned about things
to come than about things prefent. And this is the great
fubjed of converfation : Even the weakeft minds muft
difcant upon all things, as If the weakeft capacities could
judge of the greateft matters, by a ftrange levelling of un-
derftandings, more abfurd and irrational than that of for
tunes, Moft men are befide themfelves, never at home,
but always roving. It is true, a man may live in foHtude
to Httle purpofe, as Domitian catching flies In his clofet.
Many noifome thoughts brea^ In upon one when alone ;
fo that when one converfeth with himfelf it had need be
faid. Vide utflt cum bono viro. A raan alone ffiall be In
worfe company than are In all the world, if he bring not
into him better company than himfelf or all the world,
which is the fellowffiip of God, and the Holy Spirit.
Yet the raatters of the church feera to concern all, and fo
indeed they do ; but every fober raan muft fay, all truths
are not alike clear, alike neceffary^ nor of alike concern
ment to every one. Chriftians ffiould keep within their
line. If it be the will of our great mafter, that* the order
that hath been fo long in the church continue In it, or not.
What Is that to thee ? It is certainly a great error to let
our zeal run out frora the excellent things of religion, to
matters which have little or no connexion with them. A
man though he err, if he do it calmly and meekly, raay
be a better raan than he who is ftormy and furioufly or
thodox. Our bufinefs Is to follow Jefus, and to trace his
life upon earth, and to wait his return in the clouds. Had
I a ftrong voice, as It is the weakeft alive, yea, could I Hft
it up as a trumpet, I ffiould found a retreat from our un
natural contentions and Irreligious ftrivings for religion.
Oh ! what are the things we fight for, compared to the
great things of God, There muft be a great abatement
of the inwards of religion, when it runs wholly to a fcurf.
God forbid any think, that except afl be according to our
mind, we muft break the bond of peace. If we have no

SERMON X, 481
Idndnefs to our twethren, yet let us have pity on our mo-
tbeiv and not tear her bowels ; and indeed, next to the
grave and filent ffiades of death, a cottage in forae wllder
nefs is to be wiffied for, to mourn for the pride and paffion
of mankind. How do the profane wretches take advan
tage from our breaches ? But if there be fuch here, be
caufe pf the weaknefs, folly and paffions of fome men, is
it folly to follow Jefus ? Are forae ridiculous, and for that
will you turn religion into ridicule ? If you do, it will at
laft turn a Sardonic laughter. Becaufe we contend for a
little, is the whole an invention ? Wfll the pillars be brang
led, becaufe of the fwarras of flies that are about thera ?
There is an eternal raind that raade all things, that
ftretched out the heavens, and formed the fpirit of man
within him ; let us tremble before him, and love the Lord
Jefus. Our fouls have indelible charaders of their own
excellency in them, and deep apprehenfions of another
ftate, wherein we ffiall receive according to what we have
done upon earth. Was not Jefus the Son of God declared
to be fuch by his rairacles, but chiefly by his refurredion
from the dead ? Hath there not been received and tranf-
mitted to us, through all ages, raany martyrs following
him through racks and fires, and their own blood, to his
glory? And ffiaU we throw off all thefe? Better be the
pooreft, weakeft and moft diftempered perfon upon earth,
with the true fear of God, than the greateft wit and higheft
mind in the world, if profane ; or though not fuch, if
void of any juft or deep fenfe of the fear of God, For a
living dog is better than a dead lion. Sorae religious per
fons are perhaps weak perfons, yet in all ages there has
been greater nobles, and raore generous fouls truly reli
gious, than ever were in the whole tribe of athelfts and li
bertines. Let us therefore follow the holy Jefus. _ Our own con-
cernraents concern us not, compared to tills. What "thai
to thee? may be faid of all things befides^ this. Al the
worid is one great impertinency to hira who conteraplates
God, and his Son Jefus. Great things, coaches, fumiturj,
or houfes, concern the outward pomp or ftate ot the world,
but' not the neceffities of life ; neither can they give eaje
to him that is pinched with any one trouble. He thatfiatn
3P

