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T

TO THE

READER.

HESE catechetical Le6tures of the late Reverend Mr. _^ Thomas "Watson, all but one, written with his own hand, I have read over, together with fome Sermons annexed to them; and fince my teftimony is defired concerning them, I do hereby declare, that (though I will not undertake to jullify every expreffion or lentence in them, or in any human writing,) I find them, in the main, agreeable to the do6lrinal articles of this Church, and unto the Weilminfter Affembly's Confeffion of Faith and Catechifms: and I believe, that, through the bleffing of God, they may be profitable unto the edification of all that read them, with an honeft defire to know and do the will of God ; for certainly there are many excellent things in them, which, if they meet with a well diipofed ferious mind, are very apt to have a good etfe6l upon it; and if it prove other-wife with any that happen to read this book, it will be their own fault more than the book's. Moft writers have different ftyles; and it is well known that Mr. Watfon had one peculiar to himfelf, which yet hath found good acceptance with, and has been ufeful unto ferious people; and I hope this (by reafon of the great variety of excellent matter) may be more generally ufeful than any other thing he ever wrote. 1 little doubt but every fober Chriftian will be of this mind, after he has read his ledlures on God's attributes, the ten commandments, Lord's prayer, &c. I fincerely profefs, I have no other end in giving this teftimony of this book, but thereby to ferve the common good of Chrill's church, and not the private intereft of any per-fon or party in the world : if my confcience did not bear me witnefs, that this book may be ufeful to that excellent end, no man fhould ever have prevailed with me, thus to prefix my teftimony and name to it. That it may anfwer the main end for which it was at firft written by the author, (whom I always took to be a grave, ferious, modeft, good man) and for which, I hope, it is now publiftied, to wit, the edification of the church of Chrift in faith, holinefs, and comfort, is the hearty defne of one of the meaneft fervants of our moft blefled Lord Jesus.

William Lorimer.

TO THE READER.

We vvhofe names are fubfciibed, having feen the teftimony of our worthy brother, Mr. WiUiam Lorimer, after his peryfal of this book, doubt not but it may be of ufe to many ; as the former writings of Mr. Thomas Watfou have been ; and, with that defireand hope, we recommend it to the maftersof famiUes and others.

William Bates, Matthew Barker, John Howie, Matthew Mead, Edward Lawrence, Samuel Slater, Richard Mayo, Matthew Sylvejier, Daniel Burges, Jofeph Cawthorne, Daniel Williams, Richard Wavel, Timothy Crufo, Timothy Rogerst

Nathaniel Oldjield, Richard Adams, Richard Steel, Samuel Stancliff, John Raynolds, Nathaniel Vincent, John Hughes, Jofeph Read, Abraham Hume, Richard Stretton, John Shower, Francis Glafcoch, Daniel Williams,

A

SHORT ACCOUNT

OF THE

AUTIIOM.

IT is fufficiently known to all that have any acquaintance with the hiitories of the church, that many valuable and uleful minifters were eje6led for non-conformity, by the acl of uniformity in the reign of King Charles II. which took place, Augull24th, 1602. Among others, the Reverend Mr. Thomas Waison waft eje6led from his charge, at St. Stephen's, Wal-brook, London; whofe chara6ler is given by the Reverend Dr. Edmond Calamy, in his Abridgments, Vol. II. p. 37 ; and is as follows:

*' From St. Stephen's, Walbrook. Mr. Thomas Watfon;

* he was of Emanuel College in Cambridge, where he was noted

* for being a hard fludent; one fo well known in the city, viz. ' London, for his piety and ufefulnefs, that though he was ' fingled out by the Friendly Debate, he yet carried a general ' refpect for all fober perfons along with him to his grave. A ' memorable pafllige, which I have from good hands, muft not

* be pafied by: When Mr. Watfon was in the pulpit, on a ' le6lure-day, before the Bartholomew a<5t took place, among

* other hearers, there came in that Reverend and learned Pre-' late, Bifhop Richardfon, who was fo well pleafed with his ' fermon, but efpecially with his prayer after it, that he follow-' ed him home, to give him thanks, and earnefily detired a

* copy of his prayer. Alas! faid Mr. Watfon, that is what ' I cannot give; for I do not ufe to pen my prayers ; it was

* no lludied thing, but uttered as God enabled me from the

* abundance of my heart and affe6tions, pro re nata. Upon

* which the good Bifhop went away, wondering that any man ' could pray in that manner, ex tempore. After his ejectment,

* he continued in the exercife of the minifiry in the city, ' as providence gave opportunity, for many years: but his

* ftrength wearing away he retired into Eflex, and there died ' fuddenly, in his clofet, at prayer."

A

PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE

TO

CATJECHISING.

Col. i. 23. Jf ye continue in the faith grounded and fettled.

INTENDING the next Lord's day to enter upon the work of catechifing, it will not be amils to give you this preliminary difcourfe, as preparatory to it; fhewing you how needful it is for Chrillians to be well inllruded in the grounds of religion. * If ye continue in the faith grounded and fettled,'—Two pro-pofitions:

Firft, It is the duty of Chriftians to be fettled in the dodriue of faith.

Second, The bed way for Chriftians to be fettled, is to be well grounded.

DocT. 1. That it is the duty of Chriftians to he fettled in the doctrine of faith. It is the apoftle's prayer, 1 Pet. v. 10. ' The God of all grace, ftablifli, ftrengthen, fettle you.* That they might not be meteors in the air, but fixed ftars. The apoftle Jude fpeaks of ' wandering ftars,' verfe 13. They are called wandering ftars, becaufe, as Ariftotle faith, *' They do leap up and down, and wander into feveral parts of the heaven; and being but dry exhalations, not made of that pure celeftial matter as the fixed ftars are, they often fall to the earth." Now, fuch as are not fettled in religion, will, at one time or other, prove wandering ftars; they will lofe their former ftri6l-neCs, and wander from one opinion to another. Such as are unfettled are of the tribe of Reuben, ' unliable as water,' Gen. xlix. 4. like a fhip without ballaft, overturned with every wind of do6trine. Beza writes of one Bel(e6iius, whofe religion changed as the moon. The Arians had every year a new faith. Thefe are not pillars in the temple of God, but reeds ftiaken every way. The apoftle calls them * damnable herefies,' 2 Pet. ii. 1. A man may go to hell as well for herefy as adultery. To be unfettled in religion, argues want of judgment: if their heads were not giddy, they would not reel lb fait from one opinion to another. It argues lightnefs : feathers will be

blown every way ; fo will feathery Chriftians: Tritlcum non rapit ventus inanes palw jaMantur, Cypr. Therefore fuch are compared to children, Eph. iv. 14. * That we be no more children, toffed to and fro.' Children are Jickle, fometimes of one mind, fometimes of another ; nothing pleafes them long : fo unfettled Chriftians are chiklilh; thole truths they embrace at one time, they reject at another; fometimes they like the Proteliant religion, and foon after they have a good mind to turn Papifts. Now, that you may labour to be fettled, (as Ignatius) in the faith, in unfettled times of fettled judgments. I. It is the great end of the word preached, to bring us to a fettlement in religion : Eph. iv. 11, 13. * And he gave fome, evangelifts, and fome, paftors and teachers, for the edifying of the body of Chrill; that we henceforth be no more children.' The word is called an hammer, Jer. xxiii. 29. Every blow of the hammer is to faften the nails of the building; the preacher's words are but to faften you the more to Chrift; they weaken themfelves to ftrengthen and fettle you. This is the grand defign of preaching, not only for the enlightening, but for the eftablifhingof fouls ; not only to guide them in the right way, but to keep them in it. Now, if you be not fettled, you do not anfwer God's end in giving you the miniftry.

2. To be fettled in religion : it is both a Chriftian's excellency and honour: it is his excellency; when the milk is fettled, it turns to cream ; now, he will be fomething zealous for the truth, walk in clofe communion with God. And his honour, Prov. xvj. 31. * The hoary head is a crown of glory, it* it be found in the way of righteoufnefs.* It is one of the beft fights, to fee an old difciple; to fee filver hairs adorned with golden virtues.

3. Such as are not fettled in the faith, can never fufFer for it; fceptics in religion will hardly ever prove martyrs ; they that are not fettled do hang in fufpence ; when they think of the joys of heaven, then they will efpoufe the gofpel; but when they think of perfecution, then they defertit. Unfettled Chriftians do not confult what is beft, but what is fafeft: *' The apoftate (faith TertuUian) feems to put God and Satan in balance, and having weighed both their fervices, prefers the devil's fervice, and pro^ claims him to be the beft mafter: and, in this fenfe, may be faid to put Chrift to open (hame," Heb. vi. 6. They will never fufFer for the truth, but be as a foldier that leaves his colours, and runs over to the enemy's fide; he will fight on the devil's fide for pay.

4. -Not to be fettled in the faith, is highly provoking to God : to efpoufe the truth, and then to fall away, brings an ill report upon the gofpel, which will not go unpunifhed ; Pfal. Ixxviii. 67, oi). ' I'hcy turned back, and dealt unfaithfully; when

God hearcl this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Ifrael.* The apoltate drops as a windfall into the devil's mouth.

5. If ye are not fettled in religion, you will never grow : we are commanded * to grow up into the head, Chrift,' Epli. iv. 14. But if we are unlettled, no growing : ' the plant which is continually removing never thrives.' He can no more grow in godlinefs, who is unlettled, than a bone can grow iii the body that is out of joint.

6. What great need is there to be fettled ? becaufe there are fo many things to unfettle us, and make us fall away from the truth. Seduc ers are abroad, whole work is to draw away people from tlie principles of religion, 1 John ii. 26. ' Thofe things have I written unto you concerning them that feduce you.' Seducers sire thfe devils faclors ; they are of all others the greateft felons, that would rob you of the truth : leducers have filver tongues ; a fair tongiie can put olTbad Wares ; they have a flight to deceive, Eph. iv. 14. The Greek word there is taken from thofe that can cog a die, and caft it for the bell advantage : fo feducers are importors, they can cOg a die ; they can fo dif-femble arid Ibphifticate the truth, that they can deceive others. Now, the ih'le by vVhich feducers ufe to deceive, is,

1. By wifdom of words, Rom. xvi. 18. * By good words and fair fpeeches they deceive the hearts of the fimple.' Thev have fine elegaiit phrafes, flattering language, whereby they work on the weaker fort, as being chrifled with Chrift;, and the light within them.

2. Another flight, is a pretence of extrordinary piety, that fo people may admire them, and fuck in their dodrine. They feem to be men of Zealand fan6lity, and to be divinely infpired : they pretend revelations, as Muniler, Michael Servetus, and other of the Anabaptifts in Germany, though they Were tainted with pride, lull, and avarice.

3. A third flight or cheat feducers have, is a labouring to vilify and nullify found orthodox teachers; they would eclipfe thofe' that bring the truth, like unto the black vapours that darken the light of heaven : they would defame others, that themfelves may be more admired. Thus the falfe teachers cried down Paul, that they might be received. Gal. iv. 17.

4. The fourth flight or cheat of feducers, is by " preaching *• do6lrine of liberty:" as the Antinomian preacheth, that men are freed from the moral law, the rule as well as thecurfe. He preacheth that Chrift hath done all for them, and they need to do nothing. So he makes the do6lrine of free grace a key to ojsen the door to all licentioufnefs.

5. Another thing to unfettle Chriflians, is perfecutors, 9 Tim. iii. 12. The gofpel is a rofe cannot be plucked without prickles. The legacy Chrift hath bequeathed is the Crofs: while there is

Vol. I. NO. I. B

a devil and a wicked man in the world, never expe6t a charter of exemption from trouble ; and how many fall away in an hour of perfecution ? Rev. iii. 4. * There appeared a great red dragon, having feven heads and ten horns; and his tail drew the third part of the (lars of heaven :' the red dragon, the hea-theniOi empire; and his tail, viz. his power and fubtilty, drew away liars, viz. eminent f)rofeffors, that feenied to (hine as liars in the firmament of the church. Therefore w^ fee what need there is to be fettled in the truth, for fear the tail of the dragon call us to the earth.

6. To be uniettled in good, is the fin of the devils, Jude 6. They are called ' morning liars,' Job xxxviii. 7. but ' falling ftars;' they were holy, but mutable. As the velTel is overturned with the fail, fo their fails being fwelled with pride, were overturned, 1 Tim. iii. 6. By unfettlednefs, who doll thou imitate but lapfed angels? The devil was the lirll apellate. So much for the lirll propofition, that it is a great duty of Chril-tians to be fettled : /t he fons of Sio n Ihould be like mount Sion, which cannot be removed.

Second, The fecond propofition is, that the way for Chrif-tians to be fettled, is to be well grounded : ' if ye continue grounded and fettled.' The Greek word for grounded, a metaphor, it alludes to a building that hath the foundation well laid; fo Chrillians fhould be grounded m the effential point of religion, and have their foundation well laid.

Here let me fpeak to two things : 1. That we fliould be grounded in the knowledge of fundamentals. 2. That this grounding is the bell way to fettling.

(1.) That we fhould be grounded in the knowledge of fundamentals : the apoflle fpeaks of the ' firll principles of the oracles of God,' Heb. v. 13. I n all arts ancL lciences, logic, phyfic, mathematics, there are fome prcecognita, fonie rules and principles that mult necelfarily be known to the practice of thofe arts ; fo, in divinity, there mull be the firfl principles laid down: the knowledge of Uie grounds and principles of religion is exceeding ufeful.

1. Elfe we cannot ferve God aright; we can never worfhip God acceptably, unlefs we worfiiip him regularly ; and how can we do that, if we are ignorant of the rules and elements of religion ? We are bid to give God a * reafonable fervice,' Rom. xu. 1. If w e underfland not the grounds of religion, how can it be a reafonable iervice ?

y. Knowledge of the grounds of religion much enricheth the mind : it is a lamp to oux feet; it directs us in the whole courfe of Chrillianity, as the eye direds the body. Knowledge of fundamentals is the golden key that opens the chief myfteries of religion ; it gives us a whole fyllem and body of divinity, ex-

a6lly drawn in all its lineaments and lively colours : it helps us to underftand many of thofe difficult things, which do occur in the reading of the word ; it helps to untie many fcripture knots.

3. Armour of proof; it doth furnith us with weapons to fight againft the adverfaries of the truth.

4. It is the holy feed of which grace is formed : It is the femenfidei, the feed of faith, Pfal. ix. 10. It \s radix, amor is,

the root of love, Eph. iii. 17- * Being rooted and grounded in love.' The knowledge of principles conduceth to the making of a complete Chriftian. '' {2.) That this grounding is the beft way to fettling: * grounded and fettled.' A tree, that it may be well fettled, mull be well rooted : fo, if you be well fettled in religion, you mult be tooted in the principles of it. He, in Plutarch, fet up a dead man, and he would not (land. O faith he, " there mufl be " fomething within :" fo, that we may (land in fhaking times, there mull be a principle of knowledge within ; firil grounded, and then fettled. That the Ihip may be kept from overturning, it muft have its anchor fattened ; knowledge of principles, is to the foul as an anchor to the (hip, that holds it (leady in the midll of all the rolling waves of error, or the violent winds of perfecution. Firft grounded and then fettled.

Use I. See the reafon why fo many people are unfettled, ready to embrace every novel opinion, and drefs themfelves in as many religions as they do fafhions ; it is becaufe they are ungrounded. See how the apoftle joins thefe two together, * unlearned and unliable,' 2 Pet. iii. 16. Such as are unlearned in the main points of divinity, will be unliable. As the body cannot be (irong that haih the finews (hrunk; fo neither can that Chridian be (Irong in religion, who wants the groiuids of knowledge, which are the finews to (Irengthen and llablilh him.

Use II. See then what great neceffity there is of laying down all the main grounds of religion in a way of catechiCe, that the weakeft judgment may be inltru6led in the knowledge of the truth, and llrengthened in the love of it; catechifing is the belt expedient for the s^rounding and fettling of people. I fear, one reafon why there hath been no more good done by preaching, hath been becaufe the chief heads and articles in religion have not bien explained in a catechiftical way; catechiii og: is the laym^ the toiindation, Heb. vi. 7. to preach, and not to cate-chife, is to build without a foundation. This way of catechiling, is not novel, it is upollolical: the p rimitive chuicli had their forms of catechjfm : fo much thofe phrafes imply a ' ibi in of found words,' y Tim. i. 13. and * the firtl principles of the oracles of God,' Heb. vi. 1. And fince the church had their

B 2

ca.techimonoi, asGroMusand Erafmus obferve; many of the ancient iathers have written for it, Fiilgentius, Auflin, Theo'loj-et^ Ladantius and others. God hatli, given great fuQCefs to it. By' this laying down of grounds of religion cateciiiftically. Chrii-, tians have been clearly iDftrufted, and wondroufly built up. in the Chriftian faith, infomuch that Julian the apollale, fceiu^-the great fuccefc of catechifing, did put down all fthools and places of public literature, and inftru6ling of youth. It is my defign therefore (with the blefling of God,) to begin this wo),lc of catechifing the next fabbath-day : and I intend every other fabbath, in theaflernoon, to make it my whole work to lay dowi). the grounds and fundamentals of religion in a catechidical way. If I am hindered in this work by men, or taken away by deatlj,, I hope God will raife up forae other labourer In the vineyard among you that may perfect this work which I am now begi^i^ ning.

iiii«(9j)ii

MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GQD,

Q. 1. WHA T is the chief end of man ?

Anf. Man's chief end is to glorify God and: to enjoy hir^, for ever.

Here are two ends, of life fpecified, 1. The glorifying of God. 2. The enjoying of God.

Firfi, I begin with the firft, the glojifying of God, 1 Pet. iv. M. • That God in all things may be glorified?' the glory ofj God is a filver-thread which mull run through a)l our actions : 1 Cor. X. 31. ' Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatfo-ever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' Every thing vvorks; to fome end in things natural and artificial; now man being ^j rational creature, mufl: propofe fome end toliimfelf, and that is, that he may lift up God in the world ; and better lofe his life, than lofe the end of his hving : fo then, the great truth aflerted is this, that the end of every man's living, is to glorify God ; this is the yearly rent that is paid to the crown of heaven. Glorifying of God hath refpe6t to all the perfonsin the Trinity ; it refpe6ts God the Father, who gave us our life ; it refpeds God the Son, who loft his for us; it refpedls God the Holy Ghoft, who produceth a new life in us ; we mull bring glory to the whole Trinity.

When we fpeak of God's glory, the queftion will be moved, tohat are ue to underjiand by God's glory ?

Anf. There is a twofold glory : 1. The glory that God hath, in himfelf, his intrinfical glory. Glory is elfential to the God--head, as light is to the fun : he is called the * God of glory,"

A6ls vii. 2. Glory is the fj;>arkIingrof the Deit}^; gloify is foco-natuL'ci:! to the Godhead, that God Gaiiiijiot be God wttlaowt ic. The creature's honour ij? act eflential to, his being ; a king is a mau without his regal ortiam,ents,» when hi§. crown and royal robe are taken away : but God's glory is fuch an elieutial part of his being, that he cannot be God vyithoat it ; God's very life lies in his glory. This glory can receive no addition, be-» caufe it is infinit:e ; this glory is that which God is moffe tender of, and which he will not part with, lia. xlviii. 8. ' My glory I will not give to another.' God will give temporal bleO&ugs, to his children., fuch as wifdom, riches, bonour; he will give them Ipiritual bleffings, he will give theip grace, li^e will give theqi his love, he will, give them heaven; but his efTen.tial glory he will not give to ataother. King Pharaoh parted with a rin^ off his finger to Jofeph, ajjd a gold chain, but he would not part with his throne. Gen. xli. 40. ' Only \n the throne will i be> greater than thou,' So God will do u^iich for his people ; he will give them tjhe inhej'itance, he will put fome ofChrift's. glory, as mediato):; U;ppn them : but his elieutial glory he will not parti with; * in^ tib« tjjrone he will be greater.'

2. The glory whjchis alcribed to God, or which his creatures, labour to bring to him, I Chron. xvi. 2i). ' Give uMo the Lordi the glory due unto his name.' And, 1 Cor. vi. 20. * Glorify God. in your, body and in your fpirit.' The glory w^e give Godl, ie nothing elfe bu.t our lifting up his name iii the world, and' magnifying him in the eyes of others, Phil* i. 20.. ' Chdlt fliall be magnified in my body.*

Q. What is it to glorify God, or wherein dotit it oon/iji. ?

A, Glorifying of God'con fills in four things : (1.) Appretia-tion. {%.) Adoration. (3.) Aifeftjon. (4.) Subjection. This is the yearly rent we pay to the crown of heaveui-

1. Appretiation : is to glorify God, to fet God higheft in our tlioughts,, to have a venerable efteeiiii of him, Ptal. xcii. 8-. * Thou, Lord, art moll high for evermore,* PlaL xcvii. ()v ' Thou art exalted farabov.e all gods.' There is in Godail that rnay draw forth both wonder and delight ; there is in him a coullellalion of all beauties ; he is/)w??a, caw/a, the original and fjjring-head of being, who (beds, a glory upon the creature. This is to glor-ify God, when we aiie God-aduiiierii; we admire God in hitj attributes, whjchare the glidering beams by which tjie divine nature (hines forth ; we admire him in his promili-s, vy.hich are the charter of free-grace, and the fpiritual cabinet where the pearl of price is hid ; we admire God in the noble effects of his power and wifdom, viz. the making of the world ; this is called ' the work of his lingers,' PiUl. viii. 3. Such curious needle-work it was, that none but a God couldvvork. This.

is to glorify God, to have God-admiring thoughts; we efteem him mod excellent, and fearch for diamonds only in this rock.

2. Glorifying of God confifts in adoration, or worftiip, Pfal. xxix. 2. ' Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worfhip the Lord in the beauty of holinefs.' There is a twofold worfhip: 1. A civil reverence we give to perfons of honour. Gen. xxiii. 7- * Abraham Hood up and bowed himfelf to the children of Heth :' Piety is no enemy tocoiirtefy, 2. A divine worfhip, which we give to God, is his prerogative royal, Neh. viii. 6. * They bowed their heads, and worlhipped the Lord with their faces towards the ground.' This divine worfliip God is very jealous of; this is the apple of his eye, this is the pearl of his crown, which he guards, as he did the tree of life, with cherubims and a flaming fword, that no man may come near it to violate it; divine worfliip muft be luch as God himfelf hath appointed, elfe it is ' ottering ftrange fire,* Lev. x. 2. The Lord would have Mofes make the tabemacle, • according to the pattern in the Mount,' Exod. xxv. 40. he mufl; not leave out any thing in the pattern, nor add to it. If God was fo exad and curious about the place of worfliip, how exadt will he be about the matter of his wor(hip? burely here every thing mufl; be according to the pattern prefcribed in his word.

3. Affe6lions: this is a part of the glory we give to God ; God counts himfelf glorified when he is loved, Deut. vi. 5. ' Thou flialt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul.' There is a twofold love : 1. A7nor Concupifcentice, a love of concupifcence, which is felf-love ; when we love another, becaufe he doth us a good turn : thus a wicked man may be faid to love God, becaufe he hath given him a good crop, or filled his cup with wine ; and, to (peak properly, this is rather to love God's blefling than to love God. 2. Amor ajnicitice, a love of delight, as a man takes delight in a friend ; this is indeed to love God : the heart is fet upon God, as a man's heart is fet upon his treafure. And this love is, 1. Exuberant, not a few drops, but a ftream. 2. It is fuperlative ; we give God the befl; of our love, the cream of it, Cant. viii. 2. ' I would caufe thee to drink of fpiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.' If the fpoufe had a cup more juicy and fpiced, Chrilt muft drink of it. 3. It is inteufe and ardent; true faints are feraphims burning in holy love to God. The fpoufe was amore percul/'a, in fainting fits, * fick of love,' Cant. ii. 5. Thus to love God is to glorify him ; he who is the chiefof our happinefs, hath the chief of our atfedlions.

4. Subje6tion, when we dedicate ourfelves to God, and ft:and ready prefi for his fervice. Thus the angels in heaven glorify him ; they wait on his throne, and are ready to take a commit-fioii from him ; therefore they are referabled by the cherubims

with their wings difplayed, to (hew how fwift the angels are in their obedience. This is to glorify God, when we are devoted to his fervice ; our head ftudies for God, our tongue pleads for him, our hands relieve his members : The wife men that came to Chrift, did not only bow the knee to him, but prefented him with gold and myrrh, Matth. ii. 11. So wemuftnotonly bow the knee, give God worfhip, but bring prefents, golden obedience. This is to glorify God, when we flick at no fervice ; we will fight under the banner of his gofpel, againft regiments, and lay to him, as David to King Saul, I Sam. xvii. 32. • Thy fervant will go and fight with this Philiftine.' Thus you fee wherein the glorifying of God doth confift, inappretiation, adoration, atFe6iion, fubjeclion.

A good Chriflian is like the fun, which doth not only fend forth heat, but goes its circuit round the world ; thus, he who glorifies God, hath not only his affections heated with love to God, but he goes his circuit too; he moves vigoroufly in the fphere of obedience.

Q. Why muji ice glorify God?

Anf. 1. B^caufe he gives us our being, Pfal. c. 3. * It is he that made us.* We think it a great kindnefs in a man to fpare our life, but what kindnefs is it in God to give us our life } We draw our breath from him ; and as life, fo all the comforts of life are from God : he gives us health, which is the fauce to fweeten our life; he gives us food, which is the oil that nourifli-eth the lamp of life : now, if all we receive is from the hand of his bounty, is it not good reafon we (hould glorify him, and live to him, feeing we live by him? Rom. xi. 36. ' For of him, and through him areall things.' Ofhim are all, all we have is of his fulnelk; through him are all, all we have is through his free-grace ; and therefore to him fhould be all: fo it follows,

* To him be glory for ever.' God is not only our benefa6lor, but our founder; the rivers come from the fea, and they empty their filver dreams into the fea again.

2. .Becaufe God hath made all things for his own glory, Prov. xvi. 4. ' The Lord hath made all things for himfelf;' that is,

* for his glory.' As a king hath excife out of commodities. God will have his glory out of every thing: he will have glory out of the wicked, the glory of hisjultice ; they will notgivehim glory, but he will get his glory upon them, Exod. xiv. 17. * I will get me honour upon Pharaoh.' But efpecially he hath made the godly for his glory ; they are the lively organs of his praife,' Ifa. xliii. 21. ' This people have I formed for myfelf, and they (hall (hew forth my praiCe.' It is true, they cannot add to his glory, but they may exalt it; they cannot raife him in heaven, but they may raife him in the efteem of others. God hath adopted the faints into his family, and made them a royal

prielHiood, that they fho«!d (hew forth the praifes of hihi wh<J hath called them, 1 Pet. ii. 9.

3. Becaufe the glory of God hath fuch intrinfic value and exceHency in it ; it tranfcends the thoughts of men, and the tongue of angels. God's glory is his tteafure, all his riches lie here ; as Micah faid, Judges xviii. 24. ' What have I more ?* So of God, what hath God move? God's glory is more worth than heaven, more worth than the (Ulvation of all men's fouls: better kingdoms l>e thrown down, better men and angels be annihilated, than God fiiould lole one jewel of his crovVn, one beam of his glory.

4. Creatures below us, and above us, bring glory to God ; and do we think to tit rent-free? Shall every thing glorify God, but man ? It is a pity then that ever man was made ! 1. Creatures below us, glorify God, the inanimate creatures : the hea-* vens glorify God, Pfal. xix. 1. * The heavens declare th6 glory of God.* The curious workmanfliip of heaven lets forth the glory of its Maker; the firmament is beautified and penciled out in blue and azure colours, where the power and wifdom of God may be clearly feen. * The heavens declare his glory;' we may fee the glory of God blazing in the fun, twinkling in the fiars. 2. Look into the air, the birds, with their chirping mufic, finghymns of praifeto God, faith Anfelm. Every bealt doth in its kind glorify God,. Ifa. xliii. 20. ' The beads of the field (hall honour me.' (2) Creatures above us glorify God : * the angels are miniflring fpirits,' Heb. i. 14. They are llill waiting on God's throne, and bring tome revenues of glory into the exchequer of heaven. Then furely man fhould be much more ftudious of God's glory than the angels; for God hath honoured him more than the angels, in that Chrill took man's nature upon him, and not the angels : fay, though in regard of creation, God hath made man ' a little lower than the angels,* Heb. ii. 7' yet, in regard of redemption, God hath fet him higher than the angels; he hath married mankind to himfelf; the angels are Chrift's friends, but not his fpoufe ; he halh covered us with the purple robe of his righteoufneft, which is a better righteoufnels than the angels have, 2 Cor. v. 20. So that if the angels bring glory to God, much more (hould we, being dignified with honour above the angelical fpirits.

5. Anf. We muft bring glory to God, becaufe all our hopes hang upon him, Pfal. xxxix. 7. * My hope is in thee.' And Plal. Ixii. 5. ' My expectation is from him ;' I expe6l a kingdom from him. A child that is good-natured will honour his parent, as expecting all that ever he is like to be worth from him, Pfal. Ixxxvii. 8. 'All my frelh fpringsarein thee.* The lilver fprings of grace, the golden fprings of glory.

Q. Ilow muny ivays may V)e glorify God?

Anf. (I.) It is a glorifying God, when we aim purely at God's glory ; it is one thing to advance God's glory, another thing tQ aim at it. God mull be the Temwius ad quern, the ultimate end of all adions. Thus Chrill, John viii. oO. * I itvk not mine own glory, but the glory oi hui» that lent me.' It is the note of an hypocrite, he hath a Iquint eye, he looks more to his own glory than God's glory. Our Saviour decy jjhers luch, and gives a caveat againlt them, Matth. vi. a, ' When thou giveft alms, do not found a trumpet.' A ftranger would alk, " What means the nolle of this trumpet?" Then it was anfwered, * they are going to give to the poor.* And fo they did not give alms, but fell thens for honour and applaufe, that they may have glory of men : the breath of men was the wind that blew the fails of their charity; * verily they have their reward.' The hypocrite may make his acquittance and write, ' received in full payment.' Chrylbftom calls vain-glory one of the devil's great nets to catch men. And Cyprian fays, " whom Satan cannot prevail againft by intemperance, thofe he prevails againft by pride and vain-glory." Oh let us take heed of (elf-wor-fhipping! aim purely at God's glory.

Q. Howjliall ice know we aim at God's glory ?

Anfw. 1. When we prefer God's glory above all other things ; above credit, eftate, relations; when the glory of God comes in competition with them, we prefer his glory before them. If relations lie in our way to heaven, we mult eiiher leap over them, or tread upon them : a child mud unchild himlelf, and forget he is a child ; he mufl know neither father nor mother in God's caufe, Deut. xxxiii. 9. * Who faid unto his father and mother, I have not feen him ;' neither did he acknowledge his brethren. This is to aim at God's glory.

2. Then we aim at God's glory, when we can be content that God's will fhould take place, though it crofs ours: Lord, I am content to be a lofer, if thou be a gainer; to have lets health, if I have more grace, and thou more glory ; whether it be food or bitter phyfic thou giveft me. Lord, 1 delire that which may be moft for thy glory : thus our blelfed Saviour, ' not as I will, but as thou wilt,' Matth. xxvi. 39. So God might have more glory by his fulFerings, he was content to futfer, John xii. 28. * Father, glorify thy name.'

3. Then we aim at God's glory, when we can be content to be out-fliined by others in gifts and efteem, fo God's glory may be increafed : a man that hath God in his heart, and God's glory in his eye, defires that God fhould be exalted ; and if this be etfected, let who will be the inllrument, he rejoiceth, Phil. i. 15. ' >Some preach Chrift ofenvy : notwithftanding Chrilt is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice;' they preached Chrift of envy, they envied Paul that concourfe of

Vol. I. No. 1. C

people, and they preached that they might outfhinehim in gifts, and get away lome of his hearers : well, faith Paul, Chrift is preached, and God is like to have glory, therefore I rejoice ; let my candle go out, if the Sun of Righteoufnefs may but fliine;

(2.) We glorify God by an ingenuous confeffion of fin : the thief on the crofs had difhonoured God in his life, but at his death he brings glory to God by confelTion of fin, Luke xxiii. 41. * We indeed fufferjuftly.' He acknowledged he deferved tiot only crucifixion, but damnation, Jofh. vii. 19. * My fon, give, I pray thee, glory to God, and make confeflion unto him.' An humble confeffion exalts God : how is God's free-grac6 magnified in crowning thofe who deferve to be condemned ! as the excufing and mincing of fin doth cafta reproach upon God. Adam denies not he did tafte the forbidden fruit, but inft^ead of a full confeffion, he taxes God, Gen. iii. 12. ' The womarj whom thou gaveft me, (he gave me of the tree, and I did eat.* It is long of thee, if thou hadft not given me the woman to be a tempter, I had not finned. So confeffion glorifies God, it clears, it acknowledgeth he is holy and righteous, whatever he doth. Nehemiah vindicates God's righteoufnefs, ch. ix. 33. * Thou art jull in all that is brought upon us.' A confeffion then is higenuous, when it is free, not forced, Luke xv. 18. * I have finned againil heaven, and before thee.' He chargeth himfelf with fin before ever his Father chargeth him with it.

(3.) We glorify God by believing, Rom. iv. SO. * Abraham was ftrong in faith, giving |lory to God.* Unbelief affronts God, it gives him the lie; ' He that believeth not, maketh God a liar,' 1 John v. 10. So faith brings glory to God, it fets to its feal that God is true, John iii. 33. He that believes, flies to God's mercy and truth, as to an altar of refuge; he doth not ingarrifon himfelf in the promifes, he trufts all he hath with God, Pfal. xxxi. 3. ' Into thy hands I commit my fpirit.* This is a great w'ay of bringing glory to God, therefore God honours faith, becaufe faith honours God. It is a great honour we do to a man, when wetrufi;him with all we have, we put our lives and eftates into his hand ; a fign we have a good opinion of him. The three children glorified God by believing, ' The God whom we ferve, is able to deliver us, and will deliver us,' Dan. iii. 17. Faith knows there are no impoffibilities with God, and will truft; him, where it cannot trace him.

(4.) We glorify God by being tender of God's glory; God's glory is dear to him, as the apple of his eye : now, when we are tender of his glory, by laying to heart his difhonours, this is a glorifying of him. Aningenuous child weeps to fee a difgrace done to his father, Pfal. Ixix.t). ' The reproachesof them that reproach thee are fallen upon me.* When we hear God reproached, it is as if we were reproached; when God's glory

IS TO GLORIFY GOD, JQ

fuffers, it is as if we fufFercd. This is to be lender of God's glory.

(5.) We glorify God by fruitfulnefs, John xv. 8. * Hereby is my father glorified, if ye bring forth much fruit.' As it is a dithonour to God to be barren, lo fruitfulnefs doth honour him : Phil. i. 11. ' Filled with the fruits of righteoufnefs, which are to the praife of his glory.' We muft not be like the fig-tree in the gof|5el, which had nothing but leaves, but like the pome-citron, that is continually either mellowing or bloflbming; it is never without fruit. It is not profeflion, but fruit glorifies God ; God experts to have his glory from us this way, l Cor. ix. 7. * Who planted a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit of it?' Trees in the foreft may be barren, but trees in the garden are fruitful: we mult bring forth the fruits of love and good works, Matth. v. 16. ' Let your light fo fhine before men, that they inay fee your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' Faith doth fan^lify our works, and works do tefi;ify our faith : to be doing good to others, to be eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, doth much glorify God. And thus Chrift did glorify his Father; * he went about doing good,' A6ts x. 38, By being fruitful, we are fair in God's eyes, Jer. xi. 16. * The Lord called thy name a green olive-tree, fair and of goodly fruit.' And we mult bear much fruit, it is muchnefs of Iruit glorifies God ; * if ye bear nmch fruit.' The fpouie's breafl;s are compared to cinders of grapes. Cant. vii. 7. to (hew how fertile fhe was. Though the loweft degree of grace may bring falvation to you, yet not fo much glory to God ; it was not a fpark of love Chrifl: commended in Mary, but much love, ' flie loved much,' Luke vii. 47.

(6.) We glorify God, by being contented in that ftate where his providence hath fet us ; we give God the glory of his wifdom, in that we reft fatisfied with what he carves out to us : Thus did holy Paul glorify God ; the Lord did caft him into as great variety of conditions as any man, ' in prifons more frequent, in de^iths oft,' 2 Cor. xi. 23. yet he had learned to be content; St. Paul conid fail either in a ftorm or a calm ; he could be any thing that God would have him ; he could either want or abound, Phil. iv. 13. A good Chrifl^ian argues thus : It is God that hath put me in this condition ; he could have railed n»e higher, if he pleafed, but that might have been a fnare to me ; God hath done it in wifdom and love ; therefore I will fit down fatisfied with my condition. Surely this doth much glorify God ; God counts himfelf much honoured by fuch a Chrillian : faith God, Here is one after my own heart; let me do what I will with him, I hear no murmuring, he is content: this fliew^ abundance of grace. When grace is crowning, it is not fo much to be content; but when grace is confli6Vmg withinconveniences,

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then to be content, is a glorious thing indeed : for one to be content when he is in heaven, is no wonder; but to be content " under the crofs, is hke a Chriftian: this man muft needs bring glory to God ; for he fhews to all the world, that though he hath little meal in barrel, yet he hath enough in God to make him content; he faith, as David, Pfal. xvi. 5. * The Lord is the porrion of mine inheritance ; the lines are fallen to me ia pleafant places.'

(7.) We glorify God in working out our own falvation : God hath twitted thefe two together, his glory and our good ; we glorify him, by promoting our own falvation: it is a glory to God to have multitudes of converts ; now, his defign of free grace takes, and God hath the glory of his mercy ; fo that, while we are endeavouring our falvation, we are honouring God. What an encouragement is this to the fervice of God, to think, while I am hearing and praying, I am glorifying God ; while I am furthering my own glory in heaven, lam increafingGod's glory ? Would it not be an encouragement to a fubje6t, to hear his prince fay to him. You will honour and pleafe me very much, if you will go to yonder mine of gold, and dig as much gold for yourfelf as you can carry away ? So, for God to fay. Go to the ordinances, get as much grace as you can, dig out as much falvation as you can ; and the more happinefs you have, the more I (hall count myfelf glorified.

(8.) We glorify God, by living to God, 2 Cor. v. 15. ' that they which live, fliould not live to themfelves, but unto him who died for them.' Rom. xiv. 8. * Whether we live, we live unto the Lord.' The Mammomnift lives to his money, the Epicure lives to his belly ; the defign of a finner's life is to gratify lufl. But then we glorify God, when we live to God. Q. What is it to live to God ?

Anfw. When we live to his fervice, and lay out ourfelves wholly for God ; the Lord hath fent us into the world, as a merchant fends his factor beyond thefeas to trade for him : then we live to God, when we trade for his intereft, and propagate his gofpel. God hath given every man a talent; now, when he doth not hide it in a napkin, but improves it for God, this is to live to God. When a mailer in a family, by counfel and good example, labours to bring his fervants to Chrift; when a minifler doth exhauft himfelf in the labours of his holy calling, when he fpends himlelf, and is fpent, that he may win fouls to Chrift, and make the crown flourifh upon Chrift's head ; when the magiftrate doth not wear the fword in vain, but labours to ^ut down fin, and fupprefs vice ; this is to live to God, and this is a glorifying of God ; Phil. i. 20. • That Chrift might be magnified, whether by life or by death.* Three wilhes St. Pau<

had, and they were all about Chrill, that he may be found in Chrift, be with Chrill, and ihat he might magnify Chrilt.

(9.) We glorify God by walking cheerfully. It is a glory to God, when the world fees a Chridian hath that within him, that can make him cheerful in the word times; he can, with the nightingale, fing with a thorn at his bread. The people of God have ground of cheerfulnefs; they are juftified, and inflated into adoption; and this creates inward peace; it makes mufic within, whatever ftorms are without, 2 Cor. i. 4. 1 TheH". i. 6. if we confider what Chrill hath wrought for us by his blood, and wrought in us by his Spirit, it is a ground of great cheerfulnefs, and this cheerfulnefs, glorifies God ; it re-fle(5ls upon a mailer when the fervant is always drooping and fad, lure he is kept to hard commons, his mailer doth not give him what is fitting ; fo, when God's people hang their harps on willows, fure they do not fervea good mailer, repent of their choice; this refledts difhonour on God. As the grofs fins of the wicked bring a fcandal on the golpel, lb do the uncheerful lives of the godly, Pf. c. 2. 'Serve the Lord with gladnefs.' Your ferving him doth not glorify him, unlefs it be with gladnefs. A Chriilian's cheerful looks glorify God ; religion doth not take away our joy, but refine and clarify it; it doth not break our viol, but tunes it, and makes the mufic fweeter.

(lO.) We glorify God, by (landing up for his truths : much of God's glory lies in his truth ; God hath entrufted us with his truth, as a mailer en trulls his fervant with his purfe to keep. We have not a richer jewel to trull God with, than our fouls, God hath not a richer jewel to trull us with, than his truth : truth is a beam that fliines from God, much of his glory lies in his truth : now, when we are advocates for truth, this is to glorify God ; fo Athanafius, the bulwark for truth, JudeS. ' That ye fhould contend earnellly for the truth,' viz. the didlrine of faith. The Greek word to contend, fignifiesa great contending, as one would contend for his land, and not lutfer his right to be taken from him ; fo we fhould contend for the truth; were there more of this holy contention, God would have more glory. Some can contend earnellly for trifles and ceremonies, but not for the truth : we fliould count him indifcreet, that would contend more for a picture, than for his land of inheritance ; for a box of counters, than for his box of evidences.

(11.) We glorify God, by praifing ofhirn. Doxology, or prail'e, is a God-exalting work : Pfal. 1. 23. * Whofo otfereth prailt; glorifieth me.' The Hebrew word Bam, to create, and Barak, to praife, are little different, becaufe the end of creation is to praife God. David was called the fweet-finger of Ifrael, and his praifing God, was called a glorifying of God, PlaU

MAN S CHIEF END

Jxxxvi. 19. ' I will praife thee, O Lord my God, and I will glorify thy name.' 1'hough nothing can add to God's effential glory, yet praile exalts him in the eyes of others: when we praife God, we fpread his fame and renown, we difplay the tropliies of his excellency ; in this manner the angels glorify God, and they are the choirifters of heaven, and do trumpet forth God's praife. And praifing of God is one of the higheit and purell a6ls of religion ; in prayer we a6l like men ; in praife we a6t like angels; this is an high degree of glorifying God. Believers are called * temples of God,' 1 Cor. iii. 16\ When our tongues praife, then the organs in God's fpiritual temple are going. How fad is it, that God hath no more of his glory from us this way! Many are full of murmurings and diicon-tents, but feldom do they bring glory to God, by giving him the praile due to his name. We read of the faints having harps ij3 their hand. Rev. v. 8. the emblems of praile. Many have tears in their eyes, and complaints in their mouth, but few have harps in their hand, bleffing and glorifying of God : let us honour God this way. Praife is the quit-rent we pay to God ; while God renews our leafe, we mull renew our rent.

(12.) We glorify God, by being zealous for his name. Numb. XXV. 11. • Phineas hath turned my wrath away, while he was zealous for my lake.' Zeal is a mixed afle6lion, a compound of iove and anger; it carries forth our love to God, and anger againli fin in a moll intenfe manner : Zeal is impatient of God's dilhonour ; a Chriftian fired with zeal, takes a dilhonour done to God, worl'e than an injury done to himfelf: Rev. ii. 2. * Thou canft not bear them that are evil.' Our Saviour Chrift did thus glorify his Father: he, being baptized with a fpirit of ztal, drove the money-changers out of the temple, John ii. 14, 37. ' The zeal of thine houle hath eaten me up.'

(13.) We glorify God, when we have an eye at God, both in our natural and in our civil a6tions: 1. In our natural actions; in eating and drinking, I Cor. x. 31. * Whether therefore ye eat or drink, do all to the glory of God.' A gracious perfbn holds the golden bridle of temperance; he takes his meat as a medicine to heal the decays of nature, and that he ii^ay be the fitter, by the flrength he receives, for the fervice of God, he makes his food, not fuel for luft, but help to duty. 2. In buying and felling, we do all to the glory of God. The wicked live upon unjuft gain, either by falfifying the balance, Hof. xii. 7. ' The balances of deceit are in his hands:' While men make their weights lighter, they make their fins heavier; or, by exading more than^he commodity is worth, they do not for fourfcore write down fifty, but for fifty, fourfcore ; they ex-a6l double the price that a thing is worth : but then we buy and fell to the glory of God, when in,pur buying and felling.

we obferve that golden maxim, * To do to others, as we would have them to do to us,' Matth. vii. 12. When we do fell our commodities, that we do not Cell our confcience, Ads xxiv. l(i.

* Herein do I exercife mv lelf, to have always a conl'cience void of otrence toward God, and toward men.' This is to glorify God, when we have an eye at God in all our civil and natural a6tions^ and will do nothing that may reflect any bleraifh on religion.

(14.) We glorify God, by labouring to draw others to God ; we convert others, and fo make them inftruments of glorifying God. We fiiould be both diamonds and ioadllones ; diamonds for the luftre of grace, and Ioadllones for our attra6live virtues in drawing others to Chriil: Gal. iv. 19. ' My little children, of whom 1 travel,' &c. This is a great way of glorifying God, w4ien we break the devil's prifon, artd turn men from the power of Satan to God.

(15.) We glorify God in a high manner, when we futfer for God, and feal the gofpel with our blood; John xxi. 18, IP.

• When thou flialt be old, another fhall gird thee, and carry thee, whether thou wouldeft not; This fpake he, fignitying by what death he fhouid glorify God.' God's glory (hines in the afhes of his martyrs: Ila. xxiv. 15. * \¥herefore glorify the Lord in fires.' Micaiah was in the prifon, Ifaiah was fawn afunder, Paul beheaded, Luke hanged on an olive-tree; thus did they, by their death, glorify God. The fufferings of the primitive faints did honour God, and make the gofpel famous in the world : what would others fay ? See what a good mailer they lerve, and how they love him, that they will venture the lols of ali in his fervice. The glory of Chrift's kingdom doth not ftand in worldly pomp and grandeur, as other kings; but it is i'een in the cheerful fulFerings of his people; The faints of old * loved not their lives to the death,' Rev, xii. 11. They fnatch up torments as fo many crowns. God grant we may thus glorify him, if he calls us to it. Many pray, * Let this cup pafs away,' but not, ' thy will be done.'

(J6.) We glorify God, when we give God the glory of all we do. Herod, when he had made an oration, and the people gave a (hout, faying, * it is the voice of a God, and not of a inun ;' and he took this glory to himfelf, the text faith, * Im-medi-^teiy the angel of the Lord fniote him, becaufe he gave not God the glory, and he was eaten of worms,' A6ts xii. 23. Then we glorify God, when we facrihce the praife and glory of all 10 God, 1 Cor. xv. 10. ' I laboured more abundantly than they all,'a fpeech, one would think, favoured of pride ; but the apoftle pulls-the crown from his own head, and fets it upon the head of free-grace, ' yet not I, but the grace of God which was with ma ;' as Joab, when he fought againll Rabbah

fent for king David, that he might carry away the crown of the vidory, 2 Sam. xii. 28. So a Chriilian when he hath gotten power over any corruption, or tentation, fends for Chrift, that he may carry away the crown of the victory ; as the (ilk worm, when the weaves her curious work, Ihe liides herfelf under the filk, and is not feen; fo when we have done any thing praife-worthy, we muft hide ourfelves under the vail of humility, and transfer the glory of all we have done to God. Conftantine did ufe to write the name of Chrift over his door, fofhould we write the name of Chrift over our duties ; let him wear the garland of praife.

(17.) We glorify God, by an holy life. As a bad life doth difhonour God, 1 Pet. ii. 9. ' Ye are an holy nation, that ye fhould fhew forth the praifesof him that hath called you.' Rom. ii. 24. * The name of God is blafphemed among the Gentiles through you.' Epiphanius faith, *' That the loofenefs of fome Chrillians, in his time, made many of the heathen fhun the company of the Chriftians, and would not be drawn to hear their fermons." So, by our exaCf Bible-converiktion we glorify God. Though the main work of religion lies in the heart, yet cur light muflfo fhine, that others may behold it; the chief of building is in the foundation, yet the glory of it is in the fron-tifpiece, fo beauty in the converfation : when the faints, whoare called jewels, caft afparkUng luftreof holinefs in the eyes of the world ; then they * walk as Chrift walked,' 1 John ii. 6. when they live as if they had feen the Lord with bodily eyes, and been with him upon the mount; then they adorn religion, and bring revenues of glory to the crown of heaven.

Uj'e 1. It fliews us what fhould not be our chief end, not to get great eftates, not to lay up treafures upon earth; this is the degeneracy of mankind (ince the fall, their great defign is to compafs the earth, and grow rich; and this they make their chief end : thofe never think of glorifying God, they trade for the world, but are not fadors for heaven : Ecclef. ix. 3. • Mad-nefs is in their heart while they live.' Sometimes they never arrive at an eftate, they do not get the venifon they hunt for; or tho' they do, what have they ? that which will not fill the heart, no more than the mariner's breath will fill the fails of a Ihip ; like a pi6lure drawn on the ice, and to fpend all one's time, as Ifrael, in gathering ftraw, but remember not the end of living to glorify God : Ecclef. v. 16. ' What profit hath he that laboureth for the wind ?' And thefe things are foon gone.

Ufe 2. It reproves fuch, 1. As bring no glory to God : They do not anfwer the end of their creation, their time is not true lived, but time loft; they are like the wood of the vine, Ezek. XV. 2. Their lives are, as St. Bernard fpeaks, " Either finful" nefs or barrennefs. An ufelefs burden on the earth." God

yHfiW one day afk fuch a queftion as king Ahafuerus did, Efth. vi. 3. * What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai?' So will the Lord fay, What honour hath been done to me ? what revenues of glory have you brought into ray exchequer? There is none here prelent but God hath put you in I'ome capacity of glorifying him ; the health he hath given you, the parts, eliate, leafons of grace, thefe all are opportunities put into^^our hand to glorify him ; and, be affured God will call you to account, to know what you have done with the mercies he hath intruded you with, what glory you have brought to him. The parable of the talents, Mat. xxv. 1.5. where the man with the five talents, and the two talents are brought to a reckoning, doth evidently (hew that God will call you to a ftricl account, to know how you have traded with your talents, and what glory you have brought to him. Now how fad will it be with th'em who hide their talents in a napkin, that bring God no glory at all? ver. 30. * Call ye the unprofitable fervantinto utter darknefs.' It is not enough for you to fay, that you have not diflionoured God, you have not lived in grofs fin ; but what good have you done ; whatgiory have you brought to God ? Itis not enough tor the fervant of the vineyard, that he do no hurt in the vineyard, he doth not break the trees, or dellroy the hedges; if he doth not do fervicein the vineyard, he looft^th his pay ; if you do not good in your place, not glorify God, you will lofe your pay, mifs of falvation. Oh think of this, all you that live unferviceably ! Chrift curfed the barren fig-tree.

2. It reproves fuch as are fo far from bringing glory to God, that they rob God of his glory, Mai. iii. 8. ' Will a man rob God ? yet ye have robbed me.* They rob God, who take the glory due to God to themfelves : 1. If they have gotten an eliate, they alcribe all to their own witand induftry, they fetthe crown upon their own head, not confidering that, Deut. viii. 18. ' Thou (halt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth.' Q. If they do any duty of religion they look a fquintto their own glory. Mat. vi. 5. * That they may be feen of men,' That they may be fet upon a theatre, that others may admire and canonize them. The oil of vaia glory feeds their lamp. How many hath the wind of popular breath blown to hell } Whom the devil could not dellroy by intemperance, he hath by vain-glory.

3. It reproves them who fight againft; God's glory. Acts V. 29. * Led ye be found to tight againft God.'

Q. But icho do fight againji God's glory f

Anf. Such as do oppole tliat, whereby God's glory is promoted : God's glory is much promoted in the preaching of the word, becaufe it is his engine whereby he converts Ibuls. Now, fuch as would hinder the pr^achhig of the word, thefe fi^hfr

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againft God's glory, 1 ThefT. ii. 16. * Forbidding us to fpeak to the Gentiles, that they might be faved.' Dioclefian, who railed the 10th periecution againft the Chriftians, did prohibit church meetings, and would have the tem|jles of the Chriftians razed down ; Such as hinder preaching, do as the Phihftines that ftop the wells, they ftop the well of the water of life; they tdUe away the phyficians that fhould heal (in-fick fouls ; minifters are lights, Matth. v. 14. and who but thieves hate the light? thefe perfonsdodire6tly ftrike at God'^s glory ? and what an account will they have to give to God, when he ftiallcharge the blood of men's fouls upon them? Luke xi. 5^. ' Ye have taken away the key of knowledge; ye entered not in yourfelves and them that were entering in ye hindered.' If there be either juflice in heaven, or fire in hell, they (hall not go unpunilhed. Ufe. 4. Exhortation, let us every one, in our place, make this our chief end and defign to glority God : 1. Let me fpeak to niagiftrates; God hath put much glory upon them, Pf. Ixxxii. 6. ' I have faid ye are gods ; and will they not glorify him whom he hath put fo much glory upon? Magiftrates Ihould be zealous for God's worfliip and day ; they fhould not let the fword rultin the fcabbard, but draw it out for the cutting down of lin. 2. Minifters how fhould they ftudy to promote God's glory ; God hath entrufted them with two of the moft precious things, liis truths, and the fouls of his people. Minifters are, by virtue of their oftice, to glorify God : 1. They murt glorify God by labouring in the word and doClrine ; 2 Tim. iv. 1. * I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jefus Chrift, who fhall judge the quick and the dead : preach the word, be inftant in I'ealbn, out of I'eafon,' &c. It was Aguftine's wifli, " that Chrift at his coming, might find him either praying or preaching." 2. Minifters muft glorify God by ther Zealand fan6tity. The priePis under the law before they ferved at the altar, did wafli in the laver: fuch as ferve in the Lord's houfe, muft firft. be waftied fromgrofs fin in the laver of repentance. It is mat-^ ter of grief and ftiame, to think how many, who call themfelves minifters, do, inftead of apparently bringing glory to God, dif-lionour God, 2 Chron. xi. 16. Their lives, as well as doctrines, are heterodox, they are not free from the fins which they reprove in others. Plutarch's fervant upbraided him, " It is not as my malter Plutarch faith ; he hath written a book againft wrath, anger, etipjimihi irafcitur, yet he falls into a palfion of anger with me :" So this miniller preacheth againft drunken-nels, yet he will be drunk ; he preacheth againft fwearing, yet he will fwear ; this reproacheth God, and makes the offering of the Lord to be abhorred. 3. Matters of families, do ye glorify God, feafon your children and fervants with the knowledge of the Lord ; your houfes fhould be little churches, Gen. xviii. 19.

IS TO GLORIFY GOD. S7

* I know that Abraham will command his children that they may keep the way of the Lord.' You that are mailers, know you have a charge of fouls under you ; for want of the bridle of family difcipline, youth runs wild ; well, let me lay down fome motives to glorify God.

1. Mot. It will be a great comfort in a dying hour, to think we have glorified God in our lives ; it was Chriit's comfort before his death : John xvii. 3. * I have glorified thee on earth.* At the hour of death, all your earthly comforts will vanilh : if you thinkhow rich you have been, what pleafures you havehad on earth ; this will be fo far from comforting you, that it will but torment you the more : what is one the better for an eftate that is fpent ? But now, to have confcience telling you, that you have glorified God on earth, what fweet comfort and peace will this let into your foul! how will this make you long for death ! Tlie fervant that hath been all day working in the vineyard, longs till evening comes, when he (hall receive his pay. They who have lived, and brought no glory to God, how can they think of dying with comfort ? They cannot expert an harveit, that never lowed any feed : how can they expect glory from God, that never brought any glory to him ? O in what horror will they be at death ! the worm of Confcience will knaw their fouls, before the worms are knawing their bodies.

2. Mot' If we glorify God, he will glorify our fouls for ever ; by raifing God's glory, we increafe our own ; by glorifying God, we come at laft to the bleifed enjoying of him. And that brings me to the 2d, * The enjoying of God.'

^2dly, Man's chief end is to enjoy God for ever, Pf. Ixxiii. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee ? that is, what is there in heaven I defire to enjoy but thee ? There is a twofold fruition, or enjoying of God ; the one is in this life, the other in the life to come.

lit. An enjoying of God here in this life : The enjoying of ^od's prefence ; it is a great matter to enjoy God's ordinances (a mercy that fome do envy us) but to enjoy God's prefence; in the ordinances, is that which a gracious heart afpires after, Pfal. Ixiii. 2. ' To fee thy glory fo as I have feen thee in the fan6l;uary.' This fweet enjoying of God, is, when we feel his Spirit co-operating with the ordinance, and diftilling grace upon our hearts: 1. When in the word the Spirit doth quicken and raife the affe6tions, Luke xxiv, 32. * Did not our hearts burn within us?' 2. When the Ipirit doth transform the heart, leaving an imprefs of holinefs upon it, 2. Cor. iii. 8. ' We are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory.' When the Spirit doth revive the heart with comfort, it comes not only with its anointing, but its feal ; it iheds God's love abroad in the heart, Rom. v. 5. This is to enjoy God in an ordinance,

D 2

1 John V. 3. * Our fellowfhip is with the Father, and with his Son JefusChrifl:.' In the word, we hear God's vwce, and in thefacranient we have his kils ; this is enjoying of'God : and what infinite content doth a gracious Ibul find in this ! The heart being warmed and inflamed in a duty, this is God's anfwering by fire. When a Chrifl:ian hath thefvveet illaples of God's Spirit, ihefe are the firll fruits of glory, when God comes down to the foul in an ordinance : Now, Chrift hath pulled off his vail, and (howed his fmiling face ; now, he hath led a believer into the banqueting-houfe, and given him of the fpiced wine of his love to drink ; he hath put in his finger at the hole of the door ; he hath touched the heart, and made it leap for joy ; O how fweet is it thub to enjoy God ! The godly have, in the ufe of the ordinances, had Cuch divine raptures of joy, and foul transfigurations, that they have been carried above the world, and have defpifed all things here below.

Uj'e 1. Is the enjoying of God in this life fo fweet? How prodigioufly wicked are they that prefer the enjoying of their lulls, before the enjoying of God! 2 Pet. iii. 3. * The lull of the flefh, the lull of the eye, the pride of life,' is the Trinity they worfliip. Lull is an inordinate defire or impulfe, provoking the loul to that which is evil; there is the revengeful lull, and the wanton lull. Lufl is like a feverifli heat, it puts the foul into a flame. Arillotle calls fenfual luft;s brutifli, becaule, when any luft is violent, reafon or confcience cannot be heard, the beall rides the m^n : thele lufts, when they are enjoyed, do befot and difpirit perfons, Hof. iv. 11. * Whoredom and wine take away the heart;' they have no heart for any thing that is good. How many make it their chief end, not to enjoy God, but to enjoy their lulls; as that Cardinal faid, *• Let him but keep his cardinal-fliip of Paris, and he was content to lofe his part in Paradife." Lull firll bewitcheth with pleafure, and then conies the fatal dart, Prov. vii. 23. ' Till a dart ftrike through his liver.' This Ihould be as a flaming fword to Hop men in the way of their carnal delights. Who would for a drop of pleafure, drink a (isa of wrath ?

Uf'e 2. Let it be our great care to enjoy God's fweet prefence here, which is the beauty and comfort of the ordinances. Enjoying Ipiritual communion with God, is a riddle and myllery to moii people ; every one that hangs about the court doth not fpeak with the King. We may approach to God in ordinances, and, as it were, hang about the court of heaven, yet not enjoy communion with God : we may have the letter without the Spirit, the vifible fign without the invifible grace : it is the enjoying of God in a duty we Ihould chiefly look at, Pfal. xlii, S. * My foul thirlleth for God, for the living God.' Alas! what are ail our worldly enjoyments without the enjoying of

God ? What is it to enjoy a frreat deal of health, a brave efiate, and not to enjoy God ? Job xxx. '28. ■' I went mourning without the fun.' So niayeit thou fay in the enjoyment of all creatures without God, * I went rtjourning without the fun.' I have the tlar-light of outward enjoyments, but I cannot enjoy God, I want the Sun of Righteoufnefs. * I went mourning without the fun.' This fliould be our great delign, not only to have the ordinances of God, but the God of the ordinances : the enjoying of God's fweet prefence with us here, is the molt contented life : he is an hive of fweetnefs, a magazine of riches, a fountain of delight, Pfal. xxxvi. 8, 9. The higher the lark flees, the fvveeter it lings; and the higher we fly by the wing of faith, the more of God we enjoy, the fweeter delight we feel in our Ibuls. How is the heart inflamed in prayer and meditation ? What joy and peace in believing? Is it not comfortable being in heaven ? He that enjoys much of God in this life, carries heaven about him. O let this be the thing we are chiefly ambitious of, the enjoying of God in his ordinances; remember, the enjoying of God's fweet prefence here, is an earnell of our enjoying him in heaven.

And that brings us to the fecond thing, viz.

2d, The enjoying of God in the life to come: Man's chief end is to enjoy God for ever. Before this plenary fruition of God in heaven, there mufl be fomething previous and antecedent ; and that is, our being in a ftate of grace : We mull have conformity to him in grace, before we can have communion with him in glory ; grace and glory are linked and chained together; grace precedes glory, as the morning-ftar ufliers in the fun. God will have us qualified and fitted for a Hate of bleffed-nels : drunkards and fwearers are not fit to enjoy God in glory ; the Lord will not lay fuch vipers in his bofom ; only the * pure in heart (hall fee God :' we muftfirft be, astheking'sdaughter, glorious within, before we are clothed with the robes of glory. As king Ahafuerus lirft caufed the virgins to be purified and anointed, and they had their fweet odours to perfume them, and then they went to ftand before the king, Etih. ii. 12. ib mufl we, we mull have the anointing of God, and be perfumed with the graces of the Spirit, thofe iweet odours, and then we ihall fland before the king of tieaven : now, being thus divinely qualified by grace, we fhall be taken up to the mount of vifion, and enjoy God for ever : this enjoying God for ever, is nothing eife but to be put to a itate of happinefs. As the body cannot have life, but by having communion with the foul; fo the foul cannot have blelTednefs, but by having immediate communioa with God. God is the/wmmwrn ionum, the chief good ; therefore the enjoying of him is the higheft felicity ; he is, I fay, the chief good.

1. He is an univerfal good ; bonum in quo omnia bona, '* A. good, in which are all goods." The excellencies of the creature are Hmited A man may have health, not beauty ; learning, not parentage ; riches, not wifdom : but in God are eminently contained all excellencies : He is a good, commenfurate fully to the Ibul; he is a fun, a portion, an horn ot'falvation ; in him dwells • all fulneis,' Col. i. U). 2. God is an unmixed good : no condition in this life but hath its mixture ; for every drop of honey there is a drop of gall. Solomon, who gave him-felf to find out this philofopher's ftone,tofearch out for an hap-pinefs here below, he found vanity and vexation, Eccl. i. 2. But God is a perfe6t, quinteffential good. He is fweetnefs in the flower. 3. God is a fatisfying good. The foul cries out, I have enough, Pfal. xvii. 15. ' I fliall be fatisfied with thy likenefs.' A man that is thirfty, bring him to the ocean, and he hath enough. If there be enough in God to fatisfy the angels, then Aire, enough to fatisfy us. The foul is but finite, but God is an uncreated infinite good. And yet though God be fuch a good as doth fatisfy, yetnotfurfeit. Frelhjoys fpring continually from God's face ; and God is as much to be defired after millions of years by glorified fouls, as at the firfl; moment. There is fb much fulnefs in God as fatisfies, yet fo much fweetnefs, that the Ibul fl.ill defires ; it is fatisfaclion without iurfeit. 4. God is a delicious good. That which is the chief good mull ravifli the foul with pleafure ; there mufl; be in it fpirits of delight and quinteflence of joy ; and this is to be enjoyed only in God. In Deo qnadam dulcedine delectatiir anima, immo rapHar : The love of God drops fijch infinite fuavity into the foul as is unfpeakable and full of glory. If there be fo much delight in God, when we fee him only by faith, I Peter i. 8. what will the joy of vifion be, when we (hall fee him face to face? If the faints have found fb much delight in God while they were fuf-fering, O then what joy and delight will they have when they are crowning! If flames are beds of roles, O then what will it be to lean on the bofom of Jefus ! what a bed of rofes will that be ! 5. God is a fuperlative good. He is better than any thing you can put in competition with him ; he is better than health, riches, honour. Other things maintain life, he gives life. But who would go to put any thing in balance with the Deity ? who would weigh a feather with a mountain of gold ? God excels all other things more infinitely than the fun the light of a taper, t). God is an eternal good : He is the ancient of Days, Dan. vii. 9. yet never decays, nor waxes old. The joy he gives is eternal, the crown fadeth not away, 1 Peter v. 4. Theglorified foul fhall ever be folacing itfelf in God ; it Ihaii be fealling on his love, and funning itfelf in the light of his countenance. We read of the river of pleafure at God's right hand ; but will not

this in time be dried up ? No, there is a fountain at the bottom which feeds it : Pfal. xxxvi. 9. * With the Lord is the fountain of life.' Thus God is the chief good ; and the enjoyingj God for ever is the fupreme fehcity the foul is capable of.

1. Uje of Exhortation. Let it be the chief end oTour living to enjoy this chief good hereafter ; this is that which will crown us with happinefs, Auftin reckons up 288 opinions among the philofophers about happinefs, but all did (hoot fliort of the mark. The higheft elevation of a reafonable tbul is to enjoy God for ever. It is the enjoying God that makes heaven, 1 Theif. iv. 17. * Then Ihall we ever be with the Lord.' The foul trembles, as the nee(:le in the compafs, and is never at rell till it comes to God. To fet out this excellent flate of a glorified foul's enjoying God : 1. This enjoying of God muft not be underftood in a fenCual manner ; we mull not conceive any carnal pleafures m heaven. The Turks in their Alcoran fpeak of a paradife of pleafure, where they have riches in abundance, and red wine ierved in golden chalices. Here is an heaven confifting of plea-iures for the body ; the epicures of this age would like fuch an heaven wlien they die. Though indeed the (late of glory be compared to a feaft, and is fet out by pearls and precious ftones, yet thefe metaphors are only to be helps to our faith, and to fhow us that there is fuper-abundant joy and felicity in the empyrean heaven ; but thofe are not carnal, but facred delights : as our employment Qiall be fpiritual, it will confift in adoring and praifing of God : So our enjoyment fliall be fpiritual, it (hall confilt in having the perfe6tlon of holinefs, in feeing the pure face of Chrill, in feeling the love of God, in converfing with heavenly fpirits : thefe delights will be more adequate and proper for the (oul, and infinitely exceed all carnal voluptuous delights. 2. We (hall have a lively fenfe of this glorious etVate. A man in a lethargy, though he be alive, yet he is as good as dead, becaufe he is not fenfible, nor doth he take any pleafure in his life ; we (ball have a quick and lively fenfe of the infinite pleafure which arifeth from enjoyment of God ; we (hall know ourfelves to be happy, we (hall re(le6l with joy upon our dignity and felicity ; we (hall tafte every crumb of that fweet-uefs, every drop of that pleafure which flows from God. 3. We (hall be made able to bear a fight of that glory : we could not now bear that glory, it would overwhelm us: as a weak eye cannot behold the fun ; but God will capacitate us for glory ; our fouls fliall be fo heavenly, and perfected with holinels, that they may be able to enjoy the blefled vifion of God. Mofes in a cleft of the rock faw the glory of God pafiiug by, Exod. xxxiii. 21. Through that bleifed rock Chrifi, we fliall behold the beatifical fight of God. 4. This enjoyment of God fhall be more than a bare contemplation of him. Some of the learned

$^ man's CHIEF EHD

move the queflion, Whether the enjoyment of God Oiall he only by way of contemplation ? Anl". That is Something, but it is but pm hall of heaven ; there [liall be a loving of God, an acquief-cence in him, a tailing his fweetnefs ; not only inlpeclion but poUeflion, John xvii. 24. * That they may behold my ^lory ;* there is iulpedion: Ver. 26. ' And the giory thou hall given I me, have given them ;* there is pollellion. * Giory fhall be re-vealed in us,' Rom. viii. IS. not only revealed to us, but in us. To behold God's glory, there is glory revealed to us; but to partake oi his giory, there is glory revealed in us. As the fpunge fucks in the wine, lb fliall we fuck in glory. There is no inter* miifion in this Hate of glory. We fliall not only have God's glorious prefence at certain fpecial fealbns, but we Ihall be continually in his prefence, continually under divine raptures of joy. There fliall not be one minute in heaven, wherein a glorified foul may fay, I do not enjoy happinefs. The llreams of glory are not like the water of a conduit, often Hopped, that we cannot have one drop of water; but thoie heavenly Itreams of joy are continually running. O how fliould we defpile this valley of tears, where we now are, for the mount of transfiguration ! how Ihould we long for the full enjoyment of God in paradile ! Had we a fight of that land of promiie, we (hould need patience to be content to live here any longer.

2. Let this be a fpur to duty. How diligent and zealous fhould we be in glorifying God, that we come at lad to enjoy him ? If TuUy, Demollhenes, Plato, who had but the dim watch-light of reafbn to fee by, and did but fancy an elyfiuna and happinels after this life, did take fuch Herculean pains to enjoy it; O then how fliould Chrillians, who have the light of fcriptqre tofeeby, beftir themfelves, that they mayattend^at the eternal fruition of God and glory! If any thing may make us rife otf our bed of floth, and feive God with all our might, it fhould bethis; the hope of our near enjoyment of God forever. What made Paul fo active in ihefphere of religion ? 1 Cor. xv, 10. * I laboured more abundantly than they all.' His obedience did not move flow, as the fun on the dial; but fwift, as the fun in the firmament. Why was he fo zealous in glorifying God, but that he might at lalt centre and terminate in him ? 1 Theff. iv. 17. ' Then ihall w^ be ever with the Lord.'

3(1, Uj'e of Conjolatwn. Let this comfort the godly in all the prefent miferies they ftel. Thou complainell, Chriftian, thou doll not enjoy thyfelf, fears difquiet thee, wants perplex thee; in the day ihou canft not enjoy eafe, in the night thou canll not enjoy fleep : thou dolt not enjoy the con»forts of thy lite. Let this revive thee, that fliortly thou flialt enjoy God, and then Ihalt h<jv€ more than thou canft alk or think; thou ihalt have

angels joy, glory without intermiffion and expiration. We (hall never enjoy ourlblves fully, till we enjoy God eternally.

OF THE SCRIPTURES.

Q. II. WHAT rule hath God given to direct us hoio we may glorify and enjoy him ?

Anf. The word of" God (which is contained in the fcriptures of the Old and New Teftanient) is the only rule to dire6t us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

2 Tim. iii. 1(5. ' All fcripture is given by the infpiration of God,' ^c. By fcripture is underfiood the iacred book of God. -Alt is given by divine infpiration ; that is, the fcripture is not the contrivance of man's brain, but of a divine origmal. The image of Diana was had in veneration by the Ephefians, be-caufe they did fuppofe it fell from Jupiter, A6tsxix. 35. This book then of the holy fcripture is to be highly reverenced and elleemed, becaufe we are fure it came from heaven, 2 Pet. i. 21. The two Teftaments are the two lips by which God hath fpoken to us.

Q. How doth it appear that the fcriptures have a Jus Divinum, a divine authorityJiamped upon them?

Anf. Becaufe the Old and New Teftament are the foundation of all religion. If their divinity cannot be proved, the foundation is gone on which we build our faith. I fliall therefore endeavour to evince this great truth, that the fcriptures are the very word of God. I wonder whence the Icriptures Ihould come, if not from God. 1. And bad men could not be the authors of fcripture ; would their minds be employed in indi6t-ing fuch holy lines? would they declare fo fiercely againll fin ? 2. Good men could not be the authors of fcripture. Could they write in fuch aflrain? or could it ftand with their grace to counterfeit God's name, and put. Thus faith the Lord, to a book of their own devifing } 3. Nor could any angel in heaven be the author of fcripture, becaufe, 1. The angels pry and fearch into the abyfs of gofpel myfleries, 1 Pet. i. 1'2. which implies their nefcience of feme parts of fcripture; and fure they cannot be authors of that book which themfelves do not fully underlland. Befides, 2. What angel in heaven durfl be fo arrogant as to perfbnate God, and fay, 'I create,' Ila. Ixv. 17. and ' I the Lord have laid it,' Numb. xiv. S3. So that it is evident, the pedigree of fcripture is facred, and it could come from none but God himleif.

Not to fpeak of the harmonious confent of all the parts of

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fcripture, there are feven cogent arguments which may evince it to be the word of God.

1. By its antiquity: It is of ancient (landing. The grey hairs of fcripture make it venerable. No human hiflories extant reach fiu'llier than fiuce Noah's flood ; but the holy fcripture relates matters of fa6t that have been from the beginning of the world ; it writes of things before time. Now, that is a fure rule of Tertullian, *' That which is of the greatell antiquity, id verum quod primum, is to be received as moil facred and authentic."

2. We may know the fcriptures to be the word of God, by the miraculous prefervation of it in all ages. The holy fcriptures are the richell jewel that Chrill liath left; and the church of God hath keptthefe public records of heaven, that they have not been loll. The word of God hath never wanted enemies to oppofe, and, if pollible, to extirpate it. They have given out a law concerning fcripture, as Pharaoh did the midwives concerning the Hebrew women's children, to llrangle it in the birth ; yet God hath preferved this blelfed book inviolable to this day. The devil and his agents have been blowing at fcrip-ture-light, but could never prevail to blow it out; a clear fign that it was lighted from heaven. Nor hath the church of God, in all revolutions and changes, only kept the fcripture that it fhould not be loft, but that it fliould not be depraved. The letter of fcripture hath been preferved, without any corruption, in the original tongue. The fcriptures were not corrupted before Chrill's time, for then Chrift would never have fent the Jews to the fcriptures; but he fends them to the fcriptures, John V. 39. ' Search the fcriptures.' Chrift knew thefefacred fprings were not muddied with human fancies.

4. The fcripture appears to be the word of God, by the matter contained in it. (1.) By its profundity. The myftery of fcripture is fo abllrufe and profound, that no manor angel could have known it, had it not been divinely revealed. That eternity (hould be born ; that he who thunders in the heavens fhould cry in the cradle ; that he who rules the ilars, (liould luck the breads ; that the Prince of life fhould die ; that the Lord of glory fhould be put to (hame; that fin fliould be punilhed to the full, yet pardoned to the full; who could ever have conceived of fuch a myllery, had not the fcripture been the oracle to reveal it to us? So, for the do6trine of the refurre6lion, that the fame body which is crumbled into a thoufand pieces, fhould rife idem numero, the fame individual body, (for elle it were a creation, not a refurre«5lion.) How could fuch a facred riddle, above all human difquifition, be known, had not the fcripture made adifcovery of it? (2.) By its purity. It is, for the matter of it, lb full of goodnefs, jullice and fundity, that it could be

breathed from none but from God ; the holinefs of it fliews it to be of God, it bears his very image. The fcripture is compared to filver refined feven times, Pfal. xii. 6. This book of God haih no errata in it: it is a beam of the Sun of Righteouf-iiefs, a cryftal Itrram flowing from the fountain of life. All laws and edi6ls of men have had their corruptions, but the word of God hath not the leail tin6lure, it is of a meridian fplendor, Pfal. cxix. 140. ' Thy word is very pure,' like wine that comes from the grape, which is not mixed nor adulterated. It is fo pure, that it purities everything elfe, John xvii. 17. * Sandify them through thy truth.' The fcripture preffeth holinefs, fo as never any book did : it bids us ' live foberly, righteoufly, godiv,' Tit. ii. 12. Soberly, in a6tsof temperance; righteoufly, in acts of juilice ; godly, in the a6ts of zeal and devotion. It commends to us, * whatever is juft, lovely, and of good report/ Phil. iv. 8. This fword of the Spirit, Eph. vi. 17. cuts down vice. Out of this tower of fcripture is thrown down a milllone upon the head of fin. The Icripture is the royal law, which commands not only the adions, but affe6tions; it binds the heart to its good behaviour. Where is there fuch holinefs to be found, as is digged out of this iacred mine? who could be the author of fuch a laook but God himfelf ?

4. That the fcripture is the word of God, is evident by its predi6tions ; it prophefieth of things to come. This fliows the voice of God fpeaking in it; it was foretold by the prophet, ' A virgin Ihallconceive,' lia. vii. 14. and, the ' Mefliah fliall be cut off,' Dan. ix. 2(i. The fcripture foretels things that fliould fall out many ages and centuries after ; as how long Ifrael fnouid ferve in the iron furnace, and the very day of their deliverance, Exod. xii. 41. ' At the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the (elf-fa me day, it came to pals, that the hoft of the Lord went out of Egypt.' This prediction of future things, merely contingent, and not depending upon natural caufes, is a clear denionitration of its divine original.

5. The impartiality of thole men of God, who wrote the fcriptures; they do not fpare to let down their own failings. What man that writes an hiftory, would black his own face, viz. record thole things of himfelf, that might ftain his reputation ; Moles records his own impatience when he (truck the rock, and tells us, therefore he could not enter into the land of prouiii'e. David writes of his own adultery and bloodlhed, which (lands as a blot in his fcutcheon to fucceeding ages. Peter relates his own pufillanimity in denying Chrifl:. Jonah lets down hisown paflTions, * I do well to beangry to thedeath.' Surely, had not their pen been guided by God's own hand, they would never have written that which did reflect diflionour upon themCelves. Men do ufually rather hide their blemiOics, than

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publiOi them to the world : but tliefe penmen of holy fcrlpture eclipfe their own name ; they take away all the glory from them-felves, and give the glory to God.

6. The mighty power and efficacy the word hath had upon the fouls and conlciences of men. (I.) It hath changed their hearts. (2.) Some by reading of Icripture have been turned into other men, they have been made holy and gracious. By reading other books the lieart may be warmed, but by reading this book it is transformed, 2 Cor. iii. 3. * Ye are manifeftly declared to be the epillle of Chrift, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.' The word was copied out into their hearts, and they were become Chrift's epiftle, fo that others might read Chriil in them. If you fliould let a leal upon marble, and it fliould make an impreflion upon the marble, and leave a print behind, there were a llrange virtue in that feal: fo, when the feal of the word leaves a heavenly print of grace upon the heart, there muft needs be a power going along with that word no lefs than divine. ("2.) It hath comforted their hearts. When Chriftians have (itten by the rivers weeping, the word hath dropped as honey, and fweetly revived them. A Chriftian's chief comfort is drawn outofthele wells of ialvation ; Rom. XV. 4. ' That we thro' comfort of the fcriptures might have hope.' When a poor foul hath been ready to faint, he hath had nothing to comfort him but a Icripture cordial. Wheri he hath been fick, the word hath revived him ; 2 Cor. iv. 17. * Our light affli6lion, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' When he hath been deferted, the word hath dropped in the golden oil of joy into his heart. Lam. iii. 31. ' The Lord will not caft off for ever.' He may change his providence, not his purpole; he may have the look of an enemy, but the heart of a father. Thus the word hath a power in it to comfort the heart; Pfal. cxix. 50. • I'his is my comfort in mine afflidlion ; for thy word hath quickened me.' As the fpirits are conveyed through the arteries of the body ; fo divine comforts are conveyed through the promifes of the word. Now the fcriptures having fuch an exhilarating heart-comforting power in them, it fliovvs clearly, that they are of God, and it is he that hath put this milkof con-Iblation into thefe brealls.

7. The great miracles wherewith the Lord hath confirmed fcripture. Miracles were ufed by Moles, Elijah, Chriil, and continued many years after by theapoitles, to confirm the verily of the holy Icriptures. As props are let under weak vines, fo thefc miracles were fet under the weak faith of men, that if they would not believe the writings of the word, yet they might believe the miracles. We read of God's dividing the waters, making a cauleway in the i'en for his people to go over, the iron

fwimmlng, the oil increafing by pouring out, Chfift's making wine of water, his curing the blind, and raifing the dead : thus God hath let a leal to the truth and divinity of the Icripture by miracles.

Object. The Papi/ts indeed cannot deny hut that the fcripture is divine and/acred; but they affirm, that quoad nos»^ ivith re-fpect to us, it receives its divine authority from the church, and they brinjr that fcripture, 1 Tim. iii. 13. where the church is faid to he the ground and pillar of truth,

Anf. It is true, the church is the pillar of truth ; but it doth not therefore follow, that the Icripture hath its authority fromi the church. The king's proclamation is fixed on a pillar, the pillar holds it out, that all may read, but the proclamation doth not receive its authority from the pillar, but from the king; fo tjie church holds forth the Icriptures, but they do not receive their authority from the church, hut from God. If the word of God ftiould be divine becaule the church holds it forth, then it will follow, that our faith isto be built upon the church, and not upon the word ; contrary to that, Eph. ii. 20. ' Built upon the foundation (that is the doctrine) of the apoftles and prophets.'

Qu. Are all the hooks in the Bible of the fame divine authority ?

Anf. Thofe which we call canonical.

Qu. Why are the fcriptures called canonical?

Anf. Becaule the word is a rule of faith, a canon todirecl our lives. The word is the judge of controverfies, the rock of infallibility ; that only is to be received for truth, which is con-Ibnant to, and agrees with fcripture, as the tranfcript with the original. All maxims in divinity are to be brought to the touch-Itone of fcripture, as all meal'ures are brought to the itandard.

Qu. Are the fcriptures a complete rule f

Anf. The fcripture is a full and perfect canon, containing in it all things neceliary to falvation, 2 Tim. iii. 13. 'From a child thou hall known the holy fcriptures, which are able to make thee wife unto falvation.' It (hews the Credenda, what we are to believe; and Agenda, what we are to practife. It gives us an exa6t model of religion, and perfectly inllructs us in the deep things of God. The Papids therefore make them-i'elves guilty, who go to feek out Icripture with their traditions, to which they equallize it. The council of Trent faith. That the traditions of the church of Rome are to be received pari pietatus affeclu, with the lame devotion that fcripture is to be received with ; fo bring thenifelves under that curie, Rev. xxii.' 18. ' If any man fhall add unto thele things, God Ihall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.'

Q. What is the main fcope and end of fcripture t

A??/. To chalk out a way to falvation. It makes a clear dif-covery of Chrifi:, John xx. 31. ' Thefe things are written, that ye might believe that Jefus is the Chriil, aiul that believing ye might have life through his name.' The defign of the word is to be an examine, whereby our grace is to be tried ; a fea-mark to fhow us what rocks we are to avoid. The word is to fubli-mate and quicken our affections: it is to be our directory and confolatory ; it is to waft us over to the land of promife.

Q. Who fliall have the power of interpreting J'criptures 9

The Papifts do aifert, that it is in the power of the church. If you aflc who they mean by the church, they fay, the Pope who is head of it, and he is infallible ; fb Bellarmine. But that affertion is falfe, becaufe many of the Popes have been ignorant aud vicious, as Platinaaflirms, who writes of the livesof Popes: Pope Liberius was an Arian, and Pope John XII. denied the immortality of the foul; therefore Popes are not fit interpreters offcripture: who then?

Anf. The fcripture is to be its own interpreter, or rather the Spirit fpeaking in it; nothing can cut the diamond but the diamond; nothing can interpret fcripture, but fcripture; the i'xxn beft difcovers itfelf by its own beams; the fcripture interprets itfelf in eafy places to the underftanding. But the quef-tion is concerning hard places of fcripture, where the weak Chriftian is ready to wade beyond his depth, who fhali interpret here?

AriC- In the church, God hath appointed fome to expound and interpret fcripture; therefore he hath given gifts to men ; the feveral pallors of churches, like bright conllellations, give light to dark fcriptures, Mai. ii. 7. * The prieils lips fhould keep knowledge, and they fliould leek the law at his mouth.*

Q. But this is to pin our faith upon men ?

Anf. We are to receive nothing for current but what is agreeable to the word; as God hath given to his minillers gifts for the interpreting obfcure places, lb he hath given to his people fo much of the f'pirit of difcerning, that they can tell (at leaft in things neceHary to falvation) what is confonant to fcripture, and what is not; 1 Cor. xii. 10. * To one is given a fpirit of prophecy, to another difcerning of fpirits :* God hath endued his people with I'uch a meafure of wifdom and dil'cretion, that they can difcern between truth and error, and judge what is found, and what is fpurious, A6ts xvii. 11, ♦ 'Ihe Bereans fearched the fcriptures daily, whether thole things were fo:' They weighed the dodrine they heard, whether it was agreeable to fcripture, though Paul and Silas were their teachers, 2 Tim. iii. 16.

life 1. See the wonderful goodnefs of God, who, befides the ight of nature^ hath committed to us the facred fcriptures.

Tlie heathens are inveloped with ignorance, Pfal. dxvii. 20. * As for liis judgments ilie\? have not known ihem.' They have the oracles of the Sybils, but noi the writings of Mofesand the apo(tles. How many hve in the region of death, where this bright ftar of fcripture never appeared! We have this bleiied book of God to relblve ail our caies, to chalk out a way of life to us. John xiv. 22. * Lord, how is it thou wilt manifeftthy-feifuMto us, and not unto the world ?'

(<2.) Seeing God hath given us his written word to he our directory, this takes away all excufes from men. No man can fay, I went wrong for want of a light ; no, God hath given thee his word as a lamp to thy feet; therefore now, if thou goefb wrong, thou dofl it wilfully. No man can fay, If I hud known the will of God, I would have obeyed ; no, thou art inexcufable, Q man, God hath given thee a rule to go by, he hath written his law with his own finger ; therefore now, if thou obeyeft not, thou haft no apology left. If a mailer leaves his mind in writing with his fervant, and tells him what work he will have done, yet the fervant neglects the work, that fervant is left without excufe, John xv. 22. ' Now you have no cloke for your fins.*

U/e 2. Is all fcripture of divine infpiration > is it a book made by God himlelf? Then this reproves, I. The Papilts, who take away part of fcripture, and fo clip the King of heaven's coin ; they expunge the fecond commandment, out of their catechifm^, becaufe it makes againll images : it is ui'ual with ihem, if they meet with any thing in fcripture which they diflike, either they put a falfe glofs upon it, or, if that will not do, pretend it is corrupted ; thefe are like Ananias, who kept back part of the money, A6ls v. 2. fo they keep back part of the fcripture from the people. This is an high aft'ront to God, to deface and obliterate any part of his word: by this they bring themfelves under that premunire. Rev. xxii. 9. ' If any man fliall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God (hall take away his part out of the book of life.' la all fcripture of divine infpiration ? 2. It condemns the Antinomians, that lay afide the Old Teftament as ufelefs, and out of date; they call them Old-Tellament Chriftians: God hath Itamped a divine majefty upon both Teftaments ; and till they can (hew tne where God hath given a repeal to the Old, it Hands in force. The two Teitaments are the two wells oflalvation; the Antinomians would (lop up one of thefe wells, they would dry up one of the breafts of fcripture. There is much gofpel in the Old Teftament; the comforts of the gofpel in the New Teftament have their rife from the Old. The great promife of the Melfiali is in the Old Teftament, * A virgin (hall conceive and bear ?i fon :'—Nay, I fay more, the moral law, in fbme parts of it, fi)eaks gofpel, ' I am the Lord thy God ;' here is the pure wine

of the gofpcl. The faint's great charter, where God proniifeth to * fprhiUle clean water upon them, and put his Spirit within them,* is to be found primarily in the Old Teftament, Ezek. xxxvi.25, ^6. So that they who take away the Old Tella-ineiit, do, as Samfon, pull down the pillars, they would take away the pillars of a Chridian's comfort. 3. It condemns the Entliuli.ills, who, pretending the Spirit, lay afide the whole Bible ; ihey fay the fcripture is a dead letter and they live above it. What imprudence is this ? Till we are above fin, we fliall not be above fcripture. Let not men talk of a revelation from the Spirit, fufpe(A it to be an impoilure ; the Spirit of God ads regularly, it works in and by the word ; and he that pretends to a new light, which is either above the word, or contrary to it, abufeth both himfelf and the Spirit: his light is borrowed from him who transforms himfelf into an angel of light. 4. It condemns the (lighters of fcripture: fuch are they, who can go whole weeks and months and never read the word. They lay it afide as rufty armour; they prefer a play or romance before Icripture, the magnalia legis are to them miniitula. O how many can be looking their faces in a glafs all the morning, but their eyes begin to be fore, when they look upon a Bible! heathens die in the want of fcripture, and thefeinthe contempt of it. They furely mult needs go wrong who flight their guide ; fuch as lay the reins upon the neck of their lulls, and never ufe the curbing bit of fcripture to check them, are carried to hell, and never fiop. 5. It condemns the abufers of fcripture : (1.) Who do mud and poifon this pure cryflal fountain with their corrupt gloffes ; who wrefl fcripture, 2 Pet. iii. 16. The Greek word is, they fet it upon the rack ; they give wrong interpretations of it, not comparing fcripture with fcripture : as the An-tinomians pervert that fcripture. Numb, xxiii. 21. * He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob;' hence they infer, God's people may take liberty in fin, becaufe God fees no fin in them. It is true, God fees no fin in his people with an eye of revenge, but he fees it with an obfervation. He fees not fin in them, fo as to damn them ; but he fees it, fo as to be angry, and feverely to punifh them. Did not David find it fo, when he cried out of his broken bones? In like manner the A rminians wrefl fcripture, John v. 40. ' Ye will not come to me ;' here they bring in free will. This text fliows 1. How willing God is that we fhould have life ; 2. That finners may do no more than they do ; they may improve the talents God hath given them : but it doth not prove the power of free-will, for it is contrary to that fcripture, John vi. 44. * No man can come to me, except the Father which hath lent me draw him.' Thefe therefore writing the text fo hard, as they make the blood come ; they do not compare fcripture with fcripture. (2.) Who do jell with fcripture .^

When they are fad, they take the fcripture as their lute or minllrei to play with, and fo drive away the iadfpirit; as that drunkard I have read of, who, having drunk otf hiscups, called to fome of his fellows. Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. In the fear of God, take heed of this. Eulebius tells us of one, who took a piece of fcripture to make a jell of, who wag prefently ftruck with a frenzy and ran mad. And, it is a faying of Luther, Quos Deus vult perdere, &c. '* Whom God intends to deftroy, he gives them leave to play with fcripture."

Ufe 3(\. Of exhortation. If the fcripture be of divine in-fpiration, then be exhorted, 1. To ftudy the fcripture; it is a copy of God's will : be fcripture-men, Bible*chrillians, " I adore the fulnefs of fcripture," faith Tertuliian. In the book of God are fcattered many truths as fo many pearls, John v. 3i5. * Search the fcriptures :' Search as for a vein of filver : this bleffed book will fill your head with knowledge, and your heart with grace. God wrote the two tables with his own fingers ; and if God took pains to write, well may we take pains to read. Appollos was mighty in the fcriptures, A<5ls xviii. 2-1. The wordjs onr mag7ia charta for heaven; fliall we be ignorant of our charter ; Col. iii, 19. * Let the word of God dsvell in you richly.' The memory muftbe a table-book where the word is written. To make us read the word,confider, 1. There is majefty fparkling in every line of fcripture : take but one inftance, Ifa. Ixiii. 1. ' Who is this that coraeth from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah ? This that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatnefs of his ftrength ? I that fpeak in righte-oufnefs, mighty to lave.' Behold here a lofty magnificent flyle ? What angel could fpeak after this manner? Junius was converted by reading one verfe of John : he beheld a majefty in it beyond all human rhetoric. 2. There is a \nelody in fcripture. This is that bleffed harp which drives away fadnefs of fpirit: hear the founding of this harp a little, i Tim. i. 15. ' This is a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into the world to lave finners ;' he took not only our flefh upon him but our fins. And Mat. xi. 28. ' Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you refl.* How fweetly doth this harp of fcripture found, what heavenly mu-fic doth it make in the ears of a diftrelied finner, efpecially when the finger of God's Spirit toucheth upon this inlirument? 3. There is divinity in fcripture. It contains the marrow and quintelfence of religion : The fcripture is a rock of diamonds, amyftery of piety ; the lips of fcripture have grace poured into them. The fcripture fpeaks of faith, felf-denial, and all the graces, which, as a chain of pearl adorn a Chriftian. The fcripture excites to holinels, it treats of another world, it gives a

Vol. I. No. 1, F

profpe6l of eternity : Oh then fearch the fcripture! make th^ . word familiar to you. Had I the tongue of angels, I could not fufficieiitly fet forth the excellency of fcripture : it is alpiritual optic-glafs, in which we behold God's glory : it is the tree of life, the oracle of wifdoin, the rule of manners, the heavenly*" feed of which the new creature is formed, James i. 18. •' The two Teftaments (faith Auftin) are the two brealls which every Chrifiian mud fuck, that he umy get fpiritual nourifhment.'* The leaves of the tree of life were for healing. Rev. xxii. '-2. So thefe holy leaves of fcripture, like thofe leaves, are for the healing of our fouls. The fcripture is .profitable for all things: if "we are deferted, here is fpiced wine that chears the heavy heart; if we are purfued by Satan, here is the fword of the Spirit to re-l]ft him : if we are difeafed with fin's leprofy, here are the waters of the fanclnary, both to cleanfe and cure. Oh then, fearch the fcriptures! there is no danger in tailing this tree of knowledge : there was a penalty laid at firfi;, that we might not tafle of the tree of knowledge. Gen. iii. 17- * In the day that thou eateil thereof, thou (hal-t furely die :' but there is no danger of plucking this tree of holy fcripture ; if we do not eat of this tree of knowledge, we fhall furely die: oh, then, read the fcrip-tures!—Time may come, when the fcriptures may be kept from us.

Q. How fliould ice fo fearch the fcriptures, as to find life ? Anf 1. Read the Bible with reverence ; think every line you read God is fpeaking to you. The ark wherein the law was put was overlaid with pure gold, and was carried on bars, that the Levites might not touch it, Exod. xxv. 14. And why was this, but to breed in the people reverence to the law? 9. Read with ferioufnefs. It is matter of life and death : by this word you mull be tried ; confcience and fcripture are the jury God will proceed ,by, in judging of you. 3. Read the word with afFedion. Get your hearts quickened with the word ; go to it to fetch fire, Luke xxiv. 32. * Did not our hearts burn within us?' Labour that the word may not only be a lamp to direct, but a fire to warm. Read the fcripture, not only as an hiftoiy, but as a love-letter fent to you from God, which may aflre6l your hearts. 4. Pray that the fame Spirit that wrote the word, n»ay aifift you in the reading of it; that God's Spirit would fhew you the wonderful things of his law. Go near, fairh G<»d to Philip, 'join thyfelfto this chariot,* A6ls viii. 19. So, when God's Spirit joins himfelf with this chariotof the word, then it becomes etft::6lual.

2. Be exhorted to prize the word written. Job xxiii. 19. David valued the word more precious than gold. "What would the martyrs have given for a leaf of the Bible! The word is the fidd where Chrift the pearl of price is hid. In this facred

•ifiine we dig, not for a wedge of gold, but a weight of glory. 1. The fcriptureis a facredcollyrium, or eye-falveto illuminate us. Prov. vi. 23. * The commandment is a lamp, and the law js light.' The fcripture is the chart and compafs by which we fail to the new Jerufalem. The Icripture is a fovereign cordial in all diftreffes. What are the promiCes but the water of lite to renew fainting fpirits? Is it fin troubles? There is a fcripture cordial, Pfal. Ixv. 3. * Iniquities prevail againft me : as for our tranfgreffions thou fhalt purge them away;' or as it is in the Hebrew, * thou fhalt cover them.* Is it outward afflictions difquiet thee? There is a fcriptural-cordial, Pf. xci. 15. 'I will be with him in trouble ;' not only to behold, butto uphold. Thus, as in the ark was laid up manna, promifes are laid up as manna in the ark of fcripture. 3. The fcripture wilt make WS wife : wifdom is above rubies ; Plal. cxix. 104. ' By thy precepts I get underftanding.* What made Eve fo defire ihxi tree of knowledge? Gen. iii. 6. * It was a tree to make one wife.* The fcriptures teach a man to know himfelf: they difcover Satan's I'nares and ftratagems; 2 Cor. ii. 11. They make one wife to falvation,' 2 Tim. iii. 15. O then highly prize the (crip-tures! I read of Queen Elizabeth, at her coronation, flie received the Bible prefented to her, with both her hands, and kiifing it, laid it to her breaft, faying, that that book had ever been her chiefeft delight.

3. If the fcripture is of divine infpiration, believe the word. The Romans, that they might gain credit to their laws, reported that they were infpired by the gods at Rome. O give credence to the word ! it is i.)reathed from God's own mouth. Hence arifeth all the profanenefs of men, they do not believe the fcripture. If. liii. 1. ' Who hath believed our report?' Did you believe the glorious rewards the fcripture fpeaks of, would you not give dihgence to make your ele6tion fure? Did you believe the infernal torments the fcripture fpeaks of, would not thig put you into a cold fweat, and cauf'e a trembling at heart for fin ? But people are in part Atheifts, they give but little credit to the word, therefore they are fo impious, and draw fuch dark (hadows in their lives. Learn to realize fcripture, get your hearts wrought to a firm belief of it. Some think, if God Ihould fend an angel from heaven, and declare his mind, then they Ihould rather believe him, or if he Ihould fend one Irom the damned, and preach the torments of hell all in flames, then ihey would believe. But Luke xvi. 31. * If they believe not Mofes and the prophets, neither will they be perluaded though one arofe from the dead.' God is wile, and he thinks this way fitted to make his mind known to us by writing; and fuch as will not be convinced by the word, ihall be judged by the word. The belief of the fcripture is of high importance : it is the be-

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lief of fcriptiire, that will enable us to refill temptation ; 1 Johit 1i. 14. • The word ot God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.' It is the belief of fcripture conduceth much to our lan6tification ; therefore thefe two are put together, fanclification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, ^Theif. ii. 13. If the word written be not believed, it is like writing on the water, which takes no imprelTion.

4. Love the word written : Pf. cxix. 97- * O how love I thy law !' " Lord (faith Auguftine) let the holy fcriptures be my chafte delight." Chryfoitora compares the fcripture to a garden ; every truth is a flagrant flower, which we (hould wear, not on our bofom, but our heart. ^ David tailed the word

* fweeter than honey and the honey-comb,* Pfal. xix. 10. There is that in fcripture may breed delight: it fhows us the way to riches, Deut. xxviii. 5. Prov. iii. 10. To long life, Pf. xxxiv. J2. To a kingdom, Heb. xii. 28. Well then, may we count thofe the fweeteft hours which are fpent in reading the holy fcriptures : well may we lay with the prophet, Jer. xv. 16. ■ Thy words were found, and I did eat them ; and they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart.'

5. Conform to fcripture, let us lead fcrlpture-lives. O that the Bible might be feen printed in our lives ! do what the word commands. Obedience is an excellent way of commenting upon the Bible, Pfal. Ixxxvi. 11. * 1 will walk in thy truth.' Let the word be the fun-dial by which you fet your life. What are we the better for having the fcripture, if we do not direct all our fpeeches and a6lions according to it? What is a carpenter the better to have his rule about him, if he flicks it at his back, and never makes ufe of it for the meafuring and fquaring his work ? So, what are we the better for the rule of the word, if we do not nmke ufe of it, and regulate our lives by it ? How many fwerve and deviate from the rule .? The word teacheth to be fober and temperate, but they are drunk; to be chafte and holy, but they are profane ; they go quite from the rule. What a diflionour is this to religion, for men to live in contradi6lion to fcripture! The word is called a ' light to our feet.* Pf. cxix. 105. It is not only a light to our eyes to mend our fight, but to our feet to mend our walk. O let us lead Bible converlations.

