!•¦

ETERNAL SETTING OF THE SUN
. IN HIS MERIDIAN,
AND THE
TOTAL AND ENDLESS ECLIPSE OF THE EARTH
IN THE CLEAR DAY.

:A sermon,

PREACHED *T

PROVIDENCE CHAPEL, ON SUNDAY,
JULY 26, IS07.
BY
WILLIAM HUNTINGTON, S.S.
MINISTER OS THE GOSPEL
AT PROTIDSSUCE CHAPEL, LITTLE TITCHFIBLD-STRBET,
AND AT MONK.WELL-STKEET MEETING.

zx ¦-— r.u  : —

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YE ARE ALI,

THE CHILDREN OP LIGHT, AND THE CHILDREN OF

THE DAY

t WE ARE NOT OF THE WIGHT, NOR OF DARKNESS.

1 Thess. v. 5.
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THE
ETERNAL SETTIN& OF THE SUN,
&c. &c.

And it foall tome to pafs in that day, faith the Lord
God, that I will caufe the fun to go down at noon,
end Iwill darken the earth in tbe clear day.
Amos viii. 9.
Whatever this dark and ambiguous text may
mean, it appears to me that it never had, or will
have, its accomplifliment in a literal fenfe. The
fun ftood ftill in the days of Jofhua : but ftanding
ftill is not going down. Sun, ftand thou ftill upon
Gibeon, and thou, moon in the valley of Ajalon. And
the fun ftood ftill-, and the moon flayed, until the people
bad avenged themfelves upon their enemies. So the full
ftood ftill in the midft of heaven, and hafted not to go
down about a whole day. Joftiua x. 1 2, 13. In this
pafTage we have an account of the fun and moon
ftanding j and of the fun ftanding ftill in the midft
of heaven, hafting not to go down about a whole
day. But the fun ftanding fiill a whole day, and
then going down, cannot agree with my text, which
is expreffed not of his ftanding ftill in the midft of
heaven, but of his going down, fo as to, rife po
more. a a

( 4 )
We have an account ofthe fun going back in
the days of Hezekiah, to prop up his faith in the
promife of God. And the fun went back ten degrees;
Jo the fun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was
gone down. Ifa;ah xxxviii, 8. But the fun return
ing ten degrees backward, differs widely from the
full expreffions and meaning of my text, which is,
that the fun jhall go down at noon, and the earth fhall
he darkened in the clear day.
Moreover, we read of darknefs overfhadowing
the land until the ninth hour, at our L,ord's cruci
fixion ; but then, after the ninth hour matters re
turned again as they were before j for, although
this darknefs fpread itfelf at twelve o'clock at
noon, and continued three' hours, which was a
preternatural eclipfe, the moon being at the fame
time at the full, as it always was at the paflbver
feafts, yet this cannot be the meaning of my text j
for, although the fun hid his face, and did not fhine
for three hours, yet he did not go down, but broke
out again at three o'clock in the afternoon, and
fhone forth as before.
Nor can the darkening of the earth in the clear
day be underftood in a literal fenfe, feeing God
hath faid that, while the earth remaineth,feed time and
harveft, cold and heat,fummer and winter, and day and
flight, fhall not ceaje, Genefis viii. 22. And it is
plain that this covenant of day and night ftands as
firm as the covenant of royalty with David, or the
covenant of grace with God's ele&j for fo it is

( 5 )
written, Thus faith the Lord, Jf you can break my
covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, that
there Jhould not be day and night in their fe Jon, then
may alfo my covenant be broken with David myfetvant,
that he fhould not have a Jon to reign upon his throne ;
and with the Levites my minifters. Jeremiah xxxiii.
ao, 2t. Phineas obtained the covenant of an end-
lefs priefthood, and David obtained the promife and
covenant of an endlefs reign j both of which are
now obtained by Chrift, and fure to all his feed,
we being made kings and priefts unto God, and
having the promife that we fhall reign as fuch for
ever and ever. But I will come to the words of
my text; and fhall confider,
ift. What we are to underftand by the fun.
id. What by the fun's going down.
3d. The time of his Jetting, namely, at noon.
4th. What is meant by the earth.
5th. What by darkening the earth.
6th. What by this darknefs coming on in the
clear day.
And, laftly, treat of that day when all this is to
be done.
ift. What we are to underftand by the fun. It
appears to me that the Lord God Almighty him
felf is meant by the fun ; for he is the fountain of
light, life, love and heat, to all his own people.
For the Lord Gad is a fun and Jhield: the Lord will
give grace and glory j no good thing will he withhold
front them that walk uprightly. Pfalm lxxxiv. 11.

( 6 ')
This fun, and this only, was the glory of the Jewiflj
nation. They had the glorious fhechinah upon,
the mercy-feat, which was the throne of God. A
glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of
our JaniJuary. Jer. xvii. 12. Again, At that time-
they Jhall call Jerufalem the throne of the Lord, and all
the nations Jhall be gathered unto it. Jer. iii. 17.
2dly. By the fun, in my text, we may under
ftand our Lord Jefus Chrift, who is fweetly held
fprth as the fun, and promifed as fuch to them that-
fear the name of the Lord. But unto you that fear
my name Jhall the fun of righteoufnefs arife with healing
in his wings ; and ye Jhall go forth and grow up as,
calves of the ft all. Mal. iv. 2. The fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wifdom; and, when God
puts this fear into men's hearts, it brings them to
ftand in awe of him, and flops them in their evil
courfe ; and the good fpirit of God, breathing the
breath of life into them, makes their fouls tender,
fo that their old way becomes hedged up with
thorns ; and, if they perfift in it, it often pierces,
them through with many furrows. This fear, being
a fruit of the Spirit, is filial, though flavifh. fear he,
not as yet caft out, becaufe the fun is not yet rifenj
and it is faid to have the name of the Lord for its
object; that is, God's covenant name, the name
which he proclaimed before Mofes. 'The Lord*
the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long fuffering,
and abundant in goodnefs and truth, keeping mercy for
thoufands, forgiving iniquity and tranfgrejjions and

( 7 )
fins, Sec. Exod. xxxiii. 6, 7. And we are further
informed, that this name is in the meftenger of the
covenant, the Lord Jefus Chrift: Behold, I fend an
angel before thee, to keep thee in the way : Beware of
him, and obey his voice, provoke him not, for he will
Hot pardon your tranfgrejftons, for my name is in him.-
Exod xxiii ao, 21. This is the fun of righteouf
nefs, which is to rife and fhine upon thofe that fear
this name. He fhines into the foul with everlaft-
ing light, and his beams convey healing to every
power of the foul. Pardoning love heals the
wounded confcience of its fting of death, and the
troubled mind of her eirmity and terrible medita
tions ; fets the bioken judgment to rights; cures
the will of its ftubbornnefs and inflexibility; purges
the affections of all their falfe gods, and conveys an
unctuous light to the underftanding. Moreover,
the loft image of God in man is reftored, or rein-
ftamped upon us, by the healing rays of this fun.
But we all tilth open face, beholding as in a glafs the
glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image
from glory to glory, even as by the fpirit of the Lord.'
2 Cor. iii. 18. Then, fays God, you Jhall go forth,
and grow up as calves of the ftall. They fhall go
forth from this world, and from the fociety of it,
from the chains of fin and of legal bondage, from the
prifon houfe, the ftrong holds of fin and Satan, and
from the dark and difmal regions of the fhadow of
death. And they fhall grow up to be men in un
demanding, they fhall grow in faith, and in fpiri-

C 8 )
tual ftrengthj they fhall be edified and built up
in love and in truth; they fhall grow 'out of felf
and out of conceit of felf, and into Chrift Jefus, fo
as to be rooted and built up in him. Sucking
calves, that are kept in flails, are very thriving crea
tures ; and fo are young faints with the breafts of
confolation in their mouths; they are earneft after
the fincere milk of the word, that they may grow
thereby. Furthermore, the fructification of the earth, its
choice fruits and all their delicious flavour, are
chiefly owing to the beams of the fun. In Chrift
Jefus is all our fruit found; all grace is from his
fulnefs, and they are his enlivening rays that give
it all its activity : he draws it forth, and upon him
it exercifes itfelf; he gives it all its. fvveetnefs; and.
upon thefe fvveet and pleafant fruits he delights to
feed. Add to this, the fun-beams have an at-;
trading virtue in them, exhaling the moifture ofthe
earth. And many vegetable?, lay them, by a pref-
fure of the eaith, which way you will, the fun will
draw them to bend towards him. So the fun of
righteoufnefs draws the foul to confide in him for
all forts of righteoufnefs. His obedience to the
law, as our furety, is our righteoufnefs by imputa
tion. The new man is created in righteoufnefs
and true holinefs ; which righteoufnefs is love, and
this is from him. A good confcience, which is
righteoufnefs and peace at the bar of equity, is of
Chrift, and fo is a loving heart and a liberal hand j