4-82 SERMON X.
twenty%^f&; 'lies but In one at once ; be that hatli twenty
diffieS on his table, hath but onefeeUyto fill : So, adfupet
•vacua fudatur. All are uncertain, fudden ftorms fall ©n ;
and riches fly away as a bird to heaven, and leave tliofe
who look after them finking to hell in forrow.
A Chriftian is folicitous about nothing ; if he be raifed
higher, it is that he defires not ; if he fall down again, be
is where he was. A well fixed mind, though the world
ffiould crack about him, ffiaU be in quiet : But when we
come to be flretched on our death-bed, things wUl have
another vifage ; it will pull the rich from his treafure, ftrip
the great of his robes and glory, and fnatch the amorous
gallant from his fair beloved miftrefs, and from all we ei
ther have or grafp at. Only fin will ftick faft and follow
us, thefe black troops will clap fatal arrefts on us, and de
liver us over to the gaoler. Are thefe contrivances, or the
dark dreams of melancholy ? AU the fubHmkies of holi
nefs may be arrived at, by the deep and profound belief of
thefe things. Let us therefore afk, have we walked thus,
and dreffed our fouls by this pattern ? But this hath a near
er afped to paftors, who ffiould be copies of the fair ori
ginal, and fecond patterns, who follow nearer Chrift ; they
ffiould be imitating him In humility, meeknefs and con
tempt of the world, and particularly In affedion to fouls,
feeding the flock of God, Should we fpare labour, when
he fpared not his own blood ? How precious rauft the ffieep
be, who were bought at fo high a rate as was the blood of
God ? Oh ! for raore of this divine and evangelic heat, in
ftead of our diftempered heat. This is the fubftance of
religion, to imitate him whora we worffiip. Can there be
a higher or nobler defign in the world than to be God-like,
and like Jefus Chrift ? He becarae like us, that we might
be the more like him. He took our nature upon hira, that
be might transfufe his to us. His Hfe was a trad of do
ing good, and fuffering ill. He fpent the days in preach
ing and healing, and often the nights In prayers. He was
holy, harmlefs and undefiled, and feparate from finners.
How then can heirs of wrath follow the lamb of God, that
taketh away the fins of the world. Huraility, raeeknefs
and charity were the darling virtues of Chrift. He carae
$0 expiate and extirpate our pride ; and when that Majefty

SERMON X. 483
did fo hurable hirafelf, ffiall a worra fwell ? No grace can
be where the mind Is fo fwelled with this airy tumour. He
was raeek, and reviled not again ; nor did he vent his an
ger,^ though he met with the greateft Injuries. The rack
of his crofs could make hira confefs no anger againft thofe
who were draining hira of his life and blood ; all he did
was to pray for thera. Charity was fo dear to him, that
he recoraraended it as the charaderiftic by which aU might
know his difciples. If they loved one another. But alas !
by this may all know we are not his difciples, becaufe we
hate one another. But that we may imitate him in his
life, we rauft run the back-trade, and begin with his death,
and rauft die with hira. Love is a death. He that loves
is gone, and loft In God, and can efteera or take pleafure
in nothing befides hira. When the bitter cup of the Fa
ther's wrath was prefented to our Lord, one drop of this
elixir of fove and union to the Father's will fweetened It
fo, that he drank it over without raore coraplaining. This
death of Jefus rayftically aded in us, muft ftrike down all
things elfe, and he rauft becorae our all. Oh ! that we
would refolve to live to hira that died, and to be only his,
and hurably follow the crucified Jefus. All elfe will be
quickly gone. How foon -will the ffiadows that now amufe
ys, and pleafe our eyes, fly away ?

3 P 2

THE
CONTENTS.

SERMON L
JAMES Hi. 17. But the wifdom that is from a%ove, is
firft pure, then peaceable, gentle, and eafy to be intreated,
full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and
'without hypocrify, - - _ Page 8
SERMON II.
Job xxxiv. 31, 32. Surely it is meet to be faid unto God, I
have borne chaftifement, I will not offend any more,
&c. - _ . - - 20
SERMON m.
Isaiah xxviii. 5, 6. In that day ffall the Lord of hofts he
for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty unto the
refidue of his people, he. - - - 31
SERMON IV. ' •
Isaiah lx. 1. Arife, ff ine, for thy light is come, and the
glory of the Lord is rifen upon thee, - - 41
SERMON V.
On tbe fame Text. - - - 54
SERMON VI.
Psalm xlii. 8. Tet ihe Lord will command his loving kind
nefs in the day-time, and in the night his fong ffall be
'with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life, 67
SERMON VII.
Psalm cxix. 13. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, be
caufe ihey keep not thy law. - - - 81
SERMON VIII.
Cant. i. 3. Becaufe of the favour of thy good ointments, thy
name is as ointment poured forth, therfore do the virgins
hve thee, - . - - 96
SERMON IX.
Rom. viii. 7. Becaufe the carnal mind is enmity againfi
God; for it is not fubjed to ihe law of God, neither in
deed can be. - - - - 109