6. Contend forfcripture. Though we (hould not be of contentious fpirits, yet we ought to contend for the word of God ; this jewel is too precious to be parted with; Prov. iv. 13.

• Keep her, for (lie is thy life.' The fcripture is befet with fnemies; heretics fight againft it, we mull therefore * contend for the faith once delivered to the faints,' Jude 3. The fcripture is our book of evidences for heaven ; (hall we part with our evidences! The faints of old were both advocates and martyrs

for truth ; they would hold faft (cripture, though it were with the lots of their lives.

7. Be thankful to God for the fcriptures. What a mercy is it that God lialh not only acquainted us what his will is, but that he hath made it known by writing! In the Old times God did reveal his mind by revelations, but the word written is a furer way of knowing God's mind than by revelation, S Pet. i. 17. * This voice which came from heaven we heard, we have alio a more fure word of prophecy.' The devil is God's ape, and he can transform himfelf into an angel of light; he can deceive with falfe revelations : as I have heard of one who had, as he thought, a revelation from God to facrifice his child, as Abraham had ; whereupon he following this impulfe of the devil, did kill his child. Thus Satan oft deceives people with d.eluhon, inftead of divine revelations; therefore we are to be thankful to God for revealing his mind to us by writing: we have a more fure word of prophecy. We are not left under a doubtful fufpence that we Ihould not know what to believe, but we have an infallible rule to go by. The fcripture is our pole-ftar to direct us to heaven, it Ihews us every liep we are to take ; when we go wrong, it inilru6ls us ; when we go right it comforts us; and it is matter of thankfulnefs, that the fcriptures are made intelligible, by being tranflated.

S. Adore God's dillinguilhing grace, if you have felt the power and authority of the vvor^ upon your confcience ; if you can fay as David, Pfal. cxix. 50. ' Thy word hath quickened me.' Chriltian, blefs God that he hath not only given thee his word to be a rule of holinefs, but his grace to he a principle of holinefs: blels God that he hath not only written his word, but fealed it upon thy heart, and made it elfedual. Canll thou fay it is of divine infpiration, becaufe thou hall felt it to be of lively operation ? O free grace! that God fhould fend out his word, and heal thee ; that he fliould heal thee, and not others? that the fame fcripture, which is to them a dead letter, (hould be to thee a favour of life.

—».::;.;:«siSJ^.xr:.>—

THAT THERE IS A GOD.

Q. III. WHAT do the fcriptures principally teach 9

Anf. The fcriptures principally teach, what man is to believe

concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. Q. What is God? Anf. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in

his being, wifdom, power, holinefs, juftice, goodnefs, and truth.

Here is, I. Something implied, That there is a God. 2. Ex-prelied, That he is a Spirit. 3. What kind of Spirit.

1. Implied, That there is a God: The queltion. What is God? takes it for granted that there is a God; the behef of God's effence is the ioundation of all religious worlliip, Heb. xi. 6'. * He that comes to God, muft believe that he is.' There muft be a firlt caufe, which gives a being and exillence to all things befides. fWe come to know that there is a God, 1. By the book of nature, the notion of a Deity is engraven on man's heart, it is demonftrable by the light of nature. I think it hard for a nmn to be a natural Atheilt: he may wilh there were no God, he may difpute againil a Deity, but he cannot in his judgment believe there is no God, unlets by accunmlated (in hiscon-fcience be feared, and he hath fuch a lethargy upon him, that he hath finned away his very fenfe atvd realbn. '2. We come to know that there is a God by his works, and this isfo evident a demonftration of a Godliead, that the mofl atheillical fpirits, when they have confidered thefe works of God, have been forced to acknowledge fome wife and fupreme power the maker of thefe things ; as it is reported of Galen and others. (1.) We will begin wilh the greater world, (1.) 7'he creation of the glorious fabric of heaven and earth ; fure there muil be fome archited or full caufe, the world could not make itfelf; who could hang the earth on nothing, but the great God ? Who could provide fuch rich furniture for the heavens, the glorious confiellations, the firmament befpangled with fuch glittering lights ? All this fpeaks a Deity : we may fee God's glory blazing in the fun, twinkling in the ftars. Who could give the earth its clothing, cover it with grais and corn, adorn it wilh flowers, enrich it with gold ? Only God, Jobxxviii. 4. Who but God could make the fweet mufic in the heavens, caufe the angels to join in concert, and found forth the praifes of their Maker? Job xxxviii. 7. ' When the morning liars fang together, and all the fons of God fliouted for joy.' If a man fhould go into a far country, and fee (lately edifices there, he would never imagine that thefe could build themfelves, but that fome greater power built them: to imagine that the work of the creation was not framed by God, is as if we fiiould conceive a curious landfcape to be drawn by a pencil without the hand of a limner; A6ls xvii. <i4. * God that made the world, and all things therein.* To create, is proper to the Deity. 9. The wife government of all thmgs, evinces there is a God : God is the great Superintendent of the world, beholds the golden reins of government m his hand, guiding all things moll regularly and hurmonioufly to their proper end ; who that eyes providence, but muft be

forced to acknowledge there is a God ? Providence is the queen and governels of the world ; it is the hand that turns the wheel of the whole creation ; providence lets the fun its race, the Tea its bounds. IfGodlhouid not guide the world, things would run into diforder and coufufion : when one looks on a clock, and fees the motion of the wheels, the ftriking of the hammer, the hanging of the plummets, he would fay, there were fome artiticer did make it, and put it into that order: fo, when we fee the excellent order and harmony in the univerle, the fun, that great luminary, difpenling its light and heat to the world, without which, the world were but a grave or a prifon ; the rivers Tending forth their filver llreams to refrefli the bodies of men, and prevent a drought; and every creature acting within its rphere, and keeping its due bounds ; we rnult needs acknowledge there is a God, who wifely orders and governs all thefe tilings. Who could fet this great army of the creatures in their feveral ranks and fquadrons, and keep them in their contlant march, but He, whole name is The Lord of hosts? And as God doth wifely difpoie all things in the whole regiment of the creatures, fo, by his power, he doth fupport them : did God fufpend and withdraw his influence never lb little, the wheels of the creation would unpin, and the axle-tree break afunder. (3.) The motion of the creatues: all motion, as the philofo-phers fay, is from fomething that is unmoveable. As for example, the elements are moved by the influence and motion of the heavenly bodies ; the fun and moon, and thefe planets, are moved by the higheft orb, called Primum Mobile: now, if one ftiould afk. Who moves that higheft orb, or the fini mover of the planets? fure it can be no other hand but God himfelf.

(2.) Let us fpeak of Man, who is a microcofm or leffer world : the excellent contexture and frame of his body, which is wrought curioufly as with needle-work, Plal. cxxxix. 15. ' i was curi-ouUy wrous^ht in the lowelt parts of the earth :' and the endowment of this body with a noble Ibul; who but God could make fuch an union of difierentfubltances, flefti and fpirit; in him we live, and move, and have our being. The quick acute motioa of every part of tiie body, (hews that there is a God : we may fee Ibmething of him in the Iparkling of the eye ; and if the cabinet of the body be fo curioufly wrought, what is the jewel ? Tbe foul hath a celeilial brightnefs in it; as Damafcene laith, *' It is a diamond fet in a rinff of clay." What noble faculties is the foul endowed with? Underltanding, Will, Affections, which are a glafs of the Trinity, as Plato fpeaks. The matter of the foul is fpiritual, it is a divine fparkle lighted from heaven; and being fpiritual, is immortal, as Scaliger notes; anima non fenejcitt the foul doth notw^axold, it lives for ever: and who could create a foul ennobled with fuch rare angelical properties.

but God ? We mud needs (ay as the Pfalmift, * It is he that hath made us, and not we ourfelves,' Pfal. c. 3.

2. We may prove a Deity by our confcience. Confcience is God's deputy or vicegerent. Confcience is a-witnefs of a Deity: if there were no Bible to tell us there is a God, yet confcience might. Confcience, as the apoftle faith, * either accufeth,' or • excufeth,' Rom. ii. 15. Confcience a6ts in order to an higher judicatory. 1. Natural confcience, being kept free from grofs fin excufeth. When a man doth virtuous adlions, lives foberly and righteoufly, obferves the golden maxim, doing to others as he would have them to do to him ; then confcience approves, and faith. Well done : confcience, like a bee, gives honey. 2. Natural confcience in the wicked doth accufe : when men go againft the light of confcience, then they feel the worm of confcience. Eheu quis iniusfcorpio f Sen. Confcience, being finned againft, fpits fire in men's faces, fills them with ihame and horror : when the finner fees an hand-writing on the wall of confcience, his countenance is changed. Many have hanged themfelves to quiet their confcience. Tiberius the emperor, a bloody man, felt the lallies of his confcience ; he was fo haunted with that fury, that he told the Senate, he fuffered death daily. And what is it fliould put a man's confcience into fuch an agony, but the imprefllon of a Deity, and the thoughts of coming before God's tribunal? Thofe who are above all human laws, yet are fubje6l to the checks of their own confcience. And it is obfervable, the nearer the wicked approach to death, the more they are terrified, and confcience gives a louder alarm to them ; and whence is this, but from the apprehenfion of judgment approaching? The foul, being fenfible of its immortal nature, trembles at him, who never ceafeth to live, and therefore will never ceafe to punifh.

3. That their is a God, appears by the confent of nations, by the univerfal vote and futfrage of all. Nulla gens tarn harhara cut non injkleat hcec perfuajio Deum ejje. Tully : No nation fo barbarous, faith Tully, as not to believe there is a God. Though the heathen did miftake in their devotion, they did not worfhip the true God, yet they worshipped a god. They fet up an altar, • To the unknown God.' A6ls xvii. 22. They knew a God ftiouUi be worlhipped, though they knew not the God whom they worfhipped. Some did worfhip Jupiter, fome Neptune, fome Mars ; rather than not to worihip fomething, they would worfhip any thing.

4. That there is a God, appears by his predi6lion of future things. He who can foretel things which Ihallfurely come to pafs, is the true God : God foretold, that a virgin fhould con-reive ; he prefixed the time when the Mefliasdiould be cut off, Dan. ix. 26. He foretold the captivity of the Jews in Baby-

Ion, atid whofliould be their deliverer^Ifa. xlv. 1. This is fuch a ftrong argument to prove a Deity, as God himfelf ufeth it to prove he is the true God, and that ail the gods of the heathens were fi6tions and nullities, Ifa. xli. ^9. TejUmonivm dioinita" lis eji Veritas divinatiojiis, Tertull. To foretel things contm-gent, and which depend upon no natural caufes, is proper to a Deity.

5. That there is a God, appears by God's unlimited power and fovereignty. He who can work, and none hinder him, is the true God ; but God can do fo, Ifa. xtiii. 13. ' I will work, and who (hall let it.' Nothmg can hinder action but fonie fu-perior power; but there is no power above God: all power that is, is by him, therefore all power is under him : he hath a ' mighty arm,' Pfal. Ixxxix. 13. He lees the defigns men drive on a^ainil him, and plucks off their chariot-wheels; he maketh diviners mad, Ifa. xliv. 25. He cutteth otf the fpirit of princes : he bridleth the fea, gives check to the leviathan, binds the devil in chains ; he a6ts according to his pleafure, he doth what he will; I will work, and who fliall let it.

6. There are devils, therefore there is a God. Atheifts cannot deny but there are devils, and then they mull grant there is a God. We read of divers poffefTed with the devil. The devils are called in fcripture, Hairy Ones, becaufe they often appeared in the form of goats or iatyrs. Gerfon, in his book de probatione fpirituum, tells us how Satan on a time appeared to an holy man in a moft glorious manner, profeffing himfelf to be Chriil: the old man aniwered, " I defire not to fee my Saviour here in this defart, it iliall fuffice me to fee him in heaven/* Now, if there be a devil, then there is a God. Socrates an heathen, when he was accufed at his death, confefled, that, as he thought, there was a ma/us genius, an evil fpirit, fo he thought there was a good.

Uj'e I. Seeing there is a God, this reproves fuch atheillical fools as deny it. Epicurus denied there was a providence, faying, that all things fell out by chance, Diagoras. He that faith there is no God, is the wicked ell creature that is ; he is worfe than a thief, who doth but take away our goods from us, but the Atheift would take away our God irom us, John. xx. ' They have taken away my Lord.* So we may lay of Atbeifis, they would take away our God from us, in whom all our hope and comfort is laid up, Pfal. xiv. 1. ' The fool hath faid in his heart, their is no God.' He durft not Ipeak it with his tongue, but faid it in his heart ; he wiflied it. Sure none can be fpecu-lative Atheids, ' The devils believe and tremble.' James ii. 10\ I have read of one Arthur, a profeifed Atheill, who wtien he came to die, cried out, he wa.-s damned : but though there are few found who fay, There is no God ; yet many deny him ia

Vol.. I. No. 2. G

their pra6lices, Tit. i. 16. * In works they deny him/ Cicero faid of Epicurus, verbis reliquit Deos refiijiiilit : The world is full of pra^ical atheifm ; moil people live as if they did not believe their was a God. Durft they lie, defraud, be unclean, if they believed there were a God who would call them to an account? If an Indian, whenever heard of a God, fhould come among us, and have no other means to convince him of a Deity, but the lives of men in our age,*furely he would be of Protago-ra's mind, who did hang in a doubtful fufpence, and did quef-tion whether there were a God ; utrum Diijint non aujim affir-mare.

Ufe 2. Seeing there is a God, he will deal righteoufly, and give juft rewards to men. Things feem to be carried in the world very unequally ; the wicked flourifh, Pf. Ixxiii. They who tempt God are delivered, Mai. iii. 15. the ripe clufters of grapes are iqueezed into their cup, and, in the mean while, the godly, who weep for iin, and ferved God, are afflicted ; Pf. cii. y. * I have eaten alhes Uke bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.' Evil men enjoy all the good, and good men endure all the evil. But feeing there is a God, he will deal righteoufly with men. Gen. xviii. 25. * Shall not thejudge of all the earth do right?' Offenders muftcome to punilhment. Thefinner's death-day and dooms day is a-coming; Pfal. xxxvii. 13. * The Lord feeth that his day is coming.' While there is an hell, the wicked fhall be fcourged enough ; and while there i» eternity, they Qiall lie there long enough ; and God will abundantly compenfdte the faithful fervice of his people. They fhall have their white robes and crowns : Pfal. Iviii. 11. Verily there is a reward for the righteous ; verily he is a God that judg-eth in the earth.' Becaufe God is God, therefore he will give forth glorious rewards to his people.

Ufe 3. Seeing there is a God, woe to all fuch as engage this God againll them ; he lives for ever to be avenged upon them, Ezek. xxii. 14. * Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be ftrong in the day that I fhall deal with thee ?' Such as pollute God's fabbath, oppole his faints, trampling the jewels in the duft ; fuch as live in a contradiction to God's word : thefe do engage the infinite majefty of heaven againflthem ; and how difmal will their cafe be ! Deut. xxxii. 1. * If 41 whet my glittering fword, and mine hand take hold of judgment, 1 will render vengeance to mine enemies : I will make mine arrows drunk with blood,' &c. If it be fo terrible to hear the lion roar, what is it when he begins to tear his prey ? Pfal. Iv. 22. * Con-fider this, ye that forget God, lell I tear you in pieces.' O that men would think of this, who go on in fin ! Shall we engage the great God againil us? God llrikes flow but heavy ; Job xl. 9, * Haft thou an arm like God ? Canft thou ftrike fuch a

THAT THERE IS A GOD. St

blow ? God is the beft friend, but the word enemy. If he can look men into their grave, how far can he throw them ? ' Who knows the power ot his wrath !' Pfal. sc. 11. What fools are they, who, for a drop of pleaiure, drink a fea of wrath ! Para-ceifus fpeaks of a phrenzy I'ome have, which will make them die dancing : finners go dancing to hell.

Ufe 4. Seeing there is a God, let us firmly believe this great article of our creed. What religion can their be in men, if they <lo not believe a Deity ? ' He that cometh to God, muft believe that he is.' To worthip God, and pray to him, and not believe there is a God, is to put a high fcorn and contempt upon God. Believe that God is the only true God ; fuch a Gud as he hath revealed himlelf in his word, 'A lover of rightecufnefs, and hat«r of wickednefs,' Plal. xlv. 7- The real belief of a Deity gives life to all religious worfliip : the more we believe the truth and infinitenefs of God, the more holy and angelical we are in our lives. Whether we are alone, or in company, God fees us : he is the heart-fearcher : the belief of this would make us live always under God's eye, Pfal. xvi. 8. * I have fet the Lord always before me.' The belief of a Deity would be a bridle to fin, a fpur to duty ; it would add wings to prayer, and oil to the lamp of our devotion. The belief of a Deity would caufe dependance upon God in all our fl;raits and exigencies; Gen. xvii. 1. * I am God all fufficient;' a God that can fupply all your wants, fcatter all your fears, refolve all your doubts, conquer all your temptations; the arm of God's power can never be flirunk; he can create mercy for us, and therefore can help, and not be beholden to the creature. Did we believe there is a God, we Ihould fo depend on his providence as not to ufe any indirect means : we would not run ourfelves into fin to rid ourfelves out of trouble : 2 Kings i. 3. * Is it not becaufe there is not a God in Ifrael that ye go to inquire of Beelzebub the God of Ekron.-^' When men run to finful Ihifts, is it not becaufe they do not believe there is a God, or that he is all-fufficient?

2. Seeing there is a God, let us labour to get an intereftin him, Pf. xlviii. 14. * This God is our God.* Two things will comfort us. Deity and propriety ; fince the fall we have loll like-nefs to God and communion with God ; let us labour to recover this loft intereft, and pronounce this Shibboleth, ' My God,' Pf. xliii. 5. It is little comfort to know there is a God, unleishe be ours; God offers himfelf to be our God, Jer. xxxi. 33. * I will be their God.' And faith catcheth hold of the oifer, it appropriates God, and makes all that is in him over to us to be ours ; his^ wifdom to be ours, to teach us ; his hoiinel's ours to fandify us, his fpirit ours, to comfort us ; his mercy ours, to

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fave us. To be able to fay, God is mine, is more than to have all the mines of gold and lilver.

3. Seeing there is a God, let us ferve and worQiip him as God : it was an indictment brought in againll them, Ilom. i. 21. * They glorified him not as a'God.' 1. Let us pray to him as to a God. * Pray with fervency,' Jam. v. 16. An ' eftec-» tual fervent prayer prevails much.' This is both the fire and the incenie ; without fervency it is no prayer. 2. Love him as a God, Deut. vi. 5. ' Thou (halt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.' To love him with all the heart, is to give him a precedency in our love, defire to let him have the cream of our affedtions ; to love him not only appretiatively, but inten-fively, as much as we can. As the fun-beams united, in a burn-ing-glafs, burn the hotter, fo all our atfeclions fhould be united, that our love to God may be more ardent. 3, Obey him as a God, All creatures obey him, the liars fight his battles, the wind and lea obey hmi, Mark iv. 41. much more fhould man, whom God hath endued with a principle of reafon : he is a God, and hath a fovereignty over us; therefore as we received life from him, fo we mufl receive a law from him, and fubmit to his will in all things : this is to kils him with a kifs of loyalty, and it is to glorify him as Go9.

GOD IS A SPIRIT.

Q. IV. WHAT is GOD 9

Anf. God is a fpirit.

2. The thing exprefled, John iv. 24. * God is a fpirit,* Go(j| is ejfentiafpmtualijjima, Zanchy.

Q. What do you mean iclien you fay, God is a fpirit?

Anf. By Spirit I mean, God is an immaterial fubllance, of a pure, fubtil, unmixed elfence, not compounded of body and foul, without all extenfion of parts. The body is a dreggifti thing: the more fpiritual God's effence is, the more noble and excellent. The fpirits are the more refined part of the wine.

Q. Wherein doth God differ from other fpirits f

1. The angels are fpirits.

Anf. We muft dift:ingui(h of fpirits. 1. The angels are created, God is a fpirit uncreated. 2. The angels are fpirits, but they are finite, and capable of being annihilated ; the fame power which made them, is able to reduce them to their firft nothing ; but God is an infinite fpirit. 3. The angels are confined fpirits, they cannot be duobos locisjimul, they are confined to a place : but God. is an immenfe fpirit, and cannot be con-fmed, being in all places at once. 4. The angels, though they

Are fpirits, yet they are but miniftring fpirits, Htb. i. 14. Though they are fpirits, yet are they f'ervants, God is a fuper-excelfent fpirit, the * Father of fpirits,' Heb. xii. 0-

2. The ibul is a fpirit, Ecclef. xii. 7. * The fpirit fliall return unto God thatgave it.'

Q. Hoiv doth God, being a fpirit, differ from the foul ?

Servetus and Ofiander thought, that the foul being infufed, did convey into man the very fpirit and fubftance ol'God ; ati ab(urd opinion, for the elfence of God is incoinmunicab!e.

Anf Therefore, when it is faid, the foul is a fpirit, it is meant, God hath made it intelligible, and hath (lamped upon it his likcnefs, not his etlence.

Q. But is it not faid ^ That we are made partaJcers of the di" vine nature 9

• Anf. By divine nature, there is meant divine qualities, 2 Pet. i. 4. We are made partakers of the divine nature, not by identity or union with the divine effence, but by a transformation into the divine likenefs. Thus you fee how God ditVers from other fpirits, angels and fouls of men. He is a fpirit of tranfc.»ndent excellency, the ' Father of fpirits.'

Ohj. Agaiiifi tliis Vorjiius and the Anthropomorthites ohjecl, that, infcripture, an human fliapeandfgure is given to God; he is faid to have eyes and hands ?

Anf. It is contrary to the nature of a fpirit to have a corporeal fubftance ; Luke xxiv, 39. ' Handle me, and fee me ; for a fpirit hath not tleih and bones, as ye fee me have.' Bodily members are afcribed to God, not properly, but metaphorically, and in a borrowed fenfe; he is only fetout to our capacity : by tlie right-hand of the Lord is meant his power ; by the eyes of the Lord is meant his wifdom. Now that God is a fpirit, and is not capable of bodily (hape or fubftance, is clear. 1. A body is vifible, but God is invifible; therefore he is a fpirit, I Tim. vi. 16. whom ' no man hath feen, nor can fee,* not by an eye of fenle. 2. A body is terminated, can be but in one place at once ; but God is every where, in all places at once ; therefore he is a fpirit, Pf. cxxxix. 7, 8. God's centre is every where, and his circumference is no where. 3. A body being compounded of integral parts may be dilfolved ; qiiicquid divifihile eft cor" Tvplibile : but the Godhead is not capable of diliolution ; he can have no end, from whom all things have their beginning. So that it clearly appears that God is a fpirit, which adds to the perfe/itioii of his nature.

Uj'e J. U God be a fpirit, then he is impaftible; he is not capable oi' being hurt. Wicked men fet up their banners, and bend thciv tori.esagainft God ; ihcy are faid to fight againllGod, A6ts V. 39. Eut what will this lighting avail ? What hurt can they do to the Deity .^ God is a ipirit, and therefore cannot re-

ceive any hurtful impreffion: wicked men may imagine evil againft the Lord ; Nahum i. 9. * What do ye imagine againft the Lord?* But God, being a fpirit, is impenetrable. The wicked may eclipfe his glory, but cannot touch his effence. God can hurt his enemies, but they cannot hurt him. Julian might throw up his dagger into the air againll Heaven, but could not touch the Deity. God is a fpirit, invifible. How can the wicked with all their forces hurt him, when they cannot fee him ? Hence ail the attempts of the wicked againfl God are foolilh, and prove abortive; Pfal. ii. 3, 4. * The kings of the earlh fet themfelves againll the Lord, and againft his anointed. He that fits in heaven ftiall laugh.' He is a fpirit, he can wound them, but they cannot touch him.

Ufe 2. If God be a fpirit, then it fhews the folly of the Pa-pifts, who worfliip him by pi6tures and images. Being afpirit, we cannot make any image to reprefent him by ; Deut. iv. 12. • The Lord fpake to you out of the midtl of the fire, ye heard the voice of the words, but faw no fimilitude.'

1. God being a fpirit is imperceptible, cannot be difcerned ; how then can there be any refemblance made of him; Ifaiah xl. IS. * To whom then Avill ye liken God, or what likenefs will ye compare unto him?' How can you paint the Deity.? Can we make an image of that which we never faw ? Ye faw no fimilitude. God is a fpirit. It were a folly to go to make the pi6lure of the foul, becaufe it is a fpiritual thing; or to paint the angels, becaufe they are fpirits.

Obj. Are not tJie angels in fcr'ipture reprefented by the che^ ruhims ?

Anf. There is Imago per/once et officii ; there is the image of the perfon, and the image thatreprefents the office. The che-rubims did not reprefent the peribns of the angels, but their office. Thecherubims were made with wings, to fhew the fwift-nefs of the angels in difcharge of their office : and if we cannot pi6lure the Ibul, nor the perfons of angels, becaufe they are fpirits, much lefscan we make an image or pi6tureofGod, who is infinite and the Father of fpirits.

S. God, being a fpirit, is omniprefent; he is prefent in all places, Jer. xxiii. 24. ' Do not 1 fill heaven and earth .!^ faith the Lord.' Therefore, being every where prefent, it is abfurd to worftiip him by an image : were it not a foolifli thing to bovvr down to the king's pidure, when the king is prefent.? So to go to worfhip God's image, when God himfelf is prefent.

Q. But how then fliall ice conceive of God^ being a fpirit^ if we may make no image or refemblance of him 9

Anf. We mull conceive of him fpiritually, viz. (L) In his attributes : his holinefs, juftice, goodnefs, which are the beams by which his divine nature Ihines forth. (2.) We rauftcon-

eeive of him as he is in Chrifl,; Chrift * is the image of the in-vifible God :' Coi. i. 15. Set the eyes of your faith on Chrift, God-man- In Chrift we fee fomefparklingsof the divine glory; in him there is the exa6t relemblance of ail his Father's excellencies. The wifdoni, love and holinefs of God the Father ftiine forth in Chrift; John xiv. 9. * He that hath fee n me hath f^;en the Father.'

3. Infer. If God be a fpirit, it fhevfs us, that the more fpiri-tual we grow, the more we grow like to God. How do earth acd fpirit agree? Phil. iii. 9. Earthly ones may give for their creft, the mole or tortoife that live in the earth. What refem-blance is there between an earthly heart, and him who is a fpirit? The more fpiritual any one is, the more like God.

Q. What is it to be fpiritual ?

'Anf. To be refined and fublimated, to have the heart ftill in heaven, to be thinking of God and glory, and to be carried up in a fiery chariot of love to God ; this is to be fpiritual : Pfal. Ixj^iii. <id. * Whom have I in heaven but thee?* On which Beza paraphrafeth thus, Apage terra, utinayn tecum in ccelo ejjhn / " O that I were in heaven with thee!" a Chriftian, who is taken off thel'e earthly things, as the fpirits are taken off'from the lees, hath a noble fpiritual foul, and doth moft refemble him who is a fpirit.

4. Infer. It (hews us what that worfhip is God requires of us, and is moft acceptable to him, viz. fuch a worftiip as is fuit-able to his nature, * fpiritual worftiip,' John iv. 24. * They which worfliip him, mnft worftiip him in fpirit and in truth.* Spiritual worftiip is the virgin-worrtiip. Though God will have the fervice of our bodies, our eyes and hands lifted up, to tellify to others that reverence we have of God's glory and majefty, yet chiefly he will have the worftiip of the foul, 1 Cor. vi. 20. * Gionfy God in your body and in our fpirit.' Spirit-worftiip God prizeth, becaufe it comes fo near to his own nature, who is a fpirii.

Q. What is it to ivorfJiip God in the fpirit f

Anf. 1. To worftiip him without ceremonies. The ceremonies of the law, which God hinifelf ordained, are now abrogated, and out of date ; Chrift the fubftance being come, the ftiadows fly away ; and therefore the apoftie calls the legal ceremonies carnal rites, Heb. ix. 10. and if we may not ufe thofe Jewilli ceremoiiies which God did once appoint, then not thofe which lie did never appoint.

Anf I. To svorftiip God in fpirit, is to worftiip him, {\.) With faith in the blood of the Meliiah, Heb. xi. 9. And (-3.) 7'o worihip him with the utmoft zeal and intenfenefs of foul. Acts xxvi. 7. ' Our twelve tribes inllantly fervingGod day and night,' with inJLenienef^ of fpirit; cot only conftantly, but in-

llantly. This is to worfhip God in the fpirit. The more ffn-* ritual any lervice is, the nearer it comes to God, who is a fpirit, and the more excellent it is; the fpiritua! part of the dnty is the tat of the lacrifice, it is the foul and quinteiience of religion. Ilie riclieft cordials are made of fpirits, and the bed duties are fuch as are of a fpiritual nature. God is a Ipirit, and will be worOiipped in fpirit: it is not pomp of worHiip, but purity, which God accepts. Repentance is not in the outward feve-ritiesufed to the body, penance, falling, andchaftifing thebod}^ but it confids in the lacrifice of a broken heart : thankrgivir.^ doth not Hand in church-mufic. the melody of an organ, but rather in making melody in the heart to the Lord, Eph. v. l[). Prayer is not the tuning the voice into a heartlel's confelhon, or telling over a few beads, but it con lifts in lighs and groans, Rom. viii. 26. When the fire of fervency is put to the incenle of prayer, then it alcends as a f'weet odour ; that is the true holy water, not that which the Pope f|)rinkles, but what is dil-tilled from the limbec of a penitent eye. Spirit-worfhip bell pleal'eth that God who is a fpirit, John iv. 23. * The Father feeketh fuch to worfliip him ;' to fliew the great acceptance of luch, and how God is deliglited with fpiritual worlhip. This is the lavoury meat God loves. How few mind this ! Wor-fhipping him who is a Spirit, in the I'pirit; they give him more dregs than fpirits ; they think it enough to bring their duties, but not their hearts, which hath made God difclaim thefe very fervices he himfelf appointed, 11a. i. 12. Ezek. xxxiii. 31. Let us then give God fpirit-worfliip, this beftfuits with his nature; a fovereign elixir full of virtue may be given in a few drops; a little prayer, if it be with the heart and fpirit, may have much virtue and elFicacy in it. The publican made but a (hoit prayer, * God be merciful to me a finner,' Luke xviii. 13. but it was full of life and fpirit; it came from the heart, therefore it was accepted.

Ufe 2. Of exhortation. Pray to God, that as he is a fpirit, fo he will give us ot his fpirit. The elience of God is incora-numicable; but the motions, the pretence and influences of his Spirit. When the fun Ihines in a room, not the body of the fun is there, but the light, heat, and influence of the fun. God hath made a promife of his Spirit, Ezek. xxxvi. 27. * I will |iut my Spirit within you.' Turn promifes into prayers. " O Lord, thou who art a fpirit, give me of thy I'pirit; 1 tlelh, beg thy Ipirit, ihy enlighlning, fan6tifying, quickning fpirit." Me-lanchon's prayer, '* Lord, inflame my Ibul with thy Holy Spirit." How needful is his Spirit.? We cannot do any duty without it in a lively manner ; when this wind blowh upon our fdils, then v.'e move fvviftly towards heaven. Pray therefore.

tliat God would give us of the refidue of his Spirit, Mai. ii, 15. that we may move more vigoroufly in the fphere ot religion.

Ufe 3. Of comforti As God is a fpirit, fo the reward that he gives is Ipiritual ; that is the excellency of it. As the chief blelfings he gives us in this life are fpiritual bieffihgs, Eph. i. .3. not gold and filver ; he gives Chrift his love ; he tills us with grace : fo the main rewards he gives us after this life are Ipiritual, * a crown of glory that fadeth not away,' 1 Pet. v. 4. Earthly crowns fade, but the believer's crown, being fpiritual, is immortal, a never-fading crown. " It is impolfible (faith Julius vScaliger) for that which is fpiritural to be fubjedt to change or corruption." This may comfort a Chrillian in all his labours and futferings ; he lays out himfelf for God, and hath little or no reward here; but remember, God, who is a fpirit, will give fpiritual rewards, a fight of his face in heaven, white robe.s, a weight of glory. Be not then weary of God's fervice ; think of the fpiritual reward, a crown of glory which fadeth not away*

GOD IS INFINITE.

Q. WHAT kind of fpirit is God?

Anf. He is infinite ; lb he ditfers from all created beings Vi'hich are finite. Tho' infinite may be applied to all God's attributes, he is infinitely merciful, infinitely wife, infinitely holy ; yet, if we take infinitenefs properly fo, it implies,

1. God's omniprefence; the Greek word for infinite, figni-fies * without bounds or limits:' God is not confined to any place, he is infinite, and fo is prefent in all places at once. His centre is every where, Divina effentia nufjuam inclufa aut excbifa, Aug. 1 Kings viii. 27. ' Behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee.' This the Turks have a notion of, they build their temples open on the top, to (hew that God cannot be confined to their temples, or circumfcribed, but is in all places by liis prefence. God's elfence is not limited either to the regions above, or to the terreftrial globe, but his whole efience is every where ; this is to be infinite. As philofophers fay of the foul, it is, Totain tola, ettota in qaulibet parte : the foul is in every part of the body, in the eye, heart, foot: fo we may lay of God, he is nbique, his effence is every where, his circuit is in heaven and in earth, and fea, and he is in all places of his circuit at once : * This is to be infinite.' God, who bounds every thing elfe, is himfelf without bounds . he fet bounds to the fea, Hue i/fque, ' Hitherto llialt thou come, and no further.' He fets bounds to the angels ; thev, like the

Vol. I. No. 2. H

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cherubims, move and (land at his appointment, Ezek. x, 10. but he is infinite, without bounds. He u-4io can fpan the heavens, and weigh the earth in a pair of fcales, mud needs be infinite, Ila. xl. 22.

Obj. Vorjiins, That God is in all places at once^ but not in regard of his ejjence, hut, Virtute et potentia, by his virtue and influence ; as the body of the fun is in heaven, it only fends forth its beams and influences to the earth ; or as a king, who is in all places of his kingdom authoritative, by his power and authority, but he is perfonally in his throne.

Anf. But to anfwer; God, who is infinite, is in all places at once, not only by his influence, but by his effence ; for, if his effence fills afl places, then he mull needs be there in perlbn. But, Ergo, minor in, Jer. xxiii. 24. * Do not I fill heaven and earth.'

Obje6l. But doth not God fay, heaven is his throne? Ifaiah Ixvi. 1.

Anf. It is alfo faid, that an humble heart is his throne, Ifa. Ivii. 15. The humble heart is his throne, in regard of hisgraci-ons prefence; and yet neither of thefe thrones will hold him, for the heaven of heavens cannot contain him.

Obje«5t. But if God be infinite in all places, then he is in places impure, and mingles with that impurity ?

Anf. Though God be in all places, in the heart of a finner by his infpeftion, and in hell by his juft;ice, yet he doth notmingle with that impurity, or receive the leafl tin6ture of evil. Divina natura non eft immifla rebus aut fordibus inquinota, Aug. No more than the fun fhining on a dunghill is defiled, or its beauty fpotted, or than Chrift going among finners was defiled, his Godhead was a fufiicient antidote againfl infe6tion.

Reafon why God mufl; needs be infinite in all places at once, not only in regard of the fimplicity and purity of his nature, but in regard of his power, which being fo glorious who can fet him bounds, or prel'cribe him a circuit to walk in ? It is as if the drop fhould go to limit the ocean, or the ftar to fet the fun its hounds. Ufe 1. Itconderans the Papifls, who would make more things infinite than the Godhe,\d : They hold that Chrift's body is in many pU^ces at once, that it is in heaven, and in the bread and wine in the ficrament. Though Chrift as he is God is infinite, and in all places at once, yet as man he is not: Chrift, when he was on earth, his manhood was not in heaven, though his Godhead was; and now he is in heaven, his manhood is not on earth, though his Godhead be; Heb. x. 5. it is fpoken of Chriil, ' A body thou haft prepared me.' This body cannot be in all places at once ; for then it is no more a body, but a fpirit;, Chrilt's body in heaven, though it be glorified, it isnotdeified ;

it is not infinite, for fo it muft be, if it be both in heaven, and in the bread and wine by tranfubllantiation.

If God be infinite, prefent in all places at once, then it is certain he governs all things in his own perlbn ; he needs no proxies or deputies to help him to carry on his government. He is in all places at an inllant, and manageth uU aJfairs both in the earth and heaven. A king cannot be in all places of his kingdom in his own perfon, therefore he is fain to govern by deputies and vicegerents, and they often pervert juftice ; but God, being infinite, needs no deputies, he is prelent in all places, he fees all with his own eyes, and hears all with his own ears; he is every where in his own perfon, therefore is fit to be the judge of the world, he will do every one right.

If God be infinite by hisomniprefence, then fee the greatnefs and immenfenefd ofthe divine Majeftyt What a great God do we ferve? I Chron. xxix. 11. ' Thine, O Lord, is the great-nefs, and the glory, and the majefty, and thou art exalted as head above all.* Well may the fcripture difplay the greatnefs of his glory, who is infinite in all places. He tranfcends our weak conceptions; how can our finite underllanding comprehend him who is infinite? He is infinitely above all our praifes, Neh. ix. 5. ' Biefi^ed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blefiing and praife.' O what a poor nothing is man, when we think of God's infinitenefsl As the liars dilappear at the rifing of the fun, O how doth man fiirink into nothing, when infinite Majelty fliines forth in his glory ! Ifa. xl. 15. * The nations are as a drop of the bucket, or the fniall dull of the balance!' O what a little of that drop are we! The heathens thought they had fufficiently praifed Jupiter, when they called him Great Jupiter. Of what immenfe majefty is God, who fills all places at once! His excellent greatnels, Plal. cl. ^. If God be infinite, filling heaven and earth, fee what a full portion the faints have ; they have him for their portion, who is infinite. His fulnefs is an infinite fulnefs ; and he is infinitely fweet, as well as infinitely full: if a conduit be filled with wine, here is a fweet fulnefs, but ftill it is finite; but God is a fweet fulnefs, and it is an infinite. He is infinitely full of beauty, of love; his riches are called unfearchable, Eph. iii. 8. becaufe they are infinite. Stretch your thoughts as much as you can, there is that in God exceeds ; it is an infinite fulnefs. He is faid to do abundantly for us, above all that we can afk, Eph. iii. ^0. What can an ambitious fpirit aflc ? He can afk crowns and kingdoms, millions of worlds ; but God can give more than we can hH/p; becaufe he is infinite, nay, or think : we can think, what if all the dull were turned to filver, if every flower were a ruby, every land in the fea a diamond : yet God can give more than we can think, becaufe he is infinite! O how rich are they who

H2

have the infinite God for their portion! Well might David fay, • The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, the lines are fallea iinto me in pleafant places, and I have a goodly heritage,* Plal, xvi. 5, (j. We may go with the bee from flower to flower, but we fhall never have full fatisfadion till we come to the infinite God. Jacob laid, • I have enough ;' in the Hebrew, •' 1 have all," Gen. xxxiii. 11. becaufe he had the infinite God for his portion. God being an infinite fulnefs, there is no fear of want for any of the heirs of heaven ; though there be millions of faints and angels, which have a fliare in God's riches, yet he hath enough for them all, becaufe he is infinite. Though a thoufand men behold the fun, there is light enough in the fun for them all: put never lb many buckets into the fea, there is water enough in the lea to fill them. Though an innumerable company ot laints and angels are to be filled out of God's fulnefs, yet God, being infinite, he hath abundantly enough to fatisfy ihem. God hath land enough to give to all his heirs, there can he no want in that which is infinite.

If God be infinite, he fills all places, is every where prefent; tliis is fad to the wicked, God is their enemy, and they cannot efcape him, nor flee from him, for he is every where prefent: they are never out of his eye, nor out of his reach, Pfal. xxi. 8. * Thy hand fliall find out all thy enemies.' What caves or thickets can men hide in, that God cannot find them : go where they will, he is prefent, Pfal. cxxxix. 7- * Whither fliall I flee from thy prefence?' If a man owes a debt to another, he may make fome efcape, and flee into another land, where the creditor cannot find him. * But whither fliall I flee from thy prefence ?' God is infinite, he is in all places ; fo that he will find out his enemies and punifli them.

Obje6l. But is it notfaidy Cain went out from the prefence of the Lord? Gen. iv. 16.

Anf. The meaning is, he went out from the church of God, where were the vifible figns of God's prefence, and where God did in a fpecial manner, manifefl; his fweet prefence to his people : but Cain could not go out of God's fight; for God being infinite, is every where prefent. Sinners can neither go from an accufingconlcience, nor a revenging God.

If God be every where prefent, then for a Chriftian to walk with God is not impoffible. God is not only in heaven, but he js in earth too, Ha. Ivi. 1. Heaven is his throne, there he fits; the earth is his footftool, there he fiands. He is every where prefent, therefore we may come to walk with God : * Enoch walked with God,' Gen. v. 21. If God was confined to heaven, a trembling foul might think, How can I converfe with pod, how can I walk with him who lives in exceljis, above the Vpper region } but God is not confined to heaven, he is omni-

prefent; he is above us, yet lie is about us, he is near to us, A6ls xvii. '-27. * Though lie be not far from the adembly of the faints. He (lands in the congresfation of the mighty,' Pfal. Ixxii. 1. He is prefent with us, God is in every one of us ; fo that here on earth we may walk with God. In heaven the faints red with him, on earth they walk with him. To walk With God, is to walk by faith; we are faid to draw nigh to God, Heb. x. 22. and to fee him, Heb. xi. 27- ' As feeina^ liim who is invifible ;' and to have fellowfliip with him. Hoi'. i. 3. * Our fellowfliip is with the Father.' Thus we may take a turn with him every day by faith : (It is a flighting of God not to walk with him : if a king be in prefence, it is a flighting him, to negle6t him, and walk with the page) there is no walk in the world fo fweet as to walk with God : Pfalm Ixxxix. 16.

* They fliall walk in the light of thy countenance,' Pfal. cxxxviii. 5, ' Yea, they fhall fing in the ways of the Lord ;' it is like walking among beds of fpices, which fend forth a fragrant perfume.

life 2. If God be infinite in his glorious eflence, learn toad-mire, where you cannot fathom. The angels wear a vail, they cover their faces, as adoring this infinite majefty, Ifu. vi. 3. Elias wrapped himfelf in a mantle when God's glory paffed by. Admire where you cannot fathom. Job xi. 7. ' Canft thou by fearching find out God ? Here we fee fome beams of his glory, we fee him in the glafs of the creation ; we fee him in his pitture, his image fliines in the faints; who can but fearch out all his efl'ential glory? What angel can meafure thefe pyramids?

* Canll thou by fearching hud out God ?' he is infinite. We can no more fearch out his infinite perfe6lions, than a man upon the top of the highefl mountain can reach the firmament, or take a liar in his hand. O have God-admiring thoughts! Adore where you cannot fathom : there are many myileries in nature which we cannot fathom ; why the fea fliould be higher than the earth, yet not drown it; why Nilus (hould overflow in fummer, when, by the courfe of nature, the waters are lowefi;; how the bones grow in the womb; Eccl. xi. 3. If theft things oppofe us, how may the infinite myfi;eryof the Deity tranfcend our moft raifed inteUe<5tuals : Mk the geometrician, if he can, with a pair of ccmpafies, meafure the breadth of the earth. So unable are we to meafure the infinite perfe6lions of God. In heaven we fliall fee God clearly, but not fully, for he is infinite: he will communicate himfelf to us, according to the bignels of our vefl'el, but not the immenfenefs of his nature. Adore then where you cannot fathom.

If God be infinite in all places, then let us not go to limit God, Pfal. ixxxviii.41. * They limited the holy Oneof Ifrael.' It is a limiting God to confine him within the narrow compafs

d2 or THE KNOWLEDGE OIF GOD.

of our reafon. Reafon thinks God muft go fuch a way to work, or the bufincfs will never be eff'edled. This is to limit God to our realbn : whereas he is infinite, and his ways are pall finding out, Rom. xi. 33. In the deHverance of the church, it is a limiting God, either to fethima time, orprefcribehimamethod for deliverance. God will deliver Zion, but he will be left to his own liberty; he will not be tied to a place, to a time, to an inflrunient: this were to limit him, and then he Ihould not be infinite. God will go his own way, he will poie and nonplus realbn, he will work by improbabilities, he will fave in fuch a way, as we think he will dcliroy ; now he aclblike himfelt, like an infinite wonder-working God.

OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

• For the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him a6lionsare weighed,* 1 Sam. ii. 3. Glorious things are fpoken of God ; he tranfcends our thoughts, and the ange!-; praifes. God's glory lies chiefly in his attributes, which are She feveral beams by which the divine nature fliines forth. Among other of his orient excellencies, this is not the It aft, The Lord is a God of knowledge; or as the Hebrew word is, * A God of knowledges.' Through the bright mirror of his own eifence, he hath a full idea and cognilance of all things; the world is to him a tranfparent body. He makes an heart-anatomy ; Rev. ii. 25. ' I am he which fearcheth the reins and the heart.' The clouds are no canopy, the night is no curtain to draw between usand his fight, Plal.cxxxix. 12. ' Thedarknefs hideth not from thee.' There is not a word we whifper, but God hears it, Plal. cxxxix. 4. * There is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knoweft it altogether.' There is not the moft fubtil thought comes into our mind, but God perceives it, Ifa. Ixv. 8. • I know their thoughts.' Thoughtsfpeak as loud in God's ears, as words do in ours. All our actions, though never fo fubtilly contrived, and fecretly conveyed, are vifible to the eye of omnilciency, Ifa. Ixvi. 18. * I know their works.' Achan hid the BabylonKh garment in the earth, but God brought it to light, Jofh. vii. 21. Minerva was drawn in fuch curious colours, and fo lively penciled, that which way foever one turned, Minerva's eyes were upon him; fo, which way foever we turnourfelves, ftill God's eye is upon us, Jobxxvii. 16. ' Doft thou know the balancing of the clouds; the wondrous works of him that is perfe(5t in knowledge.^' God knows whatever is knowable ; he knows future contingencies. He foretold Ifrael's coming out of Babylon, and the virgin's conceiving. By thi§

OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. GS

the Lord proves the truth of his Godhead againft idol-gods, Tfa. Xli. 23. * Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know ye are gods.* The perfe6lion of God's knowledge is primary. He is the original, the pattern and. prototype of all knowledge; others borrow their knowledge of him ; the angels light their lamps at this glorious fun. (2.) God's knowledge is pure. It is not contaminated with the obje(5t. Divinict ndtura 771011 eft immijia rebus aut fordibus inqninata, Auguft. Though God knowns fin, yet it is to hate and punilh it. No evil can mix or incorporate with his knowledge, no more than the fun can be defiled with the vapours which arife from the earth. (3.) God's knowledge is facile ; it is without any difficulty. We ftudy and fearch for knowledge, Prov. ii, 4. ' If thou feekeft for her as for filver.' But the lamp of God's knowledge is fo infinitely bright, that all things are intelligible toliim.

(4.) God's knowledge is infallible ; there is no mifl;ake in his knowledge. Human knowledge is fubjecl to error and mifpri-fion. A phyfician may miftake the caufe of a difeafe : but God's knowledge is unerring; he can neither deceive, nor be deceived ; he cannot deceive, becaufe he is truth ; nor be deceived, becaufe he is wifdom. (o.) God's knowledge isinfi;an-taneous. Our knowledge is fucceflive, one thing after another. "We argue from the efFe6t to the caufe. God knows things pafl;, prefent, and to come, una untuitUy at once, they are all before liim in one entire profpecl.

(I.) God's knowledge is retentive ; hcnever lofeth any ofhis knowledge ; he hath reminifceiitia, as well as inteUigentia ; he remembers as well aslunderftands. Many things elapfe out of our mind, but God's knowledge is eternized. Things tranfacted a thoufand years ago, are as freth to him, as they were done but the laft minute. Thus he is perfe6t in knowledge.

Obje6l. But is it not/aid, Gen. xviii. 21. [ loill go dozen and fee whether they have done according to the cry which is come up unto me, and I loill know ?

Anf. It' could not be a nefciency, or that God was Ignorant; becaufe there is mention made of a cry ; but the Lord fpeaks there after the manner of a judge, who will firft examine the caufe before he paiieth the fentence. God, when he is upon a work ofjuftice, is not in a riot, as if he did not care where he hits; but he goes in a way ofcircuitagxinft oftenders ' He lays judgment to the line, and righteoufnefs to the plummet, Ila. ^xviii. 17.

Object. Hof. xiii. 13. The iniquity ofEphraimis bound up, tfteirjin is. hid ?

' Anf. Not that his fin was hid from God, but his fin is hid; that is, it is recorded, it is laid up againll a day of reckoningr

That this is the meaning, is clear by the foregoing words, hh iniquity is bound up: as the clerk of ihe affizes binds up the indu'^lnients of malefatStors in a bundle, and, at the aflizes, brings out the indictments, and reads them in court; fo God hind's up men's fins in a bundle, and, at the day of judgment, this binidle (liall be opened, and all their fins brought to light before men and angels.

That God is thus infinite in his knowledge: I. It cannot butbe fo ; for he, who is the original caufe, and gives a being to things, muft needs have a clear infpedion into them, Pfal. xciv. 9. * He that planteth the ear, fliall he not hear ? He that formed the eye, fliall he not iee ?' He who makes a watch or engine, knows all the workmanfhip in it. God, that made the heart, knows all the motions and fallacies ol" it: He is like Ezekiel's wheels, full of eyes, and, as Auftin faith. Tutus ocnltis, " All eye." "-2. It ought to be fo : for he is to be ' Judge of all the world,' Gen. xviii. 23. There are fo many caufes to be brought before bun, and fo many perlbns to be tried, that he muft have a molt cxquifite perfect knowledge, or he could not do jullice. An ordinary judge cannot proceed without u jury, the jury mull fearch the caufe, and give in their verdict; but God can judge vithout a jury. He knows all things in and ofhimfelf, and needs no witneffes to inform him. A judge judgeth only matters of fact, but God judgeth the heart. He not only judgeth wicked a6lions, but wicked defigns. He fees the treafoti of the heart, and punifheth it.

Ufe 1. Is God infinite in knowledge, 1 John i. 5. * He is light, and in him is no darknefs ;' then how unlike are they to God, who are darknefs, and in them is no light, vrhoare def-titute of knowledge, fuch as the Indians who never heard of God ? And are there not many among us, who are no better than baptized heathens.^ who are to feek in the firft principles of the oracles of God. It is fad, that after the fun of the gof-f)el hath (hined fo long in our horizon, yet to this day the veil ihould be upon their heart. Such as are inveloped with ignorance, cannot give God a reafonable fervice, Rom. xii. i. " Ignorance is the nurfe of impiety :" The fchoolmen fay, Omne peccatum fundatur in ignorantia. Jer. ix. 3. ' They })roceed from evil to evil, and know not me, faith the Lord.' Where ignorance reigns in the underfianding, lull rageth in the atfec-tions; Prov. xix. 2. * That the mind be without knowledge, it is not good ; neither faith nor fear : no faith ; for knowledge carries the torch before faith. Pfal. ix. 10. * They that know thy name fliall put their trull in thee.' A man can no more believe without knowledge, than the eye can fee without light. JVor fear of God ; how can they fear him whom they do not know 1 The covering of Haman's face was a lad prelage of

death. When people's minds are covered with ignorance, this covering of the t'ace is a fatal forerunner of deftru6lion. i , 2. If God be a God of knowledge, then fee the folly of hy-■pocrify. Hypocrites do not i;////(/£7w/acere, butJlngere. Me-]an6l. They carry it fair with men, but care not how bad their hearts are; they live in fecret fin, Pf. Ixxiii. 11. ' They fay how doth God know ?' Pf. x. 11. * God hath forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never fee it.' But, Pf. cxlvii. 5. * His underllanding is infinite :' He hath a grate {^crates'] that looks into men's hreafts, he hath a key for the heart, he beholds all the finful workings of men's fpirits ; as in a giafs-hive we can fee the bees working in their combs. Mat. vi. 4. * He fees in fecret; vi impios habet. Rivet. As a merchant enters down debts in his book, fo God hath his diary or day-book, and he enters down every fin into the book : he makes a critical def-cant upon men's actions. Jeroboam's wife difguifed herfelf that the prophet fhould not know her; but he difcerned her, I Kings xiv. Q. ' Why feigueft thou thyfelf to be another ?' The hypocrite thinks to prevaricate and juggle with God, but God will unniafk him, Eccl. xii. 14. * God Ihall bring every work into judgment, with every fecret thing,' Jer. xxix. 32. * They have committed villany in Ifrael, even 1 know, and am a wit-nefs, faith the Lord.' Ay, but the hypocrite hopes he fliall colour over his fin, and make it look very fpecious. Abfalom mafks over his treafon with the pretence of a religious vow. Judas diffembles his envy at Chrifl, and covetoufnefs, with the pretence of ' charity to the poor,' John xii. .5. Jehu makes religion a ftirrup to his ambitious defign, 1 Kings x. 16. But God fees through thefe fig-leaves. You may fee a jade under his gilt trappings, Jer. xvi. 17. ' Their iniquities are not hid from mine eyes.' And he that hath an eye to fee will find an hand to punifh.

Ufe 2. Of exhortation. Is God fo infinite in his knowledge? Then we fhould always fet ourfelves as under his omnifcient eye. Sic vivendum eji tanquam in conJpe6iu, Seneca. Let us fet David's profpe6t before our eye, Pfal. xvi. 8. ' I have fet the Lord always before me.' Seneca counfelled Lucillius, that whatever he was doing, he fliould imagine fome of the Roman worthies before him, and then he would do nothing difiionour-able. The confideration of God's omnifciency would, 1. Be preventive of much fin. The eye of man will reftrain from fin ; and will not God's eyes much more ? Ellh. vii. 8. * Will he force the queen before me, when I fl:and and look on ?' Will we fin when our judge looks on ? Would n)en fpeak fo vainly, if they confidered God over-heard them } Latimer took heed to every word in his examination, when he heard the pen go behind the hangings :' fo, what care would perfons have of their

Vol. I. Na. 2. I

words, if tliey remembered God heard, and the pen is going in heaven? Wotdd men go after llrange flelli, if they believed God was a fpedator of their wickednefs, and would make them do penance in hell for it ? Would they defraud in their dealings, and ufe falie weights, if they thought God favv them, and for making their weights lighter would make their damnation heavier? '2. The fettingourfelves as under the eye of God's omnif-ciency, would caufe reverence in the worfliip of God. God fees the frame and carriage of our hearts when we come before him ! how would this call in our draggling thougl)ts ? How would this animate and fpirit duty ? It would make us put fire to the incenfe, A6ls xxvi. 7. * The tribes inflantly ferved God day and night,' omnibus venibns, with the utmoll zeal and in-tenfenefs of fpirit. To think God is in this place, he beholds us, would add wings to prayer, and oil to the flame of our devotion.

2. Is God's knowledge infinite? Study fincerity, be what you feem, 1 Sam. xvi. 7. * The Lord looketh upon the heart,' Men judge of the heart by the a6tions, God judgeth of the actions by the heart; if the heart be fincere, God will fee the faith and wink at the failing. Ala had his blemilhes, but his heart was right with God, 2 Chron. xv. 17. God faw his fincerity, and pardoned his infirmity. Sincerity in a Chriffeian, is like chaftity in a wife, which doth excufe many failings. Sincerity makes our duties acceptable, like mulk among linen, that perfumes it. As Jehu laid to Jehonadab, 2 Kings x. 13.

* Is thy heart right with me? And he laid. It is. If it be, faid, he, give me thy hand; and he took him up into the chariot :' fo, if God fee'our heart is right, that we love him, and defign his glory, now faith he, give me your prayers and tears; now you fhall come up with me into the triumphant chariot of glory. Sincerity makes our fervices to be golden, and God will not call away this gold though it may want forae weight. Is God omnifcient, and his eye chiefly upnvi the heart? Wear this girdle of truth about you, and never leave it off.

Ufe S. Of comfort. Is God a God of infinite knowledge? Then there is comfort, I. To the faints in particular, 2. To the church in general, in three refpedts.

1. In cafe of private devotion, Chrillian, thou fettefi; hours apart for God, thy thoughts run upon him as thy treafure: God takes notice of every good thought, Mai. iii. 17. He had a book of remembrance written for them that thought upon his name. Thou entereft into thy clofet, and prayeil to thy Father in fecret; he hears every figh and groan, Pfal. xxxviii. 9.

* My groaning is not hid from thee.' Thou waterefl: the feed of thy prayer with tears, God bottles every tear, Plal. Ivi. 8.

* Put thou my tears into thy bottle.' \Vhen the fecrets of

all hearts (liall be opened, God will make an honourable mention of the zeal and devotion of his people, and he himleif will be the herald of their prailes, 1 Cor. iv. 5. ' Then (hall every man have praife of God.'

2. The infinitenefs of God's knowledge is a comfort, in cafe the faints have not fo clear a knowledge of themfelves. They find fo much corruption, that they judge they have no grace. Gen. XXV. 22. ' If it be fo why am I thus? If I have grace, why is my heart fo dead and earthly a frame ! O remember, God is of infinite knowledge, he can fpy grace where thou canft not; he can fee grace hid under corruption, as the flars may be hid under a cloud. God can fee that holinefs in thee which thou canfi not difcern in thyfelf; he can fpy the flower of grace in thee, though overtopped with weeds, 1 Kings xiv. 13. ' Be-caufe there is in him fome good thing.' God fees fome good thing in his people, when they can iee no good in themfelves ; and though they judge themfelves, he will give them an ablb-lution.

3. It is comfort in refpe6l of perfonal injuries. It is the feints* lot to fuffer; the head being crowned with thorns, the feet muil not tread upon rofes. If faints find a real purgatory, it is in this life; but this is the comfort, God fets wliat wrong is done to them ; the apple of his eye is touched, and is not he fenfible ; St. Paul was fcourged by cruel hands, 1 Cor. xi. 35. • Thrice was I beaten with rods ;' as if you fliould fee a fcuUion whip the king's Ion. God beholds it, Exod. iii. 7- * I know their fbrrows.' The wicked make wounds in the backs of the faints, and then pour in vinegar ; God writes down their cruelty. Believers are part of Chrifi's myftical body ; and for every drop of a faint's blood fpilt, God puts a drop of wrath in his vial.

4. Comfort to the church of God in general. If God be a God of knowledge, he fees all the plots of the enemies againft Zion, and can make them prove abortive. The wicked are fubtile, having borrowed their flvill of the old ferpent; they dig deep, to hide their counfels from God, but he lees them, and can eafily counter-work them. The dragon is defcribed with feven heads. Rev. xii. 3. to (hew how he plots agaiuft the church : but God is defcribed with feven eyes, Zech. iii. 9. to fhew, that he fees all the plots and ft^ratagems of the enemies ; and when they deal proudly, he can be above them. Come, faith Pharaoh, ' let us deal wifely,' Ex. i. 10. and he never played the fool more than when he thought to deal wifely, Ex. xiv. 23. ' In the morning-watch the Lord looked to the hofh of the Egyptians, by the pillar of fire, and troubled the holt.' How may this be as lap in the vine, and may comfort the church of God in her militant ftate. The Lord hath an eye in

all the councils and combinations of the enemy; he fees them in their train, and can blow them up in their own mine. -

OF THE ETERNITY OF GOD.

THE next attribute is, * God is eternal,' Pf. ex. 2. * From everlafting to everlafting thou art God.' The fchool-men diftinguilh between cevum etetemum, to explain the notion of eternity. There is a three-fold being : 1ft, Such a being as had a beginning, and fhall have an end ; fo all fenfitive creatures, the beafts, fowls, fifties; thefe at death are deftroyed, and return to duft; their being ends with their life. 2d, Such a being as had a beginning, but fhall have no end, as the angels and fouls of men ; they are eternal a parte poji ; they abide for ever. 3d, Such a being as is without beginning, and without ending, and that is proper only to God. He is Jemper exijiems, viz. from everlafting to everlafting : it is God's title, ajewel of his crown: (I.) He is called * the King eternal,' 1 Tim. i. 17. (2.) Jehovah, a word that properly fets out God's eternity ; a word fo dreadful, that the Jews trembled to name or read it; therefore ufed another word, Adonai, Lord. Jehovah contains in it time paft, prefent, and to come. Rev. i. 14. ' Which is, and which was, and which is to come;' it interprets the word Jehovah, f Which is J Hefubfifts of himfelf, having a pure and independant being, f Which was J God only was before time. There is no fearching into the records of eternity. C Which is to come J His kingdom hath no end : his crown hath no fuccelfors, Heb. i. 8. * Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.* The doubling of the word ratifies the certainty of it, as the doubling of Pharaoh's dream did. 1 fliall prove that God only could be eternal, without beginning. Angels could not; they are but creatures, though fpirits; they were made ; and therefore their beginning may be known ; their antiquity may be fearched into; if you afk when they were created? Some think before the world was ; but not fo : for what was before time was eternal: the angels' firft rife and original reacheth no higher than the beginning of the world. It is thought by the learned, that the angels were made that day on which the heavens were made, Job xxxviii. 7. ' "When the morning ftarsfang together, and all thefons of God fhouted for joy.' St. Hierom, Gregory, and venerable Bede, underftandsit of the angels, when God laid the foundation-ftone of the world, the angels being then created, did fing the anthems ofjoy and praife ; the angels could not be before time ; for what was before time was eter-pal. It is only proper to God to be eternal, without begin-

inng: He is Alpha and Omega, the firfl and the lafl, Rev. i. 8. No creature can write itlelf Alpha, that is only a flower of the crown of lieaveij, Exod. ili. 14. * lam that 1 am,'viz. He who exilts from and to eternity,

Ufe I. Htre is thunder and lightning to the wicked ; God is eternal, therefore the torments of the wicked are eternal. God lives for ever; and as long as God lives lie will be punilhing the damned.—This, methinks, ihould be as the hand-writing upon the wall, Dan. v. 5. it fliould ' make their joints to be lool'ed,' &c. The (inner takes liberty to fin ; he breaks God's laws, like a wild beallthat breaks over the hedge, and leaps into forbidden pallure; he fins with greedinei's, Eph. iv. ly. as if he thought he could not fin fall enough. But remember, this is one of God's names. Eternal; and as long as God is eternal, he hat"h time enough to reckon with all his enemies. To make finners tremble, let them think of thefe three things ; the torments of the damned are without intermiirion, without mixture, and eternal.

1. Without intermijjion. Their pains fhall be acute and fiiarp, and no relaxation ; the fire Ihall not be flackened or abated. Rev. xiv. 11. * They have no rell day nor night;* like one that hath his joints flretched continually on the rack, and hath noeafe: therefore the wrath of God is compared to a ftream of brimftone, l(a. xxx. 33. Why to a ftream ? Becaufe a ftream runs without intermillion ; it runs, and doth not liop ; fo God's wrath runs like a llream, and pours out without any intermiflion. In the pains of this life, there is fome abatement and inlermiiTion ; the fever abates, after a fit of the Hone, the patient hath (ome eafe : but the pains of hell are intenfe and violent, in fummo gradu ; the damned foul never faith, I am now more at eafe.

2. Without mixture. Hell is a place of pure jnftice. In this life, God in anger remembers mercy, he mixeth cnmpaffion with iuti'ermg, Deut. xxxiii. 25. Alher's (hoe was of iron, but his foot was dipt in oil. Affliction is the iron-flioe, but mercy is mixed with it; here is the foot dipt in oil. But the torments of the damned have no mixture. Rev. xiv. 10. ' They fliall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture.' No mixture of rnercv. How is the cup of wrath faid to be full of mixture, Plal. Ixxxv. 8. ' They thall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture.' No mixture of mercy. How is the cup of wrath faid to be full of mixture, Plal. Ixxxv. S. * The wine is red, it is full of mixture ;' yet in the Revelation it is ftid to be ■without mixture.^ It is full of mixture, that is, it is full of all the ingredients that may make it bitter; the worm, the fire, the curfe of God, all thefe are bitter ingredients. It is a cup

mixed, yet it is without mixture, viz. there fliall be nothing to atiord the lead coaifort, no mixture of mercy ; lb it is a cup without mixture. In the (acrifice of jealouly, Numb. v. 15. there was no oil put to it; fo, in the torments of the damned, there is no oil of mercy to abate their lutferings.

3. Without ceJJ'atioii, eternal. The pleafure of fin are but for a lealbn, but the torments of the wicked are for ever. Sinners have a ihort fealt, but a long reckoning. Origen errone-oufly thought, that after a thoufand years the damned Ihould be releafed out of their mifery : but the worm, the fire, the pri-fon are ail eternal. Rev. xiv. 11. * The fmoke of their torment afcendeth for ever and ever.' Poena gehennales punint, nonfimunt. Profper. Eternity is a fea without' bottom and banks. After millions of years, there is not oneminutein eternity wafted ; and the damned muft be ever burning, but never confuming, always dying, but never dead, Rev. ix. 6. ' They ihall leek death, but fiiall not find it.' The fire of hell is fuch, as multitudes of tears will not fjuench it, length of time will not finifli it; the vial of God's wrath will be always dropping upon a finner. As long as God is eternal, he lives for ever to be avenged upon the wicked. O eternity ! eternity! who can fathom it? Mariners have their plummets to meafure the depths of the lea; but what line or plummet Ihall we ufe to fathom the depth of eternity ? The breath of the Lord kindles the infernal lake,Ifa. xxx. 33. and wherefljall we have engines or buckets to quench that fire; O eternity! if all the body of the earth and lea were turned to fand, and all the air up to the Harry heaven were nothing but fand, and a little bird fhould come every thoufand year, and fetch away in her bill, but the tenth part of a grain of all that heap of fand, what a number-lefs number of years would be fpent before that vail heap of land would be fetcht away ? Yet if at the end of all that time, the finner might come out of hell (tho' long) yet there would be fome hope : but this word Ever, breaks the heart, * The fmoke of their torment afcendeth up for ever and ever,' What a terror is this to the wicked, enough to put them into a cold fweat, to think, as long as God is eternal, he lives for ever to be avenged upon linners.

Q. Here aqueltion may he moved. Why Jin that is commilted in a Jhort time, Piould be puni/hed eternally :•?

Anf. We muft hold with St. Agulline, " that God's judgments on the wicked, ocult ejj'e pojjunty injiijia ejje non pojjhnt, may be fecret, but never unjuft." The reafon why fin commilted in a ftiort time is eternally puniflied, is becaufe every fin is committed againft an infinite elience, and no lefs than eternity of puniihment can fatisfy. Why is treafon puniflied with confilcation and death, but becaufe itisagainll the king's

peiTon, which isfacred ? much moreth=\toffence which is againft God's crown and dignity, is of an heinous and infinite nature, and cannot be fatisfied with lefs than eternal punifliment.

life 2. Of comfort to the godly: God is eternal therefore lives for ever to reward the godiy, Rom. ii. 7- ' To them who feek for glory and honour, eternal life.' The people of God here are in a fuffering condition, Acts xx. 23. * Bonds and affli6lions abide me.' The head being crowned with thorns, the feet mull not tread upon rofes. The wicked are clad in purple, and fare delicioufly, while the godly fuffer. Goats climb upon high mountains, while ChrilVs flieep are in the valley of daughter. But here is the comfort, God is eternal, and be hath appointed eternal recompences for the faints : in heaven are freih delights, fweetnefs vt'ithout furfeit; and that which is the crown and zenith of heaven's happinefs, is, it is eternal,' 1 John ii. 15. Were there but the lealt fufpicion that this glory muit ceafe, it would mucheclipfe, yeaimbitter it : but it is eternal. What angel can fpan eterr>ity? 2 Cor. iv. 17- ' An eternal weight of glory.* The faints Ihall bathe themfelves in the rivers of divine pleafure : and thefe rivers can never be dried up, Pfal. xvi. 11. 'At thy right hand are pleafures for evermore.* This is the Elah, the highell ftrain in the apoftle's rhetoric, I Theff. iv. 17. ' Ever with the Lord.* There is peace without trouble, eafe without pain, glory without end, ' Ever with the Lord.' Let this comfort the faints in all their troubles; their fufferings are but fliort, but their reward is eternal. Eternity makes heaven to be heaven ; 'tis the diamond in the ring : O bletled day, that fhall have no night! the fun light of glory Ihall rife upon the foul, and never let ! O bleffed fpring, that fiiall have no autumn, or fall of the leaf! the Roman Emperors have three crowns fet upon their heads, the firft of iron, the le-cond of filver, the third of gold : fo the Lord fets three crowns on his children, grace, comfort and glory ; and this crown is eternal, 1 Peter v. 4. ' Ye (hall receive a crown of glory that fadetb not away.' The wicked have a never-dying worm, and the godly a never-fading crown. O how ftiouldthis beafpur to virtue! How willing fiiould we be to work for God ? Though we had nothing here, God hath time enough to reward his people; the crown of eternity (hall be fet upon their head,

(7/<? 3. Of exhortation. 1. In general, lludy eternity. Our thoughts (hould chiefly run upon eternity. We are all for the piefcnt, lomething that may delight the fenfes. If we could have lived (as Aguftine faith) a cunahulis mundi, from the infancy of the world to the world's old age, what were this ?" What is time, meafured with eternity ? As the ea;rth is but a fmall point to the heaven, fo time is but, nay fcarce a minute to eternity ! And, then, what is this poor life which crumbles

away fo fail r O think of eternity! Annos ceternos in menle habe : Bretliren, we are every day travelling- to eternity : and wlietiier we wake or fleep, we are going our joyrney ; fonie of us are upon the borders of eternity. (J lludy the Ihortnefs of life and length of eternity.

2. More particularly ; think of God's eternity, and the foul's eternity. J. Think of God's eternity. He is the Ancient of days, wlio was before all time. 7'here is a figurative defcrip-tion of God, Dan. vii. <^. • The Ancient of days did fit, whole garn^ent was white as fnow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool.' His white garment, wherewith he was clothed, iignified his majelty ; his hair, like the pure wool, his holinefs ; and the Ancient of days, his eternity. The thoughts of God's eternity would make us have high adoring thoughts of God. We are apt to have mean, irreverent thoughts of him, Pfal. I. 21. ' Thou thoughteit 1 was fuch an one as thyfelf;' weak and mortal, but if we would think of God's^eternity, when all power ceafeth, heis King eternal, his crown flourifhethfor ever, who can make us happy or miferable for ever, this would make us have adoring thoughts of God ; Rev. iv. 10. ' The four and twenty elders tall down before him that fat upon the throne, and worlhip him that liveth for ever and ever; and call their crowns before the throne.' The faints fall down, to fignify by that humble pollure, that they are not worthy to fit in God's prefence. They fall down and they worlliip him that liveth for ever and ever ; they do as it were kifs his feet, and they call their crowns before the throne, they lay all their honour at his feet: thus they fliew humble adoration to the eternal eflence. Study God's eternity, it will make us adore where we cannot fathom. 2. Think of the foul's eternity. As God is eternal, fo he hath made us eternal. We are never-dying creatures; we are fhortly entering upon an eternal flate, either of happinefs or mifery. Have ferious thoughts of this : fay, O my foul, Avhic.h of thefe two eternities, is like to be thy portion ? I muft Ihortly depart hence, and whether then (liall I go, to which of thefe eternities, either of glory or mifery ? The ferious meditation of the eternal ftate we are to pafs into, fliould work Itrong-ly with us.

1. Thoughts of eternal torments are a good antidote againft fin, fin tempts with its pleal'ure ; but, when we thitik of eternity, it may cool the intemperate heat of lull. Shall I, for the plcafure of (in for a feafon, endure eternal pain ? Sin, like thofe locults. Rev. ix. 7. feems to have on its head a crown like gold, but it hath in it a tail like a fcorpion, ver. 10. and a fting in its tail, and this fting can never be plucked out. Shall I venture eternal wrath ? Is fin committed lb i'weet, as lying in hell for

ever is bitter? This would make us flee from fin, as Mofes from the ferpent.

2. The i'erious thoughts of eternal happinefs would very much take usolFfrom thefe worldly things; we Ihould not elleem much of them : what are thele I'ubl unary things to eternity ? they are quickly gone, they iaiute us, and take their fare-wel. But I am to enter upon an everlafimg ellate ; 1 hope to live with him who is eternal: what is the world to me ? They who Hand upon the top of the Alps, the great cities of Campania Ceem as linall things in their eyes ; fo he who hath his thoughts fixed on his eternal ftate after this life, all thefe things feem as nothing in his eye. What is the glory of this world ? how poor and contemptible, compared with an eternal weight of glory ?

3. To conclude; The ferious thoughts of an eternal ftate, either of happinefs or mifery, fhould have a powerful influence upon whatibever we take in hand : every work we do, promotes either a blefled or curfed eternity ; every good a6tion lets us a ft,ep nearer to an eternity of happinefs ; every bad a6lion fets us a ftep nearer to an eternity of mifery. O what influence would the thoughts of eternity have upon our religious duties? It would make us do them with all our might: a duty well performed, lifts a Chriftian higher towards heaven, and fets a Chriftian a ftep nearer to ablelled eternity.

GOD'S UNCHANGEABLENESS.

The next attribute is God's unchangeablenefs, Mai. iii. 6. ' I am Jehovah, I change not.* 1. God is unchangeable in his nature. 2. In his decree.

Ifl, Unchangeable in his nature: 1. There is no eclipfe of his brightnefs. 2. No period put to his being.

I. Xo eclipfe of his brightnefs : his elfence fliines with a fixed luftre, James i. 17. * With whom is no variablenefs, neither fliadow of turning,' Pfal. cii. 27. * Thou art the fame,' All created things are full of viciiHtudes : 1. Princes and emperors are fubje6t to mutation. Sefoftris, an Egyptian prince, having fubdued divers kings in war, made them draw like horfes in his chariot, as if he intended to turn them to eat grafs, as God did King Nebuchadnezzar. The crown hath many fucceflbrs. 2. Kingdoms have their eclipfes and convulfions : what is become of the glory of Athens ? The pomp of Troy ? Jamfeges ejl ubi Trojafint. Kingdoms, though they have a head of gold, yet fett of clay. 3. The heavens change, Pfal. cii. 26. * As a vellure flialt thou change them, and they ftiall be changed.'

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The matter of the elements, as it is more pure, fo more firnt and Iblid ; the heavens are the moft ancient records, where God hath written his glory with a fun-beam, yet thele /hall change ; though I do not think they (hall be deftroyed as to their fub-ilance, yet they (hall be changed as to their qualities ; they fhall melt with fervent heat, 2 Peter iii. 12. and fo be more refined and purified. Thus the heavens fhall be changed, but not he who dwells in heaven; ' With him there is no variablenefs, nor (hadow of turning.* 4. The befl faints have their eclipfes and changes. Look upon a Chriftian in his fpiritual eftate, and he is full of variation : Though the feed of grace doth not die, yet the beauty and a6livity of it doth often wither. A Chriftian hath hisanguifli fttsin religion ; fometimeshisfaithisatan high tide, fometimes low ebb: fometimes his love flames, and at another time like fire in the embers, and he hath loft his firft love. How ftrong was David's grace at one time? 2 Sam. xxii. 3. ' The God of my rock, in him will I truft.' And at another time, ' I fhall one day perith by the hand of Saul.' What Chriftian can fay, he doth not find a change in his graces ; that the bow of his faith doth never unbend, the ftrings of his viol do never flacken ? Sure we (hall never meet with fuch Chrif-tians till we meet with them in heaven. But God is without any (liadow of turning. 5. The angels were fubje6t to change ; they were created holy, but mutable, Jiule 6. ' The angels which kept not their firft eftate.' Thefe morning ftars of heaven were falling ftars. But God's glory (hines with a fixed brightnefs. In God there is nothing looks like a change, no better or worfe : no better in him, becaule then he were not perfe6t; nor worfe in him, for then he fhould ceafe to be per-ie6l: he is immutably holy, immutably good ; there is no (hadow of change in him.

Object. C/iriJi, icho is God, ajfumed the human nature, here was a change.

Anf. If indeed the divine nature had been converted into the human, or the human into the divine, here had been a change, but not fo. The human nature was diftin6t from the divine, therefore there was no change. As fuppofe a cloud cover the fun, this makes no change in the body of the fun ; fo, though the divine nature be covered with the human, this makes no change in the divine nature.

2rf, There is no period put to his being; 1 Tim. vi. 16. * Who only hath immortality.' The Godhead cannot die: 1. An infinite efleiice cannot be changed into a finite; but God is infinite. 2. He is eternal, er^o, he is not mortal; to be eternal, and mortal, is a contradi6tion.

life I. See here the excellency of the divine nature in its im-, mutability : this is the glory of the Godhead. Mutablenefs de-

«otes vveaknefs ; it is not fo in God, he is the fame, yefterday, and to-day, and for ever, Heb. xiii. 8. Men are fickle and mutable, like Reuben, * unliable as water,' Gen. xlix. 4. They go in changeable colours.

1. They are changeable in their principles, (fometimes pro-teftant, fometimes papill) if their faces altered as faft as their opinions, we fhould not know them.

2. Changeable in their refolutions; like the wind that blows in the eall, prefently turns about to the well. They refolve to be virtuous, but quickly repent of their refolutions : their minds are like a fick man's pulfe, alters every half-hour; thefe the apoftle compares to waves of the fea, and wandering flars, Jude 13. they are not pillars in God's temple, but reeds.

3. Others are changeable in their friendlhip, quickly love, and quickly hate; fometimes will put you in their bofom, then excommunicate you out of their favour; thus they change as the camelion, into feveral colours. But God is imnuitable.

U/e 2. See the vanity of the creature; there are changes in every thing but in God, Pfal. Ixii. 9. ' Men of high degree are vanity, and men of low degree are a lie.' We look for more from the creature, than God hath put into it. The world brings changes; the creature hath two evils in it; it promifeth more than we find, and it fails us when we mod need it: there is a failure in omni. A man defires to have his corn grinded, the water fails, and then his mill cannot go ; the mariner is for a voyage, the wind either doth not blow, or it is contrary, and he cannot fail; one depends upon another for the payment of a promife, and he fails, and is like a foot out of joint. Who would look for a fixed liability in the vain creature ! As if one Ihould build houfes on the (and, where the fea comes in and overflows. The creature is true to nothing but deceit, and is conftant only in its difappointments. It is no more wonder to fee changes fall out here below, than to fee the moon drefling itfelf in anew fhape and figure; look to meet with changes in every thing but God.

Ufe 3. Comfort to the godly : 1. In cafe of lofTes, if an eftate be almoft boiled away to nothing; if you loie dear friends by death, here is a double eclipfe ; but this is the comfort, God is unchangeable; I may lofe thefe things, but I cannot lofe my God ; he never dies. When the fig-tree, and olive-tree failed, yet God did not fail, Heb. iii. 17. ' I will joy in the God of my falvation-' The flowers in the garden die, but a man's portion remains: fo outward things die and change, but, Pial. Ixxiii. '26. * Thou art the llrength of my heart, and my portion for ever.'

2. In cafe of fadhefs of fpirit, when God feems to cafl; off the foul in deiertion. Cant. v. 0. * My beloved had withdrawn

TS god's unciiangeablenesS.

himfelf ;* yet God is unchangeable. He is immutable in liis Jove; he may change his countenance, but not his heart, Jer. xxxi. 3. ' 1 have loved thee with an everlafting love,' Hebrew, Giiolam, a love of eternity. If once God's electing love rifeth Mpon the foul, it never lets, Ifa. liv. 10, ' The mountains fliall be removed, but my loving-kindnefs (hall not depart from thee, neither the covenant of my peace be removed.' God's love flands falter than the mountains: God's love to Chrifl is unchangeable ; and he will no more ceafe loving believers, than he will ceafe loving Chrift.

Uj'e 4. Of exhortatio7i. Get an inteVefl; in this unchangeable God, then thou art as a rock in the fea, immoveable in mrdll of ail changes.

Q. Hoio Piall I gel a part in this unchangeable God 9

Anf. By having a cha\)ge wrought in thee, I Cor. vi. II.

* But ye are wafhed, but ye are fan6lified.' Whence we are changed, a tenebris ad lucem, Co changed, as if another ibul did live in the lame body ; by this change we are intereftcd in the tinchangeable God.

Trull to this God only, wlio is unchangeable, I(a. ii. 22.

* Ceafe from men ; leave trulling to the reed, but trull to the Rock of ages.' He that is by faith ingarriloned in God, is I'afe in all changes ? he is like a buat that is tied to an immoveable tock. He that trulls in God, trulls in that which cannot fail hitii; he is unchangeable, Heb. xiii. 5. ' 1 will never leave thee nor forlake thee.' Health may leave us, riches, friends may leave us; but, liiith God, I'll not leave thee; my power fliall fupport thee ; my Spirit (hall ianclify thee ; my mercy fliall fave thee : I will never leave thee. O trull in this unchangeable God. God is jealous of two things, of our love, and of our truft : He is jealous of our love, lell we love the creature more than him ; therefore he makes it prove bitter : and of our trulli left we fliould place more conlidence in it than him, therefore he makes it prove unfaithful. Outward comforts are given Us as baits by the way to refrelh us, but not as crutches to lean on ; if we make the creature an idol, what we make oUr trull, God makes our fhame. O trull in the immortal God. We, like Noah's dove, have no footing for our fouls, till we get into the ark of God's unchangeablenefs, Plal. cxxv. 1. * They that trull in the Lord, (hall be like tnount Sion, which catindt be re-moved.' '

God is unchangeable in his decree; what he hath dtecreed from eternity is unalterable, Ifa. xlvi. 10. ' My counfel (hall (land.' Argument, that God's eternal counfel ordecree is immutable : If God changed his decree, it mull be front fonic de-fed of wifdom or forelight in God : for that is the realori \Vhy nien do change their purpoles : through a want of lortlight.

they fee fomethins: after, which they did not fee before : but this cannot be the cauCe why God Ihould alter his decree, be-caufe his knowledge is perfe<3;, he lees all things in one entire prol'pe6t before hitn.

Obje6l. But is not God/aid to repent ? Therm feemfi to he a change in his decree, Jonah iii. 10. ' The Lord repented of the evil that he J aid he would do unto them.'

Anf. Repentance is attributed to God figuratively and improperly. Num. xxiii. ly. ' He is not man that he [hoviid repent.* There may be a change in God's work, but not in his will: God may will a change, but not change his wHl. " God may change his fentence, bat not his decree." As fipprife a king Ihall caul'e a fentence to be palled upon a malefactor whom he intends to lave; notvvithllanding this lenience, the kmg dotli not alter his decree : fo God threatened deftruction to Nineveh, Jonah iii. 4. but the people of Nineveh repenting, God fpared them ; here God changed iiis fentence, but not his de-cice ; it was what had lain in the womb of his purpofe from eternity.

Objedl. But if God's decree be tmchangeahle, and cannot be revcrfed, then to what purpofe JJionld we nfe the means 9 Our endeavours toioards falvation cannot alter his decree.

Anf. This decree of God doth not take off my endeavout"; for he that hath decreed my falvation, hath decreed it in the ufe of means; and if I negle6t the means, I go about to reprobate myfelf. No man argues thus : God hath decreed how long I Ihall live, therefore, I will not ufe means to preferve my lite, not eat and drink. God hath decreed the time of my life in the nie of means ; fo God hath decreed my falvation in the uieofword, prayer, facraments : and as a man that refuleth his food murders himfelf, fo he that refuleth to work oat his fal-Viition doth deftroy himfelf. The veflels of mercy are faid to l)e prepared unio glory, Rom. ix. 23. How are they prepared, but by being landifled } and that cann'ot be but iii the ufe of means ; therefore let not God's decree take thee off from holy endeavours. A good faying of Dr. Prelion, " Haft thou an heart to pray to God } it is lign no decree of wialh has palled againfl; thee."

Ufe 1. If God's decree be eternal and imchangeable, then God doih not ele6l our faith forefeeUj as the ArminianSj Rom. ix. 11, 14. ' The children being not yet born, that the purpofe of God according to election might Itand, it was faid, Jacob have I loved, Efau have i haled.' We are not eleded for ho-linefs, but to holinefis; Eph. i. 4. If we are notjuitilied for our faith, much lefs eleded for our faith ; but we are not jal-tified for it : w'e are faid to be juliified through failli as an in-ftrument, Eph. li. S. but not for failhas a caufe ; and, if not

juftifkd for faith, then much lefs ele6ted : God's decree of election is eternal and unchangeable, therefore depends not upon faith forfeen, Acts xiii. 48. * A.s many as were ordained to eternal life, believed.' They were not eleded, becaufe they believed, but they believed becaufe they were elected.

Ufe 2. If God's decree be unchangeable, it is comfort in two cafes, 2. Concerning God's providence towards his church. We are ready to quarrel with providence, if every thing doth i)ot jump with our deHre ; remember God's work goes on, and nothing falls out but what he hath decreed from eternity. 2. God hath decreed troubles for the church's good ; the troubling of God's church is like the angels troubling the water, John V. 4. which made way for healing his people. He hath decreed troubles in the church ; 'His fire is in Sion, and his furnace in Jerudilem,' Ifa. xxxi. 9. The wheels in a watch move crofs one to another, but they all carry on the motion of the watch: fo the wheels of providence often move crofs to our defires, but dill they carry on God's unchangeable decree, Dan. xii. 10. ' Many fhall be made white.' God lets the waters of affliction be poured on his people, he doth but lay them a whitening. Therefore murmur not at God's dealings; his work goes on, nothing falls out but what he hath wifely decreed from eternity ; every thing (hall promote God's defign, and fulfil his d ecree.

2. Comfort to the godly in regard of their falvation, 2 Tim. ii. 19. * The foundation of God llandeth fure, having this feal. The Lord knoweth who are his.' God's counfel of election is unchangeable : once ele6led, and for ever eleded. Rev. iii. 5. * I will not blot his name out of the book of life.' The book of God's decree hath no errata in it, no blottings out: oncejut-titled never unjuftified, Hof. xiii. 14. * Repentance fhall be hid from mine eyes.' God never repents of his ele6ting love, 1 John xiii. 1. • He loved them to the end.' Therelore, if thou art a believer, comfort thyfelf with this, the immutability of God's decree.

Ufe 3. To conclude, a word to the wicked, who march furi-oufly againft God and his people: let them know, God's decree is unchangeable, God will not alter it, nor can they break it; and while they refill God's will, they fulfil it. There is a twofold will of God, Voluntas pracepti et decreti; the will of God's precept, and of his decree. While the wicked refift the will of God's precept, they fulfil the will of his permiflive decree. Judas betrays Chrill, Pilate condemn.^ him, the foldiers crgcify him, while they refilled the will of God's precept, they fuUilled the will of his permifiive decree, A6ls iv. 28. Such as are wicked, God commands one thing, they do the quite contrary ; to keep the I'abbath they proi'ane it; while they difobey

his command, they fulfil his permiffive decree. If a man fet up two nets, one of filk, the other of iron, the filken net may be broken, not the iron : God's commands are the filken net; while men break the filken nets of God's command, they are taken in the iron net of his decree ; while they fit backward to God's precepts, they row forward to his decree ; his decree to permit their fin, and to punhh them for their fin permitted.

OF THE WISDOM OF GOD.

The next attribute is God's wifdom ; which is one of the brigheft beams of the Godhead, Job ix. 4. * He is wife in heart.' The heart is the feat of wifdom ; Cor in Hebrceo fumi-Uir pro judicio, Pineda. Among the Hebrews, the heart is put for wifdom. Job xxxiv. 34. * Let men of underfl;anding tell me :' in the Hebrew ' let men of heart tell me.' God is wife in heart, that is, he is moft wife : I. God is only wife ; hedoth folely and wholly poffefs all wifdom ; therefore he is called * the only wife God,' 1 Tim. i. 17. All the treafures of wifdom are locked up in him, and no creature can have any wit-dom, but as God is pleafed to give it out of his treafury. 2. God is perfectly wife ; there is no defe6l in his wifdom. Men may be wife in fome things, but in other things may betray imprudence and weaknels. But God is the examplar and pattern of wifdom, and the pattern muftbe perfect, Matth. v. 4S. God's wifdom appears in two things, 1ft, His infinite intelligence. 2dly, His exact working.

1. His infinite intelligence. He knows the moft profound, abftrule (ecrets, Dan. ii. <2S. He knows the thoughts, which are the moft intricate fubtil things, Amos iv. 13. ' He declareth to man what is his thought.' Let fin be contrived never fo politicly, God will pull off all malks and difguiles, and make an heart-unatomy. He knows all future contingencies, et ante intuitu, all things are before him in one clear profpe6t.

2. His exa6t curious working. He is wife in heart; his wifdom lies in his works. Thefe works of God are bound up ia three s^reat volumes, where we may read is wifdom.

I. The work o{ creation. The creation, as it isa monument of God's power, fo a looking-glafs in which we may fee his wifdom. None but a wife God could fo curioufly contrive the world. Behold the earth decked with variety of fiowers, which are both for beauty and fragrancy : the heaven befpangled with lights; wc may fee the glorious wifdom of God blazing in the fun, twinkling in the ftars. His wifdom is feen in themarlhal-ling and ordering every thing in its proper place and fphere ;

if the fun liud been fet lower, it would have burnt us; if Iiighef, it would not have warmed us with its beau)s. God's wifdoni is fcen in appointing the ieafons of the year, Plal. Ixxiv. 17. * Thou haft made fummer and winter.' If it had been all ium-mer, the heat would have Icorched us, if all winter, the cold would have killed us. The wildom of God is feen in chequering thfi dark and the light: if it had been all night, there had been no labour, if all day, there had been no red. Wifdom is feen in mixing the elements, the earth with the fea: if it had been all fea, then we had wanted bread ; if it had been all earth, thtn we had wanted water. The wildom of God is feen in preparing and ripening the fruits of the earth, the wind and frofts prepare the fruits, the fun and rain ripen the fruits. God's wifdom is feen in fetting bounds to the fea, and fo wifely contriving it, that though the fea be higher than the earth, yet ifc fhould not overflow the earth ; fo that we may cry out with the Plalmift, Plal. civ. ^4. ' OLord, how manifold are thy works ! in wildom haft thou made them all.' There is nothing to be feen but miracles of wifdom. God's wifdom is feen in ordering things in the body politic, that one (hall have need of another: the poor need the rich man's money, and the rich need the poor man's labour. God makes one trade depend upon another, that one may be helpful to another, and that mutual love may be preferved.

('-2.) Thefecond work wherein God's wifdom fliines forth, is the work of redemption : 1. Here was the mailer-piece of divine ^vifdom, to contrive a way to happinefs, between the fin of man, and the juftice of God, We may cry out with the apoftle, Rom. xi. 33. ' O the depth of the riches both of the wildom and knowledge of God.' This pofed men and angels. If God had put us to find out a way of falvation when we were loll, we could neither have had an head to devife, nor a heart to defire, what God's infinite wifdom had found out for us. Mercy hud a mind lo lave finners, yet loth that the jullice of God Ihould be wronged : It is a pity, laith mercy, that fuch a noble creature as man Ihould be made to be undone ; and yet no realbn that God's juftice (hould be a lofer. What way then Ihall be found out ? Angels cannot fatisfy for the wrong done to God's juftice, Dor is it fit thatonenature (hould fin, and another naturefufier: what then? Shall man be for ever loft ? Now, while mercy way thus debating with itfelf, what to do for the recovery of fallen man, here the wifdom of God fiepped in; and thus the oracle I'pake, Let God become man ; let the lecond perlbn in the Tiinity be incarnate, and lufter; and fo for fitnefs he (hall be man ; and for ability he (hall be God : thus juftice may be fatisfitd, and man Caved. O the depth of the riches of the wil^ dum oi God, thus to tnalie juftice and mercy to kils each other!

great is this myftery, * God manifefted in the fle(h,' 1 Tim. iii. 6. What wiidom was this, that Chrillfliould be made lin, yet knew no fin ; that God (hould condemn the fin, yet fave the (inner ? Here was vvifdom, to find out the way of falvation. 2. The means by which llilvation is applied fet forth God's vvifdom, that falvation Ihould be by faith, not by works. Faith is an humble grace, it gives all to Chrift; it is an adorer of free grace : and free grace being advanced here, God hath his glory : &Vid it is his higheft wifdom to exalt his own glory. 3. The way of working faith declares God's wiidom ; it is wrought by the word preached, Rom. x. 17. * Faith comes by hearing.* What is the weak breath of a man to convert a foul ? It is like whifpeiing in the ears of a dead man ; this is foolifiinefs in the eye of the world : but the Lord loves to Ihew his wiidom, by tii'dt which feems folly, 1 Cor. i. 27. ' He hath chofen the fooiifli things of the world to confound the wife.' Whyfb? ver. 2y. *'That no tlefh (hould glory in his prefence.' Should God convert by the miniftry of angels, then we (hould have beea ready to have gloried in angels, and have given that honour to them which is due to God ; but when God works by weak tools, makes ufe of men who are of like pafiions with ourfelves, and by them converts; now the power is plainly feen to be of God, 2 Cor. iv. 7. ' We have this treafure in earthen veflels that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.' Herein is God's wifdom (een, that no fle(h may glory in his prefence.

(3.) The wifdom of God wonderfully appears in the works of his providence. Every providence hath either a mercy or a wonder wrapt up in it. The wifdom of God, in his works of providence, appears, 1. By etfe(5ting great things by fmall, contemptible means. He cured the ftung Ifraehtes, by a brazen ferpent. If fome fovereign antidote had been ufed, if the balm of Gilead had been brought, there had been fome likelihood that this (hould have healed : but what was there in a brazen ferpent? It was a mere image, and not applied to him that was wounded, only he was to look upon it, yet this wrought a cure. The lefs probability in the inftrument, the more is God's vvifdom feen. €. The wifdom of God is (een in doing his woilc by that which to the eye of flefh feems quite contrary : God intended to advance Jofeph, and make all his bretiu'en's (heaves bow to his Iheaf: now what way doth he take ? firft Jolieph i» thrown into the pit, then fold into Egypt; then after that put in prifon. Gen. xxxix. 20. And by his imprifonment, God made way for his advancement. For God to fave in an ordinary way, wifdom would not be fo much taken notice of. But then he goes firangeiy to work, and laves in that very way in which we think he will deflioy; now% his wifdom fliines forth in a,

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moft glorious confpicuous manner. God would make Ifrael victorious, and what way doth he go in? He leffcns Gideon's army, Judg. vii. 2. * The people that are wilh thee are too many:' he reduceth the army of two and thirty thoufand to three hundred ; and hy talcing ?.way the means of viclory, makes Ifrael victorious. God had a defign to bring his people out of Egypt, and a (Irange courie he tnkes to etledt it: he ftirred up the hearts of the Egyptians to hate them, Ffal. cv. 23. ' He turned their heart to hate his people.' The more they hated and opprelled Ifrael, the more God plagued the Egyptians, and the more glad they were to let Ifrael go, Exod. xii- S3. The Egyptians were urgent upon Ifrael, that they might fend them out of the land in halle. God had a mind to fave Jonah when he was caft into the fea, and he lets the fifli fwallow him up, and fo bring him to the Ihore. God would fave Paul, and all that were in the fhip with him, and there was no way to fave them, but the fhip mult break, and they all came iafe to land upon the broken pieces of the (hip, A6t3 xxvii. 44. In reference to the church, God oft goes by contrary means, makes the enemy do his work; he can ftrike a ftraight ftroke by crooked Hicks. God hath oft made his church grow and flonrifli by perfecution. *' The fhowers of blood have made her more fruitful," Julian. Exod. i. 10. • Come let us deal wifely with them left they multiply;* and that way they took to fupprefs them, made them multiply, ver. 12. * The more they aftlicted them, the more they multiplied:' like ground, the more it is harrowed, it bears the better crop. The apoftles were fcattered by reafon of perfecution, and their fcat-tering was like the fcattering of feed ; they went up and down, and preached the gofpel, and brought daily converts. Paul was put in prifon, and his bonds were a means to enlarge the gofpel, Phil. i. 12.

2. The wifdom of God is feen in making the moft defperate evils turn to the good of liis children. As feveral poifonable ingredients, wifely tempered by the fkill of the artift, make a foyereigirmediciue, lo God makes the moft deadly aftlidtions, co-o|>erate for the good of his children. He purifies them, and prepares them for heaven, 2 Cor. iv. 17. Thefe hard frofts liallen the fpring flowers of glory. The wife God, by a divine chymiltry, turns aftli6tions into cordials. God makes his people gainers by loli'es, and turns their crolfes into bleftings.

4. The wifdom of God is feen in this, that the fins of men fliall carry on God's work ; yet that he ftiould have no hand in their fin. The Lord permits (in, but doth not approve it. He hath an hand in the action in which iin is, but not in the fin of the adion. As in the.crncifying ofChrilt, fo far as it was a natural a6tion, God did concur: if he had not given the Jews hfe

and breath, they could not have done it: but, as it was a finful adtion, fo God abhorred it. A muiician plays upon a viol cut of tune ; the mufician is thecaufe of the found, but the jarring and difcord is from the viol itfelf : fo men's natural motion is from God, but their finful motion is from themfelves. A man that rides on a lame horfe, his riding is the caufe why the horfe goes, but the iamenefs is from the horfe itfelf. Herein i&God's wifdom, the fins of men (hall carry on his work, yet he hath no hand in them.

5. The wifdom of God is feen in helping in defperate cafes. God loves to fhew his wifdom when human help and wifdom fail. Exquifite lawyers love to wreftle with niceties and difficulties in the law, to fhew their (kill the more. God's wifdom is never at a lofs ; but when providences are darkeft, now appears the morning-fl:ar of deliverance, Pfalm cxxxvi, 23. ' Who remembered us in our low condition.' Sometimes God melts away the fpirits of his enemies, Jofh. ii. 24. Sometimes he finds them other work to do, and founds a retreat to them, as he did to Saul when he was purfuing David ; * The Philiftines are in th« land.' ' In the Mount will God be feen.' When the church feems to be upon the altar, her place and liberty ready to be facrificed, now comes the angel.

6. God's wifdom is feen in befooling wife men, and making their wifdom a means of their overthrow. Ahithophel had deep policy, 2 Sam. xvi. 23. * The counfel of Ahithophel, ■which he counfelled, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God :' but he confulted his own fhame. ' The Lord turned his counfel into fooliflinefs,' 2 Sam. xvii. 23. Job v. 13. * God taketh the wife in their own craftinefs;' that is, when they think to deal wifely, he not only difappoints them, butinfnares them. The fnares they lay for others catch themfelves, Pf. ix. 16. ' In the net which they hid, is their own foot taken.' God loves to counterplot politicians; he makes u(e of their own wit to undo them, and hangs Haman upon his own gallows.