( 9 )
both of which are the fulfilling of the law, which
law is the rule of righteoufnefs. Again, this fun
fhining upon us, healing us, and reflecting God's
lost image upon us, "puts a ftop to that ftinking
favour, which is continually emitted from gracelefs
hearts; I mean feeking the praife, the applaufe, and
the honour of men. How can you believe who re
ceive honour one of another, and not the honour that
cometh from God only ?
]{ this fun fhines in'.o us, it confumes and
withers that corruption which cleaves to our af-
f;£tions, ai,d inflames them, raifing them to God,
and to his right hand where Chrift fitteth. So let
thine enemies perijh, O Lord (fays Dtborah); but let
them that leve h'im be as the fun when he geeth jcrtb
in his might. Judges v. 31. And fuch as lpve will
not rob him ; they are fully fatisfied with his falva-
tion, and far enough from rivalling God of the
honour of it. The undion that Chrift conveys
never breeds flies, nor fends forth a ftinking favour,
but raifes up a whole revenue of glory to God
alone. The Lord Jhall be unto thee an everlafting
light, and thy God thy glory. Ifaiah lx. 19. All
ranks of human beings have fomething to boaft of
and glory in. The glory of children are their fa
thers; the glory of young men is their ftrength;
and the glory of old men is the grey head. The
glory of the rich is their wealth, and the glory of
the wife is their wifdom. But the glory of the
faints is their God.

( io )
Chrift Jefus is to us the fountain of light, thc
morning ftar, which in our hearts is the firft ray of
eternal glory in heaven. He is the day-dawn and
day-fpring from on high, that guides our feet into
the way of peace; and he is alfo the rifing fun, that
fhone with fuch fplendour in the apofries, in all
minifters of the fpirit, and in all the children of-
light ever fince. 7 heir line is gone out through all
tbe earth, and their words to the end of the world: itt"
them hath he fet a tabernacle for the fun, which is as a
bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoketh as
a ftrong man to run a race, Pfal. xix. 4, 5. Com
pare Romans x. 18. Chrift Jefus is the brightncfs
of his father's glory, and the exprefs image of his
perfon ; and we are to have the light of the know
ledge of the glory of God in his face. And this
fun rifing and fhining upon us, is nothing elfe but
the Lord lifting up the light of his countenance
upon us. Out of his mouth went a fharp two-edged
J word, and his countenance was as the fun Jhineth in his
ftrength. Rev. i. 16. This is the fun that heals
the foul of all its wounds, and the fallen counte
nance of all its wrinkles. The Lord is the health
of my countenance, and -my God. Pfalm xlii. 1 1. But
will this fun, where it thus rifes and fhines, ever go
down'over the children of light ? No, it never will.
The minifters of the fpirit, and the church of
Chrift, are nobly fecured from the fetting of this
fun. The minifies s of the gofpel are a tabernacle
for this fun, out of whom Chrift fhines upon poor

( « )
elect finnersj and God's tabernacles fhall not be
taken down, nor fhall the cords or flakes be loofed.
AH true believers put on the Lord Jefus Chrift,
and walk in him; and fuch members compofe the
true church of Chrift, which is a woman clothed wilh
the fun. Rev. xxi. i. And over fuch this fun will
never go down. The Lord Jhall be unto thee an ever-
lafting light, and thy God thy glory : thy fun Jhall r,o
more go down, neither Jhall thy moon withdraw itfelf:
for the Lord fhall be thine everlaf.ing light, and the
days of thy mourning Jhall be ended. Ifaiah lx. 19,20.
Again, For, as the new heavens and the new earth-,
which I will make, fhall remain before me, faith
the Lord, Jo ftoall your feed and your name remain.
Ifaiah Ixvi. 22. But what would the new heaven
and the new earth be without a fun to fhine ia
them ?
I come now to treat of the fetting, or going
down of this fun. The whole body of God's elect
are called Zion. God hath chofen Zion;- he hath
defired it for his habitation. This is my reft Jer
ever; here will Idwell,jor I have defired it ; and out
ef Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath fhined.
Here he- fhone from the mercy- feat upon the pro
phets of the Old Teftament; and in the face of
Zion's king he fhines upon all his fervants under
the New Teftament. And many falfe prophets of
old, and falfe apoftles in the apoftolic age, and
falfe teachers fince, have got thsir firft beams o£
light from this quarter. We read of falfe pro-

( II )
phets ftealing the word of their neighbours; and of
many among the Jews rejoicing in John's light for
a feafon j and of others hearing the Saviour's word
with joy, and joy is called light; and of falfe bre
thren coming in among the primitive faints to fpy
out their liberty, that they might abufe and per
vert it. But this light fhines only into' the head,
not into the heart; it gives them fome light: hence
they are faid to be enlightened-, and, having their
natural paflions flirred and ravifhed with glee, they
are faid to tafte of the heavenly gift. Heb. vi. 4.
And fuch foon fpring up, becaufe the plague of the
heart is undifcovered, and there is nothing to keep
them down. Light, knowledge, gifts, fluency, a
reformation, and fiery zeal, make a great blaze and
noife in the world for a while ; and, as our Lord
fays, upon fight they believe; but then their faith
is but temporary. Thofe on the rock are they who
nhen they hear receive the word with joy ; thefe have
no root, which Jor a while believe, and in time of
temptation fall away. Luke viii. 13. Now thefe
are called the rocky, or ftony ground hearers, be
caufe the word never reahces their heart and con
fcience, the o}d veil remains upon the heart, and
the ftrong man ftill keeps pofTeffion of the palace.
And this I know, that if every faculty of the foul
be inftructed, reformed, and fet to work, yet, if the
confcience remain unpurged, and the affections not
fet upon God, all fuch faith is vain, and thofe who
poflcfs it are yet in their fins. 1 Qor.xv. 17. Men

( '3 )
may have much underftanding, and the will may
be touched as well as the underftanding. We read
of willing, and of will-worfhip ; but Jalvation is not
cf him that willeth. We alfo read of a fleftily mind
being puffed up. But God's covenant regards the
confcience and the affections: the firft he cleanfes
from all ils filthinefs, and the latter from all its'
idols. This is called circumcifing the heart to
love him, that we may live ; and it removes the
ftony heart: whereas our Lord himfelf calls thofe
before defcribed rocky and ftony ground hearers,
notwithftanding all their faith and joy. Over all
fuch prophets, fuch apoftles, or fuch teachers, the
fun is fure to go down; and daily obfervation con
firms the fame: and fo it is written, nor can it be
otherwife, for they are ftrangers to pardon, to
peace, and to love. Thus faith the Lord concerning
the prophets that make my people err, that bite with
their teeth, and cry Peace ; and he that putteth not into
their mouths, they even prepare war againft him. There
fore night fhall be unto you, that ye ftjall not have a
vifton ; and it Jhall be dark unto you, that ye JhalT
not divine ; and the fun Jhall go down over the pro
phets, and the day Jhall be dark over them. Then Jhall
the Jeers be ajhamed, and the diviners confounded ; yea,
they Jhall ell cover their lips, for there is no anfwer of
God. But truly f am full of power by the Spirit of
the Lord, and of judgement, and of might, to declare
unto Jacob his tranfgrcffion; and to Ifrael his fin. —
Micah iii. 5 — 8, Here we have an account of the