486 CONTENTS,
SERMON X.
RoM. xiii. 5, 6, 7, 8, Wherefore ye mufl needs be fubjed,
not only for wrath, but alfo fir confcience fake. 118
, SERMON XL
Psal, lxxvi. 10, Surely the wrath of man ffaU praife thee :
The remainder of wrath ffalt thou reflraln, 1 32
SERMON XII.
Psal, cj^Ii. 7. He ffall not be afraid of evil tidings ; his
heart is fixed, trufllng in the Lord. - - 144
SERMON XIII.
Matth. xiii. 3. And he fpake many things unto them in
parables, faying. Behold a fower went forth to fow,
he. - - - - - 156
SERMON XIV.
2 CoR. vu. 1. Having therefore thefe promifes, (dearly be
loved) let us cleanfe ourfelves from all filthlnefs of the
fleff and fpirit, perfedlng hoUnefs in the fear of
God. - -' - - - 164
SERMON XV.
Psal. cxix. 32. / wiU run the way of thy eommandments,
when thou ffalt enlarge my heart. - - 169
' . SERMON XVL
Rom. viii. 33, 34. Who ffall lay any thing to the charge of
God's eled : It is God that juflifieth, he. - 181
SERMON XVII.
Rom. vni. 35. Who ffall feparate us fromthe love of Chrifl?
Shall tribulation, or dlflrefs, or perfecutlon, or famine, or
nakednefs, or peril, or fword?' - - - 187
SERMON XVIIL
Isaiah lix. 1, 2. Behold, the Lord's hand is not ffortened
ihat it cannot fave, neither his ear heavy that it cannot
hear, he. - - - - 194
Expofition of the Creed. _ . - - 206
Expofition of the Lord's Prayer. - - 239
Expofition of the Ten Coramandments. - 302
Qf Precept L - - . 310
Precept IL - . - 316
Precept m. - - - 322
Precept IV. - - - 327
Precept V. - - - 333
Precept VL - - - 336

CONTENTS. 4gY
Precept Vn. . - - <xAr,
Precept VIII. . - . 1%
Precept IX. . . . g^j
A-n T.^- ¦ - - 356
A Discourse on Matthew xxii. 37, 38, 39, Jefus faid
unto htm. Thou ffalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with aU thy foul, and with aU thy mind; and
thy neighbour as thyfelf , he. - . 353
A Discourse on Hebrews vin. 10. For this is the cove
nant that IwiU make with the houfe of Ifrael after thofe
days, faith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their mind,
and write them in their hearts : And I wlU he to them a
God, and they ffaU be to me a people. - . 370
A Short Catechifm. . - . . g^g

Ten Sermons, never before puhllffed.
SERMON L
Rom. xIH. 11, 12, 13, 14. And that knowing the time,
that now it is high time to awake ouP of fleep ; for now Is
our falvatlon nearer than when we believed, he. 380
SERMON IL
Psal, cvii. 43. Whofio Is wifie and wlU obferve thofe things,
even ihey ffall underftand the loving kindnefs of the
Lord. - - - . . 390
SERMON III,
Psal. cxix, 96, I have fe'en an end of all perfedlon ; hut
thy commandment Is exceeding broad. - - 401
¦ SERMON IV.
Hab. Hi. 17, 18. Although the fig-tree ffall not bloffom,
neither flail fruit be in the vines, he. - 411
SERMON V.
1 Cor, i. 30. But of him are ye in Chrifl Jefus, who of
God is made unto us wifdom, rlghteoufnefs, fandification
and redemption. - - - - 421
SERMON VL
Jer. X. 23, 24, 0 Lord, Iknow that the way of man is
not in himfelf ; it is not in man that walketh to dired his
fleps. 0 Lord corred me, but with Judgment, not lit
thine anger, left thou bring me to nothing. - 435

488 COl^TENTS.
SERMON VII.
Isa. xxx. 15, — 19, For thus faith the Lord God, the holy
One of Ifrael, in returning and reft ffall ye be faved,
he. - - . - - 447
SERMON Vllt '
Jer. xiv. 7, 8, 9.. O Lord, though ouf iniquities teftify
againft us, do thou it for thy name's fake ^ he. 459
SERMON IX.
Luke xiii. 1.^—10, There were prefent at that feafon fome
that told him of the Galileans, whofe blood Pilate had
mingled with iheir facrifices, he. - - 470
SERMON X.
Preached before the Parliaraent, 14th Nov. 1669.
John xxi. 22.  What- is that to thee? Follow ihou
me. ...... 479

FINIS.

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