Ufe 1. Adore the wifdom of God ; it is an infinite deep the angels cannot (earch into, Rom. xi. 32. * His ways are palt finding out.' And as we fliould adore, fo we fliould reft in the wifdom of God : God lees what condition is belt for us. Did we believe the wifdom of God, it would keep us from murmuring. Refl: in God's wilclom in feveral cafes : 1. In want of fpiritual comfort : God is wife, he fees it good fometimes we ihould be without comfort. Perhaps we ihould be lifted up with fpiritual enlargements, as Paul with his revelations, 2 Cor. xii. 7. It is hard to have the heart low, when comfort is high. God fees humility- is better for us than joy. It is better to want comfort, and be humble, than to have it, and be proud, 2. !q want of bodily ftrength, reft in God's wifdom ; he iets what la

L 2

S4 or THE M'ISDOM Gf GOD.

befi. Perhaps tlie lets health the more grace ; weaker in bodv, the ftroiiger we are in faith, 2 Cor. iv. 16. ' Though our outward man perifh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.* At Rome there were two laurel trees: when the one withered, the other flourifhed. The inward man is renewed. When God (liakes the tree of the body, he is now gathering the fruits of righteoulhefs, Heb. xii. 11. Sicknefs is God's lance to let out the impoiihume of fm,Ifa. xxvii. 9. 3. In cafe of God's providences to his church : we wonder what God is doing with us, and are ready to killourfelves with care : refl in God's wifdom ; he knows bell what he hath to do, Plal. Ixxvii. hj. ' His foot-fteps are not known.' Truil him where you cannot trace him. God is moil in his way, when we think he is mod out of the way ; when we think God's church is, as it were, in the grave, and there is a tonib-ftone laid upon her, God's wifdom can roll away the fto\ie from the fepulchre. * Chrift cometh leaping over mountains,* Cant. ii. 8. Either his power can remove the mountain, or his wifdom knows how to leap over it. 4. In cafe we are low in the world, or have but little oil in our crufe ; reft in God's wifdom, he fees it bell; it is to cure pride and wantonnefs. God knew, if thy ellate had not been loft, thy foul had been loft. God, he faw riches would be a fnare unto thee, 1 Tim. vi. 9. Art thou troubled that God hath prevented a fnare ? God will make thee rich in faith ; what thou lackefk in temporals fhall be made up in fpirituals : God will give thee more of his love. Thou art weak in eftate, yet God will make thee ftrong in alfurance. O reil in God's wildom ! he will carve the beft piece for thee. 5. In cafe of the lofs of dear friends, a wife, or child, or huft)and; reil fatisfied in God's wifdom. God hath taken av/ay thefe, becaufe he would have more of your Ipve : he breaks thefe crutches, that we may live more upon him by faith, God would have us learn to go without crutches. Ufe 2. If God be infinitely wife, then let us go to him for wifdom; as Solomon, 1 Kings iii. 9. * Give thy fcrvant an underftanding heart ; and the fpeech pleafed the Lord.* And there is encouragement for us, * If any one lack wifdom let him afk of God, who giveth liberally, and upbraideth not.' James i. 5. Wifdom is in God, tanquam infonte, as in the fountain ; Jiis wifdom is imparted, not impaired; his ftock is not Ipent by giving. Go then to God : Lord, do thou light my lamp ; in thy light fiiali I fee light; give me wifdom, to know the fallacy of my heart, the fubtilties of the old ferpent; to walk jealoufly towards myfelf, religioufly towards thee, prudently towards others: guide me by thy counfel, and afterwards receive me to glory.

OF GOD'S POWER,

The npxt attFibute is God's power, Job ix. 19. * If I fpeak of firength, lo, he is ilrong.' In this chapter is a magnificent defcription of God's po'.ver; * Lo, he is (irong,' The Hebrew word for ftrong, figniHes a conquering, prevaih'ng firength. * He is ftrong;' the fuperlative degree is intended here, viz. He is molt ilrong, He is called, El-jhaddui, God Almighty, Gen. xvii. 1. His almightinefs lies in this, he can do whatever is feafible. Divines diftinguilh between authority and power. God hatli lx)th.

1. He hath a fovereign right and authority over man. He can do with his creature as he pleafes. Who (hall difpute with God ? who fliall afiv him a reafon of his doings? Dan. iv. 35.

* He doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth ; and none can flay his hanci, or fay unto him, What doft thou ?' God fits judge in the higheft court; he calls the monarchs of the earth to the bi.r, and is not bound to give a realbn of his proceedings, Pf. Ixxv. 5,7.' He putteth down one, and raiieth up another.' He hath falvation and damnation in his power. He hath (he key of juftice in his hand, to lock up whom he will in the fiery prifon of hell; and he hath the key of mercy in his hands lo open heaven's gate to whom he pleafes. Tins is the name engraven upon his vellure,

* King of kings, and Lord of lords,* Rev. xix. 16. He fits Lord paramount, and who can call him to an account? Ifa. xlvi. 10. * I will do all m.y pleafure.' The world is God's diocefe, and Ihall not he do what he will in his own diocefe ? He it was that turned king Nebuchadnezzar to eat grafs, and threw the angels to hell when they finned ; that broke the head of the Babylonilh empire, Ifa. xiv. 12. * How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer! Thy pomp is brought down to the grave.' * Who fets bounds to the fea, and bridles the proud waves,' Job xxxviii. li. God is the fupreme monarch, all power is feated originally in him ; * And the powers that be are of God,' Rom. xiii. 1. Kings hold their crowns of huD, Prov. viii. 15. ' By me kings reign.'

(2.) As God hath authority, fo he hath infinite power. What is authority without power ? * He is mighty in firength,* Job ix. 4. This power of God is feen.

1. In the creation. To create, requires infinite power ; all the world cannot make a fly. God's pouer in creating is evident, 1. -Becaufe he needs no infi;rutnents to work with; it is proper to God to work without tools. 2. He needs no matter to work upon ; firft, he creates matter, and then works upon it.

S<5 OF GOD*S POWEH,

3. He works without labour, Pf. xsxiii. 9. ' He fptike, and it was done '

2. The power of God is feen in the converfion of fouls. Surely a mighty po.ver went to rail'e Chrift iVoni the grave, Eph. j. 20. (1.) The fanie power goes to draw a (inner to God, as drew Chrill out oi the ^rave to heaven. Greater power is put forth in converfion, than in creation. When God made the world, he met v^ith no opposition : as he had nothing to help him, fo he had nothing to hinder him : but when he comes to convert a finner, here he m^ets with oppofition : Satan op-pofeth him, and the heart oppofelh him ; a finner is angry with converting grace. (2.) The world v«\s the 'Work of God's fingers,' Pi", viii. 3- Converfion is the ' Work of God's arm,' Luke i. 5. (3.) In the creation, God wrought but one rairacle, he fpake the word : buf, in converfion, he works many miracles: Tiie blmd is made to (ee, the dead i« railed, the deaf hears the voiceofthe Sou o God. O the infinite power of Jehovah ! Before his fceptrc, angelsvail and proitrate themfelves; kings cafl; their crowns at his fet-t. Amos ix. 5. ' He touch-eth the mountains and they melt.' Job ix. 6 * He removeth the earth out of her place.' An earthquake makes the earth tremble upon her pillars, but God (hakes it out of its place; he can remove the earth from us centre. God can do what, he will, his power is as large as his will. Were men's power as large as their will, what work would they make in the world ! God's power is of equal extent with his will. God can with a word unpin the wheels, and break the axle-tree of the creation. He can do * more than we can think,' Eph. iii. ^0. He ca'.i fufpend natural agents : he fealed up the lions mouth, made the fire not to burn : he made the waters tofi;and upon an heap : he caufed the fun to go ten degrees backward in Ahaz's dial, Ifa. iii. 8. What can pole omnipotency ? * The Lord cuts off the fpiritof princes.' Pf. Ixxvi. 19. Hecounter-woiks his enemies ; he pulls down their flags and banners of pride, infatuates their couniels, breaks their forces ; and he doth it with eafe, with the turning of his hand, Pfal. Ixxxi. 24. ' with his breath,* Ifa. xl. 21. * with a look.' That is all it needs coft God to defi:roy his enemies; a look, a call of his eye, Exod. xiv. 24. * The Lord looked into the hoft of the Egyptians, through the pillar of fire, and troubled their hod.* Who (hall Hop him in his march .^ God commands, and all creatures in heaven and earth obey him. Xerxes, the Perfian monarch, threw fetters into the fea, when its waves ("welled, as if he would have chained up the waters ; but when God (peaks, the wind and (ea obey him ; if he fay but the word, the (tars fight in their courfes againd Sifera ; if he damp with his foot, an army of angels ihall prefently be in battalia. What cannot omnipotent power

r?o? ' The Lord is a man of war,' Exod. xv. 3 * He hatli a mighty arm,' Pf. Ixxxix. 13. ' God's power is a glorious power,' Ccl. i. 11. 1. It is an irrefiftibie power, Rom. ix. 19. ' Who hath refifted his will?' To conteft with him, is as if the tliorns Ihould fet themfelves in battle array againft the fire ; or as if an infirm child Ihould fi.;ht with an archangel. If the finner be once taken in God's iron net, there is no efcaping, lia. xliii. 13. * There is none that can deliver out of my liand.* 2 God's power is an inexhauftible power ; it is never Ipent or wafted. Men, while they exercife their ilrength, weaken it; but God hath an everlafting fpring of ftrength in him, I(a. xxvi. 4. Tho' he fpends his arrows upon his enemies, Deut. xxxii. 23. yet he doth not fpend his Itrength, Ha. xl. 28. ' He fainteth not, neither is weary.'

Object. Can God do all things? he cannot deny h'wifelf.

AnJ'. Though God can do all things, he cannot do tliat which ftains the glory of his Godhead : he cannot fin ; he cannot do that which implies a con tradition. To be a God of truth, and yet deny himlelf, is a contradiction.

Vj'c I. If God be fo infinite in power, fear this great God. We are apt to fear fuch as are in power ; Jer. v. 32. ' Fear ye not me?' lalth the Lord : * Will ye not tremble at my pre-fence ?' He hath power to caft, our fouls and bodies into hell, Pfal. xc. 11. * Who knows the power of his wrath?' God can with the fame breath that made us, diifolve us ; * His eyes are as aflame of fire ; the rocks are thrown down by him,' Nah. i. 6. Solomon faith, * Where the word of a king is, there is power,' Eccl. viii. 4. much more where the word of a God is. O let us fear this mighty God ! The fear of God will drive out all other bafefear.

U/'e 2. See the deplorable condition of wicked men: 1. This power ol God is not for them : 2. It is againft them.

1. This power of God is not for them : they have no union with God, therefore have no warrant to lay claim to his power. His power is no relief to them. He hath power to forgive fins, but he will not put forth his power towards an impenitent finner. God's power is on eagle's wings, to carry the iaints to heaven ; but what privilege is that to the wicked ; though a man will carry his child in his arms over a dangerous water, yet he will not carry an enemy in his arms. God's power is not engaged to help thofe that fight againft him. Let miferies come upon the wicked, they have none toiielp them ; they are like a fiiip in a ftorm without a pilot, driven upon the rocks.

2. This power of God is againft tlie wicked. God's power will not be the finners fliield to defend him, but a fword to wound him. God's power will bind the finner in chains. God's power ferves to revenge the wrong done to his mercy. God

will be Almighty to damn the fiiiner. Now, in what condn tioi) is every unbeliever ; God's power is engaged agaiuft him, and ' it is a teartul thing to fall into the hands of the living God,* Hfcb. X. 31.

life 3. It reproves fuch as do not believe this power of God. We fay, we do not doubt of God's power, but his will. But indeed it is God's power that we queftion. * Is any thing too hard for God?' Jer. xxxii. 27. yet we ftagger through unbelief as if the arm of God's power were fiirunU', and he could not help in defperate cafes. Take away aking's power, and we unking hirn ; take away the Lord's power, and we nn-god him ; yet how guilty of this are we! Did not ll'rael queftion God's power !' Can he pre|>area tablein thewildernefs?' Plal. Ixxviii. 19. they thought the wildernefs was a fitter place for making of graves, than fpreading of a table. Did not Martha doubt of Chrilt's power? John xi. 39. ' He hath been dead four days.* If Chrift had been there while Lazarus was lick, or when he had been newly dead, Martha did not queftion but Chridcould have raifed him ; but he had lain in the grave four days, and now flie feemed to queftion his power. Chrift had as much ado to raife her faith, as to raiCe her dead brother. And Mofes, though an holy man, yet limits God's power through unbelief. Numb. xi. 21. * The people among whom I am, are fix hundred thoufand footmen ; and thou haft faid, I will give them flefti for a whole month : ftiall the flocks and the herds be flain for tiiem to fuffice them ? or fiiall all the filli of the fea be gathered for them to fuffice them ? And the Lord faid unto Mofes, * Is the Lord'shand waxed fhort?' Thisisa greataft'rontto God, to go to deny his power. That men doubt of God's power, appears, 1. By their taking indire6l courfes. Would they defraud in their dealings, ufe falfe weights, if they believed the power of God, that he could provide for them? L'. By their depending more upon fecond caufes than upon God, 2 Chron. xvi. 12. *In hisdifeafe, he fought not to the Lord, but to the phyficians.* Ui'e 1. II God be infinite in power, then let us take heed of hardening our hearts againft God, Job ix. 4. ' Who hath hardened himielf againft him, and prol'pered ?' Job fends a challenge to all creatures in lieaven and earth, Who is he did ever take up the bucklers againft God, and came off conqueror ? For a perlbn to go on daringly in any fin, is to harden his heart againft God, and, as it were, to raife a war againft heaven ; ,and let him remeuibcr God is El-fJiaddai, almighty; he will be too hard for them that oppoie him. Job xl. 9. ' Haft thou an arm like God ?' Such as will not bow to his golden fii-eptre, (hall be broken with his iron rod. Julian hardened his heart againft God, he oppoli-d him to his face ; but what got he at laft ? did he proipcr ? Being wounded ia battle, he threw up his blood

info the air, and fnid to Chrift, Vicifti Galilcee, * O Galilean, thou haft overcome;' I acknowledge thy power, whole name and truth I have oppofed. Will tolly contend with wifdom ? Weaknef's with power ? finite with infinite? O take heed of hardening your heart againft God ! He can fend legions of angels to avenge his quarrel. It is better to meet God with tears in your eyes, than weapons in your hand. You may overcome God fooner by repentance, than by refiliance.

Ufe 5. GeLan intereft in God, and then this glorious power is engaged for you. God gives it under his hand, that he will put forth the whole power of his Godhead for the good of his people, 1 Chron. xvii. ^4. ' The Lord of hofts is the God of Ifrael, even a God to Il'rael.' This alniightinefs of God's power is a wonderful fupport and comfort to every believer. It was Sam-fon's riddle, Judg. xiv. 14. * Out of the ftrong came forth fweetnefs :' So out of the attribute of God's power, out of this Itrong comes forth fweetnels : It is comfort in feveral cafes,

1. In cafe of llrong corruption. My fins, faith a child of God, are potent; I have no power againll this army that comes againft me : I pray, and humble my foul by fafting, but my fins rettu'n upon me. Ay, but doft thou believe the power of God ? The llrong God can conquer thy ftrong corruption ; tliough fin be too hard for thee, yet not for him ; he can Ibften hard hearts, quicken the dead. * Is any thing too hard for the Lord?' Gen. xviii. 14. Set God's power on work. By faith and prayer, lay, Lord I it is not for thy honour that the devil ihould have fo ftrong a party within me ; O break the head of this leviathan; Abba, Father, all things are poflible to thee.

2. In cafe of ftrong temptation. Satan is called the flrong man: O but remember the power of God; Chrift is called, * The lion of the tribe of Judah,' he hath broken the ferpent's head upon the crofs. Satan is a chained enemy, and a conquered enemy : Michael is ftronger than the dragon.

3. Comfort in cafe of weaknels of grace, and fear of falling away. I pray, but I cannot fend out ftrong cries ; I believe, but hand of my faith doth fhake and treujble. Cannot God ftrengthen weak grace? 2 Cor. xii. 9. * My ftrength is made perfe<^t in weaknefs: molt gladly therefore will I rather glory in mine infirmities, that the power of Chrift may reft upon me.' 1 fear I fhall not hold out. Chriftian, doft thou believe the power of God? Hath not God preferved thy grace thus far? Maycft thou notfet up thy Ebenezer? God hath kept thy grace hitherto as a fpark in the main ocean. And is not he able ftill to keep thy grace? 1 Pet. i. 5. * We are kept by the power of God,' &c. God's mercy pardons u?, but hi.-) power prelerves us. He wiio by his power keeps the liars that they do not fall out of their oii>, keeps our grace that it doth not fail or auuihiUte.

Vol. I. No. 2, M

4. Comfort in cafe of the deficiency in thy eflate, God can multiply rile oil in the cruife ; miraculoufly he can vaife up i'up-plies: God, who provides for the birds of the air, cannot he provide for his children? He that clothes the lilies, cannot he clothe his lambs ?

5. Comfort in regard of the refurre6tion. This feems difficult to believe, that the bodies of men when eaten up by worms, devoured by bealls and fifties, or confumed to afties, ftiould be railed the lame numerical bodies; but if we believe the power of God, it is ho great wonder; which is hardeil, to create, or raife the dead : he that can make abody of nothing, can reftore it to its parts, when mingled and confounded with other fub-ilances. Mat. xix. "iO. ' With God all things are pollible.' If we believe the firlt article of the creed. That God is almighty, we may quickly believe the other article. The refurre6iion of the body. God can raife the dead becaufeof his power, and he cannot but raife them, becaufe of his truth.

5. It is comfort in reference to the church of God : he can fave and deliver it when it is brought low. The enemies have power in their hand, but the remainder of wrath God will re-ftrain, Pfal. Ixxvi. 10. God can either confine the enemies power or confound it: ' If God be for us, who can be againft us ?* God can create Jer,ufalem a praife, Ifa. Ixv. 8. The church in Ezekiel, is compared to dry bones, but God made breath to enter into them, and they lived, Ezek. xxxvii. 10. The fliip of the church may be tolfed, becaufe fin is in it, but it ftiall not be overwhelmed, becaufe Chrift is in it, Pfalm xlvi. 5. Deus in medeo. All the church's pangs fhall help forward her deliverance.

OF THE HOLINESS OF GOD.

The next attribute is God's hohnefs, Exod. xv. 11, ' Glorious in hoiinefs.' Holinefs is the moft fparkling jewel of his crown; it is the name by which God is known, Pfal. cxi. 9. ' Holy and reverend is his name.' ' He is the Holy One,' Job vi. 10. ' Seraphims cry, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of holts, the whole earUi is full of his glory,' Ifa. vi. 3. His power makes him mighty, his holinei's makes him glorious : God's holinefs confilts in his perfe6t loving of righteoufnefs, and abhorrency of evil, Hab. i. 13. ' Of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity.'

1/?, God is holy intrinfically: I. He is holy in his nature; his very being is made up of holinefs, as light is of the eifence of the fun. 2. He is holy in his word ; the word bears aftamp

of his holinefs upon it, as the wax bears an impreffion of the feal, Pfal. cxix. 140. ' Thy word is very pure;' it is compared to filver retined feven times, Pfal. xii. 6. Every line in the word breathes fan6tity, it encourgeth nothing but holinefs. 3. God is holy in his operations, all God doth is holy : he cannot act but like himfelf; he can no more do an unrighteous action, than the fun can darken, Pfal. cxlv. 17. ' The Lord is holy in all his works.'

'2dhj, God is holy primarily: he is the original and pattern of holinefs; holinefs began at him who is the Ancient of days.

Sdli/t God is holy efficiently : he is the caufe of all that holinefs in others, J ames i. 17. ' Every good and perfect gift, comes from above.' He made the angels holy; he infufed all that Jiolinefs into Chrift's human nature : all the holinefs we have is but a cryltal ftream from this fountain. We borrow all our hClinefs from God ; as the lights of the fdn6tuary were lighted from the middle lamp, lb all the holinefs of others is a lamp lighted from heaven. Lev. xx. S. ' I am the Lord which fanclify you.' God is not only a pattern of holinefs, but he is a principle of holinefs : his fpring feeds all our cillerns, he drops his holy oil of grace upon us.

Athhjy God is holy tranfcendently, 1 Sim. ii. 2. * There is none fo holy as the Lord :' no angel in heaven can take the jull dimenfions of God's holinefs. The higheft feraphim is too low of ftature, to meafure thefe pyramids: the holinefs in God is far above the holinefs in faints or angels.

1. It is above the holinels in faints, 1. It is a pure holinefs: the faints' holinets is like gold m the ore, imperfedt; their humility is ftained with pride ; he that hath molt faith had need pray, ' Lord, help my unbelief,' but the holinefs of God is pure, like wine from the grape : it hath not the leaft dalh or tin6ture of impurity mixed with it. 2. A more unchangeable holinels : the faints, though they cannot lofe the habit of holinefs (for the feed of God remains], yet they may lofe fome degrees of their holinels. Rev. ii. 4. ' Thou halt left thy firit love.' Grace cannot die, yet the flame of it may go out; holinefs in the faints is fubje6l to ebbing, but holinels in God is unchangeable ; he never lo(t a drop of hig holinefs : as he cannot have more holinefs, becaufe he is perfectly holy; fo he cannot have lefs holinefs, becaufe he is unchangeably holy.

2. The holinefs in God is above the holinefs in the angels; holinels in the angels is only a quality, which may be lolt, as we lee in the fallen angels : but holinefs in God is his eil'cnce, he IS all over holy, and he can as well lofe his Godhead, as his holinels.

Ohjedt. But is he not privy to all the Jim of men 9 He beholds their impurities; how can this be, and he nut be dejileds-

U 2

D9 or THE HOLINESS OF GOD^

Anf. God fees all the fins of men, but is Roraore defiled wifh them, than the inn is defiled with the vapours that aril*; out of the earlli : God iees fin, not as a patron to approve it, but as a judge to puni(i) it.

life I. Is God fo infinitely holy? Then fee how unlike to God fin is: Sin is an unclean thing, it is hypeibolicaily evil, Rom. i. 13. It is called an abomination, Deut. vii. 25. God hath no mixture of evil in him : fin hath no mixture of good ; it is the fpirit and quintelFence of evil; it turns good into evil; it hath deflowered the virgin-foul, made it red with guilt, and black vviih filth: it is called the accurfed thing, Jofli. vii. 11. No wonder, therefore, that God doth fo hate fin, being i'o unlike to him, nay, fo contrary to him : it (Irikes at his holinefs; fin doth all it can to fpite God ; fin would not only unthrone God, but ungod him ; if fin could help it, God fhould be God no longer.

U/e 2. Is God the Holy One, and is his holinefs his glory ? Then how impious are they, (1.) That are haters of hohnefs? As the vulture hates perfumes, fo they hate this fweet perfume of holinefs in the faints ; their hearts rite againft holinefs : as a man's flomach at a diih he hath an antipathy againft. There is not a greater fign of a perlbn devoted to hell, than to hate one for that thing wherein he is moll like God, his holinefs. (2.) That are defpiiers of holinefs: they defpife the glory of the Godhead, ' Glorious in holinefs.' The defpifing of holinefs is feen in the deriding of it; is it not fad, men Ihould deride that which fhould fave them? Sure that patient will die that derides the phyfic. The deriding the grace of the Spirit comes near to thedefpit|ng the Spirit of grace. Scoffing Iflimael was cafi; out of Abraham's houfe. Gen. xxi. 9- Such as feoff at holinefs, fiiall be caft out of heaven.

U/e 2. Of Exhortation : Is God fo infinitely holy, then let us endeavour to imitate God in holinefs, 1 Pet. i. 16. * Be ye holy for I am holy.' There is a twofold holinefs, an holinefs of equality, and an holinefs of fimilitude : an holinefs of equality no man or angel can reach to; who can be equally holy with God? Who can parallel him in fan6lity? But, 2. There is an holinefs of fimilitude, atid that we muft afpire after, to have fome analogy and refemblance of God's holinefs in us; be as like him in holinefs as we can : though a taper doth not give fo much light as the fun, yet it doth refemble it. We muft imitate God in holinefs.

Qu. Mnji we be like God in holinefs, wherein doth our holinefs covfifl?

Anf. In two things, Ift, In om'fuitablenefsto God's nature. 2rf/r/, Our fubjedion to his will.

1. Our holinefs ftands in our fuitablenefs to the nature of

God : hence the faints are faid to partake of the divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. which is not a partaking of his efl'ence, but his image. Herein is the faints hoUnefs, when they are the hvely pictures of God : they bear the innage of God's meeknefs, merci-fulnefs, heavenUnefs; they are of the fame judgment with God, of the fame difpofition ; they love what he loves, and hate what he hates.

2. Our holinefs confifts in our fubje6lion to the will of God: as God's nature is the pattern of holmefs, fo his will is the rule of holinefs. This is our holinefs, (I.) When we do his will, A6ts xiii. 22. (2.) When we bear his will, Mic. vii. y. what he inflids wifely, we fuller willingly. This is our holinefs, when we are fuitable to God's nature, and fubmiffive to his will; this fhould be our great care, to be like God in holinefs; our holinefs Ihould be fo qualified as God's; God's is a real holinels, fuch fhould ours be, Eph. iv. 24. ' Righteoufnefs and true holinefs:' It fhould not be only the paint of holinefs, but the hfe of holinefs ; it fhould not only be like the Egyptian temples, beautified without, but like Solomon's temple, gold within, Pfal. xlv. 13. * I'he king's daughter is ail glorious within.* That I may prefs you to refemble God in holinefs, confider

1. How illuflrious every holy perfon is; he is a fair glal's in which fome of the beams of God's holinefs fhines forth. We read, Aaron put on his garments for glory and beauty, Exod. xxviii. 2. When we wear the embroidered garment of holinefs, it is for glory and beauty. A good Chrlllian is ruddy, being fprinkled with Chrift's blood ; and white, being adorned with holinefs. As the diamond to a ring, fo is holioefs to the foul, that, as Chryfoftom faith, they that oppofe it, cannot but admire it.

2. It is the great defign God carries on in the world, to make a people like himielf in holinefs : what are all the fliowers of the ordinances for, but to rain down righteoufnefs upon us, and make us holy ? What are the promifes for, but to encourage holinefs? What is the fending of the Spirit into the world for, but to anoint us with the holy unction ? 1 John ii. 20. What are all afllictions for, but to make us partakers of God's holinefs? Heb. xii. 10. What are mercies for; but loadllones to draw us to holinefs ? What is the end of Chrill's dying, but that his blood might wafh away our unholinefs? Tit. ii. 14. * Who gave himfelf for us, to purify unto himielf a peculiar people.* So that if we are not holy, we crofs God's great defign in the world.

3. It is our holinefs draws God's heart to us: Holinefs is God's image : God cannot choole but love his image where he fees it. A king loves to fee his eftigies upon a piece of coin : Plal. xlv. ' Thouioveft righteoufnefs.' And where doth righ-

teoufnefs grow, but in an holy heart? Ifa. Ixii. 4. * Thou flialt he c-dWed Hephzibah, for the Lord delighted in thee:' It was her holineis drew God's love to her, verfe 12. * They (hall call ■them the hoiy people.' God values not any by their high birth, but their hoiuieis.

4. HoUnels is the only thing that difFerenceth us from the reprobate part of the world : God's people have his leal upon them, 2 Tim. ii. 19. ' The foundation of God llandeth fure, having this feal, the Lord knowelh them that are his. And let all that name the name of Chrift, depart from iniquity.' The .people of God are fealed with a double feal, L Eletlion, * The JLiord knows who are his.' 2. San6lificatvon, ' Let every one depart from iniquity.' As a nobleman is difiinguiflied from another by his lilvcr ftar ; as a virtuous woman is diftinguifhed from an harlot by her chaility ; lb holinefs diftinguifheth between the two feeds ; all that are of God, as they have Chrift for their captain, Heb. ii. 10. lb holinefs is the white colour they wear-

5. Holinels is our honour. Holinefs and honour put together, 1 Theff. iv. 4. Dignity goes along with fan6^ification. Rev. i. t>. ' He hath walhed us from our fins in his blood, and hath made us kings unto God.' When we are walhed and made holy, then we are kings and prielts to God. The faints are called vefl'elsof honour; they are called jewels, for the fparkliiig of their holinels, becaufe filled with wine of the Spirit: this makes them earthly angels.

6. Holinefs gives us boldnefs with God, Jobxxiii. 26. ' Thou fhalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacle, and fhalt lift up thy face unto God.' Lifting up the face is an emblem of bold-nels. Nothing can make us fo afliamed to go to God, as fin : a wicked man in prayer may lift up his hands, but he cannot lift up his face. When Adam had loft his holinels, he loft his confidence ; he hid himfeU. But the holy perlbn goes to God, as a child to his father; his conlcieuce doth not upbraid him with allowing any fin, therefore he can go boldly to the throne ,of grace, and have mercy to help in time of need, 'Heb. iv. 1(5.

7. Holinels gives peace : fin raifeth a ftorm in the confcience, ■ Ubi peccalum ibi procella, Ifa- Ivii. 21. ' There is no peace to

the wicked.' Righteoufnel's and peace are put togelhej*. Holinels is the root wliich bears this fweet fruit of peace ; righteoul-iiefs and peace kiis each other.

8. Holinels leads to heaven : holinefs is the king of heaven's high-way, Ifa. xxxv. 8. * An high-way (hall be there, and it fiiall be called the way of holinels.' At Rome there was the temple of virtue and honour, and they were to go through the temple of virtue to the temple of honour: fo we muft go through the teniple of holinels to the temple of heaven. Glory ■begins in virtue, 2 Pet. L.3. * Who hath called us to glory and

virtue ?' happinefs is nothing elfe but the quinteflence of holinefs; holineCs is glory militant, and happinef's holinefs triumphant.

Q. What fliall we do to refemble God in holinefs ?

Aiif. Have recourfe toChriit's Wood by faith ; it is lavacrum animcBy legal purifications: were types and emblems of it, I John i. 7. The word isaglafsto fhew usourfpots, and ChrilVs blood is a fountain to wa(h them away.

2. Pray for an holy heart, PC. li. 10. * Create in me a clean heart, O God.* Lay thy heart before the Lord, and fay. Lord my heart is full of leprofy ; it defiles all it toucheth : Lord, I am not fit to live with fuch aii heart, for I cannot honour thee ; nor die with fuch an heart, for I cannot fee thee. O create in me a clean heart; fend thy Spirit unto me, to refine and purify me, that I may be a temple fit for thee the holy God to inhabit.

3. Walk with them that are holy, Prov. xiii. 20. * He that walketh with the wife fhall be wife.* Be among the fpices, and you will fmell of them. Aflbciation begets alTimulation : nothing hath a greater power and energy to effect holinefe then the communion of faints.

OF GOD'S JUSTICE

*^

The next attribute is God's juftice: all God's attributes are identical, and are the fame with his eifence. Though he hathfeveral attributes whereby he is made known to us, yet he hath but one eifence. A cedar tree may have feveral branches, yet it is but one cedar. So there are feveral attributes of God whereby we conceive of him, but one entire eifence. Well then, concerning God's jultice, Deut. xxxii. 4. ' Juft and right is he.' Job xxxvii. 23. ' Touching the Almighty ; we cannot find him out ; he is excellent in plenty ofjuitice.' God. is faid to dwell in juftice, Pfal. Ixxxix. 14. ' Jultice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne.' In God power and juftice meet. Power holds the Iceptre, and jultice holds the brjhince. ^, What is God'sjnjiice?

ATif. " Juftice is to give every one his due." God's juftice is the re6titude of his nature, whereby he is carried to the doing of that which is righteous and equal ; Prov. xxiv. 12. ' Shall not he render to every man according to his works?' God is an impartial judge; hejadgeth the caufe: men oft judge the per-fon, but not the caule ; \vhich is not juftice, but malice : God judgeth the caufe,' Gen. xviii. ^1. 'I will go down and lee whether they have done according to the cry which i^ come up

unto me.* When the Lord is upon a punitive a6l, he weighs things in the balance, he doth notpunifh raflily ; he doth not go in the way of a riot, but a circuit, againft offenders. Concerning God's juftice, I fhall lay down theie fix pofitions.

1. God cannot but bejuil. His holinefs is the caufe of his juUice. Holinefs will notlutFer him to do any thing but what is righteous. He can be no more unjuft than he can be unholy.

2. God's will is the fupreme ruleof jullice ; it is the ftandard of equity. His will is wifeand good. God wills nothing but what isjuft ; aud therefore it is juil bccaufe he wills it,

3. God doth juftice voluntarily : juft;ice flows from his nature. Men may a6l unjuftly, becauie they are bribed or forced : God will not be bribed^ becaufe of his juftice ; he cannot be forced, becauie of his power. He doth juftice out of love to juftice, Heb. i. 9. * Thou loveft righteoulhefs.'

4. Juftice is the perfe6lion of the divine nature. Ariftotle faith, "juftice comprehends in it all virtues." To fay God is juft, is to fay, he is ail that is excellent : perfedions meet in him, as lines in a centre. He is not only juft, but juftice it-felf.

5. God never did, nor can do the leaft wrong to his creature, God's jullice hath been wronged, but never did any wrong. God doth not go according to the Jummitm jus^ or rigour of the law ; he abates fomething of his feverity. He might inflict heavier penalties than he dolh, Ezra ix. 14. * Tho haft puniftied Us lefs than our iniquities deferve ;' our mercies are more than we deferve, and our puniftiments lefs.

6. God's juftice is fuch, that it is not fit for any man or angel to expoftulate with God, or demand a reafon of his actions. God hath not only authority on his fide, but equity : ' He lays judgment to the line, and righteoufnefs to the plummet,' lib. xxviii. 17. and it is below him to give an account to us of his proceedings. Which of thefe two is fitteft to take place, God's juftice or man's reafon ; Rom. ix. 20. ' Who art thou, O man, that replieft againft God ?' The plumb line of our reafon is too fhort to fathom the depth of God's juftice, Rom. xi. S3. * How unfearchable are his judgments.?' We are to adore God's juftice, where we cannot lee a reafon of it.

Now God's juftice runs in two channels : It is feen ifl^Ml'^ things, the diftribution of rewards and punifhments. *^

1. In rewarding the virtuous; Pf. Iviii. 1]. * verily there is a reward for the righteous.' The faints fliall not ferve him for nought, he will reward pneces et lachrywas; though they may be loolers for him, they ftiall not be looters by him, Heb. vi. 10. ' God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which you have fliewed to his name.' He gives a r«-

ward, not that we have deferved it, but becaufe he hath pro-mifed it.

2. He isjuflin punifhing offenders. And he isjufl, 1. Becaufe he punilheth finners by a law. * Where there is no law there is no tranfgreirion,' Rom. iv. 15. But God hath given men a law, and they break it, therefore he punilheth them juil-ly. 2. God is juft in punifhing the wicked ; becaufe he never puniftied them, but upon full proof and evidence. What greater evidence than for a man's own confcience to be witnefs againfthim? There is nothing God chargeth upon a finner, but confcience doth fet feal to the truth of it.

Ufe 1. See here another flower of God's crown, he is juft and righteous. He is the exampler and pattern of juftice.

ObJ. But how doth it feem to ftand with God's juftice, that the wicked ftiould profper in the world ? Prov. xii. 1. * Wherefore doth the way of the wicked profper' This hath been a great ftumbling, and been ready to make many queftion God's juftice. Such as the higheft in fin, are higheil in power. Diogenes feehig Harpalusa thief go on profperoufly, laid, ** Sure God hath caft off the government of the world, and minded not how things went here below."

Anf. I. The wicked may be fometimes inftruments to do God's work; though they do not defign his glory, yet they may promote it. Cyrus, (Ezra i. 7.) wasinftrumental in the building of God's temple in Jerufalem. There is Ibme kind of juftice, that they (hould have a temporal reward : God lets them profper, under whofe wing his people are ftieltered. God will not be in any man's debt, Mai. i. 10. * who hath kindled a fire on my altar for nought ?'

2. God lets men go on in fin, and profper, that he may leave them more inexcufeable. Rev. ii. 21. * I gave her fpace to repent of her fornication.' God adjourns the feffions, fpinsout his mercies towards finners: and if they repent not, his patience will be a witnefs againft them, and his juftice will be more cleared in their condemnation, Pf. li. 4. ' That thou mighteft bejuftified when thou fpeakeft, and be clear when thoujudgeft.'

3. God doth not always let the wicked profper in their fin ; fome he doth punifli openly, that his juftice may be taken notice of, Pfal. ix. 16. * The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth :' that is, his juftice is feen by ftriking men dead in the very a6t of fin. Thus he ftruck Zimri and Cozbi in the a6t of uncleannefs.

4. If God let men profper a while in their fin, his vial of wrath is all this while filling ; his fword is all this time whetting : and though God may forbear men a while, yet long fore-bearance is no forgivenefs. The longer God is in taking his

Vol. I. No. 3. N

blow, the heavier it will be at laft : as long as there is eterhity, God hath time enough to reckon with his enennies.

Juftice may be as a lion afleep, but at laft this lion will awake, and roar upon the finner. Do not Nero and Julian and Cain now meet with God's juftice.

Ohj. But God's own people lulFer great afflictions, they are injured and perfecuted, Pf. Ixxiii. 14. All the day lon^ have I been plaijued and chaftened every morning. How doth this ftand with God's juftice ?

Anf. I. That is a true rule of St. Auftin, Judicia Dei pojfunt ejje occulta, non injujfa: " God's ways of judgment are (bme-times lecret, but never unjuft." The Lord never afflidts his people without a caufe ; fo that he cannot be unjuft. There is fome good in the godly, therefore the wicked aftli6l them ; there is fome evil in them, therefore God affli6ts them. God's own children have their blemiflies, 2 Chron. xxviii. 10. ' Are there not with you, even with you, fins againft the Lord .^* Thefe fpiritual diamonds have they no flaws.? Do we not read of the • fpots of God's children ?' Deut. xxxii. 10. Are not they guilty of much pride, cenforioufnefs, paftion, worldlinefs.^ Tho' by their profeirion, they feem to refemble the birds of pa-radife, to fly above and feed upon the dew of heaven : yet, as the ferpent, they lick the duft. And thefe fins of God's people do more provoke God than others, Deut. xxxii. 19. *Becaufe of the provoking of his Ions and daughters.' The fins of others pierce Chrift's fide, thefe wound his heart: thereforeis not God juft in all the evils that befal them? Amos iii. 2. * You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore will I punifli you for your iniquities.' I will punifli you fooner, furer, forer than others.

3. The trials and fuflerings of the godly are to refine arfd purify them. God's furnace is in Sion, Ila. xxxi. 9. Isit any injuf-tice in God to put his gold into the furnace to purify it } Is it any injuftice in God, by affli6ting his people, to make them partakers of his holinefs? Heb. xii. 10. What doth more proclaim God's faithfulnefs, than to take a courfe with them as may make them better.? Pf. cxix. 75. 'In faithfulnefs thou haft corre6ted me.*

3. What injuftice is it in God to infli6l a lefler punifhment, and prevent a greater ? The beft of God's children have that in them, which is meritorious of hell: now, I pray, doth God do them any wrong, if he ufeth only the rod, where they have de-ferved the fcorpion ? Is the father unjuft, if he only corre6ts his child, who hath deferved to be difinherited ? If God deals lb favourably with his children, he only puts wormwood in their cup, whereas he might put fire and brimftone : they are rather to admire his mercy, than complain of his injuftice.

Ohj. How can it (land with God's juftice, that all men, being equally guilty by nature, God (hould pafs by one and fave another ? Why doth not he deal with all alike ?

All/. Rom. ix. 14. * Is there unrighteoufnels with God ? God forbid.' Jobviii. 3. ' Doth the Almighty pervert jullice .?' 1. God is not bound to give an account ol his actions to his creatures. If none may fay to a king, 'What doeft thou .?' Eccl. viii. 4. much lefs to God. It is fulficient: God is Lord paramount, he hath a Ibvereign power over his creatures, therefore can do no injuftice, Rom. ix. 21. ' Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the fame lump to make one veilel to honour, and another to diftionour?' God hath a liberty left in liis own breaft, to fave one, and not another ; and his juftice is not at ail impeached or blemiftied. If two men owe you money, you may, without any injuftice, remit the debt to one, and exact it of the other. If two malefa6lors be condemned to die, the king may pardon the one, and not the other : he is not un-juft if he lets one fuffer, becaufe he otiended the law ; nor if he fave the other, becaufe he will make ufe of his prerogative as he is king. 2. Though fome are laved aad others perilh, yet there is no unrighteouihefs in God ; becaufe, whoever periflieih, his dedruction is of himfelf, Hof. xiii. 9. * O Ifrael, thou hall deftroyed thyfelf.' God offers grace, the finner refufeth it ; is. God bound to give grace .f* If achirurgeon comes to heal a man's wound, he will not be healed, but bolts out his chirurgeon ; is the chirurgeon bound to heal him ? Prov. i. 24. * I have called, and ye refufed.' Pfal. Ixxxi. II. ' Ili^ael would !^ne of me.* God is not bound to force his mercies upon men : if they wilfully oppofe the ofter of grace, their fin is to be taxed as the caufe of their perifhing, and not God's juilice.

2. Seethe difference between God and a great part of the world. They are unjuft, 1. In their courts ofjudicature ; they pervert juftice, Ifa. x. 1. * They decree unrighteous decrees.' The Hebrew word for a judge's robe, fignilies prevarication, deceit, or injuftice: it is often truer of the judge than of the robe; the judge deferves rather to have that name than the robe. What is a good law, without a good judge .^ Injuftice lies in two things, either not to punifh where there is a faulty or, to punifh where there is no fault! how frequent! again, (2.) Unjuft in their dealings. This is, 1. Either inufingfalfe weights, Hof. xii. 7. 'The balances of deceit are in his hand.*. It is fad, to have the Bible in one hand, and falfe weights in the other. Or, 2. In adulterating commpdities, Ifa. i. 22. * Thy wine is mixed with water ;' when they mix bad grain with good, yet fell it for pure grain. I can never beiieve he is good in the iiril table, who is not good in the fecoud. He can*

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not be godly who is not juft. Though God doth not bid you be omnipotent, as he is, yet be juft, as he is.

Ufe 2. Imitate God in juftice. Let Chrift's golden maxim beobferved. Mat. vii. 22. * What you would have men to do to you, do ye even Co to them.* You would not have them wrons; you, neither do you them ; rather fuffer wrong, than do wrong, I Cor. vi. 7. * Why do ye not rather take wrong?' O be exemplary for juftice ! Let juftice be your ornament, Job xxi\'. 14. 'I put on righteoufnefs (viz. juftice) as a robe and a diadem.' A robe, for its graceful beauty ; and I put it on, et enduebam jiijiitiam. A judge puts on his robe, and puts it oft again at night, but Job did ITo put on juftice, as he did not put it oft" till death, femper veftiti. We muft not lay oft^ this robe of juftice, till we lay down our tabernacle. If you have any thing of God in you, you will be like him. By every un-juft action you do deny yourielves to be Chriftians, you ftain the glory of your profeftion ; heathens will rife up in judgment againft you : the ftjn might fooner alter his courfe than he could be turned from doing juftice.

Ufe3. If God be juft, there will be a day of judgment. Nov/ things are out of courfe ; fin is rampant, faints are wronged, they are often caft in a righteous caufe, they can meet with no juftice here, juftice is turned into wormwood ; but there is a day coming, when God will fet things right; he will do every man juftice ; he will crown the righteous, and condemn the wicked. Acts xvii. 31. * He hath appointed a day,' &c. If God be a juft God^ he will taike vengeance. God hath given men a law to live by, they break it; there muft be a day for the execution ofoftenders: a law not executed, is but like a wooden dagger, for a ftiew. At the laft day, God's fword Ihall be drawn out againft otTenders ; then his juftice ftiall be revealed before all the world, ' God will judge in righteoufnefs,' Acts xvii. 31. ' Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?' Gen. xviii. 25. The wicked fliall drink afea of wrath ; but not ftp one drop of injuftice. At that day ftiall all mouths be ftopt, and God's juftice (hall be fully vindicated from all the cavils and clamours of unjuft men.

U/e 4. Comfort to the true penitent; as God is a juft God, he will pardon him. Ho77io agnofcit, Deus ignofcit. I John i. y. * If we confefs our fins, (i. e. confefs andforfake) he is juft to forgive us our fins.* Not only merciful but juft? Why juft ? Becaufe he hath promifed to forgive fuch ? Prov. xxviii. 13. If thy heart hath been broken for and from fin, thou mayeftnot only plead God's mercy, but his juftice for the pardoning thy fm. Shew him his hand and feal, he cannot deny himfelf.

THE MERCY OF GOD.

The next attribute is God's goodnefs or mercy : mercy is the refult and effe(5l of God's goodnefs, PI", xxxiii. 5. Pi", cxiv. 6i. So then this is the next attribute, God's goodnefs or mercy. The moft learned of the heathens thought they gave their god Jupiter two golden characters, when they ftyled him Good and Great ; both thefe meet in God, Goodnefs and Great' nej's, majefty and mercy.

God is, 1. Effentially good in himfelf. And 2. Relatively good to us. They are both put together, Pf. cxix. 68. ' Thou art good, and dolt good.' This relative goodnefs is nothing elfe but his mercy, which is an innate propenfenefs in God, to pity and fuccour fuch as are in mifery. Concerning God's mercy.

Ift, I fliall lay down thefe twelve pofitions, 1. It is the great defign of the fcripture to reprefent God as merciful. This is a loadftone to draw finners to him, Exod. xxxiv. 6. ' The Lord merciful, gracious, long-fuffering, abundant in goodnefs,' Sec. Here are fix expreOlions to fet forth God's mercy, and but one to fet forth his juftice: who will by no means clear the guilty, Pf. Ivii. 10. * God's mercy, is far above the heavens,' cviii. 4. God is reprefented as a King and a rainbow was about his throne. Rev. iv. 23. The rainbow was an emblem of mercy, the fcripture doth oftner reprefent God in his white robes of mercy than with his garments rolled in blood ; oftner with his golden fcep-tre, than his iron rod.

Pqfition 2. God is more inclinable to mercy than wrath. Mercy is his darling attribute, which he nioft delights in, Mic. vii. 13. ' AJercy pleafeth him.' It is delightful to the mother, faith Chrylbftom, to have her breatts drawn : fo it is to God, to have the breafls of his mercy drawn, Ifa. xlvii. 4. ' Fury is not in me ;' that is, 1 do not delight in it. A6ts of feverity are rather forced from God, he doth not afili6t willingly. Lam. iii. 33. The bee nattjially gives hisney, it (tings only when it is provoked ; God doth not punifli till he can bear no longer, Jer. xliv. 22. * bo that the Lord could bear no longer, becaufe of the evil of your doings.' Mercy is God's right hand, that he is moft ufed to ; intlicting of punilhment is called God's ftrange work, Ifa. xxviii. 21. He is not ufed to it. And when the Lord would (have oil" the pride of a nation, he is laid to hire a razor, as if he had none of his own, Ifa. vii. 20. ' He Ihall fhave witli a razor that is hired.' ' He is flow to anger,' Pial. ciii. 28. * But ready to forgive,' Pfal. Ixxxvi. 5.

Pofition 3. There is no condition, but we may fpy mercy

in it: when the church was in captivity, (he cries out, * It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not confumed,' Lam. iii. a^. Geof^raphers write of Syracufe in Sicily ; it is fo fituated, that the ilin is never out of light. In all afflictions we may fee fotne fun-(hine of mercy. That outward and inward troublesdo not come together, is mercy.

Pojition 4. Mercy fweetens all God's other attributes : God's holinels without mercy, and his juftice without mercy, were terrible. When the water was bitter, and IlVael could not drink, Mofescaii a tree into the water, and then they were made fweet. How bitter and dreadful were the other attributes of God, did not mercy IWeeten them ! Mercy fets God's power on work to help us ; it makes hisjullice become our friend ; it fliall avenge our quarrels.

Pofition 5. God's mercy is one of the mod orient pearls of his crown : it makes his Godhead appear amiable and lovely: A¥hen Mofes faid to God, * I befeech thee ihew me thy glory ;* the Lord anfwered him, * I will make all my goodnefs pafs before thee, and I will ihew thee mercy,' Exod. xxxiii. ly. God's mercy is his glory ; his holinefs makes him illullrious; his mercy makes him propitious.

Pofition Q. Even the worll tafte of God's mercy; fuch as fight againft God's mercy, tafte of it: the wicked have Ibme crumbs from mercy's table; ' The Lord is good to all,' Pfal. cxlv. 5. The fweet dew drops on the thidle, as well as the rofe. The diocefe where mercy vifits is very large : Pharaoh's head was crowned though his heart was hardened.

Po/itiun 7. Mercy coming to us in a covenant is fweeteft : it was mercy that God would give Ifrael rain, and bread to the full, and peace, and vi6lory over their enemies. Lev. xxvi. 4, 5, G. But it was a greater mercy that God would be their God, ver. 12. To have health is a mercy, but to have Chrift and lalvation is a greater mercy ; this is like the diamond in the ring, it cafts a more fparkling luftre.

Pojition 8. One a6l of mercy engageth God to another. Men argue thus, I have fliewnyou kindnefs already, therefore trouble me no more: but, becaufe God hath Ihewn mercy, he is more ready flill to fhew mercy; his mercy in election makes him jullity, adopt, glorify ; one a6t of mercy engageth God to more. A parent's lave to his child, makes him always giving.

Pojition Q. All the mercy in the creature is derived from God, and is but a drop of this ocean : the mercy and pity a mother hath to her child is from God ; he that puts the milk in her bread, puts the compafTion in her heart: therefore God is called ' The Father of mercies,' 2 Cor. i. 3. becaufe he begets all the mercies in the world. If God hath put any kindnefs

into the creature, how much kindneds is in him who is the Father of mercy ?

Pojition 10. God's mercy, as it makes the faints happy, fo it fhould make them humble. Mercy is not the fruit of our goodnefs : but the fruits of God's goodnefs. Mercy isanahns that God beftows; they have no Caufe to be proud, that live upon the ahns of God's mercy, Job x. 15. * If 1 be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head :' all my righteoufnefs is the etfeCt of God's mercy, therefore I will be humble, and will not lift up my head.

Pojition 11. It is mercy (lays the fpeedy execution of God's juftice. Sinners continually provoke God, and make ' the fury come up in his face,' Ezek, xxxviii. 18. Whence is it God doth not prefer.tly arreft and condemn them ? It is not that God cannot do it, for he is armed with omnipotence, but it is from God's mercy ; mercy gels a reprieve for the finner, and itops the fpeedy procefs of juftice. God would, by his good* neis, lead finners to repentance.

Po/ition 12. It is dreadful to have mercy witnefs againfb one: how fad was it with Haman, when the queen herfelfac-cufed him? Efth. vii. 6. So, when this queen of mercy Ihall Hand up againll a perfon and accule him, it is only mercy that favesa iinner. Now, how fad to have mercy become an enemy ? if mercy be an accufer, who fliall be our advocate ? The finner never efcapes hell, when mercy draws up the indi6tment.

I might fliew you feveral fpecies or kinds of mercy ; preventing mercy, fparing mercy, fupplying mercy, guiding mercy, accepting mercy, healing mercy, quickening mercy, fupporting mercy, forgiving mercy, correcting mercy, comforting mercy, delivering mercy, crowning mercy : but I Ihall fpeak of the qualifications or properties of God's mercy.

1. God's mercy is free. To let up merit is to deftroy mercy: nothing can delerve mercy, becaufe we are polluted in our blood ; nor force it; we may force God to punilh us, not to love us, Hof. xiv. 4. * I will love them freely.' Every link in the chain of fdlvation, is wrought and interwoven with free grace. Election is free, Eph. i. 4. * He hath chofen us in him, according to the good pleafure of his will.' J unification is free, Rom. iii. 24. * Being juftified freely by his grace.' Salvation is free, Titus iii. 5. ' According to his mercy he faved us.' Say not then, I am unworthy; for mercy is free: if God (hould fliew mercy only to fuch as are worthy, he would fliew none at all.

2. God's mercy is an overflowing mercy ; it is infinite, Pf. Ixxxvi. 5. * Plenteous in mercy,' Eph. ii. 4. * Rich in mercy,' PfaJ. li. 1. ' Multitude of mercies.' The vial of wrath doth but drop, but the fountain of mercy runs. The fun is not ib full of light, as God is of mercy : God hath morning mercies,Lam.

ii. 24. * His mercies are new every morning;' and night mercies, Pfalm xlii. 8. * In the night his fong (hall be with me.' God hath mercies under heaven, thofe we tafte of; and in heaven, thofe we hope for.

3. God's mercy is eternal, Pfal. ciii. 17. * The mercy of the Lord is from everlaiting to everlafting.' It is repeated twenty-fix times in one Pfalm, ' His mercy endureth for ever:' Plalm cxxxvi. The fouls of the blefled (hall be ever bathing them-felves in this fweet and pleafant ocean of God's mercy. God's anger to his children lads but a while, Pfalm ciii. 9. * But his mercy lafts for ever.* As long as he is God he will be fliewing mercy ; as his mercy is overflowing, fo ever flowing.

Uj'e 1. Of Information. It (hews us how weare to look upon God in prayer, not in his judge's robes, but clothed with a rainbow, full of mercy and clemency ; add wings to prayer. When Jefus ChriJl; afcended up to heaven, that which made him go up thither with joy was, * I go to my Father ;' (b that which iliould make our hearts afcend with joy in prayer, is, ' We are going to the Father of mercy, who fits upon the throne of grace;* go with confidence in this mercy; as when one goes to a fire, it is not doubtingly, perhaps it will warm ye, perhaps not.

Ufe 2. Believe in his mercy, Pfalm Hi. 8. * I will truft in the mercy of God for ever.' God's mercy is a fountain opened, let down the bucket of faith, and you may drink of this fountain of falvation. What greater encouragement to believe than God's mercy ? God counts it his glory to befcattering pardons ; he is defirous that finners fhould touch the golden fceptre of his mercy and live. And this willingnefs to (hew mercy appears two ways :

1. By his entreating of finners to come and lay hold on his mercy, Rev. xxii. 17. * Whofoever will, come, and take the water of life freely.' Mercy woos finners, it even kneels down to them. It were (Irange for a prince to intreat a condemned man to accept a pardon. God faith, Poor finner, futfer me to

eve thee, be willing to let me fave thee.

2. By bis joyfulnefs when finners do lay hold on his mercy. What is God the better whether we receive his mercy, or not ? What is the fountain profited, that others drink of it? Yet, fuch is God's goodnefs, that he rejoiceth at the falvation of finners, and is glad, when his mercy is accepted of. When the prodigal fon came home, how glad was the father? and he makes a feafl, toexprefs hisjoy : this wasbuta type or emblem, to fliew how God rejoiceth when a poor finner comes in, and lays hold of his mercy. What an encouragement is here to believe in God ? He is a God of pardons, Neh. ix. J 7. Mercy pleafeth him, Mic. vii. 18. Nothing doth prejudice us but unbelief. Unbelief flops the current of God's mercy from

running; it fhuts up God's bowels, clo(eth the orifice of Chrift's wounds, that no healing virtue will come out. Mat. xiii. 58. • He could do no mighty works there, becaufe of their unbelief.' Why doll thou not believe in God's mercy ? Is it thy fins difcourage ? God's mercy can pardon great fins, nay, becaufe they are great, Pfal. xxv. 11. The fea covers great rocks as well as lelfer fands ; fome that had an hand in crucitying Chrift^ found mercy. As far as the heavens are above the earth, fo far is God's mercy above our fins, Ifa. Iv. 9. What will tempt us to believe, if not the mercy of God.

Ufe 3. Of caution. Take heed of abufing this mercy of God. Suck not poifon out of the fweet flower of God's mercy : do not think, that becaufe God is merciful, you may go on in fin ; this is to make mercy become your enemy. None might touch the ark but the priells, who by their office were more holy : none may touch this ark of God's mercy, but fuch as are refolved to be holy. To fin becaufe mercy abounds, is the devil's logic. He that lins becaufe of mercy, is like one that wounds his head, becaufe he hath a pluifter: he that fins becaufe of God's mercy, fliall have judgment without mercy. Mercy abufed turns to fury, Deut. xxix. \Q, 20. * If he blefs himfelf, faying, I (hall have peace though I walk after the imaginations of my heart, to add drunkennels to thirft, the Lord will not fpare him, but the anger of the Lord, and hisjealoufy, fliallfmoke againll that man.' Nothing fweeter than mercy, when it is improved ; nothing fiercer, when it is abufed ; nothing colder than lead, when it is taken out of the mine : nothing more Icalding than lead, when it is heated. Nothing blunter than iron, nothing fharper, when it is whetted, Pfal. ciii. 17. ' The mercy of the Lord is upon them that fear him.' Mercy is not for them that fin and fear not, but for them that fear and fin not. God's mercy is an holy mercy ; where it pardons, it heals. Q. What Piall we do to he interejied in God's mercy ? Anf. 1. Be fenfible of your wants. See how you fi:and in need of mercy, pardoning, faving mercy. See yourit;lf orphans ; Hof. xiv. 3. ' In thee the fatlierlefs findeth mercy.' God be-fl;ows the alms of mercy only on fuch as are indigent. Be emptied of all opinion of feU'Worthinels. God pours thegoldea oil of mercy into empty velfels.

2. Go to God for mercy, Pfal. li. i. ' Have mercy upon me, O God !' Put me not off with common mercy that reprobates may have; give me not only alcorns, but pearls.; give me not only mercy to feed and clothe me, but mercy to fave me ; give me the cream of thy mercies: Lord! let me have mercy and loving-kindnels, Pfal. ciii. 4. ' Who crowned thee with loving-kindnefs and tender mercies. Give me fuch mercy as fpieaks thy electing love to my Ibul. O pray for mercy! God haljl. Vol. I. No, 3. O

treafures of mercy ; prayer is the key that opeiii? thefe treafures; and in prayer, be lure to carry Chriil in your arms; all the mercy comes through Chrill; 1 Sam. vii. Q. Samuel took a fucking lamb; carry the Lanib Clirift in your arms, go in his nan)e, prelent his merits: lay, Lord! here is Chrilt's blood, which is the price of my pardon : Lord, (hew me mercy, be-caufe Chrill hath purchaied it. Though God may retufe u.s when we come for mercy in our own name, yet not when we come in Chrill's name: plead Chrili's t'atisfadlion, and this is fuch an argument as God cannot deny.

Uj'e 4, It exhorts luch as have found mercy, to three things: 1. To be upon Gerizzim, the mount of bleffing and praifing. They have not only heard the King of heaven is merciful, but they have found it lb : the honey-comb of God's mercy hath dropt upon them ; when in wants, mercy fupplied them ; when they were nigh unto death, mercy raifed them from the lick-bed ; when covered with guilt, mercy pardoned them, Plal. ciii. 1. • Blefs the Lord, O my Ibul, and all that is within me, blels his holy name.' O how Ihould the veffels of mercy run over with praife! 1 Tim. i. 13. ' Who was before a perfecutor, and injurious : but I obtained mercy.' I was bemiracled with mercy ; as the fea overflows and breaks down the banks, fo the mercy of God did break down the banks of my fin, and mercy did fweetly flow into my foul. You that have been monuments of God's mercy, fliould be trumpets of praife ; you that have tailed the Lord is gracious, tell others what experiences you have had of God's mercy, that you may encourage them to leek to him for mercy, Pfal. Ixvi. 16. * I will tell you what God hath done for my ibul;' when I found my heart dead, God's Spirit did come upon me mightily, and the blowing of that wind made the withering flowers of my grace revive. O tell others of God's goodnefs, that you may let others a blelTing him, and that you may make God's prailes live when you are dead.

2. To love God. Mercy fliould be the attra6live of love ; Pfal. xviii. 1. * I will love thee, O Lord, my llrength.' The Hebrew word for love, fignifies love out of the inward bowels. God's juflice may make us fear him, his mercy may make us love him. If mercy will not produce love, what will? We are to love God for giving us our food, much more for giving us grace ; for Iparing mercy, much more for laving mercy. Sure that heart is made of marble, which the mercy of God will not dilfolvein love. " I would hate my own foul, (laith St. Au-gulline) if I did not find it loving God."

3. To imitate God in fliewing mercy. God is the Father of mercv ; Ihew yourl'elves to be his children, by being like him. St. Anibrofe laith. The lum and definition of religion is. Be rich in works of mercy, be helpful to the bodies and fouls of

others. Scatter your golden feeds ; let the lamp of your pro-fefTion be filled with the oil of charity. Be merciful in giving and forgiving. ' Be ye merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.'

OF THE TRUTH OF GOD.

The next attribute is God's truth ; Deut. xxxii. 4. * A God of truth, and without iniquity ; juil and right is he,' Pfal. Ivii. 10. ' For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.' A God of truth, PCal. Ixxxvi. 15.— * Plenteous in truth.' God is the truth. He is true, I. In a phyfical fenCe ; true in his being : he hath a real fubfillence, and gives a being to others. 2. He is true in a moral fenfe; he is \xwe fine errore, without errors ; etfinefallacia, without deceit. God is Primaveritas, the pattern and prototype of truth. There is nothing true but what is in God, or comes from God. I fhall now fpeak of God's truth, as it is taken from his veracity in making good his promiles, 1 Kings viii. 56. * There hath not failed one word of all his good promife:' the promife is God's bond, God's truth is the feal let to his bond. This is the thing to be explicated and difculfed, God's truth in fulfilling his pro-mi Its.

There are two things to be obferved in the promifes of God to comfort us: 1. The power of God, whereby he is able to fulfil the promife. God hath proniifed tofubdue our corruption, Mic, vii. 19. ' He will fubdue our iniquities.' O ! faith a believer, my corruption is fo flrong, that fure I fliall never get the maftery of it: Thus Abraham looked at God's power, Rom. iv. 21. ' Being fully perfuaded that what God had nromifed he was able to perform.' He believed, that that God, who could make a world, could make dry breafts give fuck. This is faith's fupport, there is nothinij too hard for God. He that could bring water out of a rock, is able to bring to pais his promifes.

2. The truth of God in the promifes : God's truth is the feal fet to the promife, Tit. i. 2. * In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie hath promifed.' Eternal life, there is the fweetnefs of the promife : God which cannot lie, there is the certainty of it. Mercy makes the promife, truth fulfils it. God's providences are uncertain, but his promifes are the ' fure mercies of David,* A6ls xiii. 24. ' God is not a man that he fliould repent,' I Sam. xv. 2f>. The word of a prince cannot always be taken, but God's promife is inviolable. God's truth is one of the richeil jewels of his crown, and he hath pawned this jewel in a promife, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5, ' Allho' my houfe be

O 2

tOS OF THE TRUTH OF GOD.

not fo with God, yet he hath made with me an everlafting covenant, ordered in all things, and fure.' [Although n^y houfe he not Jo'] that is, though 1 fail much of that exa6t purity the Lord requires, yet he hath made with mean everlafting covenant, that he will pardon, adopt, and glorify me; and this covenant is ordered in all things andywre; ' The elements fhall melt with fervent heat;' but this covenant abides firm and inviolable, being fealed with the truth of God : nay, God hath added to his word, his oath, Heb. vi. 17- wherein God pawns his being, life, rigli-teoufnefs to make good the promife. If, as oft as we break our vows with God, he fhould break promile with us, it would be very fad ; but his truth is engaged in his promile, therefore it is like the law of the Medes and Perfians, which cannot be altered. " We are not (faith Chryfollom) to believe our fenfes fo much, as we are to believe the promiles, &c." Our fenfes may fail us, but the promife cannot, being built upon the truth of God; God will not deceive the faith of his people, nay, he cannot; ' God, who cannot lie, hath promiled :' hecanas well part with his Deity, as his verity. God isfaid to be ' abundant in truth,' Exod. xxxiv. 0. What is that? vk. If God hath made a promife of mercy to his people, he will be fo far from coming Ihort of his word, that he will be better than his word ; God often doth more than he hath laid, never lefs. He is abundant in truth.

1. The Lord may fometimes delay a promife, but he will not deny : he may delay a promife : God's promife may lie a good while as feed under ground, but at lad it will fpring up into a crop. God promifed to deliver Ifrael from the iron furnace, but this promife was above four hundred years in travail before it brought forth. Simeon had a promife that he fhould not depart hence, ' till he had feen the Lord's Chrifl.* Luke ii. 20. but it was a long time firft, but a little before his death, that he did fee Chrift. But though God delay the promife, he will not deny. Having given his bond, in due time the money will be paid in.

2. God may change his promife, but he will not break his promile. Sometimes God doth change a temporal promife into a fpiritual, Pfal. Ixxxv. 12. * "^I'he Lord fliall give that which is good :* perhaps this may not be fulfilled in a temporal fenfe, but a fpiritual. God may let a Chriftian be cut fhort in temporals, but God makes it up in fpirituals. If he doth not in-creafe the balket and the ilore, he gives increafe of faith, and inward peace : here he changeth his promife, but he dolh not break it, he gives that which is better. If a man promifeth to pay me in farthings, and he pays me in a better coin, in gold, he doth not break his promile; Pfal. Ixxxix. 33. * I will not fuffer my faithfulnels to fail;' In the Hebrew it is, to lie.

Obj. 1. But how doth this con/iji icith the truth of God ? He faith. He will have all to be laved, 1 Tim. ii. 4. yet fome peri/h.

Anf. St. Auftin underftands it, not of every individual per-fon, but Ibme of all forts Ihall be Caved : as in the ark, God laved all the living creatures ; not every bird or fifh were faved, for many perilhed in the flood ; but ail, that is, fome of every kind were faved ; fb God will have all to be faved, that is, fome of all nations.

Obj. It isfaid, Chriji died for all; ' he is the Lamb of God, that takes away the fins of the world,' John i. 2<). how doth this conjiji ivith God's truth, when fome are veffels of wrath, Rom. ix. 22.

Anf, \. We muft diflinguifli of world. The world is taken either in a limited fenfe, for the world of theele«5l; or in a la'rger fenfe, for both elecland reprobates. * Chriil takes away the fins of the world,' that is, the world of the ele6t.

2. We muil dillinguifli of Chrill's dying for the world. Chrift died fufficlently for all, not efle6lually. There is the value of Chrill's blood and the virtue : Chrift's blood hath value enough to redeem the whole world, but the virtue of it is applied only to fuch as believe: Chrift's blood is meritorious for all, not efficacious. All are not laved, becaufefome put away falvation from them, A6ts xiii. 46. and vilify Chrift's blood, counting it an unholy thing, Heb. x. ^29.

Ufe 1. Here is a great pillar for our faith, the truth of God. Were not he a God of truth, how could we believe in him ? our faith were fancy; but he is Truth itfelf, and not a word which he hath fpoken fliall fall to the ground. ' Truth is the obje<5lof trull.' The truth of God is an unmoveable rock, we may venture our falvation here, Ila. lix. 15. * Truth faileth;* truth on earth doth, but not truth in heaven. God can as well ceafe to be God, as ceafe to be true. Hath God faid, he ' wili do good to the foul that feeks him,' Lam. iii. 25. He wili * give Veil to the weary ?' ^Nlat. xi. 2S. Here is a fafe anchor-hold, he will not alter the thing which is gone forth of his lips. The public faith of heaven is engaged for believers : can we have better fecurity ? The whole earth hangs upon the word of God's power, and Ihall not our faith hang upon the word of God's truth ? where can we reft our faith but upon God's faithfulnefs? There is nothing elfe we can believe in, but the truth of God i we cannot truft in an arm of flefli, we cannot truft in our own liearts: this is to build upon the quick-lands; but the truth of God is a golden pillar for faith to flay upon : God cannot deny himlelf, 2 Tim. ii. 14. ' If we believe not, yet he abideth faith* ful, he cannot deny himfelf.' Not to believe God's veracity, is to affront God, I John v. 10. ' He that believeth not, hath

made God a liar.' A perfoti of honour cannot be more affronted or provoked, than when he is not believed. He that denies God's truth, makes the promife no better than a forged deed ; and can there be a greater affront oifered to God ?

Uje 2. Of terror to the loicked. God is a God of truth, and he is true in his threatenings? the threateningsare a flying roll againit finners. God hath threatened to ' wound the hairy fcalp of every one that goes on ilill in his trefpaffes,' Pfal. Jxviii. 21. He hath threatened to judge adulterers, Heb. xiii. 3. To be avenged upon the malicious, Pial. x. 14. * Thou beholdell mil'chief and i'pite, to requite it vviih thine own hand :' To ' rain lire and briuiflone upon the finner,' Pial. xi. 6. And God is as true in his threatenings as his promifes: God hath oft, to fliew his truth, executed his threatenings, and let his thunderbolts of judgment fall upon finners in this life : he ftruck Herod in the a6t of his pride ; he hath punilhed blal'phemers : Olympius, an Arianbilhop, reproached and blaf-phemed the blefled Trinity ; immediately lightning fell down from heaven upon him, and confumed him. God is as true in his threatenings as in his promifes : let us fear the threatening, that we may not feel it.

Uj'e 3. Is God a God of truth ? let us be like God in truth.

1. We mull be true in our words. Pythagoras being afked what «iade men like God? anfwered, *' When they fpeak truth." It is the note of a man that lliall goto heaven, Pf. xv. 9. * He fpeaketh the truth from his heart.' Truth in words is oppofed, (1.) To lying, Eph. iv. 25, ' Putting away lying, fpeak everyone truth to his neighbour.' Lying is when one fpeaks that for a truth, which he knows to be falfe. A liar is mod oppofite to the God of truth. There is (as Auftin faith) two forts of lies,

2. An officious lie, when a man tells a lie for his profit; as, when a tradesman faith his commodity coft him fo much, when perhaps it did not cofl him half fo much : he that will lie in his trade, fhall lie in hell. (2.) A jejimg lie ; when a man tells a lie in I'port, to make others merry, he goes laughing to hell. When you tell a lie, you make yourfelves like the devil, John viii. 44. ' The devil is a liar, and the father of it.' He deceived our firft parents by a lie. Some are fb wicked, that they will not only fpeak an untruth but will fwear to it; nay, they will wifli a curie upon themfelves, if that untruth be not true. As I have read of a woman, one Anne Avaries, 1575. who being in a Ihop, wilhed that (lie might fink, if flie had not paid for the v/ares the took ; flie fell down Ipeechleis immediately, and died in the place. A liar is not fit lo live in a commonwealth. Lying takes away all fociety and converle with men ; how can youconverfe with him, whom you cannot believe what helaith } Lying fliuts men out of heaven, Rev. xxii. 25. ' Without are

do^s, and vvhofdever loveth and maketh a lie.' And it is a great fin to tell a lie, fo it is a vvorfe fin to teach a lie, Ifa. ix. 1.3. ' The pro[)l»et that teacherh lies.' He who broacheth error, teacheth lies ; he fpreads the plae;ue ; he not only damns himfelf, but helps to damn others. (2.) Truth in words is op-poled to diirembling. The heartand tongueOiould go together, as the dial goes exactly with the (un. To I'peak fair to one's face, and not to mean what one ('peaks, is no better than a lie : Pf. Iv. 21. * his words were fmoother than oil, but war was in his heart.' Some have an art at this, they can flatter and hate. Hierom, fpeaking of the Arians, faith, " they pretended friend-fliip, they kiifed my hands, but plotted milbhief againft me.** Pf". xxix. b. ' A man that fla'ttereth his neighbour,Ipreadeth a net for his feet.* Impiufub diddmelle venena latent —" Falfe-hood in friendfliip is ctA'ie." Counterfeiting of friendfhip is werfe t^j^m counterfeiting of money. This is contrary to God, who is a GfcQ^ of truth.

2. We muft be true in our profeflTion of relisfion. Let practice go along with profeffion ; Eph. iv. 24. ' Righteoufnefsand true holinefs.' Hypocrify in religion is a lie : the hypocrite is like a face in a glal's, there is the fhew of a face, but no true face : fo he makes (liew of holinefs, but hath no truth of it; it i^ but the face in the glafs. Ephraim pretended to be that which he was not; and what faith God of him ? Hof. xi. 12.

* Ephraim compaffeth me about with lies:' By a lie in our words we deny the truth ; by a lie in our profeffion we difgrace it. Not to be what we profefs to God, is telling a lie; and the fcripture makes it little better than blafphemy. Rev. ii. 9.

* 1 know the blafphemy of them that fay they are Jews, and are not.' O! I befeech you, labour in this to be like God, he is a God of truth : he can as well part with his Deity as his Verity: be, I fay, like God, be true in your words, be true in your profeffion ; God's children are children that will not lie, Ifa. Ixiii. 9. When God fees ' truth in the inward parts,' and

* lips which is no guile,' now he fees his own image in you: this draws God's heart towards you; likenels draws love.

BUT ONE GOD.

Qu. V. The fifth queftion is. Are there more GiMs tJiati one 9

Anf. There is but one only, the living and true God.

That there is a God, hath been proved ; and thofe that will not believe the verity of his effence, fliall feel the feverity of his wrath, Deut. vi. 4. * Hear, O Hrael, the Lord our God

is one Lord/ He is the * only God,' Deut. iv. 30. * Know therefore this day, and confider it in thy heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath there is none eh"e.' lid. xlv. 21, A juft God and a Saviour ; * there is none befide me.' There are many titular gods : kings repre-fent God : their regal fceptre is an emblem of his power and authority. Judges are called gods, Pf. Ixxxii. 6. * I have faid, ye are gods,' viz. fet in God's place to do juftice ; but dying gods, ver. 6. • Ye (hall die like men.* 1 Cor. viii. 5, (5. * They be that are called gods ; but to us there is but one God.'

Argument 1. There is but one Firft Caufe that hath its Being of itfelf, and on which all other beings depend. As in the heavens, iheprimum mobile moves all the other orbs, fo God gives life and motion to every thing exiftent. There can be but one God, becaufe there is but one Firft Caufe.

2. There is but one infinite Being, therefore there is but one God. There cannot be two infinites, Jer. xxiii. 24. ' Do not I fill heaven and earth,' faith the Lord ? If there be one infinite, filling all places at once, how can there be any room for another infinite to fubfift,^

2. There is but one Omnipotent Power. If there be two Omnipotents, then we muft always fuppole a conteft between thefe two; that which one would do, the other power being equal, would oppofe, and fo all things would be brought into confufion. If a Ihip (hould have two pilots of equal power, one would be ever croffing the other: ^vhen one w^ould fail, the other would caft anchor: here were a confufion and the (hip muft needs perifii. The order and harmony in the world, the conftant and uniform government of all things, is a clear argument that there is but one Omnipotent, one God that rules all. Ha. xliv. 6. ' I am the firft, and I am the laft, and befide me there is no God.'

Uj'e 1. OfinfGmwMon. If there be but one God, then it excludes all other gods. Some have feigned that there were two gods ; fo the Valentrnians : others, that there were many gods : ib the Polytheites. The Perfians worfiiipped the fun ; the Egyptians the lion and Elephant; the Grecians worfiiipped Jupiter; thefe, I may fa}', * err, not knowing the fcriptures,* Mat. xxii. 29. Their faith is a fable. * God hath given them up to ftrong delufions, to believe a lie, that they may be damned,' 2Thefi\ ii. 11.

2. If there be but one God, then there can he but one true religion in the world, Eph. iv. 5. * One Lord, one faith.* If there were many gods, then there might be many religions, every god would be worfiiipped in his way ; but if there be but one God, there is but one religion ; one Lord, onefaitli. Some fay, we may be laved in any religion : it is abfurd to imagine.

that God who is One in ejjence, fhould appoint feveral religions in which he will be worfhipped. It is as dangerous to fet up a falfe religion, as to let up a falfe god. There are many ways to hell: men go thither which way their fancy leads them ; but there is but one dire<5t road to heaven, viz. faith and holinels. There is no way to be faved but this ; as there is but one God, fo there is but one true religion.

3. If there be but one God, then you have but One that you need chiefly to iludy to pleafe, and that is God. If there were divers gods, we fhould be hard put to it how to pleafe them all; one would command one thing, another the quite contrary : and to pleafe two contrary mailers, is impolhble : but there is but one God, therefore you have but One to pleafe. As in a kingdom there is but one king, therefore every one feeks to ingratiate himfelf into his favour, Prov. xix. 6. lb there is but one true God ; therefore here lies our main work to pleafe him. Be fure to pleafe God, whoever elle you difpleafe. This was Enoch's wildom, Heb. xi. 5. he had this tellimony before he died, that ' he pleafed God.'

Qu. What doth this pleafing God imply ?

Anf, 1. We pleafe God when we comport with his will. * It was Chrilt's meat and drink to do his Father's will,' John iv. 34. and fo he pleafed him. Mat. iii. 17. * A voice came from heaven, faying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed.' It is the will of God that we fhould be holy, 1 Their, iv. 11. Now, when we are befpangled with holinefs, our lives are walking bibles ; this is according to God's will and it pleafeth him.

2. We pleafe God, when we do the work that he fets ua about, John xvii. 4. * I have finilhed the work which thou gavell me to do,' viz. mv mediatory work. Many finilh their lives but do not finilli their work. Our work God hath cut out for us, is to oblerve the lirft and fecond table. In thefirft, is fet down our duty towards God ; in the fecond our duty towards man. Such as make morality the chief and fole part of religion, fet the fecond table above the lirll ; nay, they take away the firft table: for, if prudence, jultice, temperance, be enough to fave, then what needs the firlt table ? and lb ouf vvorlhip towards God fhall be quite left out; but thofe two tables, which God hath joined together, let no man put afunder.

3. We pleafe God, when we dedicate our heart to give hinii the bell of every thing. Abel gave God the fat of the offering. Gen. iv. 4. Domilian would not have his image carved in wood or iron, but in gold. Then we pleafe God when we ierve him with love,-fervency, alacrity; we give him golden lervices ; herein lies our wifdom and piety, to praife God. There is bul

Vol. I. No. 3. P

one God, therefore there is but One whom we have chiefly to pleafe, namely, God.

4. It" there be but one God, then we muft pray to none but God. The Papifts pray to faints and angels: 1. To faints : a Popifli writer faith, " when we pray to the faints departed, they being touched with compaffion, fay the like to God for us, as the difciples did to Chrill for the Canaanitilh woman." Mat. XV. ^3 • Send her away, for fhe cryeih after us.* The faints above know not our wants, Ifa. Ixiii. 16. ' Abraham is ignorant of us ;' or, if they did, we have no warrant to pray to them. Prayer is a part of divine worfhip, which muft be given only to God. ^. They pray to angels : angel worfhip is forbidden. Col. ii. 18, 19. and that we may not pray to angels, is clear from Rom. x. 14. ' How fliall they call upon him in whom ihey have not believed ?' We may not pray to any but whom we may beUeve in ; but we may not believe in any angel, therefore, we may not pray to him. There is but one God. and it is a fin to invoke any but only God.

5. If there be but one God, who is 'above all,' Eph. iv. 6. then he muft be loved all. 1. We muft love him with a love of appretiation ; fet the higheft eftimate on him, who is the only fountain of being and blifs. 2. We muft love him with a love of complacency : amor eft complacentia amantis isamato, Aquin. Our love to other things muft be more indifferent ; fome drops of love may run befide to the creature, but the full ftream muft run towards God : the creature may have the milk of our love, but we muft keep the cream of our love for God : God who is above all, muft be loved above all, Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. ^ There is none on earth whom I defire in comparifon of thee.'

Ufe 2. Of caution. If there be but one God, then let us take heed of fetting up more gods than one; Pfal. xvi. 4. • Their forrows fhall be multiplied, thathaften after another god ; their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.' God is a jealous God, and he will not endure that we fhould have other gods : it is eafy to commit idolatry with the creature : 1. Some made a God of pleafure, 2 Tim. iii. 4. * Lovers of pleafure, more than lovers of God.' Whatever we love more than God, we make a god. 2. Others make money their god : the covetous man worfhips the image of gold, therefore he is called an idolater, Eph. v. 5. That which a man trufts to, he makes his god : but he makes the wedge of gold his hope: he makes money his creator, redeemer and comforter : it is his creator ; if he hath money, then he thinks he is made: it is his redeemer; if he be in danger, he trufts in his money to redeem him out : it is his comforter ; if at any time he be fad, the golden harp drives away the evil fpirit ; lb that money is his god. God made man of the duft of the earth; and man

maizes a god of the duft of the earth. 3. Another makes a god of his child, fets his child in God's room, and fo provokes God to tuke it away. If you lean too hard upon a glafs, it will break ; many break their children by leaningto liard upon them. 4. Others make a god of their belly, Phil. iii. 1<). ' Whofe god is their belly.' Clemens A lexandrinus writes of a fifli that hath its heart in its belly ; an emblem of Epicures, their heart is in their belly, they mind nothing but indulging the fenfual appetite ; they dojacrificara lari ; their belly is their god, and to this they pour drink-otferings; thus men make many gods. The apodle names the wicked man's trinity, 1 John ii. 16. * The lull of the flefh, the lull of the eye, and the pride of life :* the luft of theflelh, plealure; the luft of the eye, money; pride of life, honour: O take heed of this ! whatever you deity be-fides God, will prove a bramble, and fire will come out of this bramble, and devour you, Judg. ix. 15.

Ufe 3. Of reproof. If the Lord Jehovah be the only true God, then it reproves thofe who renounce the true God ; I mean, fuch as feek to familiar fpirits : this is too much pra(5lifed among them that call themfelves Chriftians. It is a fin condemned by the law of God, Deut. xviii. 11. ' There fliail not be found among you any that confults with familiar fpirits.' How ordinary is this? If people have loll any of their goods, they fend to wizards to know how they may come by tlieir goods again. What is this but confulting with the devil ^ and fo you renounce God and your baptifm. What, becaufe you have loll your goods, will you loie your fouls too? 2 Kings i. 6. * Thus laith the Lord, is it not becaufe there is not a God in Ifrael, that thou fended to enquire of Beelzebub ?' So, is it not becaufe you think there is not a God in heaven, that ye afk counfel of the devil? If any here be guilty, be deeply humbled, ye have renounced the true God ; better be without the goods ye have loft, than have the devil help you to them again.

Ufe 4. Of exhortation. If there be but one God ; as God is one, folet them that ferve him be one. This is that Chrift prayed fo heartily for, John xvii. 21. * That they all may be one,' Chrillians fhould be one, 1. In judgment; theapoflle exhorts to be all of one mind, 1 Cor. i. 10. How fad is it to fe§ religion wearing a coat of divers colours ; to fee Chriliians of fo many opinions, and going fo many difierent ways? It is Satan hath fown thefe tares of divifion. Mat. xiii. 39. He firil divided men from God, and now divides one man from another. 2. One in alfe6lion. They fhould have one heart, Actsiv. 32. * The multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and of one foul.' As in mufic, though there be feveral firings of a viol, yet all make one I'weet harmony : fo, though there are feveral Chrillians, vet there Ihonid be one fweet harmony of af-

P 2

fe6lion among them. There is but one God, and they that ferve him fliould he one. Tliere is nothing would render the true rehgion more lovely, or make more prolelytes to it, than to ("ee the prot'elfors of it tied together with the heart-ftrings of love, Pf. cxxxiii. 1. ' Behold how good and how pleafant a thing it is, to fee brethren live together in unity !' It is as thefweet dew on Hermon, and the fragrant ointment poured on Aaron's head. If God be one, let all that profels him be of one mind, and one heart; this fulfils Chrid's prayer ' that they all may be of one.'

2. If there be but one God, let us labour to dear the title, that this God is ours, Pf. xlviii. 14. * This God is our God.* What comfort can it be to hear that there is a God, and that he is the only God, unlefs he be our God ? What is Deity without property ? O let us labour to clear the title. Beg the Holy Spirit: the Spirit works by faith; by faith we are one with Chrift, and through Chrill we come to have God for our God, and fo all his glorious fulnefs is made over to us by a deed of gift.

Uje 5. What caufe have we to be thankful, that we have the knowledge of the only true God ? How many are brought up in blindnefs? Some worfhip Mahomet; divers of the Indians worfliip the devil ; they light a candle to him, that he (hould not hurt them. Such as know not the true God, muft needs tumble into hell in the dark. O be thankful that we are born in iuch a climate where the light of the gofpel hath fhined ! to have the knowledge of the true God, is more than if we had mines of gold, rocks of diamonds, iflands of fpices ; efpecially if God hath favingly revealed himfelf to us ; if he hath given us eyes to fee the light; if we (b know God, as to be known of him, as to love him, and believe in him, Matth. xi. ^5. we can never be enough thankful to God, that he hath hid the knowledge of himfelf from the wife and prudent of the world, and hath revealed it unto us.

OF THE TRINITY.

Q. IV. HOW many perfons are there in the Godhead f

Anf. Three perfons, yet but one God.

I John V. 7. ' There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoft, and thefe three are but one.'

God is but one, yet there are three diftin6t perfons fubfifting an one Godhead. This is a facred myllery, which the light Within could never have difcovered. As liie two natures in

Chrift, yet but one perfon, is a wonder, fo three perfons, yet but one Godhead. I am in a great d«?ep, the Father God, the Son God, the Holy Ghofi God ; yet not three Gods, but one God. The three perlbns in the blelled Trinity are diltingiiifhed, but not divided ; three lubftances, but one eirence. This is a divine riddle, where one makes three, and three make but one. Our narrow thoughts can no more comprehend the Trinity in Unity, than a little nut-fhell will hold all the water in the fea. Let me fhadow it out by this fmiilitude : in the body of the fun, there is the fubftance ot" the lun, the beams, and the heat; the beams are begotten of the fun, the heat proceeds both from the fun and the beams; but thefe three, though different are not divided ; they all three make but one fun : fo in the hlelfed Trinity, the Son is begotten of the Father, the Holy Ghoft proceeds from both ; yet though they are three diitintt perfons, yet but one God. Firft, let me fpeak of the Unity in Trinity ; then of the Trinity in Unity.

Ill, Of the Unity in Trinity. 7'he Unity of the perfons in the Godhead confilts in two things :

1. The identity of eflence. In the Trinity there is an one-nefs in eiiesce : the three perlbns are of the fame divine nature and fubltance ; fo that in Deo nan eft magis et minus, there are no degrees in tiie Godhead ; one perfon is not God more than another.

2. The Unity of the perfons in the Godhead, confifis in the mutual in-being of them, or tlieir being in one together. The three perfons are fo united, that one perfon is in another, ancf with another, John xvii. ^l. * Thou, Father, art in me, and 1 in thee.'

2diy, Let me fpeak of the Trinity in Unity. I. The firfi: peribn in the Trinity is God the Fatlier: he is called the firit periun, in refpect o\order, not dignity; for God the Father hath no efl'erstial perfetlion which the other perfons have not; he is not more wife, more holy, more powerful, than the other perlbns are, a priority, not a luperiority.

2. Tlie lecond peribn in tiie Trinity is Jefus Chrift, who is begotten of the Father before all time, Prov. viii. 2J, 24, 25. * 1 was fet up from everlafting, from (he beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, i was brought forth ; when there were no ibuntains abounding with water. Before the niountaios were fettled; before the hills, was I brought forih.' Whici) fcripiure declares the eternal generation of the Son of God. This lecond perfon in the Trinity, who is Jehovah, is become our Jefus, The fcripture calls him the branch of David-, Jei. xxiii. o. and i may cull him the flower of the virgin, imving aifamed our nature. * By him all that believe are jullitied,' Acts xiii. 39.

3. The third perfon in the Trinity, is the HoTy Ghofl, who proceeds from the Father and the Son ; his work is to illuminate the mind; and inkindle facred motions. The effence of the Spirit is in heaven, and every where; hnt the influence of it is in the hearts of believers : This is that blefled Spirit, who gives us the holy undion, 1 John ii. '-20. Though Chrift merits grace for us, it is the Holy Gholl works it in us t Though Chrift makes the purchafe, it is the Holy Gholl makes the afl'urance, and feals us up to the day of redemption. Thus I have fpoken of all the three perfons : the Trinity of perfons may be proved out of Mat. iii. lo\ ' Jefus, when he was baptized, went up llraight-way out of the water, and he faw the Spirit of God delcending like a dove, and lighting upon him ; and lo, a voice Irom heaven, faying, This is my beloved Son.' Here are three names given to the three perfons. He who fpake with a voice from heaven, was God the Father ; he who was baptized in Jordan, was God the Son; he who defcended in the likenefs of a dove, was God the Holy Ghoft. Thus I have (hewn you the unity of eflence, and the Trinity of perfons.

Uje 1. It confutes the Jews and the Turks, who believe only the fi/ft perfon in the Godhead : this cuts afunder the finews of our c3.'mfort. Take away the diftindlion of the perfons in the Trinity, and you overthrow man's redemption, for God the Father being offended with man for/in, how (hall he be pacified without a mediator? This Mediator is Chrift, he makes our peace! And Chrift having died, and (hed his blood, how (hail this blood be applied, but by the Holy Ghoft? Therefore, if there be not three perfons in the Godhead, man's falvation cannot be wrought out : if there be no fecond perfon in the Trinity, then there is no redeemer: if no third perfon, then there is no comforter. And fo the plank is taken away by which wefhould get to heaven.

2. It confutes the execrable opinion of the Socinians, who deny the divinity of the Lord Jefus; they make him only to be a creature of an higher rank. As the Papifts blot out the fecond commandment, fo the Socinians would the fecond part of the Trinity. If to oppofe Chrift's members be fuch a lin, what is it to oppofe Chrift himfelf? (I.) Jefus Chrift is co-equal with God the Father, Phil. ii. 6. ' He thought it no robbery to be equal with God.' (2.) He is co-eternal with God the Father, Prov. viii, 23. * I was from the beginning;' for elfe there was a time when God was without a Son, and fo he (hould be no Father; nay, elfe there was a time when God was without his glory,' for Chrift is * the brightnefsof his Father's glory,' Heb. i. 3. (3.) He is co-e(fential with God the Father. The Godhead fubfifts in Chrift, Col. ii. £>. ♦ In whom dwells all the ful-neis of the Godhead bodily.' It is faid, not only Chrift was

with God before the beginning, but he was God, John i. 1. and 1 Tim. iii. 19. ' God manitett in the flefli.' The title of Lord, fo often given to Chrill, in the New Tertannent, dothanlwer to the title of Jehovah in the Old Teftament, Deut. vi. 5. Mat. xxii. 37. fo that Chrill hath a co-eternity, and con-fubftantiality with his Father, John x. 30. * I and my Father are one.* It were blafphemy for any angel to fpeak thus! Yet further, to prove Chrift's Godhead, confider 111, The glorious incommunicable attributes belonging to God the Father, are afcribed ta Chrift, 1. Is God the Father omnipotent? So is Jefus Chrift. He is the Almighty, Rev. i. 8. he creates, Col. i. 1(5. 2. Is God the Father infinitely immenfe, filling all places ? Jer. xxiii. 24. fo is Jefus Chrill. While Chrill, was on the earth by his bodily prefence, he was at the fame time in the bofom of the Father, John iii. 13. in regard of his divine prefence. 2dly, The famey?(m regalia, or prerogatives royal, which belongs to God the Father, belong alfo to Chrift : (I.) Doth God the Father feal pardons, this is a flower of Chrill's crown. Mat. ix. 2.

* Thy fins be forgiven thee:* Nor doth Chrill only remit fin orgajvce, as minilters do, by virtue of a power delegated to them from God : but Chrift doth it by his own power and authority. (2.) Is God the Father the adequate objed of faith ? Is he to be believed in? 6o is his Son, John xiv. 1. (3.) Doth adoration belong to God the Father? So it doth to the Son, Heb. i. 6.

* Let all the angels of God worlhip him.' How facrilegious therefore is the Socinian, who would rob Chrift of the beft flower of his crown, his Godhead ? They that deny Chrift to be God, muft greatly wreft, or elfe deny the fcripture to be the word of God.^

2. It confutes the Arians, who deny the Holy Ghoft to be God. The eternal Godhead fubfifts in the Holy Ghoft, John xvi. 13. ' He fliall guide you into all truth.' Chrift fpeaks not there of an attribute, but of a perfon : and that the Godhead fubfift? in the perfon of the Holy Ghoft, appears thus : the Spirit, who gives diverfity of gifts, is laid to be the fame Lord, and the fame God, 1 Cor. xii. 5, 6. The black and unpardo-nat)!e fin is laid, in a fpecial manner, to be committed againft the Godhead fubfifting in the Holy Ghoft, Matth. xii. 32." The mighty power of God is made manifeft by the Holy Glioft; he changeth the hearts of men. The devil would have Chrift prove himfelf to be God, by turning ftones into biead : but thus the Holy Ghoft (hews his Godhead, by turning ftones into flefh, Ezek. xxxvi. 2(>. * I will take away the ftony heart : and give you a heart ot flefli.' Yet further, the power and Godhead of the H> ly Ghoft appeared in the elfecSling the glorious conception of our Lord Jefus Chrift; the very (hadow of the Holy Ghoft made a virgin conceive, Luke i. Sa. The Holy

Ghoft; works miracles, which tranfcend the fphere of nature; as raifing ihedead, Roin.viii. 11. To him belongs divine worfliip, our ibuls and bodies are the temples of the Holy GhoO. 1 Cor» vi. l[). in which temples he is to be worHiipped, ver. 20. We are baptized in the name of the Holy Gholt; therefore either we mull believe his Godhead, or renounce our baptifm in his name. Methinks, it were enough for fuch men, as have not fo much as heard whether there be an Holy Ghoft, Acts xix. 2. to deny his Deity ; but that any who go for Chrillians, fhould deny this article of their creed, ieems to me very ilrange. They who would wittingly and willingly blot out the third peribn, lliall have their names blotted out of the book of life.

Uj'e 2. Of exhortation. Ifl, Believe this doctrine, the Trinity of perlbns in the unity of eflence. The Trinity is purely an o!rje6t of faith : the plumb-line'of realbn is too (hort to fathom this myliery; but where reafon cannot wade, their faith mull fwim. There are fome truths in religion may be demonftrated by reafon ; as that there is a God : But the Trinity of perfous in tile unity of eflence is wholly fupernatural, and mufl be believed by faith. This I'acred do6lrine, though it be not againft reafon, yet it is above realbn. Thofe illuminated philofophers, that could find out the caufes of things, and dilcourfe of the magnitude and influence of the ftars, the nature of minerals, could never, by their deepeft fearch, find out the myftery of the Trinity : This is of divine revelation, and mud be adored with humble believing. We can be no good Chrillians, without the firm belief of the Trinit3^ How can we pray to God the Father, but in the name of Chrifl, and through the help of the Spirit ? Believe the glorious Trinity. How are the Quakers to be abhorred, who go under the name of Chriftians, yet imdervalue and renounce Jefus Chrill. 1 have read of fome of the Quakers, who (peak thus; *' We deny the perfon of him whom you call Chriit, and affirm. That they who expe6l to be laved by that Chrift without works, will be damned in that faith?" Could the devil himfelf fpeak worfe blafphemy ? They would pull up all religion by the roots, and take away that cor-ner-fione, on which the hope of our falvation is built.

2«'/(/, If there be one God fubfifting in three perfons, then let us give, (1.) Equal reverence to all the perfons in the Trinity. There is not more or lefs in the Trinity ; the Father is not more God than the Son and HolyGhofl. There is an order in the Godhead, but no degrees; one perfon hath not a majority or fupereminency above another, therefore we mull give equal worfhip to all the Perlbns, John v. 23. * That all men fliould' honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.' Adore unity in Trinity.

(4.) Obey all the Perfons iu the blelTed Trinity; for all of

them are God. 1. Obey God the Father; his words, either perceptive or minatory, mult be obferved. Chrift himfelf, as man, obeyed God the Father, John iv- 34. much more then mud we, Deut. xxvii. 10.

2. Obey God the Son, Pfal. ii. 12. * Kifs the Son, left he be angry ?* Kifs him with a kifs of obedience : Chrift's commands are not grievous, i John v. 3. Nothing he commands, but is for our intereft and benefit: O then kifs the Son ! Why do the elders throw down their crowns at the feet of Chrift, and fall down before the Lamb? Rev. iv. 10, il. but to teftify their fubje(5lion, and to profefs their readinefs to ferve and obey him.

3. Obey God the Holy Ghoft. Our fouls are breathed into us by the glorious Spirit, Job xxxiii. 4. ' The Spirit of God hath made me.' Our fouls are adorned by the blefled Spirit; every grace is a divine fparkie lighted in the Ibul by the Holy Ghoft. Nay more, the Spirit of God fandified Chrift's human nature : he united it with the divine, and fitted the man Chrift to be our Mediator. Well then doth this third perfon in the Trinity, the Holy Ghoft, deferve to be obeyed ; he is God, and this tribute of homage and obedience is to be paid him by us.

OF THE CREATION.

Q. Vn. WHAT are the decrees of God ?

Anf* The decrees of God are his eternal purpofe, according to the counfel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath fore-ordained whatfoever ftiall come to pafs.

I ftiould now come to fpeak concerning the decrees of God, but I have already fpoken fomething to this under the attribute of God's immutability. God is unchangeable in his elfeuce, and heis unchangeable in his decrees; his counfel (hall ftand : he hath decreed the ilfue of all things, and carries them on to their period by his providence; and therefore I ftiall proceed to the execution of his, decrees.

Q. Vni. The next queftion is. What is the work of creation ?

Anf. It is God's making all things of nothing, by the worJ of his power, &c.

Gen. u I. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

The creation is glorious to behold, it is a pleafant and fruits ful ftudy. Some think that Ifuac, when he went abroad into the fields to meditate, it was in the book of the creatures. Th»

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creation is the heathen man's bible, the plowman's primer, the traveller's perfpeclive-glafs, through which lie receives the fpecies and repjefeutation of thole infinite excellencies which are in God. The creation is a large volume, in which God's works are bound up; and this volume hath three great leaves in it, heaven, earth and fea.

The author of the creation is God, fo it is in the text, * God created.' The world was created in time, and could not h& from eternity, as Arillotle thought. The world mull have a maker, it could not make itfelf. If one fhould go into a far country, and fee (lately edifices there, he would never imagine that thefe could build themfelves, but that there had been fbme artificer, there to raifefuch goodly fi;iu6lures, fo this great fabric of the world could not create itlelf, it muft have fome builder and maker, and that is God ; * In the beginning God created,' To imagine that the work of the creation was not framed by the Lord Jehovah, is as if we fhould conceive a curious landfcape to be drawn without the hand of a limner, Adsxvii. 24. * God that made the v/orld and all things therein.'

In the work of creation there are two things to be confidered : I. The making. II. The adorning of it.

1. The making of the world. Here confider, I. God made the world without any pre-exiftent matter. This is the dife ference between generation and creation. In generation there is materia hahilis et difpofita, fome matter to work upon : but in creation there is no pre-exiftent matter. God brought all this glorious fabric of the world out of the tvomb of nothing. We lee our beginning, it was of nothing. Some brag of their birth and anceilry ; you fee how little caufe they have to boafl, they came of nothing.

2. God made the world with a word. When Solomon was to build a temple, he needed many workmen, and they all had tools to work with, but God wrought without tools, Pfal. xxxiii. 6. ' By the word of the Lord were the heavens made.* The difciples wondered that Chrift could with a word calm the fea, Matth. viii. 26, 27. But it was more with a word to make the fea.

3. God made all things at firft very good, Gen. i. 31. no defeat nor deformity. The creation came out of God's hands a curious piece; it was a fair copy, without any blot, written with God's own fingers, Pfal. viii. 3. So perle^ was God's work.

II. The adorning of the world, firft, God made this great lump and mafs, Rvdis indigeftaque moles, and then beautified it, and put it into a drefs. He divided the fea and the earth, he decked the earth with flowers, the trees with fruit: But what is beauty when it is malked over? Therefore, that we might

behold this glory, God made the light. The heavens were be-Ipangled with the fun, moon, and ftars, that fo the world's beauty might be beheld and admired. God, in the creation, began with things lefs noble and excellent, vegetables, and I'enfi-tives ; and then the rational creatures, angels and men. Man was the moftexquifite piece in ihe creation : He is a microcoim, or little world. Man was made with deliberation and counlel, Gen. i. 96. ' Let us make man.* Il is the manner of artificers to be more than ordinary accurate, when they are about their mafter-pieces. Man was to be a mafter-piece of this vifible world, therefore God did confult about the making of fo rare a piece. A folemn counfel of the facred perfons in the Trinity was called, ' Let us make man, and let us make him in our own image.' On the king's coin his image or etfigiesisllampt; fo God ilampt his image on man, and made him partake of many divine qualities.