( M }
fun fetting, or going- down, over all falfe prophets
and letter minifters. Thefe prophets are charged
with caufing God's people to err, as all muft do
who are deftitute of the faith of -.God's, elect-, for
the fin of unbelief is a perpetual erring in the heart;
and fuch, our Lord fays, only believe for a while
and then fall away, ^hey either fall into damna
ble herefies, into open profanity, into apoftafy, or
elfe into the flefti. Their fetting out with a ray of
light is called beginning in the fpirit-, and finking
into felf is ending in the fleflo. Their zeal is to be-
feen by their biting with their teeth, and fnariing at
the fervants of God. Their cry is Peace, which is
the meflage of the ambafladors of the Lord of
Hofts. Bur, as thefe prophets are deftitute of ge
nuine faith, in an unpardoned ftate, and with jut an
imputed righteoufnefs, what have they to Ho with
peace? Nothing at all. Their aim is to obfcure
the vilenefs of our. nature, to ftifle all convi&ions,
to kill every quickening influence upon the mind,
to fet us down in carnal eafe and infenfibility, and
to keep the devil in quiet and undifturbed poffef-
fion of the heart. And he that putteih not into their
mouths they evenprepare war againji him. Micah iii. c.
Ahab's fervants defired Micaiah to fpeak the fame
-good things to the king as. the prophets of the
•grove did ; and Zedekiah waged war with him,
and fmote him on the cheek, becaufe he would
not lie as well as himfelf. i Kings xxii. 24. God
fays, Night Jhall be unto you, that ye Jhall not have a

c i5 )
vifton ; and 'it fhall be dirk unto you, that ye Jhall not
divine. Micah iii. 6. For, when once the devil,
who deceives them, begins to ftir with his tempta
tions, and confcience to be difquieted; when the
lamp goes out for want of oil, and an angry God
in a broken law reflects his difpleafure; how are
they afhamed, when ali their former fins, and the
hypocrify of their profclfion and preaching begin to
ftare them in the face, and when their temporary
faith fails them ? They are then confufed and con
founded. And, when once their lamp goes out,
their fun is fet; and confcience is informed, and the
mind affured, that it will rife upon them no more
for ever. Such fhall cover their lips, fays the pro
phet, for there is no anfwer of God. As was the
cafe with Saul, who thus complains — -I am jore aif-
treffed, for the Philiftines make war againft me, an.i
God is departed from me, and anfwereth me no more,
neither by prophets nor by dreams. 1 Sam. xxviii. 1 c.
Thus we have feen how the fun goes down over the
prophets -, and the fame fun fhall fet upon all the
affemblies that are collected, united, daubed, and
built up by fuch workmen. So it fared with the
Jewifh church of old, and fo fhall it fare with all
congregations of hypocrites to the end of time -,
for falfe prophets were threatened to the Jews, and
falfe teachers to us. And, as the fun went dow^
over the falfe prophets, fo it went down alfo over
the falfe-hearted church of the Jews. She that hath

( i6 )
home feven languifheth ; fhe hath given up the ghoft, her
Jun is gone down while it was yet day. Jer. xv. 9.
She that has borne feven; that has born'e fo many
eminent prophets, righteous kings and choice faints,
(and even the Mefliah himfelf was both in their
loins and in their promifes) even fhe languifheth,
and fainteth away for the want of true faith, which
always trufts on the Lord's arm for ftrength ; and
by his power through faith is every faint kept unto
falvation. For the want of this fhe languilhed,
having confided in the falfe prophets, hoping they
would confirm their predictions ; whereas, inftead
thereof, They had feen vanity, and lying divinations,
Jaying, The Lord faith, and tbe Lord had not fent
them: and they made others to hope that they would
co'-firm the word. Ezek. xiii. 6. But the cry of
" Peace, peace," fell to the ground, when the
fword, peftilence, and famine, came pouring in like
a flood; and for the want of faith fhe languifhed,
and her hope in a lie gave up the ghoft.
I come now to the third head, which is to
confider the time of this fun fetting. My text
fays ir is at noon. I will (fays God) caufe tbe Jun
to go down at noon. And this was the cafe with
the Jewifh church. — Prepare ye war againft her:
urije, and let us go up at noon: wo unto us, for
the day goeth away, for the fhadows of the evening
are fir etched out. Arife, and let us go by night, and
let us deftroy her palaces. Jer. vi. 4, 5. We read

( 17 >
of her languifhing and giving up the ghoft before ;
but this Wo unto us, for the day goeth away, was her
laft dying fpeech.
And it is true that her fun went down at noon.
It fhone in his meridian, in the prophet Jeremiah,
both in his foul and in his life; but, above all, it
fhone out in his heavenly doctrine. How many
wonderful and precious propheties did he deliver
out concerning Chrift L How long wilt thou go about,
O thou backftiding daughter? for the Lord hath created
a new thing in the earth, a woman fhall compafs a
man. Jer. xxxi. aa. And again, Behold the days
come, faith tbe Lord, that 1 will raje unto David a
righteous branch ; and a king fhall reign and projper,
and fhall execute judgment and juftice in the earth. Jn
his days Judah fhall be faved, and Ifrael- fa all dwell
Jafely : and this is his name whereby be fhall be called,
The Lord Our Righteoufnefs. Jer. xxiii. 5,6. Again,
Thus faith the Lord, If you can break my covenant of
the day, and my covenant oj the night; that there fhould
not be day and night in their Jeajon, then may alfo my
covenant be broken with David my Jervant, that he
fhould not have a Jon to reign upon his throne. As the
hofts of heaven cannot be nu bered, neither tbe Jand of
the Jea meafured; Jo will I multiply the feed of David
my Jervant, and the Levites that minifter unto me, —
Jer. xxxiii. 20,21,22. Here was the fun fhining
at noon -day. And fo it was alfo with thofe pre
cious ones who believed in Jeremiah's meflage,
and were feparated from the vile— the wheat that
B

( 18 )
was fevered from the chaff: upon thefe God de
clared that he would fet his eyes and his heart for
good. And although I have caft them far off among
the heathen, and although I have fcatt erred them among
the countries, yet will I be unto them as a little JancJuqny
in the countries were they fhall come. Ezek. xi. 1 6.
Here God promifes to be a fanctuary to them •, and
it is well known that God's throne, and the fheki-
nah, -fhone in the fanctuary. Thus it was high
noon with the prophet Jeremiah, with Baruch, Eze
kiel, and others, when the fun fet upon the falfe
prophets. And it was no lefs fo with the children
of faith, when the fun went down over the falfe
church among the Jews ; when the deceivers and
the deceived both fell together, being falfe fons of
a falfe mother. Therefore fhalt thou fall in .the day,
and the prophet alfo fhall fall with thee in the. night,
and I will deftroy thy mother. Hofea iv. 5.
Noon is the time when the fun is at his height,
a time of the greateft light and heat. Hence the
prayer of the fpoufe, Tell me, O thou whom my foul
loveth, where thoufeedeft, where thou makeft thy flock
to reft at noon. Song L 7. Here is refting in light
and heat, in life and love, called noon. And fo
they promife Job, that, if he put away evil from
him, he fhould lift up his face without fpot. -Thine
age Jhall be clearer than the noon day, thou Jhalt fhine
forth, thou fhalt be as the morning. Job xi. 1 7. But,
when it was high noon with the prophets of Godj
it was fun-fet upon the falfe prophets. And fo

( 19 )
when the fun was in his meridian upon the Apoftles
it was midnight with the Scribes and Pharifees.
For judgment I am come into this world, that they
which fee not might Jee, and that they which fee might
be made blind. John ix. 29' And fo it is to this
day ; when the path of the juft fhines more and
more, letter-men and hypocrites get darker and
darker. And what aggravates their mifery and
their condemnation is, that this darknefs comes
upon them at noon day : but no wonder, for they
hate the light, they rebel againft it, and blafpheme
-it; therefore God gives them up to grope in dark
nefs, when the fun fhines in his full ftrength. Hence
the prophet, perfonatingthem in his complaint, fays,
Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth juftice
overtake us : we wait for light, but behold obfcurity ;
for brightnefs, but we walk in darknefs. We grope for
he wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no
eyes : weftumble at noon day as in the night ; we are in
defolate places as dead men. Ifaiah lix. 9. 10. Here
is groping for the wall, and ftumbling at noon day;
that is, when it is high noon with the faints it is
dark night with blind guides and hypocrites in Zion;
which is more fully confirmed in the latter part of
my text, I will darken the earth in the clear day.
I now proceed to fhew that by th< earth we are
to underftand carnal, earthly-minded men, fuch as
are deftitute ofthe fpirit and grace of God, whofe
fouls are drudges to the works ofthe flefh, and who
are buried in flefhly lufts, which corrupt nature re
is 2