I ftiall fpeak, 1. Of the parts of man's body: (l.) The Head, the moft excellent architedonical part, it is the fountain of fpirits, and the feat of reafon. In nature the head is the belt piece, but in grace the heart excels. (2.) The Eye, it is the beauty of the face ; it fhines and fparkles like a leii'er fun in the body. The eye occafions much (in, and therefore well may it ^ave tears in it. (3.) The Ear, which is the conduit-pipe through which knowledge is conveyed. Better lofe our feeing than our hearing; for ' faith cometh by hearing,' Rom. x. 17. To have an ear open to God, is the belt jewel on the ear. (4.) The Tongue. Darid calls the tongue his glory, Pfal. xvi. (). becaufe it is an inftrument to fet forth the glory of God : the foul at firft was a viol in tune to praife God, and the tongue did make the mufic. God hath j^iven us two ears, but one tongue, to ftiew that we fhould be fvvift to hear, but flow to fpeak. God hath feta double fence before the tongue, the teeth and the lips, to teach us to be wary that we otiend not with our tongue. (5.) The Heart, this is a noble part, and feat of life.

2. The Soul of man : This is the man of the man. Man, in regard of his foul, partakes with theangels; nay, as Plato faith. The underftanding, will, and confcience are aglafs that refenible the Trinity. The foul is the diamouu in the ring, the foul is a veffel of honour; God himfelf is ferved in this velfdi. It is a fparkle of celellial brightnels, faith Damafcene. If David did fo admire the rare contexture and workmanlhip of his body. Plat, cxxxix. 14, 15. ' I am wonderfully made, [ was curi-ouily wrought in the lowell parts of the earth.' If the cabiript be fo curioufly wrought, what is the jewel ? How richly is the foul embroidered? thus you fee how glorious a work the creation is, and man efpecially, who is the epitome of the world.

Qi\. But u'hif did (h}d make the lOor/d '^

Jnf. 1. Negatively: Not for hiitifelf: he did not need it, being infinite. He was happy before the world vva>, in refle6t-ing upon his own fublime excellencies and perfedions. 9. God did not make the world to be a place of manfionfor us, we are not to abide here for ever. Heaven is the manfion-houfe, John xiv. 2. The world is only a palfage-room to eternity ; the world is to us as the wildernefs was to llVael, not to retl in, but to travel thro' to the glorious Canaan. The world is a tiring-roonn to drefs our fouls in, not a place where we are to (lay for ever. The apoftle tells us of the world's funerals, 2 Pet. iii, 10. ' The elements fhall melt with fervent heat, the earth alfo and the works that are therein (hall be burnt up.'

2. Pofitkely. God made the world to demonftrate his own glory. The world is a looking-glafs, in which we may fee the power and goodnefs of God (hine forth ; * The heavens declare the glory of God,' Pf. xix. 1. The world is like a curious piece of arras or tapeftry, in which we may fee the (kill and wilUora of him that made it.

Ufe I. Did God create the world ? This convinceth us of the truth of his Godhead : to create is proper to a deity, A6ts xvii. 24. This convinced Plato of a Deity, when he faw all the world could not make a fly. Thus God proves himfelf to be the true God, and dillinguilheth himfelf from idols, Jer. x. II. It is written in Chaldee, ' Thus (hall ye fay to them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they fhall perifh.' Who but God can create? The creation is enough to convince the heathen that there is a God. There are two books out of which God will judge and condemn the heathen, viz. the book of Confcience, Rom. iii. 5. ' Who have the law written in their heart:' and the book of the Creation, Rom. ii. 20. ' The invifible things of him are clearly feen by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead.* The world is full of emblems and hieroglyphics; every ftar in the fivy, every bird that flies in the air, is a witnefs againfl the heathen. A creature could not make itfelf.

2. Here is a mighty fiipport for faith, God creates. He that made all things with a word, what cannot he do ? He can create ftrenglh in weaknefs; he can create a fupply of our wants. What a foolifh quedion was that, Pf. Ixxviii. W, * Can he prepare a table in the wildernefs?' Cannot he that made the world do much more? PC. cxxiv. 8. ' Our help Itandeth in the name of the Lord, v^ho made heaven and earth.' Reft on this God for help, who made heaven and earth. The %vork of creation, as it is a monument of God's power, fb it is a flay to faith. Is thy heart hard ? he can with a word create foftn^fs. Is it unclean, he can create purity ? Pfal. li. 10. ' Create in me a clean heart, O God.' Is the church of God low.

fte can create Jerufalem a praife, Ifa. Ixv. 18. No fuch golden pillar for faith to Hay upon, as a creating power.

8. Did God make this world full of beauty and glory, every thing very good ? then, what an evil thing is fin, that hath put cut of frame the whole creation ? Sin hath much eclipfed the beauty, Toured the fweetnefs, and marred the harmony of the world. How bitter is that gall, a drop whereof can embitter a whole fea? Sin hath brought vanity and vexation into the world, yea, a curfe. ' God curfed the ground for man's fake/ Gen. iii. There were feveral fruits of the curie.

1. ' In furrow thou (halt eat it,' verfe 17. By that word Sorrow, is to be underftood all the troubles and cares of this life. 2. ' In the fweat of thy face (halt thou eat bread,* ver. 19. lit innocency Adam did till the ground, (he muft not live idly) but it was rather a delight than a labour ; that tilling was without toiling. The eating in forrow, and the fweat of the brow, came in after fin. 3. ' Thorns and Thillles fhall the ground bring forth,' verfe 18.

Q. Whether in innocency did not the earth hear thorns^ becavfe it is threatened as a piinifJiment ?

Anf. It is likely it did bear thorns ; for, when God had done creating, he made no new fpecies or kinds of things : but the meaning is. Now, after lin the earth fliall bring forth more plenty of thorns, and now thofe thorns ihould be hurtful, and choke the corn, which hurtful quality was not in them before. Ever fince the fall, all the comforts of this life have a thorn and a thiftle in them. 4. The fourth fruit of the curfe was the driving man out of paradife, ver. 24. * So he drove out the man.' God at firft brought Adam into paradife, as into an houfe ready funiiflied, or as a king into his throne, Gen. i. 28. * Have dominion over every living thing that moveth ;' now God's driving Adam out of paradife, fignified his dethroning and ba-niihing him, that he might look after an heavenly and a better paradile. 5. A fifth fruit of the curfe was death, ver. 19. * To dull; thou (halt return.' Death was not natural to Adam, it came in after fin. Jofephus is of opinion, man fiiould have died tho' he had a longer term of years added to his life ; but out of quellion death grew out of the root of fin ; the apolUe i'aith, Rom. v. 12. * By fin came death,' See then how curfed a thing fin is, that hath brought fo many cuiTes upon the creation. If we will not hate fin for its deformiiy, let us hate it ibr the curie it brings.

4. Did God make this glorious world ,^ Did he make every thing good .? Was there in the creature fo much beauty anil fweetnefij ? Oh! then what fweetnefs is there in God ? Qiic'^ quid efficit tale illu ejl magis tale ; the caufe is always more noble than the effect. Think with youielves, is there lb much ex-

cellency in houfe and lands ? then how much more is there in God that made thefe ? Is there beauty in a rofe ? what beauty then is there in Chrift, the rofe of Sharon ? doth oil make the iiacefliine? Pf. civ. 15. How will the lio;ht of God's countenance make it fliine ? Doth wine cheer the heart ? O what virtue is there in the true vme ! how doth the blood of this grape cheer the heart? Is the fruit of the garden fweet? how delicious are the fruits of the Spirit ? Is a gold mine fo precious ? how-how precious is he who founded this mine ? What is Chrift, in whom are hid all treafures ? Col. ii. 3. We ftiould afcend from the creature to the Creator. If there be any comfort here below, how much more is there in God, who made all thefe things? How unreafbnable is it, that we (hould delight in the world, and not much more in him that made it ? How (l)ould our hearts be fet on God, and how fliould we long to be with God, who hath infinitely more fweetnefs in him than any creature ?

life 2. Of exhortation. 1. Did God create the world ? Let us wifely obferve thofe works of creation ? God hath given us not only the book of the fcriptures to read in, but the book of the creation : look up to the heavens, they fliew much of God's glory ; the fun gilds the world with its bright beams : behold the liars, their regular motion in their orbs, their magnitude, their light, their influence. We may fee God's glory blazing in the fun, twinkling in the ftars. Look into the fea, and fee the wonders of God in the deep, Pliil. cvii. 24. Look into the air, there the birds make melody, and fing forth the praifes of their Creator. Look into the earthy«4here we may wonder at the nature of minerals, the power of the loadftone, the virtue of herbs; fee the earth decked as a bride with flowers; all thefe are the glorious efl'e6ls of God's power. God hath wrought the creation as with curious needle-work, that we may obferve his wifdom and goodnefs, and give him the praife due to him, Pfal. civ. 24. * O Lord, how manifold are thy works ! in wifdom halt thou made them all.'

2. Did God create all things? Let us obey our Maker. We are his Jure Creationis ; we owe ourfelves to him : If another gives us our maintenance, we think ourfelves bound to ftrve him ; much more (hould we ferve and obey God who gives us our life, Adls xvii, 28. * In him we live and move.' God liath made every thing for man's fervice, the corn for nourifli-ment, the beafts for ufefulnefs, the birds for mufic, that man fliould be for God's fervice. The rivers come irom the fea, and they run into the fea again. All we have is from God ; let us honour our Creator, and live to him that made us.

-3. Did God make our bodies out of the dult, and that dnft out of nothing? Let this keep down pride. WhenGod would

humble Adam he ufeth this expreifion, * Out of the dud waft thou taken,' Gen. iii. 16. Why art thou proud O daft and alhes? Thou art made out of coarle metal; (Jiim/is hnmi, limits, cur nan humilimas? Ber. David (kith, * 1 was curioufly wrought,' Pr. cxxxix. Thy being curioufly wrought, may make thee thankful; but being made of the duft, may keep thee humble. If thou haft beauty, it is butwell'Coloured earth. Thy body is but air and duft mingled together, and this duli will drop into the duft. When the Lord had faid of the judges, they were gods, Pl'al. Ixxxii. (i- Left they (hould grow proud, he tells them, they were dying gods, ver. 7. * Ye Ihall die like men.*

4. Did God create our fouls after his image, but we loft \i} let us never leave it till we are reftored to God's image again. We have now got the devil's image in pride, malice, envy, let usiget God's imaee reftored, which confifts in knowledge and righteoufneis. Col. iii. 10. Grace is our beft beauty, it makes us like God and angels: as the fun is to the world, lb is holinefs to the foul. Let us go to God to repair his image in us : Lord 1 thou haft once made me, make me anew, fin hath defaced thy image in me, O draw it again by the pencil of the Holy Gholl.

THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.

Q. XI. WHAT are God's works of providence? -

All/. God's works of providence are his moft holy, wife, and powerful preferving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

The work of God's providence, John v. 27. * My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.' The great God hath relied from the works of creation, he doth not create any new fpecies of things. Gen. i. 7. He relied from all his works : and therefore this fcripture muft needs be meant of God's works of providence, ♦ My Father worketh, and I work.' Pfal. ciii. 19. * His kingdom ruleth over all;' i. e. His providential kingdom. Now, Ibr the clearing of this point, I Ihall,

1. Shew you that there is a providence. 2. What that providence is. 3. Lay down fome maxims or propofitions concerning the providence of God.

\Ji, That there is a providence : there is no fuch a thing as blind fate, but there is a providence that guides and governs in the world, Prov. xvi. 33. ' This lot is caft into the lap, but the whole difpiifing thereof is of the Lord.'

Si^/y, What ihis jjrovidence is ? I anfwer. Providence is God's ordering «^U ilfues and events of things, after the counfel of hia

will, to his own glory : 1. I call providence God's orderingf of things, to difiinguifli it from his decrees : God's decree ordains things that ihali fall out, God's providence ordereih them.

1. I call providence the ordering of things after the counfel of his own will.

3. God ordereth all events of things after the counfel of his will, to his own glory ; the glory of God heing the ultimate end of all God's a6lings, and the centre where all the lines of pro*-vidence do meet. The providence of God is Regina mundi, the queen and governefs of the world : it is the eye that lees, and the hand that turns all the wheels in the univerfe. God is not like an artificer that builds a houfe, and then leaves it, and is gone ; but like a pilot, that does with a great deal of care, fleer on the fhip of the whole creation.

3cth/t Pofitions about God's providence.

1. God's providence reaches to all places, perfons and occurrences: 1. To all places, Jer. xxiii. ^3. ' Ami a God at hand, and not a God afar of!'?' The diocefe where providence vilitt is very large; it reaches to heaven, earth, and fea, Pfal. cvii. 23, 24. ' They that go down to the fea, fee the wonders of God in the deep.' Now that the fea, which is higher than the earth, fliould not drown the earth, is a wonder of providence : and the prophet Jonah, he law the wonders of God in the deep, when the very lilh which did devour him and I'wallow him, did bring him late to fliore. 2. God's providence reaches to all perfons, efpecially the perfons of the godly, they are in a fpecial manner taken notice of; God takes care of every faint in particular, as if he had none elfe to take care for, 1 Pet. v. 7. ' He careth for you,' i. e. Ele6l in a fpecial manner. Pfal. xxxiii. 18, 19. * The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him ; to prelerv* them from death, and to keep them alive in famine.' God, by his providential care, fhields off'dangers from his people, hefets a life-guard of angels about them, Pfal. xxxiv. j. God's providence keeps the very bones of the faints, Pfal. xxxiv. 10. In bottles their tears, Pfal. Ivi. 8. It ftrengthens the faints in their weaknefles, Heb. xi. 34. It fupplies all their wants out of its alm-bafket, Pfal. xxiii. 5. Thus providence doth wonderfully fupply the wants of the ele6t. When the Proteftants in Rochelle were befieged by the French king, God, by his providence, fent in a great number of fmall fifties that fed them, iuch as were never feen before in that haven. So the raven, that unnatural creature (that will hardly feed its own young, yet) providentially brought fuflenance to the prophet Elijah, I Kings xvii. (5. The virgin Mary, though by bearing and bringing forth the Melfiah, Ihe helped to make the world rich, yet ihe herfelf was very poor; and now, being warned of the angel to go into Egypt, Matth. ii. 13. the virgin had fcartc

enough to bear her charges thither: fee now how God provides for her before-hand ; he, by his providence, lends the wile men from the eaft, and they bring colll}^ gifts, gold, myrrh, and frankincenle, and prefent thel'e to Chrill: and now the virgin had enough to defray her charges into Egypt. God's children fometimes fcarce knoiv how they are fed, and yet providence feeds them, Pfal. xxxvii. 3. * Verily thou Ihalt be fed.' If God will give his people a kingdom when they die, he will not deny them daily bread while they live. 3. God's providence reaches to all alFairs and occurrences in the world ; there is nothing thatllirs in the world, but God hath, by his providence, the over-ruling of it. The railing of a man to honour, Pfal. Ixxv, 7. ' He puts down one, and raifes up another.' Succefis and victory in battle is the refult of providence : Saul had the vi6lory, but God wrought the falvation, I Sam. xi. 13. That among all virgins that were brought before the king, that Either fliOuld find favour in the eyes of the king, was not without God's fpecial providence; for, by this means, the Lord laved the Jews alive that were deftinated to deftru6iion. Providence reaches to the leall; of things, to the birds and pifmires; providence feeds the young raven, when the dam forfakes it, and will give it no food, Pfal. cxlvii. 9. Providence reaches to the very hairs of our head, Mat. x. 30. ' The hairs of your head are all numbered ;' and furely if providence reaches to our hairs, then much more to our fouls. And thus you have feen, that God's providence reaches to all places, to all perlbns, to all occurrences and affairs. Now there are two objections againft this do6lrine.

Obj. 1. But fome may fay, There are tnany things done in the loorld which are excentrical, they are very dijorderly and ir^ regular ; and furely God's providence doth not reach thefe things.

Anf. Yes, thefe things that I'eem to us irregular, God makes ufe of to his own glory. For inllance : fuppofe you were in a fmith's fhop, and there Ihould lee feveral forts of tools, fome crooked, fome bowed, others hooked,.would you condemn all thefe things for nought, becaufe they do not look handfome ? the fmith makes ufe of them all for the doing of his work. Thus it is with the providences of God, they feem to us to be very crooked and llrange, yet they all carry on God's work. I fliall clear this to you in two particular cales:

lit, God's people are low ; why, this feems to be very much out of order, that thefe that are belt, Ihould be in the loweft condition : but there is much wifdom to be feen in this providence, as appears thus ; 1. Perhaps the hearts of the godly were lifted Up with riches, or with fuccefs : now God comes with an humbling providence to alllidt them and fleece them ; better is thei lols that makes ihera humble, than the fuccefs that njakes them

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proud. Again, 2. If the godly were not fometimes afHidlecf, 9nd luffered an eclipfe in their outward comforts, how could their graces be feen, their faith and patience ? If it were always funfliine, we fhould fee no ftars ; if we (hould have always pro-fperity, it would be hard to fee the a6lings of men's faith. Thus you fee God's providences are wile and regular,though to us they feem very itrange and crooked.

2f//y, Here's another cafe, the wicked flouri(h ; this feems to be very much out of order; ay, but God, in his providence, fees good fometimes that the word of men fhould be exalted ; they may do iome work to God, though againft their will, Ifa. X. 7. God will be in no man's debt. God m^ikes ufe of the wicked fometimes to prote6l and fliield his church : he makes ufe of them to refine and purify his people, Hab. i. 12. * Thou hafl ordained them for correction.' As if the prophet had faid, thou haft ordained the wicked to corred thy children. And indeed, as Auftin faith well, '* We are beholden to wicked men, who againft their wills do us good." As the corn is beholden to the flail to threfh off its hufks, or as the iron is beholden to the file to brighten it, fo the godly are beholden to-the wicked, though it be againft their will, to brighten and refine their graces. Now, then if the wicked do God's own work, though againfl their will, God will not let them be lofers by it; he will raife them in the world, exalt them, and wring out the waters of a full cup to them. Thus you fee thefe providences are wife and regular, which to us feem ftrange and crooked.

Object. 2. But, may fome fay, If God hath a hand in ordering all things that fall out^ why then he hathahand in thejins of men.

I anfvver, no, by no means, he hath no hand in any man's fin. God cannot go contrary to his own nature, he cannot do any unholy action, no more than the fun can be faid to be darkened. Here you muft take heed of two things ; as you mufl take heed of making God ignorant of men's fins, fb you muft take heed of making God to have a hand in men's fins : Is it a thing likely, that God is the author of fin, that is an avenger of it? Is it a likely thing that God ftiould make a law againft fin, and then have a hand in breaking his own law : is that likely ? and therefore to anfwer the obje6tion, God in his providence dolh permit men's fins, A6ts xiv. 16. ' He fuffered all nations to walk in their own ways.' God permitted their fin, and he would never permit their fin, if he could not bring good out of it; as the apothecary can make a treakle of poifbn. Had not fin been at all permitted, God's juftice in puniOiing fin, and his mercy in pardoning fin, had never been fo well known. The Lord is pleafed to permit it, but he had no hand in fin.

Objeft. But is it not/aid, that God hardened Pharaoh's heart? Here's more than God's bare permitting of Jin.

Anf. God cloth not infufe evil into men, only he withdraws the influence of his graces, and then the heart hardens of itf'elf; even as the light being withdrawn, darUnefs preiiently follows in the air: but it were ablurd to lay, that therefore the light •darkens the air ; and therefore you will obferve, that Pharaoh is faid to harden his own heart, Exod. viii. 15. God is the caufe of oo man's fin ; it is true God hath a hand in the adion where fin is, but no hand in the fin of the a6lion. He that plays upon a jarring inftrument, but the jarring is from itfelf: iki it is here, the a<5lions of men, fo far as they are natural, are from God ; but \'o far as they are finful, they are from men themfelves, and God has no hand at all in them. And fo much foe the firll pofition, that God's providence reaches to all places, to all perfons, and to all occurrences.

2. A fecond pofition is this, there are providences that are cafual and accidental to us that are pre-determined by the Lord : the falling of a tyle upon one's head, the breaking out of a fire to us, is cafual, but it is ordered by a providence of God. You have a clear inflance of this, 1 Kings xxii. 34. * A certain man drew a bow at a venture, and fmote the King of Ifrael between the joints of the harnefs.' This accident was cafual as to the man that drew the bow ; but it was divinely ordered by the providence of God; God's providence directed the arrow to hit' the mark. Things that feem to fall out cafual, and by chance, they are the i|rues of God's decrees, and the interpretation of his will.

3. God's providence is greatly to be oblerved, but we are not to make it the rule of our a6tions, Pfal. cvii. 43. * Whofo is wife will obferve thefe things.' It is good to obferve providence, but we mufl; not make it our rule to walk by ; providence is a Chriftian's diurnal, but not his bible. Sometimes a bad caufe prevails and gets ground ; it is not to be liked becaufe it doth prevail : we mud not think the better of what is finful, becaufe it is fuccefsful ; here is no rule for our a(9;ions to be di-re^ed by.

4. Divine providence is irrefiftible, there is no (landing in the way of God's providence to hinder it; when God's time was come for Jofeph's releafe, the prifon could hold him no longer. * The king fent and loofed him,' Pfal. cv. £0. When God would indulge the Jews with liberty in their religion, Cyrus by a providence, puts forth a proclamation to encourage the Jews to go and build their temple at Jerufalem, and worlhip God, Ezra i. 9, 3. If God will fhield and prote6l Jeremiah's perlon in captivity, the very king of Babylon (hall nurfe up the prophet, give charge concerning him that he want nothing, Jer. xxxix. 11, 12.

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5. God is to be trufted when his providences feem to run contrary to his promifes. God promiled David to give him the crown, to make him king; but providence runs contrary to his promife : David was purfued by Saul, was in danger of his hfe ; but all this while it was David's duty to truft God. Pray ob-ferve, the Lord doth oftentimes by crols providence, bring to pais his promife. God promifed Paul the lives of all that were with him in the fhip ; but now the providence of God feems to run quite contrary to his promife, the winds blew, the (hip fplits and breaks in pieces ; and thus God fulfilled his promife; upon the broken pieces of the fhip, they all came fafe to fliore. Truft God when providences feem to run quite contrary to promifes.

6. The providences of God are chequer-work, they are intermingled ; in the life to come, there (hall be no more mixture ; in hell there is nothing but bitter; in heaven there is nothing but fweet; but in this life the providences of God are mixed, there is fomething of the fweet in them, and fomething of the bitter. Providences are juft like Ifrael's pillar of cloud, that condu6led them in their march ; it was dark on one fide, and light on the other; fo the providences of God are a dark part and a light part. In the ark there was laid up the rod and manna, fo are God's providences to his children ; there is fomething of the rod, and fomething of the manna ; fo that we may fay with David, ' I will fing ot mercy and judgment,* Jofeph >yas in prifon, there was the dark fide of the cloud ; but God was with Jofeph, there was the light fide of the cloud. A(her's fhoes were of brafs, but his feet were dipt in oil, Deut. xxxiii. 24. So afflidtion is the fhoe of brafs that pinches ; ay, but there is mercy mingled with the affli6tion, there's the foot dipt in oil.

7. The very fame a6tion, as it comes from God's providence, may be good, which, as it comes from men, may be evil. For inftance, Jofeph being fold into Egypt, as he was fold by his brethren, it was evil, very wicked, for it was the fruit of their envy ; but as it was an aiSt of God's providence, fo it was good, for by this means Jacob and all his family were preferyed alive in Egypt. Another inftance is in Shimei'scurfing David : now, as Shimei curled David, it was wicked and finful, for it was the fruit qf his malice; but as his curfing wag ordered by God's providence, fo it was an a(5t of Qod's juftice to punifh David, and to humble him for his adultery and murder. The crucifying of Chrift, as it came from the Jews, is an a6); of hatred and malice to Chrift: fo Judas' betraying him was an act of covetoufnefs ; but as it was an a(5i of God's providence, fo there was good in it, for, fee it was an aft of God's love in giving Chrift to die for the world. Thus I have cleared to you

the do6trine of God's provirlence, in thefe feveral pofitious : kt me now Ipeak Ibmething by way of application.

Uje I. By way of exhortation in thele particulars. (I.) Admire God's providence : the providence of God keeps the whole creation upon the wheels, or elle it would foon be diflblved, and the very axle-tree would break in pieces: if God's providence fhould be withdrawn butfor awhile, creatures would bedidblved, and run into their firil nothing. Without this wife providence of God, there would be anxiety and confufion in the whole world, juil like an army when it is routed and fcat-tered. The providence of God infufes comfort and virtue into every thing we enjoy ; our clothes would not warm us, our food would not nourifh us, without the fpecial providence of God. And doth notall this deferve your admiration of providence? .(2.) Learn quietly to fubmit to divine providence; do not murmur at things that are ordered by divine wifdom. We may no more find fault with the works of providence, than we may with the works of creation : It is a fin as well to quarrel with God's providence, as to deny God's providence. If men do not a6t as we would have them, they fhall a6l as God would have them. His providence is his mafter-wheel that turns thefe leffer wheels, and God will bring his glory out of all at lafl;: Pfdl. xxxix. 9. ' I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, be-caufe thou, Lord, didft it.' It may be, we think Ibmetimes we could order things better if we had the government of the world in our hands : but, alas! fliould we be left to our own choice, we fliould chool'e thole things that are hurtful for us. David did earaellly defire the life of his child, which was the fruit of his fin ; now, had the child lived, it had been a perpetual monument of his fliame. Let us be content God fliould rule the world, learn to acquielce in his will, and I'ubmit to his providence : doth any affliftion befal you } Remember God iees it is that which is fit for you, or it fhould not come ; your clothes cannot be ib fit for you, as your crolfes. God's providence may foraetimes be lecret, but it is always wife ; though we may not be filent under God's diflionour, yet we fhould learn to be filent under his difpleafure.

(o.) Ton that are Chriftians, believe that all God's providences fliall confpire for the good at lafl. The providences of God are tbmetimes dark, and our eyes dim, and we can hardly tell what to make of them : but when we cannot unriddle providence, believe it fiiall work together for the good of the e!e6t, Roin. viii. 2S. The wheels in a watch feem to move crofs one to anothv-r, but they help forward the motion of the watch, and iiiuke the laiuni.ltrike : to the providences of God feem to be ci\Hs 'A'heeis ; but, for all that, they fliall carry on the good of the elect. The pricking of a vein is in itfelf evil and hurtful;

but as it prevents a fever, and tends to the health of the patient, i'o it is good : fo affli6lion in itlelf is not joyous, but grievous : but the Lord turns this to the good of his livints. Poverty (hall ftarve their fins, afflictions rtiail prepare them for a kingdom. Therefore, Chriftians, believe, that God loves us, that he wilt make the moll; crofs providences to promote his glory and ourgood.

(4.) Let this be an antidote againll immoderate fear; for nothing comes to pafs but what is ordained by God's decree, and ordered by his providence. We fometimes fear what the ilfue of things will be ; men grow high in their adings : let us not make things worfe by our fear. Alen are limited in their power, and (hall not go one hair's-breadth further than God's providence will permit: he might let Sennacherib's army march towards Jerufalem, but he (hall not (hoot one arrow againft it, Ifa. xxxviii. 36. * Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and linote in the camp of the Aflyrians an hundred and fourfcore and five thoufand.' When llrael was compalfed in between Pharaoh and the red-fea, no queftion, fome of their hearts did begin to tremble, and they looked upon themfelves as dead men; but providence fo ordered it, that the fea was a fafe paiTage to Ifrael, and a fepulchre to Pharaoh and all his hoft.

Uj'e 2. Comfort in refpe6lof the church of God : God's providence reacheth in a more fpecial manner to his church, Ifa. xxvii. 2. * Sing ye unto her, a vineyard of red wine.* God waters this vineyard with his blelfings, and watcheth over it by his providence, * I the Lord, keep it night and day.' Such as think totally to ruin the church, muft do it in a time when it is neither day nor night ; for the Lord keeps it by his providence night and day. What a miraculous condu6t of providence had Ifrael I God led them by a pillar of fire, gave them manna from heaven, let the rock abroach. God by his providence preferves his church in the midll of enemies ; which is as to fee a fpark kept alive in the ocean, or a flock of (beep among wolves. God laves his church llrangely : 1. By giving unexpe6ted mercies to his church, when (he looked for nothing but ruin, Pfal. cxxvi. 1. * When the Lord turned the captivity of Sion, we were like them that dreamed.' How llrangely did God rail'e up queen Edher to preferve alive the Jews, when Haman had got a bloody warrant figned for their execution ? 2. Strangely, by faving in that very way in which we think he will deftroy : God works Ibmetimes by contraries. He raifeth his church, by bringing it low. The blood of the martyrs hath watered the church, and made it more fruitful, Flxod. i. l-^. The more they afflidled them, the more they multiplied: the church is like that plant Gregory Nazianzen fpeaks of, it lives by dying, and grows by cutting. 3. Strangely, in that he makes the enemy to do his work : when the people of Amraon and Moab, and

mtjunt Siercame againft Judah, God fet the enemy one againft another, 2 Chron. xx. 23. * The children of Ammon and Moab ftood up againd them of mount Sier to flay them; and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Sier, every one helped to dellroy another.' In the powder-treafon he made the traitors to be their own betrayers : God can do his work by the enemy's hand. God made the Egyptians fend away the people of If-rael laden with jewels, Exod. xii. 36. The chufch is the apple of God's eye, and the eye-lid of his providence doth daily cover and defend it.

b. Let the merciful providence of God caufe thankfulnefs: we are kept alive by a wonderful working providence. Providence makes our clothes warm us, our meat nourifli us. We are fed every day out of the alms-baflcet of God's providence. That we are in health ; that we have an eftate ; it is not our diPigence, but God's providence, Deut. viii. 18. * Thou flialt remember the Lord thy God, for he it is that gives thee power to get wealth.' Efpecially if we go a ftep higher, we may fee caufe of thankfulnefd : that we (hould be born and bred in a goi^ pel climate ; that we fliould live in fuch a place where the Sun of righteoufnefs (hines ; this is a fignal providence : why might we not have been born in fuch places where Paganifm prevails ? That Chrift (hould make himfelf known to us, and touch our hearts with his Spirit, when he paifeth by others: whence is this, but from the miraculous providence of God, which is the eff"p6l of his free grace ?

life 3. See here, that which may make us long for that time when the great myftery of God's providence (hall be fully unfolded to us. Now we fcarce know what to make of God's providence, therefore are ready to cenfure what we do not underRand ; but in heaven we (hall fee how all God's providences (ficknefs, loffes, futferings) carried on our faivation. Here we fee but fome dark pieces of God's providence, and it is impoITible to judge of God's works by pieces; but when we come to heaven, and fee the full body and pourtaiture of God's providence drawn out into its lively colours, it will be a glorious light to behold: then we fhall fee how all God's providences helped to fulfil his promifes. Never a providence but we (hall fee had either a wonder or a mercy in it.

THE COVENANT OF WORKS.

Q. -Xn. I. Proceed to the next queftion. What fpecial providence did God exercife towards man in the eftate ivherein he icas created 9

Anf. When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfe<5l obedience, forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge, upon pain of death. For this, confult with Gen. ii. l(j, 17. * And the Lord commanded the man, faying. Of every tree of the garden thou mayll freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou fhalt not eat; for in the day thou eateft of it, thou /halt furely die.' Tije fubje6t then of our next dilcourfe i.s, the covenant of works. This covenant was made with Adam and ail mankind ; for Adam was a pubUc perlbn, and the reprelenta-tive of the world.

Q. Fur what reafon did God make a covenant loith Adam and his pojieriti) in imiocency ?

An/'. 1. To fliew his fovereignty over us ; we were his creatures, and as God was the great monarch of heaven and earth, God might impol'e upon us terms of a covenant, 2. God made a covenant with Adam, to bind him fall to God : as God bound himfelf to Adam, i'o Adam was bound to God by the covenant. Q. What was the covenant f

Anf. God commanded Adam not to eat of the tree of knowledge ; God gave Adam leave to eat of all the other trees of the garden. God did not envy him any happinels ; only meddle not with this tree of knowledge, becaufe God would try Adam's obedience. As king Pharaoh made Jofeph chief ruler of his kingdom, and gave him a ring off his finger, and a chain of gold, only he mull not ' touch his throne;' Gen. xli. 40. In like manner God dealt with Adam, he gave him a fparkiing jewel, knowledge ; and arrayed him with a fine vefture, put upon him the garment of original righteoufnefs : only, faith God, touch not the tree of knowledge, for that is afpiring after omnifciency. Adam had power to have kept this law ; Adam had the copy of God's law written in his heart. This covenant of works had a promife annexed to it, and a threatening. 1. The promile, * Do this and live.* In cafe man had Hood, it is probable he had not died, but had been tranflated to a better paradife. 2. The threatening, ' Thou fhalt. die the death ;' Heb. * In dying thou fhalt die ;' that is, thou fiialt die both a natural death, and an eternal, unlefs fome other expedient be found out for thy re-ftoration.

Q. But why did God give Adam this law, feeing God didfoie-fee tliat Adam ivould tranfgrefs it?

Anf. 1. It was Adam's fault that he did not keep the law ; God gave him a Itock of grace to trade v.'ith, but he of himfelf broke. 2. Though God forefav^ Adam would tranfgrefs, yet that was not a lutiicient reafon that Adam Ihould have no law given him : for, by the lame reafon, God Ihould not have given his written word to men, to be a rule of faith and manoers, be-

caufe he forefaw that fome would not believe, and others would be profane. Shall not laws be made in the land, becaufe fome break them ? 3. God, though he forefaw Adam would break the law, he knew how to turn it to a greater good, in fending Clirift. The firft covenant being broken, he knew how to efta'olifh a fecond, and a better. Well, concerning the firft covenant, confider thefe four things.

„ 1. The form of the firft covenant, in innocence, was working; f. do this and live.' Working was the ground and condition of our juftification, Gal. iii. 12. Not but that working is required in the covenant of grace : we are bid to work out our falvation, and be rich in good works. But works in the covenant ofgrace are not required under the fame notion, as in the firfl covenant Willi Adam. Works are not required to the juftification of our perfons, but as a teftification of our love to God ; not as a caufe of Our falvation, but as an evidence of our adoption. Works are required in the covenant of grace, not fo much in our own ftrength, as in the ftrength of another : * It is God which worketh in you,' Phil. ii. 13. As the fcrivener guides the child's hand, and helps him to form his letters, fo that is not fo much the child's writing, as fo much our working as the Spirit's co-workinof.

2. The covenant of works was very ftri6t. God required of Adam and all mankind, 1. Perfedt obedience. Adam muftdo all things written in the * Book of the law,' Gal. iii. 10. and Dot fail, either in the matter or manner. Adam was to live up to the whole breadth of the moral law, and go exactly according to it, as a well made dial goes with the fun ; a finful thought had forfeited the covenant. 2. Perfonal obedience : Adammuft not do his work by a proxy, or have any furety bound for him; no, it muft be done in his own perlbn. 3. Perpetual obedience: he muft continue in ail things written in the ' book of the law,* Gal. iii. 10. Thus it was very (lri6t. There was no mercy in cafe of failure.

3. The covenant of works was not built upon a very firm bafis : therefore it muft needs leave naen full of fears and doubts. The covenant of works refted upon the ftrength of men's inherent righteoufnefs -, v^hich though in innocency was perfedt, yet was fubjecl to a change. Adam was created holy, but mutable : he had a power to Hand, but not a power not to fall, Adam had a ftock of original righteoufnefs to begin the world with, but iie was not lure he would not break, Adam was his own pilot, and could fteer right in the time of innocency ; but he was not fo fecured, but that he might dafh againft the rock of a temptation, and he and his pofterity fulFer fhipwreck, fo that the covenant of works muft needs leave jealoufies and doubt-

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ings in Adam's heart, he having no fecurity given him, that he flioiild not fall from that glorious itate.

4. The covenant of works being broken by fin ; man's condition was very deplorable and defperate. He was left in him-felf helpleis ; there was no place for repentance ; the juftice of God being offended, fets all the other attributes againft mankind. When Adam lofl; his righteouiiiels, he iofl his anchor of hope, and his crown : there was no way for man's relief, un-lefs God would find out fucha way, that neither man nor angel could devile.

Uj'e 1. See the condefcenfion of God, who was pleafed to ftoop fo low, as to make a covenant with us. For the God of glory to make a covenant with duft and afhes; for God to bind himlelf to us, fo give his life in caie of obedience : entering into a covenant was a fign of God's friendfhip with us, and a royal a6t of his favour.

2. See what a glorious condition man was in, when God entered into a covenant with him. 1. He was placed in the garden of God, which for the pleafure of it was called paradife. Gen. ii. 8. He had his choice of all the trees (one only excepted) he had all kinds of preciousflones, pure metals, rich cedars; he was a king upon the throne, and all the creation did obeif-ance to him, as in Jofeph's dream, all his brethren's flieaves did bow to his flieaf. Man, in innocency, had all kinds of pleafure that migiit ravifhhisleni'es with delight, and be as baits to allure him to I'erve and worfhip his Maker. 2. Bcfides, he was full of holinel's; paradife was not more adorned with fruit, than Adam's foul was with grace. He was the coin on which God had flamped his lively image ; light fparkleth in his underftand-ing, he was like an earthly angel; his will and aff'cftions were full of order, tuning harmonioufly to the will of God. Adam was a perfe6l pattern of fan6tity. 3. Adam had intimacy of communion with God, and converfed with him, as a favourite with his prince, /-dam knew God's mind, and had his heart: he not only enjoyed the light of the fun in paradife, but the light of God's countenance. This condition was Adam in, when God entered into a covenant with him : but this did not long continue; ' man being in honour abideth not,' Pfyl. xlix. nJt. lodged not for a night; his teeth watered at the apple, and ever fince it hath made our eyes water.

3. Learn, from Adam's fall, how unable we are fo fland in our own flrength. If Adam, in the ftate of integrity, did not ftand, how unable are we now, when the lock of our original righteouihefs is cut? If purified nature did notfhmd, how then fliall corrupt nature.^ We need more Itrength to uphold us than our own.

4. See in what a fad condition all unbelievers and unpenitent

perfons are; fo long as they continue in their fins, they continue under the curie of the firft covenant. Faith intitles us to the mercy of the fecond covenant: but, while men are under the power of their fins, they are under the curfe of the fird covenant; and if they die in this condition, they are damned to eternit\'.

5. See the wonderful goodnels of God, who was pleafed, when we had forfeited the firlt covenant, to enter into a new covenant with us. Well may it be cMed fot^dus gratice, a covenant of grace; it is bel'pangled with promifes, as the heavea with ftars. When the angels thofe glorious I'pirits fell, God did not enter into a new covenant with them to be their God, but let thofe golden velFels lie broken ; but hath entered into a fecond covenant wilh us, better than the tirll, Heb. viii. 6. It is better, becauf'e it is I'urer: it is made in Chrill, and cannot be reverfed ; Chrift hath engaged his ftrength to keep every believer. In the firft covenant we had -a poffe Jiare, a power of Handing : in the fecond we had a 7ion pojfe cadere, an impof-fibility of falling finally, 1 Pet. i. 5.

(5.. Whofoever they are that look for righteoufnefs and falva-tion by the power of their free-will, or the inherent goodnefs of their nature, or by virtue of their merit, as the Socinians and Papifts, thefe are all under the covenant of works : they do not fubmit to the righteoufaels of faith, therefore they are bound to keep the whole law, and in cafe of failure they are condemned. The covenant of grace, is like a court of chancery, to relieve the finner, and help him who is caft by the firll covenant: it faith, Believe in the Lord Jefus and be laved ; but fuch as will Hand upon their own inherent righteoufnefs, free-will and merit they fall under the firil covenant of works, and are in a perilh-ing eftate.

Uj'e 2. Let us labour by faith to get into the fecond covenant of grace, and then the curie of the firft covenant is taken away by Chrift. If we once get to be heirs of the covenant of grace, we are in a better ftate than before. Adam Itood on his own legs, therefore fell; we Hand in the ftrength of Chrift: under the firft covenant, the jultice of God, as an avenger of blood, purfues you ; but if you get into the fecond covenant, you are got into the city of refuge, you are fife, and the juftice of God is pacified towards you.

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CONCERNING SIN.

Q. XIV. WHAT isJn?

Anf. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or tranfgrenion of the law of God.

1 John iii. 4. * Sin is a tranfgreffion of the law.' Of fin in general.

1. Sin is a violation or tranfgreffion : the Latin word, tranf-gredior^ to tranfgrefs, fignifies to go beyond one's bounds ; the moral law is to keep us within the bounds of our duty ; fin is a going beyond our bounds.

2. The law of God ; it is not the law of an inferior prince that is broken, but of Jehovah, who gives laws as well lo angels as men ; it is a law that is juil, and holy, and good, Rom. vii. li?. It is juli, there is nothing in it unequal; holy, nothing in it impure: good, nothing in it prejudicial. So that there is no Tealbn to break this law, no more than for a beaft that is in a fat paftuie, to break over the hedge, to leap into a barren heath or quagmire.

1 fliall ihew what an heinous and execrable thing fin is. It hmalornm tolluvies^ the complication of all evil; it is the fpirits of mifchief diftilled : the fcripture calls it ' the accurfed thing,' Jofh. vii. 13. it is compared to the venom of ferpents, the ftench of fepulchres. The apofl;le ufeth this expreffion of fin, * Out of meafure finful,' Rom. vii. 13. or, as it is in the Greek, • Hyperbolically finful.' The devil would paint over fin with the Vermillion colour of plealiire and profit, that he may make it look fair : but I ftiall pull off the paint from fin, that you may fee the ugly face of it. We are apt to have llight thoughts of iin, and fay to it, as Lot of Zoar, Gen. xix. tO. * Is it not a little one.?' But that you may fee how great an evil fin is, con-fid er thefe four things:

I. The original of fin, from whence it comes : it fetcheth its pedigree from hell; fin is of the devil, 1 John iii. 8. ' He that committeth fin is of the devil.' Satan was the firft: a6tor of fin, and the firft tempter to fin : Sin is the devil's firft-born.

II. Sin is evil in the nature of it.

1. It is a defiling thing. Sin is not only a defection, but a pollution. It is to the Ibul as ruit is to gold, as a ftain is to beauty. It makes the foul red with guilt, and black with filth. Sin in fcripture is ' compared to a menllrous cloth,' Ila. xxx. 22. to a • plague-fore,' 1 Kings viii. 38, Jofliua's filthy garments, in which he flood before the angel, Zech. iii. 3. were nothing but a type and hieroglyphic of fin. Sin hath blotted

God's image, and fiained the orient brightnefs of the foul. Sia makes God lotlie a finner, Zech. xi. 8. and when a (inner fees his (in, he lothes hinifeif, Ezek. xx. 4''2, Sin drops poilbn on our holy things, it infects our prayers. The high priell was to make atonement for fm on the altar, Exod. xxix. S6. to typify that our holieil (eivices need Chrift to make an atonement for them. Duties of religion in themfelves are good, but fin corrupts them, as the purelt water is polluted, running through muddy ground. The leper under the law, if he had touched the altar, the altar had not cleanfed him, but he had defiled the altar. The apofi;le calls fin, ' Filthinels of flefli and Ipirit,' 2 Cor. vii. 1. Sin Itanips the devil's image on a man : mahce is the devil's eye, hypocrily his cloven foot. It turns a man into a devil, John vi. 70. ' Have noti cholen twelve, and one of you is a devil.'

2. Sin is a grieving of God's Spirit, Eph. iv. 30. * Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.' To grieve, is more than to anger.

Q. How can the Spirit he/aid to be grieved 9 For, feeing he is God, he cannot hejiihjeci to any pajjion.

Anf. This is fpoken metaphorically : Sin is faid to grieve the Spirit, becaule it is an injury otfered to the Spirit, and he takes it unkindly, and, as it were, lays it to heart. And, is it not much thus to grieve the Spirit? The Holy Ghoft delcended in the likenei's of a dove ; fin makes this blelTtxl dove mourn. Were it only an angel, we (hould not grieve him, much lefs the Spirit of God : Is it not fad to grieve our comforter.

3. Sin is an act of contumacy againlt God ; a walking antipodes to heaven. Lev. xxvi. 27. ' If ye will walk contrary to me.' A finner tramples upon God's law, crolfeth his will, doih all he can to affront, yea, to fpite God. The Hebrew word -for fin, PaPiangy fignifies rebellion : there is the heart of a rebel in every fin, Jer. xliv. 10. ' We will do whatloever proceedeth out of our mouth, to burn incenfe to the queen of heaven.* Sin ftrikes at the very Deity ; Peccatnnt eft deicidum: Sin would not only unthrone God, but un-god him. If the finner could help it, God would no longer be God.

4. Sin is an a6t of difingenuity and unkindnefs: God feeds the finner, keeps off evils from him, bemiracles him with mercy; hut the finner not only forgets God's mercies, but abufeth them : he is the worfe for mercy ; like Abfalom, who, as foon as David had kiffed him, and taken him into favour, plotted treafon againfl him, 2 Sam. xv. 10. Like the mule, who kicks the dam after (lie hath given it milk, vas peitujuin, 2 Sam. xvi. 17. Is tills thy kindnefs to thy friend ? God may upbraid the finner: I have given thee (may God fay) thy health, flrength, and eftate ; thou requited me evil for good, thou woundtll me with my

own mercies; is this thy kindnefs to thy friend? Did I give thee life to fin ? Did I give thee wages to ferve the devil ?

5. Sin is a difeafe, Ifa. i. 5. * The whole head is ficli;' fome are lick of pride, others of lull, others of envy. Sin hath dif-tempered the intellectual part, it is a leprofy in the head, it hath poifoned the vitals, I'it. ii. 16. ' Their coni'cience is defiled.' It is with a finner as with a fick patient, his palate is diftempered, the fweeted things tafte bitter to him. The word which is * fweeter than the honey-comb,' Ifa. v. 20. taftes bitter to him, they put fweet for bitter. This is a difeafe, and nothing can cure this difeafe but the blood of the phyfician.

6. Sin is an irrational thing; it makes a man a6l not only wickedly, but foolifiily. It is abfurd and irrational to prefer the lefier before the greater, the pleafures of life, before the rivers of pleafures at God's right-hand for evermore. Is it not irrational to lofe heaven, for the fatisfying, or indulging of lull? As Lyfiniachus, who, for a draught of water, loll a kingdom. Is it not irrational to gratify an enemy ? In fin we do ib. When luft or rafii anger burns in the foul, Satan warms hinifelf at this fire. Men's fins feall the devil.

7. Sin is a painful thing; it cofl;s men much labour in pur-fuing their fin?. How do men tire themfelves in doing the devil's drudgery ? Jer. ix. 5. ' They weary themfelves to commit iniquity.' What pains did Judas take to bring about his treafon ? He goes to the high-prieft, and then after to the band of foldiers, and then back again to the garden. St. Chryfolloni faith, " Virtue is eafier than vice." It is more pains to fome to follow their fins, than to others to woifhip their God. While the finner travels with his fin, in ibrrow he brings forth; it is called ' ferving divers lulls,' Tit. iii. 2. Not enjoy, but ferve ; Why {o? becaufe not only of the flavery in fin, but the hard labour; it is ' ferving divers lulls.' Many a man goes to hell in the fweat of his brows.

8. Sin is the only thing God hath an antipathy againfl; : God doth not hate a man becaufe he is poor, or defpifed in the world ; you do not hate your friend becaufe he is fick, but that which draws forth the keenneis of God's hatred, is fin, Jer. xliv. 4. * O do not this abominable thing which I hate.' And fure, if the finner dies under God's hatred, he cannot be admitted into the celcllial nianfions : will God let him live with him whom he hates ? God will never lay a viper in his bolbni. The feathers of the eagle v/ill not mix with the feathers of the other fowls ; God will not mix and incorporate with a finner. Till fin be removed, there is no coming where God is.

in. See the evil of fin, in the price paid for it; it cofl the blood of God to expiate it. * O man (faith St. Aultine) con-fider the greatnefs of thy fin, by the greatnel's of the price paid

for fin,' All the princes on earth, or angels in heaven, could not fatisfy for fin ; only Chrilh. Nay, Chrill's adtive obedience was not enough to make atonement for fin, but he mult fuller UjDon the crofs; for, ' without blood is no remifiion,' Heb. ix. 22. O what an accurfed thing is fin, that Cbrift fhoukl die for it ! The evil of fin, is not fo much feen in that one thoufand are damned for it, as that Chrill died for it.

IV. Sin is evil in the effects of it.

2. Sin hath degraded us of our honour. Reuben by inceft loft his dignity ; and though he were the firlt-born, he could not excel, Gen. xlix. 4. God made us in our own image, a little lower than the angels ; but fin hath debafed us. Before Adam finned, he was like an herald that hath his coat of arms upon him: all reverence him, becaufe he carries the king's coat of arms ; but let this coat be pulled off, and he is defpifed, no man regards him. Sin hath done this, it hath plucked otF our coat of innocency, and now it hath debafed us, and turned our glory into fliame, Dan. xi. 21. ' And there fhall Hand up a vile perfon.* This was fpoken of Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a king, and his name figiiifies illuftrious ; yet fin had degraded him, he was a vile peribn.

2. Sin dilqniets the peace of the foul ; whatever defiles, dif-turbs; as poiibn tortures the bowels, corrupts the blood, lb fin doth the foul, Ifa. Ivii. 21. Sin breeds a trembling at the heart; it creates fears, and there is ' torment in fear,' 1 John iv. 18. Sin makes fad convulfions in the confcience. Judas was fb terrified with guilt and horror, that he hangs himfelf to quiet his confcience. And is not he like to be well cured, that throws himfelf into hell for eafe ?

3. Sin produceth all temporal evil. Lam. i. 8. Jerufalem hath grievoufly finned, therefore flie is removed. It is the Trojan-horfe, it hath fword and famine, and peftilence in the belly of it. Sin is a coal, that not only blacks, but burns. Sia creates all our troubles; it puts gravel into our bread, wormwood in our cup. Sin rots the name, confumes the eflate, buries relations. Sin fhoots the flying roll of Gods curfes into a family and kingdom, Zech. v, 4. It is reported of Phocas, having built a wall of mighty itrength about his city, there was a voice heard, * Sin is within the city, and that will throw down the wall.'

4. Sin unrepented of brings final damnation. The canker that breeds in the rofe is the caufe of its perifliing; and corruptions that breeds in men's fouls are the caufe of their damning. Sin, without repentance, brings the ' lecond death,* Rev. xx. 14. that is-mo?-6y/?te mor<a, Bern. " a death always dying." Sin's pleafure will turn to forrow at laft ; like the book the prophet did eat, Ezek. ili. 3. iweet in the mouth-, but bitter in the

belly. Sin brings the wratli of G od, and what buckets or engines can quench that fire ; Mark ix. 44. * Where the worm never dies, and the fire is not quenched.'

Ufe 1. See how deadly an evil fin is, how ftrange is it that any one thould love it ? Pfalm iv. 3. ' How long will ye love vanity ?' Hof. iii. 1. * Who look to other gods and love flagons of wine.' Sin is a difli men cannot forbear, though it make them fick; who would pour role-water into a kennel? What pity is it fo fweet an affedlion as love (hould be poured upon fo filthy a thing as fin ? Sin brings a (ling in the confcience, a curie in the eftate ; yet men love it, A finner is the greatell felf-denier; for his fin he will deny himfelf a part in heaven.

Ufe'2. Do any thing rather than fin. O hate fin! there is more evil in the leafl; iin, than in the greateft bodily evils that can befal us. The Ermyn rather choofeth to die, than defile her beautiful fkin. There is more evil in a drop of fin, than in a fca of afflidtion : affliction is but like a rent in a coat, fin a prick at the heart. In afflidion there is aliguie honi, fome good ; in this lion there is fome honey to be found, Plal. cxix. 71. ' It is good for me that I was afflicted.' Utile eft aiuma ji in hac area inundijiagellis trituretur corpus, Aug. " Affliction is God's flail to threfh off" our huflcs ; not to confume, but refine." There is no good in fin, it is the fpirit and quinteff-ence of evil. Sin is worfe than hell; for the pains of hell only are a burden to the creature ; but fin is a burden to God, Amos ii. 13. * I am prefled under your iniquities, as a cart is prefled under the flieaves.'

Ufe lilt. Is fin fo great an evil ? Then how thankful fliould ye be to God, if he hath taken away your fin ? Zechi iii. 3. * I have caufed thy iniquity to pafs from thee.' If you had a difeafe on your body, plague or dropfy, how thankful would you be to have it taken away? Much more to have fin taken away. God takes away the guilt of fin by pardoning grace, and the power of fin by mortifying grace. O be thankful that this ficknefs is ' not unto death ;' that God hath changed your nature, and by grafting you into Chrift, made you partake of the fweetnefs of that olive; that fin, thouofh it live, doth not reign, but the elder ferves the younger, the elder of fin ferves the younger of grace.

ADAM'S SIN.

Q. XV. IVHA T icas the fin tvherehy ourfirft parents fell from the e/iate ivherein they icere created ?

Anf The fia was theU' eating the forbidden fruit.

Gen. iii. 6. ' She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave alfo to her hulband.

Here is implied, 1. That our firil parents fell from their eflate of innocency. 2. The fin by which they fell, eating the forbidden fruit.

(I.) Our firft parents fell from their glorious ftate of innocency, Eccl. vii. 29. * God made man upright, but they have fought out many inventions.' Adam was perfectly holy, he had re6titude of mind, and liberty of will to good ; but his head ached till he had invented his own and our death, he fought out many inventions, 1. Adam's fall was voluntary ; he had a poffe noil peccare, a power not to fall. Free-will was a fuffi-cient (liield to repel temptation : The devil could not have forced him, unlefs he had given his confent: Satan was only a fuite'r to woo, not a king to compel: but Adam gave away his own power and fuftered himfelf to be decoyed into fin : like a young gallant, who atone throw, lofeth a fair lordfhip. Adam had a fair lordfliip, he was lord of the world. Gen. i. 28. * Have dominion over the fifli of the fea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth.' But he loll all at one throw. As foon as he had finned, he forfeited paradife. 2. Adam's fall was fudden, he did not long continue in his royal majefl;y.

Q. How long did Adam contmue in paradife before he fell?

Anf. Tofiatus faith, he fell the next day, Pererius faith, he fell the eight day after his creation. But the moll; probable and received opinion is. That Adam fell the very fame day in which he was created : fo Irenajus, Cyril, Epiphanius, and many others. The reafons which incline me to believe fo, are,

1. It is faid, Satan was a murderer * from the beginning,* John viii. 44. Now, whom did he murder? Not the blefl'ed angels, he could not reach them ; nor the curled angels, for they had before deilroyed theml'elves. How then was Satan a niurderer'from the beginning ? as foon as Satan fell, he begaa to tempt mankind to fin ; this was a murdering temptation. By which it appears Adam did not (lay long in paradife ; fooa after his creation the devil fet upon him ; and murdered him by his temptation.

2. Argument to prove that Adam fell the fame day he was created : Adam had not yet eaten of the tree of life. Gen. iii. 22, 23. * And now left he put forth his hand, and take alfo of the tree of life, and eat; the Lord fent him forth of the garden.' This tree of life being one of the choicell fruits in the garden, and-being placed in the midCt of paradife, it is very iike Adam would have eaten of this tree of life one of the firft, had not the ferpent beguiled him with the tree of knowledge. So that hence I ooncluue, Adam fell the very day of his cre-

VoL. I. No.4, T

ation, becaufe he had not yet tafted the tree of life, that tree that was moft in his eye, and had fuch delicious fruit growing upon it.

3. Argument from Pfal. xlix. 12. * Man being in honour, abideth not.' The Rabbins read it thus ' Adam being in honour, lodged not one night." The Hebrew word for abide, fig-nifies, " To (lay or lodge all night.* Adam then, it feems, did not take up one night's lodging in Paradife.

1. Inference. From Adam's fudden fall, he fell the fame day in which he was created, learn, 1. The vveaknefs of human nature : Adam in a ftate of integrity, quickly made a de-fedlion from God, he foon loft the robe of innocency, and the glory of Paradife. And, was our nature thus weak when it was at the heft? What is it now when it is at the worft? If Adam did not ftand when he was perfe6l!y righteous, how unable are we to ftand, when fin hath cut the lock of our original righteoufnefs ? If purified nature did not ftand, how then fhall corrupt nature ? If Adam, in a Jew hours, finned himfelfout of Paradife, how quickly would we fin ourlelves into hell, if we were not kept by a greater power than our own ! but God puts underneath his everlafting arms, Deut. xxxii. 17.

2. From Adam's fudden fall, befell the fame day; learn how fad it is for a man to be left to himfelf. 1. Adam being left to himfelf, fell: O then, what will become of us, how foon fall, if God leave us to ourfelves ? A man without God's grace left to himfelf, is like a fliip in a ftorm, without pilot or anchor, and is ready to dafli ujX)n every rock. Make this prayer to God, " Lord do not leave me to myfeif: If Adam fell fo foon who had ftrength, how foon Ihall 1 fall who have no ftrength .?'* O urge God with his hand and feal, 2 Cor. xii. 9. ' My ftrength (hall be made perfe6l in weaknefs.*

(2.) The fin by whicii our firft parents fell was, ' eating the forbidden fruit;' where confider two things ; 1. The occafion of it. 2. The fin itfelf,

1. The occafion of it; the ferpent's temptation ; the devil did creep into the lerpent, and fpake in the ferpent, as the angel in Balaam's afs; where confider, 1. The fubtilty of Satan's temptation ; his wiles are worie than his darts. Satan's fubtilty in tempting ; 1. He deals all along as an impoftor, he ufliered in his tentation by a lie. Gen. iii. 4. ' Ye ftiall notfurely die.' gd. Lie, That God did envy our firft parents their happinefs, ver. 3. • God knows, that in the day ye eat, your eyes fliall be opened ;' q. d. It is God's envying your felicity, that he forbids you this tree. 3d. Lie, That they fliould be thereby made like unto God, ver. 5. ' Ye fliall be as gods.' Here was his fubtilty in tempting: The devil was firft a liar, then a mur« derer.

(9.) In that he fet upon our firft parents fo quickly, before they were confirnfied in their obedience ; the angels in heaven are fully confirmed in holinefs ; they are called ftars of the morning. Job xxxviii. 7« and they are fixed liars. But our firft parents were not confirmed in their obedience, they were not fixed in their orb of holinefs: though they had a poflibility of ftanding, they had not an impoffibility of falling ; they were holy, but mutable ; here was Satan's fubtilty, in tempting our firft parents before they were confirmed in their obedience.

(3.) His fubtilty in tempting was. That he fet upon Eve firft ; 1. becaufe he thought ftie was lefs able to refift. Satan did break over the hedge, where it was weakeft; he knew he could more eafily infinuate and wind himfelf into her by a temptation. An expert foldier, when he is to ftorm or enter a cattle, obferves warily where there is a breach, or how he may enter with more facility ; fo did Satan the weaker vefTel. 2. He tempted Eve firft, becaufe he knew, if once he would prevail with her, (he would eafily draw her hufband. Thus the devil handed over a temptation to Job by his wife. Job ii. 9. * Curfe God and die.' Agrippina poifoned the emperor Commodus with wine in a perfumed cup ; the cup being perfumed and given him by his wife, it was the lefs fufpeded. Satan knew a temptation coming to Adam from his wife, would be more prevailing, and would be lefs fufpe6ted : O bitter! fometimes relations prove temptations : a wife may be afnare, when ftie difiuades her huftjand from doing his duty, or enticeth him to evil. * Ahab fold himfelf to work wickednefs, whotn his wife Jezebel ftirred up,* 1 Kings xxi. 25. She blew the coals and made his fin flame out the more. Satan's fubtilty was in tempting Adam by his wife, he thought the would draw him to fin.

(4.) Satan's fubtilty in tempting, was in afiaulting Eve's faith : he would perfuade her that God had not I'poken truth, * Ye fliall not furely die,' Gen. iii. 4. This was Satan's maf-ter-piece, to weaken her faith : when he had ftiaken that, and had wrought her once to diftruft; then ' ftie yielded,' flie pre-fently put forth her hand to evil.

^diy, Satan's cruelty in tempting : as foon as Adam was in-vefted in all his glory, the devil cruelly, as it were on the day of Adam's coronation, would dethrone him, and bring both him and all his pofterity under a curfe : we fee how little love Satan hath to mankind ; he hath an implacable antipathy againll us, and antipathies can never be reconciled. So much for the oc-cafion of Adam's fin, tempted by the lerpent.

II. The fin itfelf, ' Eating the forbidden fruit.' This was very heinous, and that appears three ways •, 1. In refpect of the perfon that committed it. 2. The aggravation of the fin. 3. The (Ireadfulnefs of the effe6t.

Ifty Very heinous in refpe6l of the perfon that committed it:

T 2

Adam had excellent and noble endowments; he was illuminated with knowledge, embelliflied with holinefs ; he knew his duty, and it was as eaiy to him to obey God's command, as to know it ; he might have chofen whether he would fin or no, yet he wilfully did eat of the tree which he was forbidden.

2r%, The aggravation of Adam's fin.

Q. Wherein did it appear to be fo great? 'Twos but raptus pomi ; icas thisfuch a great matter to pluck an apple ?

Anf. Befides that, it was againft an infinite God; it was malum complexum, a voluminous fin, there were many fins twifted together in it; as Cicero faith of parricide, *' He who is guilty of it, Plurima comrnttit peccata in vno, he commits many iins in one ;" fo there were many fins in this one fin of Adam. A big bellied fin, a chain with many links. Ten fins in it.

1. Incredulity. Our firfl; parents did not believe what God had fpoken was truth. God faid, They fhall die the death, in the day they ate of that tree. They believed not that they fhould die ; they could not be perfuaded that fuch fair fruit had death at the door. Thus, by unbelief they made God a liar; nay, which was worfe they believed the devil rather than God.

9. Unthankfulnefs, which is the epitome of all fin. Adam's fin was committed in the midfl; of Paradife : God had enriched him with a variety of mercies : he had fl;amped his own image upon him; he had made him lord of the world, gave him of all the trees of the garden to eat (one only excepted) and now to take of that tree ! This v/as high ingratitude ; this was like the dye to the wool, which made it crimfon. When Adam's eyes were opened, and he faw what he had done, well he might be afhamed, and hide himfelf: to fin in the midft of Paradife, how could he look God in the face without bluQiing.

3. In Adam's fin was difcontent: had he not been difcon-tented, he would never have fought to have altered his condition. Adam, one would think, had enough, he differed but little from the angels, he had the robe of innocence to clothe him, and the glory of paradife to crown him ; yet he was not content, he would have more ; he would be above the ordinary rank of creatures. How wide was Adam's heart, that a whole world could not fill it!

4. Pride, in that he would belike God : this worm, that was but newly crept out of the duft, now afpires after a Deity; * Ye (hall be as gods,' faith Satan, and Adam hoped to have been fo indeed ; he fuppofed the tree of knowledge would have anointed his eyes, and made him omnifcient. But, by climbing too high, he got a fall.

b. Difobedience: God faid, * Thou ihalt not eat of the

tree ,* he would eat of it, though it cod him his hfe. Difobc-dience is a fin againd equitj' : it is equal we fhould ferve him v^from whom we have our lubfiiience; God gave Adam his ai-^ lowance, therefore it was but equal he fliould give God his allegiance : therefore difobedience wasagainll equity. How could God endure to fee his laws trampled on before his face ? This made God place a flaming fword at the end of the garden.

6. Curiofity : tomeddle with that which wasout of his fphere, and did not belong to him. God Imote the men of Beth-fhemefh but for looking into the ark, 1 Sam. vi. 19. Adara would be prying into God's fecrets, and tafting what was forbidden.

7. Wantonnefs : though Adam had a choice of all the other trees, yet his palate grew wanton, and he mull have this tree. Like Ifrael, God fent them manna, angels' food, ay, but they h'ad an hankering after quails ; it was not enough God did fup-ply their wants, unlei's he Ihould fatisfy their lulls. Adam had not only for neceffity, but for delight; yet his wanton palate lulled after forbidden fruit.

8. Sacrilege: the tree of knowledge was none of Adam's, yet he took of it, and did facrilegioufly rob God of his due. It was counted a great crime in Harpalus to rob the temple, and fteal the filver velfels ; lb in Adam to Ileal fruit from that tree, which God hath peculiarly enclofed for himfeif. Sacrilege is double theft.

9. Murder : Adam was a public perfon, and allhjs pofterity were involved and wrapped up in him ; and he finning, did at, once dellroy all his pollerity, if free grace did not interpofe. If Abel's blood did cry lb loud in God's ears, Gen. iv. 10. * The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground ;' then how loud did the blood of all Adam's pofterity cry againft him for vengeance ?

10. Prefumption: Adam prefumed of God's mercy; he . blefied himfeif, faying, he fhould have peace: he thought,

atsjfthough he did tranfgrels, he Ihould not die ; God would fooner 3"riTever(e his degree, than punilh him. High prefumption, what •»f)r,an heinous fin then was Adam's breach of covenant.

U/e. One fin may have many fins in it. We are apt to have

flight thoughts of fin, it is but a little one. How many fins

were in Adam's fin } O take heed of any fin ! as in one volume

jevthere may be many works bound up, fo there may be many (ins

J Y'in one fin.

3dli/. Thedreadfulneis oftheeffe(5l : it hath corrupted man's

nature. How rank is that poilon a drop whereof could poilbn

;., a whole fea ? And how deadly is that fin of Adam, that could

. poifon all mankind, and bring a curie upon them, till it betaken

siitaway by him, who was made a curfe for us.

ORIGINAL SIN.

Q. XVI. DID all mankind fall in AdanCs Jirft tranf-grejion.

Anf. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himlelf, but for his pofterity, all mankind defcendingfrom him, by ordinary generation, finned in him, and fell with him in his firft tranfgreilion.

Rom. V. xii. ' By one man fm entered into the world, and death by fin,' k.c.

Adam being a reprefentative perfon, he ftanding, we ftood ; and he falling, we fell. We finned in Adam; fo it is in the text, * In whom all have finned.'

Adam was the head of mankind, and he being guilty, we are guilty, as the children of a traitor have their blood ftained : Vmnes unus ille Adamfuerunt, Aug. *' All of us (laith Aufl;in) finned in Adam, becaufe we were part of Adam."

Obj. If, ivhen Adam fell, all mankind fell with him; why then, lohen one angel fell, did not all fall?

Anf. The cafe is not the fame. The angels had no relation to one another ; they are called morning-ftars ; the liars have no dependence one upon another: but it is otherwife with us, we are in Adam's loins; as a child is a branch of the parent, we were part of Adam ; therefore, he finning, we finned.

Q. How is Adam's Jin made ours?

Anf. 1. By imputation. The Pelagians of old held, that Adam's tranigrelfion is hurtful to pofterity by imitation only, not by imputation. But the text confutes that * in whom all have finned.*

2. Adam's fin is ours by propagation. Not only is the guilt of Adam's fin imputed to us, but the pravity and corruption of his nature is derived to us, as poifon is carried from the fountain to the ciftern. This is that which we call original fin, Pf. li. 6. * In fin did my mother conceive me.' Adam's leprofy cleaves to us, as Naaman's leprofy did cleave to Gehazi, 2 Kings v. 9.7. This original concupifcence is called,

1. The * old man,' Eph. iv. 22. It is faid to be the old man, not that it ig weak, as old men are, but for its long ftanding, and of its deformity. In old age the fair bloflbms of beauty fall; fo original fin is the old man, becaufe it hath withered our beauty, and made us deformed in God's eye.

2. Original concupifcence is called the law of fin, Rom. vii. 25. Original fin hath vim coaciivem, the power of a law : a law binds the fubjeft to allegiance. Men muft needs do what fin will have them, when they hate both the love of fin to draw

them, and the law of fm to force them. In original fm there is fomething privative, and fomething pofitive.

(I.) Something privative. Carentia Jiijiitice debitce, we have loft that excellent quinteflential frame of foul which once we had. Sin hath cut the lock of original purity, where our ftrength lay.

(2.) Something pofitive. Original fin hath contaminated and defiled our virgin nature. It was death among the Romans to poifon the fprings. Original fin hath poifoned the fpring oi our nature, it hath turned beauty into leprofy ; it hath turned the azure brightnefs of our fouls into a midnight darknefs.

Original fin hath become co-natural to us. A man by nature cannot but fin ; though there were no devil to tempt, no bad examples to imitate, yet there is fuchan innate principle in him, that he cannot forbear finning, 2 Pet. ii. 14. A peccato cejfare nefciunt, who cannot ceale to fin, as an horfe that is lame cannot go without halting.—In the original fin is,

1. An averfion from good : man hath a defire to be happy, yet oppofeth that which fhould promote his happinefs ; he hath a difguit of holinfes, he hates to be reformed. Since we fell from God, we have no mind to return to him.

2. A propenfion to evil. If, as the Palagians fay, there is fo much goodnefs in us fince the fall, then why is there not as much natural pronenefs to good, as there is to evil ? Our own experience tells us, that the natural bias of the foul hath a tendency to that which is bad. The very heathens by the light of nature faw this ; Hierocles the philofopher faid, *' it is grafted jn us by nature to fin :" men roll fin as honey under their tongue—• They drink iniquity as water,' Job xv. 16. Like aa hydropfical perl'on, that thirfts for drink, and is not fatisfied : fo they have a Idnd of drought on them, they thirft for fin. They fin, Ej)h. iv. ly. though they are tired out in committing fin, yet they fin, Jer. ix. 5. ' They weary themfelves to commit iniquity ;' as a man that follows his game while he is weary, yet he delights iu it, and cannot leave otf. Though God hath let fo many flaming fwords in the way to ftop men in their fin, yet they go on in "fin ; which all (hews what a ftrong appetite they have to the forbidden fruit.

That we may furtlier fee the nature of original fin, confider (1.) The univerlaiity of it ; it hath, as a poifon diifufed itfelf Into all the parts and powers of our I'oul, Ifa. i. o- ' The whole head is lick, and the whole lieart is faint.' Like a fick patient, that hdlh no part fouud, his liver fvvelied, his feet gangrened, his lungs perifijed ;fuch infected, gangrened fouls have we, till Chriil (who bath made a medicine of his blood) do cure us, ,,.1. Original fin hath depraved the intellectual part. As in the creation,* * darkuels was upon the face of the deep,' Gen.

i. Q. So the unclerflar.ding ; darknefs is upon the face of this deep. As there is fait in every drop of fea, bitternefs in every branch of wormwood, fo there is (in in every faculty, the mind is darkened, we know little of God. Ever fince Adam did eat of the tree of knowledge, and his eyes were opened, we loft our eye-fight. Befides ignorance in the muid, there is error and miftake ; we do not judge rightly of things, we put bitter for fweet, and fweet for bitter, Ifa. 20. Befides this, there is much pride, fupercilioufnefs and prejudice, many fie(hly reafonings, Jer. iv. 14. ' How long (hall vain thoughts lodge in thee ?'

S. Original (in hath defiled the heart: the heart is mor^?/e-rnmjimius, deadly wicked, Jer. xvii. {). it is a lefler hell. In the heart are legions ot lulls, obduratenefs, infidelity, hypocrify, finful eftuations ; it boils as the lea with pallion and revenge. Madnefs is in their heart while they live, Eccl. ix. 3. The heart is OJfichia diaboli, the devil's fhop or work-houfe, where all milchief is framed.

3. The Will. Contumacy is the feat of rebellion : The (inner croiTeth God's will, to fulfil his own, Jer. xliv. 17. * We will burn incenfe to the queen of heaven.' There is a rooted enmity in the will againll holinefs; it is like an iron finew, it refufeth to bend to God. Where is then the freedom of the "will ? when it is fo full not only of indifpofition, but oppofition to what is fpirrtual.

4. The affedions. Thefe, as the ftrings of a viol, are out of tune. Thefe are the lefler wheels, which are ftrongly carried by the will, the mafter-wheel. Our affedtions are mifplaced ; fet on wrong objefts. Our love is fet on fin, our joy on the creature. Our affe6tions are naturally as a fick man's appetite, he defires things which are noxious and hurtful for him ; he calls for wine in a fever: So we have impure luflings, inftead of holy longings.

(2.) The adherency of original fin. It cleaves to us, as black-nels to the fivin of the Ethiopian, we cannot get rid of it. Paul fliook off the viper on his hand, but we cannot fhake off this inbred corruption : It may be compared to a wild fig-tree growing on a wall, though the roots of it are pulled up, yet there are fome firings of it in the joints of the ftone-work, which will not be eradicated, but will fprout forth till the wall be pulled in pieces. Original concupifcence comes not as a lodger, for a night, but is an indweller, Rom. vii. 17. * Sin which dwelleth in me.*

It is a malus genius, an evil fpirit, that haunts us wherefoever we go, Jolh. vii. 12. * The Canaanite would dwell in the land.*

(3.) Original fin retards and hinders us in the exercifes of GoU'.s worfhip. Whence is all that dulnefs and deadnefs in re-

ligion? It is the fruit of original fin : It is this rocks us afleep in duty, Rom. vii. U). * The good that I would, I do not.* Sin is compared to a weight, Heb. xiii. 1. A man that hath weights tied to his legs, cannot run lb fall; It is hke that fifh Phny fpeaks of, a fea-lamprey, that cleaves to the keel of a fliip, and hinders its progrels when it is under fail.

(4.) Original fin, though it lies latent in the foul, and be as a fpring which runs under ground, yet oft it breaks forth un-expe6tedly. Chriftian, thou canlt not believe that evil which is in thy heart, and which will break forth fuddenly, if God leave thee, -J Kings viii. 13, 15. ' Is thy lervant a dog, that he fliould do this great thiug?' Hazael could not believe he had fuch a root of bitternel's in his heart, that he fhould rip up the women with child : * Is thy fervant a dog ?' Yes, and worfa than a dog, when that original corruption within was flirred up. If-one had come to Peter, and faid, Peter, within a few hours thou wilt deny Chrill; he would have faid, * Is thy fervant a dog?' But alas! Peter did not know his own heart, nor how far that corruption within would prevail upon him. The lea may be calm, and look clear; but when the wind blows, how doth it rage and foam? lb though now thy heart feems good, yet, when temptation blows, how may original fin difcover it-felf, making the foam with lull and pailion. Who would have thought to have found adultery in David, and drunkennefs in Noah, and curfing in Job ? If God leave a man to himfelf, how fuddenly and fcandaloully may original fin break forth in the holiefl; men alive ?

(5.) Original fin doth mix and incorporate itfelf with our duties and graces.

1. With our duties. As the hand which is paralytica! or palfy, cannot move without fiiaking, as wanting fome inward ftreugth; lb we cannot do an holy a6tion without finning, as :\vanting a principle of original righteouuiefs. As the leper, whatever he touched became unclean : if he touched the altar, the altar did not fandify him, but he polluted the altar; fucha leprofy is original fin, it defiles our prayers and tears ; we cannot write without blotting. Though I do not fay, that the holy-duties and good works of the regenerate are fins, for that were to reproach the Spirit ol Chrill, by which they are wrought; yet this I fay, that the belt works of the godly have fin cleaving to them ; only Chrili's blood makes atonement for our holy things.

2. With our graces. There is fome unbelief mixed with faith, lukewarmnefs with zeal, pride with humility. As bad lungs caufe an allhma, or Ihortnefs of breath, lb original corruption, haVing infeded our heart, our graces breathe now very faintly.

Vol. I. No. 4. U

(0.) Original fin is a vigorous a6live principle within us ; it doth not lie Hill, but is ever exciting and Itirring us up to evil; it is an inmate, very unquiet; Rom. vii. 15. * What 1 hate, that do I.' How came Paul to do fo ? Original fin did irritate and llir hmi up to it. Original fin is like quick-filver, always in motion ; when we are afieep, fin is awake in the fancy. Original fin fets the head a plotting evil, and the hands a work-ino- it: it hath in it principium rnotus, not quietis ; it is like the pulCe ever-beating.

(7.) Original fin is the caufe of all actual; it hfomes peccati, it is the womb in which all actual fins are conceived. Hence come murders, adulteries, rapines; it is the Trojan horfe, out of which a whole army of impieties come. Though adual fins may be more fcandalous, yet original fin is more heinous ; the caufe is more than the etfe6t.

(8.) It is not perfe6lly cured in this life. Grace, though it doth fubdue fin, yet doth not wholly remove it. Though we are like Chrifi;, having the firfi; fruits of the Spirit, yet we are unlike him, having the remainders of the flefti. There are two nations in the womb. Original fin is like that tree, Dan. iv. §3. though the branches of it were hewn down, and the main body of it, yet the (lumps and root of the tree were left: Though the Spirit be ftill weakening and hewing down fin in the godly, yet the fiiump of original fin is Hill left: It is a fea that will not, in this life, be dried up.

Q. But why doth God leave original corruption in us after re* generation ? He could quite free ks from it, if he pleafed.

Anf. He doth it, to (hew the power of his grace in the weakeft believer. Grace (hall prevail againft a torrent of corruption. Whence is this } the corruption is ours, but the grace is God's.

2. God leaves original corruption, to make us long after heaven ; when there (liall be no fin to defile, no devil to tempt. When Elias was taken up to heaven, his mantle dropped o(f; fo, when the angels (hall carry us up to heaven, this mantle of fin (liall drop otf: We (hail never more complain of an aching head, or an unbelieving heart.

Ufe. I. If original (in be pfopogated to us, and will he inherent in us while we live here, then it confutes the Libertines and Quakers, who fay they are without fin ; they hold perfection ; they (hew much pride and ignorance; but we fee the feeds of original fin remain in the belt, Eccl. vii. 20. ' There is not a jufi man lives, and fins not.' And St. Paul complained of a ' body of death,' Rom. vii. 24. Grace, though it doth purify nature, it doth not perfe6l it. OI>je6t. But doth not the apojile fay of believers, that their

* old man is crucified,* Rom. vi. 6. and they are * dead to Jin ?* Rom. vii. 11.

Anf. They are dead, 1. Spiritually. They are dead as to the reatus, the guilt of it; and as to the regnum, the power of it; the love of fin is crucified.

2. They are dead to (in legally. As a man that is fentenced to death is dead in law, lb they are legally dead to iin ; there is a fentence of death gone out againft fin, it Ihall die and drop into the grave: But at the prefent, fin hath its life lengthened out; nothing but the death of the body can quite free us from the body of death.

Ufe 2. Let us lay to heart original fin, and be deeply humbled for it; it cleaves to us as a difeafe, it is an active principle in us, fi:irring us up to evil. Original fin is vvorfe than all actual fin ; the fountain is more than the fiream. Some think, as long as they are civil, they are well enough; ay, but thy nature is poifoned : A river may have fair fireams, but vermin at bottom. Thou carriell an hell about thee, thoucanildo nothing but thou defilefl; it; thy heart, like muddy ground, defiles the pureft water that runs through it. Nay, though thou art regenerate, •„ there is much of the old man in the new man. O how (hould (^^"^^ original fin humble us! This is*"one reafon God hath left original fin in us, becaul'e he would have it as a thorn in our fide to humble us. As the bifiiopof Alexandria, after the people had embraced Chrillianity, dellroyed all their idols but one, that the fight of that idol might make them lothe themfelves for their former idolatry ; fo God leaves original fin to pull down the plumes of pride. Under our filver wings of grace are black feet.

2. Let the fenfe of this make us daily look up to heaven for help ; beg Chrifl;'s blood to waQi away the guilt of fin, and his Spirit to mortify the power of it; beg further degrees of grace; gratiam Chrijii eo obnoxious ambiamus. Though grace cannot make fin not to be, yet not to reign ; though grace cannot expel fin, it can repel it: And for our comfort, where grace makes a combat with fin, death (hall make a conquelt.

3. Let original fin make us walk with continual jealoufly and watchfulnefs over our hearts. The (in of our nature is iike a fleeping lion, the leail thing that awakens it makes it rage. The fin of our nature, though it leems quiet, and lies as fire hid under the embers, yet if it be a little ftirred and blown up by a temptation, how quickly may it flame forth into I'candaious evils? Therefore we had need always to walk watchfully, Mark xiii. 37- 'I fay to you all, Watch.' A wandering heart needs a watchful eye.

U 2

MAN'S MISERY BY THE FALL.

Q. XIX. WHAT is the mifery of that ejiate whereinlo man fell ?

^??/. All mankind by their fall loft communion with God, are under his wrath and curfe, and To made liable to ail the mi-feries in this life, to death itfelf, and to the pains of hell for ever.

Eph. ii. 3. * And were by nature children of wrath.' Adam left an unhappy portion to his pofterity, Sin and Mifery, We have already conlidered the firft of thefe, original fin, now the mifery of that eftate ; in the firft, we have feen mankind offending, in the fecond, we fliall fee him fuffering. 7'he mifery en-fuingoriginal fin is two-fold.

Privative. By this firll hereditary fin we have loft communion with God. Adam was God's familiar, his favourite ; but fin hath put us all out of favour : when we loft God's image, •we loft his acquaintance. God's banifhing Adam out of para-dife, hieroglyphically, it fhewed how fin hath banifhed us out of God's love and favour.

II. Pofitive. In four things. 1. Under the power of Satan. 2. Heirs of God's wrath. 3. Subject to all miferies in this life. 4. Obnoxious to hell and damnation.

Ift. The firft mifery is. By nature we are * under the power of Satan,' whoiscalled, * The prince of the power of the air,' Eph. ii. 2. Before the fall man was a free denifon, now a flave ; before a king on the throne, now in fetters. And who is man en-flavedto? To one that is an hater of him. This was an aggravation of Ifrael's fervitude, Pfal. cvi. 41. ' They that hated them ruled over them.' By fin we are enflaved to Satan, who is an hater of mankind, and writes all his laws in blood. Sinners before converfion are under Satan's command, as the afs at the command of the driver, he doth all the devil's drudgery. No fooner Satan tempts, but he obeys : as the fhip is at the command of the pilot, he fteers it which way he will, fo is the finner at the command of Satan, he may fteer him which way he will; and he never fteers the fliip but into hell's mouth. The devil rules all the powers and faculties of a finner.

1. He rules the underftanding : he blinds men with ignorance, and then rules them ; as the Philiftines firft put out Samfon's eyes, and then bound him. Satan can do what he will with an ignorant man : he doth not fee the error of his way, therefore the devil can lead him into any fin ; you may lead a blind man any whither: Omne peccatiim fundutnr in ignorantia.

2. Satan rules the will: though he cannot force the will, yet

h« can, by temptation, draw it, Johnviii. 44. ' The lufls of your father ye will do.' He haih got your hearts, and him ye will obey, Jer. xliv. 17. ' We will burn incenl'e to the queen of heaven.' When the devil (purs a fianer by a temptation, he will over hedge and ditch, break all God's laws, that he may obey Satan : Where then is free-will ? When Satan hath i'ucli power over the will, * his lulls ye will do.' There's not any member of the body but is at the devil's fervice : the head to plot fin, the hands to work it, the feet to run the devil's errand. Grave jugum Jewitutis, Cicero. Slavery is hateful to a noble fpirit. Satan is the worlt tyrant ; the cruelty of Canibal, or Nero, is nothing to his. Other tyrants do but rule over the bodies, he over the conicience: other tyrants have fome pity on their flaves, though they work in the galley, they give them meat, let them have hours for reft ; but Satan is a mercileis tyrant, he lets them have no reft. What pains did J udas take ? 'rhe devil would let him have no reft till he had betrayed Chrift, and afterwards imbrued his hands in his own blood.

Ufe 1. See here our mifery by original fin, enlLived to Satan, Eph. ii. 2. Satan is faid to work effectually in the children of dilbbedience. What a (ad plague is this for a (inner to be at the wilt of the devil ? Juft like a (]dve, if the Turks bid him dig in the mines, hew in the quarries, tug at the oar, the (lave muii do it, he dares not refule. If the devil bids a man lie or cozen, he doth not refufe; and, which is worfe, men are enflaved, and they willingly obey this tyrant: other (laves are forced againft their will: ' Il'rael fighed by realbn of their bondage,' Exod. ii. 23. But finners are willing to be (laves, they will not take their freedom ; they kifs their fetters.

Ufe 2. Let us labour to get out of this deplorable condition fjn hath plunged us into ; get from under the power of Satan : if any of your children were fiaves, you would give great fums of money to purchaie their freedom : your (buls are enflaved, and will you not labour to be let free ? Improve thegofpel; the gol'pel proclaims a jubilee to captives': fin binds men, the go(-pel looleth them, Paul's preaching was ' to turn men from the power of Satan to God.' A6ls xxvi. 18. The gofpel-llar leads you to Chrilt; and if you get Chrift, than you are made free, though not from the being of fin, yet from Satan's tyranny, John viii. 36. ' If the Son make you free, ye fliall be free indeed.' You hope to be kings to reign in heaven, and will you let Satan reign in you now ? never think to be kings when you die, and (laves while you live : the crown of glory is for conquerors, not captives. Oh! get out of Satan's jurildidion ; get your fetters of (in filed o(f by repentance.

ijd, Mifery. [IFe are heirs of Gofsicralh.'] In the text, and were by nature the children of wrath. TertulUan's expofitioii

here is wrong, children of wrath, he underftands fubje6livc, that is, fubje6l to wrath and paffion ; offending often in the irraf-cible faculty of a wrathful fpirit. But, by children of wrath, the a{3ortle paflTively means heirs of icrath, expofed to God's difpleafure. God was once a friend, but fin broke the knot of friendfliip; now God's fniile is turned into a frown; we are now bound over to the feffions, and become children of wrath ;

* And who knows the power of God's wrath?* PC. xc. 11.

* The wrath of a king is as the roaring of a lion,' Prov. xix. 12. How did Hamad's heart tremble, when the king rofe up from the banquet in wrath? Efth. vii. 7- But God's wrath is infinite, all other is but as a fpark to a flame ; wrath in God is not a paffion, as in us ; but it is an a6l of God's holy will, whereby he abhors fin, and decrees to punilh it. This wrath is very dil-mal; it is this wrath of God that imbitters affli6lions m this life ; when ficknels comes attended with God's wrath, it puts confcience into an agony. The mingling of the fire with the hail made it fo terrible, Exod. ix. 24. So mingling God's wrath with afflidion, makes it torturing ; it is the nail in the yoke. God's wrath, but when in a threatening (as a fliower hanging in the cloud) made Eli's ears to tingle; what is it then, when this wrath is executed ? It is terrible when the king-rates and chides a traitor ; but it is more dreadful when he caufeth him to be fet upon the rack, or to be broke upon the wheel: ' Who knows the power of God's wrath?' While we are children of wrath, 1. We have nothing to do with any of the promifes ; they are as the tree of life, bearing feveral forts of fruit, but no right to pluck one leaf, Eph. ii. 3. * Children of wrath.' ver. 12. * Strangers to the covenant of pro-niife.' The promifes are as a fountain fealed. While we are in the flate of nature, we fee nothing but the flaming fword ; and, as theapoftle faith, Heb. x, 27. * There remains nothing but a fearful looking for a fiery indignation.* 2. While children of wrath we are ' heirs to all God's curfes,' Gal. iii. 10. How can the finner eat and drink in that condition? Like Da-maris' banquet, he fat at meat, and there was a fword hanging over his head by a fmall thread ; one would think he could have little fi:omach to eat; fo the fword of God's wrath and curfe hangs every moment over a finners head. We read of afljing roll written with curies, Zech. v. 3. There is a roll written with curies goes out againfl every perfon that lives and dies in fin : God's curfe blafi;s wherever it comes. A curfe on the fin-ner's name, a curfe on his foul, a curfe on his efi;ate, pofterity, a curfe on the ordinances. Sad, if all a man did eat fhould turn to poifon : the finner eats and drinks his own damnation at God's table. Thus it is before converfion. As the love of God

makes every bitter thing fvveet, fo the curfeof God makes every fweet thing bitter.

Ufe. See our niifery by the fall. Heirs of wrath: and is this eftate to be reded in ? If a nnan be fallen under the king's dii-plealure, will he not labour to re-ingratiate himfelf into his favour ! O let us flee from the wrath of God ! And whither fliould we fly but t© Jefus Chrift ? there's none eUe to fhield off the wrath of God from us, 1 Thelf. i. 10. * Jefus hath delivered us from the wrath to come.'

3. Subje6l to all outward miferies : all the troubles incident to man's life are the bitter fruits of original fin. The fin of Adam hath * fubje6led the creature to vanity,* Rom. viii. 20. Is it not a part of the creature's vanity, that all the comforts here below will not fill the heart, any more than the mariner's breath can fill the fails of a fhip ; Job xx. 22. * In the midft of his fufficiency he (hall be in ilraits.' There is ftill Ibmething wanting, and a man would have more : the heart is always hydropical; it thirils and is not fatisfied. Solomon put all the creatures into a lembic ; and when became to extract thefpirit and quintelfence, there was nothing but froth, ' all was vanity,* Eccl. i. 2. Nay, it is vexing vanity ; not only emptinefs, but bitternefs. Our life is labour and forrow ; we come into the world with a cry, go out with a groan, Pla!. xc. 10. Some have faid, that they would not be to live the life they have lived over again, becaufe their life hath had more water in it than wine; more water of tears, than wine of joy : Quid eft diu vevere ni/l dill turqueri, Aug. * Man is born to trouble,' Job v. 7. Every one IS not born heir to land, but he is born heir to trouble ; as well feperate weight from lead. We do not finilh our troubles in this life, but change them. Trouble is the vermin bred out of the putrid matter of fin. Whence are all our fears, but from fin? 1 John iv. 18. * There is torment in fear.' Fear is the ague of the foul, fets it a fliaUing; fome fear want, others alarms, others fear lofs of relations ; If we rejoice, it is with trembling. Whence- are all our difappointments of hopes but from fin ? Where we look for comfort, there a crofs: where we expert honey, there we talle wormwood. Whence is it that the earth is filled with violence, that the wicked opprefieth the man which is more righteous than he ? Hab. i. 13. Whence is it that fo much fraudulency in dealing, fo much falfenefs in friend fhip, fuch crolfes in relations ? Whence is it children prove undutiful ? They that fhould be as the (laff of the parent's age, are a fword to pierce their hearts: whence is it fervanls are unfaithful to thtir mafters ? Theapollle fpeaksof fome who have entertained angels in their houfes, Heb. xiii, 2. But how oft, infi,ead of entertaining angels' in their houfes, do fome entertain devils,? Whenceareallthemuiiaiesanddivifionsina kingdom? SChron.

XV. 5. * In thofe days there was no peace to them that wen! out, nor to him that came in.' All this is but the four corn in that apple our firii: parents ate, viz. fruit of original fin. Beficle3 all the deformities and difeafes of the body, fevers, convulfions, catarrhs. Macks et nova fehrhim terris incubuit cahors —I'hefe are from fin. There had never been a Hone in the kidneys, if it had not been firit a Hone in the heart. Yea, the death of the body, is the fruit and refult of original fin, Rom. v. 12. ' Sin entered into the world, and death by fin.' Adam was made immortal, conditionally, if he had not finned ; fin digged Adam's grave. Death is terrible to nature : Lewis king of France forbade all that came into his court, to mention the name of deatli in his ears. The Socinians fay, that Death comes only from the infirmnefa of the conltitution. But the apofile faith. Sin ufhered in death into the world : b)^ fin came death. Certainly, had not Adam ate of the tree of knowledge, he had not died. Gen. ii. 17- * In the day thou eatefl;, thou (halt furely die,' implying, if Adam had not eaten, he Ihould not have died. O tlien fee the mifery enluing upon original fin! Sin diflblves the harmony and good temperature of the body, it pulls this frame in pieces.

4. Original fin without repentance expofeth to hell and damnation. This is the fecond death. Rev. xx. 14. Two things in it;

(1.) Pana damni, Punifliment of lofs : The foul is baniflied from the beatifical prefence of God, in whofe prefence is fulnefs ofjoy.

(2.) Pcewa/ew/?<5', Punifhment of fenfe : The finner feels,the fcalding vials of God's wrath; It is penetrating, abiding, John iii. 3(j. Referved, 2 Pet. ii. 17.. If, when God's anger be kindled but a little, and a fpark or two of it flies into a man's confcience here in this life, it be fo terrible ; what then will it be when God ilirs up all his anger.? In hell there is the worm and the fire, Mark ix. 44. Hell is the very accent and empha-fisofmifery: there'sjudgmentwithout mercy. O whatflames of wrath, what leas of vengeance, what rivers of^brimftone, are poured out here upon the damned ! Bellarmine is of opinion. That one glimpfe of hell-fire were enough to make the molt flagitious finner to turn Chrifiian.? nay, live like an hermit, a mofi: ftrid mortified life. What is all other fire to this, but painted fire.? Ejus adejje intolerabile ejus abel)'e impoffibUe : to bear it will be intolerable, to avoid it will be impodible ; and thefe hell-torments are for ever, have no period put to them,^ Rev. ix. (5. ' They fhall leek death, and (liall not find it.' Ori-gen fancied a fiery llream in which the fouls of finful men were to be purged after this life, and then to pal's into heaven ; but it is for ever. The breath of the Lord kindles that fire ; and

where fhall we find engines or buckets to quench it ? Rev. xiv. 11. * And the fmoke of their torment afcendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no reil night nor day.' Thank original fin for all.

U/e I. What fad thoughts fliould vve have of this primitive original fin, that hath created fo many miferies ? What honey can be got out of this lion ? What grapes can we gather oiFthis thorn ? It fets heaven and earth againfl; us : while we chufe this bramble to rule, fire comes out of the bramble to devour us.

2. How are all believers bound to Jefus Chrift, who hath freed them from that mifery to which fin hath expofed them? Eph. i. 7. ' In whom we have redemption through his blood.* Sin hath brought trouble and a curfe into the world : Chrifi; hath fanclified the trouble, and removed the curfe. Nay, he hath not only freed believers from mifery, but purchafed for them a crown of glory and immortality, 1 Pet. v. 4. * When the chief fliepherd fliall appear, ye Qiali receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.'

OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE.

Q. XX. DID God leave all mankind to perijli in this ejlate of Jin and mifery ?

Anf. No, he entered into a covenant of grace to deliver the ele6l out of that ellate, and bring them into a (late of grace by a Redeemer.

Ifa. Iv. 3. * I will make an everlafl;ing covenant with you.* Man being by his fall, plunged into a labyrinth of mifery, and having no way left to recover himfelf, God was pleafed to enter into a new covenant with him, and fo reftore him to life by a Redeemer.

The great propofition I (hall go upon is, that there is a new covenant ratified between God and the eledt.

Q. What is the new covenant ?

Anf. It is a foienin compa6t and agreement made between God and fallen man, wherein the Lord undertakes to be our God, and to make us his people.

Q. What names are given to the covenant ?

Anf. 1. It is called a covenant of peace, Ezek. xxxvii. 29. becaufe it feals up reconciliation between God and humble fin-ners. Before this covenant there was nothing but enmity ; God did not love us; a creature that offends cannot be loved by a holy God : and we did not love him ; a God that condemns, cannot be loved by a guilty creature ; fo that there was war on both fides. But God hath found out a way in the new

Vol. I, No. 4. X

covenant to reconcile diliering parties, fo that it is filly called a covenant of peace.

2. It is called a covenant of grace, and well it nnay : For,

1. It was with grace, that, when we had forfeited the fiiit cove-rant, after we had caftaway ourfelves. The covenant of grace is tabula poji naiifragmni, as a plank after (hipwreck. O the free grace of God, that he (hould parly with fiiiners, and fet his wildoni and nrercy a-work to bring rebels into the bond of the covenant.

(2.) It is a covenant of grace, becaufe it is a royal charter, allmadeupof terms of grace ; that 'God will call our fins behind his back;' that ' he will love us freely,' Hof. xiv. 4. That • he will give us a will to accept of the mercy of the covenant, and fiirength to perform the conditions of the covenant,* Ezek, xxxvii. S6. All this is pure grace.

Q. Why would God make a covenant icith lis ?

Anf. It is out of indulgence, favour, and relpedt to us. A tyrant will not enter into a covenant with flaves, he will not Ihew them fuch refpe6l. God's entering into covenant with us, to be our God, is a dignity he puts upon us. A covenant is injigne ho7ioris, a noteof dillin6tion between God's people and heathens, Ezek. xvi. 22. ' I will efi;ablifli my covenant with thee.' When the Lord told Abraham that he would enter into covenant with him, * Abraham fell upon his face,' Gen. xvii.

2. as being amazed that the God of glory (hould beftow fuch a favour upon him.

2. God makes a covenant with us, to tie us faft to him ; it is called in Ezekiel, the * bond of the covenant.' God knows we have flippery hearts, therefore he will have a covenant to bind us : it is a horrid in^piety to go away from God after covenant. If one of the veftal nuns, who had vowed herfelf to religion, was deflowered, the Romans cauCed her to be burnt alive. It is perjury to depart from God after Iblemn covenant.

Q. Hotv dotk the covenant of grace differ from thefirji cove-nant made icith Adam?

Anf. 1. Difference. The terms of the firft covenant were more itridt and fevere. For, 1. The leall failing would have made the covenant with Adam null and void, but many failings do not null the covenant of grace : I grant, the lead fin is a trefpafs upon the covenant, but it doth not make it null and void. There may be many failings in the conjugal relation, but every failing doth not break the urarriaGe-bond. It would be fad, if, as oft as we break covenarst with God he (hould break covenant With us; but God will not take advantage of every failing, but in * anger remember mercy.'

2. The firft covenant being broken, allowed the finner no remedy, all doors of hope were (hut; but the new covenant

I

allows the finner a remedy : it leaves room for repentance, it provides a mediator, Heb. xii. 24. ' Jefus the mediator of the new covenant.'

2d Differ. The firft covenant did run all upon * working,' the fecond upon * believing,' Rom. iv. 5.

Q. But are not ivorks required hi the covenant of grace 9

Anf. Yes; Tit. iii. 8. ' This is a faitbful faying, that they which believe in God, be careful to maintain good works.' But the covenant of grace doth not require works m the fame manner as the covenant of works did. In the firil covenant, works were required as the condition of life ; in the (econd, they are required only as the figns of a man that is alive. In the firft covenant, works were required as grounds of falvation ; in the new covenant, they are required as evidences of our love to God. In the firft, they were required tothe juftification of ourperfons; in the new, to the teftification of our grace.

Q. What is the condition of the covenant of grace ?

Anf. The main condition is faith.

Q. But why is faith more the condition of the new covenant than any other grace?

Anf. To exclude all glorying in the creature; faith is an humble grace. If repentance or works were the condition of the covenant, a man would fay, It is my righteouinefs hath faved me : but if it be of faith, where is boalling ? Faith fetcheth all from Chrirt, and gives all the glory to Chnft; it is a moft humble grace. Hence it is God hath fingled out this grace to be the condition of the covenant.

And if faith be the condition of the covenant of grace, it excludes defperate prelumptuous finnersfrom the covenant. They fay there is a covenant of grace, and they ftiall be laved : but did*you ever know a bond without a condition ? 'I'he condition of the covenant is faith, and if thou haft no faith, ihou haft no more to do with the covenant than a foreigner or a country farmer with the city charter.

life \: Of information. See the amazing goodnefs of'God, to enter into covenant with us: he never entered into covenant with the angels when they fell. It was much condefceniion in God to enter into covenant with us in a ftate of inrocency, but it was more to enter in a ftate of enmity. In this covenant of grace, we may fee the cream of God's love, and the working of his bowels to finners. This is a marriage covenanr., Jt-r. iii. 14. * I am married to you, faith the Lord.' In the nf^w covenant, God makes himlelf over to us, and what can ae givcvaore? And he makes over his promifes to us, and what better bonti can we have ?

Ufe ^. Of trial.' Whether we are in covenant with God. There are three characters.

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1. God's covenant-people are an humble people, 1 Pet. V. 5. ' Be ye clothed vvith humility.' God's people elieem of others better than themfelves ; they fhrink into nothing in theic own thoughts, Phil. ii. 3. David cries out, * I am a worm, and no man,' Pfal. xxii. 6. though a (iiint, though a king, yet a worm. When Mofes' face fhined, he covered it with a veil: God's people, when they fliine moil in grace, are covered wiih • the veil of humility.' Pride excludes from the covenant; * God refilleth the proud,' 1 Pet. i. 3. and fare fuch are not in covenant with God, whom he refifts.