( fw )
lifhes, defires, craves, and lufts after. ¦ The firft man
is of tbe earth, earthy. As is the earthy, fuch are they
alfo that are earthy, i Cor. xv. 47, 48. Again,
He that is of the earth is earthly, and Jpeaketh -of the
earth; he that cometh from heaven is above all. —
John iii. 31. Again, He Jhall finite the earth with
the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips
fhall he flay the wicked. Ifaiah xi. 4. In all thefe
places it is apparent that by the earth, in my text,
letter-minifters, falfe prophets, and carnal profef
fors, are meant, for fuch are of the world, fays
John, therefore fpeak they of the world, and the world
heareth them. We are of God; he that knoweth God
heareth us ; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby
know we the fpirit of truth, and the Jpirit of error. —
1 John iv. 5, 6. So it was in the days of old, fo
it is now, and fo it fhall be. 'God will darken
the earth in the clear day. And this you have
from God's own mouth : Arife, fhine ; for thy light
is come, and the glory of the Lord is rifen upon thee.
For, behold, the darknefs fhall cover the earth, andgrofs
darknefs the people : but the Lord fhall arife upon thee,
and his glory fhall be Jeen upon thee. Ifaiah lx. 1, 1.
Here we have the fhining of God upon his own
elect: Arife, fhine, for thy light is come, and the glory
of God is rifen upon thee ; and again, but the Lord
fhall arife upon thee, and his glory fhall be Jeen upon
theg. With fuch fouls it muft be clear day. But
at the fame time the earth is darkened, and fliall
bs dark; wherefore a "Behold" is affixed to it.

C 21 )
Behold darknefs Jhall cover the earth, and grofs dark
nefs the people. And thus God darkens the earth,
and fpreads grofs darknefs upon carnal profeffors,
when the heirs of heaven fhine in the clear day,
Moreover, there is fuch a precious crop of fruits
brought forth by the fun (Deut. xxxiii. 14,) when
he fhines, as muft be ripened; and upon thefe fruits
the fun fhall never go down, nor fhall the groffeft
darknefs ever overtop or overfpread them.
God's falvation is a lamp that burneth (Ifaiah
lxii. 1), and an everlafting falvation; and this is
put forth at the rifing of this fun. Nor fhall this '
lamp ever be extinguifhed, go out, or ceafe to
burn. The imputed righteoufnefs of Chrift goes
forth to the foul as brightnefs (Ifaiah lxii. 1); and
this is Zion's beautiful garment, and her wedding
robe, in which fhe is a branch or tree of righteouf
nefs, the right hand planting of God, that he may
be glorified. And, although it is true that every
plant which our heavenly Father hath not planted
fhall be rooted up, yet he will never pluck up the
trees of righteoufnefs, which he plants in his dear
Son. The oil of joy, with which the elect of God
are anointed, is the anointing of an everlafting
priefthood, and fuch fhall return to the holy of
holies with everlafting joy upon their head, and
there engage in the laft branch of their prieftly
office ; which is finging the praifes of God and the
Lamb for ever and ever. In fhort, their blefling
in Chrift is everlafting life; their adoption is an

( 22 )
everlafting name that fhall not be cut off; they are
redeemechwith eternal redemption, and fanctified
by t^ie eternal fpirit; their kingdom is an ever
lafting kingdom, and the grace of God in them
fhall reign through righteoufnefs unto eternal life:
and the Lord is their everlafting light, their God
and their glory; and their fun fhall no more go
down. And all this appears in my text, which
mentions noon, as well as the going down of the
fun; fo that it muft be noon with fome, while the
fun fets over others. And the laft branch of my
text expreffes the fame thing ; for the earth is to be
darkened in the clear day ; fo that it muft be clear
day with the children of light, even when God
darkens the earth; and both thefe families take
their names from the day and night, which are
expreffed in my text, Te are all the children of light,
and the children of the day : we are not of the nighty
nor of darknefs. i Thef. v. 5.
When God created man he created him in his
own image, and the leading feature in that image
was love ; love to God, and to all mankind. Cha
rity or love, ever was, and ever will be, the more
excellent way (1 Cor. xii. 31,) or that way that ex
cels all others. But, when the devil had infufed his
enmity into the mind of man, he corrupted hira
with his own malice and enmity from this way :
Hence God's complaint, wherein he calls men
earth, becaufe his fpirit and his image were gone :
The earth alfo was corrupt before God; and the

( 23 )
earth was filled with violence. And God looked
upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt : for all
flefh had corrupted his way upon the earth. —
Gen. vi. n, 12. This corruption of nature has
three branches in it ; the firft is called filthinefs-—
the fecond is called idols, or idolatry; — and the
third is called drofs. Filthinefs is all the unclean-
nefs, pollution and impurity of defiled nature, in
cluding all concupifcence, lafcivioufnefs, or lufting
after evil things. From all their filthinefs, fays God,
will I cleanfe them. This is called purifying the
flefh. Idols, or idolatry, are things loved, adored,
and enfhrined in our affections as rivals to God;
fuch as loving honour, pleafure, money, felf, the
world, images; nay, fin and the devil himfelf,
more than God : From all your idols will I cleanfe
you. By drofs I underftand the light of nature or
reafon, thoughts and confcience accufing or excuf-
ing, natural and acquired abilities, human wifdom
and knowledge, felf-righteoufhefs and outward de
cent deportment, common honefty in bufinefs, with
natural affections and liberality, fome reverence of
the name of God, blind zeal for human traditions
and human ceremonies, with conftant bodily exer
cife in the duties of natural religion. And thefe
things gain efteem and applaufe, (for our Lord
fays, that all this is done to be Jeen of men ;) and this
applaufe becomes a fpur to them : and by dili
gence, education, habit or cuftom, men improve in
thefe things : but, whatever ufe all this may be of

( 24 )
among men, fure I am that it is far enough from
the myftery of faith in a pure confcience. And true it
is that the work of the miniftry in the preient day,
which is what Paul calls the miniftry of the letter,
is calculated to polifh and fet off this drofs and tin ;
for, if fuch characters get enlightened by the word,
and receive it with joy and a temporary faith, this
ihflames the mind with zeal, and is often attended
with gifts and a great ftir in religion ; and, to fet all
off, feigned humility, warm natural affections, and a
pleafing glee, are put on: but, after all. this is but
the fheep's clothing, a fpecious, an outward, and
gaudy fhew at beft. God purges his children from
all their drofs, and from all their tin too, for he has
no veffels of drofs and tin. God made man upright,
and an upright man is a man juftified by faith, and
one that loves his God. Hab. ii. 4. Song i. 4.
Charity is the more excellent way. God fet man out
on this way at firft, but he has fought ought many
inventions, and his inventions have corrupted this
way; and it is the determination ofthe Almighty to
bring his creature, man, into this way again. Hence
the gofpel of Jefus Chrift, according to the commandment
of the everlafting God, is made known to all nations for
the obedience of faith. Rom. xvi. 26. And the aim
of God in all this we have in a few words, Now the
end of tbe commandment is charity, out of a pure heart
and of a good confcience, and of faith unfeigned. 1 Tim .
i. 5. All preachers, all profeffors, and ali men that
are deftitute of this, are but earth and earthy; and,

( 2S )
let them fhine as bright as they may, all their luftre
fhall end in obfcurity : The* light of the righteous re-
joieeth when the lamp of the wicked Jhall be put out.
God darkens the earth in the clear day. The
love of God ftied abroad by the Holy Ghoft, in a
heart purged from idols, is charity out of a pure
heart, or out of purified affections : a confcience
purged from fin by the biood of Chrift, and fur
nifhed with the teftimony of . od's fpirit witneffing
to our adoption, is a good confcience : and faith
unfeigned is a faith that works by love, that pre
vails with God in prayer, and that overcomes the
world. Thefe are the old paths, this is the good
way, and they that walk therein find reft for their
fouls. Jer. vi. 16. But what reft, what peace,
what comfort, what fatisfaction or eftabliflinent,
can men find in a profeffion, while in full pof-
. feffion of aU their fin, guilt, and filth ? None at
all ; for even in laughter the heart ojfuch is Jcrrowful,
and tbe end of that mirth is heavinejs. Prov. xiv. 13.
Forgivenefs of fins is to be publifhed ro all the
world : for Thus it is written, and thus it behoved
Chrift to Juffer, and to rij from the dead the third
day ; that repentance and remiffion of fins fhould be
preached in his name among all nations, beginning
at Jerufalem. Luke xxiv. 4 6, 47. And the know
ledge of God, as our God in covenant, is to be ob
tained by the remiffion of fins. For they fhall all
know me, from the leaft of them unto the greateft, of
them, faith the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity,

C 26 )
and 1 will remember their fin no more. Jer. xxxi. 34.
The unpardoned finner knows not God in a faving
manner, only notionally, and our pardon is to be
known —
1 ft. By believing. To him gave all the prophets
witnejs, that through his name whojoever bJieveth in
him Jhall receive remiffion of fins. Acts x. 43.
2dly. It is God's ufual way, when he fearches
the finner and tries him, to call his fins to remem
brance, and to fet them in order before him. — My
fin, fiys the Pfalmift, is ever before me : But, when
pardon comes, it is called blotting them out. —
David calls it a removal of our tranfgreffions
from us. But Ifaiah calls it a blotting out. 1 have
blotted out as a thick cloud thy tranfgreffions, and as a
cloud thy fins ; return unto me, for I have redeemed thee.
Ifaiah xliv. 22.
3dly. When God difcovers mens' fins, and
charges the finner's crimes home to his mind and
confcience, by an application ofthe law, fin becomes
exceeding finful and exceeding heavy. My fins are
gone over my bead, a heavy burden, they are too heavy
for me. Pfalm xxxviii. 4. Chrift calls fuch per
fons to him, and defcribes them as labouring and
heavy laden, and promifes to give them reft, both
from their labour and from their burden. Pardon
therefore is giving reft to the foul: and there is
no reft without it, for the wicked are like the troubled
Jea when it cannot reft, whofe waters caft up mire and
dirt. Ifaiah lvii. 20.

( 27 )
4thly. A guilty, confcious finner, who is con*
vinced and convicted, and quickened to feel his
convictions, can lay no claim upon God, nor does
he dare to look up to him: as our Lord fays of
the publican, who, ftanding afar off, would not lift up
Jo much as his eyes unto heaven, but Jmote upon his
breafts Jay ing, God be merciful to ue a finner. Luke
xviii. 13. Pardon is called a lifting up of the
head. But thou, O Lord, art a Jhield for me; my
glory, and the lifter up of my head. Pfalm iii. 3.
5thiy. A reai fight and fenfe of fin is a dreadful
mountain before tiie Tinner's eyes, and Mount Sinai
is another ; fo that he fees no way of efcape, " and
often defpairs of lurmounting thefe. And being in
the hoiribiepit; and in the dark valley of the fhadow
of death, thefe fink him ftill lower:" but thefe vallies
fhaU be exalted, and thefe mountains and hills fhall
be made low, that finners may fee the falvation of
God. And, when God vifits the foul with pardon
ing mercv, thefe mountains all flow down at his
prefence. Ifaiah lxiv. 1.
,6thly. Forgivenefs of fins is called curing of
us, and reftoi ing us to health. Behold, I will bring
it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will
reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. —
Jer. xxxiii. 6. And where this is the cafe the cure
is wrought, and fuch inhabitants of Zion fhall not
Jay, I am fick ; the people that dwell therein jhall be.
f-rgiven -their iniquity. Ifaiah xxxi'i. 24. W:. .out
this health and cure, we may go to church all the

( 28 )
year round, and tell God "We havedone thofe things
which we ought not to have done, and have left
undone thofe things which we ought to have done,
and there is no health in us :" but what do we gain
by this ?
7thly. We are informed, by the fcriptures of
truth, that it is fin, and nothing elfe, that has cut
off all communion and intercourfe between us and
God ; and thofe, who know the plague of their own
heart, know this to be true by fad experience.
Tour iniquities have feparated between you and your
God, and your fins have hid his face from you, that he
will not hear. Ifaiah lix. 2. Pardon removes
this bar of feparation, and makes us nigh again.
The law made nothing perfeil, but the bringing in of a
better hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Heb. vii. 19. That is, the law and its facrifices
could not make the worfhippers clean touching the
confcience ; but the better hope did, by the which
we draw nigh unto God. Te who fometimes were
far off are made nigh by the blood of Chrift. Eph.
ii. 13.
8thly. The unpardoned tranfgrefler is a lover of
himfelf (2 Tim. iii. 2), and an enemy to God,
(Rom. viii. 7). He has much pity and compaf-
fion for finful felf, but the -hardeft thoughts and
moft rebellious heart-rifings againft the Almighty.
But pardoning mercy turns things upfide down ; it
fills man with indignation againft himfelf, while he
bemoans his fuffering Saviour, and his long-fuffer-

( 29 )
ing God and Father. Then Jhall ye remember your
own evil ways, and your doings that were not good ;
and Jhall loathe yourfelves in your own fight for your
iniquities. Ezek. xxxvi. 31. Again, That thou.
mayeft remember and be confounded, and never open thy
mouth any more, becaufe of thy fhame, when I am pa
cified toward thee for all that thou haft done, faith the
Lord God. Ezek. xvi. 63.
9thly. It is impoffible that a profeflbr, who is
dead in trefpaffes and fins, fhould have any real
peace, either with God or with confcience. Deftruc-
tion and mifery are in all their ways, and there is no
peace, faith my God, to the wicked. Ifaiah lvii. 21.
But pardoning mercy brings in the abundance of
peace. And he Jaid unto her, Daughter be of good
comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole ; go in peace.
Luke viii. 48.
iothly. The unpardoned finner never had any
real love to God, nor ever will have, but muft re
main an enemy to him, and a hater of him, if he
remains and dies in his fin. Wherefore I Jay unto
thee, her fins, which are many, are forgiven, for Jhe
loved much ; but to whom little is jor given, the fame
loveth little. Luke vii. 47. This is the ground
wOrk of the miniftry. Ifaiah, Jofhua, and all the
apoftles, were pronounced pardoned and clean be
fore they were fent to preach to others. And,
however the confcience of letter-men may be borne
down by falfe zeal, or feared by a long practice of
mocking God, fin is fure to rife up, and to find

C 30 )
the finner out, fooner or later ; and, when fin and
wrath meet, a horrible darknefs is fure to follow.
God gives them up to the god of this world, who
blinds their eyes; and, confcience being unbridled
and let loofe, he drives them out of all their pre
tentions to a claim upon Ch-ift, or a part and lot
in his grace. A fenfe of God's wrath, working with
the guilt of hy?ocrify undermines their prefumptu-
ous confidence, and then they fly for refuge to a
broken law, and to univerfal redemption; and here
the old veil gathers thick upon them, till, being
baffled, confufed,and confounded, they turn afide to
vain jangling, knowing neither what they fay, nor
whereof they affirm : and this, as the prophet fays,
brings them into darknefs, and their feet ftumble
upon the dark mountains; and, while they look for
light, God turns it into the fhadow of death, and
makes it grofs darknefs. Jer. xiii. 16.
There are two ftrange provocations, which con
tribute not a little to this darkening of the earth.
Thusjaith the Lord God, If the prince give a gift unto
any of his fons, the inheritance thereof fhall be his
Jons' ; it fhall be their poffefiion by inheritance. Ezek.
xlvi. ip". This prince is Chrift; the character of
the receiver is that of a fon, and the gift is life
eternal, which is his portion. But, if he give a
gift of his inheritance to one of his fervants, then it
fhall be bis to the year of liberty ; after it Jhall return
to the prince. Ezek. xlvi. 17. All gifts, like that
of the one talent, or that part of the miniftry which