2. A people in covenant with God, area willing people; though they cannot ferve God perfe<5lly, they ferve him willingly. They do not grudge God a little time fpent in his worfhip; they do not hefitate or murmur at fufferings; they will go through a fea and a wildernefs, if God call; Pfal. ex. 3. * Thy people fhall be a willing people:' Heb. * a people of wiljing-nefs.' This fpontanity and willingnefs, is from the attra6live power of God's Spirit: the Spirit doth not impellere^ force, but traliere, fweetly draw the will; and this willingnefs in religion, makes all our fervices accepted. God doth fometimes accept of willingnefs without the work, but never the work without willingnefs.

3. God's covenant-people are a confecrated people, they have bolinefs to the Lord written upon them, Deut. vii. Q. ' Thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God.' God's covenant-people are feparated from the world, and fan6tified by the Spirit. The priells under the law were not only to wafh in the great laver, but were arrayed with glorious apparel, Exod. xxviii. 2. This was typical, to fliew God's people are not only wafhed from grofs fins, but adorned with holinefs of heart; they bear not only God's name, but image. Tamerlane refufed a pot of gold, when he faw it had not his father's (lamp upon it but the Roman (lamp. Holinefs is God's ftamp, if he doth not fee this ftamp upon us, he will not own us for his covenant-people.

Ufe 3. Of Exhortation. To fuch as are out of covenant, labour to get into covenant, and have God for your God. How glad would the old world have been of an ark ? How induftrious Ihould we be to get within the ark of the covenant? Confider, 1. The mifery of fuch as live and die out of the covenant with God. (I.) Such have none to go to in an hour of diftrefs. When confcience accufeth, when ficknefs approacheth, (which is but an harbinger to befpeak a lodging for death) then what will you do? Whither will you flee ? Will you look to Chrift for help? He is a mediator only for fuch as are in covenant. O how will you be filled With horror and defpair ! and be as Saul, 1 Sam. xxviii. 15. * The PhililVmes make war againft me, and the Lord is departed.' (2.) Till you are in covenant with

God, there is no mercy. The mercy-feat was placed upon the ark, and the mercy-feat was no larger than the ark; to (hew, that the mercy of God reacheth no further than the covenant.

2. The excellency of the covcnemt of grace; it is a belter covenant than the covenant made with Adam. Ift, Becauie it is more friendly and propitious. Thole fervices which would have been reje6ted in the firlt covenant, are accepted in the fe-cond. Here God accepts of the will for the deed, 2 Cor. viii. 10. here fincerity is crowned in the covenant of grace, wherein we are weak, God will give fbrenglh ; and wherein we come Ihort, God will accept of a furety. 2dly, It is a better covenant, becauCe it is lurer, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. ' Thou hall made with me an. everlalling covenant, ordered in all things, and fure.* The firlt covenant was not fure, it Itood upon a tottering foundation, works ; Adam had no Ibontr a ftockof righteoulhefs to trade with, but he broke : but the covenant of grace is lure ; it is confirmed with God's decree, and it reds upon two mighty pillars, the oath of God, and the blood of God. Sdhj, It hath better privileges. The covenant of grace brings preferment. Our nature is now more ennobled, we are raifed to higher glory than in innocency, we are advanced to fit upon Chrilt's throne. Rev. iij. 21. We are by virtue of the covenant of grace nearer to Chriil than the angels : they are his friends, we his fpoufe. 3. God is willing to be in covenant with you. Why doth God woo and befeech you by his ambalfadors to be reconciled, if he were not willing to be in covenant.

Obj. / icon Id fain be in covenant with God, but I have been a gfeatjinner, and I fear God will not admit me into covenant.

AnJ\ If thou feell thy fins, and lotheft thyfelf for them, yet God will take thee into covenant, Ila, xliii. 24. ' Thou haft wearied me with thy iniquities, I, even I, am he, that blotteih out thy tranfgreffions.' As the fea covers great rocks, fo God's covenant-mercy covers great fins. Some of the Jews that crucified Chriil, yet had their fins waflied away in his blood.

Obj: But lam not worthy that ever Godjhould admit me into covenant.

Anf. It never came into God's thought to make a new covenant upon terms of worthinefs. If God fhould flievv mercy to none but fuch as are worthy, then he mull Ihew mercy to none at all. But it is God's defign in the new covenant to advance the riches of grace, to love us freely : and when we have no woiihinefs of our ov/n, to accept us through Chrill's worthinefs. i',Therefore let not unvvorthinei's difcourage you; it is not un-..jfiworthinefs excUides any from the covenant, but unwillingnefs.

Q. Wh{itJha/l we do that ice may he in covenant ivith God?

Anf. 1. Seek to God by prayer. Ex'ige a Domino niifericor" diiim, Aug. *' Lord, be my God ia covenant." The Lord huih

made an exprefs promife, that, upon our prayer to him, the covenant fliould be ratified, he will be our God, and we ihall be his people, Zech. xiii. 9. * They (hail call upon my name, and I will heat them ; I will fay it is my people ; and they (hall fay, the Lord is my God.' Only it mufl be an importunate prayer; come as earneft fuiters, refolve to take no denial.

2. If you would be in covenant with God, break off the covenant with fin ; before the marriage covenant there muft be a divorce, 1 Sam. vii. 3. * If ye return to the Lord with all your hearts, put away the llrange gods ; and tliey put away A(hta-roth ;' viz. their female gods. Will any King enter into covenant with that man who is in league with his enemies.?

3. If you would enter into the bond of the covenant, get faith in the blood of the covenant. ChrilVs blood is the blood of atonement ; believe in this blood, and you are fafely arked in God's mercy ; Eph. ii. 13. * Ye are made nigh by the blood ofChrift.'

Ufe 4. Of comfort to fuch as can make out their covenant-intereft in God. (I.) You that are in covenant with God, all your fins are pardoned. Pardon is the crowning mercy, Pfalm ciii. 3. ' Who forglveth thy iniquity, who crovvneth thee, &c.* This is a breach of the covenant, Jer, xxxi. 33. ' I will be their God, and I will forgive their iniquity.' Sm being pardoned, all wrath ceafeth. How terrible is it when but a fpark of God's wrath flies into a man's confcience } But fin being forgiven, no more wrath. God doth not appear now in the fire or earthquake, but covered with a rain-bow full of mercy.

2. All your temporal mercies are fruits of the covenant. Wicked men have mercies by providence, not by virtue of a covenant; with God's leave, not with his love. But fuch as are in covenant have their mercies fvveetened with God's love, and they fwim to them in the blood of Chrift. As Naaraan fdid to Gehazi, 2 Kings v. 23. * Take two talents,' fo faith God, to fuch as are in covenant, take two talents ; take health, and take Chrill with it: take riches, and lake my love with them ; take the venilbn, and take the blefling with it: Take two talents.

(3.) You may upon all occafions, plead the covenant. If you are hunted with temptations, plead the covenant; Lord, thou haft promiled to bruife Satan under my feet (hortly ; wilt thou fufibr thy child to be thus worried ? Take oif the roaring lion. If in want, plead the covenant; Lord, thou haft laid, * I fliall want no good thing ;* wilt thou fave me from hell, and not from want? wilt thou give me a kingdom, and deny me daily bread.?

(4.) If in covenant with God all things (hall co-operate for your good : Etiam mala cedunt in bonum, Pfal. xxv. 10. Not

only golden paths, but his bloody paths. Every wind of providence fliall blow them nearer heaven. Aftlidion (hall humble and purify, Heb. xii. 10. Out of the bittered drug, God dif-tils your lalvation. Afflidions add to the faints glory. The more the diamond is cut, the more it fparkles; the heavier the faints crofs is, the heavier Ihall be their crown.

(5.) If thou art in covenant once, then for ever in covenant. The text calls it, * an everlailing covenant.' Such as are in covenant are ele6ted ; God's ele6lmg love is unchangeable, Jer. xxxii. 40. * I will make an everlailing covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them; but I will put my fear in their heart, that they lliall not depart from me.' God will fo love the faints that he will not forfake them : And the faints fhall lb fear God, that they fiiall not forfake him. 'Tis a covenant of eternity : It mull be fo ; for who is this covenant made with? Is it not with believers? and have not they coalition and union with Chrift? Chrili is the head, they are the body, Eph. i. 23. This is a near union, much like that union between God the Father and Chrift, John xvii. 21. * As thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they alfo may be one in us.' Now the union between Chrift and the faints being fo infeparable, it can never be diflblved, or the covenant made void ; you may die with comfort.

(6.) Thou art in covenant with God, and thou art going to thy God : Behold a death-bed cordial; death breaks the union between the body and the foul, but perfeds the union between Chrift and the foul. This hath made the faints deiire death as the bride the wedding-day, Phil. i. Q^. Ciipio dijolvi. Lead me^ Lord, to that glory, (faid one) a glimpfe whereof I have feen, as in a glafs darkly.

Ufe 5. Of Dircciion. To fhew how you fiiould walk who have tailed of coveiiaiit-mercy, live as a people in covenant with God. As you differ from others in refpecl of dignity, fo you mull in point of carriage.

IJi, You muft love this God. God's love to you calls for love. 1. It \s Amor gratiatus, a free love. Why (hould God pafs by others, and take you into a league of friendlhip with himfolt? In the law, God palled by the lion and eagle, and chole the dove : So he palfes by the noble and mighty. 2. It is A7nor pleiius, a full love. When God takes you into covenant, you are his Hephzibah, IlU. Ixii. 5. his delight is in you ; he gives you the key of all his treafure, he heaps pearls upon you, he fettles heaven and Q^rth upon you ; he gives you a l)Hnch of grapes by the way, and liiith ' Son, all I have is thine.' And doth not all this call for love ? who can tread upon ihefe hot foals, and his heart not burn in love to God.

2<^/y, Walk holily- The covenant hath made you a royal

hation, therefore be an holy people. Shine as lights In the world ; live a.^ earthly angels. God hath taken you into covenant, that you and he may have communion together, and what is it l<eepsupyour communion with God, but hohnel's;

Sd/if, Walk thankfully, Pfal. ciii. I. God is your God in covenant ; he hath done more for you, than if he had made you ride upon the high places of the earth, and given you crowns and fceptres. O take the cup offalvation, and blels the Lord. Eternity will be little enough to praife hiu). Muficians love to play on their mufic where there is the loudeil found ; and God loves to beftow his mercies where he may have the loudeft praifes. You that have angels reward, doangels work. Begin ihat work of praife here, which you hope to be always doingf in heaven.

"■ << «3»»>*—

CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT.

HiSB. xii. 24. Jefus the Mediator of the New Covenant^ &c.

Jesus Christ is the fum and quinteflence of the gofpel; the wonder of angels ; the joy and triumph of faints. The name of Chrill is fweet, it is as mufic in the ear, honey in the mouth, and a cordial at the heart.

I ftiall wave the context, and only fpeak of that which concerns our prefent purpofe : having dilicourled of the covenant iof grace, I fliall fpeak now of the Mediator of the covenant, and the reftorer of lapfed linners, ' Jefus the mediator of the cove-r.ant.'

There are (everal names and titles in fcripture given to Chrift, as the great reftorer of mankind : 1. Sometimes he is called a Saviour, Mat. i. 21. * His name fhall be called Jefus.* The Hebrew word for jesus, fignifies a Saviour, and whom hefaves from hell, he faves from fin : where Chrill is a Saviour, he is a I'anftifjer, Matth. i. 21. * He fliall fiwe his people from their fins.' There is no other Saviour, Ads iv. 12. * Neither is tliere falvation in any other.' As there was but one ark to lave the world from drowning, fo there is but one Jefus to fave tinners from damning. As Naomi (aid to her daughters-in-law, Ruth i. 11. ' Are there yet any more Ions in my womb } So hath God any other fons in the womb of his eternal decree, to be faviours to us, befides Chrill? Job o^xviii. 14. * Where fhall wifdom be found? the depth faith, it is not in me; and the fea faith, it is not in me.' Let me allude. Where fhall fal-vation be found ? The angel faith, it is not in me; morality faith, it is not in nie : the ordinauce faith, it is not in we :

Clirift alone is the well-fpring of life ; the ordinance is the conduit-pipe that conveys iaivation, but Chrill is the fpring that feeds it. * Neither is there iiilvation in any other.'

2. Sometimes Chrift is called a Redeemer, Il'a. lix. $0. ' The Redeemer fhall come to Sion.' Some underlland it of Cyrus, others of an angel : but the mod ancient Jewiih doctors under-iland it of Chrift, the Redeemer of the e\e&: : Job xix. 25.

* My Redeemer liveth.' The Hebrew word for Redeemer, iignifies fuch an one as is near a-kin, and hath right to redeem a mortgage; lb Chrilt is near of kin to us, being our elder bro-tiler, therefore hath the bell right to redeem us.

3. Chrift is called a Mediator in the text, ' Jefus the Mediator of the new covenant.' The Greek word for Mediator, fig-nKies a middle perlbn, one that doth make up the breach between two difagreeing parties, God^.and we were at variance by ftn, now Chrift doth mediate and umpire between us ; he reconciles us to God through his blood, therefore he is called the Mediator of the new covenant. There is no way of communion and intercourfe between God and man, but in and through a Mediator : Chrift takes away the enmity in us, and the wrath of God, and (o makes peace. Nor is Chrilt only a Mediator of reconciliation, but interceQion, Heb. ix. 24.

* Chrift is entered, not into the holy place made with hands, but into heaven itfelf, now to appear in the prefence of God for us.' The prieft, when he had llain the facritice, was to go with the blood before the altar and mercy-i'eat, and (hew it to the Lord. Now, in Chrift our blelled Mediator, consider two things. (I.) His perfon : (2.) His graces.

1. His perfon : His perfon is amiable; he is all made up of love and beauty. He is the effigies of his Father, Heb. i. 3. ' The exprefs image of his perlbn.* Confider,

(1.) Chrift's perfon in two natures.

(2 ) His two natures in one perlbn.

(I.) Chrift's perfon in two natures : I. Look upon his human nature as incarnate. The Valentinians deny his human nature ; but John i. 14. ' the Word was made tlelh :' It is fpokea of Chrift the promifed Meffiah. Chrift took our flefh, that the fame nature which finned might fuft'er ; and ' The Word was made flelli,' that through the glals of his human nature we might look upon God.

Q. IVh,^ is Chrijl called the Word?

Anf. Becaufe, as a word is the interpreter of the mind, and reveals what is in a man's breaft; fo Jefus Chrift reveals his Father's mind to us, concerning the great matters of our Iaivation, John i. IS. Were it not for Chrift's manhood, the fight of the Godhead would be formidable to us: but through Chrift's flelh we may look upon God without terror. And

\'oL. I. No. .4. y

Chrifl; took our flefli, that he might know how k) pify us; he knows what it is to be faint, Ibnowful, tempted, Plal. ciii. 14. ' He knows our frame.' And he took our flefh, that he might (as Aullin faith) encble our human nature with honour. Chrift having married our flefh hath exalted it above the angelical nature.

2. Look upon Chrift's divine nature. Chrifl: may be fitly compared to Jacob's ladder, Gen. xxviii. 1'2. which reacheth from earth to heaven : Chrift's human nature was the foot of the ladder, wliich Hood upon earth ; his divine nature the top of the ladder, which reacheth to heaven. This being a grand article of our faith, I fliall amplify : I know the Ari-ans, Socinians, Ebionites would rob Chrill of the bed jewel of his crown, his Godhead; but the Apoflolical, Nicene, Athanalian creed, affirm Chrift's Deity ; to this the churches of Helvetia, Bohemia, Wittembergh, Tranfilvania, &c. give their full content; and the i'cripture is clear for it. He is called the ' mighty God,' Ila. ix. 6. ' And in him dwells the fulnefs of the Godhead,' Col. ii. 9. He is of the fame nature and elfence with the Father. So Athanafius, Batil, Chryfollom : 1. Is God the Father called Almighty ? fo is Chrift, Rev. j. 8-* The Almighty.' 2. Is God the Father, the heart-fearcher .^ fo is Chrift, John ii. 25. * He knew their thoughts.' 3. Is God the Fatheromniprefent.!^ fo is Chrift, John iii. 13. * The Son of man which is in heaven.' Chrift as God was then in heaven, when as man he was upon the earth.

Q. Is God eternal ?

Anf. Chrift is the everlafting Father, Ifa. ix. 6. which fcrip-ture may be urged againft the Corinthian hereticks, who denied the pre-exiftency of Chrift's Godhead, and held that Chrift had no being till he derived it from the Virgin Mary.

4. Doth divine worfhip belong to the firft perfon in the Trinity .? fo it doth to Chrift, John "v. 23. Heb. i. G. ' Let all the angels of God worftiip him.' 5. Is creation proper to the Deity .^^ this is a flower of Chrift's crown, Col. i. 10'. ' By him were all things created.' 6". Is invocation proper to the Deity } this is given to Chrift, A6ls vii. 57- ' Lord Jefus, receive my fpirit.* 7. Is recumbency and truft peculiar to God the Father.? this this is given to Chrift, John xiv. 1. ' Ye believe in God, believe alfo in me.' Chrift niuft needs be God, not only that the divine nature might fupportthe human from finking under God's wrath, but alfo to give value and weight to his ftitferings.

Chrift beino God, hisdeath and paflion is meritorious ; Chrift's blood is CdWfd J'anguis Dei, the blood of God, A<5tsxx. 28. be-caufe the perfon who was oft'ered in iacrifice was God as well as man. This is an invincible fupport to believers ; it was God

who was offended, and it was God who fatisfied. Thus Chrift's perfon in two natures.

(2.) Cnnfider Chrift's two natures in one perfon, God-man, 1 Tim. iii. lO. ' God manifeft in tbetleOi.' Chriil had a twofold fubftance, divine and human ; yet not a twofold fubliftence, both natures make but one (thrift. A Iciion may be grafted into another tre^, a pear-tree into an apple, which though it bear different fruits, is but one tree; fo Chrilt's manhood is united to the Godhead in an ineffable manner; yet though there are two natures, yet but one perfon. This union of the two natures in Chriit was not by tranliiiutation, the divine nature changed into the human, or the human into the divine; nor by mixture, the two natures mingled together, as wine and water are mixed : both the natures of Chrift remain diftin<5t, yet ma1<e not two dillindl perfons, but one perfon ; the human nature not God, yet one with God.

3dly, Confider Chrift, our Mediator, in his graces : thefe are the fweet favour of his ointments, that make the virgins love him. Chrift, our blelled Mediator, is faid to be full ' of grace and truth,' John i. 14. He had the anointing of the S|)irit without meafure, John iii. 35. Grace in Chrift is after a more eminent and glorious manner than it is in any of the faints.

1. Jefus Chrift our Mediator, hath perfection in every grace, Col. i. W' He is a panoply, magazine and ftore-houfe of all heavenly treafure, all fulneis : This no faint on earth hath ; he may excel in one grace, but not in all; as Abraham was eminent for faith. Moles for meeknefs ; but Chrift excels in every grace.

2. There is a never-failing fulnel's of grace in Chrift: grace in the faints is ebbing and flowing, it is not always in the fame degree and proportion; at one time David's faith was ftrong, at another time fo faint and weak, that you could hardly feel any pulle, Pfal. xxxi. 22. ' I faid, I am cut otVfrom before thine eyes.' But grace in Chrift is a never failing-fulnefs, it did never abate in the leaft degree, he never loftadropofhisholinefs. What was faid of Jofeph, may more truly be applied to Chrift, Gen. xlix. 23. ' The archers (hot at him, but his bow abode in Itrength :' Men and devils Ihot at him, but his grace remained in its full vigour and ftrength ; ' his bow abode in ftrength.'

3. Grace in Chrift is communicative, his grace is for us : the holy oil of the Spirit was poured on the head of this blelVed Aaron, that it might run down upon us. 'J'he faints have not grace to bellow on others : When the foolifli virgins would have bought oil of their neighbour virgins, Matth. xxv. 9- ' Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out:' The wife virgins anfwered, ' Not fo, le(t there be not enough for us and you.* The faints have no grace tofpare to others ; but Chrift ditfuleth his grace to others : grace in the (iiints is as water in the veil'el,

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grace in Chrift is as water in the fpring, John i. 16. ' Of his fulnefs have we received grace for grace.' Set a glafs under a ftill or limbeck, and it receives water from the hmbeck drop by drop; fo the faints have the drops and influences of Chrift's grace dirtilling upon them- What a rich confoiation is this to thofe who either have no grace, or their ftock is but low ! They may go to Chrift, the Mediator, as a treafury of grace : Lord, I am indigent; but whither fhall I carry my empty veffel, but to a full fountain ? Pfal. Ixxxvii. 7. ' all my frefli fprings are in thee ; lam guilty, thou haft blood to pardon me ; I am polluted, thou haft grace to cleanfe me ; I am fick unto death,' thou hail the * balm of Gilead' to heal me. Gen xli. 56. Jofeph opened all the ftore-houles of corn : Chrifl is our Jofeph, that opens all the treafuries and flore-houfes.of grace, and communicates to us. He is not only fweet as the honey-comb, but drops as the honey-comb: this is a great comfort, in Chrift our Mediator there is a corymcopia, 2t.w'\ fulnefs of all grace; and Chrift is defirous that we fliould come to him for grace, like the full breaft that aahes till it be drawn.

life 1. Admire the glory of this Mediator; he is God-man, he is co-efl"entially glorious with the Father. All the Jews that faw Chrift in the flefli, did not fee his Godhead ; all that faw the man did not fee the Mefllah ; the temple of Solomon within was embelli(hed with gold ; travellers, as they paffed along, might fee the outfide of the temple, but only the priefts faw the glory "which fparkled within the temple; only believers, who are made priefts unto God, Rev. i. G. fee Chrift's glorious infide, the Godhead ftiining through the manhood.

Ufe 2. If Chrift be God-man in one perfon, then look unto Jefus Chrift alone for falvation. There muft be fomething of the Godhead to faften our hope upon ; in Chrift there is Godhead and manhood hypoftatically united. If v,'e could weep rivers of tears, out-faft Mofes on the mount, if we were exa6t moralifts, touching the law blamelefs, if we could arrive at the higheft degree of fanctification in this life, all this would not fave us, without looking to the merits of him who is God : our perfect holinefs in heaven is not the caufe of our falvation, but the righteoufnels of Jefus Chrift. To this therefore did Paul flee, as to the horns of the altar, Phil. iii. 9- * That I may be found in him, not having my own righteoufnels.' It is true, we may look to our graces as evidences of falvation, but to Chrift's blood only as the caufe. In time of Noah's flood, all that trufted to the high hills and trees, and not to the ark, were drowned, Heb. xii. 2. ' Looking unto Jefus ;' and fo look imto him, as to believe in him, that fo Chrift may not only be united to our nature, but to our perfons, John xx. 31. * That believe jng, you may have life through his name,'

Vie 3. Is Jefiis Chrift God and man in one peiTon ? This, as it (l>e\vs tlie dignity of believers, that they are nearly related to one of the greatelt perCons that is, Col. ii. y. * In him dwells the fulnels of tlie Godhead bodily :' Co it is of unfpeakable comfort. Chrill's two natures being married together, the divine and human ; all that Chriil in either of his natures can do for behevers, he will do : In his human nature he prays for them, in his divine nature he merits for them. This for the peribu of our Mediator.

U(e 4. Adn>ire the love of Chrift our Mediator! that he fhould humble himfelf, and take our flefh, thathe might redeem us. Believers fliould put Chrift in their bolbm. as the fpoule did. Cant. i. 13. ' Lie betwixt my breaih.' What was faid of Ignatius, that tlie name of Jel'us was found written in his heart, fliould be verified of every faint, he Ihould have Jefus 'Chrift written in his heart.

CHRIST A PROPHET.

Deut. xviii. 15. The Lord thy God loill raife up unto thee a Prophet, ike.

Having fpoken of the perfon of Chrift;, we are next to fpeak of the olfices of Chrift, Prophetical, Priellly, Regal.

1. Prophetical, ' The Lord thy God will rail'e up unto thee a Prophet.' Ennnciator hie locus de Chrijlo, It is fpoken of Chriil:. There are feveral names given to Chrift as a Prophet: He is called ' the Counfellor,' Ifa. vi. 9. . In uno Chrijio^ Angelas fa'deris complelnr, Fagius. * The Angel of the Covenant,' Mai. iii. 1. ' A Lamp^' 2 Sam. xxii. ly. ' The Morn-ing-ftar,' Rev. xxii. 10\ jefus Chrift is the great Prophet of his church ; the woman of Samaria gave a flirevvd guels, John iv. 1(3. He is the belt teacher, he makes all other teaching effectual, Luke xxiv. 45. ' Then opened he their underlland-ing.' He did not only open the I'criptures, but opened their underftanding: He teacheih to profit, Ifa. xlviii. 17. ' I am the Lord thy God, who teacheth thee to prolit.'

Q. How Chriji teacheth?

AnJ\ 1. Externally, by his word, Plal. cxix. 105. 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet.' Such as pretend to have a light or revelation above the word, or contrary to it, never had their teaching from Chrift, Ifa. viii. <iO.

2. Chrift teacheth thefe (acred myfteries, inwardly, by the Spirit, John xVi. 13. The world knows not what it is, I Cor. ii. 14. ♦ The nitural man receives not the things of God, neither

can he know them.' He knows not what it is to be transformed by the rf-newhig of the mind, Rom. xii. 2. or what the inward workings of the Spirit mean ; thefe are riddles and paradoxps to him. He may have more infight into the things of the world than a believer, but he doth not lee the deep things of God. A fwine may fee an acorn under a tree, but he cannot fee a liar ; he who is i aught of Chriil, fees the arcana imperii^ the fecrets of the kii)g<loii! of heaven.

Q. Wkat are the lejfons Chriji teacheih ?

Anf. 1. He teacheih us to fee into our own hearts. Take the mofb mercurial wits, the greatell politicians, that underftand the myiteries of Hate, yet they know not the myfteries of their own hearts, they cannot believe there is that evil in them as is, 2 Kings viii. 13. ' Is thy fervant a dog?' Grande profnnduni eft homo, Aug. The heart is a great deep, which is not eafily fathomed. But Ciirill when he teacheth, removes the veil of ignorance ; and lights a man into his own heart: And now he lees fvvarms of vain thoughts, he blulheth to fee how fin mingles with his duties, his liars are mixed with clouds ; he prays, as Aullin, that God would deliver him from himfelf.

2. The fecond lelfon Chriil teacheth, is the t)a7«7_^ of the creature. A natural man lets up his happinefs here, worrtiips the golden image ; but he that Chriil hath anointed with his eye-Calve, hath a fpirit of difcerning ; he looks upon the creature in its night-drels, lees it to be empty and unfatisfying, not com-menfurate to an heaven-born Ibul, Solomon had put all the creatures into a limbeck, and when he came to extradl the fpirit and quintelicnce, all was vanity, Eccl. ii. 11: The apoftle calls it a Ihow or apparition, 1 Cor. vii. 31. having no intrinfical goodnels.

3. The third lelTon is the excellency of things unfeen. Chrift gives the foul a fight of glory, a prolpe6t of eternity, 2 Cor. iv. 18. ' We look not at things which arefeen, but at things which are not feen.' Mofes (aw him who is ' invifible,' Heb. xi. 27. And the Patriarchs faw a better country, viz. an heavenly, Heb. xi. l(j. where delights of angels, rivers of pleafure, llie flower ^^]^y> fully blow and ripen.

Q. How doth Chr/jVs teaching differ frorti others teaching? Anf. Several ways.

1. Chriil teacheth the heart. Others may teach the ear, Chrift the heart. Acts xvi. 14. * Whole heart the Lord opened.' All that the difpenfers of the word can do, is but to work knowledge, Chrift works grace ; they can but give y u the light of the truth, Chriil gives you the love of the truth ; they can only teach you what to believe, Chrift teachtth how to believe.

2. Chriil gives us a faft:e of the word. Minillers may lot the

food of tlie word before you, and carve it out to you ; but it is only Chrill caufelh you to tafte it, 1 Pet. ii. 3. * If lb be ye have tafted that the Lord is gracious,' Pfal. xxxiv. 8. ' Talle and fee that the Lord is good.' It is one thing to hear a truth preached, another thing to tafte it; one thing to read a promile, another thing to tafte it. David had got a tafte of the word, Pf. cxix. 10-2,183. ' Thou haft taught me : How fweet are thy words unto my tafte! yea, fweeter than honey to my mouth.' The apoftle calls it the favour of knowledge, 2 Cor. ii. 14. The light of knowledge is one thing, the favour another. Chrill makes us tafte a favorinefs in the word.

3. Chrift, when he teacheth, makes us obey. Others may inftru6t, but cannot command obedience : they teach to be humble, but men remain proud. The Prophet had been denouncing judgments againft the people of Judah, but they would rtot hear, Jer. xliv. if. ' We will do whatfoever goeth out of our own mouth, to bake cakes to the queen of heaven.' Men come qua/i armed iu coat of mail, that the fword of the word will not enter; but when Chrift comes to teach, he removes this obftinacy, he not only informs the judgment, but inclines the \\\\\. He doth not only come with the light of his word, but the rod of his ftrength, and makes the ftubborn finner yield to him : His grace is irreftftible.

4. Chrift teacheth eafily. Others teach with difticulty. Difticulty in findmg out a truth, and in inculcating it, Ifa. xxviii. 40. ' Precept mujlhe upon precept, and line upon line.' Some may teach all their lives, and the word take no impref-lion : They complain, as Ifa. xlix. 4. ' I have fpent my labour in vain ;' plow on rocks : But Chrift the great Prophet teacheth with eafe. He can with the leaft touch of his Spirit convert; he can fay, * Let there be light;' with a word he conveys grace.

5. Chrift, when he teacheth, makes men willing to learn. Men may teach others, but they have no mind to learn, Prov. ii 7. ■* Fools defpife inftru6tion ;' they rage at the word, as ifa patient ftiould rage at the phyfician, when he brings him a cordial ; thus backward are men to tlieir own falvation. But Chrift makes his people a * willing people,' Pfal. ex. 3. They prize knowledge, and hang itasajewel upon their ear. Thole that Chrift teacheth, fay, as Ifa. ii. 3. ' Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in them ;' and as A6ts x. 33. * We are all here prefent before God, to hear all things commanded.'

Q. Chrift, when he teacheth, doth not only illuminate, but animate.. He doth fo teach, as he doth quicken, John viii. \i. * I am the light of the world ; he that follows me fhall have lumen vitce, the light of life.* By nature we are dead, there-

fore unfit for tencliing ; who will make an oration to the dead ? But Chrill teacheth thern that are dead, he gives the light of ]ife. As when Lazarus was dead, Chrill faid, ' Come lorth,' and he made the dead to hear, Lazarus came forth : So wlien Chrill laith to the dead foul, come forth of the grave of unhelief, he hears Chrill's voice, and comes forth, it is the light of life. 'J'he philofophers fay, calor ex lux cmifcrecnnt, light and lieat increale together. 'I'is true here, where Chriil comes with his light, there is the heat offpiritual life going along with it.

Vj'e 1. Of information. Branch i. See here an argument of Chrill's divinity : had he not been God, he could never have known the mind of God, or revealed to us thofe arcana cccU^ thofe deep myfteries, which no man or angel could find out. Who but God can anoint the eyes of the blind, and give not only light, but fight ? who but he who hath the key oi David, can open the heart ? who but God can bow the iron finew of the will ? He only who is God can enlighten the confcience, and make the llony heart bleed.

Branch 2. See what a cornucopia, or plenty of wifdom is in Chrill, who is the great do6lor ot" his church, and gives laving knowledge to all the ele6l. The body of the fun mult needs be full of clarity and brightnefs, which enlightens the v.hole world : Chrill is the great luminary ; in him are hid all treafurss of knowledge. Col. ii. 3. The middle lamp of the fan6luary gave light to all the other lamps : Chrifl ditfufeth his glorious light to others. We are apt to admire the learning of Ariftotle and Plato; alas! what is this poor fpark of light to that which is in Chrifl, from whofe infinite wifdom both men and angels light their lamp.

Branch 3. See the mifery of man in the flate of nature. Before Chriil come to be their prophet, they are inveloped with ignorance and darknefs. Men know nothing in a falvifical, ian6lified manner, they know nothing as they ought to know, 1 Cor. viii. 2. This is fad : 1. Men in the dark cannot difcern colours ; fo in the llate of nature they cannot difcern between morality and grace : they take one for the other, pro dea nubem, 2. In the dark the greatefl beauty is hid : let there be rare flowers in the garden, and pictures in the room, yet in the dark their beauty is veiled over; lb, though there be fuch tranl-cendent beauty in Chrifl as amazeth the angels, a man in the ftate of nature fees none of this beauty. What is Chrift to him ? or heaven to him ? The veil is upon their heart. 3. A man in the dark is in danger every ilep he goes ; fo a man in the Hate of nature is in danger, every Hep, of falling into hell. Thus it is before Chrifl teacheth us ; nay, the darknefs in which a fin-ner is, v.hile in an unregenerate ilate, is worle than natural daikuQls ; for natural darknefs affrights, Gen. xv. 12. ' An

horror of great darknefsfell upon Abraham.* But the fpiritual darknefs is not accompanied with horror, men tremble not at their condition; nay, they like their condition well enough, John iii. 19. * Men loved darknefs.* This is their fad condition, till Jefus Chrift comes as a prophet to teach them, and to turn them from darknefs to light, and from the power of Satan to God.

Branch 4. See the happy condition of the children of God, they have Chrift to be their prophet, Ifa. liv. 13. 'All thy children fhall be taught of the Lord,' 1 Cor. i. 30. ' He is made to us wifdom.' One man cannot fee by another's eyes : but believers iee with Chrift's eyes, * In his light they fee light;' Chrift gives them the light of grace, and light of glor5\

life 2, Labour to have Chrift for your prophet: he teacheth favingly t he is an interpreter of a thoufand, he can untie thofe knots which puzzle very angels. Till Chrift teach, never learn any leflbn ; till Chrift is made to us wifdom, we fhall never be wife to falvation.

Q. WhatJIiall ive do to have Chrijlfor our tMch^rP

Anf. See your need of Chrift's teaching ; you cannot fee your way without this morning-ftar; fome fpeak much of the light of reafon impfoVed ; alas ! the plumb-line of reafon is too fhort to fathom the deep things of God : the light of reafon will no more help a man to believe, than the light of a candle will help him to underftand. A man can no more, by the power of nature reach Chrift, than an infant can reach the top of the pyramids, or the oftrichfly up to the ftars ; fee your need of Chrift's anointing and teaching, Rev. iii. IS.

9dly, Go to Chrift to teach you, Pfal. xxv. 5. * Lead me in thy truth, and teach me.' As one of the difciples laid, * Lord, teach us to pray,' Luke xi. L fo, Lord, teach me to profit. Do thou light my lamp, O thou great prophet of thy church! Give me a ipirit of wildom and revelation, that I may fee things in another manner than ever I faw them before ; teach me in the word to hear thy voice, and in the fticrament to difcern thy body, Pf. xiii. 3. * Lighten mine eyes,' &c. Cathe-dram hahet in coilo qui cor da docet in terra. Aug. '* He hath his pulpit in heaveri who converts fouls." And that we may be encouraged to go to our great prophet:

1. Jefus Chrift is very willing to teach us. Why elfe did he enter into the calling of the miniftry, but to teach themyfteries of heaven ? Matth. iv. 23. * Jefus went about teaching and preaching the gofpel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of ficknefs, and all mannerofdifeafes among the people.' Why did he take the office prophetical upon him ? Why was Chrili fo angry with them that kept away the key of knowledge ? Luke xi. 52. .Why was Chrift anointed with the Spirit without

Vol. L No. 4. Z

meafure ? b.ut that he might anoint us with knowledge, itnow-ledo-e is in Chrift as milk in the bread for the child. O then go to Chrill to teach. None in thegofpel came to Chrift for fight, but he reflored their eye-fight; and fure Chrift is more willing to work a cure upon a blind foul, than ever he was upon a blind body.

2. There are none fo dull and ignorant but Chrift can teach them. Every one is not fit to make a philofopher's fcholar of; ex omni ligno nonfit Meirurius', but there is none fo dull, but Chrift can make a good fcholar of fuch as are ignorant, and of low parts. Chrift teacheth them in fuch a manner, that they know more than the great fages and wife men of the world. Hence that faying of St. Augvii\h-\e,fiirgunt ijidodi, et rapiunt caelum ; the unlearned men rife up, and take heaven ; they know the truths of Chrift more favingly than the great admired Rabbles. The duller the fcholar, the more is his fkill feen that teacheth. Hence it is, Chrift delights in teaching the ignorant, to get himfelf more glory, Ifa. xxxv. 5. ' The eyes of the blind fhall be opened, and the ears of the deaf ftiall be un-ftopped.' Who would go to teach a blind or a deaf man ? Yet fuch dull fcholars Chrift teacheth. Such as are blinded with ignorance, they fhall fee the myfteries of the gofpel, and the deaf ears fhall be unftopped.

3. Wait upon the means of grace which Chrift hath appointed. Though Chrift teacheth by his Spirit, yet he teacheth in the life of ordinances. Wait at the gates of wilHom's door ; mini-ilers are teachers under Chrift, Eph. iv. 11. * Paftors and teachers,' We read of pitchers and lamps within the pitchers. Judges vii. 16. Minifters are earthen velfels, but thefe pitchers have lamps within them to light fouls to heaven. Chrift is faid to fpeak to us from heaven now, Heb. xii. 25. viz. by his minifters, as the king fpe:.ks by his ambaffador. Such as wean themfelves from the breaft of ordinances, feldom thrive ; either they grow light in their head, or lame in their feet. The word preached is Chrift's voice in the mouth of the minifler ; and they that refufe to hear Chrift fpeaking in the miniftry, Chrift will refufe to hear them fpeaking on their death-bed.

4. If you would have the teachings of Chrift, walk according to that knowledge which you have already. Ufe your little knowledge well, and Chrift will teach you more, John vii. 17. * If any man will do his will, he fliall know of my do6lrine, •whether it be of God, or whether 1 fpeak of myfelf.* A mafter feeing his fervant improve a little llock well, gives him more to trade with.

Ufe 3. If you have been taught by Chrift favingly, be thankful : it is your honour to have God for your teacher, and that lie fhould teach you, and not others, is matter of admiratiori

and gratulation. O how many knowing men are ignorant I Tliey are not taught of God ; they have Chrift's word to enlighten them, but not his Spirit to fandify them. But that you Ihould have the inward as well as the outward teaching, that Chrift fhould anoint you with the heavenly unction of his Spirit, that you can fay as he, John ix. 23. ' One thing I know, that whereas I was bUnd, I now fee :' O how thanlcful fhould you be to Chrill, who hath revealed his Father's bofom-fecrets unto you! John i. IS. * No man hath feen God at any time; the only begotten Son which is in the bofoni of the Father, he hath declared him.' • If Alexander thought himfelf fo much obliged to jVriftotle, for the philofophical inftru6lions he learned from him ; O how are we bound to Jefus Chrift, this great prophet, for opening to us the eternal purpofes of his love, and revealing to us the myfteries of the kingdom of heaven !

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CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE.

Q. XXXV. HOW doth Chriji execute the office of a prieji ?

Anf. In his once offering up of himfelf a facrifice to fatisfy divine juftice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercelfion for us.

Heb. ix. 2(). * Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away fin by the facrifice of himfelf.'

Q. What are the parts of Chriji*s priejily office ?

Anf. Chrift's prieftly office hath two parts, his fatisfadlton and intercelfion.

1. His Satisfaction, and this confifts of two branches: 1. His a6tive obedience. Mat. iii. 15. ' He fulfilled all righ-teoufnefs.' Chrift did every thing which the law required ; his holy life was a perfedl commentary upon the law of God ; and he obeyed the law for us.

2. His palTive obedience. Our guilt being transferred and impaled to him, he did undergo the penalty which was due to us ; 'he appeared to put away fin by the facrifice of himfelf.' The pafchal lamb flain, was a type of Chrift who was offered up in facrifice for us. Sin could not be done away without blood, Heb. ix. 22. * Without blood is no r«mifiion.' Chrift was not only a lamb without fpot, but a lamb flain.

Q. Why was it requiftte there Piould be a prieji f Anf. There needed a prieft to be an umpire, to mediate between a g-uilty creature, and an holy God. Q. Hoxo could Chriji J uffer, being God ? Aty'. Chrift fuftered only in the human nature.

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Q. But if only Chrift's humanity fuffered, how could thi^ fufferingjatisfyforfm f

Anf. The human nature being united to the divine, the human nature did CutFer, the divine, did latisfy. Chrift's God-, head, as it did fupport the human nature that it did not faint, \'o it did give virtue to his iutlerings. Tiie altar ran6lifies the thing otl'ered on it, Matth. xxiii. 19. fo the altar of Chrift's divine nature fanCtified the fucrifice of his death, and made it of infinite value.

Q. Wherein doth the greatnefs of Chrift's fiijferivgs appear?' Anf. In the futFerings of his body. He iuiFered truly, not only in appearance; the apoftle calls it mors cnicis, the death of the crofs, Phil. ii. 8. TuUy, when he fpeaks of this kind of deaih, quid dicam in crucem tollere? Though he was a great orator he wanted words to exprefs it. The thoughts of this made Chrift fweat great drops of blood in the garden, Luke xxii. 44. It was an ignominious, painful, curled death; Chrift luti'ered in all his lenl'es : 1. In his eyes ; they beheld two fad obje6ts, he law his enemies infulting, and his mother weeping. 2. In his ears; his ears were tilled with the revilings of the people. Mat. xxvii. 42. ' He faved others, himfelf he cannot fave.' 3. In his fmell ; when their drivel fell upon his face. 4. In his tafte ; vvhen they gave him gall and vinegar to drink, bitternefs and ftiarpnefs. 5. In his feeling ; his head fufFered with thorns, his hands and feet with the nails,— Totum pro vulnere corpus : now was this white lily died of a purple colour. [9') In the fufterings of his foul. He was preifed in the wine-prefs of his Father's wrath. This caufed that vociferation and out-cry on the crofs, ' IVIy God, my God,' cur deferuijii 9 Chrift fufFered a double eclipfe upon the crofs, an fclipfe of the fun, and an eclipfe of the light of God's countenance. How bitter was this agony ! the evangelifts ufe three words to ex-prefs it, ' he began to be amazed,' Mark xiv. 33. * He began to be faint.' ' To be exceeding forrowful,' Mat. xxvi. 37. Chrift felt the pains of hell in his foul, though not locally, yet equivalently.

Q. Why did Chrijl fiiffer ?

A7)f Surely not forany defqrt of his own, Dan. ix. 26. * Tlie Metliah ihall be cut oft", but not for himfelf;' it was for us, Ifa. liii. 6. Unus peccat aliuspleStitur; he luftVred, that he might iatisty God's juftice for us. We, by our fins, had infinitely wronged God ; and, could we have Ihed rivers of tears, ofi'ered up millions of holocaufts and burnt-otfenngs, we could never have pacified an angry Deity : therefore Chrift muft die, that God'sjuflice may be latisfied.

It is hotly debated among divines, whether God could not have forgiven fhi freely without a facrifiqev Not to difputa

Vfhat God could have done, but when we confider God was re-folved to have the law fatitfied, and to have men laved in a way of juilice as well as mercy; then, I lay, it was necelfary that Chrift fhould lay down his life as a facrifice.

1. To fulfil the predldions of fcripLure, Luke xxiv. 40. * Thus it behoved ChriR to futter.'

2. To bring us into favour with God ; It is one thing for a traitor to be pardoned, and another thing to be made a fu-vourite. Chriit's blood is not only called a facrifice whereby God is appealed, but a propitiation whereby God become* gracious and friendly to us. Chritl is our mercy-feat, from which God gives anfwers of peace to us.

3. Chrift died, that he might make good his lall-will and teftament with his blood : there were many legacies which Chrift, bequeathed to believers, which had been all null and void, had not he died, and by his death confirmed the will, Heb. ix. 17. A tellament is in force after men are dead : the milTion of the Spirit, the promifes, thofe legacies, were not in force till Chrill's death ; but Chriit by his blood hath fealed them, and believers may lay claim to them.

4. He died, that he might purchafe for us glorious manfions; therefore heaven is called not only a promifed, but a * purchased poffeflion,' Eph. i. 14. Chrill died for our preferment; he fuff fered that we might reign; he hung upon the crofs that w^ might fit upon the throne. Heaven was (hut, &:c. crux C/injH c/uvis Paradiji: the crofs of Chrill is the ladder by which we alqend to heaven. His crucifixion is our coronation.

life 1. In the bloody lacrifice of Chrill, lee the horrid nature of fin ; fin, it is true, is odious, as it banilhed Adam out of pa-radife, and threw the angels into hell; but that which doth moll of all make it appear horrid, is this, that it made Chrill veil his glory, and lofe his blood. We fliould look upon fin with indignation, und purfue it with an holy malice ; and ihed the blood of thofe [ins which flied Clirift's blood. The fight of Cgefar's bloody robe, incenled the Romans againfi them that flevv him. The fight of Clirill's bleeding body fliould incenfe us againll fin : let us not parley with it; let not that be our joy, which mad« Chrill a man of forrovv,

Uj'e a. Is Chrifl; our priell facrificed ? See God's mercy and juftice dil'played. I may lay as the apoftle, Rom. xi. 27, * Behold the goodnefs and I'everity of God.' 1. The goodnefs of God in providing a facrifice: had not Chrill I'utFered upon the crofs, we mull have lain in hell for ever lalisfying God's jullice.

2. Thefeverity of God : though it were his own Son, the Son of his love, and bur fins were but imputed to him, yet God did «Qt fpaie him; Horn, viii. 3^. but his wrath did flame againft.

him. And if God were thus fevere to his own Son, how dread-, iul will he be one day to his enemies? Such as diein wilful iin-penitency, mull feel the fame wrath as Chrill did ; and becaule they cannot bear it at once, therefore they mull be enduring it lor ever.

Ufe 3. Is Chiift our pried, who was facrificed for us? Then fee the endeared alFedlion of Chrilt ro us linners. " The crol's (laith Aullm) was a pulpir, in which Chrilt preached his love 10 the world." That Chnlt Ihould die, was more than if all the angels had been turned to dull; and that Chrift fliould die as a malefa6lor, having the weight of all mens fins laid upon him ; that he (liould die for hiseneraicri, Rom. v. 10. The balm-tree ■weeps out its precious balm, to heal thofe that cut and mangle it: Chrift ilied his blood, to heal thole that crucified him. And that he fliould die freely ; it is called the * oflering of the body of Jefus,' Heb. x. 10. And though his futTerings were fo great, that they made him iigli and weep, and bleed ; yet they could not make him repent, Ha. liii. 11. ' He fliall fee the travail of his foul and be fatisfied.' Chrift had hard travail upon the crofs, yet he doth not repent of it, but thinks hisfweat and blood well bellowed, becaufe he fees redemption brought foi^h to the world. O infinite, amazing love of Chrift! a love that pafleth knowledge! Eph. iii. 19. that neither man nor angel can parallel. How fhould we be aftecled with this love? If Saul was fo affe6led with David's kindnefs in fparing his life, how fhould we be affe6ted with Chrift's kindnefs in parting with his life for us? At Chrift's death and paflion, the very ftones did cleave afunder, Matth. xxvii. 5. * The rocks rent.* Not to be afFe6ted with Chrift's love, in dying, is to have hearts harder than rocks. Ufe 4. Is Chrift our Sacrifice ? then fee the excellency of his lacrifice: It is perfe6l, Heb. x. 4. ' By one offering he hath perfeded them that are fandified.' Therefore, how impious are the Papifts, in joining their merits, and the prayers of taints with Chrift's lacrifice? They ofter him up daily in the mafs, as if Chrift's facrifice on the crofs were imperfe^ : this is a blaf-phemy againil Chrift's priellly office.

2. Chrift's facrifice is meritorious; he not only died for our example, but to merit falvation ; the perfon who iuffered being God as well as man, did put virtue into hisfulTerings ; and now oiir (ins are expiated, and God appeafed. No fooner did the meffengersfay, ' Uriah is dead,' but David's anger was pacified, 2 Sam. xi. 21. No fooner did Chrift die, but God's anger was pacified.

3. This facrifice is beneficial. Out of the dead fion Samfon had honey: it procures Juftification of our perl'ons, acceptance of our fervice, accels to God with boldnefs, entrance into the holy place of heaven, Heb. x. 19. Per latus Chrijli patej'cit

nobis in ca'Ium, Ifrael paflTed through the Red-fea to Canaan ; fo through the Red-lea of Chrill's blood, we enter into the heave nl}^ Canaan.

2. Uje Of Exhortation. Branch 1. Let us fiducially apply this blood of Chrill; all the virtue of a medicine is in the applying; though the medicine be made of the blood of God, it will not heal, unlets by faith applied. As fire is to the chymifi:, fo is faith to the Chrillian, the chymift can do nothing without fire, Co there is nothing done without faith. Faith makes Chrilt's facrifice ours, Phil. iii. 8. * Chrilt JeCus my Lord.' It is not gold in the mine, that enricheth, but gold in the hand : faitli is the hand that receives Chrilt's golden merits. It is not a cordial in the tlelh, refreOieth the I'pirit, but a cordial drunk down. Per fidem Chrijii fangninem fugimus, Cypr, Faitli opens the orifice of ChrilVs wounds, and drinks the precious cordial of his blood. Without faith Chnll himfelf will not avail us.

Branch 9. Let us love a bleeding Saviour, and let ns fhow our love to Chrilt, by being ready to futfer for him. Many rejoice at ChriiVs I'utTering for them, but dream not of their fuf-fering for him : Jofeph dreamed of his preferment, but not of his imprifonment. Was Chiill a facrifice.!^ Did he bear God's wrath for us? We fliould bear man's wrath for him. Chrill's death was voluntary, Pfal. xl. 7. ' Lo, I come to do thy will,

0 God.' Luke xii. 50. * I have abaptiim to be baptized with, and how am I ilraitened till it be accomplilhed .?' Chvirt calls hi:i fulFerings a baptiCm : he was to be (as it were) baptized in his own blood ; and how did he thirft for that time ? * How am

1 ilraitened!' O then, let us be willing to lutier forChrift! Chrill hath taken away the venom and Iting of the faints fuffer-ings : there is no wrath in their cup. Our lufferings Chrill can make fweet. As there was oil mixed in the peace-ofliering, fo God can mix the oil of gladnel's with our fuflerings. *' The ringing of my chain is fweet mufic in my ears," Langreve of Hejfe. Life mull be parted with fliortly ; what is it to part with it a little Iboner, as a facrifice to Chrill, as a leal of fincerity, and a pledge of thankfulnefs ?

Sd Uj'e of Coiifolation. This facrifice of Chrill's blood may infinitely comfort us. This is the blood of atonement: Chrill's crofs is cardo J'alutis, Calv. " The hinge and fountain of our conitbrt."

\Jl, This blood comforts in cafe of guilt: O, faith the foul, my fins trouble me! why, Chrill':^ blood was flied for there-minion of fin. Mat. xxvi. 28. Let us fee our fins laid on Chrift, and then they a.re no moi'e ours, but his.

2c////, In cafe of pollution : Chrill's blood is an healing and cleanfing blood : 1. It is healing, Ifa. liii. 5. • With his liripes

^ve are healed.' It is the beft we&pon-falve, it heals at a dif^ tance : Though Chrifl; be in heaven, we may feel tiie virtue of his blood healing our bloody iffue. 2. And it is cleanfing: It Is therefore compared to fountain-water, Zech. xiii. 1. The Word is a glafs to (how us our fpots, and Chrift's blood is a fountain to wa(h them away ; it turns leproly into purity, 1 John i. 7. * The blood of Jefus cleanfeth us from all our fin.' There is indeed one fpot fo black, that Chrift's blood doth not walh away, viz. the fin againft the Holy Ghoft. Not but that there is virtue enough in Chrift's blood to wa(h it away ; but he who hath finned that fin will not be waftied, he contemns Chrift's blood, and tramples it under foot, Heb. X. 99. Thus we fee what a ftrong cordial Chrift's blood is ; it is the anchor-hold of our faith, the fpring of our joy, the crown of our dcfires, and the only fuppoft both in life and death. In all our fears let us comfort ourfelves with the propitiatory facrifice of Chrift's blood : Chrift died both as a purchafer and as a conqueror: 1. As a purchafer, in regard of God, having by his blood obtained our falvation. 2. And as a conqueror, in regard of Satan, the crofs being his triumphant chariot, wherein he hath led hell and death captive.

Ufe lilt. Blefs God for this precious facrifice of Chrift's death, Pf. ciii. I. « Blefs the Lord, O my foul.' And for what doth .David blefs him ? ' Who redeemeth thy life from deftru6lion ?' Chrift gave himfelf a fin-offering for us, let us give ourfelves a thank-oftering to him. If a man redeem another out of debt,, tvill not he be grateful ? How deeply do we ftand obliged t6 Chrift, who hath redeemed us from hell and damnation? Rev. V. 9. * And they fung a new fong, faying, thou art worthy to take the book, and open the feals; for thou waft flain, and hall; redeemed us to God by thy blood.' Let our hearts and tongues join in concert to blefs God, and let us ftiew thankfulnefs to Chrift by fruitfulnefs ; let us bring forth (as fpice trees) the fruits of humility, zeal, good work?. This is to live unto him who died for us, 2 Cor. v. 15. The wife men did not only "worfliip Chrift, but prefented him with gifts, gold, and frank-incenfe, and myrrh. Mat. ii. IL Let us prelent Chrift, with the fruits of righteoufnefs, which are unto the glory and praife of God.

CHRIST'S INTERCESSION.

Rom. viii. 34. Who alfo maketh intercejion for us.

When Aaron entered into the holy place, his bells gave a found ; fo Chrift having entered into heaven, his inter-cefTion makes a melodious found in the ears of God, Chrift, though he be exalted to glory, hath not laid afide his bowels of compaffion, but is ftill mindful of his body myftical; as Jo-I'eph was mindful of his father and brethren, when he was exalted to the court. * Who alfo maketh interceffion for us,'—. I'o intercede, is to make requeft in the behalf of another. Chrill is the great mafter of requefts in heaven ; Chrijius eji ca* holicus Patris Sacerdos, Tertul.

Q. What are the qualifications of our intercejjbr?

Anf, I. He is holy, Heb. vii. 26". * For fuch an High-prieft became us, who is holy, undefiled, feparated from finners.* * Chrift knew no fin,' 2 Cor. v. 21. He knew no fin in weight, not in the act. It was requifite that he, who was to do away the fins of others fliould himfelf be without fin. Holhiefs is one of the precious ftones which fhines on the breaft-plate of our High-prieft.

2. He is faithful, Heb. ii. 17. * It behoved him to be like unto his brethren, that he might be a faithful High-prieft.* Mofes was faithful as a fervant, Chrift as a Son, Heb. iii. 5. He doth not forget any caufe he hath to plead, nor doth he ufe any deceit in pleading. An ordinary attorney may either leave out fome word which might make for the client, or put in a word againft him, having received a fee on both fides; but Chrift is true to the caufe he pleads : we may leave our matters with him, we may trull our lives and fouls in his hand.

3. He never dies. The priefts under the law, while their office lived, they therafelves died, Heb. vii. 23. * They were not fuff'ered to continue by reafon of death :' But * Chrift ever lives to make interceffion,* Heb. viii. 25. He hath no fuc* ceftion in his priefthood.

Q. Who Chri/i intercedes for ?

Anf. Not for all promifcuoufly, John xvii. 9. but for the ele6t. The efficacy of Chrift's prayer reacheth no further than the efficacy of his blood; but his blood was ftied only for t^e ele6t, therefore his prayers only reach them. The high-prieft went into the fandluary with the names only of the twelve tribes upon his breaft ; fo Chrift goes into heaven only with the names of the eled upon his breaft. Chrift intercedes for the weakeft

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believers, John xvii. 20. and for all the fins of believers. In the law there were feme fins the high-prieft was neither to offer lacrifice for, nor yet to offer prayer. Numb. xv. 30. * The foul that doth ought prefumptuoufly (ball be cut off".' The prieit might oft'er up prayer for fins of ignorance, but not of prefump-tion : but ChrilVs interceffion extends to all the fins of the ele<5t. Of what a bloody colour was David's fin ? yet it did not exclude Chrill's interceffion.

Q. What doth Chriji m the work of intercejjion ?

Anf. Three things.

1. He prefeuts the merit of his blood to his Father, and, in the virtue of that price paid, pleads for mercy. Thehigh-prieff was herein a lively type of Chrift : Aaron was to do four things: 1. Kill the beafts : 9. To enter with the blood into the holy of holies: 3. To fprinkle the mercy-feat with the blood : 4. To kindle the incenfe, and with the Imoke of it, caufe a cloud arife over the mercy-l'eat; and fo the atonement was made, Lev. xvi. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, l(j. Chrift our high-prieft did exadly anfwer to this type : he was oftered up in i'acrifice, tbatanl'wers to the prieft's killing the bullock : and Chrift is gone up into heaven, thaianlwers to the prieft's going in to the holy of holies; and he Ipreads his blood before his Father, that anfwers to the prieft's fprinkling the blood upon the mercy-feat: and he prays to his Father, that for his blood's fake, he would be propitious to finners ; that anfwers to the cloud of incenfe going up : and through his interceflion God is pacified, that anfwers to the prieft's making atonement.

2. Chnft, by his interceflion, anfwers all bills of indi6tment brought in againft the ele6t. Believers, do what they can, fin, and then Satan acculeth them to God, and confcience accufeth them to themfelves: now, Chrift by his interceflion, anfwers all thele accufations, Rom. viii. 33. ' Who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God's ele6t ? it is Chrift that maketh interceflion for us.' When Efculus was acculied for fome impiety, his brother flood up for him, and fliewed the magiftrates how he had loft bis hand in the iervice of the ftate, and lb obtained his pardon : thus, when Satan accufeth the faints, or when the juftice of God lays any thing to their charge, Chrift ftiews his own wounds, and by virtue of his bloody I'uflerings, he anfwers all the demands and challenges of the law, and counterworks Satan's accufations.

3. Chrift, by his interceffion, calls for acquittance ; Lord, let the finner be abiblved from guilt: and in this lenie Chrift is called an advocate,> 1 John ii. 1. He requires that the finner be (iit free in the court. An advocate diflers much from an orator; an orator ufeth rhetoric to perfuade and intreat the judge to ihew mercy to another: but an advocate tells the judge

what is law. Thus Chrift appears in heaven as an advocate, he reprefents what is law : when God's juftice opens the debt-book, Chrift opens the law book : Lord, iaith he, thou arta jull God, and wilt not be pacified without blood ; lo, here the blood is (lied, therefore, in juftice, give me adifcharge of thele dil-treffed creatures : it is equal, that the law being fatisfied, the finner fhould be acquitted. And, upon Chrift's plea, God fets his hand to the finner's pardon.

Q. In ichat manner Chriji intercedes ?

Anf. 1. Freely : he pleads our caule in heaven, and takes no fee. An ordinary lawyer will have his fee, and fometimes a bribe too: but Chrift is not mercenary : how many caufes doth he plead every day in heaven, and will take nothing? As Chrift laid down his life freely, John x. 15, 18. fo he intercedes freely.

2. Feelinghj : he is as fenfible of our condition as his own, Heb. vi. 15. * We have not an high-prieft which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmity.* As a tender-hearted mother would plead with a judge for a child ready to be condemned ; O how would her bowels work! how would her tears trickle down ! what weeping rhetoric would fhe ufe to the judge for mercy! Thus the Lord JeCus is full of fympathy and tender-nefs, Heb. ii. 17. that he might be a merciful high-prieft: though he hath left his paflion, yet not his compaflion. An ordinary lawyer is not atfeded with the caufe he pleads, nor doth he care which way it goes; it is profit makes hirii plead, not affection : But Chrift intercedes feehngly : and that which makes him intercede with affe6lion is, it is his own caufe which he pleads. He hath ftied his blood to purchafe life and falva-tion for the ele6l; and if they fhould not be faved, he would lofe his purchale.

2. EJficaciouJly: It is a prevailing interceffion. Chrift never loft any caufe he pleaded, he was never non-fuited. Chrift's interceflion, muft needs be effectual, if you confider,

(1.) The excellency of his perlbn. If the prayer of a faint befo prevalent with God, (Moles' prayer did bind God's hand, Exod. xxxii. 10. ' Let me alone:' And Jacob as a prince, prevailed with God, Gen. xxxii. 28. And Elijah did by prayer open and fhut heaven, James v. 17-) Then what is Chrift's prayer? He is the Son of God, the Son in whom he is well pleafed, IVIatth. iii. 17. What will not a father grant a fon ? John xi. 42. * I know that thou always heareft me.' If God couidforget that Chrift were a prieft, yet he cannot forget that he is a fon.

(2.) Chrift prays for nothing but whathis Father hath a mind to grant. There is but one will between Chrift and his Father: Chrift prays, ' Sandify them through thy truth ;' and * This

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ig the will of God, even your fan6lification,' 1 Theff. iv. S. So then, if Chrifl prays for nothing but what God the Father hath a mind to grant, then he is like to fpeed.

(3.) Chrift prays for nothing but what he hath power to give : what he prays for as he is man, that he hath power ta give as he is God, John xvii. 24. * Father, I will'—Fai/jer, there he prays as a man ; / tojll, there he gives as God. This is a great comfort to a believer, when his prayer is weak, and he can hardly pray for himfelf, Chrift's prayer in heaven is mighty and powerful. Though God may refufe prayer as it comes from us, yet not as it comes from Chrift.

4. Chrift's intercefiion is always ready at hand. The people of God have fins of daily incurfion ; and, befides thefe, fome-times they lapfe into great fins, and God is provoked, and hisjuftice is ready to break forth upon them; But Chrift's in-tercefiion is ready at hand, he daily makes up the breaches between God and them ; he prefents the merits of his blood to his Father, to pacify him. When the wrath of God began to break out upon Ifrael, Aaron prefently ftepped in with his eenfer, and oftered incenfe, and fo the plague was ftayed. Numb. xvi. 47- fo, no fooner doth a child of God oft'end, and God begin to be angry, but immediately Chrift fteps in and intercedes: Father, it is my child hath offended ; though he hath forgotten his duty, thou haft not loft thy bowels: O pity him, and let thy anger be turned away from him. Chrift's jnterceffion is ready at hand, and, upon the leaft failings of the godly, he ftands up and makes requeft for them in heaven.

Q. What are the fruits of Chrift's intercejjion ?

Anf. 1. Juftif cation. In juftification there are two things: 1. Guilt is remitted. 2. Righteoufnefs is imputed, Jer. xxiii. 6. * The Lord our righteoufnefs.' We are reputed not only righteous, as the angels, but as Chrift, having his robes put upon us, 2 Cor. v. 21. But whence is it that we are juftified? It is from Chrift's interceffion, Rom. viii. 33, 34. Lord, faith Chrift, thefe are the perfons I have died for; look upon them as if they had not finned, and repute them righteous.

Qd Fruit. Theunaion of the Spirit, 1 John ii. 20. * Ye have an undion from the holy One.' This undion or anointing is nothing elfe but the work of fan6tification in the heart, whereby the Spirit makes us partake of the divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. Such as fpeakof the Philofopher's ftone, fuppofeit to have fuch a property, that when it toucheth the metal, it turns it into gold : Such a property hath the Spirit of God upon the foul; when it toucheth the foul, it puts it into a divine nature, it makes it to be holy, and to refemble God. The fandtifying work of the Spirit is the fruit of Chrift's interceflion, John vii.

SP- * The Holy Ghofl was not yet given, becaufe Jefus was not yet giorified.' Chrilt being £;loriHed, and in heaven, now he prays the Father, and the Father lends the Spirit, who pours out the holy anointing upon the elect.

3d FruiL The purification of our holy thing$. It is Chrift's work iu heaven, not only to prefent his own prayers to his Father, but he prays over our prayers again. Rev. viii. 3, * Another angel came, having a golden cenCer, and theret,Mif{is given to him much incenCe, that he fhpyld offer it with the pniyers of all faints upon the golden altar.* This angel was Chrift; he takes the golden cenfer of his merits, and puts our prayers into this cenfer, and with the incenfe of his interceflion makes our prayers go upas a fweet perfume in heaven. It is obferva-ble. Lev. xvi. 16. * Aaron Ihali make atonement for the holy place.' This was typical, to (hew that our holy duties need to have atonement made for them. Our beftfervices, as they tsome from us, are mixed with corruption, as wine that taftes of the caflc, Ifa. Ixiv. 6. * They are filthy rags;' but Chrift purifies and fweetens thefe fervices, mixing the fweet odours of his interceffion with them ; and now God accepts and crowns them. What would become of our duties without an high-priell ? ChrilVs interceffion doth, to our prayers, as the fan to the chaff, it winnows it from the corn; fo Chrift winnows cut the chatf which intermixeth with our prayers.

4th Fruit. Accefs with boldnels unto the throne of grace, Heb. iv. 16. We have a great High-prieft that is pafled into the heavens, let us go ; come boldly to the throne of grace; we have a friend at court that fpeaks a good word for us, and is following our caufe in heaven, therefore let this animate and encourage us in prayer. We think it too much boldnefs; what.^ fuch finners as we to come for pardoa! we fliall be denied ; this is a finful modefty : did we indeed come in our name in prayer, it were prefumption, but Chrift intercedes for us in the force and efficacy of his blood : Now, to be afraid to come to God in prayer, is a difhonour toChrift's interceflion.

5th Fruit. The fending the Comforter, John xiv. 16. * I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter.' The comfort of the Spirit is diftind from the anointing; this comfort is very fweet, fweeter than the honey-drops from the comb; it is the manna in the golden pot, it is vinum in peciore ; a drop of this heavenly comfort is enough to fweeten a fea of worldly forrow : it is called the * earneft of the Spirit,' 2 Cor. i. 22. an earneft affures one of the whole fum. The Spirit gives us an earneft of heaven in our hand. Whence is this comforting work of the Spirit? Thank Chrift's interceflion foir it : 'I will pray the Father, and he fliall fend the Comforter.'

Qth Fruit, Perfeverance in grace, John xvii. U. * Keep

through thine own name thofe which thou haft given me/ It is not our prayer, or vvatchfuhiefs, or grace that keeps us, but it is God's care and manutenancy ; he holds us, that we do not fall away. And whence is it God preferves us ? It is from Cariit's interceffion; * Father keep them.' That prayer of Chrilt for Peter, is the copy of his prayer now in heaven, Luke XKii..o9. ' I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.* Peter's faith did fail in fome degree, when he denied Chrill; but, Ghrill prayed that it might not totally fail. The faints perfevere in beheving, becaufe Chrilt perfeveres in praying.

7th Fruit. Ablblution at the day of judgment. Chrill fhall judge the world, John v. 2-2. ' God hath commited all judgment to the Son.' Now fure; thofe that Chrift4iath fo prayed for, he will abfolve when he fits upon the bench of judicature. Will Chrill condemn thofe he prays for? Believers are his fpoufe, will he condemn his fpoufe ?

Ufe I. Branch i. See here the conllancy of Chrift's love liii' the eled. He did not only die for them, but interdedes for them in heaven ; when Chrift haih done dying, he hath not done loving : he is now at work in hoaven for the faints, he carries their names on his breaft, and will never leave praying till that prayer be granted, John xvii. 24. * Father, I will, that thofe whom thou hall given me, be with me where I am.'

Branch 2. See whence it is that the prayers of the faints are fo powerful with God. Jacob, as an angel, prevailed with God : Mofes' prayer tied God's hands ; Precibhisjuis tanquam vinqnam vincuUs Ugatum tenuit Deinn ; * Let me alone,' Exod. xxxii. 10. Whence is this ? It is Chrill's prayer in heaven makes the faints prayers lb available. Chrift's divine nature is the altar on which he offers up our prayers, and i'o they prevail : prayer, as it comes from the faints is but weak and languid ; but when the arrow of a faint's prayer is put into the bow of Chrift's interceflion, now it pierceth the throne of grace.

Branch o. It fliews where a Chriftian muft chiefly fix his eye when he comes to prayer, viz. on Chrift's interceflion. We are to look up to the mercy-feat, but to hope for mercy through Chrift's interceflion. VV^e read, Lev. vi. that Aaron made the atonement as well by the incenfe as by ihe blood : We muft look to the cloud of incenle, viz. the interceflion of Chrift. Chriftian, look up to thy advocate, one that God can .deny nothing to: a word from Chrift's mouth is more, than if all the angels in heaven were interceding for thee. If a man had a fuit depending in the court of chancery, and had a fkilful lawyer to plead, this would much encourage him. Chrift is now at the court appearing for us, Heb. ix. 24. and he hath great potency in heaven : this fliould much encourage us to look up to him, and hope for audience in prayer. We might

indeed be afraid to prefent our petitions, if we had hot Chrifl; to deliver them.

Branch A. Tiie fad condition of an unbeliever; he hath none in heaven to fpeak a word for him, John xvii. 9. * I pray not for the world ;' as good be fhut out of heaven, as be (liut out ofChrid's prayer. Ciirift pleads for the faints, as queen EAher did for the Jews, when they Ihould have been deftroyed ; ' Let my people be given me at my requell,' Ellh, vii. 3. When the devil Qiews the blacknefs of their iins, Chrift thews the rednefs of his wounds. But how fad is the condition of that man, Chrift will not pray for, nay, that lie will pray againft ? As queen Ellher petitioned againfi Haman, and then his face was covered, Efth. vii. ti. and he was led away to execution. It is fdd when the law Ihall be againft the finner, and confcience, and judge, and no friend to fpeak a word for him : there is no way, then, but, jailor, take the prifoner.

Branch 5. If Chritl makes interceirion, then we have nothing tc'do with other incercelTors. The church of Rome dillingailh-eth between mediators of redemption and interceffion, and lay, the angels do not redeem us, but intercede for us: and pray to them : but Chrift only can intercede for us ex officio. God hath confecrated him an high-prieft, Heb. v. 9. * Thou art a prielt for ever.' Chrift intercedes vi pretii, in the virtue of his blood, he pleads his merits to his Father; the angels have no merits to bring to God, therefore can be no interceiTors for us ; whoever is our advocate muft be our propitiation to pacify God, 1 John ii. 1. * We have an advocate with the Father, v. 2. And he is our propitiation.' The angels cannot be our propitiation, therefore not our advocates.

'2d Ufe of trial. How Chall we know that Chrift intercedes for us ? They have little ground to think Chrift prays for them, who never pray for themfelves: well, but how Ihall we know ? AnJ\ 1. If Chrift be praying for us, then his Spirit is praying in us, Gal. iv, 6. * He hath fent forth his Spirit into your heart, crying, Abba, Father ;' and Rom. viii. 26. the Spirit helps us with lighs and groans ; not only with gifts but groans. We need not chmb up into the firmament to fee if the fun be there, we may fee the beauty of it upon the earth; fo we need not go up into heaven to fee if Chrift be there interceding for iij ; let us look into our hearts, if they are quicl^ened and' inflamed in prayer, and we can cry, Abba, Father : By this inferceding of the Spirit within us, we may know Chriil is interceding above for us.

Anf. 2. If we are given to Chrift then he intercedes for us, John xvii. 9. * I pray for them whom thou haft given me ;*

*tis one thing for Chrift to be given to us, another for us to be given to Chrifl.

Q. How knoio you that ?

Anf. If thou art a believer, then thou art one given to Chrift, and he prays for thee : faith is an a6t of recumbency, we do , reft on Chrift, as the ftones in the building reft upon the corner-ftone. Faith throws itlelf into Chrift's arms ; it faith, Chrift is my prieft, his blood ismy facrifice, his divine nature is my altar, and here I reft. This faith is feen by the effedls of ix, a refining work, and a refigning work : it purifies the heart, and there is the refining work ; it makes a deed of gift to Chrift, it gives up its uie, its love to him, 1 Cor. vi. 19. there is the refigning work of faith. Thefe that believe are given to Chrift, and have a part in his prayer, John xvii. 20. * Nor do I pray for thele alone, but for all them that fliall believe on me.'

od Ufe of exhortatmi. Brajich 1. It ftirs us up to feveral duties : 1. If Chrift appears for us in heaven, then we rauft appear for him upon earth : Chrift is not afliamed to carry our names on his breaft, and ftiall we be aftiamed of his truth ? Doth he plead our caufe, and (hall we not ftand up in his caule ? What a mighty argument is this to ftand up for the honour of Chrilt in times of apoftafy ? Chrift is interceding for us : doth he prefent our names in heaven, and fliall not we profefs his name on earth:

Branch 2. If Chrift lays out all his intereft for us at the throne of grace, we muft lay out all our intereft for him, Phil. i. 20. * That Chrift may be magnified.* Trade your talents for Chrift's glory; there's no man but hath fbme talent to trade, one parts, another eftate : Oh trade for Chrift's glory ! fpend and be fpent for him : let your head ftudy for Chrilt, your hands work for Chrift, your tongue fpeak for him ; if Chrift be an advocate for us in heaven, we muft be fa6lors for him on earth, every one in his fphere mufta6l vigoroufly for Chrift.

Branch 3. Believe in this glorious interceftion of Chrift ! That he now intercedes for us, and that for his fake God will accept lis : in the text, ' Who maketh interceftion for us.' If we believe not, we diftionour Chrift's interceftion. If a poor finner may not j2,o to Chrift as his High-prieft, believing in his inter-celFion, then are we Chriftians in a worfe condition under the golpel, than the Jews were under the law : they, when they hud finned, had their high-prieft to make atonement; and fliall not we have our high-prieft? is not Chrift our Aaron, who pre-le^its his blood and incenle before the mercy-feat? O look up by faith to Chrift's intercelfton ! Chrift did not only pray for his difciples and apoilles, but for the weakeft believer.

Branch A. Love your intercellbr, 1 Cor. xvi. 22. * If any man love not the Lord Jefus Chrift, let him be Anathema.' Kind-

«efs invites love ; had you a friend at court, who, when you were queftioned for delinquency or debt, fhould plead with the judge for you, and bring you off your troubles, would you not love that friend ?. So it is here, how oft doth Satan put in his bills againft us in the court ? Now Chrill is at the judge's hand, Jie fits at his Father's right hand, ever to plead for us, and to make our peace with God : O how Ihould our hearts be fired with love to Chrifi;! Love him with a fincere and fuperlative love, above eliate, relation ; Bern. Plufquam tua, tuos. An<i our fire of love (hould be as fire on the altar, never to go out. Lev. vi. 13.

Uh life, of comfort to believers. Chrift is at work for you ia Jieaven, he makes interceffion for you. Oh! but I am afraid Chrifi: does not intercede for me. . Q. I am ajinner ; loho doth Chrijl intercede for 9

Anf. Ifa. liii. 12. * He made interceflion for the tranfgrel^ fors.* Did Chriil open his fides for thee, and will he not open his mouth to plead for thee ?

Q. But I have offended my high-priefi, by dijirujling his blood, ahifing his love, grieving his Spirit ; and will he ever pray for me?

Anf. Which of us may not fay fo ? But, Chriftian, dofl; thou mourn for unbelief.^ Be not difcouraged, thou mayell have a .part in Chrift's prayer. Numb. xvi. ' The congregation murmured againft Aaron ;' yet, though they had finned againflt their high-prieft, ver. 46. * Aaron ran in with his cenfer, and fi;ood between the dead and the living.' If fo much bowels in Aaron, who was but a type of Chrift, how much more bowels are in Chrift, who will pray for them who have finned againft their high-prieft.? Did not he pray for them that crucified him, • Father, forgive them f'

Q. But I am imworthy ; ichat am /, that Chrijt fliould inter" cede for tne 9

Anf, The work of Chrift's interceflion is a work of free grace j Chrift's praying for us, is from his pitying of us ; Chrift looks not at our worthinefs, but our wants.

Q. But I am followed with fad temptations ? Anf. But, though Satan tempts, Chrift prays, and Sataa fhall be vanquifiied ; though thou mayeft lol'e a fingle battle, yet not the victory : Chrift prays that thy faith fail not; therefore, Chriftians, lay, * Why art thou cait down, O my foul ?' Chrift intercedes, it is man that fins, it is God that prays : the Greek word for advocate, fignifies comforter. This i.>^ a fov.e» reign comfort, Chrift makes intercelfton. Vol. I: No. 5. B b

CHRIST'S KINGLY OFFlCfi.

0. XXVL HOW doth Chrift exmde the office of a king f

A. Irt fubduing us td hitttfelf, in I'uling dnd defending us, and in feftraining &nd conquefin? all his and our enemies.

N6W ofChriU'g rpgal office, Rev. xix. 16. * And he hath on his vcfture, and on his thigh, a name written, Kingof king^, 6nd Lord of fords.'

Jefus Chrift is of mighty renown, he is a king ; he hath a kingly title, ' High and Mighty,' Ifa. Ivii. 13. 2. He hath his infigma tegalla his eufigns of royalty, corona eji in/igrie region putejiath: His crown, Rev. vi. 2. His fvvord, Pialm xlv. S. * Gird thy Avord upon fhy thigh.' His fceptre, Heb. i. 8. * A fceptre of righteoufnels is the fceptre of thy kingdom.* S. His ej'cntchcon, or coat-armout; he gives the lion in his SrWs, Rev. V. 5. * The lion of the tribe of judah.' And he is, the text faith, ' King of kings.' He hath a pre-erninence Of all other kings, he is called, * the Prince of the kings of the ^rth,' Rev. i. .3. He nuift needs be fo, for, * by him kings reign,' Prov. viii. 15. They hold their crowns by itnmediate tenure from this great king. Chrift infinitely outvies all other princes ; he hath the higheft throne, the largeft dominions, and the longeft poffeftion, Heb. i. 8. * Thv throne , O God, is for ^ver and ever.' Chrift hath many heirs, but no fucceflbrs. Well may he be called King of kings, for he hath an unlimited power ; the power of other kings is limited, but Chrifl's power is unlimited, Pfal. cxxxv. 6. • Wbaffoevet he pleafed, that did he, in heaven and earth, and in the fea.' Chnft's power is as large as his will. The angels take the oath of allegiance to him, Heb. I. 6. * Let all the angels of God worfliip him.'

Q. Hoic Chrift comes to he King P

A. Not by ulurpation, but legally? Chrift holds his crown by immediate tenure from heaven. God the Father hath decreed him to be king, Pfal. ii. 5, d. * I have fet my king upon my holy hill : I will declare the decree.' God hath anointed and fealed him to his regal office, John vi. 27. ' Him hath God the Father fealed.' God hath fet the crown upon his head. Q. In h-hat/crf& is Chrif king 9

A. Two ways, 1. In reference to his people. And, 2. In teference to his enemies.

' I. In reference to his people : (1.) To govern them. It was pfophefied of Chrift before he was born. Mat. ii. 6. * And !t>;oij, Bethlehem, art n^)t the leail among the princes of Judah;

fv>r out of thee fliall come a governor that (hall rule my people ITrad.' It is n vain thing for a king to have a crown on his head, unleft, he have a fceptre ia his hand to rule.-

Q. PVhere doth Chrijt rule 9

A, His kingdom is fpiritual: He rules in the hearts of men. He lets up his throne where no other ki*ig- doth, he rules the will and atfedtions, his power binds the contcience j he iubdues men's JulLs, Mic. vii. 19. ' He wiUlubdue our iai<^uitifis.'

Q. WhMt doth Chrijt rule by ?

4' By lPM\ and by lovie\ l. He rules by law. It ie one of the /wra regalia, the flowers of the crown to ena<^l laws ; Chrift as king makes laws, and by his laws he rules: the law of faith^

* believe in the Lord Jelus ;* the law of fanAity, 1 Pet. i. 15.

* Be ye holy in all manner of converfation.* Many would admit Cbriib to be their advocate to plead for tlieni, but not their king to rule them.

^, He rules by love ; he is a king full of mercy and clemency, as he hath a fceptre in his hand, (o an olive branch of p<?ace in his mouth. Though he be the Lion of the tribe of Judah for majefty, yet the Lamb of God for meeknefs. His regal rod liath honey at tlie end of it. He flieds abroad his love into the hearts of his (ubje6ls ; he'rules them with promifes as well as precepts. This makes all his fubje<^s become volunteers ; they are willing to pay their allegiance to him, Plal. ex. 3. ' I'by people fliali be a willing people.'

(^.) Chrift is a king to defend his people : as Chrift hath a fceptre to rule theia, fo a fiiield to defend them, Pf. iii. 3.

* Thou, O Lord, art a fljiejd for me.' When Antiochus di<l rage furioufty again ft the Jews, he took away the vetfels of th« Lord's houfe, fet up an idol in the temple; then this great king, called Michael, di<l (land up for them to defend them. Pan. xii. I. Chrift preferves hi* church as a fpark in the ocean, as a flock of (heep among wolves. That the fea ftiould be higher than the earth, a«d yet not drown it, is a wonder: fo, that the wicked (hould be fo much higher tlian the church in. power, and not devour it, \s, becaufe Chrift hath this inlcrip-tion on his vefture and his thigh, KING of Kings ; Pf. cxxiv. 2. • If it had not been the Lprd, who was on our (ide, they had fwallowed us up.' Tliey fay, lions are injbnnies, they have little or ao deep ; it is true of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, he never (lumbers aor flssep^, but watcheth over his church to defend it ; Ifa, xxvii, i^, 3. ' Sing ye unto her, a vineyard of red wine; I the Lord do keep it, i«ft any hurt it, 1 will keep it night and day.' If the enemies deftroy the church, it moft be at a time when it is neither night «orday, for Chrift keeps it day and night. Chrift is laid to carry his church, aj the eagle her young one?, upon hex wioge, Exod. kjx. 4. Th«

BhO

arrow mud firft hit the eagle before it can hurt the young onef, and fhoot through her wings: the enemies muCt firit ftrike through Chrift, before they can dellroy his church. Let the wind and (torms be up, and the church ahnofl covered with waves, yet ChriiVis in the fliip of the church, and lb long there is no danger offhipwreck. Nor will Chrill only defend his church, as he is king, but deliver it, 2 Tim. iv. 17. 'He delivered me out of th« mouth of the lion,' viz. Nero. 2 Cor. xi. 14. * The Lord iUved them by a great deliverance.' Sometimes Chrift is faid to command deliverance, PI. Ixiv. 4. Sometimes to create deliverance, Ifa. xlv. 18. Chrift as a king commands deliverance, and as a God creates it. And deliverance fhatl come in his time. Ifa. Ix. 22. * I the Lord will haften it in his time.' - Q. When is the time that this King will deliver his people ?

A. When the hearts of his people are humbleft, when their prayers are ferventeft, when their faith is ftrongeft, when their forces are weakeft, when their enemies are higheft, now is the ufual time that Chrift puts forth his kingly power in their deliverance, Ifa. xxxiii. 2, 8, 9.

3. Chrift is a king to reward his people, there's nothing loft by ferving this king : I. He rewards his fubjedls in this life : 1ft, He gives them inward peace and joy ; a bunch of grapes by the way ; and oftentimes riches and honour. ' Godlinefs hath the promife of this life,' 1 Tim. iv. 8. Thefe are, as it were, the faints vails. But befides the great reward is to come, • An eternal weight of glory,' 2 Cor. iv. 17. Chrift makes all his fubje6ls kings, Rev. ii. 10. * I will give thee a crown of life.' This crown will be full ofjewels, and it will ' never fade,* 1 Pet. V. 5.

2. Chrift is a king in reference of his enemies, in ftibduing and conquering them : he pulls down their pride, befools their policy, reftrains their malice. That ftone cut out of the mountain without bands, which fmote the image, Dan. ii. 34. was an emblem, laith Auftin, of Chrift's monarchical power, conquering and triumphing over his enemies. Chrift will make his enemies his footftool, Pi", ex. 1. He can deftroy them with ealie, 2 Chron. xiv. 11. ' It is nothing for thee. Lord, to help.' He can do it with weak means, without means. He can make the enemies deiboy themfelves; he fet the Perfians againft the Grecians: and, 2 Chron. xx. 22. the children of Ammoa helped to deftroy one another. Thus Chrift is king in vanquilh-ing the enemies ot his church.

This is a great ground of comfort to the church of God in the midft of all the combinations of the enemy, ' Chrift is king;',and he can not only bound the enemies power, but break it. The church hath more with her, than againft her.

flie hath Emmanuel on her fide, even that great King to whom all knees muft bend.

■ Chrift is called * a man of war,' Exod. xv. 3. he under-ftands all the policy of chivalry ; he isdeicribed with feven eyes and I'even horns, Rev. v. tj. The feven eyes are to dil'cera the confpiracies of his enemies, and the I'even horns are to puth and "Vex his enemies.

Chrift is defcribed with a crown and a bow. Rev. vi. 2. * He that fat on the white hori'e had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.' A. crown is an enfign of his kingly oliice, and the bow is lo fhoot his enemies to death.

Chrill is defcribed with a vedure dipt in blood, Rev. xix. 13. He hath a golden iiceptre to rule his people, but an iron rod to break his enemies. Rev. xvii. 12, 14. * The ten horns thou faweit are ten kings ; thefe (hall make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb ihall overcome them; for he is the King of kings.* The enemies may fet up their iiandard, but Chrill will fet up his trophies at lalt. Rev. xiv. 18, ii). * And the angel gathered the vine of the earth, and caft it into the great wine-prefs of the wrath of God, and the wine-prefs was trodden, and blood came out of the wine-prefs.' The enemies of Chrilt fhall be but as 11) many clufters of ripe grapes, to be call into the great wine-prefs of the wrath of God, and to be trodden by Chrift till their blood came out. Chrift will at laft come off vi6lor, and all his enemies fhall be put under his feet; gaiuleo quod Chrijius Dom't-niis eft alioqui defperajO'em^ *' I am glad Chrift reigns, elfe I Ihoutd have defpaired:" laid Miconius in an epiftle to Calvin.

U/e 1. Branch 1. See hence, it. is no difparagement to ferve Chrift: he is a king, and it is bo difhonour to be employed in a. king's fervice. Some are apt to reproach the iHint.-i for their piety ; they ferve the Lord Chrift, he who hath this inlcription upon his vefture, KING of Kings. Theodofius thought it a greater honour to be a fervant of Chrift, than the head of an empire, Servire ejt regnare. Chrift's fervants are called veflels of honour, 2 Tim. ii. «1. and a royal nation, I Pet. ii. i). Serving of Chrift ennobles us with dignity : it is a greater honour to ferve Chrift, than to have kings ferve us.

Branch 9,. If Chrift be king, it informs us, that all matters of fact muft one day be brought before hiin. Chrift hath Jus vitCB et necis, the power of life and death in his hand, John v. ea. ' The Father hath committed all jijdgment to the Son.' He who once hung upon the crofs, ftiail fit upon the bench of judicature: kings muft come before him to be judged; they who once-fat uppn the throne, muft appear at the bar. God hiith committed all judgment to the Son, and Chrift is the high-

eft court of judicature ; if thig king once contletnns me^, there is DO appeal Lo an}-other court.

- Branch 3. See whither we are to go, when we are foiled by corruption ; go to Chrift, he is king ; defire htm, by his Uing;Iy power, to fubdue thy corruptions, to bind thefe kings with chains, Pi", cxlix. 8. We are apt to (ay of our fins, ' TheCe fons of Zeruiah will be ftrong for us :' we fhall never overcome this pride and infidelity : ay, but go to Chrift, he is king ; though our lulls are too flrong for us, yet not for Chrjft to con-fpjer: he can by his Spirit break the power of fin. Jofhua, when he had conquered five kings, caufed his fervants to let their feet on the necks of thofe kings ; fo Chrift can a^d will fet his feet on the necks of our lufts,

2rf U/e, of cnidion : Is Chrift King of kings? Let all great ones take heed how they employ their power againft Chrilh Chrift gives them their power, and if this power fhall be made life of lor the fupprefling of his kingdom, and ordinances, tlieir account will be heavy. God hath laid the key of Government upon Chrift's flioulders, Ifa. ix. 7- and to goto oppofe Chrifi in his kingly office, it is as if the thorns fhould fet themlelves in battalia againft the fire, or a child fight with an archangel. Chrift's fword on his thigh is able to avenge all his quarrels : it is not good to ftir a lion ; let no man provoke the * Lion of the tribe of Judah, wbofe eyes are as a lamp of fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him,' Nah. i. 6. * He fhall cut off'the fpi,rit of princes,' Pfal. Ixxvi, 12.

U/e 3. If Chrift be a great king, fubmit to him. Say not, as thofe Jews, * We have no king but Caefar,' no king but our Jufts. This is tochufe the bramble to rule over you, and ' out of the bramble will come forth a fire,' Judg. ix. Submit to Chrift willingly : all the devils in hell fubmit to Chrift, but it is againft their will ; they are his Ihves, not his fubjecta. Submit cheerfully to Chrift's perfon and his laws. Many would have Chrift their Saviour, but not their Prince; {uch as will not have Chrift to be their king to rule them, fhall never hav^ his blood to lave them. Obey all Chrift's princely commands ; if he commands love, humilily, good works, be as the needle which points which way foever the loadftone drjaws.

Branch 2. Let iuch admire God's free grace, who were once under the power and tyranny of Satan, and now Ciirilt hath made them, of Haves, to become the fubje^ts of his kingdooj. Chrift did not need luhjects, he hatli legions of angels minifler-ingto him ; but in his love, he hath honoured you to make you his fubjecls. O how long was it ere Cbrift could prevail with you to come under his banner ! how much oppofition did he meet with, ere you would wear this Prince's colours ? But at laft omnipotent grace overcame you. When Peter was fleep«*

CMftlST's HUMlLtAtlAlf, &C. ' 10

[jvq; between two foldiersi, an angel oame and beat off his chains, Acls xii. 7. io, when thou tvert fleeping in the devil's arms, that Chrift fhould, by his Spirit, Cinite thy heart, and caufe the chains of (in to fall otf, and make thee a lubjeftof his kingdom :

0 admire free grace! Thou who art a iubje6t of Chrift, artfure to reign with Chrift for ever.

CHRISrS HUMILIATION IN HIS INCARNATION.

1 Tim. iii. 16. Great is the myjiery of Godlinefs, God manifejl

in ihejle/li.

* Q. XXVII. WHEREIN did Chrijl's humiliation confjl p

Anf. Ill his being born, and that iu a low condition, made under the law, uhdergding the miferies of this life, the wrath of God, and the cuffed death of the crofs.

Chrift's huitiiliaticHi contirted in his incarnation, his taking flelh, and being born. It was real flefli Chrift took : not the image of a body (as the Manicheesi erroneoufly held) but a true body ; therefore Chrill is faid to be ' made of a woman,' Gal. iv. 4. As the bread is made of the wheat, and the wine is made of the grape ; fo Chrift is made of a woman, his body wais part of the flefli and fubftance of the virgin. This is a glorious myftery, ' God manifeft in the fielTi.' In the creation, man was made in God's image ; in the incarnation, God was made in man's image.

Q. How came it about that Chrift loas made fie Pi ?

Anf. It was by his Father's fpecial defignation. Gal. iv. 4. God lent forth his Son made of a woman.' God the Father did, in a fpecial manner, appoint Chrift to be incarnate; which fhews how needful a call is, to any bufinefs of weight and importance: to acl without a call, is to acl without a bleffing. Chrift himfelf would not be incarnate, and take upon him the work of a Mediator till he had a call. * God fent forth his Son made of a woman.'

Q. But loas there no other nay for the rejloring offallen mtin hut this, that God fliould takeflejh f

Anf. We mull not aflv a reafon of God's will; it is dangerous to pry into God's ark: we are not to difpute but adore. The wife God law this the beft way for our redemption, that Chrift fliould be incarnate; it was not fit for any to fatisfy God's juftice, but man ; none could do it but God ; therefore, Chrift being both God and man, he is the fitteft to undertake this work of redemption.

Q. Why was Chrift born of a woman ?

SOO CHRIST S HUMILIATIOW

Afif. I. That God might fulfil that promife, Gen. iii. 15. * The feed of the woman (hall break the ferpent's head.' 2. Chrift was horn of a woman that he might roll away that re-.proach from the wotnan, which flie had contracted by being Jediiced by the ferpent. Clirilt, in taking his flelli from the woman, hulh honoured her (ex ; that as at the firll the woman had made man a (inner, fo novv, to make him amends, (he ftiould bring him a Saviour.

Q. Why ivas Chriji horn of a virgin 9

Anf. 1. For decency : it became not God to have any mother but a maid, and it became not a maid to have any other fon but a God.

2. For nicefTity : Chrift was to be an high-prieft, moll pure and holy. Had he been born after the ordinary courfe of nature, he had been defiled ; (all that fpring ouf of Adam's loins have a tincture of fin) but, that ' Chrilt's fubftance might remain pure and immaculate,' he was born of a virgin-

3. To anfwer the type. Melchifedec was a type of Chrift; Jhe is Taid to be * without father and without mother.' Chrift being born of a virgin, anfwered the type : he was without father and without mother: .without mother as he was God, without father, as he was man. »

Q. How could Chrift he made ofthejlePi and blood of a virgin yet icithoutjm ? The purefi virgin tliat is, her foul isjiained with original Jin.

Anf. This knot thefcripture unties, Luke i. 35. * The Holy Gholt fliall come upon thee, and overlhadow thee; therefore that holy thing, which (hall be born of thee, fliall be called the Son of God.* * The Holy Ghoftftiall come upon thee,' that is, the Holy Ghoft did confecrateand purify that partof the virgin's fle(h whereof Chrift was made. As the alchymift extracts and draws away the drofs from the gold, fo the Holy Ghoft did refine and clarify that part of the virgin's flelh feparating it from fifl. Though the virgin Mary herfelf had fin, yet, that part of theflefli, whereof Chrift was made, was without fin ; otherwife it niull have been an impure conception.

Q. What is meant by the power vf the Holy Ghojl over/liadoic-ing the virgin ?

Avf. Bafil faith, " It was the Holy Ghoft's blefling the fleOi of that virgin, whereof Chrift was formed." But there is a further myftery in it; the Holy Ghoft having framed Chrift io the virgin's womb, did, in a wonderful manner, unite Chrift's human nature to his divine, and fo of both made one perlbn. This is a myftery, which the angels pry into with adoration.

Q. When was Chrift incarnate?

Anf. In the fulnef-. of time, Gal. iv. 4. * When the fulnefs of time was come, God fent forth his Son made of a woman.'

By the fuhiefs of time, we muft underftatid tempiis a patre praejhiilnm ; fo Ambrole, Luther, Corn, a Lap. the detenni-nate time that God had fet. More particularly, this fuliief^ of time was when all the prophecies of the coming of the Melhah were accornplillied ; an»i all legal Ihadows and figures, whereby he was typified, were abrogated : ' in the fulnefs of time God fent his Son.' And, by the way, oblerve, this may comfort us, in regard of the church of God, though at prel'ent we do not fee that peace and purity in the church, as we could defire, yet in the fulnefs of time, when God's time is come, and mercy is ripe, then thall deliverance fpringup, and God will come riding upon the chariots of (alvation : ' When the fulnefs of time was come, then God fent forth his Son made of a woman.'

Q. WInj loas J ejus Chriji made fie Pi f

Anf. 1. The canfa pmna, and irnpulfive caufe, was free g'race; it was love in God the Father to lend Chrift, and love in Chrift that, he came to be incarnate. Love was the intriniical motive. Chrift is God-man, becaufe he is a lover of man. Chriftcameout of pity and indulgence to us ; nonmerita no/Ira^ Jed mifera nofira, Aug. Not our deferts, but our mifery made Chrift take flefli, Chrift's taking flefh, was a plot of free grace, and a pure defign of love. God himfelf, though Almighty, was overcome with love. Chrift incarnate is nothing but love covered with flefli. Chrift's afl'uming our human nature, as it was a mailer-piece of wifdorn, fo a monument of free-grace.

2. Chrift took our flefli upon him, that he might take our fins upon him. He was, faith Luther, maximus peccatur, the greateft finner, having the weight of the fins of the whole world lying upon him. He took our flefli that he might take our fins, and fo appeafe God's wrath.

3. Chrift took our flefli, that he might make the human nature appear lovely to God, and the divine nature appear lovely to man.

(1.)' That he might make the human nature lovely to God. Upon our fall irom God, our nature became odious to him ; no vermin is fo odious to us, as the human nature was to God. When once our virgin nature was become finful, it was like flefh impofthumated, or rui^ning into fores, loathibme to behold : fuch was our nature, when corrupt, odious to God, he could not endure to look upon us. Now, Chrift taking our flefTi, makes this human nature appear lovely to God. As when the fun fiiines on theglafs, it calls a brighi iufire, fo Chrill being clad with our fli^fh makes the human nature fhine, and appt-ar amiable in God's eyes.

{^2.) As Chrift being clothed with our flefli, makes thehumaa nature appear lovely to God, fo he makes the divme nature, ap-

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pear lovely to man.' The pure Godhead is terrible to behold', we could not lee it and live : but Chrifl clothing himfelf witb ourflefli, makes the divine nature more amiable and delightful to us. Now we need not be afraid to look upon God, feeing him thro' Chrift's human nature. It was a cultom of old among the fliepherds, they were wont to clothe themfelves with (heep-fkins, to be more pleaiing to the Iheep; ib Chrift clothed him-Itlf with our flelb, that the divine nature may be more pleafing to u^\ Tile human nature is a glals, through which we may fee the love and wifdom, and glory of God clearly reprefented to us. Through the lantern of Chrift's humanity, we may behold the light of the Deity Ihining. Chrift being incarnate, he makes the fight of the Deity not formidable, but delightful to us.

4. Jefus Chrift united himfelf to man, ' that man might be drawn nearer to God.' God before was an enemy to us, by reafon of fin ; but Chrift taking our flefti, doth mediate for us, and bring us into favour with God. As when a king is angry with a ful>je6l, the king's ion marries the daughter of this fub-je<5l, and lb mediates for this fubjeft, and brings him into favour with the king again : So, when God the Father was angry with us, Chrift married himfelf to our nature, and now mediates for us with his Father, and brings us to be friends again, and now God looks upon us with a favourable afpe6l. As Joab pleaded for Abfalom, and brought him to king David, and David kiffed him, fo doth Jefus Chrift ingratiate us into the love and favour of God. Therefore he may well be called a peace-maker, having taken our flefli upon him, and i'o made peace between us and his angry Father.

Uj'e 1. Branch 1. See here, as in a glafs, the infinite love of God the Father, and when we had loft ourfelves by fin, then God in the riches of his grace, did fend forth his Son made of a woman to redeem us. And behold the infinite love of Chrift, that he was willing thus tocondefcend to take our flefti. Surely the angels would have difdained to have taken our flefti, it would have been a difparagement to ihem. What king would be willing to wear lackcloth over his cloth of gold ? but Chrift did not difclain to take our flefli. O the love of Chrift! had not Chrift been made flefli, we had been made a curie ; had not he been incarnate, we had beea incarcerate, and had been for ever in priibn. Well might an angel be the herald to proclaiu this joyful news of Chrift's incarnation, Luke ii. 10. ' Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy ; for unto you is born this day a Saviour which is Chrift the Lord.' The love of Chrift in being incarnate, wmH the more appear if we confider;

I. Whence Chrift came. He came from heaven, and froi» the richeil place in heaven, his Father's bofom, that hive of fweetnels.

^. To whom Chrift came. Was it to his friends ? No, he -came tofmful man. Man that had defaced his image, abufed his love ; man who was turned rebel; yet he came to man, re-folving to conquer obftinacy with kindnefs. If he would come to any, why not to the angels that fell ? Heb. ii. 1(5. ' He in no wife took upon him the nature of angels.' The angels are of a more noble extraft, more intelligible creatures, more able for fervice; ay, but behold the love of Chriit, he came not to the fallen angels, but to mankind. Among the feveral wonders of the loadllone, this is not the leaft, that it will not draw gold or pearl, but defpifing thefe, it draws the iron to it, one of the mod inferior metals ; thus Chrift leaves the angels, thofe noble fpirits, the gold and the pearl, and he comes to poor finful man, and draws him into his embraces.