( 3i )
fell to Judas, are of no ufe to the faints, only while
they are in nonage, in bondage, darknefs, and ig
norance : but, when once the Comforter comes, and
by his love enlarges the heart and fets the foul at
liberty, the fon can then fee, hear, fpeak, and
underftand, better than the fervant; he then cafts
off fuch tutors and governors. At this time of
the fon's liberty the fervant's gift returns, and he
rages not a little at the mufic and dancing which
takes place at the prodigal's embracement.
The next thing is, that the fun fhould fet at
noon, and that darknefs fhould come upon the
earth in the clear day. But we know that a heart
not made honeft cannot endure the light and glory
of God. It was the good hand and prefence of
God with David that drove Saul into defperation,
and into all his works of darknefs. The growing
and fpreading fame of our bleffed Saviour drove
the Scribes and Pharifees into all their unpardon
able crimes. The joy, light, and love of Sarah, at
the fight of her favourite Ifaac, drove Hagar and
Ifhmael into all their fcorning and deriding. God's
acceptance of Abel fet Cain upon his dark defigns.
The triumph of Hannah drove Peninnah from her
falfe confidence and boafting. It is the fun at
noon that difcovers the hypocrify and harrows up
the enmity ofthe unrenewed heart; and the works
of darknefs are made manifeft by the clear day. So
it ever has been, fo it is now, and (o it will be at
the end of the world. For, when the righteous

( 32 )
fhall fhine forth as the fun in the glory of their
Father's kingdom for ever and ever, even then
the wicked Jhall look unto the earth, and behold trouble,
and darknefs, dimnefs of anguifh ; and they fhall be
driven to darknefs. Ifaiah viii. 22. When it is per
fect day with the faints it will be utter darknefs
with the wicked, and the wicked fhall fee this.
For fo fays the Saviour, Te Jhall Jee Abraham, and
IJaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of
God, and you yourfelves thruft out. Luke xiii. 28.
Reader, if thou art in good earneft about thy
falvation, look well to the ground- work, which is
fanftification and juftification. Jefus, that he might
JantJify the people with his own blood, Juffered without
the gate. Heb. xiii. 12. By this his death he is
made of God fanctification to us. But there muft
be an application of this, even to all the elect of
God whom he hath fanctified, or fet apart, in his
own purpofe, and for whom fanctification is pro
vided. He bath by one offering perfected for ever
them that are Janclified. Heb. x. 14. This is
the ground-work. And the next branch of fandlifi-
cation is our meetnefs for the inheritance above, by
the indwelling of the Holy Ghoft. That the offering '
up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being Jantlified
by the Holy Ghoft. Rom. xv. 16.
The next branch is, our juftification by the im
putation of Chrift's righteoufnefs. That, being jufti
fied by his grace, we Jhould be made heirs, according to
tbe hope of eternal life. Titus iii. 7. And of this

( 32 )
Se affured, that the moft holy fpirit of God ap
plies all thefe things to the elect. Hence you read
of clean water being fprinkled upon us to cleanfe
Us, of the wafhing of regeneration by the Spirit,
and of being juftified in the name of the Lord J ejus t
$nd"by tbe fpirit of our God. i Cor. vi i r.
There are, reader, two feeds in the world ; yea,
and in the church too; — the feed of the woman,
which is Chrift, and all the elect in him -, and the
feed of the ferpent ; — and thefe are diftinguifhed
by the outpouring of the Holy Ghoft, and in no
other way. Chrift, the firft born arhbng many
brethren, was difcriminated by this to John, at
the river Jordan; and all Chrift's feed are diftin
guifhed the fame way. / will pour my fpirit upon
thy feed, and my bleffing upon thine offspring. Ififiah
xliv. 3. This fpirit never enters the hearts of any
but the elect of God. The ferpent is the god of
this world, and all his feed are of the world, and
into the heart of thefe the Holy Ghoft never comes.
And I will pray the Father, and he pall give you an
other comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
even the fpirit of truth, whom the world cctnnot receive,
becaufe it feeth him not, neither knoweth him : but ye
htow Mm, for te dwelleth with you, and flail be in
you. John xiv. 16, 17. Obferve, reader, that the'
<«t/brld, which is the ferpent's feed, cannot receive'
this comforter; aijd the reafon* is, becaufe there is
eflffiity put between this feed and the elect, that
cannot be removed: nor did Chiift come to fehd
c

C 34 )
peace here, but a fword and a fire. Our Lord
further declares that tbe world Jeeth him not, neither
knoweth him-, therefore whatever they fay about
him, fhould have no weight with us, feeing they
cannot receive him, they cannot fee him, they can
not know him; which is a threefold affertion. And
we have a threefold affertion alfo in our favour,
which is as ftrong as the other; but ye know him,
for he dwelleth with you, and fhall be in you.
ift. We know him as a fpirit of revelation and
underftanding: he is the unction and the eye falve,
which anoints our eyes that we may fee. Rev.
iii. 1 8.
2dly. He is the fpirit of life from God, which
enters into our dead fouls, and animates them, and
removes the vitiated appetite, giving us a hunger
and thirft for the bread and water of life, and a
fpiritual palate to tafte, relifh, and favour, heavenly
provifion. It is tbe fpirit that quickeneth. John
vi. 63.
3dly. By thefe illuminating and quickening ope
rations of thc Holy Spirit, the finner is convinced,
convicted, judged, fearched and tried. The fpirit
in the apoftles was the candle of the Lord, that was
fet upon the candleftick, which is the church: and
by thefe was Jerufalem fearched, and by thefe were
the twelve tribes of Ifrael judged. And it fhall come
to pqfs at that lime, that I will Jearch Jerufalem with
candles, and punifh the men that, are fettled on their
Uee. Zeph. i. 12,

( 3* )
4-thly: The Spirit is known by the grace that he*'
plants in the foul: he puts the law of faith in the
mind, the law of love in the heart- and affections,
and the bleffing of peace in the confcience; and
raifes the foul up by the comforts of a lively hope.
Hence he is called the fpirit ef grace. Zech xii: io.
5thly. He is known by the power, fervour, and
energy, with which he furnifheth the foul at the
throne of grace. He gives us a fenfe of our wants ;
he fhews us the things which are freely given us of
God; he dictates to the heart proper thoughts and
conceptions, and puts our thoughts into words,
teaching the lips and the mouth how to pronounce
them. Hence he is called the fpirit of f application.
Zech. xii. i o. And he is faid to create the fruit
of the lips. Ifaiah lvii, 19. Which fruits are
called, the words which the Holy Ghoft teacheth.
I Cor. ii. 13. And they are fpoken or expreffed
by the faints as the fpirit gives them utterance.
Acts ii. 4.
6thly. The Holy Spirit is known by his appli
cation of the word and promifes of God. To the
way- fide hearer the word came only to the ear, and
Satan ftole it away: to the thorny ground it came
and moved the natural paflions, and was received
with joy; the novelty of it pleafed the recipient for
a while : to the ftony ground it came with a tem
porary faith, and thefe for a while believed. To
fome it comes as the word of man; to others in
word only. Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of
c z

( 36 )
God. For our gofpel came not unto you in word only,
but alfo in power, and in the Holy Ghoft, and in much
affurance. i Thef. i. 5.
ythly. The Spirit is known by his communica
tions of divine love; which Paul calls the love of
God fhed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghoft;
which is given unto us. Rom. v. 5. And by this
foul-diffolving influence is the heart enlarged, and;
all its native hardnefs melted and diffolved ; flavifh
fear and torment are caft out, and glorious liberty
fucceeds. Now the Lord is that fpirit, and where the
fpirit oj the Lord is there is liberty. 2 Cor. iii. 17,
8thly. This Comforter is known by the mani-
feftation of our pre-adoption to fonfhip; they are
fure to be Chrift's feed and offspring upon whom.
this fpirit comes; for he comes upon no other as
the fpirit of adoption. And becaufe ye are fons God-*
hath fent forth the fpirit of bis Son into your hearts*.
crying, Abba, Father. Gal. iv. 6. - "
9thly. The Spirit is known by the inward witT„
nefs that he bears, both to , our faith and to our
confcience. To our faith, that it is genuine and-
justifying, by filencing all our accufers, and con-
demners, and catting out every accufation, and all
condemnation. And he bears witnefs in and with
our own confcience alfo. The fpirit itfelf heareth
witnefs with our fpirit, that we are the children of
God. Rom. viii. 16.
tothly. The fpirit is known by the divine image
wjth which he reimpreffeth the. foul, which imag©

i 3.7 )
•ftands in knowledge* in life, light, righteoufnefs,
£ild true holinefs. We all, with open face beholding
as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed into' the
fame image, from glory to glory; even as by the fpirit qf
(he Lord, a Cor. iii. 18.
- ilthly. The Spirit's grace is the firft-fruits of
the future hapveft* the beginning of the kingdom
of glory. Grace fhall reign through righteoufnefs
unto eternal life. Rom. v. 2 1 . There is no know
ledge, joy, reft, peace, pleafure, light, love, com
fort, holinefs, or happinefs, in heaven, the firft fruits
of which are not, known and enjoyed by the
church of God upon earth. As it is written, Eye
hath not feen nor ear heard, neither have entered into
fhe heart of man, the things which God bath prepared
for them that love him : but God hath revealed them
$nto us by his fpirit. 1 Car. ii. 9, 10. And thefe
revealed things are called the firft-Jruits of tbe fpirit,
P-om. viii. 23,
: iathly. The Holy Spirit is the pledge and the
f arneft of heaven. It is he that cleanfcs us by an
application of the atonement, and, by the wafhing
pf ;l^get\era,Eior\,,and by renewing the faculties of
ou* fouls j and, as {ie quickens the foul in this life,
fo he fliall quicken the body in the great day : th#
firft is the pledge ofthe fecond. Thou, which haft
Jhewed me great and fore trou-lfes, fhalt quicken, me.
again, and- fhalt bring me up again from the depths of
the earth » thou fhalt increafe my greatnefs, and comfort
, W Mf every Jd#i PiUoyJxxi. 21. ao. But, if the