. 3. In what manner he came. He came not in the majefty of a king, attended with his lite-guard, but he came poor: not like the heir of heaven, but like one of an inferior defcent. The place he was born in was poor : not the royal city Jerufalem, but Bethlehem, a poor obfcure place. He was born in an inn, and a manger was his cradle, the cobwebs his curtains, the beafts his companions ; he defcended of poor parents. One would have thought, if Chrift would have come into the world, he would have made choice of fome queen or perfonage of honour to have defcended from : but he comes of mean obfcure parents; that they were poor, apj^ears by their oifering, Luke ii. 24. * A pair of turtle-doves,* which was the ufual offering of the poor. Lev. xii. 8. Chrift was fo poor, that when he wanted money, he was fain to work a miracle for it, Matth. xvii. 27. He, when he died, made no will. He came into the world poor.

4. Why he came. That he might take our flefh, and redeem us; that he might inflate us into a kingdom. He was poor, that he might make us rich, 2 Cor. viii. y. He was born of a virgin, that he might be born of God. He took our flefh, that he might give us his Spirit. He lay in th€ manger, that we might lie in paradife. He came down from heaven, that ,he might bring us to heaven. And what was all this but love ? If our hearts be not rocks, this love of Chrift fliould affedt us : behold love that palTeth knowledge! Eph- iii. 19.

Branch 2. See here the wonderful humility of Chrift : Chrift; was made flefli, Oj'anciu humiliias, tii fiiiam Dei defcendere fecijiiin iitenim, Marke Virginis, Auftin. That Chrift (hould clothe himlelf with our flefti, a piece of that earth which we tread upon ; O infinite humility ! Chrift's taking our flefli, was one of the loweft fteps of his humiliation. Chrift did humble himfelf more in lying in the Virgin's womb, than in hanging upon the crofs. It was not fo much for man to die, but for

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God to become n)an, that was the wonder of humilify, Phil. jL 7. • He was made in the hkenels of man.' For Chrilt to be made flefli, was more hnmilily, than for the angels to be made worms, Chrilt's flefti iscalled a vail, Hebrews x. 20. ' Through the vail,' that is, his flelh, Chrill's wearing our fleili, vailed his glory. For him to be made flelh, who was equal with God, O humility ! Phil. ii. (5. ' Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God.' He flood upon even ground with God, he was co-effential and con-fubftantial with his Father, as Auftinand Cyril, and the council of Nice exprtls it; yet, for all this, he takes flefh. Chrillftript himfelf of the robes of his glory, and covered himfelf with the rags of our hu-manitjr. If Solomon did fb wonder that God ftiould dwell in the temple, which was enriched and hung with gold, how may we wonder that God fhould dwell in man's weak and frail nature ? Nay, which is yet more humility, Chrift not only took our flefh, but took it when it was at the worll, under dilgrace ; as if a fervant fhould wear a nobleman's livery, when he is impeached of high trealbn. Nay, befides, Chrili took all the infirmities of our flefli. There are two (brts of infirmities ! Such as are finful without pain, or fuch as are painful without fin. The firlt of ihefe infirmities Chrift did not take upon him, finful infirmities, to be covetous or ambitious, Chrili never took thefe upon him : But Chrift took upon him painful infirmities ; as, 1. Plunger, Matth. xxi. 18. He came to the fig-tree, and would have eaten. 2. Wearinefs ; as when he fat on Jacob's well to reft him, John iv. 6. 3. Sorrow, Matth. xxvi. 38. * My Ibul is exceeding forrowful, even unto death.' It was a forrow guided with realbn, not difturbed with paflion. 4. Fear, Heb. V. 7. 'He was heard in that he feared.' Nay, yet a further degree of Chrift's humility, he not only was made flefh, but in the likenefs of finful flefh, * He knew no fin, yet he was made fin,' 2 Cor. v. 21. He was like a finner ; he had all fin laid upon him, but no fin lived in him. lia. liii. 12. ' He was numbered among tranTgreffors.' He who was numbered among the perfons of the Trinity, he is faid to bear the * fins of many,' Heb. ix. 28. Now, this was the loweft degree of Chrift's humiliation: For Chrift to be reputed as a finner, never ftich a pattern of humility. That Chrift, who would not endure fin in the angels, fhould himfelf endure to have fin imputed to him, it is the moft amazing humility that ever was.

From all this learn to be humble. Doft thou fee Chrift humbling himfelf, and art thou proud } 'Tis the humble laint that is Chrift's picture. Chriftians, be not proud of your fine feathers : 1. Haft thou an eftate ! be not proud, the earth thou treadeft on is richer than thou : it hath mines of gold and filver in the bowels of it. 2. Haft thou beauty ? be not proud : it

is but air antl dud mingled. 3. Haft thou fkill and parts ? be humble: Lucifer hath more knowledge than thou. 4. Hait thou grace ? be humble : thou hafi it. not of thy own growth, it is borrowed. Were it not lolly to [>e proud of a ring that is lent.? 1 Cor. iv. 7. Thou halt more tin than grace, fpots than beauty. O look on Chrlil:, this rare pattern, and be humbled ! It is an unfeemly fight to fee God hiunbling himfelf, and man exalting himfelf; to fee an humble Saviour, and a proud finner. God hates the very refemblance of pride, Lev. ii. 11. He would have no honey in thefacrifice. Indeed leaven is four ; but why-no honey ? becaufe, when honey is mingled with meal or flour, it makes the meal to rife and fwell; therefore no honey. God hates the refemblance of the fin of pride ; better want parts, comforts of Spirit, than humility. Si Dens fuperbientihiis ange-lis noil pepercit: If God, faith Auffin, fpared not the angels, when they grew proud, will he fpare thee, who art but duft and rotten nefs?

Branch 3. Behold here a facred riddle or paradox ; * God manifefl in the tlefh.' Tlie text calls it a myftery. That man fhould be made in God's image, was a wonder ; but that God fliould be made in man's image, is a greater wonder. That the Ancient of days ihould be born, that he who thunders in the heaven fliould cry in the cradle : Q/«' tonitruat in ccclis, claniat in cunabulis ; qui regit/idem, fugit libera; that he who rules the flars, fliould fuck the breafl; that a virgin (hould conceive, that Chrift fhould be made of a woman, and of that woman which himfelf made ; that the branch fliould bear the vine; that the mother fhould be younger than the child fhe bare, and the child in the womb bigger than the mother ; that the human nature fliould not be God, yet one with God : this was not only minun but miracuhim. Chrift taking flefh is a myftery we fliall never fully underftand till we come to heaven, when our light fliall be clear, as well as our love perfect.

Brancli 4. From hence, ' God manifeft in the flefli, Chrift born of'a virgin,' a thing not only ftrange in nature, but im-poflible, learn, * That there are no impoffibilities with God :' God can bruig about things which are not within the fphere of nature to produce; th it iron fliould fwim, that the rock fhould gufh out water, that the fire Ihould lick up the water in the trendies, 1 Kings xviii. 28. 'Tis natural for the water to quench (he fire, but for the fire to confume the water, this is impoffible in the courfe of nature : but God can bring about all this, Jer. xxxii. 27. ' There is nothing too hard "for thee.' Zech. viii. 0. ' If it be marvellous in your eyes, fhould it be marvellous,in my eyes? faith the Lord.' How fhould God be united to our flefli? it is impoflible to us, but not with God ; he can do what tranfcends reufon, and exceeds faith. He

CHRIST S HUMILIATION

would not be our God, if he could not do more than we can think, Eph. iii. 20. He can reconcile contraries. How apt are we to be diicouraged with feeniingimpoffibilities ? How do our hearts die within us, when things go crofs to our fenfe and realon ? We are apt to fay as that prince, 2 Kings tii. 1, ^2. ' If the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be ?' It was a time of famine, and now that a meafure of wheat, which was a good part of a bufhel, fhould be fold for a (hekel, viz. half an ounce of fiiver, how can this be? So, when things are crofs, or ftrange, God's own people are apt to queftion, how they fhould be brought about with fuccefs ? Mofes, who was a man of God, and one of the brightell (tars that ever fhined in the firmament of God's church, yet he was apt to be dif-couraged with feeming impofiibilities, Numb. xi. 21. * And Mofes faid, the people among whom I am, are fix hundred thoufand footmen, and thou haft laid, I will give them flefh, that they may eat for a whole month : (hall the flocks and herds be (lain for them to fulTice them? or (hall all the fith of the lea be gathered for them, to fulfice them ?' As if he had faid, in plain language, he did not fee how the peopleof Ifrael, being fo numerous, could be fed for a month, ver. 23. * And the Lord faid, Is the Lord's hand waxed fliort ?* Surely, that God who brought Ilaac out of a dead womb, and the Me(riah out of a virgin's womb, what cannot he do? O let us reft upon the arm of God's power, and believe in him, in the midti of feeming impofiibilities. Rcniember, * there are no impofiibilities with God.' He can fubdue a proud heart. He canraife a dying church. Chrift born of a virgin, that wonder-working God that wrought this, can bring to pafs the greateil feeming impofiibilities.

C//e 2. Of exhortation. Branch I. Seeing Chrift took our fle(h, and was born of ,a virg!^, let us labour that he may be fpiritually born in our hearts. What will it profit us, that Chrift was born into the world, imlefs he be born in our hearts ; that he was united to our nature, uulefs he be united to our }>errons? Marvel not that I fay to you, Chrift muft be born again, viz. in our hearts, Gal. iv. 19. ' Till Chrift be formed in you.* Now, then, try if Chrift be born in your hearts.

Q. How fhall we know t/iat 9

Anf. 1. There are pangs before the birth ; fo, before Chrift be born in the heart, there are fpiritual pangs. Some pangs of confcience, deep convi6lions, A6ts ii. of. ' They were pricked at their heart.' I grant the new-birtti doth redpere magis et rninus —all have not the fame pangs of forrow and humiliation, yet all have pang^. If Chrift be born in thy heart, thou halt been deeply affli6ted for fin. Chrift is never born in the heart without pangs. Many thank God they never had any trouble

of fpirit, they were always quiet; a fign Chrift is not yet formed in them.

2. As, when Chrift was l>orn into the world, he was made fleth ; fo, if he be born in thy heart, he makes thy heart an heart offlefl^, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. Is thy heart incarnate ? before it was a rocky heart and would not yield to God, or take tfie imprefllons of the word ; durum eji quod non cedit taBuii now it is tlefhly and tender, like melted wax, to take any ilamp of the Spirit. This is a fign Chrift is born in our hearts ; when they are hearts of flelli, they melt in tears and in love. What is it the better Chrift was made tielh, unlefs he hath given thee an heart of flefli ?

3. Chrift was conceived in the womb of a virgin ; fo, if he be born in thee, thy heart is a virgin-heart, in relpe6t of fmcerity and fan6tity. Art thou purified from the love of fin ? If Chnft be born in thy heart, it is a Jan^u7n fa?iclorum, an holy of holies. If thy heart be polluted with the predominant love of fin, never think Chrift is born there ; Chrift will never lie any more in a ftable. If he be born in thy heart, it is coniecrated by the Holy Ghoft.

4. If Chrift be born in thy heart, then it is with thee as in a birth : i. There is life. Faith is principium vivens, it is the vital artery of the foul, Gal. ii. 20. ' The life that I live in the tlefli, is by the faith of the Son of God.' 2. There isappe-tite, 1 Pet. ii. 7. ' As new born babes, defire the fincere milk of the word.' The word is like breaft-milk, pure, fweet, nou-rifliing ; the ft>ul in which Chrift is formed, defires this breaft-milk. St. Bernard, in one of his foliloquies, comforts himfelf with this. That fure he had the new birth in him, becaufe he found in his heart fuch ftrong anhelations and thriftings after God. 3. Motion. After Chrift is born in the heart, there is a violent tnotion ; there is ftriving ' to enter in at the ftrait gate,' and offering violence to the kingdom of heaven, Matlh. xii. II. By this we may know Chrift is formed in us. I'his is the only comfort, that as Chrift was born into the world, fo he is born in our hearts; as he was united to our flefti, lb he is united to our perfon.

Brajich 2. As Chrift was made in our image, let us labour to be made in his image : Chrift l)eing incarnate was made like us, let us labour to be made like him. There are three things in which we fliould labour to be like Chriil. I. In dilpofition. He was of a raoft I'weet difpoiition delicice liumani generh. Tit. Vefpafian. He invites iinners to come to him. He hath bowels to pity us, breatls to feed us, wings to cover us. lie would not break our heart, but with mercy. Was Chrift made in our likenefs.'^ let us labour to be made in his likeneCs. Let us be like him in this (wt^etnefs of difpofilion : be not of a ino-

rofefpiiit. It was faid of Nabal, 1 Sam. xxv. 18. * He is I'lich a fon of Belial, tliat a man cannot ipeak to him.' Some are lb barbarous, as if they were a-kin to the ollrich, they are fired with rage, and breathe forth nothing but revenge; like thofe two men in the golpel ' poil'elVed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceedmg fierce,' Matth. viii. 28. Let us be Jike Chrill in mildnefs and fweetnels. Let ns pray for our enemies, and conquer them by love. David's kindnefs melted Saul's heart, 1 Sam. xxiv. 16. A frozen heart will be thawed with the fire of love.

2. Be like Chrift in grace. He was like us in having our ilefh, let us be like him in having his grace. Li three graces we fhould labour to be like Chtili: 1. In humility, Phil. ii. 8.

* He humbled himfelf;' he left the bright robes of his glory, to be clothed with the rags of our humanity ; a wonder to humility '- Let us be like Chrill in this grace. Humility, faith St. Bernard, is contemptus proprios excellentia, a contempt of fell-excellency, a kind of felt-annihilation. This is the glory of a Chrifiian. We are never lb comely in God's eyes, as when we are black in our own. In this let us be like Chrift. True religion is to imitate Chrift. And indeed, what caufe have we to be humble, if we look within us, about us, below us, above us ?

(1.) If we look intra nos, within us, here we fee our fins re-prefented to us in the glafs of confcience ; luft, envy, paffion. Our fins are like vermin crawling in our fouls. Job xiii. 23.

* How many are my iniquities V Our fins are as the fands of the lea for number, as the rocks of the fea for weight. Auftin cries out, Vae mihi,fcecibus peccatorinn poUuitur temphnn Domini, —My heart, which is God's temple, is polluted with fin.

(2.) If we \ooVjuxta nos, about us ; here is that may humble us. We may fee other Chriftians out-lhining us in gifts and graces, as the fun out-fhines the lefTer planets. Others are laden with fruit, perhaps we have but here and there an olive-berry growing, to Ihew that we are of the right kind, lia. xvii. 6.

(3.) If we look infra nos, below us ; here is that may humble us. We may fee the mother earth, out of which we came. The earth is the mofl: ignoble element, Job xxx. S. ' Thou art viler than the earth.* Thou that dolt fet up thy fcutcheon, and blaze thy coat of arms, behold thy pedigree ; thou art but pidvis animaiuSy walking allies: and wilt thou be proud ! What is Adam } He is the Ton of dull ; and what is dull } the fon of nothing.

(4.) If we locXi fnpra nos, above us ; here is that may humble US!. If we look up to heaven, there we may fee God relifling xhk-^XQ^MdLy^SuperbQitfeqmiur nltor a tergo Dens —The proud

man is the mark which Godfhootsat, and he never mifies the mark. He threw proud Lucifer out of heaven ; he thruft proud Nebnchadnezzar out of his throne, and turned him to eat grafs, Dan iv. t>9. O then be Hke Chrii't in humility.

3. Did Chrift take our flefli ? was he made like to us? let us be made like to him in zeal, John ii. Kj. ' The zeal of thy houfe hath eaten me up.* He was zealous when his Father was diflionoured. In this let us be like Chrift, zealous for God's truth and glory, which are the two orient pearls of the crown of heaven. Zeal is as needful for a Chriflian, as (alt for the fa-crifice, or fire on the altar. Zeal without prudence, is rafh-nefs; prudence without zeal, is cowardlinefs. Without zeal, our duties are not acceptable to God. Zeal is like rofin to the bovv-ltrings, without which the lute makes no mufic.

4. Be like Chrift, in the contempt of the world. When Chrift took our flefh, he came not in the pride of flefli, he did not defcend immediately from kings and nobles, but was of mean parentage. Chriil was not ambitious of titles of honour. Chrift did as much decline the worldly dignity and greatnefs, as others feek it. When they would have made him a king, he refuCed it; he chofe rather to ride upon the foal of an afs, llian to be drawn in a chariot; and to hang upon a wooden crofs, than to wear a golden crown. Chrift fcorned the pomp and glory of the world; he waved fecular aflairs, Luke xii. 13. * Who made me a judge ?' His work was not to arbitrate matters of law ; he came not into the world to be a magiftrate, but a Redeemer. Chrift was like a ftar in an higher orb, he minded nothing but heaven. Was Chrift made like us? let us be made like him, in heavenlinefs and contempt of the world. Let us not be ambitious of the honours and preferments of the world ; let us not purchale the world with the lofs of a good conlcience. What wife man would damn himlelf, to grow rich? or pull down his foul, to build up an eftate ? Be like Chrift iff an holy contempt of the world.

5. Be like Chrift in converfation. Was Chrift incarnate? was he made like us? let us be made like him in holinefg of life. No temptation could faften upon Chrift. John xiv. 30. * The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.* Temptation to Chrift was like a fpark of fire upon a marble pillar, which glides oft". Chrift's life, faith Chryfoftom, was brighter than the fun beams. Let us be like him in this, 2 Pet, j. 10. * Be ye holy in all manner of converfation.* We are not, faith Auftin, to be like Chrift in working miracles, but in a holy life. A chriftian fliould be both a loadftone and a diamond : a loadltone, in drawing others to Chrijl; ; a <iiamond, cafting a fparkling luftre of holinefs in his life, O let us be fo juft in our dealings, lb true in our promileSj fo dsvout ia OUi'

Vol. L No. 5. D d

worfhip, fo unblameable in our lives, that we'may be the walking pi6tures of Chrift. Thus as Chrilt was made in our like-nel's, let us labour to be made in his likenefs.

Branch 3. If Jefus Chrift was fo abafed for us; he took our flefli, which wns a difparagement to him ; it was mingling duft with gold : if he, I fiiy, abafed himfelf fo for us, let us be willing to be abafed for him. If the world reproach us for Chrift's lake, and call duft on our name, let us bear it with patience. The Apoftles, A6is v. 41. departed from the council ' rejoicing that they were counted worthy to fufter fhame for Chrift's name :' that they were graced to bedifgraced for Chrift. That is a good faying of St. Auftin, Quid fuit detrahitfamce, mece addet mercedi mece; they who take away from a faint's name, fliall add to his reward ; and while they make his credit weigh .lighter, they make his crown weigh heavier. O was Chrift content to be humbled and abafed for us, to take our flefh, and to take it when it was in difgrace! Let us not think much to be abafed for Chrift. Say as David, 2 Sam, vi. 22. * If this be to be vile, I will yet be more vile.' If to ferve my Lord Chrift, if to keep my conlcience pure, if this be to be vile, I will yet be more vile.

Ufe 3d, of comfort, Jefus Chrift having taken our flefh, hath ennobled our nature, naturam noftrum nobilitavit. Our nature is now inverted with greater royalties and privileges than in time of innocency. Before, in innocency, we were made in the image of God ; but now, Chrift having aifumedour nature, we are made one with God ; our nature is ennobled above the angelical nature. Chrift taking our flefti,.hath made us nearer to himfelf than the angels. The angels are his friends, believers are flefli of his flelh, his members, Eph. v. 30. and chap. i. 23. And the fame glory which is put upon Chrift's human nature, fhall be put upon believers.

CHRIST'S EXALTATION.

Phil. ii. 9. Wherefore God alfo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every HUfnCf &c.

Before, we have fpoken of Chrift's humiliation, now of his exaltation : before you law the Sun of righteoufnefs in the eclipfe; now you ftiall fee it coming out of the eclipfe; and ihining in its full fpendor and glory: 'Wherefore God hath highly exalted him ;' fnper exaltavit, Ambr. ** Above all ex-9^ha,tion."

Q, XXVIII. Wherein conffts Chriffs exaltation?

Anf. In his rifing from the dead, his afcending into heaven ; and fitting at the right hand of God the Father, &c.

Q. In what fenfe hath God exalted Chriji ?

Anf. Not in refped of Chrift's Godhead, for that cannot be exalted higher than it is : as in ChriiVs humiliation the Godhead was not lower: fo in his exaltation, the Godhead is not higher: but Chrift is exalted as Mediator, his human nature is exalted.

Q. Hoio many loays is Chriji exalted?

Anf. Five ways : God hath exalted Chrift. 1. In his titles. 2. In his oftice. 3. In his afcenfion. 4. In his feflion at God's right hand. 5. In condituting him the judge of the world.

Firji title. 1. God hath exalted Chrill in his titles, 1. He is exalted to be a Lord, A6ts ix. 17. ' The name of the Lord Jefus was magnified.' He is a Lord in refpeA of his fovereignty ; he is Lord over angels and men. Mat. xxviii. 18. * All power is given to him.' Chrift hath three keys in his hand, the key of the grave, to open the graves of men at the refurre6tion ; the key of heaven, to open the kingdom of heaven to whom he will; the key of hell; Rev. i. 18. to lock up the damned in that fiery prifon.

To this Lord all knees rauftbow, Phil. ii. 10. * That at the name of Jefus every knee ftiould bow :' Name, is put here for perfon ; to that holy thing Jefus, to the fceptre of that divine perfon every knee (liall bow. Boicing is put iorfubjection ; all muft be fubdued to him as fons or captives, fubmit to him as to the Lord or judge ; ' Kifs the Son,' Pfal. ii. 12. with a kifs of love and loyalty. We muft not only call ourfelves into Chrift's arms to be faved by him, but we mull call ourfelves at his feet, to ferve him.

Second title, Chrift is exalted to be a prince, Dan. xii. 1, * There Ihall ftand up Michael the great prince;' Some think it was a created angel, but it was Angelas Fcederis, Chrift the angel of the covenant. He is a great prince. Rev. i. 5. ' The Prince of the kings of the earth :' they hold their crowns by immediate tenure from him ; his throne is above the liars, he hath angels and archangels for his attendants. Thus he is exalted in his titles of honour.

Qdly, God hath exalted Chrift in his oftice ; he hath honoured him to be Salvator mundi, the Saviour of the world, A6ls v. 31. 'Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince, and a Saviour.' It was a great honour to Moles to be a temporal Saviour; but what is it to be the Saviour of fou!.>> ? Chrift is Cidled the horn of falvation, Luke i. 69. He laves from fin, Matth. i. 24. From wrath, 1 Thef. i. 10. To fave is a flower belongs only to his crown, A6ts iv. 12. ' Neither is there falvation in any other.' What an honour is this to Chrift .^ how

Dd2

S19 CHRIST S EXALTATION.

<]otli this make heaven ring of faints praifes? They fing hallelujahs to Chrilt their Saviour, Rev. v. 9. ' They fung a new long, laying, thou art worthy to take the book and open the feals; for thou wall llain, and hall redeemed us to God by thy blood.'

Sdlij, God hath exalted Chrift in his afcenfion, if he be af-cended, then he is exalted. Aullin faith '• Some were of opinion that Chrift's body afcended into the orb and circle of the fun :" fo the Hermians. But the fcripture is plain, he afcended into heaven, Luke xxiv. 51. and Eph. iv. 10. ' Far above all heavens;' therefore above the firmament. He is afcended into the highell part of the empyrean heaven, which Paul calls the third heaven. Concerning Chrift's afcenfion, two things:

1. The manner of Chrift's afcenfion; 1ft, Chrift being to afcend, blelied his dilciples, Luke xxiv, 50. ' He lift up his hands, and blelfed them, and while he blelfed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.' Chrift did not leave his difciples houfes and iandsr, but he left them his hlelfmg.

'2dhj, Chrift afcended as a conqueror, in a way of triumph, Pfal. Ixviii. 18. ' Thou hall led captivity captive,' &c. He triumphed over fin, hell, and death;, and Chrift's triumph is a believer's triumph : Chrift hath conquered fm and hell for every believer.

Sdly^ The fruit of Chrift's afcenfion : Chrift's afcenfion to heaven caufeth the defcenlion of the holy Spirit into our hearts, Jlph. iv. 8. * When he afcended up on high, he gave gifts to jmen.* Chrift having afcended up in the clouds, as his triumphant chariot, gives the gift of his Spirit to us : as a king at his coronation b^ftows gifts liberally to his favourites.

Athly, God hath exalted Chrift in his (elfion at God's right hand, Mark xvi. 16. * After the Lord had fpoken to them, he was received up into heaven, and fat upon the right hand of God.' Eph. i. 20. * He raifed him from the dead, and let him at his own right hand, far above all principality, and power, and every name that is named.*

Q. What is meant by Chrift's Jilting at God's right hand'^ ■

An/. To fpeak properly, God hath no right-hand or left; for being a fpirit, he is void of all bodily parts : but it is a borrowed fpeech, a metaphor taken from the manner of kings, who were wont to advance their favourites next to their own perfons, and let them at their right-hand : Solomon caufed a feat to be let for the queen his mother, and placed her at his right-hand, 2 Kings ii. 10. So for Chrift to fit at the right-hand of God, is to be in the next place to God the Father in dignity and honour. The human nature of Chrift, being perfonally

united to the divine, is now fet down on a ro5'al throne in heaven, and adored even of angels.

By virtue of the peribnal union of ChriIVs hunian nature with the divine, there is a communication of all that glory from the Deity of Chrift as his human nature is capable of. Not that the manhood of Chrift is advanced to an equality with the Godhead, but the divine nature being joined with the human, the human nature is wonderfully glorified, though not deified. Chrift as mediator is filled with all majeily and honour, beyond the comprehenfion of the higheft order of angels : Chrift in his humiliation defcended To low, that it was not fit to go lower ; and in his exaltation he albended fo high, that it is not poflihle to go higher. In his reCurredion he was exalted above the grave, in his aicenfion he was exalted above the aery and ftarry heaven ; in his fitting at God's right-hand, he is exalted above the higheft heavens far, Eph. iv. 10. * Far above all heavens.* bthly, God hath exalted Chrift in conftituting him judge of the whole world, John v. 9^2. * The Father hath committed all judgment to the Son.' At that day of judgment ftiall Chrift be exalted fupereminently, * He fliall come in the glory of his Father,' Mark viii. 38. He ftiall wear the fame embroidered robes of majefty, as the Father ; and he fliall come with all his holy angels, Mat. xxv. 31. He who was led to the bar with a band of foldiers, ftiall be attended to the bench with a guard of angels: Chrift fhall judge his judges, He fliall judge Pilate that condemned him : kings mull leave their throne, and come to his bar. And this is the higheft court of judicature, from whence is no appeal.

\ft life of information. Branch 1. See Chrift's diflferent ftate on earth, and now in heaven : O how is thelcene altered ! when he was on earth, he lay in a manger, now he fits on a throne ; then was he hated and fcorned of men, now he is adored of angels ; then his name was reproached, now * God hath given him a name above every name,' Phil. ii. P. Then he came in the form of a fervant, and as a fervan% ftood with his bafon and towel, and waflied his difciples feet, John xiii. 4, 5^ now he is clad in his prince's robes, and the kings of the earth caft their crowns before him ; on earth he was a man of forrow, now he is anointed with the oil of gladnefs; on earth was his crucifixion, now his coronation ; then his Father frowned upon him ia defertion, now he hath fet him at his right-hand ; before he feemed to have no form oi- beauty in him, Ifa. liu. 3. now he is the brightneis of his Father's glory, Heb. i. 3. O what a change is here ! ' him hath God highly exalted.' Li Branch 2. Was Chrift firft humble, and then exalted ? hence :^ learn, ' the way to true honour is humility,' Luke xiv. 11. ^ He that hmnbleth himfelf ftiall be exalted.'"^ The world looks

ypon humility as that which will make one contemptible, but it is the ready way to honour: the way to rife is to fall, the way to afcend is to delcend. Humility exalts us in the elteem of men, and it exalts us loan higher throne in heaven, Mat. xviii. 4. ' Wliolbever ihall humble himfelf as this little child, the fame is the grealeft in the kingdom of heaven,' viz. He (hall have a greater degree ol glory in it.

Branch 3. Chnll fullered, and then was exalted ; fee hence, that iutferings muft go before glory. Many defire to be glorified with Chrift, but they are not content to fuller for Chrift, 2 Tim. ii. 12. ' If wefutler with him, we fiiall reign with him.* The wicked firll reign and then futler; the godly firftlliifer and then reign : there is no way to Conftantinople, but through the Straits ; no way to heaven, but through fufferings ; no way to the crown but by the way of the crofs. Jerulalem above is a pleafant city, (Ireets of gold, gates of pearl; but we mufl travel through a dirty road to this city, through many reproaches and fufferings. Acts xiv. 22. We muft enter into glory as Chrift did ; lirft he fuffered ftjame and death, and now is exalted to fit at God's right-hand,

2c? Uj'e, of comfort. Branch 1. Chrift, being fo highly exalted, bath ennobled our nature ; he hath crowned it with glory, and lifted it above angels and archangels; though Chrift, as he was man, was made a little lower than the angels, Heb. ii. y. yet as the human nature is united to the divine, and is at God's right-hand, fo the human nature is above the angels. And if God hath lb dignified our human nature, what a fliameis it that we fliould debafe it? God hath exalted the human nature above the angels, and the drunkard abafeth the human nature below the beafts.

Branch 2. Chrift being exalted at God's right-hand, the key of government is laid upon his fhoulders ; he governs all the affairs of the world for his own glory. Do you think when Chrift is fo highly advanced, and hath all power in heaven and earth in his hand, he will not take care ofhiseled, and turn the moll alloniftiing providences to the good of his church? In a clock, the wheels move crofs one to another, but all make the clock ftrike ; fo Chrift being at his Father's right-hand, he will make the moll crofs providences tend to the lalvation of his church.

Branch 3. Chrift being at God's right-hand, we may be afiured he hath now finllhed the work of man's redemption, Heb. X. 12. ' This man, after he had oftered one faciifice for fins, for ever fat down on the right-hand of God.' If Chrift had not fully expiated fin, and Ikti^fied God's law, he had not fitten down at God's right-hand, but had Itill lain in the grave: but now he is exalted to glory : this is an evident token he hath

done and fuffered all that was required of him, for the working out of our redemption.

Branch 4. 7'hough Jefus Chrift is fo highly exalted in glory, yet he is not forgetful of us on earth. Some, when they are raifed to places of honour forget their friends ; when the chief butler was rellored to his place at court, then he forgot poor Jofeph in prifon : but it is not fo with Chrilt; though he be exalted to fuch glory in heaven, yet he is not unmindful of his i'aints on earth. Our high prieft hath all the names and wants of his people written upon his bread-plate : art thou tempted? Though Chrift be in glory, he knows how to pity and fuccour thee, Heb. iv. 25. * We have not an high-prielt that catmot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.* Doil thou mourn for fin? Chrift, though in a glorified ftate, he hears thy fighs, bottles thy tears.

Branch 5. Chrift being exalted at God's right-hand, this is for the comfort of believers, that they Ihall one day be exalted to that place of glory where he is : Cbrill's exaltation is our exaltation. Chrift hath prayed for this, John xvii. 24. * Father, I will that all thofe whom thou haft given me, be with me where I am.' And he is laid to go before, to * prepare a place' for believers, John xiv. 2. Chrift is called the head, the church is called his body, Eph. i. 22, 23, The head being exalted to honour, the body myftical fliall be exalted too ; as fure as Chrift is exalted far above all heavens, fo fure will he in-ftate believers in all that glory which his human nature is adoro-ed with, John xvii. 22. As he here puts this grace upon the faints, fo (hortiy will he put his glory upon them. This is comfort to the poorelt Chriftian : perhaps thou haft fcarce an houfe to put thy head in, yet thou mayell look up to heaven, and fay, there is my houfe, there is my country ; and I have already taken poflelfion of heaven in my head Chrift ; he fits there, and it will not be long before I fhall fit there with him ; he is upon the throne of glory, and I have his word for it, I (hall fit upon the throne with him. Rev. iii. 21.

3d Uj'e, Of exhortation : Hath God highly exalted Chrift? Let us labour to exalt him. Let us exalt, 1. His perfon. 2. His truths.

1. Let us exalt Chrift in our hearts ; believe, O adore and love him. We cannot lift Chrift up higher in heaven, but we may in our hearts. 2. Let us exalt him in our lips; let us praife him. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Gholt, our tongues muft be the organs in thel'e temples ; by praifing and commending Chrift, we exalt him in the efteein of others. 3. Let us exalt him in our lives, by living holy lives : vera reVigio h(ec,Jine macula vivere ladiant. It is not all the doxologies and prayers in the;world do fo exalt Chrift, as an holy lite : ihis

SIO CHRIST THE REDEEMER.

makes Chrifi; renowned, and lifts him up indeed, when his followers walk worthy of Chrift.

2. Let us exalt Chrift's truths. Bucholcerus, in his chronology, reports ofthe nobles of Polonia, that when ever the gofpel is read, they lay their hands upon their I'words, by that intimating they are ready to maintain the gofpel with the hazard of their lives. Let us exalt Chrift's truths ; maintain the truths of Chrift againft error ; maintain the do6lrine of free grace againft merit; the Deity of Chrift againll Socinianiim.

Truth is the mod orient pearl of Chiift's crown ; contend for the truth, as one would for a funi of money, that it fhould not be wrefted out of his hand : this Chrift takes to be an exalting of him, when we exalt his truth, wherein his glory is fo much concerned.

CHRIST THE REDEEMER.

Q. XXX.. HOW doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchafed by Chriji 9

A. The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchafed by Chrift, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Chrift in our effe6lual calling.

Here are in this anfwer two things : 1 Something implied, viz, that Chrift is the glorious purchafer of our redemption, in thefe words, ' The redemption purchafed by Chrift.*

2. Something exprelfed, viz. that the Spirit applies to us this redemption purchafed, by working faith in us, <Scc.

(I.) The thing here implied, that Jefus Chrift is the glorious purchafer of our redemption. The do6lrine of redemption by Jefus Chrift is a glorious do6lrine ; it is the marrow and quint-effence of the golpel : in this all a Chriftian's comfort lies. Great was the workiof creation, but greater the work of redemption ; it coll more to redeem us than to make us; in the one there was but the fpeaking of a word, in the other fliedding of blood, Luke i. 51. The creation was but the work of God's fingers, Pf. viii. 3. Redemption the work of his arm, Heb. ix. V2. * Having obtained eternal redemption for us.' Chrift's pur-chafing redemption tor us, implies, that our fins did mortgage and fell us ; had there not been fome kind of mortgaging, there })ad been no need of redemption : redimere q. rurfus emere, Hierom. Now Chrift, when we were thus mortgaged, and fold byfii), did purchafe our redemption : Chrift had the beft right to redeem us, for lie is our kinluian. The Hebrew word tor Redeemer, God, fignifies a kini'man one that is near in blood : in the old law the nearelt kinfmau was to redeem hi^ brother's land.

CHRIST THE REDEEMER. '21?

Ruth iv. 4. Thus Chrift being near a-kin to us, * Flefh of our flefh,' is the fitted to redeem us.

Q. Ho2c doth Chri/i redeem iis ?

A. By his own precious blood, Eph. i. 7. * In whom we have redemption through his blood.* Among the Romans, he was Paid to redeem another, that laid down a price equivalent for the ranfom of the prifoner. In this fenfe Chrift is a Redeemer, he hath paid a price. Never fuch a price paid to ranfom priibners, 1 Cor. vi. 20. * Ye urepretioempti, bought with a price: and this price was his own blood.' So, in the text, ' by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for ns, this blood being the blood of that perfon who was God as well as man, is a price fufficient for the ranfom of millions.

.Q. Frojn what doth Chriji redeem us ?

A. From fin to be redeemed from Turkifh flavery is a great mercy, but it is infinitely more to be redeemed from fin. There is nothing can hurt the foul, but fin : It is not affli6lion hurts it, it often makes it better, as the furnace makes gold the purer; but it is fin that doth damnify. Now, Chrift redeems us from fin, Heb. ix. 26. * Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away fin by the facrifice of himfelf.'

Q. But how are we redeemed fromJhi 9 Do we not fee cor- -ruption Jiirring in the regenerate ? Much pride and mortified paf-Jion ?

Anf. We muft diftinguifh of redemption : redemption is either inchoata ovplena ; i. e. a redemption but begun, and per-fe«5t; fin cannot ftand with a perfe6t redemption : but here it is begun ; fin may ftand with an imperfe6l redemption. There may be fome darknefs in the air, at the fun's firft rifing, but not when the fun is at the full meridian : while our redemption is but begun, there may be fin ; but not when it is perfe6l in glory.

Q. But in what fen/e hath Chriji redeemed jiijiijied perjons from, fin ?

Anf 1. reatiiy from the guilt of fin, though not the ftain. Guilt is the binding a perfon over to punifiiment. Now Chrift hath redeemed a juftified perfon from ihe guilt of fin ; he hath difcharged his debts. Chrift faith to God's juftice, as Paul to Philemon, * If he hath wronged thee any thing, or owes thee ought, put that on my account,' vet. 18.

2. A juftified perfon is redeemed a duminio, from the power and regency of fin, though not the prefence. Sin may furere, but not regnare ; it may rage in a child of God, but not reign : luft did rage in David, fear in Peter, but it did not reign ; they recovered themfeives by repentance, Rom. vi. 14. * iiu fliall

Vol. I. No. 5. Ee

not have dominion over you.' Sin lives in a child of God, bat is depofed from the throne ; it lives not as a king, but a captive.

3. A believer is redeemed a maledictione, from the curfe due to fin, Gal. iii. 13. * Chrill hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for us.' Chrill faid to his Father, as Rebecca to Jacob, * upon me, upon me be the curfe ; let the bleflmg be upon them, but upon me be the curfe.' And now, there is no condemnation to believers, Rom. viii. 1. An unbeliever hath a double condemnation ; one from the law which he hath tranfgrelled, and the other from the gofpel which he haih defpifed. But Chrift hath redeemed a believer from this malediction, he hath fet him out of the power of hell and damnation.

Q. To what hath Chrift redeemed us?

A. He hath redeemed us to a glorious inheritance, I Pet. i. 4. ' To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, referved in heaven for you.'

1. To an inheritance : Chrift hath not only redeemed us out of prilbn, but he hath redeemed us to a llate of happinefs, to an inheritance; heaven is not a leafe which loon expires, but an inheritance ; and a glorious inheritance, Col. i. 12. An inheritance in light. Lumen a8uat colores ; light adorns and gilds the world : what were the world without light but a pri-fon ? The heavenly inheritance is irradiated with light: Chrift, as a continual fun, enlightens it with his beams. Rev. xxi. 23. , 2. To an inheritance hicorrnptihle: It doth not moulder away, or futTer diliblution. Earthly comforts are fhadowed out by the tabernacle, which was tranfient ; but heaven is fet out by the temple which was fixed and permanent, built with flone, overlaid with gold. This is the glory of the celellial iiiheritance; it is incorruptible. Eternity is written upon the frontifpiece of it.

3. Undejiled. The Greek word for undefiled, alludes to a precious i'tone called Amiantus, which cannot be blemifhed : fucb a place is heaven, undefiled, nothing can (lain it; there's no fin there to eclipie its purity. For the holinefs and unde-lilednels ol it, it is compared to pure gold, and to the fapphire and emerald. Rev. xxi. ** The Sapphire hath a virtue (laith Pliny) to preferve chafienefs; the Emerald to expel poilon." Thefe are the lively emblems of heaven, to (hew thelandlily of it; no fever of kill; no venom of malice ; there are none but pure virgin-fpirits inhabit it.

4. It fadeth not away: The Greek word is the name of a ■ flower Amaranlns which keeps a long time frefli and green, as Clen). Alexandrinus writes. Such is the heavenly inheritance, it doth not lole its orient colour, but keeps its frefhnefs and greennefs to eternity ; the beauty of it fadeth not away. * To this glorious inheritance hath Chrill redeemed the faints :' an

CHRIST THE REDEEMER. f I<>

inheritance which cannot be fully defcribed or let forth by all the lights of heaven, tho* every ftar were a fun. And that which is the diamond in the ring, the glory of this inheritance, is the eternal fight and fruition of the blefll'ed God ; the light of God will be a moft alluring, heart-ravilhing objeiSl: the king's prefence makes the court, John iii. 2. ' We (hall fee him as he is.* It is comfortable to fee God fliewing himfelf through the lattice of an ordinance, to fee him in the word and facrament: the martyrs thought it comfortable to fee him in a prifon: O then, what will it be to fee him in glory, Ihining ten thoufand times brighter than the fun! and not only fee him, but enjoy him forever ; Piwmium quod fide non attingitur, Aug. Faith it-felf is not able fully to comprehend this reward. And all this bleffednefs hath Chrift purchafed through the redemption of his blood.

Uj^ I. Branch 1. See into what a wretched, deplorable condition we had brought ourfelves by fin : we had finned ourfelves into flavery ; lb that we needed Chrift to purchafe our redemption : nihildurius fervitute ; Cicero. *'Slavery is the worll condition ;" fuch as are now prilbners in Algiers think it fo. But by fin we are in a worle llavery, flaves to Satan, a mercilefs tyrant, who fports in the damnation of fouls. In this condition we were when Chrift came to redeem us.

Branch a. See in this, as in a tranfparent glafs, the love of Chrift to the ele6l; he came to redeem them : thefe he died intentionally for. Were it not great love for a king's Ion to pay a great fum of money to redeem a captive ? But that he Ihould be content to be a prifoner in his Head, and die for his ranlbm ; this were matter of wonder. Jefus Chrift hath done all this, he hath written his love in chara6ters of blood :—It had been much for Chrift to Ipeak a good word to his Father for us, but he knew that was not enough to redeem us: though a word fpeaking made a world, yet it would not redeem a finner, Heb. ix. 22. ' Without Ihedding of blood, there is no remiffion.'

Qd Ufe, Of Trial. If Chrift came to purchafe our redemption, then let us try whether we are the perfons whom Chrill hath redeemed from the guilt and curie due to fin. This is a needful trial: for, let me tell you, there is but a certain number whom Chrift hath redeemed. O, fay finners, Chrift is a redeemer, and we (hall be laved by him ! Beloved, Chrift came not to redeem all; then we overthrow the decrees of God. Redemption is not as large as creation. I grant there is a futfi-ciency of merit in Chrift's blood to lave all ; but there's dift'er-ence between fulhciency and efficiency. Chrift's blood is a fulhcient price for all, but it is eftectual only to them that believe. A plaifter may have a fovereign virtue in it to heal any wound, but it doth not heal unleCs applied to the wound. And

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if it be fo, that all have not the benefit of Chrift's redemption, only fome; then it is a neceilary queftion to a{k our Ibuls, Whether we are in the number of tkem that are redeemed by Chriji or not 9

Q. Hoiv fliall we knoio that?

Anf. Such as are redeemed, are reconciled to God ; the enmity is taken away: their judgments approve, their wills incline ad honum. Col. i. 21. Are they redeemed that are unreconciled to God ? who hate God and his people, (as the vine and laurel have an antipathy) who do all they can to dil'parage holineis? Are thefie redeemed who are unreconciled? Chrill hath purchafed a reprieval for thefe : but a finner may have a reprieve, and yet goto hell, John v, 6.

2. Such as are redeemed by Chrift are redeemed from the world, Gal. i. 4. * Who gave himieif for our fins, that he might deliver (or redeem) us from this pretent evil world.* Such as are redeemed by Chrift, are rifen with Chrift, Col. iii. 1. As the birds, though they light upon the ground to pick up a httle (eed, yet immediately they take their wings and fly up to heaven again : lb the redeemed of the Lord, though they ufe the world, and take the lawful comforts of it, yet their hearts are prefently oft" thefe things, and they afcend to heaven ; live here, and trade above. Such as Chrift hath died for, are ' dead to the world ;' to the honours, profits, and preferments of it. What fliall we think of them who fay, they are redeemed of the Lord, yet are lovers of the world ? Like the tribes who defired to have their portion on this fide Canaan : Phil. iii. 9. ' Who mind earthly things.' They pull down their fouls to build up an eftate. They are not redeemed by Chrift who are not redeemed from the world.

3d Ufe, Of comfort, to fuch as are redeemed : you are happy, the lot of free grace is fallen upon you ; you who were once in the devil's prifon, you have broke this prifon : you that were once bound in the chains of fin, God hath begun to beat oftyour chains, and hath freed you from the power of fin, and curie due to it. What a comfort is this ? And is there any conlblation in Chrift ? It is thine ; is there any fweet fruit growing upon the promife ? thou may eft gather it : are there any glorious privileges in the gofpel ? they are thy jointure, juftification, adoption, coronation : is there any glory in heaven ? thou flialt ftiortly drink of that river of plealure : haft thou any temporal comforts } thefe are but a pledge and ear-neft of more : thy meal in the barrel is but a bait by the way, and an earneft of that angels' food which God hath prepared for thee. How mayeft thou be comforted in all worldly afflictions, though the fig-tree flourifli not? Nay, in cafe of death, death hath loft its fting, Mon- ebiit morte Chrifii. Death fliall

carry the« to thy Redeemer: fear not dying, not happy but by dying.

U/e ult. Of exhortation. Long for the time when you fhall have a full and perfect redemption in heaven, an eternal jubilee ; when you (hall be freed not only irom the power but troin the prefence of tin. Here a believer is as a prifoner that hath broken prifon, but walks with a fetter on his leg : when the banner of glory fliall be difplayed over you, you fhall be as the angels of God, you fliall never have a finful thought more; no pain or grief, no aching head or unbelieving heart. You fliall fee Chrift's face, and lie forever in his arms : you fliali be as Jofeph, Gen. xli. 14. They brought him hallily out of the dungeon, and he ihaved himfelf, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. Long for that time, when you Ihall put off your prifon-garments, and change your raiment, and put on the embroidered garment of glory. O long! yet be content to wait for this full and glorious redemption, when you fliall be more happy than you can defire, when you fliall have * that which eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, nor can it enter into man's heart to conceive.'

OF FAITH.

Gal. ii. 20. The life that I note live in thejlejlif I live hy the faith of the Son of (Jod,

The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchafed by Chrifl;, by working faith in us.

Christ is the glory, and faith in Chrift the comfort of the gofpel.

Q. What are the kinds of faith 9

Anf. Fourfold: 1. An hillorical or dogmatical faith, which is the believing the truths revealed in the word, becaufe of divine authority.

2. There is a temporary faith, which lafteth but for a time, and vaniflieth, Matth. xiii. 21. ' Yet hath he no root in him-lelf, but dureth for a while.' A temporary faith is like Jonah's gourd, which came up in a night and withered, chap. iv. 10.

3. A miraculous faith, which was granted to the apoftles, to work miracles for the confirmation of the gofpel : This Judas had ; he call out devils, yet was call out to the devil.

4. A true juflifying faith, which is called, * A faith of the operation of God,' Col. ii. 12. and is a jewel hung only upon the eledl.

Q. What is jujify'ing faith ?

Anf. I (hall fliew, (I.) What it is not. It is not a bare ac-knowled^etnent ihat Chnll is a Saviour ; indeed there mull be an ackuowledi^eineiit,, but that is not lutlicient to juilify. The devil.s ackuuvviedged ChrilVs Godhead, Matth. viii, 29- * Jefus the bon ot God.' There may be an ali'ent to divine truth, yet no work ot grace on the heart : many atlent in tiieir judgments, that lin is an evil thnig, but they go on in fin, their corruptions are ftronger than theirconvi6tions ; and that Chrill is excellent: they cheapen the pearl, but they do not buy.

{'2.) WiLatjuJitfyiivgJaith is":^ 1 anl'wer, true juflifying faith con (ills in three thmgs.

1. Selt-renuiiciation : faith is a going out of one's felf; a man is taken otf from his own bottom, he lees he hath no righ-teoulnels of his own to lave him, Phil. iii. 9- ' Not havnig my own righteouluels.' Self-righteoufnels is a broken reed, the foul dares not lean on. Repentance and faith are both humbling graces ; by repentance a man abhors hinifelf; by faith he goes out of himl'ejf. It is with a finner in the lirll a6l of believing, as with Il'rael in their wildernefs njarch ; behind them they lavi^ Pharaoh and his chariots purfuing them, before them the Red-fea ready to devour them : lb the Ibul behind fees God's juftice purfuing him for fin, before, hell ready to devour hitn ; and, in this fo)iorn condition, he fees nothing in hinifelf to help him, but he mull perilh unlets he can find help in another.

2. Recumbency: the tbul calls itfelf upon Jelus Chrift; * faith rells on Chrill's perlbn.' Faith believes the promife ; but that which faith rells upon in the promife, is the perfon of Chrill: therefore the fpoufe is faid to ' lean upon her beloved,' Cant. viii. 5. * And faith is defcribed to be a believing on the name of the Son of God,' John iii. 9,S. viz. on his perlbn. The promile is but the cabinet, Chrift is the jewel in it which faith embraceth ; the promile is but the difh, Chrill is the food in it which faith feeds on. And as faith refis on Chrift's perfon, fo on his perfon under this notion, ' as he was crucified.' Faith glories in the crofs of Chrill, Gal. vi. 14. To confider Chrift as he is crowned with all manner of excellencies, doth rather flir up admiration and wonder; but Chrill looked upon as bleeding and dying, is the proper obje6l of our faith; therefore it is called * faith in his blood,' Rom. iii. 25,

3. Appropriatiun, or the applying Chrift to ourfelves : a medicine, ihough it be n^ver fo fovereign, yet if not applied to the wound, will do no good, though the plailler be made of Chrill's own blood, yet it will not heal, unlefs it be applied by faith ; the blood of God, without faith in God, will not lave. This ap|)lying of Chrift is called a receiving of him, John i. 12. The hand receiving of gold, enricheth ; fo the hand of faith receiving Chrill's golden merits with fulvation enricheth us.

Q. Hoic is faith wrought?

A. By the blefled Spirit; it is called the * fpirit of grace,' Zech. xii. 10. becaufe it is the Cpringf and elFicientof all grace. Faith is the chief work which the Spirit of God works in a man's heart. In making the world God did but fpeak a word, but ia working faith he puts forth his arm. Luke i. 51. The Spirit's working faith is called, * The exceeding greatnef- of God's power.' What a power was put forth in raifmg Chrill from the grave, when fuch a tonib-ilone lay upon him, ' the (ins of all the world!' yet he was raifed up by the Spirit: the fame power the Spirit of God puts fordi in working faith, the Spirit irradiates the mind, fubdues the will: the will naturally is like a garrifon, which holds out afzainil God ; the Spirit with a fweet violence conquers, or rather changeth the will, making the (inner willing to have Chrift upon any terms, to be ruled by him as well as (aved by l)im.

Q. Wherein lies the precioufnefs of faith 9

A. As faith is tht chiet gol'pel-grace, the head of the graces ; as gold among the metals, lb is faith among the graces, Clem. Alexandrinus calls the other graces the daughters of faith. Indeed, in heaven, love will be the chief grace ; but, while we are here militant, love mufl give place to faith ; love takes pofTetTion of glory, but faith gives a title to it. Love is the crowning grace in heaven, but faith is the conquering grace upon earth,

1 John v. 4. ' This is the vi6lory that overcometh the world, even our faith.'

2. As faith hath influence upon all the graces, and fets them a-work, not a grace Itirs till faith let it a-vvork. As the clothier lets the poor a-work, he fets their wheel a going : faith fets hope a-work. The heir mult believe his title to an ctlate in reverlion, before he can hope for it ; faith believes its title to glory, and then hope waits for it. Did not faith feed the lamp of hope with oil, it would Ibon die. Faith fets love a-work. Gal. v. (J. * Faith which workethby love ;' believing the mercy and merit of Chriftcaufeth a flame of love toafcend. Faith lets patience a-work, Heb. vi. 12. * Be followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promifes.* Faith believes the glorious rewards given to fuffering. This makes the foul patient in fut-fering. Thus faith is the. mafter-wheel, it fets all the other graces a-running.

3. As faith is the grace which God honours to juftify and fiive : thus indeed it is * precious faith,' as the apoitle calls it,

2 Pet. i. 1. The other gaces help to l'an6lify, but it is faith that jullifies, Rom. v. I. * Being jufiified by faith.' Repentance or love do not jullify, but faith.

Q. How doth faith juftify ?

A. Faith doth not juftily, I. As it is a work, that were to

make Chrift of our faith ; but faitli jufiifies, as it lays hold of the obje6l, viz. Chrifl's merits. If a man had a precious (lone in a ring that could heal, we fay the ring heals; but properly it is not the ring, but the precious ftone in the ring heals. Thus faith (avesand juftifies, but it is not any inherent virtue in faith, but as it lays hold on Chrift, fo it jultfies.

2. Faith doth not jullify as it exercifeth grace : it cannot be denied, faith doth invigorate all the graces, it puts ftrength and liveiinefs into them, but it doth not juftify under this notion. Faith works by love, but it doth not juftify as it works by love, but as it applies ChriiVs merits.

Q. Why Jhouldfaiih J'ave and Jt'ftJfy more than any other grace ?

Anf. 1. Becaufe of God's fan6lion : he hath appointed this grace to be juftitying : and he doth it, becaufe faith is a grace that takes a man offhimfelf, and gives all the honour to Chrift and free grace, Rom. iv. 20. * Strong in faith, giving glory to God.' Therefore God hath put this honour on faith, to make it faving and juftifying : The king's ftamp makes the coin pafs for current; if he would put his ftamp upon leather, as well as filver, it would make it current: foGod having put hisfan6lion, the ftamp of his authority and inftitution upon faith, this makes it to be juftifying and faving.

2. Becaufe faith makes us one with Chrift, Eph. iii. 17. It is the efpoufing, incorporating grace; it gives us coalition and union with Chrift's perfon : other graces make us like Chrift, faith makes us members of Chrift.

\Jl life. Of exhortation. Let us above all things labour for faith; Fides eft J'anct?fjimiim humani pectoris bonum: Eph. vi. 19. • Above alftaking the ftiield of faith.* Faith will be of more ufe to us than any grace : as an eye though dim, was of more ufe to an Ifraelite than all the other members of his body ; not a ftrong arm, or a nimble foot; it was his eye looking on the brazen ferpent that cured him. It is not knowledge, though angelical, not repentance, though wecould flied rivers of tears, could juftify us : only faith, whereby we look an Chrift. * Without faith it is impoflible to pleafe God,' Heb. xi. 6, and if we do not pleafe him by believing, he will not pleafe us in faving of us. Faith is the condition of the covenant of grace ; without faith, without covenant; and without covenant, without hope, Eph. ii. 12.

2rf Uj'e, Of trial: Let us try whether we have faith. There is foniething looks like faith, and is not; a Briftol-ftone looks like a diamond. Some plants have the fame leaf with others, but the herbalift can diftinguiOi them by the root, and tafte. Something may look like true faith, but it may be diftinguiftied by the fruits. Let us be ferious in the trial of our faith ; there

is much depends upon our faith: if our faith be not good, there is nothing good comes from us ; our duties and graces are adulterate.

Q. Well then, how piall we know it is a true faith 9 A. By the noble effe6ls : 1. Faith is a Chrift-prizing grace, it puts an high valuation upon Chrill, 1 Pet. ii. 7. ' To you that believe he is precious,' St. Paul did beft know Chrift, 2 Cor. ix. 1. * Have I notfeen Jefus Chrift our Lord?' Paulfaw Chrift with his bodily eyes in a vifion, when he was wrapped up into the thiid heaven ; and faw him with the eye of his faith in the holy fupper : therefore he beft knew Chrift. And fee how he ftyles all things in comparifon of him, Phil. iii. 8. * I count ait things but dung, that I may win Chrift?' Do we fet an high eftimate upon Chrift? could we be willing to part with the ^^edge of gold for the pearl of price ? Greg. Nazianzen bJefled God, he had any thing to lofe for Chrift's fake.

2. Faith is a refining grace, I Tim. iii. 9. ' Myftery of faith in a pure confcience.* Faith is in the foul, as fire among metals ; it refines and purifies : morality may walh the outfide, faith wafheth the infide, A<Sts xv. J). * Having purified their hearts by faith.' Faith makes the heart a facrary or holy of holies. Faith is a virgin-grace ; though it doth not take away the life of fin, yet it takes away the love of fin. Examine if your hearts be an unclean fountain, fending out mud and dirt, pride, envy : if there be legions of lufts in thy foul, there is no faith. Faith is an heavenly plant, which will not grow in am impure foil.

3. Faith is an obediential grace, Rom. xvi. 26. * The obedience of faith.* Faith melts our will into God's : faith runs at God's call; if God commands duty (tho'crofs to flefli and blood) faith obeys, Heb. xi. S. ' By faith Abraham obeyed.' Faith is not an idle grace ; as it hath an eye to fee Chrift, fo it hath an hand to work for him. Faith doth not only believe God's promife, but obey his command. It is not your having know-* ledge, will evidence you to be believers ; the devil hath knowledge, but wants obedience, and that makes him a devil. And the true obedience of faith is a chearful obedience ; God's commands do not feem grievous. Have you the obedience, and obey chearfully ? what fay you to this ? Do you look upon God's command as your burden, or privilege ; as an iron fetter about your leg, or a gold chain about your neck ?

4. Faith is an afiimilating grace ; it changeth the foul into the image of the obje6l, it makes it like Chrift. Never did any look upon .Chrift with a believing eye, but he was made like Chrift. A deforriied perfon may look on a beautiful object, but not be made beautiful ; but fiiith looking on Chrift transforms a man, and turns him into his fimilitude. Faith looking on a

VoL.I. No. 5. Ff

bleedincr Chrift, caufeth a foft bleeding heart: lookinsr on an holy Chrill, caufeth fan6tity of heart; looking on an humble Chrift, makes the foul humble. As the camelion is changed into the colour of thai which it looks upon ; fo faith looking on Chrill. changeth.a Chriftian into the fimilitude of Chrifc. -3. By the g^rowth of it; if it be a true fiith, it grows : living things avow, Rom. i. i?. * From faith to faith.'

Q How may we jicdi(e of the groioth of faith ?

A. Growth of faith is judged, \Jl, By Itrength. We can do that now, which we could not do before. When one is man-grown, he can do that which he could not do when he was a child ; he can carry a heavier burthen; fo thou canfl: bear crolfes with more patience.

9,dly, Growth of faith is feen by doing duties in a more fpiri-tual manner, viz. with fervency; we put coals to the incenfe, from a principle of love to God. When an apple hath done growing in bignefs, it grows in fvveetnefs ; thou doft duties in love, and now art fweeter, and come off with a better relilh.

ObJ. But I fear I have no faith?

Anf. We muft diltingui(h between weaknefs of faith and nullity ; a weak faith is true. The bruifed reed is but w^ak, yet it is fuch as Chrift will not break. Though thy faith be but weak, yet be not difcouraged.

1. A weak faith may receive a ftrong Chrift : a weak hand can tye the knot in marriage, as well as a ftrong: a weak eye might have feen the brazen ferpent. The woman in the gofpel, that but touched Chrift, received virtue from him. The touch of faith.

2. The promife is not made to ftrong faith, but to true. The promife doth not fay, whoibever hath a giant-faith, that can remove mountains, that can ftop the mouths of lions, Qiall be laved ; but whofoever believes, be his faith never fo fmall. Though Chrift fometimes chides a weak faith ; yet that it may not be difcouraged, he makes a promife to it. Mat. v. 6. Beati qui efuriunt.

3. A weak faith may be fruitful. Weakeft things multiply moft ; the vine is a weak plant, but it is fruitful. Weak Chril-tians may have ftrong alFe6tions. How ftrong is the firft love, which is after the firft planting of faith !

4. Weak faith may be growing. The feeds fpring up by degrees ; firft the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. Therefore be not difcouraged ; God who would have us receive them that are weak in faith, Rom. xiv. 1. will not him-felf refufe them. A weak believer is a member of Chrift ; and though Chrift will cut off rotten members from his body, yet pot weak members.

EFFECTUAL CALLING. Rom. viii. 30. Them he affo called.

Q. XXXL WHAT is effeaual caWng ?

A. It is a gracious work of the Spirit, whereby he caufeth us to embrace Chrift, freely offered to us in the gofpel.

In this verCe is a golden chain of falvation, made up of four links; this is one, vocation ; 'Them he alfo called.' Calling

is nova creatio, a new creation, the firfl; rei"urre6lion. There

is a two-fold call : 1. An extrinfic or outward call : 2. An in-trinfic, or inward effe6lual call.

1. An extrinfic or outward call, which is God's offer of grace to finners, inviting them to come in and accept of Chrill and falvation. Mat. xx. IG. ' Many are called, but few cholen.* This outward call (hews men what they ought to do in order to falvation, and renders them inexcufable in cafe of dilbbedi-ence.

2. There is an intrinfic or effedtual call when God with the otter of grace works grace ; by this call the heart is renewed, and the will effectually drawn to embrace Chrift. The outward call brings men to a profeffion of Chrift, the inward to a pofTefTion of Chrift.

Q. What are the means of this effeciual call?

Anf. Every creature hath a voice to call us. The heavens call to us to behold God's glory, Pf. xix. 11. Confcience calls to us, God's judgments call to us, repent, Mic. vi. 9. ' Hear ye the rod.' But every voice doth not convert. There are two means of our effectual call:

1. The ' Preaching of the word,' which is the founding God's filver trumpet in men's ears; God doth not fpeak by an oracle, he calls by his miniflers. Samuel thought it had been only the voice of Eli, tliat called to him ; but it was ' God's voice,' 1 Sam. iii. 6. So perhaps you think it is only the mi-nifter fpeaks to you in the word, but it is God himfelf fpeaks. Therefore Chrill is faid (now) to fpeak to us from heaven, Heb. xii. 25. How doth he fpeak but by his miniftt-rs? as a king fpeaks by his ambaffadors : know, that in every fermon preached, God calls to you ; and to retufe the meliage we bring, is to refufe God himfelf.

2. The other means of our effe6tual call, is the Holy Spirit. The miniftry of the word is the pipe or organ ; the Spirit of God blowing in it, doth effectually change men's hearts, Ads X. 44. ' While Peter fpake the Holy Ghoft fell on all them that htjard the word of God.' Miniflers knock at the door of

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men's hearts, the Spirit comes with a key and opens the door, A<5ts xiv. 6. ' A certain woman named Lydia, whofe heart the Lord opened.'

Q. From ichat doth God call men ?

Anf. 1. From fin; he calls them from their ignorance and unhelief, 1 Pet. i. 14. By nature the underitanding is inveloped with darknels, God calls men ' from darknefs to light,' Eph. V. 8. as if one ihould be called out of a dungeon to behold the light of the fun.

2. From danger. As the angel called Lot out of Sodom, when it was ready to rain fire; To God calls his people from the fire and brimltone of hell, and from all thole curfes they were expofed to.

3. He calls them out of the world ; asChrift called Matthew from the receipt of cufi:om, John xvii. 10. ' Ye are not of the world.' Such as are divinely called, are not natives here, but pilgrims ; they do not conform to the Vv'orld, or follow its fin-ful fafhions : they are not of the world ; though they live here, yet they trade in the heavenly country; the world is a place where Satan's throne is, Rev. ii. 13. A llage on which fin every day a6ts its part. Now fuch as are called, are in, but not of the world.

Q. To what God calls men ?

Anf. 1. He calls them to holinefs, 1 Thefl*. iv. 7- * God hath not called us unto uncleannefs, but unto holinefs.* Holi-nefs is the livery, or filver fi^ar the godly wear, Ifa. Ixiii. 18. Knam kodpieca, * The people of thy holinefs.' The called of God are anointed with the confecrating oil of the Spirit, I John ii. 20. * Ye have an unction from the Holy One.'

2. God calls them to glory, as ifa man were called out of a prifon to fit upon a throne, 1 Thefi". ii. 12. ' Who hath called you to his kingdom and glory.' Whom God calls, he crowns; * it is a weight of glory,' 2 Cor. iv. 17. The Hebrew word for glory (KaiiodJ fignificspowc/j/^, a weight? the weight of glory adds to the worth, the weightier gold is, the more it is worth. And this glory is not tranfient, but permanent, an eternal weight ; it is better felt than exprefied.

Q. What is the canfe of the effeclual call ?

Anf. God's electing love, Rom. viii. 30. * Whom he prc-deftinated, them he alio called.' Election is the fountain-caufe of our vocation ; it is not becaufe fome are more worthy to partake of the heavenly calling than others (as the Arminians) we were * all in our blood,' Ezek. xvi. 6. And what worthinefs in us? What worthinels was there in Mary Magdalene, out of whom feven devils were cafl? What worthinefs in the Corinthians, when God began to call them by his gofpel ? they were foinicalors, effeminate, idolaters, l Cor vi. 11. * Such were

EFFECTUAL CALLING. SQ9

fome of you, butye are wafhed,' &c. Before efTedual calling, we are not only ' without ftrength,' Rom. v. 6. but ' enemies,* Col. i. Ql. So that the foundation of vocation is ele61ion.

Q. What are the epithets or qualifications of this call ?

Anf. 1 ft, It is a powerful call; verba DeiJ'unt opera, hviihev. God puts forth infinite power in calling home a finner to him-felf, he doth not only put forth his voice, but his arm. The apoftle fpeaksof the exceeding greatnefs of his power, ' heexer-cifeth towards them that believe,' Eph. i. 19. God rides forth conquering in the chariot of his gofpel ; he conquers the pride of the heart, and makes the will, which Hood out as a fort-royal, to yield and ftoop to his grace ; he makes the ftony heart bleed : it is a mighty powerful call. Why then do the Arminians feem to talk of a moral perfuafion ? that God, in the converfiou of a finner, doth only morally perfuade, and no more. He fets his promifes before them, to allure them to good, and his threat-enings to deter them from evil; and here is all he doth. But fure moral perfuafions alone are infufficient to the effedlual call: how can the bare propolkl of promifes and threatenings convert a foul } This amounts not to a new creation, or that power which raifed Chrift from the dead ; God doth not only perfuade, but enable, Ezek. xxxvi. 27. If God, in converfion, fhould only morally perfuade, that is, fet good and evil before men, then God doth not put forth fo much power in faving men, as the devil doth in deftroying ihem. Satan doth not only propound tempting objects to men, but doth concur with his temptations ; therefore he is faid to * work in the children of difobedience,' Eph. ii. 2. The Greek word, to work, lignifies imperii vim, Cameron, the power Satan hath in carrying men to fin. And fliall not God's power in converting, be greater than Satan's power in feducing ? The etiedtual call is mighty and powerful; God puts forth a divine energy, nay, a kind of om-ni potency : it is fuch a powerful call, that the will of man hath no power to refift.

2. It is an high calling, Phil. iii. 14. * I prefs toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God.' It is an high calling, 111, Becaufe we are called to high exercifes of religion ; to be crucified to the world, to live by faith, to do angels work, to love God, to be living organs of his praife, to hold communion with the Father and the Son, 1 John i. 3.

2dly, It is an high calling, becaufe we are called to high privileges ; to judification and adoption, to be kings and prieils unto God ; * We are called to the fellowfhip of angels, to be co-heirs with Chrifl:,' Rom. viii. I7. They who are eflV6lualiy called, are candidates of heaven, they are princes in all lands, Pful xlv. 1(). though princes in difguife.

3d!y, It is an immutable call, Rom- xi. 9. * The gifts and

calling of Gorl are without repentance ;' that is, thofe gifts that iiovv troin ele6lion, (as vocation and jullification) thefe are with-•OLit repentance. God repented he called Saul to be a king ; but ne never repents that he calls a linner to be a Taint.

Uj'e I. See the neceffity of the etFe<itual call, a man cannot go to heaven without it. Firft, we muilbe called before glori-lied, Rom. viii. 30. A man uncalled can lay claim to nothing in the Bil)le, but tlireatenings : a man in the Hate of nature is not tit for heaven, no more than a man in his filth and his rags is fit to come into a king's prefence : a man in his pure naturals, is a God hater, Rom. i. 30. and is he fit for heaven .? will God ]ay his enemy in his bolbm ?

Uj'e 3. Of trial. Whether we are ef!e6lually called .^ we may know it by the antecedent and confequent of it.

1. By the antecedent. Before this effe6tual call, an humbling work palieth upon the foul : a man is convinced of fin, he fees he is a finner, and nothing but a finner: the fallow-ground of his heart is broken up, Jer. iv. 3. As the hulband-inan breaks the clods, then Cdits in the feed ; fo God, by the convincing work of the law, breaks a finner's heart, and makes it fit to receive the feeds of grace. Such as were never convinced, were never called, John xvi. S. ' He Ihall convince the world of fin.' Conviction is the firft Rep lo converfion.

2. By the confequents, two, (I.) He who is favingly called, anlwers to God's call : when God called Samuel, he anfwered, * Speak, Lord, thy fervant heareth,' 1 Sam. iii. 10. When God calls thee loan a6l of religion, thou doll run at God's call, A6ts xxvi, l(), * I was not difobedient to the heavenly vifion.' If God calls to duties contrary to flefh and blood, we obey his voice in every thing; ^ue obedience is like the needle which points that way which the loaditone draws. Such as are detif to God's call, a fign they are not called by grace.—

(2.) He who is etfc6lually called doth Itop his ears to all other calls which would c^ll him off from God. As God hath his call, lb there are other contrary calls : Satan calls by a temptation, lull calls, evil company calls: but, as the adder flops its ear againit the voice of the charmer ; (b he who is ef}'e<5lually called, fi,ops his ear againfl all the charms of flelh and devil.

Uj'e 3. Of comfort to t/tem icho are the called of God. This call evidenceth election, Rom. viii. 30. ' Whom he predefti-riated, them he alio called.' Eledlion is the caufe of our vocation, and vocation is the fign of our ele6lion. Election is the firlt link of the golden cliain of (alvation, vocation is the fecond ! he who hath the fecond link of the chain is f'ureof the (irft link : as by the Itream we are led to the fountain, fb by vocation we afcend to ele6tion. Calling is an earnelt and pledge of glory, 2 Their, ii. 13. * God hath thofen you to falvation, through

fan6lification.' "We may read God's predeftinating love in the work of grace in our heart.

Branch 2. To I'uch as are called, to be thankful to God for this unfpeakable blefTing ; be thankful to all the peribns in the Trinity, to the Father's mercy, to the Son's merit, to the Spirit's efficacy. To make you thankful, confider, when you had offended God, that he Ihould call you; that, when God needed you not, he had millions of glorified faints and angels to praife him, yet he called you. Again, confider what you were before God called you ; you were in your fins ; when God called Paul, he found him periecuting ; when he called Matthew, he found him at the receipt of cuftom ; when he called Zaccheus, he found him ufing extortion. When God calls a man by his grace, he finds him feeking after his lufts : as when SSul was called to the kingdom, he was feeking the afles : that God fhould call thee when thou art in the hot purfuit of fin, admire God's love, exalt his praife. Again, that God fliould call you, and pafs by others, what mercy is this ? Mat. xi. 2(). * Even fo. Father, for lb it feemed good in thy fight.' That God fhould pats by the wife and noble perfons, of fweeter dif-pofition, accuter parts, guilty of lefs vice, and that the lot of free grace Ihould fall upon you ; O aftonifiiing love of God ! It was a great favour of God to Samuel, that God called to him, and revealed his mmd to him, and paffed by Eli, though a judge and prieft in Ifrael, 1 Sam. iii. 6. fo, that God fliould call to thee, a flagitious finner, and pafs by others of higher birth, and better morals, here is that which calls aloud for praife. As God fo governs the clouds, that he makes them rain upon one place, and not upon another. Two at a fermon, one his heart the Lord opens, the other is no more affected with it, than a deaf man with the found of mufic : here is the banner of free grace dii played, and here fliould the troi)hies of praife be erected. Elijah and Elilha were walking together ; on a fudden there came a chariot of fire, and carried Elijah up to heaven, but left Eliflia behind : fo, when two are walking together, hufiDand and wife, ilitherand child, that God fliould call one by his grace, but leave liie other, carry up one in a triumi)hant chariot to heaven, but let the other perilh eternally ; O infinite rich grace! how ihould they that are called be atfeded with God's diicrimi-iiating love ? how fliould the veflels of mercy run over with ihankfulnefs ? how Ihould they Hand upon mount Gerizzim, blefling aud praifing God ? O begin the work of heaven here ! fiich as are patterns of mercy fliould be trumpeters of praife. Thu'^ St. Paul being called of God, and ieeing what a debtor he was to free grace, breaks forth into admiration and gratulation, 1 Ti.n. i. 13.

Uj'e 4.. To,the called. Walk worthy of your high calling,

Eph. iv. 1. * I befeech you, that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called ;* in two things.

1. Wci\k conipanTionately. Pity fuch as are yet uncalled ; haft thou a child that God hath not yet called, a wife, afervant ? weep over their dying fouls: they are in their blood, * under the power of Satan :' O pity them ! let their fins more trouble you than your own futferings : if you pity an ox or afs going allray, will you not pity a Ibul going aftray ? Shew your piety by your pity.

2. Walk hollly. Your's is an holy calling, 2 Tim. i. 9. You are called to be faints, Rom. i. 7. Shew your vocation by a Bible converfation. Shall not flowers fhiell fweeter than weeds? fliall not they who are ennobled with grace, have more fragrancy in their lives than finners? 1 Pet. i. 15. * As he who hath called you is holy, fo be ye holy in all manner of converfation. O didionour not your high calling by any fordid carriage; when Antigonus was going to defile himfelfwith women, one told him, * he was a king's fon.* O remember your dignity,'called of God!' of the blood-royal of heaven : do nothing imvvorthy of your honourable calling. Scipio refulbd the embraces of an harlot, becaufe he was general of an army. Abhor all motions to fin, becaufe of your high calling. It is not fit for them who are the called of God, to do as others ; though others of the Jews did drink wine, it was not fit for the Naza-rite, becaufe he had a vow of feperation upon him, and had pro-mifed abllinence; though Pagans and loofe Chriftians take liberty to fin, yet it is not fit for them who are called out of the ■world, and have the mark of election upon them to do fo : you are confecrated perfons, your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghofl, and your bodies muft be a facrary, or holy of holies.

OF JUSTIFICATION.

Rom. iii. 24. Being jnftifiedfreely by his grace,

Q. XXXIII. What isjiijlification}

A. It is an a6t of God's free grace, whereby he pardoneth all our fins, and accepts us as righteous in his fight, only for the righteoufnefs of Chrift imputed to us, and received by faith alone.

Jufi:ificalion is the very hinge and pillar of Chriflianity; and an error about juflification is dangerous, like a crack in the foundation, or an error in the firit conco6tion. Juflification by Chrill, is a i'pring of the water of life; and to have the poifoa

of corrupt do6lrinecaft into this fpring, is damnable. It was a faying of Luther, *' that after his death the dodrine ofjuftifica-tion would be corrupted.*' As it hath been inthefe latter times, the Arniinians and Socinians have call a dead fly into this box of precious ointment.

I (hall endeavour to follow the ftar of fcripture to light me through this myilerious point.

Q. Whal is meant byjuftificationf

Anf. It is verbtimforenfe, a word borrowed from law-courts, vpherein a perfun arraigned is pronounced righteous, and is openly abfolved in the court. Thus God, in jultilying a perfon, pronounceth him to be righteous, and looks upon him as if he. iiad not finned.

Q. What is the ground of jvjtijication ?

Anf. The caufa, the inward impellent motive or ground of juftification, is the free grace of Cod ; fo in the text, * jultified freely by his grace.' Which Ambrof'e expounds, "not of the grace wrought within us, but the free grace of God." The firft wheel that fets all the reft a-running, is the love and favour of God : * being.juftified by his grace ;' as a king freely pardons a-delinquent, juitthcation is a mercy fpun out of the bowels of free grace. God doth not juftify us becaufe we are worthy, but by juftifying us makes us worthy.

Q. What is the material caufe, or that by which a Jinner is jvfiified ?

Anf. The matter of our juftification, is Chrift's fatisfaclioii made to his Father. If it be alked, how can it ftand with God's juftice and holinefs to pronounce us innocent when we are guilty ? This anfwers it, Chrift having made fatisfa6tion for our fault, now God may, in equity and juliice, pronounce us righteous. It is a juft thing for a creditor to difcharge a debtor of the debt, when a fatisfa^ion is made by the lurety.

Q. But how loas Chriji's fatisfadiion meritorious, a7idfofuffi'' cient to juftify f

Anf. In reiped of the divine nature : as he was man he fuf-fered, as God he (atisfied ; by ChrilVs death and merits, God's juftice is more abundantly fatisfied, than if we had fuffered the pains of hell for ever.

Q. Wherein lies the formality or effence of our juftification?

Anf. In the imputation of Chrift's righteoufnefs to us, Jer, xxiii. 6. ' This is the name whereby he thall be called Jehovah TzidJcen7iu,' * the jord our righteousness,' 2 Cor i. 40. • He is made to us righteoufnefs.' Tli;s righteoul'aefi of Chritt, which doth juftify us, is better righteoufn^ifs than the angels; there's is the righteoufnefs of creatures, this of God.

Q. What is the means or inftrument of our juftification 9

Anf Faith, Rom. v. 1, * Being juftified by faith.* Thedig-

Vol. I. No. 5, G or

?34 OF JUSTIFICATION.

nity is not in faith as a grace, but relatively, as it lays hold OH Chrift's merits.

Q. JVhat ?s the efficient caiife of our jujiijication?

Anf. The whole Trinity, all the perfons in the bleffed Trinity liave an hand in the iuftification of a (inner: opera Tri-nitfitis ad extra junt indivij'a. God the Father is faid to juftify, Rom. viii. 33. * It is God that juftifieth.* God the Son is faid to jufiify, A6ls xiii. 3P. * By him all that believe are jufiified.' God the Holy Ghoft is faid tojuftify, 1 Cor.;vi. 11.

* But ye are juftified by the Spirit of our God.' God the Father juftifies, as he pronounceth us righteous: God the Son juflifies as he imputes his righteoufnefs to us ; and God the Holy Ghoft juftifies, as he clears up our juftification, and feals us up to the day of redemption.

Q. What is the end of our jujiijication ?

^nf. The end is, 1. That God may inherit praife, Eph. i. (J.

* To the praife of the glory of his grace.' Hereby God raifeth the everlafting trophies of his own honour : how will the juftified finner proclaim the love of God, and make heaven ring of hispraifes ?

2. That the juftified perfon may inherit glory, Rom. viii. 30.

* Whom he juftified, them he alio glorified.' God, in juftify-ing, doth not only abfolve a foul from guilt, but advance him to dignity ; as Jofeph was not only loofed from prifon, but made lord of the kingdom. Juftification is crowned with glorification.

Q. Whether are we jufiifed from eternity}

Anf. No : for 1. By nature we are under a fentence of condemnation, John iii. 18. But we could not be at all condemned, if we were juftified from eternity.

2. The fcripture confines juftification to thofe who believe and repent, A6ts iii. 19. ' Repent that your fins may be blotted out.' Therefore their fins were uncancelled, and their perfons unjuftified, till they did repent: Though God doth not juftify us for our repentance, yet not without it. The Antino-niians erroneoufly hold, that we are juftified from eternity. This do6lrine is a key which opens the door to all licentiouA nefs; what fins do they care they commit, fo long as they hold they are, ah ccterno, juftified, whether they repent or not }

Before I come to the ufes, I Ihall lay down four maxims or pofitions about juftification.

Po/ition 1. That juftification confers a real benefit upon the per ion juftified. The acquitting and difcharging of the debtor, by virtue of the fati.^fa6tion made by the furety, is a real benefit to the debtor ; a robe of righteoulhels, and a crown of righteoufnefs, are real benefits.

Pojition 2. All believers are alike juftified ; Jujiifcatio nonrs' cipit majis et minus: though there are degrees in grace, yet

not in juflification ; one is not juftified more than another, the weaked believer is as perfe6tly juftified as the ftrongeft; Mary Magdalene is as much juftified as the Virgin-Mary. This may be cordial-water to a weak believer ; though thou haft but a drachm of faith, thou art as truly juftified as he who is of the higheft ftature in Chrift.

Pofition 3. Whofoever God juftifies, he fan6iifies, 1. Cor. vi. 11. * But ye are landified, but ye are juftified.' The Papifts calumniate the Proteftants ; they report, we hold that men continuing in fin are juftified ; whereas all our proteftant writers affirm, that righteoufnefs imputed, viz. Juftification, and righteoufnefs inherent, viz. Sandification, muft be infeperably united. Holinefs indeed is not the caufe of our juftification, but it is the coHicomitant; the heat in the fun is not the caufe of its light, but it is the concomitant. It is abfurd to imagine, -that God (houldjuftify a people, and they go on in fin. If God (hould juftify a people and not lan6tify them, he Ihould juftify a people whom he could not glorify. God, as he is an holy God, cannot lay a finner in his bolbm. The metal is firft refined, before the king's ftamp is put upon it: firft, the foul is refined with holinefs, before God puts the royal ftamp of jutti-fication upon it.

Fojition 4. Juftification is inamiffibilis ; it is a fixed permanent thing, it can never be loft. The Arminians hold an apoftacy from juftification : to-day juftified, to-morrow unjuftified ; today a Peter, to-morrow a Judas ; to-day a member of Chrift, to-morrow a Umb of Satan : a moft uncomfortable do6trine. Indeed juftified perfons may fall from degrees of grace, they may leave their firft love, they may lofe God's favour for a time, but not lofe their juftification. If they are juftified, then they are elected ; they can no more fall from their juftification, than from their eledtion. If they are juftified, then they have union with Chrift; and, can a member of Chrilt be broken off? If one juftified perfon may full away from Chrift, then all may; and fo Chrift ftiould be an head without a body.

Ufe 1. See from hence, that there is nothing within us could juftify us, butfbmething without us; not any righteoufnefs inherent, but imputed: we may as well look for a ftar in the earth, as for juftification in our own righteoufnefs. The papifts fay we are juftified by works. But the apoftle confutes it, ' not of works, left any man fliould boaft,' Eph. ii. 9. But the papifts fay ** the works done by an unregenerate man indeed cannot juftify him, but works done by a regenerate man may juftify." This is moft falfe, as may be proved both by example and reafon.

l.By example. Abraham was a regenerate man; but Abraham was not juftified by works, but by faith, Rom. iv. 3.

Gg2

Abraham * believed God, and it was counted to him for righ-teoufnefs.'

2. By reafon. How can thofe works juftify us, which defile us? Ifa. ixiv. 6. * Our righteoufneffes are as filthy rags.' Bona opera non prcecedunt jiijiificationern, fed fequntur jiijiificatum : good works are not an uflier to go before juftification, but an hand-maid to follow it.

Obj. But doth not the apojtle James fay, Abraham wasjufti-fed by works ?

A. The anfwer is eafy : works declare us to be righteous before men, but they do not make us righteous before God, Works are evidences of our juftification, notcaufes. This name only muft be graven upon the golden plate of our High Prieft Chnft, The Lokd ouh Righteousnkss.

9d Ufe, of Exhortation. Branch 1. Adore the infinite wifdom and goodneis of God, to find out fuch a way to juftify us by

* rich grace and precious blood.' We were all involved in guilt; none of us could plead not guilty \ and being guilty, we lay under a fentence of death : now that the judge himfelf fhould find out a way to juftify us, and the creditor himfelf contrive a way to have the debt paid, and not diftrefs the debtor; this may fill us with wonder and love. The angels admire the myftery of free grace in this new way of juftifying and faving loft man^ 1 Pet. i. 12. and fhould not we, who are nearly concerned in it, and on whom the benefit is devolved, cry out with the apoftle,

* O the depth of the riches both of the wifdom and knowledge of God!' &c.

Branch. 2. Labour for this high privilege of juftification : there is balm in Gilead ; Chrift hath laid down the price of our juftification, viz. his blood ; and he offers himfelf and all his merits to us, to juftify ; he invites us to come to him ; he hath promifed to give his Spirit, to enable us to do what is required. Why then, finners, will ye not look after this great privilege of juftification? Do not ftarve in the midft of plenty; do not perifh when there is a remedy to fave you. Would not he be thought to be diftra6ted, if having a pardon offered him, only upon the acknowledgment of his fault, and promifing amendment, he ftiould bid the prince keep his pardon to himfelf; for his part, he was in love with his chains and fetters, and would die ? Thou who negle6teft juftification offered thee freely by Chrift in the gofpel, art this diftra6ted perfon. Is the love of Chrift to be flighted? Is thy foul and heaven worth nothing? O then look after juftification through Thrift's blood !

Confider, 1. The neceflity of being juftified : if we are net juftified, we cannot be glorified, Rom. viii. 30. ' Whom he juftified, them he alfo glorified.' He who is outlawed, and all his goods couflfcated, muft be brought into favour with his

|)rince, before he can be reftored to bis former rights and liberties: fo we muflfirft have our fins forgiven, and be brought into God's favour by juftification, before we can be reftored to the hberty of the Ions of God, and have right to that happinefs we have forfeited in Adam.

2. The utility and benefit; by juftification we enjoy peace in our conlbience; a richer jewel than any prince wears in his crown, Rom. v. 1. ' Being juflified by faith, we have peace ■with God.' Peace can fweeten all our affli6tions, it turns our water into wine. How happy is a juftified perfon who hath the power of God to guard him, and the peace of God to comfort him ? Peace flowing from j unification, is an antidote againft the fear of death and hell. Rout. vjii. 34. * It is God that jufi;(-fies, who is he thatcondemneth ?' Therefore labour for this juftification by Chrift; this privilege is obtained by believing in Chrifi;, Ads xiii. 39. * By him all that believe are juftified.' And Rom. iii. 25. * Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation through faitli in his blood.' Faith unites us to Chrift; and having union with his perfon, we partake of his merits and the glorious falvation which comes by him.

Ufe 3. Comfort to the juftified, (1.) It is comfort in cafe of failings : alas! how defective are the godly ! they come Ihortin every duty: but though believers ftiould be humbled under their defe6ts, yet not defponed; they are not to be juftified by their duties or graces, but the righteoufnefs of Chrift. Their duties are mixed with fin, but that righteoufnefs which juilifies them is a perfect righteouinel's.

(2.) Comfort in cafe of hard cehfures : the world cenfures the people of God for proud and hypocritical, and the troublers of Ifrael; but though raencenfureand condemn the godly ; yet God hath juftified them, and as he hath now juftified them, fo at the day of judgnient he will openly juftify them, and pronounce them righteous before men and angels. And God is fo juft and holy a judge, that having once juftified his people, he will never condemn them. Pilate juftified Chrift, ' I find no fault in him ;* yet after this he condemned him : but God having publicly juftified his faints, he will never condemn them; ^ whom he juftified, them he alfo glorified.'

OF ADOPTION.

John i. 19. To them gave he power to become the fans of

God.

Having fpoken of the great points of faith and juftifica-tlon, the next is adoption.

1. The qualification of the perfons. * As many as received him.* ileceiving is put for believing, as is clear by the laft words, * to them that believe in his name.'

2. The fpecification of ihe privilege; * to them he gave power to become the fons of God.* The Greek word for power, exiifta, fignifies dignity and prerogative ; he dignified them to become the fons of God.

Our fonfhip differs from Chrifi;'s fon(hip; Chrift was the fon of God by eternal generation, a fon before time; but our fon-ihip is, 1. By creation, Ads xvii. 28. * We are his offspring.' This is no privilege; men may have God for their father by creation, yet have the devil for their father.

2. Our fonfhip is by adoption: fb in the text, * He gave them power to become the fons of God.' Adoption is twofold.

(1.) External and federal: lo thofe who live in a vifihlc church, and make a profeffion of God, are fons, Matthl viii. 12. ' The children of the kingdom ihall be caft out.'

(2.) Real and gracious: i'o they are Ions, who are God's favourites, and are heirs of glory. Before I proceed to the quel^ tions, I fliall lay down three pofitions.

Fo/ition I. Adoption takes ni all nations: at firft adoption was confined to the people of the Jews, they only were grafted into the true olive, and were dignified with glorious privileges, Rom. ix. 4. ' Who are Ifraelites: to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory.' But now, in the time of the gofpel, the charter is enlarged, and the believing Gentiles are within the line of communication, and have a right to the privileges of adoption as well as the Jews, A6ls x. 35. * in every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteoufnefs, is accepted with him.'

Pqfition 2. Adoption takes in both fexes, females as well as males, 2 Cor. vi. 18. ' I will be a Father unto you, and ye iliall be my fons and daughters.' I have read, in fome countries, females are excluded from the fupreme dignity : as by ihe Salique law in France, no woman can inherit a crown : but.

If we fpeak of fpiritual privileges, females are as capable as males. Every gracious foul (<jf whatever fex) lays claim to adoption, and hath an intereft in God as a father i ' ye Ihall be my Tons and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty.*

Po/ition 3. Adoption is an a6l of pure grace. Eph. i. 5.

* Having predeftinated us toiheadoption of children, according to the good pleafure of his will.' Adoption is a mercy fpun out of the bowels of free grace : all by nature are ftrangers, therefore have no right to ronfhip ; only God is pleafed to adopt one, and not another; to make one a veffel of glory, another a veffel of wrath. The adopted heir may cry out, ' Lord, Jiow is it, that thou will (hew thyfelf to me, and not unto the world ?*

Q. What this filiation or adoption is? .Anf. Adoption is the taking a ftranger into the relation of a fon and heir: fo Mofes was the adopted fon of king Pharaoh's daughter, Exod. ii. 10. And Efther was the adopted child of her uncle Mordecai, Efth. ii. 7. Thus God adopts us into the family of heaven; and God, in adopting us, doth two things :

1. He ennobles us with his name : he who is adopted, bears his name who adopts him. Rev. iii. 12. * I will write on him the name of my God.'

2. God confecrates us with his Spirit: whom he adopts, he anoints; whom he makes fons, he makes faints. When a man adopts another for his fon and heir, he may put his name upon him, but he cannot put his dilpofition into him ; if he be a morole rugged nature, he cannot alter it; but whom God adopts he fan6lifies: he doth not only give them a new name, but a new nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. God turns the wolf into a lamb ; he makes the heart humble and gracious ; he works fuch a change as if another foul did dwell in the il\me body.

Q. From whatjiate doth God take us when he adopts us ?

Anf. From a Hate of fin and mifery. King Pharaoh's daughter took Mofes out of the ark of bulrufhes in the water, and adopted him for her fon. God did not take us out of the water, but out of our blood, and adopted us, Ezek xvi. God adopted us from flavery : it is a mercy to redeem a Have, but is it more to adopt him.

Q. To what God adopts vs ?

Anf. He adopts us to a flate of excellency. It were much for God to take a clod of duft, and make it a ftar ; it is more for God to take a piece of clay and fin, and adopt it for his heir.

1. God adopts, us to a (late of liberty. Adoption is a ftate of freedom ; a flave being adopted, is made a freeman. Gal. iv. 7.

* Thou art no more a i'eivant, but a fon.*

Q. How is an adopted Son free ?

Anf. (I.) Not to do what he lifts : he is free from the dominion of fin, the tyranny of Satan, the curfe of the law.

2. He is free in the manner of vvorfliip ; he hath God's free Spirit, which makes him free and chearful in the ferviceof God ; he is * joyful in the houfe of prayer,' Ifa. Ivi. 7.

(<2.) God adopts us to a ftate of dignity : God makes us heirs ofpromife; God inflals us into honour, Ifa. xiiii. 4. 'Since thou waft precious in my fight, thou haft been honourable/ The adopted are God's treaiure, Exod. xix. 5. His jewels, Mai. iii. 17- His firft-born, Heb. xii. 23. They have angels for their life-guard, Heb. i. 14. They are of the blood-royal of heaven, 1 John iii. 9. The Icripture hath fet forth their fpi-ritual heraldry ; they have their elcutcheon or coat-armour : Ibmetimes they give the lion for their courage, Prov. xxviii. 1. Sometimes the dove for their meeknefs. Cant. ii. 14. Sometimes the eagle for their fublimeneCs, Ifa. xi. 31. Thus you fee their coat of arms difplayed : but what is honour without inheritance? God adopts all his fonsto an inheritance, Luke xii. 32. ' It is your Father's good pleafure to give you a kingdom.* It is no dilparagement to be the fons of God. To reproach the faints, is as if Shimei had reproached David when he was going to be made king ; adoption ends in coronation. The kingdom God gives his adopted fons and heirs, excels all earthly monarchies.

1. In riches, Rev. xxi. 21. The gates of pearl, and the ftreets of pure gold, and as it were tranfparent glafs.

2. In tranquility. It is peaceable, the white lily of peace is the beft flower in a prince's crown : Pax una trnimpliis innumeris melior. No divifions at home, or invafions abroad ; no more the noife of the drum or cannon, but the voice of harpers harping, the hieroglyphic of peace. Rev. xiv. 2.

3. In ftabiiity. Other kingdoms are corruptible; though they have heads of gold, yet feet of clay : but this kingdom into which the faints are adopted, runs parallel with eternity: it is a kingdom that cannot be fliaken, Heb. xii. 2S. The heirs of heaven reign for ever and ever. Rev. xxii. 5.

Q. WJtat is the organical or 2nJ}rnmental caufe of adoption ?

A. Faith interefts us in the privilege of adoption. Gal. iii. 26. * Ye are all the children of God by faith \n Chrift JeCus.' Before faith be wrought, we are fpiritually illegitimate, we have no relation to God as a father : an unbeliever may call God judge, but not father ; faith is the filiating grace, it confers upon us the title of Ibnfliip, and gives us right to inherit.

Q. Why is faith the inftrument of adoption, more than any other srace :^

Anf. I. Faith is a quickening grace, it is the vital artery of the foul, Hab. ii. 4. ' The juft fliall live by faith.' Life raaiies us capable of adoption, dead children are never adopted.

2. Faith makes us Chrill's brethren, and fo God comes to be our father.

life \Ji, Branch I. See the amazing love of God in making us his fons. Piato gave God thanks that he had made him a man, and not only a man but a philofopher: but it is infinitely more, that he fliould invell us with the prerogative of fons. It is love in God to feed us, but more to adopt us, I John iii. 1. * Behold what manner of love the Father hath beltowed upon us, that we Ihould be called the fons of God V It is an ecce adrnimntis, a behold of wonder.

The wonder of God's love in adopting us, will appear the more if we confider thefe fix things.

1. That God fhould adopt us when he had a fon of his own. Men adopt becaufe they want children, and defire to have fome to bear their name: but that God fliould adopt us when he had a fon of his own, the Lord Jefus ; here is the wonder of love. Chrifl; is called * God's dear fon,' Col. i. 13. ' A fon more \vorlhy than the angels,' Heb. i. 4. ' Being made lo much better than the angels.' Now, when God had a fon of his own, fuch a fon, here is the wonder of God's love in adopting us. We needed a Father, but he did not need fons.

2. Confider wJiat we were before God did adopt us: we were very deformed; a man will fcarce adopt him for his heir that is crooked and ill-favoured, but that hath fome beauty. Mordecai adopted Either, becaufe (he was fair. But we were in our blood, and then God adopted us, Ezeli. xvi. 6. * Wheu I faw thee polluted in thy blood, it was the time of love.' God did not adopt us w^ien we were befpangled with the jewels of holinefs, and had the angels glory upon us ; but when we were black as Ethiopians, difeafed as lepers, then it was the time of love

3. That God fliould be at fo great expence in adopting us : when men adopt, they have only fome deed fealed, and the thing is etfeAed ; but when God adopts, it puts him to a fe.r greater expence, it fets his wifdom a-work to find out a way to adopt us ; it was no eafy thing to uiake ihe heirs of wrath, heirs of the promiCe. And when God had found out a way to adopt, it was no ealy way ; our adoption was purchal'ed at a dear rate ; when God was about to make us fons and heirs, he could not feal the deed but by the blood of his own Son. Here is the wonder of God's love in adopting us, that he thould be at all this expence to- bring this work about.

4. That God fliould adopt his enemies ; if a man adopts Vol. I. No. Q. H h \

€42 OF ADOPTION,

another for his heir, he will not adopt his mortal enemy ; but that God fliould adopt us, when we were not only ftrangers, but enemies, here is the wonder of love, for God to have pardoned his enemies, had been much ; but to adopt thern for his heirs, this fets the angels in heaven a-wondering.

5. That God fliould take great numbers out of the devil's family, and adopt thnn into the family of heaven. Chrift is faid to bring many fons to glory, Heb. ii. 10. Men adopt ufually but one heir, but God is refolved to increafehis family, he brings many fons to glory. God's adopting millions, is the wonder of love. Had but one been adopted, all of us might have del^ paired ; but he brings many Ions to glory, this opens a door of hope to us.

6. That God (hould confer fo great honour upon us, in adopting us : David thought it no fmall honour that he fliould be a king's fon-in-law, 1 Sam. xviii. 18. But what honour to be the fons of the high God ? And the more honour God hath put upon us in adopting us, the more he hath magnified his love towards us. What honour, that God hath made us lb near in alliance to him, fons of God the Father, members of God the Son, temples of God the Holy Ghoft ? that he hath made us as the angels, Matth. xxii. 30. nay, in Ibme fenlie, fuperior to the angels : all proclaims the wonder of God's love in adopting us.

Bratich 2. See the fad condition of fuch as live and die in unbelief ; they are not the fons of God : ' To as many as received him, he gave power to become the fons of God, even to them that believe in his name.* No faith, no fbnfhip ; unbelievers have no fign of fonlliip, they know not God ; all God's children know their Father, but the wicked do not know him, Jer. ix. 3. * They proceed from evil to evil, and know not me, faith the Lord.' Unbelievers are ' dead in trefpaffes,' Eph. ii. 1. God hath no dead children ; and not being children, they have no right to inherit.

2d Uj'e of trial. Try whether we are adopted. All the world is divided into thefe two ranks, either the fons of God, or the heirs of hell, John i. 12. * To them he gave power to become the fons of God.' Let us put ourCelves on a trial. It is no fign we are adopted fons, becaufe we are fons of godly parents: the Jews boalled that they were of Abraham's feed, John viii. 33. they thought they muil needs be good, becaufe they came of fuch an holy line. But adoption doih not come by blood : we fee many godly parents have wicked fons; Abraham had an Ilhumt;I ; Ijaac an Efau. The corn that is fown pure, yet brings forth grain with an huflv ? he who himlelf is holy, yet the child that fprings from his loins is unholy. So that, as Hierom, nun najcinmr Jilii: we are not God's fons as we are

or ADOPTION. S43

born of godly parents, but by adoption and grace. Well, tben, let us try if we are the adopted ions and daughters of God.

Firft hgn of adoption, obedience. A Ton obeys his father, Jer. XXXV. 5. ' I let before the fons of the houfe of the Re-chabites, pots full of wine, and cups, and faid unto them, drink ye wine. But they faid, we will drink no wine : for Jonadab the fon of Rechab our father commanded us, faying, ye fhall drink no wine.' So, when God laith, drink not in fin's enchanted cup ; an adopted child faith, my heavenly Father hath commanded me, I dare not drink. A gracious foul doth not only believe God's promife, but obey his command. And true child-hke obedience mult be regular, which implies three things :

1. It muft be done by a right rule : obedience mud have the word for its rule ; Lxjd'ms lapis, Ifa. viii. 20. * To the law, to tlie tefi;imony.' If our obedience be not according to the word, it is offering up flrange fire ; it is will-worfhip : and God will fay, who hath required this at your hand ? the apollle condemns worHiipping of angels, which had a fhevv of humility, Col. ii. 18. The Jews might fay, that they were loth to be fo bold, as to go to God in their own perfons ; they would be more humble, and prollrate themfelves before the angels, defiring them to be their mediators to God. Here was a fhew of humility in their angel-worfhip ; but it was abominable, becaufe they had no word of God to warrant it: it was not obedience, but idolatry. Child-like obedience is that which is confonant to our Father's revealed will.