( 38 )
Jpirit of him that raifed up Jefus from the dead dwell
in you, he that raifed up Chrift from the dead fhall
alfo quicken your mortal bodies, by bis Jpirit that
dwelleth in you. Rom. viii. 1 1,
ijthly. The Holy Spirit is our feal, by which
we are known of God with a knowledge of love,
of choice, and of approbation and delight; and by
which we fhall be owned and honoured another
day. The impreffion of this feal is the image of
Chrift ; the effect of the fealing is our aflurance of
heaven, both in the aflurance of faith, the aflur
ance of hope, and the aflurance of underftanding.
Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye arejealed
unto the day of redemption. Eph. iv. 30. In thefe
rays of divine light is the Holy Spirit feen ; by his
operations in planting thefe fruits is the Holy
Spirit known ; and, as he renews thefe works, and
refrefhes the foul with frefh life and love commu
nicated to thefe his graces, fo do we know that
he dwells in us becaufe thefe fruits are kept alive:
the cry of Abba, Father, continues, and his witnefs
to our fonfhip ftill abides. Adoption is an everlafting
name that frail not be cut off. Ifaiah lvi, 5. Upon
fuch fouls the candle of God and the lamp of fal
vation both burn and fhine; the fpirit of glory
and of God refteth upon them. Upon fuch trees
of righteoufnefs the fun of righteoufnefs ever fhines,
not only to heal them at firft, but to keep them
whole for ever. Thy Jun Jhall no more go down 
|faiah lx. 20. Upon fuch objects of love, and,

( 39 )
upon the in-being of love in the heart, God the
Father, from the glorious face of Jefus, fhines with
everlafting light, as our God and our glory. Ifaiah
lx. 1-7. This, reader, is our funfhine, this is our
eternal day.
But this fun never fo fhines; this day never fo
appears, nor will appear, to the ferpent's feed ; for fo
it Was long foretold, namely, that the greateft dark
nefs fhould be upon fome when the glorious day
of the Lord fhould appear. Wo unto" you that de~
Jire the day of the Lord; to what end is it for you : tbe
day of tbe Lord is darknefs and not light. As if a
man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went
into the houfe, and leaned his hand on the wall, and
a ferpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be
dar. .nefs, and not light? even very dark, and no bright
nefs in it. Amos v. 18, 19, 20.
In this grofs darknefs no divine perfon in God
can be known; neither Father, Son, nor Spirit:
the ferpent's feed are to be left in their enmity, and
all the righteous are to be hated of all this feed.
And God cannot be known but by pardon and by
love, both of which always come together. He that
loveth is born of God and knows God; but he that
hveth not knoweth not God, for God is love. 1 Johri
iv. 8. So alfo is the Son of God hid from all liv
ing, till God is pleafed to make him known. It
pleafed God, who feparated me from my mother's womb,
and called me by his grace, to reveal his fon in me — ,
Gal. i. 1.5, 16. And, as the Father reveals the Son,

( 40 )
fo the Son alfo reveals the Father. • Neither knoweth
any man the Father, fave the Son, and he to wb. mfoever
tpe Son will reveal him. Matt. xi. 27. 1 hus,
reader, are thefe things hid from the wife and,
prudent, and revealed to babes. Hence it is no
matter to us- what thefe children of darknefs and
qf the night fay about thefe things ; for they are
all hid from the wife men of this world. The
church is builded together for an habitation of God.
through the fpirit. Eph. ii 22. And again, Te are,
tbe temple of the living God, as God hath faid, I
tpill dwell in them and walk in them. 2 Cor. vi.
\6. This is God's teftimony, which is believed,
known, felt, and enjoyed, by all God's children r
for our eftabliftiment, our anointing in Chrift, and
our fealina, are of God. 2 Cor. i. 21,
But the fons of worldly wifdom afk us how the
Spirit, if he be a divine perfon, can dwell-in us?
Let them tell us how the devil dwells in them..
They are men of learning, men of wifdom, and-
wife above what is written; for they can tell us in
the Hebrew tongue the difference between per
fection and uprightnefs; or between an upright
man that loves God (Song i. 4), and a man made'
perfect in love (1 John iv. 18); though in heaven
it is one and the fame thing. Ifaiah lvii. 2. Heb.
xii. 23. They can tell us the difference between
decrees and laws; between ftatutes and judgments;
and between precepts and teftimonies; but we poors
illiterate creatures cannot. They, tell.- us. that all

C 41 )
^expectation, whether in heaven ortarth, is hbp*;
and fo m-ke the finner long, look, wait and hope
for the damnation of hell; for the expetlation of the
wicked is wtuth. P. ov. xi. 23.
Paul fays, He that is fpiritual judgeth all things,
yet he himfelf is judged J no man^ 1 Cor. ii. 1 5,
Our Lord, and his fpiritual fervants, who have in
formed us of the Holy Spirit's indwelling in. the
faints, have alfo informed us of the indwelling of
Satan in all his feed; which none of Satan's family
have been honeft enough to defcribe.
ift. We are informed that Satan, by his indwell
ing in men, is called the ftrong man armed, who
keepeth his palace and his goods in peace. Luke
xi. 21. Here is the king of- darknefs, in his own
palace, the heart and affe&ions of the finner; his
armour is enmity and hatred at God, at Chrift, at
the Spirit, at the fcriptures, and at all the faints of
God; and keeping his goods in peace is no more
than a feared confcience and a hardened mind- 1 he
devil's goods are the body and foul of the finner^
as may be feen in Judas; for as foon as he received
the fop Satan entered into him, and took poffeffiort
of him as his own property. Nay we read of feven
devils in Mary Magdalen. Luke viii. 1. And in the.
Gadarene we read of a legion, becaufe many devils
were entered into him. Luke viii. 30.
• If our opponents would defcribe the inhabitation
of aU this herd of devils in this man, the rnyttery
Tyould.be almoft; as great as that of the Lord dwell-.

t 42 )
ing in Zion. Yea, we read of eight devils taking
poffeffion of one man at once, for good and all.
Then goeth be and taketh with himfelf feven other
Jpirits, more wicked than himfelf, and they enter in and
dwell there ; and the laft ftate of that man is worfe
than the firft. Matt. xii. 45.
sdly. The indwelling of the devil may be known
by the finner's hating the light and refilling to come
to it ; by his rebellion againft every appearance of
it; by his being willingly ignorant, a Peter iii. 5;
and by his loving darknefs rather than light, becaufe
his deeds are evil. All this is the devil's work. If
our gofpel be hid, it ii hid to them that are loft ; in
whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of
them which believe not. 2 Cor. iv. 3.
3dly. The devil's poffeffion of the finner is feen
by his actuating of him to all evil, and that con
tinually; and by his captivating him at pleafure by
every lie, error, fnare, trap, and human invention,
that is contrived for him. To-day he is an Arian,
to-morrow a Sabeilian, next day a Socinian, then a
Deift, then an Atheift, and always an Arminian in
heart. That they may, fays Paul, recover themfelves
out of the fnare of the devil, who are taken captive by
him at his will. 2 Tim. ii. 26.
4thly. The children of darknefs may be known
by their conftant engagements in their father'*
works, which has ever been that of murdering the
fouls and bodies of mankind. Hence we fee that
gvery impoftor and deceiver that Satan fent among.