2. It mull be done from a right principle, i. e. the noble

principle of faith, Rom. xvi. 26. * The obedience of faith' ■

Quicquid decorum eJtexjideprojici£itur,^\xg. A crab-tree may bear fruit fair to the eye, but it is four, becaufe it doth not come from a good root. A moral perfon may give God outward obedience, and to the eyes of others it feems glorious ; but his obedience is lour, becaufe it comes not from that fvveet and plea-fant root of faith. A child of God gives him the obedience of faith, and that meliorates and fweetens his fervices, and makes them come off with a better relifii, Heb. xi. 4. ' ^y faith Abel offered a better facrifice than Cain.'

3. It mull be done to a right end : Finis fpecificat aclionem ; the end of obedience is glorifying God. That which hath fpoiled many glorious fervices, is, when the end hath been wrong, Mat. vi. 2. * When thou doll thine alms, do not found a trumpet, as the hypocrites do, that they may have glory of men.' Good works fliould fliine, but not blaze. 'If I give my body to be burnt, and have not charity, it profits me nothing,' 1 Cor. xiii. 3. The fame I may lay of a fincere aim : if I obey never fo much, and have not a fincere aim, it profits

me nothing. True obedience looks at God in all, Phil. i. 20.

* That Chrift may be magnified.' Though a child of God fhoots fhort, yet he takes a right aim.

{■2.) True child-like obedience is uniform : a child of God makes confcience of one command, as well as another : Quic-

quid propter Deumfit, ceqvalilerjit All God's commands

have the fame itamp of divine authority upon them ; and if I obey one precept becaui'e my heavenly Father commands me, then by the fame rule I mud obey all: as the blood runs through all the veins of the body, and the fun in the firmament runs through all the figns of the zodiac : fo the true child-like obedience runs through the firft and fecond table, Pfal. cxix. 6.

* When I have a refpe6t unto all thy commandments.* To obey God in fome things of religion, and not in others, (hev^^s an unfound heart; like Elau, who obeyed his father in bringing him venifon, but not in a greater matter, viz. the choice of his wife. Child-like obedience moves towards every command of God, as the needle points that way which the loadilone draws. If God call to duties which are crofs to flefh and blood, if we are children, we obey our Father.

Q. But icho can obey Goflin all things ?

A, An adopted heir of heaven, though he cannot obey every precept perfectly, yet he doth evangelically: I. He approves of every command, Rom. vii. 16. * I content to the law, that it is good,' 2. A child of God delights in every command, Pfal. cxix. 91. * O how love 1 thy precepts !' 3. Hisdefireis toobey every command, Pfal. cxix. 5. * O that my ways were dire6led tokeep thy ifatutes!' 4. Wherein he comes fhort, he looks up to Chrift's blood to make fupply for his defeats. This is evangelical obedience ; which, though it be not to fatisfadion, it is to acceptation.

(3.) True child^like obedience isconflant, Pfal. cvi. 3- * Blef-fed is he that doth righteoufnefs at all times.' Child-like obedience is not like an high colour in a fit, which is foon over ; but like a right fanguine complexion, it abides ; it is like the fire on the altar which was kept always burning, Lev. vi. 13.

Second fign of adoption, to love to be in our Father's pre-fence. The child who loves his Father, is never fo well as when he is near his father. Are we children ? we love the prefence of God in his ordinances. In prayer we fpeak to God, in the preaching of his word he fpeaks to us : and how doth every child of God delight to hear his Father's voice? Pfal. Ixiii. 1, 2.

* My foul thirtieth for thee, to fee thy glory fo as I have feen thee in the fandluary.* Such as difregard ordinances, are not God's children, becaufe they care not to be in God's prefence : Gen. iv. 17. * Cain went out from the prefence of the Lord.* Not that he could go out of God's fight, but the meaning is.

** Cain went out from the church and people of God, where the Lord gave vifible tokens of his prefence."

Third fign of adoption, to have the conduct of God's Spirit, Rom. viii. tM. * As many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the tons of God.' It is not enough that the child have life, but it muft be led every (lep by the nurfe : fo the adopted child muft not only be born of God, but have the manudu6tion of the Spirit to lead him in a courle of holinefs, Hof. xi. 3. * I taught Ephraim aUb to go, taking them by their arms.' As Ilrael was led by the pillar of fire, fo God's children are led by the condu6t of his Spirit : the adopted ones need God's Spirit to lead them, they are apt to go wrong. The flefhly part inclines to fin ; the underftanding and confcience are to guide the will, but the will is imperious and rebels ; therefore God's children need the Spirit to check corruption, and lead them in the right way. As wicked men are led by the evil fpirit; the fpirit of Satan led Herod to incefl, Ahab to murder, Judas to trea-fon : fo the good Spirit leads God's children into virtuous actions.

Obj. But enthn/iqfts pretend to be led by the Spirit, when it is an ignis fatuus, a delujion.

A. The Spirit'scondu6t is agreeable to the word ; enthufiafls leave the word, ' The word is truth,' John xvi. 13. And, ' the Spirit guides in all truth,' John xvi. 13. The word's teaching, and the Spirit's leading agree together.

Fourth fign, if we are adopted, we have an entire love to all God's children, I Peter ii. 17- ' Love the brotherhood.' We bear affection to God's children, though they have fome infir-inities: there are the fpots of God's children, Deut. xxxii. 5. But we muft love the beautiful face of holinefs, though it hath a fear in it. If we are adopted, we love the good we fee in God's children, we admire their graces, we pals by their im-prudencies : if we cannot love them, becaufe they have fome iailings, how do we think Gqd can love us? can we plead ex-enip'tion ? By thefe figns we may know our adoption.

Q. What are the benefits which accrue to God's children :

A. They have great in»munities : King's children have great privilege.^ and freedoms; they donot pay cuffom, Matth. xvii. O'. God's clnldren are privileged perlijns, they are privileged from the hurt of every thing, Luke x. 19. ' Nothing fhall by any ujtans hurr. you.' Hit you it may, not hurt you, Pfalni xci. iO. ' There fhall no evil befal thee.' God faith not, No afMi6tion fhaii befal his chddren, but. No evil; the hurt and poi-Ibu '.'t "'L iS taken away. Affli(5lion to a wicked man hath evil in it, 11 i:ia.,es i.mi uorle; it makes hrni curie and blafpheme. Rev. xvi y. * Men were fcorched with great heat, and blaf-phemed tiie name of Qod.' But no evil befals a child of God,

QAQ OF ADOPTION.

he is bettered by a{Hi6tion, Heb. xii. 10. The furnace make gok! purer. Again, no evil befals the adopted, becaufe no condemnation. Rom. viii. 33. * It is God that juftifieth, who is he that condemneth ?' What a blefled privilege is this, to l)e freed from the fting of aftliction, and theciirfe of the law ? to be in fuch a condition, that nothing can hurt one ? When the dragon [lath poifoned the w^ater, the unicorn with his horn doth extrad and draw out the poifon ; lb Jefus Chrift hath drawn out the poifon of every alflidioii, that it cannot prejudice the faints.

Second benefit, if we are adopted, then we have an intereft in all the promiles : the promifes are children's bread : * Believers are heirs of the promifes,' Heb. vi. 17. The promifes are fure : God's truth, which is thebrighteft pearl in his crown, is laid to pawn in a promife. The promifes are fuitable ; like a phyfic-garden, there is no difeafe, but there is fome herb in the phyfic-garden to cure it. In the dark of defertion, God halh promifed to be a fun ; in temptation, to tread down Satan, Rom. xvi. 20. Doth fin prevail? he hath promifed to take away its kingly power, Rom. vi. 14. O the heavenly comforts "which are dellilled from the limbec of the promifes! But who hath a right to thefe ? Believers only are heirs of the proraife. There is never a promife in the Bible, but a believer may fay, this is mine.

Ufe ult. Extol and magnify God's mercy, who hath adopted j'ou into his family; who, of (laves, hath made you fon?; of heirs of hell, heirs of the promife. Adoption is a free gift. He gave them power, or dignity, to become the Ions of God. Asa thread of filver runs through the whole piece of work, fo free grace runs through this whole privilege ot adoption. Adoption is a greater mercy than Adam had in paradife ; he was a fonby creation, but here is a further fonfhip by adoption. To make us thankful, confider, in civil adoption there is fome worth and excellency in the perfon to be adopted ; but there was no worth in us, neither beauty, nor parentage, nor virtue ; nothing in us to move^God to bellow the prerogative of (bnfhip upon us. We have enough ia us to move God to corre6t us, but nothing to mov^ h'^n to adopt us; therefore exalt free grace, begin the work of angels here; blefs him with your praifes, who hath blelfed you in making you his ions and daughters.

OF SANCTIFICATION.

1 Thess. iv. 3. For this is the loill of God, even your fanS-ifica*

Hon.

The notion of the word fan6lification, fignifies to confe-crate and let apart to an holy ufe : thus they are lanclified pre-fons, who are feparated from the world, and fetapart for God's fervice. Sanctification hath a privative and a pofitive part.

1. A privative part, mortification, which lies in the purging out of fin.- Sin is compared to leaven, which fours ; and to leprofy, which defiles ; ilin6tification doth purge out * the old leaven,' 1 Cor. ix. 7. Though it takes not away the life, yet

-it takes away the love of fin.

2. A pofitive part, vivification, which is the fpiritual refining of the foul; which in fcripture is called a * renewing of our mind,' Rom. xii. 2. and a ' partaking of the divine nature,*

2 Pet. i. 4. The priefts in the law not only were wafhed in the great laver, but adorned with glorious apparel, Exod. xxviii. 2. foin fandification, not only waftied from fin, but adorned with purity.

Q. What is fanviification ?

Anf. It is a principle of grace feivingly wrought, whereby the heart becomes holy, and is made after God's own heart. A fandlified perfon _bears not only God's name, but image. For the openmg the nature of fan6tlfication, I fliall lay down thefe feven pofitions.

1. San6lincation is a fupernatural thing : it is divinely infufed. We are naturally polluted, and to cleanle, God takes to be his prerogative ; Lev. xxi. S. * I am the Lord which .fan6lifieth you.' Weeds grow of themfelves. Flowers are planted. Sanctification is a flower of the Spirit's planting, therefore it is called. The fanclification of the Spirit,' 1 Peteri. 2.

2. Sanctification is an intrinfical thing : it lies chiefly in the heart.' It is called * the adorning the hidden man ofthe ^eaft/ 1 Peter iii. 4. The dew wets the leaf, the fap is hiu W*'the root : the religion of fome confifts only in externals, but fanclification is deeply rooted in the foul, Pfal. li. (i. ' In the hidden part thou ilialt make me to know wifdom.'

3. Sanaificaiion is an extenfive thing : it fpreads into the whole man, 1 Theif. v. 23. ' The God of peace fan6lify you wholly.' As original corruption hath depraved all the faculties, the whole ' head is fick, the whole heart faint,' no part found, as if the whole raafs of blood were corrupted : fo fan6tificatioa goes over tjie whole foul. After the fall, there was ignorance

in the mind ; now in fandification, we are * light in the Lord/ Eph. V. 8. After the full, the will was depraved : there was not only inipoiency to good, but obftinacy: now, in fanctifica-tion, there is a blell'ed phablenefs in the will ; it dothfymbolize and comport with the will of God. After the fall, the aftedtions were mifplaced on wrong objects; in fan6lification, they are turned into a fweet order and harmony, the grief placed on fin, the love on God, the joy on heaven, Thusfanclifjcation fpreads itfelf as far as original corruption : it goes over the whole foul; * the God of peace lan6lify you wholly.' He is not a fan6litied perfon who is good only in fome part, but who is all over fanc-tified : therefore in fcripture, grace is called a ' new man,' Col. iii. 10. not a new eye or a new tongue, but a ' new man.' A good Chriftian, though he be fandilied but in part, yet in every part.

4. San(5lification is an intenfe ardent thing, Qualitatisfimt in fuhjectio intenjive, Rom. xii. 11. ' Fervent in Spirit.' Sanc-tification is not a dead form, but it is inflamed into zeal. We call water hot, when it is fo in the third or fourth degree : he is holy, whofe religion is heated to Ibme degree, and his heart boils over in love to God.

5. San6tification is a beautiful thing ; it makes God and angels fall in love with us, Pfal. ex. 3. ' The beauties of holi-nefs.' As the fun is to the world, fo is fan6tification to the foul, beautifying and befpangling it in God's eyes. That which makes God glorious, muft, needs make us fo. Holinefs is the moft fparkling jewel in the Godhead, Exod. xv. U. 'Glorious in holinels.' San6lification is the firfl fruit of the Spirit ; it is heaven begun in the foul ; fan6tification and glory differ only in degree ; lan6lification is glory in the feed, and glory is fanc-tification in the flower. Holinefs is the quinteflence of happi-nefs.

6. Sandlification is an abiding thing, 1 John iii. 9. * His feed lemaineth in him.' He who is truly fan6lified cannot fall from that ftate. Indeed feeming holinefs may be loft, colours may vvafli oiX, fandlification may fufleran eclipfe, Rev. ii. 4. ' Thou liaft left thy firll love :' but true fan6lification is a bioffom of eternity, 1 John ii. 2?. * Theanoinling which ye have received abideth in you.' He who is truly I'anftified, can no more fall away, than the angels which are lixed in their heavenly orbs.

7. San6lification is a progreflive thing, it is growing ; it is compared to feed which grows ; firll the b!ade fpring.s up, then the ear, then the ripe corn in the ear; luch as are already fanc-tified, may be more fandified, 2 Cor vii. I. Juftification doth not admit of degrees ; a believer cannot bo more elected or juf-tified than be is, but he may be more f.mctitied than he is; fan(ftification is llill increafing, like the morning fun, which

gro\vs brighter to the full meridian. Knowledge is faid to in-creafe, Col. i. 10. and faith to increafe, 2 Cor. x. 15. A Chril-tian is continually adding a cubit to his fpiritual itature. It ii not with us a^ it w^s with Chri(l, who received the S|)irit without meafure : Chrift could not be more holy than he was. But we have the Spirit only in meafure, and may be ftill augmenting our grace: As Appelles, when he had drawn a pi6lure, he would be ttill mending it with his pencil. The image of God is drawn but imperfectly in us, therefore we nuift be ilill mending it, and drawing it in more lively colours; fanAification is progrellive; if it doth not grow, it is becaufe it doth not live. Tliusyou lee the nature of lan6lification.

Q. IVhat are the counterfeits ofjan<:t[fication ?

A, There is fomething looks like fanctification, which is not.

1. The firlt counterfeit of fanclification is moral virtue. To bejuft, temperate, to be of a fair deportment, not having one's (cutcheon blotted with ignominious fcandal : this is good but not enough : this is not fan6titication. A field flower difFei-s from a garden flower : 1. Heathens have attained to morality ; Cato, Socrates, Arillides. Civility is but nature refined ; there is nothing of Chrift there ; the heart may be foul and impure : under thefe fair leafs of civility, the worm of unbelief may be hid. '2. A moral perfon hatha Hicret antipathy againft grace; he liates vice, and he hates grace as much as vice. The Ihake hath a fine colour, butarting'. A perfon adorned and cultivated with moral virtue, hatha fecret fpleen againft; ianclity : thole Stoics, which were the chief of the moralized Heathens, were the bittereft enemies St. Paul had, A6ls xvii. IS.

2. The fecond counterfeit of fanftification, is fuperfiitious devotion : this abounds in Popery, adorations, images, altars, veftments, holy water, which I look upon as a religious frenzy ; this is far from fandlification. 1, It doth not put any intrinfi-cal goodnefs into a man, it doth not make a man t>etter. If the legal purifications and wafliings, which were of God's own appointing, did not make them that ufed them more holy, (the priells, who wore holy garments, and had holy oil poured on tiieuj, were never the more holy, without the anointing of the Spirit) then furely thoie luperllitious innovations in relii,Mon, which God never appointed, cannot contribute any holinels to ajen. 2. A luperllitious holinefs cods no great labour; there is nothing of the heart in it: if to tell over a few beads, or bow to an image, to fprinkle themfelves with holy water; rfc thi:? were fanCtification, and were all that w-ere required of them that fliould befaved, then hell would be empty, none would come there.

3. The third counterfeit of fanclification, ishypocrify ; when men make a pretence of that hoiinefa which thev have not.

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A comet may fiiine like a ftar ; fuch a luftre fliines from their prot'effion, as dazzleth the eyes of the beholders, 2 Tim. iii. 5.

* liaving a form of godlinels, but denying the power.' Thefe are lamps without oil; whited fepulclires, like the Egyptian temples, which had fair outfides, but within fpiders and apes. The apollle fpeaksof true hoiinefs, Eph. iv, 24. implying that there is holinefs which is fpurious and fergned. Rev. iii. 1.

* Thou haft a name to live, but art dead :' like pictures and flatues which are deflitute of a viti;! principle, Jude xii. * Clouds without water.' They pretend to be full of the Spirit, but empty ck)uds. This fhew of fan6tification (when it is nothing elfe) is lelf-delufion. He who takes copper inftead of gold, wrongs himfelf; the moft counterfeit faint deceives others while lie lives, but deceives himfelf when he dies. To pretend holinefs, when there is none, is a vain thing; what were the foolifli virgins better for their blazing lamps, when they wanted oil ? What is the lamp of profeffion without the oil of faving grace? What comfort will a fhew of holinefs yield at lad ? Will painted gold enrich ? Painted wine refreOi him that is thirfly ? Will painted holinefs be a cordial at the hour of death ? A pretence of fanclitication is not to be retted in. Many ftips, that have had the name of the Hope, the Safeguard, the Triumph, yet have been caft away upon the rocks ; lb, many who have had the name of laintfliip, have been caft into hell.

4. The fourth counterfeitoffanftification, is retraining grace. When men forbear vice, though they do not hate it; this may be the (inner's motto, 'Fain I would, but I dare not.' The dog hath a mind to the bone, but is afraid of the cudgel; men have a mind to luft, but confcience flands as the angel, with a flaming fword, and affrights; they have a mind to revenge, but the fear of hell is a curb-bit to check them. Here is no change of heart: fin is curbed, but not cured ; a lion may be in chains, but is a lion ftill.

4. The fifth counterfeit of fandlification, is common grace, which is a flight, tranfient work of the Spirit, but doth not amount to converfion. There is feme light in the judgment, . but it is not huml)ling; fome checks in the conlcieDce, but tliey are not awakening : this looks like ianctitication, but is not. Men have convi6tions wrought in them, but they break lofe from them again, like the deer, w^hich, being fliot, Ihakes out the arrow : after c6nvi6lion, me\i go into the lioufe of mirth, take the harp to drive away the fpirit of fadnels, and fo all dies and comes to nothing. " Q. Where'm appears theneceffity offitnclification ?

A, In fix things : 1. God liaiji called us to it, 2 Pet. i. 4. • Who hath called us to glory and virtue ;' to virtue as well as glory, ' God hath not called us to uncltannefs, but unto ho-

• OF SANCTIFICATIOIT. €51

Knefs,' 1 ThefT. iv. 7. We have no call to fin, we may have a temptation, but no call ; no call to be proud, or unclean, but we have a call to be holy.

2. The necelBty appears in this : without fan6lification there is no evidencing our junification ; jullification and fanctifica-tion go together, I Cor. vi. 11. * But ye are ian6lified, butye are jultified.' Mic. vii. 18. * Pardoning iniquity,' there is jndilication ; ver. 19. ' He will fubdue our iniquities,' there IS fanctification. * Out of Chrill's fides came blood and water,' 1 John v. 7. Blood, viz. jullification; water, viz. l"an6lification. Such as have not the water out of Cln-ill's fides to cleanfe them, fhall never have the blood out of his fides to fave them.

3. Without fanctification we have no title to the new covenant. 7'he covenant of grace is our charter for heaven; the t'enure of the covenant is, ' that God will be our God' (the crowning blefling.) But who areinterelled in the covenant, and may plead the benefit of it? Only fanctified perfons; Ezek. xxxvi. 2(5. * A new heart will I give you, and I will put my Spirit within you, and I will be your God.' If a man makes a will, and fettles his ellate upon fuch perfons as he names in the will; none elle but they can lay claim to the will: fo God makes a will and teftament, but it is reftrained and limited to fuch as are fdnctified ; and it is high prefumption for any elfe to lay claim to the will.

4. There is no going into heaven without fdn6tification, Heb, xii. 14. ' Without holinefs no man fhall fee the Lord.* God is an holy God, and he will futfer no unholy creature Jto come near him ; a king will not fuffer a man with plague-fores to approach into his prelence. Heaven is not like Noah's ark, where the clean beads and the unclean entered ; no unclean beaft comes into the heavenly ark : though God fuffer the wicked to live a while on the earth, he will never futier heaven to be pefl,ered with fuch vermin : are they fit to fee God, who wallow in wickedneis? Will God ever lay fuch vipers in his bofom.'' • Without holinefs no man fiiall fee the Lord.' It muft; be a clear eye that fees a bright obje6l; only an holy heart can fee God in his glory. Sinners may lee God as an enemy, but not as a friend ; may have an affrighting vifion of God, but not a beatifical vifion : they may fee the flaming fword, but not the mercy-feat. O then what need is there of fandtificatlon ?

5. Without fanctification, all our holy things are defiled, Tit. i. 5. ' Unto them that are defiled is nothing pure,' Under ,he law, if a man who was unclean by a dead body, had carried a,piece of holy flelh in his ikirt, the holy flefii had not cleanfed him, but he had polluted that. Hag. i. 12, 13. Au emblem of a finner's polluting his holy offering. A foul llo^

mach turns the befl food into ill humours: nn nnHiiu'^ified Ue-Mt pollutes prayers, alms, facramciits. This evincetli the necefhfy of lanrtification : liuK^tification makes our holy things acce{»ted ; an holy heart is the altar which fain^ifies the otier-hig; his duties though they are not to fatisfadion, yet to ac-dbptation.

6. Without fanclification we can fliew no fign of our election, 2 Their, ii. 13. Ele6tion is the caufe ot our iajvation, <au6lification is our evidence ; ian6liticatioii is the ear mark of Clirilt's elt6t fheep.

Q. W/iat are the/pis ofj'an&tjication P

A. 1. Such as are fan6liiied, can remember a lime when ihey were unlandified. Tit. iii. 3. We were in our blood, and then God waDied us with water, and anointed us with oil, Ezek. xvi. 9. 'I'hofe trees of righteoufnel's that bloffom and bear almonds, can remember when they were like Aaron's dry rod, not one bloirom of holineis growing : a fanctificd foul can remember when he was eultranged from God through ignorance and vanity, and when free grace planted this flower of holinefs in him.

Second fign of fandification is the indwelling of the Spirit, 2 Tim. i. 14. • The Holy Gholl which dwelleth in us.' As the unclean Spirit dwells in the wicked, and carries them to pride, lull, revenge; the devil hath entered into thefe fwine, A(5ts V. 3. fb the Spirit of God dwells in the ele6t, as their guide and com.forter. The Spirit polftireth the faints. God's Spirit lan6lifies (he fancy, caufing it to mint holy thoughts; it fancti-fies the v.'ill, putting a new bias upon it, whereby itis inclined to good. He who is llmftified hath the influence of the Spirit, though not the eflence.

The third fign of fanStification is an antipathy againft fin, Pfal. cxix. 101. an hypocrite may leave fin, yet love it ; as a ferperU cafts its coat but keeps its fting : but a fan6lified perfon can fay, he not only leaves (in, but loathes it. As there are antipathies in nature, between the vine and laurel, fo in a fan-ftitied foul there is an holy antipathy againfl fin : and antipathies can never be reconciled. Becaufe he hath an antipathy againll fin, he cannot but oppofe it, and feek the deftru6tion of it.

Fourth fign of fanclification is, the fpiritual performance of duties, viz. with the heart, and from a principle of love. The fan6lified foul prays out of a love to prayer, he ' calls the fab-bath a delight,' Ifa. Iviii. 13. A man may have gifts to admiration, he may fpeak as an angel dropped out of heaven, yet may be carnal in fpiritual things ; his fervices do not come from a renewed principle^ nor is he carried upon the wings of delight in duty. A faudified foul vvorfhips God in the Spirit,

1 Pet. ii. 5. God doth not judge of our duties by the lengtb, but by the love.

Fifth (ign, a well ordered life, 1 Pet. i. 15. * Be ye holy in all manner of coiiverlation :' Where the heart is Idiictitied the hfe will be lb too ; the temple hcid gold without, as well as within. As in apiece of coin, there i,s not only the king's image within the ring, but liis fuperlcription too without; (b where there is l'au6iihcdtion, there is not only God's iawge in the heart, but a lupericription of hoiinel's written in the life ; fome lay they have good hearts, but their lives are vicious, Prov. XXX. I'J. ' There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet is not walhed from their likhinels.' If the water be foul in' the bucket, it cannot be clean in the well, P(al. xlv, 1,3. * The king's daughter is all glorious within ;' there is holinefs of heart ; ' her clothing is of wrought gold.' liolinefs of life. Grace is molt beautiful when its light doth lb fliine, that others may fee it ; this adorns religion, and makes prolelytes to the iait'h.

Sixth fign, ftedfaft refolution. He is refolved never to part with his hoiinel's ; let others reproach it, he loves it the more ; let water be fprinkled on tliefire, it burns the more. He laith, as David, when Michal reproached him, for dancing before the ark, 2 Sam. vi. 2-J. ' If this be to be vile, 1 will yet be more vile.' Let others perftcute him for his liolinefs, he faith as Paul, Acts XX. 24. 'None of thole things move me;' he prefers fan6tity before fafety, and had raiher keep his confcience pure; than his ikin whole. He faith as Job, ' my integrity I will hold fall, and not let it go,' ch. xxvii. 6. He will rather part with his life than his confcience.

Uje 1. See what is the main thing a Chrillian fliould look after, viz. fanclification ; this is the unum necejfarium, the one thing needful. Sanclification is our purelt complexion, it niakes us as the heaven, befpangled with liars ; it is our nobility, by it we are born of God, and partake of the divine nature' : it is our riches, therefore compared to rows of jewels, and chains of gold, Cant. i. 10. Itisour bell certificate for heaven : what evidence have we elfe to fhew? Have we knowledge.^ lb hath the devil : do we profels religion ? Satan ofteit appears in Samuel's mantle, and transforms himfelfinto an angel of light : but here is our certihcate to Ihevv for heaven, liinclification. ^San6lilication is the firlt: fruits of the Spirit ; the only coin will pafs current in the other world. San6tihca-tion is the evidence of God's love ; we cannot guefs of God's love by giving us health, riches, luccel's, but by drawing his image jof lanclihcation on us by the pencil of the Holy Gholl.

Branch 2. It (hews the mifery of fuch as are doUitute of a principle of fundilicatioa ; they are I'piritually dead, Eph. ii. 1.

• though tliey breathe, yet they do not live.* The greafeft paitot the world leniiin unfanctified, 1 John v. iu. The world lies in wickednct-i, that is tlie major part of the world. Many call iheinlelves CliriiHans, yet blot out the wor^faints: you may as well call him a man who wants reafon, as him a Chriliian who wants grace ; nay, which is worl'e, (bme are buoyed up to fiich a height of wickedntls, that they hate and deride fanCtitication : They hate it; it is bad to want it, it is woiTe to hate it: they embrace the form of religion,, but hate the power. 1. The vulture hates i'weet <"mells, lb do they the perfumes of holinefs. *2. Deride it; thefe are your holy ones. To deride ianftirication, argues an high degree of atheilin, and is a black brand of reprobation : IcoHiiig llhmael was cail out of Abraham's family, Gen. xxi. 9. iuchas Icoifat holiuels Oiall: be cad out of heaven.

Ufe y. Of Exhorlation. Above all things purfue after fanc-tification ; leek grace more than gold, Prov. iv. 13. ' Keep her, for ftie is thy life.'

Q. What are the chief inducements to fan cl if cation?

A. Ift, It is the will of God that we Ihouid be holy: in the text, • This is the will of God, your (anctitication.' As God's word mull be the rule, fo liis will, the reatbn of our actions :

* this is the will of God, our fandtification.' Perhaps it is not the will of God we Ihonld be rich, but it is his will that we fhould be holy. God's will is our warrant.

2rf///, Jefus Chrilt liath died for our fanctification. Chrift flied his blood to wafh off our impurity. The crols was both an altar and a laver. Tit. ii. 14. ' Who gave himlelf for us, to redeem us from all iniquity.* If we could be laved without ho-linels, Chrid needed not have died. Chrilt died, not only to iave us from wrath, but from fin.

^dly, Sandification makes us rcfembleGod. It was Adam's fin tiiat he afpired to be like God in onmifciency, but we muli endeavow to be like him in fandity. It i« only a clearglal's in 'vvhich we can fee a face ; it is only an holy heart in which I'ome-thing of God can be feen ; there's nothing of God to be feen in an unfaiiclined man: yon may fee Satan's picture in him : envy is the devil's eye, hypocrily liis cloven fool; but nothing of God's image can be feen in him. You can lee no more of God in him, than you can fee a njau's face in a glals that is dully and fonl.

4th/>/, Saii(5lification is that which God bears a great love to, A'ot any outward ornament:?, high blood, or worldly grandeur, draws God's love, but an lieart embellilhtd wiih iiolinefs. Chrift never admired any thing, hut tlie beauty of holinefs; lie llig,liled the glorious buildings of the temple, but adniired ihe womau's faith, * O woman great is thy failh ;' amorfimda-'

OF SANCTIFICATION. S55

tnr fimiUtiidme. A kins^ delights to fee his image upon a piece of coin : where God fees his fikeiiefs, there he gives his love. The Lord hath two l)eavens be dwells in, and the holy heart is one of thetn,

bthhf, San<^ification is the only thing doth difference us from the wicked : God's people have his feal upon them, "2 Tim. ii. 19. ' The foundation ot God llandeth fine, having this feal, the the Lord knovvtth them that are his; and let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iiViquity.' The godiy are fealed with a donble feal : 1. A feal of election, ' The Lord knoweth who are his :' 2. A feal of fan6tihcation, ' Let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iniquity.* This is the name by which God's people are known, Ila. Ixiii. 18. ' The people of thy holinefs.' A- chaftity diliinguifheth a virtuous woman from a harlot, fo fanctitication dillinguilheth 'God's people from others, 1 John ii. ^7. Ye have received an un6tion from the holy One.

(jthli/. It is as great a (hame to have the name of a Chriftian, yet want lanclify, as to have the name of a lieward, and yet want fidelity, the name of a virgrin, yet want chaftity. It expol'eth religion to refiroath, to be baptized into the name of Chrift, yet unholy; to have eyes full of tears on a fibballi, and on a week day eyes full of adultery, "2 Pet. ii. 14. To be fo devout at the Lord's table, as if men were ftepping into heaven ; and fo profane the week after, as if they came out oi hell. To have the name of Chriftians, yet unholy, is a Icandal to religion, and makes the ways of God evil fpoken of.

Tth/y, San6tification fits for heaven, '2 Pet. i. 3. * Who hath called us to glory and virtue;' glory is the throne, and Ian6tifi-cation is the Hep by which we afcend to it. Firll, you cleanfe the veflel, and then you pour in the wine ; firli, God cleanfeth us by fanctification, and tiien pours in the Avine of glory. Solomon was firft anointed with oil, and then he was a king, I Kings i. cJi). Firft, God anoints us with the holy oil of his Spirit, and then he lets the crown of happinefs upon our head. Parenefii of heart and feeing God are linked together. Mat. v. 8.

Q. How mayj'anctiflccJion be attained to?

A. 1. Be converfant in the word of God, John xvii. I7. * San6lify them through thy truth.' The word is both a glafs to Ihew us the fpots of our foul, and a laver to walh them away ; the word hath a transforming virtue in it, it irradiates the mind, and confecratps the heart.

2. Get taith in Chrill's blood. Acts xv. 9. * Having purified their hearts by faith.' She in the gofpcl th;it touched the hem of Chrift's garment was healed; a touch of faiili purifies. Nothing can have a greater force upon tlie heart, to fan6lify it, than faith ; if I beUeve Chrift and his merits are mine, how can

?5G OF SAKCTinCATION.

I fin againft him ? Juflifying failh doth that in a ('piriLual fenle, which miraculous failh clolh, it removes nioimtains, ti)e mountains ot pride, kill, envy. Faith, and the love of lin are incon-filient.

3. Breath after the Spirit; itiscallcd ' the fanctificalion of the Spirit,' 2 Thell", ii. l:^. The Spirit lanctihcs the heart, as lightning purifies the air, as fire refines metals. Owne agens general

fibiJimUe: The Spirit ftumps the impreirion of its own ian6tily upon the heart, as the feal prints its effigies and iikenefs upon the wax. The Spirit of God in a man jjeriumes him witli hoU-neis, and makes his heart a map of heaven.

4. Aifociate with ianctified perfons. They may, by their counfel, prayers, holy example, be a means to make you holy : as the communion of laintsisin our creed, fo itfhoiild be in our company, Prov. xiii. 20. ' Pie that walketh with the wife, (hail be wife.' Adbciation begets aOTimulation.

5. Pray for lan6liCcation. Job propounds a queftion, 'Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?' Job xv. 14. God can do it. Out of an unholy heart he can produce grace. O ! make David's prayer, Plal. li. 10. ' Create in me a clean heart, O God.* Lay thy heart before the Lord, and fay. Lord, my unfanftified heart pollutes all it touchelh. I am not fit to live with fuch an heart, for I cannot honour thee : nor die with fucli an heart, for I cannot fee thee. O create in me a clean heart; Lord, confecrate my heart, and make it thy temple, and thy praifes ihall be fung there for ever.

Vfe 3. Of thankfidnefs. Hath God brought a clean thing out of an unclean : hath he fandtified you ? wear this jewel of fan6tification with thankfulnefs, Col. i. 12. ' Giving thanks to the Father, who hath made us meet for the inheritance,' kc. Chriflian, thou conldelt defile thyfelf, but not landify thyfelf: but God hath done it, he liath not only chained up fin, but changed thy nature, and made thee as a king's daughter all glorious within. He hath put upon thee the breaft-plate of holi-nefs,*which, though it may be Ihot at, can never be Ihot thorough. Are there any here that are fandified ? God hath done more for you than millions : they may be illuminated, but not fanCtified. He hath done more for you, than if he had ntade you the fons of princes, and caufed you to ride upon the high places ot the earth. Are you i;in6li(ied ? heaven is begun in you ; happinefs is nothing but the quintelfence of holinefs. O how thankful fhould you be to God ! Do as that blind man ia the goipel, after he had received his fight, ' He followed Clirill, glorifying God,' Luke xviii. 43. Make heaven ring of God's praife;3.

OF ASSURANCE.

Q. XXXVI. WHAT are the benefits tohichjloiv from fane* iijtcation f

A. Affurance of God's !ove, peace of confcience, joy in the Holy Ghoft, increaie of giace, and perfeveiance therein to the end.

The firft benefit flowing from fandlification, is alfurance of ^God's love.

2 Pet. i. 10. * Give dihgence to make your calhng and election fure.' San6tihcation is the feed, affurance is the flower which grows out of it: affurance is a confequent of fandificaiion, the faints of old had it, I John ii. 3. ' We know that we know him,' 2 Tim. i. 12. * I know whom I have believed.' Here was/ew/7<^J?rfe?, the reflex a6t of faith : and, Gal. ii. 20. * Chrift hath loved me.* Here was faith flourifliing into affurance. Aecolamhadias, when he was fick, pointed to his heart, Uk fat lucisy Here I have light enough, meaning comfort and affurance.

Q. 1. Have all fanclified perfons ojfurance ?

A. They have aright to it, and I do incline to believe that aU have it in fome degree before their laft expiring; though their comfort may be fo ftrong, and their vital fpirits fo weak, that they cannot exprefs what they feel. But I dare not pofitively affirm that all have affurance in the firft moment of their fandification : a letter may be written, which is not fealed; fo grace may be written in the heart, yet the Spirit may not fet the feal of affurance to it. God is a free agent, and may give or fufpend affurance pro licito as he pleafes. Where there is the fan6tifying work of the Spirit, he may withhold the fealing work, partly to keep the (bul humble ; partly to punifti our care-lels walking: we negle6t our fpiritual watch, grow remils in duty, and then walk under a cloud ; we quench the graces of the Spirit, and God withholds the comforts: and partly to put a difference between earth and heaven. This I the rather fpeak, to bear up the hearts of God's peo[)le, who are dejected becaufe they have no affurance : you may have the water of Uie Spirit poured on you in fan6lification, though not the oil of gladnefs in affurance ; there may be faith of adherence, and not of evidence ; there may be life in the root, when there is no fruit in the branches to be feen ; lb faith in the heart, when no fruit of affurance.

Q. 2. What is ajfurance ?

Anf. It is not vocal, any audible voice, or brought to us by

Vol. I. No. 6. K k

the help of an angol or revelation. AfTuranre confifts of a pra6U(al fyllogifai, wliere the word of God makes the major, conficience the minor, the Spirit of God the conclufion. The word laiih, * He tjiat fears and loves God, is loved of Cod ;* there is the major propofirion : then confcience makes the nw-nor, • But 1 fear and love God ;' then the Spirit makes the conclufion, ' 'J'htrefore thou art loved of God.' And this is that which the apoflle calls, ' The witneffing of the Spirit with our fpirits, that we are his children,* Rom. viii. 16.

Q. 3. Whether hath ajanftifiedfoulfuch an ajfurance as eX' eludes all doubtings ?•

All/. He hath that which hears np his heart from finking, he hath fuch an earneft of the Spirit, that he would not part with it for the richeft prize; but his aiTurance, though it be infallible, it is not perfect. There will be fometimes a trepidation or trembling ; he is fafe, yet not without fears and doubts; as aOiip lies fafe atanchor, yet may be a little fliaken by the wind. If a Chriftian had no doublings, there would be no unbelief in him ; had he no doublings, there would be no difference between grace militant and grace triumphant. Had not David his ebbings fometimes as well as flowings ? Like the mariner, who fometimes cries out, ftellam video, I fee a ftar ; fometimes the (lar is out of fight. Sometimes we hear David fay, ' Thy loving-kindnels is before mine eyes,' Pfal. xxvi. 3. But at another time he '.vas at a lofs, Pfal. Ixxxix. 49. ' Lord, Avhere are thy former loving-kindnelfes?' And there may fall out an eclipl'e in a Chriftian's affurance, to put him upon longing after heaven ; then there fliall not be the leafl doubting ; tlien the banner of God's love fliall be always difplayed upon the foul; then the light of God's face fliall be without clouds, and have no fun-fetting; then the faints fhall have an uninterrupted affurance, and be ever with the Lord. .

Q. 4. What are the differences hetueen true ajjurance and prejnmption?

Anf. 1. They difler in the method or manner of working : divine affurance flows from humiliation for fin (I fpeak not of the meafure of humiliation, but the truth.) There are in Palermo, reeds growing, in which there is a fugared juice : a foul humbled for fin is the bruifed reed, in which grows this I'vveet afiurance. God's Spirit is a fpirit of bondage, before it be a fpirit of adoption ; but prefumptionarifeth withoutany humbling work of the Spirit: ' How cameft thou by thy venilbn fb foon ?' The plow goes before the feed be Ibwn ; the heart nnifi he plowed up by humiliation and repentcwice, before God tow the feed of adurance.

'2. He who haih a real affurance, will take heed of that which will weaken and darken his affurance; he is fearful of the for-

bidden fruit: he knows, though he cannot fin away his foul, yet he may fin away his aflurance : but he who hath the 7gfiis fatuns of prefumption, doth not Tear defiliiii?; his garnients, he is bold in (in, Jer. iii. 4, 5. * AViit thou nut cry unto me, my Father, Behold, Thou hail done evil things as thou couldfi.' Balaam faid. My God, yet a ibrcerer. A lign he hath no money about iiim, who fears not to travel all hours in the night; a fign he hath not the jewel of alfurance, who fears not the works of darknels.

3. True affurance is built upon a fcripture-bafi's ; the word faith, ' The etfe6t of righteoufnefs ftiall be quietnefs and affurance for ever.' Ila. xxxii. 17. A Chriftian's affurance is built upon this fcripture ; God hath fown the feed of righteoufnefs in hislbul, and this feed hath brought forth the harveft of aft

-furance : but prefumption is a fpurious thing, it hath no fcripture to fhew for its warrant : it is like a will without (eal and witnelfes, which is null and void in law : prefumption wants both the witnefs of the word, and the feal of the Spirit.

4. Affurance flowing from lan6tification always keeps the heart in a lowly pofl:ure : I^ord, faith th'^; Ibul, what am I, that, paffmg by fo many, the golden beams of thy love Hiouid fliine upon me ? St. Paul had alfurance : is he proud'^of this jewel ? No, Eph. iii. 8. ' To me who am leis than the leait of ail faints.' The more love a Chrifiian receives from God, the more he fees himfelf a debtor to free grace, and the fenfe of his debt keeps his heart humble ; but prefumption is bred of pride. He who prefumes, difdains ; he thinks himfelf better than others, Luke xviii. 11. * God, I thank thee 1 am not as other men are, nor as this Publican.' Feathers fly up, but God defcends ; he who hath this golden affurance, his heart defcends in humility.

Q. 5. What is it may excite us to look after affurance ? Anf. To confider how fweet it is, and the noble and excellent efte6ls it produceth :

1. How fweet it is. This is the manna in the golden pot ; the white flone, the wine of paradife which cheers the heart. How comfortable is God's fmile! the fun is more refreihing when it fhines out, than when it-is hid in a cloud ; it is a pra?-libation and a foretafle of glory, it puts a man in heaven before his time : none can know how delicious and ravifhing it is, but fuch as have felt it: as none can know how fweet honey is, but; they who have tailed it.

2. The noble and excellent efle6ls it produceth : 1. AfTur-ance will make us love God, and praife l»im : (I.) Love him. Love is the ibul of religion, the fat of the facrifice : ami who can love God lb, as he who hath aflurance? The fun refledin^ its beams on a burning-glafs, makes the glafs burn that which i-s near to it: lb affurance (which is the reflexion of God'i' love

-K k 2

ggO OF ASSURANCE.

upon the foul) makes it burn in love to God. St. Paul was af-fuied of Chrift's love to him, Gal. ii. 20. * Who hath loved ine ;' and how was his heart fired witli love ? he valued and admired nothing butChrift, Phil. iii. 8. As Chrift was faftened to the crofs, fo he was faftened to Paul's heart. {'-2.) Praife him. Praifeis the quit-rent we pay to the crown of heaven : who but he who hath affurance of his juftihcation, can blefs God, and give him the glory of what he hath done for him ? can a man in a fwoon or apoplexy, praife God that he is alive ? can a Chrif-tian, ftaggering with fears about his fpiritual condition, praife God that he is ele6led and juftified .? No, ' The living, the living, he fhall praife thee,' Ifa. xxxviii. 1<7. Such as are enlivened with alfurance, they are the fittelt perfons to found fortb God's praile.

Effect 2. Affurance would drop fvveetnefs into all our creature enjoyments : it would be as fugar to wine, an earneft of more : it gives a bleflTmg with the venifon: as guilt imbitters our comforts, it is like drinking out of a worm-wood cup : fo-affurance would indulcerate and fweeten all health, and the affurance of God's love are fweet riches, and with the affurance of a kingdom are delegable : nay, a dinner of green herbs, with the affurance of God's love, is princely fare.

Effecl 3. Affurance would make us a6live and lively in God*^s fervice : it would excite prayer, quicken obedience. As diligence begets affurance, lb affurance begets diligence. Affurance will not (as Papifts fay) breed fecurity in the foul, but induilry : doubting does dilcourage us in God's fervice, but the affurance of his favour breeds joy, ' And the joy of the Lord is our ftrength,' Neh. viii. 10. Affurance makes us mount up to heaven, as eagles, in holy duties : it is like the Spirit in Eze-kiel's wheels, that moved them, and lifted them up. Faith would make us walk, but affurance would make us run: we fhould never think we could do enough for God. Affurance would be as wings to the bird, as weights to the clock, to fet all the wheels of obedience a-running.

Effec} 4. Affurance would be a golden (liield to beat back temptation : affurance triumphs over temptation. There are two Ibrts of temptations Satan ufeth : 1. tie tempts to draw us to fin : now the being affured ofour juffification would make this temptation vanifti. What, Satan, ffiall I fin againft him who hath loved me, and waflied me in his blood ? Shall I return to folly after God hath fpoken peace } Shall I weaken my affurance, wound my conlcience, grieve my comforter? Avoid Satan, tempt no more. 2. Satan would make us queftion our interefl in God ; he tells us we are hypocrites, and God doth not love lis. Now there is no fuch Ihield againfl this temptation as affurance ; what, Satan, have I real work of grace in my.

heart, and the feal of the Spirit to witnefs it, and doft thou tell nie God doth not love me ? Now I know thou art an impoller, who goeft about to dilprove what I fenlibly feel. If faiih re-lifi:s the devil, aiRirance would put him to flight.

Effeft 5. AUurance would make us contented, though we have but a little in the world : he who hath enough is content; he who hath (un-light:, is content, though he want torch-light. A rnan that hath aifurance, hath enough : in uno J'alratore oM" nes florent gemnce ud falntem : He hath the riches of Chrifl's merit, a pledge of his love, an earneil of bis glory, he is lilled with the fulnels of God ; here-is enough and having enough he is content, Pf. xvi. a. ' The Lord is the portion of my inheritance ; the lines are fallen to me in pleafant places, and I have a goodly heritage.' Afiurance will rock the heart quiet; the realbii of dilcontent, is either becaufe men havenointereftin God, or do not know their intereft. St. Paul faith, ' I know whom 1 have be-Meved,' STim.i. 1. There was the ailurance of his intereft. And, 2 Cor. vi. 10. ' As forrowful, yet always rejoicing,' cVr. There was his contentment. Get but ailurance, and you will be out of the weekly bill of murmurers, you will be dilcontented no more. We cannot come amifs to him that hath ailurance: God is his ; hath he loft a friend } his father lives ; hath he loft his only child? God hath given him his only Son; hath he fcarcity of bread? God hath given him the fineft of the wheat, the bre id of life ; are his comforts gone ? He hath the comforter ; doth he meet with iiorms on the lea ? He knows where to put in for harbour; God is his portion, and heaven is his haven. Thus ailurance gives fweet contentment in every condition.

Effect Q. AlFurance would bear up the heart in fullering^, it would make a Chriftian endure troubles with patience and cheerfulnels. With patience, Heb. x. 36. Ye * have need of patience.' There are Ibme meats (we fay) are hard of digellion, and only a good itomach will concoi:^ them : aftliclion is a meat hard .of digellion, but patience (like agoo<l ilomach) vvillbeabie todigellit; and whoDce comes patience but from alfurance? Rom. V. 6. * Tribulai^ion worketh patience, becaufe the love of God is fhed abi-oad in our hearts,' with cheerfulnels. Af-furance is like the mariner's lantern on the deck, which gives light in a dark night. Alfurance gives the light of comfort in a(fl'6tion, Heb. x. 34. * Ye took joyfuiiy the fpoiling of your goods, Knowing in yourfelves,' ^c. there was tiliurance. He that haLU ailurance, can rejoice in tribulation ; he can gather grapes of thorns, and honey out of the lion's carcafe. Latimer, *' When I fit alone, and can have a fettled alFurance of the (late of n\\ foul, and know that God is mine, I can laugh at ail troubles, and nothing can daunt me."

Effect 7. Alfurauce would pacify a troubled couicience: he

who hath a tlifliivbed vexatious confcience, carries an hell about hiivi, Ehcn (juis intns J'corpio ! but allurance cures the agony, and allays the fury of confcience : conlcience, that before was turned into a ferpent, now is like a bee that hath honey in its mouth, it fpeaks peace; tranqnillus dens tramjninat omnkif Tertul. When God is pacified towards us, then conlcience is pacified. If the heavens are quiet, and there are no winds (lir-ring- thence, the lea is quiet and calm ; fo, if there be no anger in God's heart, if the tempell of his wrath do not blow, confcience is quiet and ferene.

Effects. Affurance would ftrengthen us againft the fears of death ; fuch as want it, cannot die with comfort; they are in cerpiilihrio, they hang in a doubtful fufpenfe, what fhould become of them after death : but he who hath affurance, hath an happy and joyful paffage out of the world ; he knows he is pafied from death to life, he is carried full fail to heaven : Though he cannot refill death, yet he overcomes it.

Q. Q. What piall they do that icant ajfurance ?

Anf. 1. Such as want affurance, let them labour to find grace. When the fun denies light to the earth, it may give forth its influence : when God denies the light of his countenance, he may give the influence of his grace.

Q. How j]mll loe know we have a real work of grace^ andfo have a right to affurance ?

Anf. If we can relblve two queries, 1. Have we high ap-pretiations of Jefus Chrift? 1 Pet. ii. 7. ' To you that believe he is precious.' Chrift is all made up.of beauties and delights; our praifes fall fhort of his worth, and is like fpreading canvals upon cloth of gold. How precious is his blood and incenfe ? The one pacifies our confcience, the other perfumes our prayers. Can we fay we have endearing thoughts of Chrifl? Do we efleem him our pearl of price, our bright inorning-flar ? Do we count all our earthly enjoyments but as dung in comjvarifon of Chrifl.? Phil. iii. 8. Do we prefer the worll things of (llhrift, before the beft things of the world ; the reproaches of Chrift before the world's embraces? Heb. xi. SO. Quer. 9. Have we the indwelling of the Spirit? 2 Tim. i. 14. ' The Holy Gholl which dwelleth in us.'

Q. Hoio may we know that we have the indwelling prefence of the Spirit ?

Anf. Not by having fometimes good motions flirred up in us by the Spirit; it may work in us yet not dwell: but by the ianclifying power of the Spirit in our heart: the Spirit infufeth divinem indolcm, a divine nature ; it flanjps its own imprefs and effigies on the foul, making the complexion of it holy. The Spirit ennobles and raifeth the heart above the world. When Nebuchadnezzar had his underllanding given him, he grazed no

longer among the beafts, but returnedto his throne, and minded the atTuirs of his kinodoin : when the Spirit of God dweils in a man, it carries his heart above the vifible orbs ; it makes hiin Juperna anhalere, thirll after Chrilt and glory. If we can iind this, then we have grace, and fo have a right to alfurance.

2. If you want alfurance, wait for it. If the figures are graven on thedial, itisbut waitinga while, and the fun Ihines; when grace is engraven in the heart, it is but waiting a while, and we fhall have the funlhine of aflurance. ' He that believes makes not hai^e,' Ifa. xxviii. 16\ He will ftay God's leifure. Say not, God hath forl'aken you, he will never lift up the liglit of his countenance ; but rather (ay, as the church, Uli. viii. 17. * I will wait upon the Lord, which hideth his face from the houfe of Jacob.' 1. Hath God waited for your converlion, and will not you wait for his conlblation ? How long did he cornea-wooing to you by his Spirit? He waited till his head was filled with dew : he cried, as Jer. xiii. 27- ' Wilt thou not be made clean? When fliall it once be?' O! ChriOian, did God wait for thy love, and canft not thou wait for his? 2. Alfurance is fo fweet and precious, that it is worth waiting for; the price of it is above rubies, it cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir. Alfurance of God's love is a pledge of ele6lion, it is the angels' banquet: what other joy have they ! as Micah laid, Judg. xviii. 24. * What have I more;' fo, when God allures the foul of his eternal purpofes of love, what hath he more to give? Whom God kiffeth, he crowns. Alfurance is the firfl fruits of paradife : one fmile of God's face, one glance of his eye, one crumb of the hidden manna is fo fweet and delicious ; that it deferves our waiting. 3. God hath given a promife that we fliould not wait in vain, Ifa. xlix. 23. ' They fliall not be afhamed that wait for me.' Perhaps God referves this cordial of alfurance for a fainting time ; he keeps fometimes his bell wine till lall. Alfurance (hallbe referved asan ingredient tofweeten the bitter cup of death.

Q. 7. How may deferted fouls he comforted, who arc caji down for icant of a.ffhrance ? The]! have the day-Jiar of grace rfen in their fouls; but as Job amiplains, ' I went mourning without the fun,^ -Job xxx. 28. They go mourning for want of the fun-light of God's face: their joy is eclipjed, they walk in durknefs, and fee no light, Ifa. 1. IS. How Jhall ive comfort fuch as lie bleeding in defertioji, and are caft down for want' of qOurance ? .

A. 1. Want of alfurance fliall not hinder the fuccefs of the faints' prayers. Sin lived in, doth put a bar to our prayer ; but want of-aliuran.ce doth not hinder prayer ; we may go to God ttill in an humble, fiducial manner. A Chriftiau perhaps may think, becaufe he doth not fee God*s fmiling face, therefore

God will not hear him : this is a miftake, Pfal. xxxi. 9^. * I liiid in my hafte, 1 am cutoff from before thine eyes, neverthe-]els thou he.udll the voice of my llipplicatiou.' If we pour out lighs to heaven, God hears every groan ; though he doth not ihew us his face, he may lend us his ear.

2. Faith may beilioufi^efl when aliuranee is weakeft; the woman of Canaan had no aiTurance, but a glorious faith ; ' O woman, great is thy faith,* Mat. xv. 28. Rachel was mor« fair, but Leah was fnore fruitfuU Aii'urance is more fair and lovely to look^ upon, but a fruitful faith God feeth it better for u.s, John XX. 28« * Bleded are they that believe, and feel not.*

3. When God is out of fight, yet he is not out of coveriant, Pfal. Ixxxix. 28. * My covenant fliall ftand faft.' Though a wife doth not fee her hufband's face in many years, yet the marriage-relation holds, and he will cotne again to her after a long voyage. God may be gone from the foul in defertion, but the covenant ftands fall, Ifa. liv. 10. * The covenant of my peace fliall not be removed.' Quer. But this prom [fe teas made to the Jews, and doth not belong to us. Yes, ver. 17. * This is the heritage of tlie I'ervants of the Lord.* This is made to all the fervants of God, thofe who are now living, as well as thofe who lived in the time of the Jews.

Q. 8. What Piould we do to get ajfurance ?

Anf. I. Keep a pure confcience, let no guilt lie upon the confcience unrcpented of. God feals no pardons before repentance : God will not pour in the wine of alfurance into a foul veflel, Heb. x. 2-2. * Let us draw near in full aliurance of faith, having our hearts fprinkled from an evil confcience.' Guilt clips the wings of comfort : he who is confcious to himfelf of I'ecret fins, cannot draw neai* to God in full afl'urance ; he cannot call God father, but judge : keep confcience as clear as your eye, that no duft of fin fall into it.

2. If you would have aifuranee, he much in the adings of grace, 1 Tim. iv. 7. « Exercife thyfelf onto godlinefs.' Men grow rich by trading ; by trading in grace, we grow rich in affurance, 2 Pet. i. 10. ' Make your ele6lion fure.* How } * Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge,* Keep grace upon the wing, it is the lively faith fiourilheth into alfur-ance. No man will let up a great (ail into a fniall boat, but in a large velfel ; God fets up the fail of aifurance in an heart enlarged with grace.

3. If you would have affurance, cherifli the Holy Spirit of God. When David would have aifurance, he prays, ' take not away thy Spirit from me,' Pfal. li. 11. He knew that it was the Spirit only that could make him hear the voice of joy; the Spirit is the Comforter, he ieals up aifurance, 2 Cor. i. 22. Therefore make much of the Spirit; do not grieve it: as> Noah

Opened the ark to receive the dove, fo (liould v^'e open our hearts to receive the Spirit; this is the bieiied dove which brings an olive-branch of alilirance in its mouth.

4. Let us he at the pool of the ordinances, frequent the vi^ord and facrament, Cant. ii. S. * He brought me to the banqueting-lioufe, and his banner over me was love.' I'he bleifed ordinances are the banqueting-houfe, where God difplays the banner of affurance. I'he facrament is a feahng ordinance ; Chrift made himfelf known to his difciples in the breaking of bread ; fo, in the holy fupper, in the breaking of bread, God makes himfelf known to us, to be our God and portion.

Q. y. Hoic Jliould then carry themfelves who have ajfurance ?

Anf. 1. If you have ailurance of your jullification, do not abufe affurance : 1. It is an abufing of affiirance, when we grovsr more remifs in duty ; as the mufician, having money thrown him, leaves off playing. By remifihefs, or intermitting the exercifes of religion, we grieve the Spirit, and that is the way to have an embargo laid upon our fpiritual comforts. 2. We abufe affurance, when we grow prefumptuous ai:d lefs fearful of fin. What, becaufe a father gives his fon an ailurance of his love, and tells him he will entail his land upon him, fhall the Ton therefore be wanton and difTolute ? This were the way to lofe his father's afFe6tion, and make him cut off the entail : it was an aggravation of Solomon's fin, ' his heart was turned away from the Lord, after he had appeared to him twice," 1 Kings xi. 9. It is bad to fin, when one wants aflurance, but it is worfe to fin when one hath it. Hath the Lord fealed his iove with a kifs? Hath helefta pledge of heaven in your handsj and do you thus requite the Lord ? Will you fin with manna in your mouth ? Doth God give you the fweet clufiers of ailurance to feed on, and will you return him wild grapes ? It much pleafeth Satan, either to fee us want aflurance, or abufe it : this is to abufe affurance, when the pulfe of our fouls beats fafler in fin, and flower in duty.

2. If you have afiurance, admire this ftupendous mercy» You deferved that God fhould give you gall and vinegar to drink, and hath he made the honey-comb of his love to drop' upon you? O fall down and adore his goodnefs; lay. Lord, how is it that thou fhouldeft manifefl thyfelf to me, and not to oiher believers! thofe whom thou lovefl as the apple of thine eye, yet thou holdell them in fufpence, and giveft them no affurance of thy love; though thou hafl; given them the new name, yet not the white ftone ; though they have the feed of grace, 3'et not the oil of gladnefs; though they have the Holy Ghoft, the fanclifier, yet not the Holy Gholt, the Comforter. Lord, whence is it that thou Ihoulclell manifefl tliylMf to me, aod

Vol. I. No. 0'. LI

make thy golden beams of affurance ftiine upon my foul ? O admire God ! this will be the work of heaven.

3. Let your hearts be endeared in love to God. If God gives his people coire6lion, tliey muft love him ; much more when he gives them afTurance, Pf. xxxi. 23. * O love the Lord, ye his faints.' Hath God brought you to the borders of Canaan, given you a bunch of grapes, crowned you witli loving-kindnefs, confirmed your pardon under the broad leal of heaven ? How can you be frozen at fuch a fire ? How can you chufe but to be turned into feraphims burning in divine love ? Say, as St. Auflin, animum meam in odio haherem, I would hate my own foul, if I did not find it loving God. Give God the cream and quintef-fence of your love, and ihew your love by being willing to lofe all for his fake.

4. If you have afTurance, improve it for God's glory, i'ever<i\ ways: I. By encouraging fuch as are yet unconverted; tell them how fweet this hidden manna is ; tell them what a good mailer you ferve, what vials you have had ; tell them, God hath carried you to the hill of myrrh, to the mountains of fpices: he hath given you not only a profpe6l of heaven, but an earneft. O pen'uade finners, by all the love and mercy of God, that they •would enroll their names in his family, and cafi; themlelvgsupon him for faivation ; tell them, God hath met with you, and unlocked the fecrets of free grace, and aflured you of a land flowing with thofe infinite delights which the eye hath not feen. Thus, by telling others what God hath done for your foul, you may make them in love with the ways of God, and caufe them to turn profelytes to religion. 2. hnprove qffurance, by comforting fuch as want it: Be as the good Samaritan, pour wine and oil into iheir wounds. You who have afTurance, are gotten, as it were, to the haven ; you are fure of your happinefs : but do you not fee others who are ftruggling with the waves of temptation and defertion, and are ready to fink ? O nowfympathize with them, and do what you can to comfort them when they are in this deep ocean, 2 Cor. i. 6. ' Whether we be comforted, it is for your conlolalion.' The comfortable experience of one Chnftian, being communicated to another doth much revive and bear up his fainting heart: ' Our comfort,' faith the apofile, ' is for your conf'olation.* 3. Improve aj/iirance, by n-alldng more heavenly. You fliould fcorn thefe things below ; you who have an earnefl of heaven, (hould not be too earnefl for the earth : you have angels' food ; and it becomes not you vith the lerpent to lick the dufl. The wicked are all for corn, w ine and oil; but you have that which is better : God hath lifted up the light of his countenance ; will you hanker after the world, when you have been feeding upon the grapes and pomegranates of the holy land } Doyou^iow iuft after the garlic and

■onions of Egypt ? When you are clothed with the fun, will you fet the moon and (lars above you ? O let them fcramble for the world, who have nothing elfe but hulks to feed on. Have you affurance of heaven, and is not that enough? Will not a kingdom fatisfy you ? Such as are high in affurance, fhould be in the altitudes, live above the world. 4. Improve affurance by a cheerful ivalking : It is for condemned perfons to go hanging down their heads : but haft thou thy abfolution ? Doth thy God fmile on thee ? Cheer up, 2 Sam. xiii. 4. * Why art thou, being the king's fon, lean?' Art thou the king's fon ? Hath God alTured thee of thy adoption ? And art thou fad ? Affurance jfhould be an antidote againllall trouble : what though the world hate thee ? Yet thou art affured that thou art one of God's favourites. What though there is but little oil in the cruil'e, and thou art low in the world ? Yet thou art high in affurance : O then rejoice! How mufical is the bird ? How doth it chirp and ling, that knows not where to pick up the next crumb! and ihall they be fad and difcontented, who have God's bond to affure them of their daily bread, and his love to affure them of heaven ? But certainly thofe who have affurance, cannot be but of a fanguine complexion.

5. If you have an affurance of falvation, let this make you long after a glorified Hate : he who hath an earneft in his hand, defires the whole fum to be paid : that foul who hath tafted how fweet the Lord is, fhould long for a fuller enjoyment of him in heaven. Hath Chrift put this ring of affurance on thy hand, and fo efpoufed thee to himfelf ? how Ihouldft thou long for the marriage-fupper of the Lamb ? Rev. xix. 9. O Chrillian, think with thyfelf, if a glimpfe of heaven, a fmile of God's face be fo fweet, what will it be, to be ever funning thy felt in the light of God's countenance ! certainly, you who have an affurance of your title to heaven, cannot but defire poffeilion. Be content to live, but willing to die.

6. If you have affurance, be careful you do not lofe it ; keep it ; for it is your life, viz. Bejie e//e, the comfort of your life. Keep affurance, HI, By prayer, Pf. xxxvi. 10. * O continue thy lovinj;-kindnefs :' Lord, continue aliurance ; do not take away this privy-feai from me. 2dly, Keep affurance by humility : pride enftrangeth God from the foul ; when you ire high in affurance, be low in humility. St. Paul had affurance, ; i.d he baptize th himfelf with this name, • Chief of hnners,' I Tim-i. 15. The jewel of affurance is bell kept in the cabinet of an humble heart.

LI 2

OF PEACE.

1 Pet. 1. 2. Grace vnto you, and Peace be multiplied.

Having fpoken of the firfl fruit of fan6lification, af-furance; I proceed to the lecond, viz. peace, * Peace be multiplied.'

Q. What are the feveral/pedes or ki7ids of Peace?

Anf. Peace, in icripture, is compared to a river, Ifa. Ixvi. 12.'this river parts itfelf into two filver llreams.

1/?, There is an external peace, and that is either, 1. Econo' mical, peace in a family. 2. Political, peace in the ftate. Peace is the nurfe of plenty, Pfal. cxlvii. 14. * He maketh peace in thy borders, and fillelh thee with the fineft of the wheat.* How pleal'ant is it when the waters of blood begin to alfuage, and we ctm lee the windows of our ark open, and the dove returning with an olive branch of peace ? 3. Ecclejiafticaly peace in the chinch. It is Unity in Trinity is the greatell myftery in heaven, and Unity in Verity the greatell mercy on fgarth. Peace ecclehallical (lands in oppolition to Ichifm and perfecution.

2of/y, A fpiritual peace, which is twofold ; peace above us, or peace with God ; and peace within us, or peace with con-I'cience : tlus is fuperlative; other peace maybe lading, but this is evevlafting.

Q. 2. Whence comes this peace ?

Anf. This peace hath the whole Trinity for its author, (1.) God the Father is ♦ the God of peace,' 1 Thelf. v. ^3. {2.) God the Son is the ' Prince of peace,' Ifa. ix. 9. (3.) Peace is laid to be the ' fruit of the Spirit,' Gal. v. 22.

1. God the Father is the pod of peace. As he is the God of order, 1 Cor. xiv. 33. fo the God of peace, Phil. iv. 9. This ■v^'as the form of the prietVs blelhng the people, Numb. vi. 27. • The Lord give thee peace.'

2. God the §on is the purchafer of peace. He had made peace by his blood. Col. i. 20. ' Having made peace by the blood of his crofs.' The atonement Aaron made for the people, when he entered into the holy of holies with blood, was a type of Chrift our high-priell, who hath by his Cacrifice pacified his angry Father, and made atonement for us. Chrift purchafed our peace upon hard terms ; his foul was in an agony, while he was travailing to bring forth peace to the world.

3. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit. He foals up peace to tlie confcience : The Spirit clears up the work of grace in the heart.

from whence arifeth peace. There was a well of water, near Hagar, but Ihe did not fee it, therefore wept. A Chrii'tian hath grace, but doth not fee it, tjjeret'ore weeps. Now the Spirit difcovers this well of water, it enables conlcience to wit-nefs to a man that hath the real work of grace, and lb peace flows into the Ibul. Tiius you lee whence this peace conies, the Father decrees it, the Son purchaleth it, the Holy Gholl applies it.

Q. 3. Whether fuch as are deftilute of grace may have peace?

A. No. Peace flows from lau6lirication ; but they, being unregenerate, have nothing to do with peace, Ifa. Ivii. 21. * There is no peace, faith my God, to the wicked.' They may have a truce, but no peace. God may forbear the wicked a while, and Hop tlie roaring of his cannon ; but though there be a.truce, yet no peace. The wicked may have fomething which looks like peace, but it is not. They may be fearielsand llupid ; but there is a great difference between a llupified confcience, and a pacified confcience, Luke xi. 21. ' When a ilrong man keeps his palace, his goods are in peace.' This is the devil's peace ; he rocks men in the cradle of fecurity ; he cries, peace, peace, when men are on the precipice of hell. The teeming peace a (inner hath, is not from the knowledge of his happinels but the ignorance of his danger.

Q. 4. What are thejigns of afalfe peace?

A. I. h. falfe peace hath much confidence in it, but this confidence is conceit. The finner doth not doubt of God's mercy; from which prefumptuous contidence arifeth fome kind of quiet in the mind. The fame word in the Hebrew, cafal, fignifies both confidence and folly, indeed a finner's confidence is lolly ; how confident were the foolifli virgins?

2. Falfe peace feparates thole things which God hath joined together : God joins holinefs and peace, but he who hath a falfe peace leparates thefe two. He lays claim to peace, but baniflieth holinefs, Deut. xxix. IL). ' I fliall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunkennels to thirft.' The wicked are loofe and vain, and yet thank God that they have peace : a delufion. You may as well fuck health out of poi(bn, as peace out of fin.

3. Falfe peace is not willing to be tried ; a fign they are bad wares which will not endure the light; a fign a man hath ftolen goods, when he will not have his houl'e fearched. A falfe peace cannot endure to be tried by the word : the word fpeaks of an humbling and refining work upon the foul before peace ; falfe peace cannot endure to hear of this : the lead trouble will (hake this peace ; it will end in defpair. In a falfe peace, confcience is afleep; but, when this lion of confcience Ihall be awakened

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at death, then it v/ill roar upon a man, he Will be a terror to hinilelt', and be ready to lay violent hands upon himfelf.

Q. 5.. Hoio lliall ice knoio that ours is a true peace ?

Anf. ]. True, peace flows from union with Chrift; Clom-ttmnio fundatiir in unione. The graft or fcion niuft firfl; be inoculated into the tree before it can receive lap and nourjfhment from it; To,we mull firll be ingrafted into Chriit, before we can receive peace from him. Have we faith ? By holinefs we are inade like Chrill; by believing we are made one with Chrill:, and being in Chrilt we have peace, John xvi. 33.

2. True peace flows from fubjedlion to Chrill; where Chrift gives peace, there he lets up his government in the heart, Ifa. ix. 7. * Of his government and peace there (hall be no end.' Chrifl; is called ' a prielt upon his throne,' Zech. vi. 13. Chrill as a pried makes peace ; but he will be a prieft upon his throne, he brings the heart in lubje6tion to him. If Chrilt be our peace, he is our prince, Ifa- ix. (). Whenever Chrill pacifies thecon-fcience, he fubdues the lull.

3. True peace is after trouble. Firft, God lets loofe a fpirit of bondage, he convinceth and humbleth tlie foul; then he I'peaks peace. Many fay they have peace, but is this peace before a itorm, or after it? True peace is after trouble. Firft, there was the earthquake, and then the fire, and then the ftill fmall voice, 1 Kingsjcix. 11, Thou who never hadll any legal bruifings, maylt fufpecl thy peace; God pours the golden oil of peace into broken hearts.

Q. (5. Whether have all J anciijiedperfons tills peace?

Anf. They have a title to it; they have the ground of it; grace is the leed of peace, and it will ift time turn to peace ; as. the blolfoms of a tree to fruit, milk to cream. They have a promile of it, Pfaj. xxix. 11. ' The Lord will blefs his people with peace :' they may have peace with God, though not peace in their own conl'cience; they have the initials and beginnings of peace. There is a fecret peace the heart halh in ferving God ; fuch meltings and enlargements in duty as do revive the foul, and bear it up from finking.

Q. 7. But ichy have not all believers the full enjoyment and pofjeir^on of peace? ichy is not this Jloicer of peace fully ripe and blown ?

Anf. Some of the godly may not have fo full a degree of peace. 1. Through the fury of temptation ; the devil, if he cannot deftroy us, he will dilturb us; Satan difputes againft our adoption ; he would make us qutllion the work of grace in our hearts, and (b troubles the waters of our peace : Satan is like a fubtile cheater, who, if he cannot make a man's title to his land void, yet he will put him to many troublefome fuits in law. It" Satan cannot make us ungodly, he will make us unquiet:

Violent winds make the fea rough and (lornny; the winds of temptation blowing, difturb peace of fpirit, and put the foul into a commotion. 2. The godly may not enjo}^ peace, throngli luittake and mifappreheniion about fin. They find fo mucli corruption, that fure, if there were grace, there would not be fuch ilrong workings of corruption : whereas this fliould be Co far from difcouraging Chriftians, and hindering their peace, that it is an argument for them. Let me afl\, Whence is it that you feel fin ? No man can feel fin, but by grace. A wicked man is inl'enlible : lay an hundred weight upon a dead man, he doth not complain : but the being fenfible of corruption, argues a gracious priiiciple, Rom. vii. 21. Again, • Whence is it that there is acoinbat with fin, but from the life of grace?' Gal. v. 17. Dead things cannot combat. Whence is it that th*e faints weep for fin ? what are thefe tears but feeds of faith? The not underftanding of this, hinders a Chriliian's peace. 3. Thegod-Jy may not enjoy peace, through remiifnefs in duty : they leave their lirll luve. When Chriliians abate their fervency, God abates their peace : If you flacken the firings of a viol, the mu-fic is fpoiled ; if a Chrillian Hack in duty, tliey fpoil the IWeet mufic of peace in their fouls. As the fire decays, fo the cold increafeth ; as fervency in duty abates, fo our peace cools.

Uj'e. Labour for this blelfed peace, peace with God and con-fcience. Peace with neighbour-nations is fvveet. Pax una tri-umphis innumeris melior. The Hebresv word fchalom, peace, comprehends all bleflings, it is the glory of a kingdom; a prince's crown is more beautiful when it is hung with the white hly of peace, than when it is let with the red rofes of a bloody war. O then, how fweet is peace of confcience! It is a bulwark againft the enemy, Phil. iv. 7- it fliall keep you as in a garrifon ; you may throw out the gauntlet and bid defiance to the enemies : it is the golden pot and the manna ; it is the firfl fruits of paradife. It is ftill mufic ; for want of this a Chrillian is in continual fear, he doth not take that comfort in ordinances. Hannah went up to the feaft at Jerufalem, but the wept, and did not eat, 1 Sam. i. 7. So, a poor dejected Ibul goes to an ordinance, but doth not eat of the feafl; he weeps and doth not eat. He cannot take that comfort in worldly bleflings, health, efl;ate, relations; he wants that inward peace, which fliould be a fauce to fvveeten his comforts. O therefore labour for this bleiied peace. Confider the noble and excellent eife6ls of it. I. it gives boldnefs at the throne of grace : guilt of confcience clips the wings of prayer, it makes the face blufh, and the heart faint; but when a Chrillian hath Ibme lively appre-henfions of God's love, and the Spirit wliiCpering peace, then he goes to God with boldnefs, as a child to his fatlier, Pfal. XXV. 1. ' Unto thee, O Lord, Hift my foul.' Time was when

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David's foul was bowerl down, Pfiil. xxxviii. 6. * I am bowed down greatly;' but now the cafe is altered, he will lift up his Ibul to God in a way of triumph, whence was this ? God hath Ipoken peace to his Ibul, Pfal. xxvi. 3. ' Thy loving-kindnefs is bolbre mine eyes/ 2. This divine peace fires the heart with love to Chrift. Peace is the refult of pardon ; he who hath a pardon leaied, cannot chufe but love his prince. How endeared is Chrift to the foul ! Now Chrift is precious indeed.

* O, faith the foul, how I'weet is this rofe of Sharon! Hath Chrift waded through a fea of blood and wrath to purchafe my peace ; Hath he not only made peace, but fpoke peace to me ? How fliould my heart afcend in a fiery chariot of love! How willing fliould I be to do and fufter for Chrift ?' This peace quiets the heart in trouble, Mic. v. 5. * This man ftiall be the peace, when the Afi'yrian fliall come into our land, and tread in our palaces.' The enemy may invade our palaces, but not our peace; this man Chrift, fliall be the peace. When the head aches, the heart may be well ; when worldly troubles aifault a Chriftian, his mind may be in peace and quiet, Pfal. iv. 8. * I will lay me down in peace, and Deep.* 'Tvvas now a fad time with David, he was fleeing for his life from Abfa-lom : it was nofmall affli6lion to think that his own fon fhould feek to take away his Father's life and crown : David wept and covered his face, 2 Sam. xv. 30. Yet at this time, laith he,

* I will lay me down in peace, and fleep.' He had trouble from his fon but peace from his confcience; David could fleep upon the foft pillow of a good confcience : this is a peace worth getting.

Qu. S. What Piall ive do to attain this hlejfedpeace ?

Anf. 1. Let us afli it of God ; he is the God of peace, he beats back the roaring lion, he ftills the raging of confcience ; if we could call all the angels out of heaven, they could not fpeak peace without God. The ftars cannot make day without the fun ; none can make day in a dark deferted ibul, but the Sun of righteoufnefs. As the wildernefs cannot water it-felf, but remains dry and parched, till the clouds drop their moifture ; fo our hearts cannot have peace, till he infufe it and drop it upon us by his Spirit. Therefore pray, * Lord, thou who art the God of peace» create peace, thou who art the Pri.nce of peace, command it. Give me that peace which may fvveeten trouble, yea, the bitter cup of death.*

2. If you would have peace, make war with fin; fin is the Achan that troubles us, the Trojan horfe, I Kings ix. 22.

* When Joram law Jehu, he faid, is it peace, Jehu ? And he anfwered, What peace, fo long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel, and her witchcrafts are fo many V What peace as long as fin remains unniortified ? if you would have peace with

God, break the league with fin ; give battle to fin, it is a moft juft war, God hath proclaimed it: nay, he hath protnlCed us victory, ' Sin (hall not have donninion,' Ronri. vi. No way to peace but by maintaining a war with (in. Pax nojira bcllum contre dcemonem, Tertul. When Santfbn had flain the iion^ there came honey out of the lion : by flaying fin, we get this honey of peace.

3. Go to Chrift's blood for peace. Some go to fetch their peace from their own righteoufnefs, not Chrift's, they go for peace to their holy life, not Chrift's death; if confcience be troubled, they ftrive to quiet it with their duties. This is not the right way to peace : duties muft not be negle6ted, nor yet idolized. Look up to the blood of fprinkling, Heb. xii. 24. That blood ofChrift which pacified God, muft pacify confcience ; Chrift's blood being fucked in by faith, gives peace, Rom. v. I. * Being juftified by faith, we have peace with God.' No balm to cure a wounded confcience, but the blood ofChrift.

4. Walk clofely with God. Peace flows from purity, Gal. vi. 16. ' As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them.' In the text, grace and peace are put together; grace is the root, and peace is the flower. As balm-water drops from the limbec, fo divine peace comes out of the limbec of a gracious heart. AValk very holily ; God's Spirit is firft a refiner before a comforter.

Branch 2. You who have this peace, peace above, peace within, labour to keep it: it is a precious jewel, do not lofe it: it is fad to have the league of national peace broken, but it is worfe to have the peace of confcience broken : O preftrve this peace. Firft, Take heed of relapfes; hath God fpoken peace } do not turn again to folly, Pfal. Ixxxv. 8. Befides the ingratitude, there's folly in relapfes. It was long ere God was reconciled and the breach made up ; and you will again eclipfe and forfeit your peace? hath God healed the wound of confcience, and will you tear it open again ? \v\\\ you break another vein .? will you cut a new artery ? this is returning indeed to folly. Whiat madnefs is it to meddle again with that fin, which will breed the worm of confcience! Secondly, Make up your I'piritual accounts daily ; fee how matters lland betweea God and your (buls, Pfal. Ixxvii. 6. ' I commune with my own heart.' Often reckonings keep God and conH:ience friends ; do with your hearts as you do with your watches, wind them up every morning by prayer, and at night examine whether your hearts have gone true all that day, whether the wheels of your afte6lions have moved fwiftly toward heaven : Oh call yourffelves often to account ; keep your regkonings even, and that is the way to keep your peace.

Vol. I. No. (}. Mm

§74 OF JOT.

OF JOY.

Gai« v. 92. The Fmit of the Spirit is Joy.

The third fruit ofjuftification, adoption, and fanftifica-tion, is joy in the Holy Gliolt. Joy is the letting the foul upoii the (op of a pinnacle, 'tis the cream of the fincere milk of the word.

Q. What is this Joy ?

Anf. Spiritual joy is a fweet and delightful paffion, arifing' from the appreheniion and feeling of fome good, whereby the foul is fupported under prefent troubles, and fenced againll future fear.

1. It is a delightful paffion. So it is contrary to forrow, which is a perturbation of mind, whereby the heart is perplexed and caft down. Joy is a fweet and pleafant affection which eafes the mind, exhilarates and comforts the fpirits.

2. It ar'tfethfrom the feeling of fome good. Joy is not a fancy, or bred of conceit; but is rational, and arifeth from the feeling of fome good, viz. the fenfe of God's love and favour. Joy is fo real a thing, that it makes a fudden change in a per-fon ; it turns mourning into melody. As in the fpring-time, when the fun comes to our horizon, it makes a fudden alteration in the face of the univerfe, the birds fing, the flowers appear, the fig-ttee puts forth her green figs; every thing feenis to rejoice and put off its mourning, as being revived with the fweet

nfluence of the fun ; fo when the Sun of Righteoufnefs arifeth on the foul, it makes a fudden alteration, and the foul is infinitely rejoiced with the golden beams of God's love.

3. By it the foul is fupported under prefent troubles. Joy ftupifies and fwallows up troubles ; it carries the heart above them, as the oil fwims aliove the water.

4. The heart is fejiced again ft; future fear. Joy is both a cordial and an antidote ; it is a cordial which gives prefent relief to the fpiritswhen they are fad ; and an antidote, it fenceth off fear of approaching danger, Pfal. xxiii. 4. * I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy ftaff comfort me.'

Q. How is this joy wrought?

Anf. I. It arifeth partly from the promife : as the bee lies at the breaft of the flower, and fucks out the I'weetnefs of it ; fo faith lies at the bread of a promife, and fucks out the quintef-ence ofjoy, Pfalm xciv. ly. • Thy comforts delight my foul;' that is the comforts which diftil front the limbec of the pro-niifes.

2» The Spirit of Gotl (who is called the * Comforter,' John xiv. 26.) doth Ibmetimes drop in this golden oil of joy into the foul ; the Spirit whifpers to a believer the remilTion of his fin, and (heds God's love abroad into the heart, R,om. v. 5. whence flows infinite joy and delight. ^

Q. 3. What are ihefeajbns when God doth vjnally give his people thefe divine joys f

A. Five feafons: 1ft feafon. Sometimes at the blelfed fup-per; the foul oft comes vv'eeping after Chrift in the facrament, and God fends it away weeping for joy. The Jews had a cuf-tom at their fealls, they poured ointment on their guefts, and kiffed them ; in the Eucharift, God often pours the oil ofglad-nefs on the faints, and kifl'eth them with the kilfes of his lips« There are two grand ends of the (acrament, the ftrengthening of faith, and the flourifliing of joy. Here, in this ordinance, God difplays the banner of his love ; here believers tafte not onl^^ facramental bread, but hidden manna. [Caution, not that God always meets the foul with joy.] He may give increafe of grace, when not increafe of joy ; but oftentimes he pours in the oil of gladnefs, and gives the foul a privy feal of his love ; asChrill made himlelf known in the breaking of bread.

2d Seafon. Before God calls his people to fufl'cring, A6ts xxiii. 11. 'Be of good cheer, Paul.' When God was about to give Paul a cup of blood to drink, he fpiced it with joy, 2 Cor. i. 3. * As the futferings of Chrift abound in us, fo our confola-tion alfo aboimdeth :' this made the martyrs' flames beds of roles ; when Stephen was ftoning, he faw heaven open, and the Sun of Righteoulhefs fhined in his face. God candies our worm-f wood with fugar.

3d Seafon. After fore conflicts with Satan. Satan is the red dragon who troubleth the waters ; he puts the foulinto frights, makes it believe that it hath no grace, and that God dotii not love it; though Satan cannot blot out a Chriftian's evidence, yet he may caft fuch a mill before hi^ eyes, that he cannot read it.' Now, when the foul hath been bruifed with temptations, God will comfort this bruifed reed : he now gives joy, adcorro» borandum titulum, to confirm a Chriftian's title to heaven. After Satan's fiery darts, comes the white ftone, no better balm to heal a tempted foul, than the oil of gladnefs : as after Chnft was tempted, then came an angel to comfort him.

4th Seafon. After defertion : defertion is a poifoned arrow which flioots to the heart. Job vi. 4. God is called a fire and a light: the deferted foul feels the fire, but doth nut fee the light; it cries out, as Afaph, Pfal. Ixxvii. S. ' Is his mercy ciean gone?' Now, when the foul is in this cafe, and rtady to faint away in defpair, God ^ines upon the ibul, and gives u. fbme apprehenfion of his favour, and turns the (liadow of death into

31 in 2

the light of the ftioining. God keeps his cordials for a time of fainring. Joy after defertion is like a refurre6lion from the dead.

6th SeafoD. At the hour of death, fuch as have had no joy in their li!e-tin)e, God puts in this fugar in the bottom of'the, cup, to make their death Iweet. Now, at the laft hour, when all other comforts are gone, God fends the comforter ; and when their appetite to meat fails, God feeds them with hidden manna. Sure, as the wicked, before they die, have fome ap-? prehenfions of hell and wrath in their confcience ; fo the godly have I'ome fore-taftes of God's everlafting favour, though lome-times their dileafes may be fuch, and their animal fpirits fo op-preiled, that they cannot exprei's what they feel. Jacob laid himfelf to fleep on a ftone, where he faw a vifion, a ladder, and the angels afcendingand defcending; fo, when the faints lay themfelves down to fleep the fleep of death, they have often a vifion : they fee thelighi of God's face, and have the evidences of his love lealed up to them for ever.

Q. 4. What arc the differences between worldly Joys atidfpi-ritual f

Ar}f. The gleanings of the one are better than the v intage of the other.

(1.) Spiritual joys help to make us better, worldly joys do often make us worle, Jer. xxii. 21. '1 fpake to thee in thy prof, perity, and thou faidft, 1 will not hear.' Pride and luxury are the two worms bred of worldly pleafures, Hof. iv. 11. * Wine takes away the heart ;* it \?.f omentum libidinis, Aug. the inflamer of luft. As Satan entered in the fop, fo often in the cup ; but fpiritual joy makes one better ; it is like cordial water, which (as phyficians lay) doth not only cheer the heart, but purges out the noxious humours : fo divine joy is cordial water, which doth not only comfort, but cleanfe ; it makes a Chriftian more holy; it caufeth an antipathy againft fm r it infufeth lirength to do and fuffer, Neh. viii. 10. 'The joy of the Lord is your ftrength.' As fome colours do not only delight the eye, but ftrengthen the fight: fo the joys of God do not only refrefti the ibul, but ftrengthen it, * The joy of the Lord is your flrength.'

(2.) Spiritual joys are inward, they are heart-joys, John xvi. 22. * Your heart fhall rejoice.* Seneca faith, true joy latet in profiindo, it is hidden within, worldly joy is infuperfcie, it lies in the outlide, like the dew that wets the leaf, 2 Cor. v. 12. who ' rejoice in appearance,' (in the Greek) in the face. It goes no farther than the face, it is not within ; in ' laughter the heart is fdd.' Like a houfe which hath a gilded frontifpiece, but all the rooms within are hung in mourning.^ But fpiritual joy lies nioft within, ' Your heart fiiall rejoice.' Divine joy is like a

fpring of water which runs under ground : a Chriftian, others can fee his futferings, but they fee not his joy, Prov. xiv. 10. * A ftranger intermeddleth not with his joy.' This joy is hidden manna, hid from the eye of the world ; he hathitill mufic, which others hear not: the marrow hes within, the heft joy is within the heart.

(3.) Spiritual joys are fweeter than others, better than wine. Cant. i. 2. They are a Chriftian's fellival; they are the golden pot and the manna, they are i'o fweet, that they make every thing elfe fweet; fweeten heaUh, eftate, as fweet water poured on tlowers make them more fragrant and aromatical. Divine joys are fo dehcious and ravifliing, that tliey do very much put our mouth out of tafte to earthly delights ; as he who hath been drinking fpirits of alkermes, tal\es little fweetnefs in water. St. Paul had tailed thefe divine joys, and his mouth was out of tafte to worldly things: the world was crucified to him. Gal. vi. 14. it was like a dead thing, he could find no fweetnefs in it.

(4.) Spiritual joys are more pure, they are not tempered with any bitter ingredients ; a finner's joy is mixed with dregs, it is imbittered with fear and guilt; the wolf feeds in the breafts of his joy, he drinks wormwood wine: but fpiritual joy is not muddied with guilt, but like a cryftal-dream, runs pure; it is all fpirits and quinteilence ; it is joy, and nothing but joy, it is a role without prickles, it is honey without the wax.

(5.) Thefe arefatisfyingand fillingjoys, John xvi. 24. * Afk that your joy may be full.* Worldly joys can no more fill the heart, than a drop can fill a cift.ern ; they may pleafe the pallate or fancy, (Plato calls them pi6tures of joy) not fatisfy the foul, Eccl. i. 8. ' The eye is not fatisfied with feeing, nor the ear with hearing ;' but the joys of God fatisfy, Pf. xciv. 19. * Thy comforts delight my foul.' There is as much diflference between fpiritual joys and earthly, as between a banquet that is eaten, and one that is painted on the wall.

(().) Theleareflrongerjoys than worldly, Heb. vi. IS. ' Strong conlblation.' They are llrong indeed, that can bear up a Chril-tian's heart in trials and aftlidlions, I Thefl". i. 6. ' Having received the word in much affliction, with joy.* Thefe are rofes that grow in winter, thefe joys can Iweeten the waters of Marah ; he that hath thele can gather grapes of thorns, and fetch honey out of the carcafe of a lion, 2 Cor. vi. 10. ' As ibrrowing yet always rejoicing.' At the end of the rod a Chrillian taltes honey.

(7.) Thefe are unwearied joys: other joys, when in excefs;, oft caule a loathing, we are apt to furfeit on them ; too much honey nauleats :. one may be tired with pleafure as well as labour ; Xerxes offered a reward to him that could find out a new pleafure : but the joys of God, though they fatisfy, yet

they never furfeit; a drop of joy is fweet, but the more of this wine the better; I'uch as drink of the joys of heaven, are never cloyed ; the fatiety is without loathing, becaufe they Hill defire the joy wherewith they are fatiated.

(8.) Tiiefe are more abiding joys. Worldly joys are foon crone: fuch as crown ihemlelves with rofe buds, and bathe in the perfumed waters of pleafure, yet thefe joys wliich feein to be fWeet are fwift ; like meteors they give ,i bright and I'udden flafh, and then difappear : but the joys which believers have, are abiding ; they are a bloifom ot eternity, a pledge and earnelt ofthofe rivers of pleafure which run at God's right hand for evermore.

Q. 5. Why is this joy to be laboured for ?

Anf. Becaufe thisjoy isfelf-exiltent, ii can fubfift in the want of all oilier carnal joy. Thisjoy depends not upon outward things : as the philofophers once laid, when the muficians came to them, •' philofophers can be merry without mufic ;" he . that hath this joy can be chearful in the deficiency of carnal joys ; he can rejoice in God, in fure hope of glory, * though the tig-tree doth not flourilh,' Hab. iii. i7. Spiritual joy can go without (liver crutches to fupport it. Spiritual joy is higher built than upon creatures, it is built on the love of God, on the promifes, on the blood of Chrill.

2. Becaufe fpiritual joy carries the foul through duty cheer* fully ; the Ikbbath is a delight, religion is a recreation. Fear and forrow hinder us in the dilcharge of duty ; but aChrillian ierves God with adtivity, when he I'erves him with joy. The oil of joy makes the wheels of obedience move falter. Howr fervently did they pray, whom God made joyful in the houfe of prayer ? I fa. Ivi. 7-

3. Joy is the beginning of heaven here ; it is called the kingdom of God, Rom. xiv. 17. becaufe it is a tade of that which the laints have in the kingdom of God. What is the heaven of the anyels, but the i'miles of God's face, the fenfible perception and feeling of thole joys which are infinitely ravKhing and full of glory ? And, to encourage and quicken us in feekingafter them, confider, that Chriil died to purchafe this joy for the faints : lie was a man of forrows, that we may be full of joy, he prays that the laints may have this divine joy, John xvii. 13. • And now 1 come to thee, that they may have my joy fulfilled in iheuifelves.' And this prayer he now prays over in heaven ; he knows we never love him fo as when we feel his love : which may encourage us to feek after thisjoy ; we pray for that wliich Chrilt himfelf is praying for, that his joy may be fulfilled in us.

Q. 6. What Jhull zee do to obtain this fpiritual Joy 9 Anf Walk accurately and heavenly ; God gives it after a long and dole walking with him. (1.) Obierve your hours:

fet time every day &part for God. (2.) Mourn for fin: mourning is the feed (as Ba(ilfaith) out of which the flower of fpi-ritual joy grows, Ifa. Ivii. 18. * I'll reltore comfort to my mourners.' (3.) Keep the bookofconlcience fair written : do not by prefumptuous fins blur your evidences : a good confcieuce is the ark where God puts the hidden manna. (4.) Be often upon your knees, pray with life and fervency. The lame Spirit that fills the heart with fighs, fills it. with joys. The lame Spirit that indites the prayer, feals it. When Hannah had prayed, her countenance was no more fad, 1 Sam. i. IS. Praying Chriftians have much intercourfe with God ; and none are lb like to have the fecrets of his love imparted, as thole who hold correfpondence with him : by clofe walking with God, we get thefe bunches of grapes by the way, which are an earned of future happinefs.

Q. 7. How /hall ice comfort them that leant joy 9 Anf. llich as walk in clofe communion with God, have more than others.

1. Initial joy, joy in fem'ine in the feed, Pfal. xcvii. 11. * Light {a metaphor for joy) is fown for the righteous.' Grace in the heart is a feed of joy ; though a Chriltian wants the fun, he hath a day-ftar in his heart.

2. A believer hath real, though not royal comforts ; he hath, as Aquinas faith, gaudium in Deo, tho' not a Deo : joy in God, though not from God. Joy in God is the delight and complacency the foul takes in God, Pfalm civ. 34. * iMy foul Ihall be glad in the Lord.' He that is truly gracious, is fo far joyful, as to take comfort in God : though he cannot fay, God re-joiceth in him, yet he can fay, he rejoiceth in God.

3. He hath fupporting, though not tranfporting comforts; he hath fo much, that keeps him from finking, Pfal. cxxxviii. 3.* Thou fi;rengthenedll me with llrength in my foul.' Ifa Chriilian hath not God's arm to embrace him, yet to uphold him: thus a Chriilian, who walks with God, hath fomething that bears up his heart from finking ; and it is but waiting a while, and he is fure of Ihofe joys which are unfpeakable, and full of glory.

Uj'e I. Tljen fee that religion is no melancholy thing; it brings joy : the fruit of the Spirit is joy ; Mutatur non tolUiur. A poor Chriftian, that leeds on bread and water, may have purer joy than the greateit monarch ; though he fares hard, he feeds high : he hath a table fpread from heaven, angels food, hidden manna : he hath fometimes thofe fweet raptures of joy, as a caufe of jubilation of fpirit, 2 Cor. xii. 3. he hath that which is better felt than can be exprelfed.

Ufe 2. If God gives his people fuch joy in this life '. O thea what glorious Joy will he give tlieni iu heaven. Mat. xxv. t'l?

SSO GROWTH IN GRACE.

• Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord :' Here joy begins to enter into us, there we (hall enter into joy : God keeps his beil wine till lail. Hehogabalus bathed hinifelt'in fweet perfumed waters : What joy when the Ibul (hail forever bathe itfelf in the pure and pleafant fountain of God's love? What joy to fee the orient brightnefs of Chrill's face, and have the kifles of thofe lips which drop I'weet Irnelling myrrh ? Laetabitur fponfa in amplexihus Dumini, Aug. Oh! if a clufter of grapes here be fo i'weet, what will the full vintage be ? How may this fet us all a-longing for that place, where forruw cannot live, and where joy cannot die.

GROWTH IN GRACE.

S Pet, iii. 18. But grow in grace.

FRUIT IV.

CROWTH of grace. True grace is progrelTive, of a fpreading, growing nature. It is with grace, as with the light,: Firft, There is the Crepufculumy or day-break: then it fliines brighter to the full meridian. A good Chrillian is like the crocodile, quamdiu vivit crefcit ; he hath never done growing. The faints are not only compared to ftars for their light, but to trees for their growth, Ifa. Ixi. 3. Hof. xiv. 5. A good Chrif-tian is not like Hezekiah's fun that went backward, nor Jofhua's fun that flood ilill, but it is always advancing in holinefs, and increafing with the increafe of God, Col. ii. 16. Now, toam-plify and illuftrate this?

Q. 1. How many ways may a Cliriftian be faid to grow in grace?

Anf. 1. He grows i;?g'ore, in the exercife of grace ; his lamps are burning and fhining: therefore we read of a lively hope, 1 Pet. i. 3. Here is the a6livity of grace ; the church prays for the blowing of the Spirit, that her fpices might flow forth. Cant. iv. 61.

2. A Chriflian grows gradu^ in the degree of grace ; he goes from Itrength taflrength, Pfal. Ixxxiv. 7- viz. from one degree of grace, to another. A faint goes from faith to faith, Rom. i. 17- and his love abounds more and more, Phil. i. i). Here is growing in the degree.

Q. 2. Wliat is the right manner of a Chriflian^s growth ?

Anf. 1. The right manner of growth, is to grow lefs in one's own eyes, Pfal. xxii. 6. ' I am a worm, and no man.* The fight of corruption and ignorance make a Chriflian grow into a

diflike of himfelf, he doth vanifh in his own eyes. Job abhorred himf'elf in the duit, ch. xlii. Q. This is good to grow out of conceit with one's felf.

2. Tile right manner of growth, is to grow proportionably, when a Chriitian grows in one grace as well as another, 2 l^et. i. 5. To grow in knowledge, but not in meeknefs, brotherly love, good works, this is not the right growth; a thing may fwell, and not grow; a man may be fwelled with knowledge, yet may have no fpiritual growth : the right manner of growth is uniform, growing in one grace as well as another.' As the beauty of the body is, when there is a fymmetry of parts, not only the head grows, but the arms and breall; fo fpiritual growth is moft beautiful, when there is a fymmetry and proportion, every grace thrives.

3. The right manner of growth is, "wlien a Chriftian hath 'grace fuitable to his feveral employments and occafions ; when

corruptions are ftrong, and he hath grace able to giv€ check to them; burdens are heavy, and he hath patience able to bear them ; temptations fierce, and he hath faith able to refill them: here is grace growing in the right manner.

Q. 3. Whence is it that true grace cannot hut grow ?

Anf. 1. It is proper for grace to grow ; it hjemen manenSy the feed of God, 1 John iii. 9. It is the nature of leed to grow; grace doth not lie in the heart, as a ftone in the earth, but as feed in the earth, which will Ipring up, firll the blade and then the ear, and then the full corn in the ear.

2. Grace cannot but grow, from the fweetnefsand excellency of it; he that hath grace, is never weary of it, but fi;ill would have more; the delight he hath in it, caufeth thirft;; grace is the image of God, and a Chriftian thinks he can never be enough like God.. Grace inftils peace ; therefore a Chriftian cannot but ftrive to increafe in grace, becaufe, as grace grows, fo peace grows.

3. Grace cannot but grow, from a believer's ingrafting into Chrift; he who is a fcion, ingrafted into this noble, generous ftock, cannot but grow. Chrift is fo full of fap, and vivifical influence, that he makes all inoculated into him, grow fruitful, Hof. xiv. S. * From me is thy fruit found.'

Q. 4. What motives or incentives are there to make us grow in grace ?

Anf. 1. Growth is the end of the ordinances. Why doth a man lay out coft on ground, manure and water it, but that it may grow.'* The fincere milk of the word is, that we may grow thereby, 1 Pet. ii. 2. The table of the Lord is on pur-pofe for our fpiritual nouriihment and increate of grace.

2. The growth of grace is the bell evidence of the truth of it: things that have no life will not grow, a picture wdl not

Vol. I. No. 0. Nn

grow, a ftake in the hedge will not grow ; but a plant that hath a vegetative life grows. The growing of grace fliews it to be alive in the foul.

3. Growth in grace is the beauty of a Chriftian. The more a child grows, the more it comes to its favour and complexion, and looks more ruddy ; fo, the more a Chrillian grows in grace, the more he comes to his fpiritual complexion, he looks fairer. Abraham's faith was beautiful when in its infancy, but at laft it grew lb vigorous and eminent, that God himfelf was in love with it, and crowned Abraham with his honour, to be the ' father of the faithful.'

4. The more we grow in grace, the more glory we bring to God : God's glory is more worth than the falvation of all men's fouls. This fhould be our defign, to raife the trophies of God's glory; and how can we do it more, than by growing in grace ? John XV. 8. ' Hereby is my Father glorified, if ye bring forth Much fruit.* Though the leail drachm of grace will bring falvation to us, yet it will not bring fo much glory to God, Phil. j. 11. * Filled with the fruits of his righteoufnefs, which are to the praife of his glory.* It commends the fl^ill of the hufband^ man, when his plants grow and thrive ; it is a praife and honour to God, when we thrive in grace.