( 43 )
the Jews was received by the fcribes, pharifees, and
rulers ; as Judas of Galilee, Theudas, Bercocab, all
of whom had their followers. / am come in my Fa
ther s name, and ye receive me not ; if another Jhall come in
his own name, him ye will receive. John v. 43. And
the falfe prophets were fpoken well of. Thefe de
ceivers and deitroyers of fouls always met with re
ception, applaufe, and encouragement ; but every
prophet of God was fure to be perfecuted, if not
murdered ; and even the Lord himfelf, from the
manger to the crofs, was purfued by murderers.
Thefe are the ferpent's feed, the devil's own chil
dren; and they do his works, and his only. Teareof
your father the devil, and the lufts of your father ye
will do: he was a murderer from the beginning-
John viii. 44.
5thly. And why fhould thefe wife men think it
enthufiafm for the fpirit of the Lord to influence
the mind and fpeak by the mouth of an holy pro
phet, when the devil himfelf influences the mind
and fpeaks by the mouth of all their brethren the
falfe prophets ? Now therefore behold, the Lord hath
put a lying Jpirit in the mouth of all thefe thy pro
phets, and the Lord hatbjpoken evil concerning thee.
I Kings xxii. 23.
6thly. The fubje&s of Satan's kingdom are ac
manifeft in the world as the fubjects of the kingdom
of Chrift. And he is as much obeyed by his fervants •
as Chrift is by his, however hard the fervice; whick
jnay be feen in many inftances. When the murder

C -44 D
of David, ebnceived in tfoe heart- of Ahithophel, w&
yeftrained by the overruling providence of God-,
Ahithophel is ordered. by the devil to go home and
h,ang himfelf, which he immediately does-. Balaam
is fent for to curse Ifrael, and he comes. An evij
fpirit from God is upon' Saul, and he is fent to the
witch of Endor, and then to the point of his fword,
Judas is ordered to hang himfelf; and Shimei to
curfe David, that -God might curfe him, which are
immediately done. All Satan's works are ina ftraight
line; that, is to, drive men to deftruction as his captives,
his trophies j and tbe fpoils taken in his unholy war;
'and fo it muft be : for if Satan be divided againft him.->
Jdf, howfhafi his kingdom ftand? Luke, xi.-u8« -
; ^thly. The hardnefs of heart; the ftubbor.nnefs
of man's will ; the alienation of the. carnal mind
fijctna 'the life of God, and the enmity and rebellion
§f it againft the Almighty; the defperate ragej
envy arid indignation againft Chrift and his wofhip;
fnd againft all that fear, love, obey, and worfhip
feirri-^-are fuch as is contrary to human nature, ab-
ftraftedly confidered;. and in all which men are no
more v than - mere, tools, inftruments, or machines;
afrmay be feen in our Saviour's oWn words — But
this is your hour, and the power of darknefs- Luke
3$iL, 53. The time, or hour, Was their's, and that
was all. The murder conceived in their hearts, the;
fortitude of their hardened minds,, and the rage
%pd (-vengeance; wish which they were hurried:; on*,.
^efefrom aiiofh^r quarter;, thghgwer was gil of;

C 45 >; ~
fche prifice of darknefs— *-tbe prince of fhe power of
the air, the Jpirit that now worketh in the children of
difobedience-. Eph. ii. 2.
8thly. Nor need thefe wife men be fo much of
fended at. God's children talking of their having
eommuryon and fellowfhip with the Father and
bis Son Jefus Chrift; — for all idolators and falfe
prophets, all that preach lies, and all that be
lieve them and profefs them, have union and fel
lowfhip with Satan. The Gentiles facrificed to
devils, and not to God. 1 Cor. x. 20. And all
falfe prophets come forth under the fame influence.
Their coming is after the working of fat an, with all
power and figns, and lying wonders; and wilh all
deceivablenefs of unrighteoufnefs in them that perifh.
a Theffi ii. 9, 10. Againft this bond, of iniquity
Paul cautions the Corinthians — I. would not that ye
jhould have fellowfhip with devils. 1 Cor. x. 20.
• jthly. If we fpeak about, the moft Holy Spirit of
God converting, renewing, furnifhing, and equipp
ing men for the work of the Lord ; making them
apoftles and prophets, enduing them with gifts,.
and fending them forth; they are greatly difgufted.
But I never heard them rage at fatan for attempt
ing to counterfeit all this. Satan fends falfe apoftles,
deceitful workers, transforming themfelves into the
apoftles of Chrift: and no marvel, fer fatan himfelf is
transformed into an angel cf light: therefore it is no
great thing if his minifters alfo be transformed as tbe
minifters of righteoufnefs, whjofe. end Jhall he according

( 40 )
to their works. 2 Cor. xi. 13, \e. The office and
office characters of thefe men, their furniture and'
their labour, are all of fatan; and their end is to be
accordingly. They are to be heirs and joint heirs
with the devil, when their work is done; as our
Lord hath foretold — -Depart from me, ye cur fed, into
everlafting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels*
Matt. xxv. 41.
lothly. Nor need it feem fo offenfive, our af-
ferting the myftical union that fubfifts between
Chrift and his church; and of being joined to the
Lord, and made one fpirit with him; as bride and
bridegroom are one in mutual love ; — which bond,
with Chrift and the church, is the bond of charity*
And there is fomething like this among the children
ofthe night. 1 read of fome who facrificed to, and
went a whoring after, devils. Levit. xvii. 7. Ana
nias and Sapphira are faid to conceive by the devil;
and that fatan filled their hearts when they lied to
the Holy Ghoft. Acts v. 4, 5. Now, if Paul's
affertion be true, that he which is joined to an harlot
is one body, (1 Cor. vi. 16,) fo furely thofe fouls
that whore with fatan, who conceive by the devil,
and whofe hearts the devil fills, muft be one with
him in the bond of iniquity, as Chrift and his
church are one in the bond of charity.
uthly. The grand fcheme of heaven, in bring-*
ing Chrift and his chofen family together, is
by a covenant between God the father and
God the Sons which covenant was ratified and

( 47 )
confirmed by the death of Chrift; and into the
bond of this covenant are all the elect brought,
and are bound up in the bundle of life with the
Lord our God. But then there are other agree
ments and covenants befide thefe; for I read of fome
who laid, We have made a covenant with death, and
with hell are we at agreement. Ifaiah xxviii. 15.
To be in covenant wich death, is to love fin and
hate the Saviour ; for fo faith the Lord, A.l they
that hate me love death. Prov. viii. 36. And to be
at agreement with hell is to be in union with the
king of that place, which Paul calls fellowfhip with
devils. I2thly. By the love of God fhed abroad in the
heart faints, come to the general affembly and
church of the firft-born, to an innumerable com
pany of angels, and to the fpirits of juft men made
perfect; all of whom are in heaven, or of heavenly
extraction. Heb. xii. And fo fure do they that
hate Chrift and his faints ; all falfe churches, falfe
worfhippers, and falfe- hearted profeffors; come into
unity with fatan and all his fubjects. A fpiritual
whore has no union but with the dead, no guefts
but in the depths of hell. Prov. ix. 1 8.
ijthly. Some fhall ftumble and take offence at
the foundation of Zion; while others put their
mouth in the duft to obtain a hope in it. And all
that take offence at Chrift will ever hate and per-
fecute his fpiritual followers ; which is a token
upon all the ferpept^s feed. And to be hattd, re-

C 48 >
pfoached, and^peffecuted, by fuch men for Chrift's ^
f?.ke#is a fure token upon us alfo. ^»^ /« nothing '
terrified by your adverfaries, which is to them- an evi
dent token of perdition — but to you (an evident token)
cf falvation, and that ofGod.f Philip, i. 28.
Thus, reader, 1 have fhewn you the children of
light, and the everlafting fun updn them; and the
fetting fun over the unbelieving; the clear daywith
the righteous, when the earth is darkened ; the foun
tain of light, and the fource; of darknefs; with the*
end of both.

THE END.

. ; T. 5fnlT«y, Briiftw, . . ,
Bolt Court, Fleet Street, London.