5. I'he more we grow in grace, the more will God love us. Is it not that we pray for ? the more growth, the more will God Jove us. The hulbandman loves his thriving plants ; the thriving Chriilian is God's Hephzihah, or chief delight. Chrift loves tofeethe vinellourifhing, and the pomegranates budding. Cant, "vi. 11. Chrill accepts the truth of grace, but commends the growth of grace, Matth. viii. 10. ' I have not found fo great faith, no not in Ifrael.' Would you be as the beloved diliciple that lay in Chrift's bofom ? would you have much love from Chrifl? labour for much growth, let faith flourilh with good works, and love increafe into zeal.

6. What need we have to grow in grace. There is flill fome-thing lacking in our faith, 1 Thefl". iii. 10. Grace is but in its infancy and minority, and we mull be Hill adding a cubit to our I'piritual llature ; the apoflles laid, 'Lord, increafe our faith,* Luke xvii. 5. Grace is but weak, 2 Sam. iii. 39. * I am this day weak, though anointed king.' So, though we are anointed with grace, yet we are but weak, and had need arrive at further degrees of lan6tity.

7. The growth of grace will hinder the growth of corruption. The more health grows, the more the diilerapers of the body abate ; fo it is in fpirituals ; the more humility grows, the more the fwelling of pride is afluaged ; the more purity of heart grows, the more the fire of luft is abated. The growth of flowers jn the garden doth not hinder the growing of weeds; but the

growing of this flower of grace hinders the fprouting of corruption. As Ibme plants have an antipathy, and will not thrive if they grow near together, as the vine and the bay-tree; fo, where grace grows, lin will not thrive fo fait.

8. We cannot grow too much in grace ; there is no nimiiim, no excels there. The body may grow too great, as in the droply ; but faith cannot grow too great, a Thelf. i. 3. * Your faith groweth exceedingly;' here was exceeding, yet not excels. As a man cannot have too much health, fo not too much grace. Grace is the beauty of holinefs, Pllil. ex. 3. We cannot have too much fpifitual beauty; it will be the only trouble at death, that we have grown no more in grace,

9. Such as do not grow in grace, decay in grace : Non pro-gredi in via ejt regredi, Bern. There is no (landingat a Hay in religion, either we go forward or backward : it" faith doth not

'grow, unbelief will ; if heavenly mindednefs doth not grow, covetoufnefs will. A man that doth not increafe his Hock, diminilheth it; if you do not improve your ftock of grace, your ftock will decay. The angels on Jacob's ladder were either afcending or defcending ; if you do not afcend in religion, you defcend.

10. The more we grow in grace, the more we fiiall flouridi in glory. Though every veffel of glory Hiall be full, yet fome velfels hold more : he whole pound gained ten, was made ruler over ten cities, Luke xix. 17. Such as do not grow much, though they do not lofe their glory, yet they lelfen their glory. If any fliall follow the Lamb in whiter and larger robes of glory than others, they (hall be luch as have ihoue mod in grace here.

,Ufe. Lament we may the want of growth : religion in many is grown only into a form and profelfion ; this is to grow in leaves, not in fruit ; many Chriftiaus are like a body in an atrophy, which doth not thrive ; they are not nourifhed by the fermons they hear: like the angels who aliumed bodies, they did eat, but did not grow. It is very ful'picious where there is no growth, there wants a vital principle. Some inftead of growing better, grow worfe ; they grow more earthly, more prot'une, 2 T'im. iii. 13. Evil men proficient in pejus, iTiall wax wovie and worfe. Many grow hell-ward, they grow pall.lhame, Eph. ii. 3, 5. they are like fome watered (lulfs, which grow more rotten.

Q. 5. How Ptall ice know whether we grow in grace f

A. For the deciding of this quellion, \ drdll, First, Shew the figns of our not growing ; Secondly, Of our growing.

iJi,,'V\\& figns of our not growing in grace, but rather falling into a Cpiritual conlumption.

iSign 1. When we have loft, our fpiritual appetite. A con'«

N n -2

S84 GROWTH IN GRACE.

fumptive perfon hath not that ftomach to his njeat as formerly. Perhaps, ChriCtian, thou canft remember the time when thou didll hunger and thirft after righteoufnefs, thou didft come to the ordinances with I'uch a Itoinach as to a feail: but now it is otherwjfe, Chrift is not fo prized, nor his ordinances fo loved : a fad prefage, grace is on the declining hand ; thou art in a deep conl'umption. A (ign David was near his grave, when he covered him with clothes, and got no heat, 1 Kings i. 1. So, when a perfon is plied with hot clothes, 1 mean ordinances, yet lie hath no heat of atfedtion to fpiritual things ; this is a fign he is declining in grace.

Sign 2. When we grow more worldly. Perhaps once we were mounted into higher orbs, we did fet our hearts on things above, and ("peak the language of Canaan ; but now our minds are taken oft' heaven, we dig our comfort out of thele lower mines, and with Satan compafs the earth : a fign we are going down the hill apace, and our grace is in a conl'umption. It is obfervable, when nature decays, and people are near dying, they grow more Hooping; and truly, when men's iiearts grow more llooping to the earth, and they can hardly lift up themfelves to an heavenly thought, if grace be not dead, yet it is ready to die. Rev. iii. 2.

Sig7i 3. When we are lefs troubled about fin. Time was when the leall fin did grieve us, (as the leaft hair makes the eye weep) but now we can digeft fin without remorfe. Time was when a Clnillian was troubled if he neglected clofet-prayer ; now he can omit family-prayer. Time was when vain thoughts did trouble him : now^ he is not troubled for loole pra6lices. Here is a fad declenfion in religion ; and truly grace is ib far from growing, that we can hardly perceive its pulle to beat. .

£dh/. The figns of our growing in grace.

1. The firft fign of our growing is, when we are got beyond our former mealures of grace : a fign a child thrives, when he hath outgrown his clothes, his clothes are too little for him. That knowledge which would ferve us before, will not ferve us now ; we have a deeper infight into religion, our light is clearer, our fpark of love is increaled into a flame; there is a fign of growth, 'i'hat competency of grace we once had, is too (canty for us ; we have outgrown ourfelves.

'2. When we are more firmly rooted in religion, Col. ii. 7. * Rooted in him, and eftabliflied :' the fpreading of the root Ihews the growth of the tree. When we arefo llrongly faflen-ed on Chrift, that we cannot be blown down with the breath of heretics, a bleifed fign of growth. Athanafius was called Adamas ecclejice, an adament that could not be removed from the love of the truth.

3. The third fign of growth; When we have a more fpiritual

GROWTH IN GRACE. §85

frame of heart. I7?, We are more fpiritual in our principles: we oppofe i'm out of love to God, and as it ftrikes at his holi-nefs. 2<//v, We are more fpiritual in our aft'e<5tions : we grieve for the firli rifing of corruption, for the bubbling up of vain thoughts, the fpring that runs under ground. MVe mourn not only for the penalty of lin, but the pollution. It is not only a coal that burns, but blacks. 3dh/, We are fpiritual in the performance of duty; we are more ferious, reverent, fervent; we have more life in prayer, we put fire to the facrifice, Rom. xii. * Fervent in fpirit.' We ferve God with more love, whicli ripens and mellows our duty, and makes it come oif with a better reli(h.

4. The fourth fign of growth ; When grace gets ground by oppofition. The fire, by an antiperiitafis, burns hotteft in the coldell feafon. Peter's courage increafed by the oppofition of llie high-prieft and the rulers, A6ts iv. 8, 11. The martyrs' zeal was increafed by perlecution. Here was grace of the firft magnitude.

Q. 6. What fJiall ice do to gro^c in grace f

Anf. 1. Take heed of that which will hinder growth, the love of any fin : the body may as well thrive in a fever, as grace can where any fin is cheriflied.

'2. Ufe all means for growth in grace. I/?, * Exercife your-felves to godlineis,' 1 Tim. iv. 7- The body grows ftronger by exercife. Trading of money makes men grow rich ; the more we trade our faith in the promifes, the richer in faith we grow, ^dhj. If you would be growing Chriltians, be humble Chriltians. It is obferved in feme countries {as in France) the beft and largefi; grapes which they make their wine of, grow on the lower fort of vines; the humble faints grow mod in grace, 1 Pet. v. 5. ' God giveth grace to the humble.' 2>dly, Pray to God for fpiritual growth. Some pray that they may grow in giits. It is better to grow in grace than gifts : gifts are for 01 iiament, grace is for nourifliment; to edify others, to faveour-le.ves'. Some pray that they may grow rich ; but a fruitful heart is better than a full purle. Pray that God would make J u grow in grace, though it be by afflidion, Heb. xii. 10. The vine grows by pruning. God's pruning-knife is to make us grow more in grace.

Q 7- How may we comfort fach as complain they do not grow in grace .2*

A7if: They may midake; they may grow, when they think they do not, Prov. xiii. 7. 'There is that maketh himlelf poor, yet he is rich,' The fight Cbrifl:ians have of their defe<5ts in grace,, and their thirll after greater meafures of grace, makes them think they c; • not grow when they do. He who covets a great eftate, becaufe he iwth not 16 much as he defires, there-

£86 OF PERSEVERANCE.

fore he thinks himfelf to be poor. Indeed Chrifiians fliould feek alter the grace they want, but they mull not theretore overlook the grace they have. Let Chriitians be thankful for the lealt growth ; if you do not grow io much in aiiurance, blel'^j God if you grow in lincerity ; if you do not grow fo much in knowltdge, blels God if you grow in i)umiiity. If a tree grows in the root, it is a true growth ; if you grow in the root-grace of humility, it is as needful for you as any other growth.

OF PERSEVERANCE.

1 Pet. i. 5. Who are kept by the Power of God, through Faith unto Salvation.

The fifth and lall fruit of fan61:ification, is perfeverance in grace. The heavenly inheritance is kept for the laints, 1 Pet. i. 4. and they are kept to the inheritance; in ni}' text, * Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto lalvation.' The apoftle aiierts a faint's flability and permanency in grace. The faint's perfeverance is much oppunged by Papilts and Ar-minians ; but it is not the lels true, becaufe it isoppofed. A Chrillian's main comfort depends upon this do6trineof perfeverance : take away this, and you much prejudice religion, and cut the finews of all chearful endeavours. Before I come to the' full handling and dill:'ufling this great point, let me fnft clear the ienle of it, which I (hall do by way of concelVion or grant.

When I fay, believers do perfevere : IJi, 1 grant, that fuch as are fo only in profeffion, may fall away, 2 Tim. iv. 10. * Demas hath forfaken us.' Blazing comets foon evaporate. A building on land will fall, Matth. vii. 2(5. ' Seeming grace may be lolt.' No wonder to fee a bough fall from a tree that is only tied on. Hypocrites are only tied on Chrift by an external profeffion, they are not ingrafted. Who ever thought ariificial motions would hold long? the hypocrites' motion is only artificial, not vital. All blollbms do not ripen into fruit.

2(//y, I grant, that, if believers were left to Hand upon their own legs, they might fall finally. Some of the angeh, who were liars full of light and glory, yet did aclually lole their grace; and if thole pure angels fell from grace, much more would the godly, who have fo much fin to betray them, if they were not upheld by a fuperior power.

odiy, I grant, true believers, tho' they do not fall away actually, and lolii all their grace, yet their grace may fail in the degree, and they may make a great breach upon their lan6tifi-cation. Grace may be wenVwm, nonmortua-, dying, but not

dead, Rev. iii. 2. * Strengthen the things which are ready to die.* Grace may be like fire in the embers, though notquench-ed, yet the flame is gone out. This decay of grace I fhall (hew in two particulars; (1.) The lively a6lings of grace may be fufpended. Rev. ii. 4. ' Thou hall leftthy firll love.' Grace may be lil<e a fleepy habit ; the godly may a6t faintly in religion, the pulfe of their affe6lions may beat low. The wife virgins flumbered, Matth. XXV. 5. The exercife of grace may be hindered ; as when the courfe of water is Hopped, and doth not run. (2.) Inftead of grace exercifing in the godly, corruption may exercife ; inllead of patience, murmuring ; inllead of hea-veniinefs, earthlinefs. How did pride put forth itfelf in the dilciples, when they flrove who fliouid be the greateft! how did lufl put forth itfelf in David ? Thus lively and vigorous may corruption be in the regenerate ; they may fall into enormous Inis. But though all this be granted, yet they do not penitns excedere, fall away finally from grace. David did not quite lofe his grace ; for then, why did he pray, ' Take not away thy Holy Spirit from me!' He had not quite loft the Spirit. As Eutyches, wheis he fell from a window, A6ts xx. and all thought he was dead ; * No, faith Paul, there is life in him :* io David fell foully, but there was the life of grace in him. Though the faints may come to that pafs, they have but little faith, yet not to have no faith ; though their grace may be drawn low, yet not drawn dry : though grace may be abated, not aboliflied ; though the wife virgins llumbered, yet their lamps were not quite gone out. Grace, when it is at the low-eft, fhall revive and llourifh ; as when Samfon had loll his flrength, his hair grew again, and he renewed his ftrength. Having thus explainer' the propofition, I come now to the amplifying this great doctrine of the faints perfeverance.

Q. 1. By what means do Chrijlians come to perfevere ?

Anf. 1. By the manuduclion and help of ordinances, prayer, word, facraments. Chriftians do not arrive at perfeverance whenthey fit fi;ill and do nothing. It is not with us as vvitli paifengersin a fhip, who are carried to the end of their voyage, and they fit Hill in the fiiip; or, as it is with noblemen, who have their rents brought in without their toil or labour: but we arrive at falvation in the ufe of means; as a man comes to the end of a race by running, to a victory by fighting, Matth. xxvi. 41. ' Watch and pray.' As Paul faid, A(5ls xxvii. 31. * Except ye abide in the fhip, ye cannot be faved.' Believers fliall come to fhore at laft, arrive at heaven ; but, * except they abide in the fhip,' viz. in the ufe of ordinances, ' they cannot be faved.* -The ordinances cherifli grace : as they beget grace, fo they are the breaft-milk by which it is uouriflied and preferved to eternity.

SSS or PERSEyERANCE.

2. Aux'dio fpiritiis, by the facred influence and concurrence of the Spirit. The Spirit of God is continually at work in the heart of a behever, to carry on grace to perfeverence; it drops on fielh oil, to keep the lamp of grace burning. The Spirit excites, flrengthens, increafeth grace, and makes a Chriltian go from one Hep of faith to another, till he comes to the end of his faith, falvation, 1 Pet. i. 9. It is a fine expreflion of the apollle, 2 Tim. i. 14. * The Holy Gholl which dvvelleth in us.* He who dwells in an houfe, keeps the houfe in repair; the Spirit dwelling in a believer, keeps grace in repair. Grace is compared to a river of the water of life, John vii. 38. This river can never be dried up, becaule God's Spirit is a fpring which continually feeds it.

3. Grace is carried on to perfeverance, by Chrift's daily in-terceffion. As the Spirit is at work in the heart, lb is Chrift at work in heaven. Chrift is ever praying that the faints' grace may hold out, John xvii. 11. Conferva illos; ' Father, keep thole whom thou haft given me;* keep them as the itars in their orbs: keep them as jewels, that they may not be loft.

* Father, keep them ' That prayer Chrift made for Peter, was the copy of his prayer he now makes for believers, Luke xxii. 32. * I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not,' that it be not totally eclipfed ? how can the children of fuch prayers perifh ?

Q. 2. By what arguments may we prove the faints perfever-ance ?

Anf. 2. A veritate Dei, from the truth of God. God hath both afferted it, and promifedit: (l.) God bath afferted it, 1 John ii. 9. * His feed remaineth in him.' 1 John ii. 27.

* The anointing ye have received of him abideth in you.' (2.) As God hath aflerted it, fo he hath promifed it: the truth of God, the moft orient pearl of his crown, is laid a pawn in the promife, John x. 28. ' 1 will give unto them eternal life, and they ftiall never perifli.* Jer. xxxii. 40. ' I will make an ever-lalting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they fhall not depart from me.' God will lb love his people, that he will not forfake them ; and they Ihall fo fear him, that they ftiall not forfake him. If a believer fhould not per-fevere, God (hould break his promife, Hof. ii. 19. * I will be-trothe thee unto me for ever, in righteoufnefs and loving-kind-nefs.' God doth not marry his people unto himfelf, and then divorce them : he hates putting away, Mai. ii. It). God's love ties the marriage knot fo faft, that neither death nor hell can break it afunder.

S. The fecond argument is, a potentia Dei, from the power

of God. In tlie text, we * are kept by the power of God unto fiilvation.' Every perfon in the Trinity hath an hand in making a believer perl'evere. God the Father eftabhfheth, 1 Cor. i. 21. God the Son confirms, 1 Cor. i. 8. God the Holy Ghoft feals, Eph. i. 13. lb that it is the power of God that keeps us. Alas, we are not kept by our own power. The Pelagians held, that man, by his own power, might overcome temptation, and perfevere. But St. Auftin confutes him. " Man, faith he, prays unto God for perfeverance, which would be abfurd, if lie had power of himfelfto perfevere." And, faith St. Auftio, " if all the power be inherent in a man's (elf, then why fliould

■ not-one perlevere, as well as another.? Why not Judas as well as Peter?" So that it is not by any other than the power of God that we are kept: as the Lord prel'erved Ifrael from perith-

. ing in the wilderneis, till he brought them to Canaan : the fame care will he take, if not in a miraculous manner, yet in a fpiri-tual invifible manner, in prefervinghis people in a Hate of grace, till he bring them to the celeilial Canaan. As the Heathens feigned of Atlas, that he did bear up the heavens from falling; the power of God is that Atlas which bears up the faints from falling. It is difputed, whether grace of itfelf may not perilli, as Adam's ; yet fure 1 am, grace kept by the power of God, cannot perifh.

3. The third argument is taken : ah eJeciibne, from God's elecling love. Such as God hath from all eternity ele6led to glory, cannot fall away finally : but every true believer is elected to glory, therefore he cannot fall away. What (fan frullrate election, or make God's decree void ? This argument ftands like mount Sion, which cannot be moved ; inlbmuch that fome of the Papilis hold, that thofe who have abfolute eletlion cannot fall away, 2 7'im. ii. IP. ' The foundation of God Hands fiire, having this feal, the Lord knows them that are his.' The foundation of God is nothing elfe but God's decree in election; and this itands lure, God will not alter it, others cannot.

4. The fourth argument is taken, a6 i</i/t>/z.6' cum Chrijlo, Uom believers union with Chrilt. They are knit to Chrill as the members lo the head by the nerves and hgament of faith, fo that they cannot be .broken off, Eph. iii. 23. What was once laid of Chrift's natural body, is true of his myftical, ' A bone of i'c fliall not be broken.' As it is not polfible to fever the leaven and the dough when they are once mingled and kneaded together ; fo it is impolfible, when Chrifl; and believers are once united, ever to be feparated : Chrift and his members make one Chrift. Nov/, is it poffible that any part of Chrifi: fliouid perifh } How can Chrill lofe any member of his body rayllical, and be perfect } In fhiDrt, Si nnas cxcidat, quare non et alter. ? If one believer may be broken off from Chrill, then, by the fame rule.

Vol. I;No. 7. O o

why not another ? why not all ? And fo Chrifl; (hould be an head without a body.

5. The fifth argument is taken, ab emptione, from the nature of a purchale. A man will not lay down his money for a pur-chafe which may be lofl, and the fee-fimple alienated. Chrift died, that he might purchafe us as a people to himfelf for ever, Heb. ix. 12. * Having obtained eternal redemption for us.* Would Chrifl, think we, have flied his blood, that we might believe in him for a while, and then fall away ? Do we think Chrifl will lofe his purchafe ?

(i. The fixth argument is, a vicioria Jiipra mundum, from a believer's vi6lory over the world. The argument tlands thus : He who overcomes the world, doth perfevere in grace: but a believer doth overcome the world, therefore he perfeveres in grace, 1 John v. 4. ' This is the viftory over the world, even our faith.' A man may lofe a fmgle battle in the field, yet at laft win the vi6lory. A child of God may be foiled in a fingle battle againfl temptation (as Peter was) but at lafl he is vidlori-ous. Now, if a faint be crowned vi6tor, if the world be conquered by him, he mufl needs perfevere. 1 come next to anf-wer fbme ohjp6lions of the Armhiians.

Ifl, The firfl obje6lion of Arminians, is, Tf a believerJ}iall perfevere in grace, then, totchat pnrpoje are all thoj'e admonitions in fcripture ? ' Let him take heed left he fall,'' 1 Cor. x. 12. And, Heb. iv. 1. ' Let us fear, left any of yonfeem tocome (liort.* Thefe admonitions feem tobefuperfluous and vain, ifafaintJJiall certandy perfevere.

Anf. No, thefe counfels and admonitions are neceffary to caution believers againfl carelefsneCs; they are as goads and fpurs to quicken them to a greater diligence in working our fal-vation. Thefe admonitions do not imply the faints can fall away, but they are prefervatives to keep them from falling away. Chrift told fome of his difciples, they fliould abide in him, yet he exhorts them to abide in him, John xv. His exhorting them was not in the leafl to queltion their abiding in him, but to awaken their diligence, and make them pray the harder, that they might abide in him.

^2dly, '^i'he fecond objeclion is, Heb. vi. 4. It is impoffible for thufe icho were once enlightened, and have tafted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghoft, and have felt the powers of the icorld to come, if they jltall fall away, to renew them again to repentance.

Anf. This place of fcripture hath no force in it ; for iheapof-tle here fpeaks of hypocrites, he fliews how far they may go, yet fall away. 1. They loho were once enlightened: Men may have great illuminations, yet fall away. Was not Judas en-hghtened } 2. They have been made partakers of the Holy Gho/i ;

the common gifts of the Spirit, not the fpecial grace. 3. They have tajied the good icord of God. Tailing here is oppofed to mating ; the hypocrite may have a kind of talle of the fvveetnelis of religion, but his tade doth not nourifh. There is a great deal of ditlerence between one that takes a gargle, and a cordial ; the gargle only wafheth his mouth, he talles it, and puts it out again ; but a cordial is drunk down, which nourifheth and cheriflieth the fpirits. The hypocrite, who hath only fome fmack or taile of religion (as one taftes a gargle) may fall away. 4. And have felt the powers of the vwrld to come : that is, they may*have f'uch apprehenfions of the glory of heaven, as to be affedled with it, and feem to have fome joy in the tlwughts of it, yet fall away ; as in the parable of the flony ground. Mat. xiii. 20. All this is fpoken of the hypocrite ; but it doth not therefore prove, that the true believer, w^ho is effectually wrought upon, can i'all away. Though comets fall, it doth not therefore follow, that true (lars fall. That this fcripture {peaks not of found believers, is clear from ver. 9. ' But we are perl'uaded better things of you, and things that accompany falvation.'

OF PERSEVERANCE.

1 Pet. i. 5. Who are kept by the power of Gody through faith unto falvation.

Ufe 1. See the excellency of grace, it perfeveres : other things are but for a fealbn : health and riches are fweet, but they are but for a fealbn : but grace is a bloffom of eternity. The feed of God remains, I John iii. 9. Grace may fuffer an ecliple, not a dilfolution. It is called fubftance, for its folidity, Prov. viii. 21. and duarble riches, for its permanency, Prov. vii. 18. It lafts as long as the foul, as heaven lafts. Grace is not like a leafe which foon expires, but it runs parallel with eternity.

2. See here that which may excite in the faints everlafling love and gratitude to God. What can make us love God more than the lixednefs of his love to us ? He is not only the author of grace, but finifher : his love is perpetuated and carried on to our falvation. John x. 27. ' My fheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life.* My flieep, there is ele6lion ; hear my voice, there is vocation ; and I know them, there is jutlification ; and I give unto them eternal life, there is gloriiication. How may this make us love God, and let up the monuments and trophies of his praife! how much have we done to caufe God to withdrav?'

O 0 2

his Spirit, and fufler us to fall finally ! yet that he fliould keep us, let his rianie be blelTed, and his memorial eternized, who keepeth the feet of his faints, 1 Sam. li. 9.

3, See whence it is that faints do perfevere in holinefs : it is folcly to he alcribed to the power of God ; we are kept by his power, kept as in a ganifon : it is a wonder any Chriitian per-ft.vores, if you confider, (I.) Corruption witlmi. The tares are mingied with the wheat; there is more fin than grace, yet grace is habitually predominant. Grace is like a fpark in the fea, a wonder it is not quenched : a wonder fin doth not dellroy grace, that it doth not do, as fometimes the nurfe to the infant, overlay it, and it dies ; fo that this infant of grace is not fuiothered by corruption. (9.) Temptations without. Satan envies us iiappinefs, and he raifeth his militia, llirs up perfecution : he llioots his fiery darts of temptation ; they are cnlled darts for their fwiftnefs, fiery for their terriblenefs. We are every day befet with devils : as it was a wonder Daniel was kept alive in the midfi; of the roaring lions ; fo, that there are many roaring devils about us, and yet we are not torn in pieces. Now, whence is it, we Hand againfi. thefe powerful temptations ? We are kept by tlie power ofGod. (3.) The KorWsgulden fnares, riches and pleafure, Luke xviii. 24. 'Plow hardly fliall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God ?' How many have been caft away upon thefe golden fands, % Tim. iv. 10. as Demas ? What a wonder any ioul perl'evcres in religion, that the earth doth not choke the fire of all good atfe6tions ? Whence is this but from the power of God ? We are kept by his power.

Uj'e 2. Confolation. This do6trine of perfeveiance is as Be-zoar fl;one ; it is a fovereign cordial to keep up the fpirits of the godly from fainting. There is nothing doth more trouble a child of God than this, he fears he Ihall never huld out; thefe weak legs of mine will never carry me to heaven. But perfever-ance is an infeparable fruit of fandification ; Once /?? Chriji, and for ever in Chriji. A believer may fall from ibme degrees of grace, but not from the fiate of grace : an Ifraelite could never wholly fell or alienate his land of inheritance, Luke xxv. 23. A type of our heavenly inheritance, which cannot be wholly alienated from us. How defpairing it, the Arminian do6lrine of falling from grace ? To-day a faint, to-morrow a reprobate ; to-day a Peter, to-morrow a Judas. This mufl; needs cut the finews of a Chrifl.ian's endeavour, and be as the boring an hole in the vefiel, to make all the wine of his joy run out. Were the Arminian doctrine true, how could the apofile fay, the feed of God remains in him ; 1 John iii. 0. and the anointing of God abides ? i John ii. 27. What comfort were it to have one's name written in the bool^ of life, if it might be blotted out again ? |jut, be allured, for your comfort, grace, if true, though never

fo weak, (hall perftvere: thongli a Cliriftian hath but little grace to trade with, yet he need not fear breaking, becaul'e God doth not only give him a ftock of grace, but will keep his liock for him. Gratia concutitur, non evcutitur, Aug. Grace maybe fiiaken with fears and doubts, but it cannot be plucked up by the roots. Fear not f,.illing away. If any thing thouid hinder the laints perfeverance, then it muft be either lin or temptation ; but neither of thefe : 1. Not the (ins of believers. That which humbles them Iball not damn them : but their (ins are a mean to humble them ; they gather grapes of thorns ; from the tliorn of fin, they gather the grape of humility. 2. Not temptation : the devil lays the train of his temptation to blow up the fort of a taint's grace ; but this cannot do it. Temptation is a medicine for fecurity ; the more Satan tempts, the more the laints pray. When Paul had the meflenger of Salan to butfet him, 2 Cor. xii. 8. ' For this I befought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.' Thus nothing can break otf'a believer from Chri(t, or hinder his perfeverance. Let this wine be given to Cuch as are of an heavy heart: this perteverance is comfort, i. In the lofs of worldly comforts. VVhen our goods may be taken away, our grace cannot, Luke x. 42. ' Mary hath chofen the better part, which cannot be taken from her.' 2. In the hour of death. When all things fail, friends take their farewel of us; yet llill grace remains. Death may feparale all things eife from us but grace : a Chriftian may Ciy on his death-bed, as Olevian, once, '* Sight is gone, fpeech and hearing are departing, but the loving-kiiidneCs of God will never depart."

Q. 1. What motives and incentives are there to make Chrif* tians perfeuere f

Anf. I. It is the crown and glory of a Chriftian to perfevere, //i Ckrijiianis non initia fed fide laudantur, Prov.xvi. 31. * The hoary head is a crown of glory, if foimd in the way of righteouf-nels.' When grey hairs thine with golden virtues, this is a , crown of glory. Tiie church of Thyatira was belt at lalt, Rev. ii. 19. ' 1 know thy patience and thy works, and the lall to be more than the firft.' The excellency of a building is not in having the firft ftone laid, but when it is fmilhed. The glory .^\and excellency of a Chriftian is, when he hath linifiied the work of faith.

9. You are within a few days march of heaven. Salvation is near to you, Rom, viii. ll. ' Now is your lalvation nearer than when we believed.' Chriftians, it is but a while, and you (hall have done weeping and praying, and be triumphing; you fhali put ort'your mourning, and put on white robes : you (hall put oil'your armour, and put on a victorious crown : you who have made a good progrels in religion, you are almolt icady to coamience .aud take your degree of glory ; now is your falvation

nearer than when you beo^an to believe. When a man isalmoft at the end of a race, will he now tire, or faint away ? O laboirr to peirevere, your faJvation is now nearer ; you have but a, little way to go, and you will fetyourfooL in heaven. Though the way he ujj-hill and full of thorns, viz. fufferings, yet you have gone the greatelt part of your way, and Ihortly you (hall red from your labours.

3. How fad Is it not to perfevere in holinefs ? You expofe j'ourfelveis to the reproaches of men, and the rebukes of God. Firji, to the reproaches of men. They will deride both you and your profellion, hvMe xiv. 28. ' This man began to build, and was not able to hnilh.' Such is he who begins in religion, and doth not perfevere : he is theludibrium, and derifion of all. Secondly, to the rebukes of God. God is moll levere againft fuch as fail olf, becaufe they bring an evil report upon religion. Apoftacy breeds a bitter worm in confcience ; what a worm did Spira feel ! and it brings fvvift damnation ; it is a drawing back to perdition, Heb. x. 4S. God will make his fword drunk with the blood of apoftates.

4. The promifes of mercy are annexed only to perfeverance. Rev. iii. 5. ' He that overcometh, fhall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life.' Non piignanti, fed vincenti dabitur corona, Aug. The promife is not to him that fights, but that overcomes, Luke xxii. 28. * Ye are they which have continued with me, and I appoint unto you a kingdom.* I'he promile of akingdom, faith Chrylbftom, is not made to them that heard Chrilt or followed him, but that continued with him. Perfeverance carries away the garland ; no man hath the crown let upon his head, but he ■who holds out to the end of the race. O therefore, by all this, be perfuaded to perfevere; God makes no account offuchasdo not perfevere. Who elleems of corn that Iheds before harveft, or fruit that falls from the tree before it be ripe ?

Q. 2. What expedients or means may he nj'edfor a Chriftians perfevermice ?

Anf. 1. Take heed of thofe things, which will make you de-fift and fall away. \jl. Take heed of prefumption. Do not prtfume upon your own ftrength ; exercife an holy fear and jealoufy over your own hearts, Rom. xi. 12. * Be not high-minded, but fear.' 1 Cor. x. 12. ' Let him that thinketh he ftandeth, take heed left he fall.' It was Peter's fin, he leaned more upon his grace than upon Chrilt, and then he fell. A Chriftian hath caule to fear left the lults and deceit of his heart betray him : take heed of prefuming ; fear begets prayer, prayer begets ilrength, and (trength begets ftedfalinels. 2<////, Take heed of hypocrify. Judas was hrll a fly hypocrite, and then a traitor, Pfal. Ixxviii. ^37. ' Their heart was not right with God,

OF PERSEVERANCB^. .995

neither were they fledfaft in his covenant.' If there be any venom or malignity in the blood, it will breuk forth into a plague-fore. The venom of hypocrily is in danger of breaking out into the plague-fore of fcandal. 3d/y, Beware of a vile heart of unbelief, Heb. iii. l^J. ' Take heed left there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.' Whence i.x apoftacy but from increduhty ? men do not believe the truth, and then they fall from the truth. Unbelieving and unfiable go together, Pfal. Ixxviii. 22. ' They believed not in God,' ver. 41. ' Tliey turned back.*

2. If you would be pillars in the temple of God, and perfevere in fan6lity,

FirJI, Look that you enter into religion upon aright ground ; be well grounded m the diftinCt knowledge of God : you mufi: know the love of the Father, the merit of the Son, and the efficacy of the Holy Ghoft. Such as know not God aright, will by degrees fall otf. The Samaritans fometimes fided with the Jews when they were in favour, afterwards difclaimed all kindred with them, when Antiochus perfecuted the Jews : and no wonder the Samaritans were no more fixed in religion, if you confider what Chrift faith of the Samaritans, John iv. 22. * Ye worfhip ye know not what:' they were ignorant of the true God'. Let your knowledge of God be clear, and ferve him purely out of choice, and then you will perfevere, Plal. cxix. oO. ' I have cholien the way of truth, I have (luck unto thy tellimonies.'

Secondly, Get a real work of grace in your heart, Heb. xiii. 9. • It is a good thing that the heart is eftabliflied with grace.* Nothing will hold out but grace : it is only this anointing abides ; paint will fall otf. Get an heart-changing work, I Cor. vi. 11. * But ye are waOied, but ye are fanctilied.' Be not content with baptifm of water, without baptiim of the Spirit : the reafbn men perfevere not in refigion, is for want of a vital principle :" a branch mull needs wither, that hath no root to grow upon.

Thirdly, If you would perfevere be very fincere. Perfeverance grows only upon the root of lincerity, Pfal. xxv. 21- * Let integrity and uprighlnefs preferve me.' The breafi-plate of fin-cerity can never be (hot through. How many Itornis was Job in.? the devils (et againfi him, his wife tempted him to curfe God, his friends accufed him of being a hypocrite ; here was enough, one would think, to have inade him to delift from religion : yet for all this, he perfeveres. What preferved him ? it was his fincerity. Job xxvii. 0. * My righteoufuef-i I hold faft, and will not let it go ; my heart fhull not reproach me fo long as I live.'

FouHhly, Lfyou would perfevere, be humble, St. Chryfoftona

gf!(5 OF PEnSEVERANCE.

calls it the mother of all the graces. Cod lets a poor humble Chrillian Hand, when others of higher parts, and who have hi'^her thoughts of thernl'elves, fall otiby apoftacy. They are hkeli to perfevere, whom God will give moil grace to : * But he gives grace to the humble,' 1 Pet. v. 3. They are likeft to perlevere, who have God dwelling in them : * But God dwells in the humble foul,' Ifa. Ivii. 15. No?i requiefcit SpiritusJ'anc-iiis nifjuper humilem, Bern. The lower the tree roots in the earih, the firmer it is; the more the foul is rooted in humility, the more eftablifhed it is, and is in lefs danger of falling away.

Fifthly, If perfeverancecheriHi the grace of faith. Faith doth fiahilereanimnm, 2 Cor. i. 24. * By faith ye (land.' 1. Faith knits us to Chrift, as the members are knit to the head by nerves and (inews. 2. Faith fills us with love to God ; * it works by love,' Gal. v. 6. And he who loves God, will rather die than defert him : the foldier who loves his general, will die in his fervice. 3. Faith gives us a profpe^l of heaven, it (hews us an invifibie glory ; and he who hath Chrilt in his heart, and a crown in his eye, will not faint away. O cheriOi faith, keep your faith, and your faith will keep you : while the pilot keeps his fliip, his Ihip keeps him.

Sixthly f Ifperfevere, let us engage the power of God to help us; we are kept by the |)ovver of God. The child is fafell when it is held in the nurle's arms, ib are we, when we are held in the arms office grace. It is not our holding God, but his holding us, preferves us. When a boat is tied to a rock, it is fecure : fo, when we are faft tied to the Rock of Ages, then we are impregnable. O engage God's power to help us to per-ievere. We engage his power by prayer : let us pray to him to keep us, Pf xvii, 5. ' Hold up my goings in thy path, that my footlleps flip not.' It was a good prayer of Beza, Domine, quod cepijii perjice, ne in portu naufvetgium accidat; " Lord, perfe6l what thou hall begun in me, that 1 may not fuffer (hip-wreck wiien I am almoft at the haven."

Seventhly, If perfevere, fet often before your eyes the noble examples of thole who have perfevered in religion ; Quod mar-tyres, quod fuleles in ccclis, jum, triumphant ? What a glorious army ol'fiinls and martyrs have gone before us ; how conltant to the death was St. Paul? A6ts xxi. 13. How perfevering in the faith were Ignatius, Polycarp, Athanafius ? Thole were ftars in their orb, pillars in the temple of God. Let us look on their zeal and courage, and be animated, Heb. xii. 1. ' Seeing we are com palled about with fo great a cloud of witnelies, let us run with pdtience the race that is fet before us.' The crown is ftt at the end of the race j if we win tiie race, we fliall wear the crown.

A believer's PHIVILEGE AT DEATH. ^Qf

A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH. Phil. i. 21. For me to live is Chrift, and to die is gain.

Saint Paul was a great admirer of Chrift, hedefired to know nothing but Clirift, and him crucified,! Cor. ii. 2. No julep to the blood of Chrift; and in the text, ' To rae to live is Chrift, and to die is gain.'

Firft, To me to live is Chriji. .We muft nnderftand Paul ofa fpiritual life. To me to live is Chriji, i. e. Chrift is my life ; fo Greg. Nyifen. Or thus, my life is made up of Chrift ; as a wicked man's life is made up of fin ; fo Paul's life was made up of Chrift, he was full of Chrift. But, that 1 may give yon the fonfe of the text more fully, take it in thefe three pai> tfculars ;

1. Chrift is the principle of my fife.

2. Chrift is the end of my life.

3. Chrift is the joy of my life.

1. To me to live is Chr/Ji, i. e. Chrift is the principle of my life. I fetch my fpiritual life from ChriA, as the branch fetch-eth its lap from the root, Gal. ii. 20. * Chrift liveth in me.* Jefus Chrift is an head of influence; he fends forth life and fpirits into me, to quicken me to every holy a6tion. Thus, To me to lice is Chrift-, Chrift is the principle of my life : from his fulnefs I live, as the vine branch lives from the root.—

2. To me to live is Chriji, i. e. Chrift is the end of my life ; I live not to mylelf but to Chrift. So Grotius and Caufabon, ChrijtoJ'ervio, " To me to live is Chrift," all my living is to do fervice to Chrift, Rom. xiv. 8. ' Whether we live, we live unto the Lord.' When we lay out ourfelves wholly for Chrift; as the factor trades for the merchant, fo we trade for Chrift's intereft, we propagate his gofpel; the defign of our life is to exalt Chrift, and make the crown upon his head flourifii. Now, it may be faid, To us to live is Chrift, our whole life is a living to Chrift.

3. To me to live is Chriji, i. e. Chrift is the joy of my life, Pfal, xlii. 4. * God my exceeding joy,'or the cream of my joy. A Chriftian rejoiceth in Chrift's righteoufuefs ; he can rejoice in Chrift, when worldly joys are gone : when the tulip in a garden withers, a man rejoiceth in his jewels ; when relations die, a faint can rejoice in Chrift the pearl of price. In this fenfe. To me to live is Chriji, he is the joy of my life ; if Chrift were gone, my life would be a death to me.

life. It ftiould exhort us all to labour to fay as the Apoftle, To me to live is Chriji. Chrift is the principle of my life, the end of my life, the joy of my life,<^7o me to live is Chriji : and then we may comfortably conclude, that to die fliall be gain.

Vol. 1. No. 7. Pp

€£8 A BELIEVER S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH.

Secondly, And that brings me to the fecond part of the text,

* And to die is gain.'

DoCf. To a believer death is great gain. A faint can tell what his loffes for Chriil are, but he cannot tell how great iiis gains are at deaih ; ' To me to die is gain.' Death to a believer, is crepiij'cuhim gloriw, the day-break of eternal brightnels. To fliew fully what a believer's gains are at death, were a talk too great for an angel ; all hyperboles fall fhort, the reward of glory exceeds our very faith ; only let n)e give you fome dark views and in)perff6l lineaments of that infinite glory the iaints fhall gain at tlit hour of death ; * To me to die is gain.'

1. Believers at death (hall gain a writ ofeafefrom all fins and troubles ; they Ihall be in a Hate of impeccability ; fin expires with their life. I think Ibmetimes what an happy ilate that "will be, never to have a finful thought more : and they Ihall have a quietus eft from their troubles.- Here David cryed out,

• My life isfpent with griefs, and my years with fighing,' Pfal. xxxi. 10. Quid eft dm vivere nifi dizi torgueri, Aug. ^ Life begins with a cry, and ends with a groan ; but at death all trou-» bles die.

2. Believers at death fliall gain the glorious fight of God. They fiiall fee him ; Firji, Intelle6tually with the eyes of their mind, which Divines call the beatifical vifion ; if there were not fuch an inlelledual fight of God, how do the fpirits of jult men, made perfe6l, fee him? Secondly, They Ihall behold the glorified body of Jefus Chrift ; and if it be pleafant to behold the fun, then how bleffed a fight will it be to fee Chrift the Sun of righteoufnefs clothed with our human nature, fhining in glory above the angels ? Through Chriil'sflefh, as through a tranf-parent glafs, fbme bright rays and beams of the Godhead fliall difplay themfelves to glorified eyes : the fight of God through Chrift will be very complacential and delightful ; the terror of God's efifence will be taken away ; God's majeiiy will be mixed •with beauty, and fweetened with clemency ; it will be infinitely delightful to the faints to fee the amiable afpefts and fmiles of God's face. Which brings me to the third thing.

3. The Iaints at death fiiall not only have a fight of God, but fhall enjoy the love of God ; there fliall be no more a vail on God's face, nor his fmiles chequered with frowns, but God's love fliall difcover itfelf in all its orient beauty and fragrant fweetnefs. Here the faints pray for God's love, and they have a few drops ; but there they fliall have as much as their vefl'el can receive. To know this love that pafieth knowledge, this will caufe a jubilation of fpirit, and create fuch holy raptures of joy in the faints, as are fuperlative, aud would foon overwhelrr^ 'them, if God did not make them able to bear.

4. Believers at death fhall gain a celeftial palace, an houfe not made with hands, 2. Cor. v. 1. Here the faints are itrait-ened for room, they have but mean cottages to live in ; but they fhall have a royal palace to live in : here is but there fo-journing houfe, there in heaven is there manfion-houfe, an houfe built hig'h above all the viiible orbs, an houle befpangled with light. Col. i. 12. enriched with pearls and precious ftones. Rev. xxi. 19. And this is not their landlord's houfe, but their father's houfe, John xiv. 2. and this houfe Hands all upon confecrated ground ; it is fet out by tranfparent glafs, to Ihew the holinefs of it, Rev. xxi. 27.

5. Believers at death (hall gain the fweet fociety of glorified faints and angels ; this will add fomething to the felicity of heaven, as every ilar adds fome luftre to the firmanent. Firji, The fo.ciety of the glorified faints; we fhall fee them in their fouls, as well as in their bodies: their bodies (hall be fo clear and bright, that we fhall fee their fouls fhining through their bodies, as the wine through the glafs ; and believers at death (hall hava Converfe with the faints glorified. And how delightful will that be, when they fhall be freed from all their finful corruptions, pride, envy, paffion, cenforioufnefs, which are fears upon them here to disfigure them ? in heaven there fliall be perfect love among the faints ; they fhall, as the olive and myrtle, fsveetly embrace each other ; the faints (hall know one another (as Luther fpeaks). If in the transfiguration Peter knew Moles and Elias, which he never law before, TNIatth. xvii. 3. then much more, in the glorified (late, the faints (hall perfe6tly know one another, though they never iaw them before. Sccondlif, Tne faints at death fliall behold the angels with the glorified eye of their underftanding. The v/ings of the cherubims (reprefentin^ the angels) were made of fine gold, to denote both their I'anc-tity and fplendor ; the angels are compared to lightning, Mat. xxviii. 3. becaufe of thofe fparkling beams ofmajelly, which as hghtnijig fhootfroin them. And when faints and angels ihall meet and fing together in concert in the heavenly choir, what divine harmony, what joyful triumphs will it create?

Q. Believers at death ihall gain perfection of holinefs. Here grace was but f?i cunabulis in its cradle, very imperfect ; we cannot write a copy of holinefs without blotting ; beUevers are faid to receive but primitias Spiritus, the fird fruits of the Spirit, Rom. viii. 23. But at death the faints (hall arrive at perfection, their knowledge clear, their fan6lity perfe6t; their flin (hall be in its full meridian fplendor. They need not then pray for in-creafe of grace ; they (hall love God as much as they would love him, and as much as he defires to have them love him: they (]iall be then, in refpe6t of holinefs, as the angels of God.

7. At death, the faints fliall gain a roval magnificent feaft.

Pp2 ■'

SbO A BELTEVElt's PRIVILEGE AT DEATH.

1 told you before what a glorious palace they (hall have; but a man niay liarve in a houfe, if there be no cheer. The faints at death fliall have a royal banquet, ihadowecl out in fcripture by a marriage-fupper, Rev. xix. y. Buihnger and Gregory the great undtrftand, by that marriage-fupper of the lamb, the. llately, inagnificentfeftival the faints fhallhave in heaven ; they fnall feed on the tree of life, Rev. xxii. They fliall have the heavenly ne6tar and ambrofia, * the fpiced wine, and the juice of the pomegranate, Cant. viii. 2. ''J^'his royal fupper of the Lamb will not only latisfy hunger but prevent it, Rev. vii. 16. * They fliall hunger no more.' Nor can there beany furfeit at this feall, becaule a frefli courfc will be continually I'erving in : new and frefh delights will I'pring from God ; therefore the tree of life in paradiie is faid to bear twelve forts offruit. Rev. xxii. 2.

S. Believers at death (hall gain honour and dignity, they {hall reign as kings ; therefore we read of the enfigns of their royalty, their white robes and crowns celeftial, 1 Tim. iv. 7. We read that the doors of the holy of holies were made of palm-trees and open flowers, covered with gold, 1 Kings vi. 35. An emblem of that vi6tory and triumph, and that golden garland of honour wherewith God hath invelled the faints glorified. When all worldly honour fliall lie in the dufl, the mace, the ftar, the robe of ermine, the imperial diadem, then fhall the faints' honour remain ; not one jewel fhall be plucked out of their crown ; they fliall gain at death a blefl'ed eternity. If the faints could have the leaft fufpicion or fear of lofing their glory, it would much cool and imbitter their joy ; but their crown fades not away, 1 Pet. v. 4. As the wicked have a worm that never dies, fo the ele6t have a crown that never fades. Ever, is a fhort Xvord, but hath no ending: In fine crit gandium fine fine, Bern.

2 Cor. iv. 18. ' The things which are not ieen are eternal.* Pfal. xvi. 11. * At thy right hand are pleafures for evermore.* Who can fpan eternity ? millions of ages Hand but for cyphers in eternity. This is the elah, or higheft ftrain of the faint's glory ; ever in Chrift's bofom.

Q. How come the faints to have all this gain 9 • ^nfi. Believers have aright to all this gain at death, upon divers accounts : by virtue of the Father's donation, the Son's purchafe, the Holy Ghofl's earneft, and faith's acceptance. Therefore the flate of future glory is called the faints' proper inheritance. Col. i. 12. They are heirs of God, and have a right to inherit.

Uje I. See the great difference between the death of the godly and the wicked ; the godly are gainers at death, the wicked are great lofers at death. They lofe four things :

(I.) They loib the world; and that is a great lofe to the

tvicked : they'laid up their treafure upon earth; and to be turned out of it all at once, is a great lois.

(2.) Tliey lofe their ibuls, Matth. xvi. 26, 27. The foul was at firft a noble piece of coin, which God llaniped liis own image upon : this ceieilial I'park is more precious than the whole globe of the world ; but the finner's foul is loil; not that the ibuls of the wicked are annihilated at death, but damnified.

(3.) They lofe heaven. Heaven is fedes beatonim, the royal feat of the bleiied ; it is the region of happinefs, the map of perfe6lion. There is that manna which is angels food ; there is the garden of fpice's, the bed of perfumes, the river of plea-fure. Sinners, at death, lofe all this.

(4.) They lofe their hopes; for though they lived wickedly, yet they hoped God was merciful, and they hoped they ihould go to heaven. Their hope was not an anchor, but a fpider's web. Now, at death, they lofe their hopes, they fee they did but flatter thenifelves into hell. Job viii. 14. ' Whofe hope fhall be cutoff.' That is lad, to have a man's life and his hope cut otf together.

Ufe 2. If the faints gain fuch glorious things at death; then how may they defire death? doth not every one defire preferment? Nemo ante funera fcelix. Faith gives a title to heaven, death a polleflion. Though we fliould be defirous of doing i'ervice here, yet we fhould be ambitious of being with Chrift, Phil. i. 23. We fliould be content to live, but willing to die. Is it not a bleiied thing to be freed from fni, and to lie for ever in the bofom of divine love ? is it not a bleifed thing to meet our godly relations in heaven, and to be tinging divine anthems of praife among the angels ? doth not the bride deiire the mar-riage-.day, efpecially if (he were to be matched unto the crov/n ? what is the place we now live in, but a place of banifiiment from God ? we are in a wildernefs, while the angels live at court. Here we are combating with Satan, and iliould not we deiire to be out of the bloody field, where the bullets of temptation fly fo faft, and to receive a vidtorious crown ? think what it will be to have always a imilingafpe6l from Chriil's face ; to be brought into the banqueting-houiii, and have the -banner of his love dif-played over you. O ye laints, deiire death, it is your afcenfion-day to heaven. Egredere anima Egredere, laid Hilarion on his death-bed ; " Go forth, my foul, what feareft thou ?" Another holy man faid, " Lord, lead me to that glory which I havefeen as through a glafs; hade, Lord, and do not tarry;" Some plants thrive beft when they are tranfplanted : believers, when they are by death tranfplanted, cannot choofe but thrive, becaufe they have Chriit's fweet lun-beams ihining upon them : and what though the pailage tiii-QUgh the valley of the fliadow of

302 A BELIEVER S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH.

<leath be troublefome ? who would not be willing to pafs a tempeftuous lea, if he were fure to be crowned i'o foon as he came to fliore.

Uj'e 3. Comfort in the lofs of our dear and pious relations. They, when they die, are not only taken away from the evil to come, but they are great gainers by death ; they leave a wilder-nefs, and go to a paradife; they change their complaints into thankfgiviiigs; they leave their forrows behind, and enter into the joy of their Lord : why fliould we weep for their preferment ? believers have not their portion paid till the day of their death : God's promife is his bond to make over heaven in reverfion to them ; but though they have his bond, they do not receive their portion till the day of death. Oh! rejoice to think of their happinefs who die in the Lord ; to them ' to die is gain ;* they are as rich as heaven can make them.

A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH.

Phil. i. 21. For me to live is Chrijl^ and to die is gain.

Hope is a Chriftian's anchor, which he cafts within the vail, Rom. xii. l-^. * Rejoicing in hope.' A Chriftian's hope is not in this life, but he ' hath hope in his death,' Prov. xiv. 32. The beft of a faint's comfort begins when his life ends: the wicked have all their heaven here, Luke vi. 28. ' Wo unto you, rich, you have received your tjpnfolation.' You may make your acquittance, and write " Received in full payment;" Luke xvi. 25. ' Son, remember that thou in thy life-time re-ceivedil thy good things.' But a faint's happinefs is in reversion ; ' The righteous hath hope in his death.' God keeps the bell wine till lalL If Cato the heathen laid, ** To me to die is gain: he faw mortality to be a mercy :" then, what may a believer fay ? Eccl. vii. 1. * The day of death is better than the day of one's birth.' Nemo a^ite fimera fo^lix, Solon. A queen of this land faid, Ihe preferred her colfin before her cradle.

Q. 1. What benefits do believers receive at death ?

Anf. 1. They have great immunities. 2. They pafs immediately into a hate of glory. 3. Their bodies are united to Chrill in the grave till the rcl'urredion.

1. The faints, at death, have great immunities and freedoms. An apprentice, when out of his time, is made free: when tlie faints are out of their time of living, then they are made free ; not made free till death. 1. At death they are feed from a body of fin. Theje are in the belt reliquiae peccati; fome remainder^

and reliques of corruption, Rom. vii. £4. * O wretched man. that I am, who (hall deliver me from this body of death!' By the body of death is meant the congeries, the mal's and lump of fin. It may well be called a body for its weightinefs, and a body of death for its noifomnefs. (I.) It weighs us down ; fin hinders us from doing good. A Chriftian is like a bird that would be flying up,'but hath a llring tied to its legs to hinder it; lb he would be flying up to heaven with the wings of defire, but fin hinders him, Rom. vii. 15. * The good that I would, I do not.' A Chriflian is like a fliip that is under fail, and at anchor; grace would fail forward, but fin is the anchor that holds it back. (2.) Sin is more active in its fphere than grace : how ftirring was lull in David, when his grace lay dormant? (3.) Sin Ibmetimes gets the raallery, and leads a faint captive, .Rom. vii. 19. ' The evil that I would not, that I do.' Paul was like a man carried down the llream, and could not bear up againft; it. How oft is a child of God overpowered with pride and paflion? Therefore Paul calls fin, a law in his members, Rom. vii. 2-1. it binds as a law ; it hath a kind of jurirdi6tion over the foul, as C^far had over the fenate. (4.) Sin defiles the foul, it is like a ilain to beauty, it turns the foul's azure brightnefs into fable. (5.) Sin debilitates us, it difarms us of our llrength, 2 Sam. iii. 39. ' I am this day weak, though anointed king:' fo, though a faint be crowned with grace, yet he is weak, though anointed a fpiritual king. (6.) Sin is ever reftlefs, Gal. v. 17. * The fiefli lulls againfl: the fpirit.' It is an inmate that is always quarreling ; like Marcellus, that Roman captain, of whom Hannibal faid, whether he did beat, or was beaten, he would never.-be quiet. (7.) Sin adheres to us, we cannot get rid of it; it may be compared to a wild fig-tree growing on a wall; though the roots are pulled up, yet there are fome fibres, fome itringsof it in the joints of the ilone-work, which cannot be gotten out. (8.) Sin mingles with our duties and graces; we cannot write a copy of holinefs without blotting., This makes a child of God weary of hisiife, and makes him water his couch with his tears, to think fin lb. llrong a party, and he fliould often otfend that God whom he loves; this made Paul cry out, M/Jer ego homo! O wretched man that I am ! Hence Paul did not cry out of his afllidion, of his prifon-chain, but of the body of fin. Now a believer at death Ihah be freed frona fin : he is not taken away in, but from his fins; he fliall never have a vain, proud thought more; he fliall never grieve the Spirit of God any more : fin brought death into the world ; and death fliall carry fin out of the world. The Perfians had a certain day in the year in which they killed all ferpents and venomous creatures; inch a day will the day of death be to a believer; it will deitroy all his fins, which,-like fo many ferpents.

sot A believer's PRiriLEftE AT DEAT^.

have ftung liini. Death fmites a heliever, as the angel didl Peter, lie made his chains fall olF: fo death makes all the chains of fin fall off, A6ts xii. 7. Believers at death are made perfe6l in holincfs, Heb. xii. 23. * The fpirits of juft men made perfect.' At death the fouls of believers recover their virgin-purity : O what a bleffed privilege is this, to he fine macula et ruga, without Ipot or wrinkle ! Eph. v. 27. to be purer than the fun-beams, to be as free from fin as the angels. This makes a believer fo defirous to have his pals to be gone ; he would fain live in that pure air, where no black vapours of fin arife.

2. At death the faints fliali be freed from all the troubles and incumbrances to which this life is fubje6t. '* Sin is the feed fown, and trouble is theharvefl reaped," Eurip, life and trouble are married together; there is more in life to wean us than to tempt us. Parents divide a portion of forrow to their children, and yet leave enough for themfelves. Job v. 7. ' iMan is born td trouble,' he is heir to it, it is his birth-right, you may as \vell (eparate weight from lead, as trouble from the life of man. Quid eji din vivere, nif, d'ni iorquerif Aug. King Henry's emblem, a crown hung in a bufh of thorns: there is a far greater proportion of bitterneis than pleafure in this life, Prov. Vii. 17. ' 1 have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.' For one fweet ingredient there were two bitter; for the cinnamon, there were myrrh and aloes. A man's grace will not exempt him from troubles, Gen. xlvii. 9. * Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been.' Though he was a godly patriarch, though he had met with God, Gen. xxxii. 30. He named ' the name of the place Peniel;' for I hiive feen God face to face :' yet he had his troubles ; * Few and evil,' &c. There are many things to imbitter life and caul'e trouble, and death frees us from all. 1. Care. The mind is full of perplexed thoughts, how to bring about luch a defign t how to prevent fuch an evil: the Greek vv^ord for care, comes from a primitive in the Greek, that fignifies To cut the heart in pieces. Care doth diicrutiate the mind, walk the fpirits : no luch bitter bread as the bread of carefulnels, Ezek. xii. 19. Care is a fpiritual canker, which eats out the comfort of life ; death is the cure of care. 2. Fear. Fear is the ague of the foul, which fets italhaking, 1 John iv. 14. * There is torment in fear.' Fear is like Prometheus' vulture, it gnaws upon the heart. There is a diftruilful fear, a fear of want; and a dif-tra61ing fear, a fear of danger; and a difcouraging fear, a fear God doth not love us. Thefe fears leave fad impreffions upon the mind ; now at death a believer is freed from thefe torturing fears ; he now knows he is paffed from death to life, he is as far from fear, as the damned are from hope: the grave buries a Chrillitm's fear. 3. Labour, Ecd. i. 18, * All things are full

of-l tbour.' Some labour in the mine, others among the Mufes; God hath made a law, * Iii the fweat of thy brows thou (lialt eat bread :' but death gives a beUever a quietus eft ; it takes him off from his day-labour, Rev. xiv. 13. * Bleifed are the dead that die in the Lord, they reft from their labour?.* What needs working, when they have their reward ? What needs fighting, when the crown is fet on their head ?• they reft from their labours. 4. Suffering: Believers are as a lily among thorns: as the dove among the birds of prey. The wicked have an antipathy againft the righteous: and lecret hatred will break forth into open violence, Gal. iv. 29. * He that was bora after the flelh, perfecuted him that was born after the Spirit.* ,The dragon is defcribed with feven heads and ten horns. Rev. xii. 3. He plotteth with the one, and puftieth with the other. But at death the godly fhall be freed from the moleftations of the wicked ; they ftiall never be peftered with thefe vermin more, Job iii. 17. ' There (viz. in the grave) the wicked ceaie from troubling.' Death doth to a believer, as Jofeph of Ari-mathea did to Chrift, it takes him down from the crofs, and gives him a writ of eale : the eagle, that flies high, cannot be Hung with the ferpent: Death gives the foul the wing of the eagle, that it flies above all thefe venemous ferpents here below. 5. Temptation: though Satan be a conquered enemy, yet he is a reftlefs enemy, 1 Pet. v. S. He walketh about: the devil is always going his diocefe, he hath his fnares and his darts ; one he tempts with riches, another with beauty. It is no fmall trouble to be continually followed with temptations; it is as bad as for a virgin to have her chaftity daily alTaulted ; but death will free a child of God from temptation, he fliall never be vexed more with the old ferpent. After death hath (hot its dart at us, the devil fiiall have done fhooting his; though grace puts a believer out of the devil's polfelfion, only death frees him from the devil's temptation. (>. Sorrow: a cloud of forrow gathers in the heart, and drops into tears, Plal. xxxi. 10. ' My life'is fpent with grief, and my years with (ighing.' It was a curfe. Gen. iii. 16. * In forrov/ thou flialt bring forth.' Many things occafion forrow; ficknefs, law-fuits, treachery of friends, dil-appointment of hopes, lots of eftate, Ruth i. 20. ' Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: I went out full, and the Lord hath lirought me home again empty.* Sorrow is the evil fpirit that haunts us; the world is a Bochim, Rachel wept for her children ; fome grieve that they have no children, and others grieve that their children are undutiful. Thus we fpend our years with lighing ; it is a valley of tears: but death is the funeral of ull our lorrows,. Rev. vii. 17. * And God Ihall wipe away all tears.' Then ChriiVs fpouCe puts off her mourning : how can the children ot the bride chamber mourn, vvh«alh« bjids-grooni Vol. I. N'o. 7. Q q

ihall be with them; Matth. ix. 15. Thus death gives a be» liever his cjuietus eji: it frees him from fin and trouble : though the apoftle calls death the lad enemy, 1 Cor. xv. 11. yet it is the bed friend : ' To me to die is gain.'

Ufe 1. See here that which may make a true faint willing to die : death will fet him out of gun-fhot; free him from fin and trouble : there is no caufe of weeping, to leave a valley of tears; the world is the ftag.e on which fin and rnifery are adted. Believers are here in a ftrange country, why then fhould they not be willing to go out of it? Death beats otf their fetters of fin, and fets them free, who go weeping of a goal: befides our owa fins, the fins of others. The world is a place where Satan's feat is; a place where we fee God daily difhonoured. Lot (who was a bright ftar in a dark night) his righteous foul was vexed with the unclean converfation of the wicked, 2 Pet. iii. 7. To fee God's fabbaths broken, his truths adulterated, his glory eclipfed, is that which wounds a godly heart: this made David cry out, Pfal. cxx. 5. ' Wo is me that I dwell in Mefech, that I fojourn in the tents of Kedar:' Kedarwas Arabia, where were Iflimael's pofterity ; this was a cut to David's heart, to dwell there. O then be willing to depart out of the tents of Kedar.

2. The bodies of belieters are united to Chrift in the grave, and (hall reft there till the refurre6tion. They are faid to fleep in Jefus, 1 Theif. iv. 14. The duft of believers is part of Chrift's body myftical. The grave is a dormitory or place of reft to the faints, where their bodies quietly deep in Chrift, till they are awakened out of their fleep by the trumpet of the archangel.

Qu. 2. But how fJiall we knoic that we ptaJlgain all this at death, to be freed from Jin and trouble, and to have our bodies united to Chrift in the grave 9

Anf. If we are believers, then we gain all this at death. * To me, faith Paul, to die is gain:' tome, quatenus, a believer. Are we fuch ? Have we this blefied faith? Faith, wherever it is, is operative. Lapidaries fay, there is no precious ftone but hath virtutem injitam, i'ome hidden virtue in it: fo I may fay of faith, it hath fouie fecret virtue in it: it anchors the (bul on Chrill: it hath both a juftifying and fan6lifying virtue in it; it fettheth blood out of Chrift's fides to pardon, and water out of his (ides to purge: it works by love; it conftrains to duty, it makes the head ftudy for Chrift, the tongue confefs him, the hands work for him. 1 have read of a father who had three Ions, and, being to die, left in his will all his eftate to that fon who could find his ring with the jewel which had an healing virtue. The cafe was brought before the judges ; the two elder funs counterfeited a ring, but the younger fon brought the true

ffing, which was proved by the virtue of it: whereupon his father's eftate went to him. To this ring I may compare faith : there is a counterfeit faith in the world ; but if we can find this ring of faith which hath the heahng virtue in it, to purify the heart, this is the true faith which gives us an intereft in Chrift, and entities us to all thefe privileges at death, to be freed from fin and forrow, and to have our bodies united to Chrift, while they are in the grave.

3. I fliould now come to the third privilege at death, the fouls of believers pafs immediately into glory. Where I fhall lead you to the top of mount Pifgah, and give you a ihort view of the glory of heaven.

A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH.

Phil. i. 21. Ajid to die is gain.

At death the fouls of believers pafs into glory : death 'brings ma/om/w omnium ademptionem : omnium ademptionem: death is the day-break-of eternal brightnefs. And here I (hall lead you to the top of mount Pifgah, and give you a gllmpfe of the holy land.

Q. L What is comprehended in glory f

Anf. Glory is Jiatus omnium honorum aggregatione perfeSiuSy Boetius. It is a perfe6t ftate of blifs which confifts in the accumulation and heaping together all thofe good things which immortal fouls are capable of. And truly here I am at a lofe; all that I can fay falls (hort of the celeftial glory. A pelles' pencil cannot delineate it; angels' tongues cannot exprefs it: we Ihall never underitand glory fully, till we are in heaven : only let me give you feme dark views, and fomeimperfe<5t lineaments of that ftate of glory faints fhall arrive at after death.

1. The firft and moft fublime part of the glory of heaven, is the full and fweet fruition of God : ipfe DeusJufficit adprcemium, Aug. We are apt to think the happinefs of heaven is iiv being free from pain and mifery : but the very quinteflience of happinefs, is the enjoyment and fruition of God ; this is the diamond-ring of glory : God is an infinite inexhauftible fountain of joy ; and to have him, is to have all. Now the enjoyment of God implies three things.

1. It implies our feeing of God.

2. Our loving of God. -3. God's loving us.

1. The enjoying of God implies our feeing of God,. 1 Johm

Qq2

iii. 2. * We (hall fee him as he is ;* Here we fee him as he is not: not mutable, mortal; there as he is.

Q. 2. HoxoPiallicefee God?

Anf. 1- We fhall fee him intelle6lually, with the eyes of our mind. This divines call the beatifical vifion ; we fiiall have a full knowledge of God, though not know him fully. If there were not fuch an intelledlual fight of God, then how do the fpirits ofjufi; men made perfe6l fee God.? This fight of God will be very glorious; as when a king, on his coronation day, fliews himfeif in all his royalty and magnificence.

2. We fhall corporally behold the glorified body of Jefus Chrift,: and if it be a pleafant thing to behold the fun, Eccl. xi. 7. then, how blefied a fight will it be to behold the Snn of righteoufnei's ; to fee Chriil clothed in our human nature, fitting in glory above the angels! Solomon laith, ' the eye is not fatis-fied with feeing,' Eccl. i. 8. But fure the eyes of faints will be fatisfied with feeing that orient brightnefs which fliall thine from the beautiful body of Chrifi;. It mull needs be (atisfyiog, becaufe through Chrifi's flefli fome rays and beams of the Godhead ftial! giorioufiy difplay themfelves. God's excellent majefty would overwhelm us ; but through the vait of Chrift's fie(h we Ihall behold the divine glory.

3. Our feeing God will be transforming. We (hall fo fee him, as to be in fome meafure alfimulated and changed into his image, 1 John iii. 2. * We fliall be like him.' If, when Moles was with God on the mount, and had but fome imperfe6l fight of his glory, * Mofes' face fliined,' Exod. xxxiv. 33. How Ihali the faints glorified fiiine, being always in God's prefence, and having Ibme beams of his glory put upon them ? ' We Ihall be like him.' One that is deformed, may look on beauty, and not be made beautiful; but the faints fhall fo fee God, as that fight fliall transform them into his likenefs, PCal. xvii. 15. * When I awake I fhall be fatisfied with thy likenefs.' Not that the faints fliall partake of God's effence : for as the iron in the fire is made fiery yet remains iron fiill ; fo the faints, by beholding God's majefty, fliall be made glorious creatures, but yet creatures flill.

4. Our feeing of God in heaven will be unweariable. Let a man fee the rarefl fight that is, he will be foon cloyed ; when he comes into a garden, and fees delicious walks, fair arlK)urs, pleafant flowers, within a httle while he grows weary ; but it is jiot fo in heaven ; there is nofurfeit, ib'inecfames necfajiidium, Bern. The faints will never be weary of their profpe(5t, viz. of feeing God ; for, God being infinite, there fhall be every moment new and frefli delights fpringing from God into the fouls of the glorified.

II. The fecond thing implied in our enjoying God, is our loving of God. It is a faint's grief, that his heart is like the frozen ocean that he can melt no more in love to God : but in heaven the faints (hall be liiie feraphims burning in divine love : love is a pleafantatFection ; * fear hath a torment in it,' I John iv. Ig. Love hath joy in it. To love beauty, is delightful: God's amazing beauty will attract the faint's love, and it will be their heaven to love.him.

III. The third thing implied in enjoying God, is God's loving us. Were there glory in God, yet if there were not love, it would much eclipfe the joys of heaven : but * God is love,* 1 John iv. 1(5. The faints glorified cannot love fo much as they are loved. What is their love to God's? What is their flar to this fun ; God doth love his people on earth, when they are black as well as comely : they have their imperfe6tions ; O how entirely will he love them, when they are without * fpot, or wrinkle ?' Eph. v. 27.

1. This is the felicity of heaven, to be in the fweet embraces of God's love ; to be the Hephzihah, the delight of the King of glory ; to be funning ourfelves in the light of God's countenance. Then the faints (hall know that love of Chrill which paffeth knowledge, Eph. iii. 19. From this glorious manifeftation of God's love, will flow infinite joy into the fouls ot the blefled : therefore heaven is called * entering into the joy of our Lord,* Mat. XXV. 21. The feeing of God, the loving of God, and being beloved of God, will caufe a jubilation of fpirit, and create fuch holy raptures of joy in the faints, as is unfpeakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. i. 8. In Deo quaclam dulcedine deleSlatnr ani-ma, imo rapitnr, Aug. Now the faints fpend their years with fighing, they weep over their fins and alBidions ; then their water (hall be turned into wine, then the velfeis of mercy (hall be filled and run over with joy ; then they fliall have their palm-branches and harps in their hand. Rev. xiv. 2. in token of their triumphs and rejoicing.

2. The fecond thing comprehended in glory, is the good fo-ciety there. Firjl, There .are the angels ; every ftar adds to the light, thole blelfed cherubims will welcome us to paradife. If the angels rejoiced fo at the converfion of the ele6l ; how will they rejoice at their coronation ! Secondly, There is the company of the faints, Heb. xii. 23. * The fpirits of jufl; men made per fed.*

Q. Whether fJuill the faints in glory know each other 9 Anf. Ceitainly they (hall; for our knowledge in heaven fliall not be diminifhed but increafed. We fliall not only know our friends and godly relations, but thofe glorified faints which we never faw before : it mull be fo ; for fociety without acquaintance is not comfortable; and of this opinion were St iVuftin,

Anfelm, Luther. And indeed the fcripture feems to hint To much to us ; for, if Peter in the transfig"uration knew Moles and Ehas, whom he never law before, Mat. xvii. 4. then furely in heaven the faints fliall know one another, and be infinitely delighted in each other's company.

S. The third thnvj; comprehended in glory, is perfection in hoHnefs. Hohnefs is the beauty of God and angels, it makes heaven : What is happinefs but the quinteffence of holinefs? Here a Chridian's grace is imperfect, he cannot write a copy of holinefs without blotting. He is faid to receive but primitias Jpintiis, the fiifl-fruits of the fpirit, grace m fieri, Rom. viii. 23. But at death believers fhall arrive at perfe6tion of grace: then this fun fliall be in its meridian fplendor ; then they fhall not need to pray for incr«afe of grace, for they fliall be as the angels ; their light fhall be clear as well as their joy full.

4. Th« fourth thing in glory is dignity and honour ; Ihey fliall reign as kings: therefore the faints glorified are faid to have their injignia regalia, their enfigns of royalty, their white robes and their crown, 2 Tim. iv. 7. Ceefar, after his vi6lories, in token of honour, had a chair of ivory fet for him in thefenate, and a throne in the theatre; the faints,, having obtained their vi6lories over fin and Satan, fhall be enthroned with Chrift in the empyrean heaven. To fit with Chrift: denotes fafety; to fit on the throne, dignity. Rev. iii. 21. * This honour have all the faints.'

5. The fifth thing in glory, is the harmony and union among the heavenly inhabitants. The devil cannot get his cloven foot into heaven ; he cannot conjure up any ftorms of contention there : there fhall be perfect union : there Calvin and Luther are agreed ; there is no jarring ftring in the heavenly mufic ; there is nothing to make any difference, no pride or envy there. Though one flar may differ from another, one may have a greater degree of glory, yet every veflel fhall be full : there fhall the faints and angels fit as olive-plants round about their father's table in love and unity. Then fliall they join together in concert, then fliall the loud anthems of praife be fung in the heavenly choir.

6. The fixth thing in glory, is a bleffed reft, Heb. iv. 9, * There remains a reft.' Falix tranjitus a labore ad requiem. Here we can have no reft, toffed and turned as a ball on racket, 2 Cor. iv. 8. ' We are troubled on every fide.* How can a fhip reft in a ftorm .? But after death the faints get into their haven. Every thing is quiet in the centre ; God is centrum quietativiim animae, as the fchoolmen, ** The centre where the foul doth fweetly acquiefce." A Chriftian, after his weary marches and battles, fhall put off his bloody armour, and reil himfelf upon the bofom of Jefus, that bed of perfume : whea

A believer's privilege at death. SBl

tfeath hath given the faints the wings of a dove, then they fhafl fly away to paradifeand be at reft.

7. The feventh thing in glory, is eternity, 2 Cor. iv. 17. ' An eternal weight of glory.' \Jt, Glory is a weight : the Hebrew word for glory (quod Jignijicat pondusj is a weight : God muli make us able lo bear it. "idly. An eternal weight. Glory is fuch a manna as doth not breed worms. If the faints* glory in heaven were but for a time, and they were in fear of lofing it, it would eclipfe and embitter the joys of heaven ; but eternity is written upon their joys. The garland made of flowers of paradife fades not, 1 Pet. v. 4. I have read of a river which they call the day-river, in which time it runs with a full torrent, butat night it isdried up ; fuch are all earthly comforts, they run with a full fiream all the day-time of life, but at the night of death they are dried up ; but the faints glorified (hall drink of the rivers of pleafure for evermore, Pfal. xvi. II. Eternity is the heaven of heavens : infinegaudiumerHJinefine, Bern. The joys of heaven as overflowing, fo everflowing.

Qu. 2. When do believers enter upon pojjejfwn of glory ?

Anf. They pals immediately after death uito glory. Some hold, with the Platoniftsand Lucianifis, that the foul dies : but many of the fober heathens believed the foul's immortality. The Romans, when their great men died, caufedan eagle to be let loofe, and fly about in the air, fignifying hereby that the foul was immortal, and did not die with the body. Chriil tells us the foul is not capable of killing, Luke xii. 4. therefore not of dying. And as the foul doth »ot die, fo neither doth it ileep in the body for a time : if the foul be at death abfent from the body, 2 Cor. v. 8. then it cannot fleep in the body. There is an immediate paffage from death to glory, it is but winking, and we ftiall fee God, Luke xxiii. 43. ' This day (halt thou be with me in paradlle.' By paradife is meant heaven ; the third heaven into which Paul was wrapped (which all hold to be the heaven of the blelfed) was called paradife, 2 Cor. xii. 4. Now faith' Chrill to the thief on the crofs, * This day (halt thou be with me in paradife.' His body could not be there, for it was laid in the grave, but it was fpoken of his foul, that it (hould be immediately after death in heaven. Let none be fo vain as to talk of purgatory ; a foul purged by ChritVs biood, needs no fire of purgatory, but goes immedialely from a death-bed into a glorified ftate.

Uj'e. 1. See what little caufe believers have to fear death, when it brings fuch glorioua benefits; ' to me to die is gain.' Why fliould the faints fear their preferment ? Is it not a blelfed thing to fee God, to love God, and to lie forever in the bofom of divine love ? Is it not a blefied thing to meet our godly relations in heaven ? Why (hould the faints be afraid of their blelj'-

S19 * A BELIEVER S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH.

ings ? Is a virgin afraid to be matched into the crown ? Now is but the contra6l, at death is the marriage fupper of the Lamb, Rev. xix. 9. What hurt doth death, but takes us from among fiery lerpents, and places us among angels ? What hurt doth it do, but to clothe us with a robe of immortality ? hath he any wrong done, that hath his fackcloth pulled off, and hath cloth of gold put upon him } fear not dying, who cannot Hve but by dying.

Uj'e. 2. You who are real faints, whofe hearts are purified by faith, fpend much time in mufing upon thefe glorious benefits which you fhall have by Chrift at death. Thus might you, by a contemplative life, begin the life of angels here, and be in heaven before your time. Eudoxius was fb affedled with the glory of the fun, that he thought he was born only to behold it: What fhould we contemplate but celeflial glory, when we fhall fee God face to face ? David was got above the ordinary fort of men, he was in the altitudes, Plal. cxxxix. 18. * I am ever with thee.' A true faint every day takes a turn in heaven, his thoughts and defires are like cherubims flying up to para-dife. Can men of the world io delight in looking upon their bags of gold, and fields of corn, and (hall not the heirs of heaven take more delight in contemplating their glory in reverfion ? Could we fend forth faith as a I'py, and everyday view the glory of the Jerufalem above, how would it rejoice us, as it doth the heir to think of the inheritance which is to come into his hand fhortly.?

Ufe 3. Confelation. This is that which may comfort the faints in two cafes.

1. Under their wants ; they abound only in wants ; the mea is almoft fpent in the barrel: but be patient in death, and you ihall have a fupply ofallyour v/ants ; you fhall have a kingdom, and be as rich as heaven can make you. He whohaih the pro-mife of an eftate, after the expiring of a few years, tho' at pre-ient he hath nothing to help himfelf, yet comforts himfelf with this, that Qiortly he fliall have an ellate come into his hand, 1 John ii. 3. • It doth not yet appear what we fhall be :' we fhall be enamelled with glory, and be as rich as the angels.

2. A true faint is, (as Luther) Hacres crucis: but this may make us go cheerfully through our fufferings ; there are great things laid up in (lore : there is glory coming, which eye hath not leen ; we fhall drink of the fruit of the vine in the kingdom of heaven. Though now we drink in a wormwood cup, yet here is fugar to fweeten it: we fhall tafte of thole joys of para-dife which exceed our faith, and may bs better felt than they can be exprelfed.

OF THE RESURRECTION.

John v. 2S, 29. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the ivhich all that are in the graves /hall hear his voice, and /Iiall come forth, they that have done good, unto the refur-reciion of life ; and they that have done evil, unto the refur-region of damnation,

Qu. XXXVIII. WHAT benefitsfiall believers receive from Chrifi at the refurrediion?

Anf. 1. Their bodies fhall be raifed up to glory.

2. They fhall be openly acquitted at the day of judgment.

3. They fhall be made pert'edtly blelfedin the full enjoyment of God for ever.

I. The bodies of believers fhall be raifed up to glory. The doctrine of the re('urre<5lion is a fundamental article of our faith ; the apollle puts it among the principles of the do6lrine of Chrift, Heb. vi. 2. The body fhall rile again : we are not fo fure to rife out of our beds, as we are to rife out of our graves. The faved body (hall rife again. Some hold that the foul fhall be clothed with a new body ; but then it were improper to call it a refurre6tion, it would be rather a creation. Job xix. 36.

• Though worms deftroy this body, yet in my flelh, fhall I fee God.* Not in another fledi, but my flelh, 1 Cor. xv. 53.

• This corruptible fhall put on incorruption.'

Qu. 2. By ichat arguments may the refurreclion be proved?

Anf. Argument 1. By fcripture, John vi. 44. ' I will raife him up at the lad day.* Ifa. xxv. 8. * He will iWallow up death in vi6lory.' That is, by delivering our bodies from the captivity of the grave, wherein death for a time had power over them, 1 TheiT. iv. 14. * Them which fleep in Jeius, will God bring with him.'

Arg. 2. Chrift is rifen: therefore the bodies of the faints muft rife. Chrift did not rife from the dead as a private perfon, but as the public head of the church ; and the head being raifed, the reft of the body (hall not always lie in the grave. Chrift's rifing is a pledge of our refurre6tion, 2 Cor. iv. 14. * Knowing that he which raifed up the Lord Jefus, (hall raife us up alio by Jefus.* Chrift is called the firft-fruits of them that fleep, 1 Cor. XV. 20. As the tirll-fruits is a fure evidence that the harveft is coming on ; fo the refurre6lion of Chrift is a fure evidence of the rifing of our bodies out of the grave. Chrift cannot be perfed as he is Chrift myftical, unlefs his members be raifed with him.

Vol. I. No. 7. Rr

SI4 or THE RESf RRECTlOir.

Arg. 3. In refpe6t of God's juftice. If God be a jufl; God, then he will reward the bodies of the faints as well as the fouls. It cannot be imagined, that the fouls of believers (hould bej^lo-rified, and not their bodies : they have ferved God with their bodies, their bodies have been members of holinefs ; their eyes have dropped tears for fin, their hands have relieved the poor, their tongues have let torih God's praile ; therefore juftice and equity require that their bodies ftiould be crowned as well as their fouls : and how can that be, unlefs they are raifed from the dead ?

Arg. 4. If the body did not rife again, then a believer fhould not be completely happy; for though the foul can lubfift withr cut the body, yet it hath apetium unio7ifSy a delire of re-union with the body; and it is not fully happy till it be clothed with the body : therefore undoubtedly the body fhall rife again. If the foul fhould go to heaven, and not the body, then a be-? liever fhould be only half-faved.

Ohj. 1. But fome fay, as the Virgin Mary to the angel, * How can this be ?' fo, how can it be, that the body, which is confumed to aflies, fliouid rife again ?

AnJ'. It dolh not oppofe reafon, but tranfcend it: there are fome refemblances of the refurre6tion in nature. The corn, which is fown in the ground, dies before it fprings up, 1 Cor. XV, 36. ' That which thou foweft is not quickened, except it die.' In winter the fruits of the earth die, in fpring there is a refurre6tion of them : Noah's olive-tree fpringing after the flood, was a lively emblem of the refurredlion. After the paf-fion of our Lord, many of the faints which flept in the grave arofe, Matth. xxvii. 52. God can more eafily raife the body put of the grave, than we can awake a man out of fleep.

ObJ. 2. But when the duft of many are mingled together; how is it pofTible that a feparation fhould be made and the fame numerical body arife?

Anf. If we believe God can create, then he can diflinguifh the duft of one body from another : do we not fee the chymift can, out of I'everal metals mingled together, as gold, filver, aU chimy, extraft the one from the other, the filver from the gold, the alchimy from filver, and can reduce every metal to its own kind ? And fliall we not much more believe, that when our bodies are mingled and confounded with other fubftances, the wife God is able to make an extra6lion, and re-inveft every foul with its own body ?

Q. 3. . Shall none but the bodies of the righteous be raifed?

Anf. Yes, all that are in the graves fhall hear Chrift's voice, and fliall come forth. Ads xxiv. 15. There fliall be a refur-jedion of the dead, both of thejull and unjufl. Rev. xx. 12. ' I law the dead both fmall and great, fland before God.' But

though all fliall be raifed out of their graves, yet all (hall not be raifed alike.

1. The bodies of the wicked fhall be raifed with ignominy ; thofe bodies which on the earth did tempt and allure others with their beauty, (hail be at the relurre6tion loathfome to behold ; they fhall be ghaftly Ipeftacles, as the phrale is, Ifa. Ixvi. 24. * They (hall be an abhorring unto all fle(h.' But the bodies of the faints fliall be raifed with honour, 1 Cor. xv. 43. * It is fown in difhonour, it is raifed in glory.' The faints bodies then (hall (hine as fparkling diamonds. Mat. xiii. 53. * Then Ihall the righteous (hine forth as the fun.'

2. The bodies of the faints fliall arife out of their graves with triumph : the bodies of the wicked fhall come out of the grave with trembling ; as being to receive their fatal doom ; but the godly, when they awake out of the duffc, (hall fing for joy, Ifa. xxvi. 19. • Awake and fing, ye that dwell in the dull.' When the archangel's trumpet founds, then the faints fhall (ing ; the bodies of believers (hall come out of the grave to be made happy, as the chief butler came out of the prifon, and was re-ftored to all his dignity at the court; but the bodies of the wiclced fliall come out of the grave, as the chief baker out of prifon, to be executed, Gen. xl. '22.

Ufe 1. Believe this dodrine of the refurre6lion ; and that the fame body that dies fhall rife again, and with the foul be crowned. Without the belief of this, tota corruit religio, "all religion falls to the ground," 1 Cor. xv. 14. * If the dead rife not, then Chrift is not rifen, and then our faith is vain.'

Ufe 2. Comfort. The body fhall rile again ; this was Job's comfort. Job xix. 9.Q. * Though worms deflroy this body, yet in my flefli fliall I fee God.' The body is fenfible of joy, as well as the foul ; and indeed we (hall not be in all our glory, till the bodies are re-united to our fouls. O coufider what joy there will be at the re-uniting of the body and the foul at the refurredlion ; look what fweet embraces of joy were netweea old Jacob and Jofeph, when they firft law one another, Gen. xlvi. 29. fuch, and infinitely more, will there be, when the body and foul of a faint fliall meet together at the refurrection. How will the body and foul greet one another ? what a welcome will the foul give to the body ? O blefled body ! when I prayed, thou didtl attend my prayers with hands lifted up, and knees bowed down ; thou wert willing to fufller with me, and now thou flialt reign with me ; thou wert fown in dilhonour, but now art raited in glory. O my dear body 1 I will enter into thee again, and be eternally married to thee.

Ufe 3.- The refurre6tion of the body is a cordial when a Chrif-tian lies a-dying. Thy body, though it drop into the fepul-chre, it (hall revive and flourifh as an herb in the refurrection :

R r 2

the grave is a bed of dud, where the bodies of faints fleep; but they (hall be awakened by the trump of the arch-angel. The grave is your long home, but not your laft home : though death ftrjp you of your beauty yet at the refurre6lion you (hall have it rejtored again. As David, when he found Saul afleep, took away his ipear and crufe of water, but when he awoke he re-flored them again, 1 Sam. xxvi. 22. fo, tho' at death all our flrength and beauty be taken away, yet at the refurredtion God will reftore all again in a more glorious manner.

Qu. 4. But hoic p^all we know that our bodiesJliall be rajfed to a glorious reJurre(^ion ?

Anf. If we have a part in the firft refurre6tion, Rev. xx. 6.

* Bleffed is he that hath a part in the fnft refurre6lion.' Qu. What is meant by this? Anj\ It is a rifing by repentance out of the grave of fin : he who lies buried in fin, can have little hope of a joyful refurre6lion ; his body fhall be raifed, but not in glory. O then, aflc confcience, have you a part in the firft re-l'urre6lion ? hath the Spirit entered into you, and lifted you up } hath it raifed you out of your unbelief? hath it raifed your hearts above the earth ? this is the firft refurreclion ; and if your fouls are thus f'piritually raifed, then your bodies fhall be glorioufly raifed ; and fhall fhine as ftars in the kingdom of heaven. Regeneration makes way for a glorious refurre6tion.

Uj'e. Seeing you expe6t your bodies fhould arife to glory, keep your bodies unfpotted from fin. Shall a drunken body rife to glory ? fliall an unclean body rife to glory ? fhall a thievifii body fteal into heaven? O keep your bodies pure : keep your eyes from unchafte glances, your hands from bribes, your tongues from flander : defile not your bodies, which you hope fhall rife one day to glory. Your bodies are the members ofChrift: and hear what the apoftle faith, 1 Cor. xi. 15.

* Shall I tiike the members of Chrift,and make them the members of an harlot ? God forbid.' O keep your bodies unfpotted, let them be inftruments of righteoufnefs, 1 Cor. vi. Sq. « Glorify God in your body.' If your bodies glorify God, God will glorify your bodies.

Qu. 3. But feeing our bodies muji be laid in the grave, and ihey may lie majiy years a rotting there before the refurrection ; uhat may fvpport and comfort ns in this cafe?

A)f. 1. That God will not leave his people in the grave. Our friends bring us to the grave and leave us there, but God will not; God will go to the grave with us, and watch over our dead bodies, and take care of our afhes, Rizpah watched over thedead bodiesof the Ions of Saul, and guarded them againft the ravenous fowls of the air, 2 Sam. xxi. 10. Thus the Lord watcheth over the dead bodies of the faints, and looks to it, that none of their duft be miffing. Chriftian, thou haft a God to watch over thy body when thou art dead.

2. The bodies of the faints in the grave, though feparated frotti their fouls, are united to 'Chrill. The dull of a believer is part of Chrift'a mydical body.

3. When the bodies of the faints are in the fepulchre, their fouls are in paradife ; the foul doth not fleep in the body, * but returns to God that gave it,' Eccl. xii. 7. The foul immediately partakes of thofe joys the blefied angels do; when the body returns to dull, the foul returns to reft: when the body Is fleep-ing, the foul is triumphing; when the body is buried, the foul is crowned : as the fpies were fent before to tafte of the fruits of the land, Numb. xiii. foat death the foul is fent before into heaven, to talieof the fruit of the holy land.

4. When God's time is come, the * graves fhall deliver up their dead,' Rev. xx. 13. When the judge fends, the goaler mud deliver up his prifoners, as God faid to Jacob, Gen. xlvi. 4. * I will go down with thee into Egypt, and I will furely bring thee up again.* So the Lord will go down with us into the grave, and will furely bring us up again.

6. Though the bodies of the faints fliall rot and be loathfome in the grave, yet afterwards they fliall be made illuftrious and glorious. Concerning this, confider,

1. The bodies of the faints, when they arife, fliall be comely and beautiful. The body of a faint in this life may be deformed : thofe whofe minds are adorned with virtue, yet may have niis-fliapen bodies ; as the fineft cloth may have the coarfeft lift; but this deformed body fliall be amiable and beautiful. This beauty confiits in two things; 1. Perfe6lion of parts. There fhall be a full proportion of all the members ; in this life there is oft a defect of members ; the eye is loll, the arm is cut off; but in the refurreftion all parts of the body fliall be refl;ored again : therefore the refurrection is called the time of reftoring all tilings, A6ts iii. ip, Malchus' ear cut, reftituit. 2. Clarity and fplendor : the bodies of the faints fliall have a graceful ma-jeity in them ; they fliall be like Stephen, whoie face flione as if it had been the face of an angel, A6ls vi. 15. Nay, they fliall be made like Chrifi's glorious body, Phil. iii. 21.

2. The bodies of the faints, when they arife, fliall be free from the necellities of nature, as hunger and thirft. Rev. vii. 16. ' They ihall hunger no more.' Mofes on the mount was fo filled with the glory of God, that he needed not the recruits of nature. Much more in heaven fliall the bodies of the faints, fo filled with God's glory, be upheld without food.

3. The bodies of the faints, when they ariie, fliall be fwift and nimble. Our bodies on earth are dull and heavy in their motion; then they fiiaii be fwift, and made fit toafcend, as the body of Elias, in the air. Now the body in a clog ; in heavea it Ihali be a wing: we fliall be as the angels, Mat. xxii. 30.

And how nimble are they? The angel Gabriel in a (hort time eame from heaven to the earth, Dan. ix. 21. As the helm turns the fliip inftantly whither the fteerfman will: fo the body in an initant will move which way the foul will.

4. '^I'he bodies of the faints, at the refurredion, (hall be very firm and flrong, I Cor. xv. 43. * It is raifed in power.* Through frequent labour and iicknels, the ftrongeft body begins to laiiguifh : but at the refurre6lion we (hail be of a (Irong con-flitution ; then there will be no wearinefs in the body, nor faint-nefs in the fpirits. This may comfort you who now conflidt Avith many bodily weaknefTes. This weak body fliall be raifed in power ; the body, which is now a weak reed, Ihall be like a rock.

5. The bodies of the faints at the refurre6lion fhall be immortal, 1 Cor. XV. 53. ' This mortal (hall put on immortality;* our bodies (hall run parallel with eternity, Luke xx. 36. * Neither can they die any more.' Heaven is an healthful cHmate, there is no bill of mortality there. If a phyfician could give you a receipt to keep you from dying, what funis of money would you give ? At the relurre6lion Chrill fhall give the faints fuch a receipt, Rev. xxi. 4. ' There (liall be no more death.*

II. The fecond privilege believers (Irdll have at the rel'urrec-tion, is. They (hall be openly acquitted at the day of judgment.

OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.

Qu. XXXVIII. WHA T benefits do believers receive from

Chrijl at the rej'urreciion ?

4nf. 1. Their bodies (liall be raifed up to glory, and (hall be openly acquitted at the day of judgment, and crowned with the full and perfe6\ enjoyment of God to all eternity.

2. 'Lliey fhall be openlij acquitted at the day of judgment. This is to be laid down for a poiitioii, that there (liall be a day of judgment, 1 Cor. v. 10. ' For wemuftall appear before the judgment-feat of Chrift.' This is the grand afTizes ; the greateft appearance tjiatever was : Now Adam (hall fee all his pofterity at once. We muft all appear; the greatnefs of men's perlbns doth not exempt them from Chrill's tribunal: kings and captains are brought in trembling before the Lamb's throne, Rev. vi. 15. We muft all appear, and appear in our own perfons; not by a proxy.

Q. 1. How doth it appear that there fhall be a day of judg^ ment ?

Anf. Two ways. 1» By the fuffrage of fcripture, Eccl. xii.

or TJFje DAY o,r judgment. S\0

9, 12. 14. * For God (hall bring every work into judgment, with every fecret thing.' Pfal. xcvi. 13. * For he cometh, for he comelh to judge the earth.' The reduplication denotes the certainty, Dan. vii. 9. * I beheld till the thrones were call down, and the Ancient of days did fit, whofe garment was white as fnow. The judgment was fet, and the books were opened.'

2. It appears from the petty feffions kept in a man's own Gonfcience ; when a man doth virtuoufly, conicience doth excufe him, when evil confcience doth arraign and condemn hira. Now, what is this private feirion kept in the court of confcience^ but a certain fore-runner of that general day of judgment, when all the world fhall be fummoned to God's tribunal?

Q. Why muji there be a day of judgment 9

Anf. That there may be a day of retribution, when God may render to every one according to his work. Things feem to be carried very unequally in the world : the wicked do fo profper, as if they were rewarded for doing evil ; and the godly do fo fufFer, as if they were puniQiedfor being good. Therefore, for the vindicating of God's juflice, there muft be a day, wherein there fhall be a righteous diftribution of puniflimeiits and rewards to men, according to their a6tions.

Q. 3. Who fliall he judge?

Anf. The Lord JefusChrill, Johnvi. 22. * The Father hath committed all judgment to the Son.* It is an article in our creed, that, Chrill fhall come to judge the quick and the dead. It is a great honour put upon Chrift; he who was himfelf judged, ihall now be judge, he who once hung upon the crofs, Ihall fit upon the bench. Chriil is fit to be judge, as he partakes both of the manhood and Godhead.

1. Of the manhood : being clothed with the human nature, he may be vifibly feen of all. It is requifite the judge fhould be feen. Rev. i. 7. ' Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye (hall (ee him.*

2.. As he partakes of the Godhead : he is of infinite prudence to underltand all caufes brought before him ; and of infinite power to execute offenders. He is defcribed with feven eyes, Zech. iii. y. to denote his prudence; and a rod of iron, PHd. ii. y. to denote his power : he is lb wife, that he cannot be deluded ; and fo ftrong, that he cannot be refilled.

Q. 4. When will the court Jit, when vjUI the time of judgment he ?

Anf. For the quando, or the time of the general judgment, it is a fecret kept from the angels, Mat. xxiv 3(). * Of that day and hour knows no man, no not the angels of heaven.* But this is lure, it cannot be far off": one great fign of the approach of the day of judgment, is, * That iniquity fiiallabound. Mat. xxiv, fure then this day is near at hand, for iniquity did

never more abound than in this age, and luft grows hot, and love grows cold. This is certain, when the eled are all converted, tlien Chrift will come to judgment: as he that rows a ferry-boat. Hays till all the paficngers are taken into his boat, and then he rows away: fo Chrifl Itays till all the elect are gathered in, and then he will hullen away to judgment.

Q. 6. What piall be the mo(\ui or Utanner of trial?

Anf. 1. The citing ot men to the court. The dead are cited as well as the living. Men, when they die, avoid the cenfure of our law-courts ; but at the laft day, the dead are cited to God's tribunal, Rev. xx. 12. * I faw the dead fmaU and great ftand before God.' This citing of men will be by the found of a trumpet, 1 Theff. iv. 26". And this trumpet will found lb loud, that it will raife men out of their graves. Mat. xxiv. 31. Such as will not hear the trumpet of the gof-pel found in their ears repent and believe, fliall hear the trumpet of the archangel founding, arife and be judged.

2. The approach of the judge to the bench.

Firft, This will be terrible to the wicked. How can a guilty prifoner endure the fight of the judge? If Felix trembled when Paul preached of judgment, A6ls xxiv. 25. how will llnners tremble when they (hall fee Chrift come to judgment? Chrift jsdefcribed (fitting in judgment) with a fiery Itream ifluing from him, Dan. vii. 10. Now the Lamb of God will be turned into a lion ; the fight of Chrift will ftrike terror into iinners. As when Jofeph laid to his brethren, * I am Jofeph whom ye fold into Egypt, they were troubled at his prefence,' Gen. xlv. 4. Now how did their hearts fmite them for their fin ! fo, when Chrift fhall come to judgment, and fay, * I am Jefus whom ye finned againft, I am Jefus whofe laws ye have broken, whole blood ye defpifed ; I am now come to judge you :* O what horror and amazement will take hold of finners ! they will be troubled at the prefence of their judge.

Secondly^ The approach of Chrift to the bench of judicature will be comfortable to the righteous. (1.) Chrift will come in Splendor and great glory. His firft coming in the flefli was ob-fcure, Ifa. liii. 2. He was like a prince in diiguife : but his fecond coming will be illuftrious, * he fliall come in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels,* Mark vii. 38. O what a bright day will that be, when fuch a number of angels, thofe morning ftars, ftiall appear in the air, and Chrift the Sun of righteoufnels ftiall fhine in fplendor above the brighteft cherub? (2.) Chrift will come as a friend. Indeed, if the faints'judge with their enemy, they might fear condemning: but he who loves them, and prayed for them, is their judge : he who is their hulband is their judge, therefore they need not fear but ail things Ihall go well on their fide.

Thhdlii, The trial it(elf, which hath a dark and a ii;<ht fide. (1.) A dark (ide. It will fal! heavy on ihe wicked : the judge being let, the books are opened, Rev. xx. 12. the book of con-fcience, and the book of God's remembrance ; and now the finf-ner's charge being read, and all their fins laid open, their murder, drunkennefs, uncleannefs, Chrill will fay, finners, what can you plead for yourfelves, that the fentence of death (fiould Hot pafs ? The wicked being convicted will be fpeechlefs. Then follows that difmal fentence, Mat. xxv. 41. lie maledJcii, * depart from me, ye curfed, into everlafting fire, prepared i'or the devil and his angels.' He that faid to God, * depart from nie;* Job xxi. 14. and to religion, depart from me; niuft now hear that word pronounced from his judge, depart from 7116', a dreadful fentence, but righteous, Pfal. li. 4. The finner himlelf iTiall cry, guilty : though the wicked have a fea of wrath, yet not one drop of injullice. And when once the fentence is pail, it is irreverfible, there is no appealing to an higher coiu't. (2.) The trial hath a light fide: it will be for increafing the joy and happinefs of the righteous. The day of judgment will be a day of jubilee to them.

I. At that day Chrift their judge will own them by name.! Thofe whom the world fcorned, and looked upon as precifians and fools, Chrifl will take by the hand, and opf>uly acknowledge them to be his favourites. What is Chrift's * confeffing of men,' Luke xii. S. but his openly acknowledging them to be precious in his eyes ?

II. Chritl as judge will plead for them. It is not ufual to be both judge and advocate, to fit on the bench and plead ; but it fliall be lb at the day of judgment.

Firft, Chrift will plead his own blood for the faints. Thefs perfons I have paid a price for, they are the travail of mif foul, they have Jiimed, but my foul icas made an offering for their Jin.

Secondly, Chrift wilt vindicate them from all unjull cenfures. Here they were llrangely rnifreprelented to the world, as proud, hypocritical, factious; Paul was called a feditious man, the head of a fa6tion, A'6ts xxiv. 5. But at the day of judgment Chrilt will clear the faints' innocency, then he will ' bring forth their righteoufnefs as the light.* Pfal. xxxvii. 6. As he will wipe off tears from their eyes, fo duft from their name. Mofes, when he was charged with ambition, that he took too much upon him, comforted' himfelf with this, * To-morrow will the Lord (hew who are his,' Numb. xvi. 5. So may the faints, when reproached, comfort thendelves with the day of judgment; then will Chrill fay who are hl.s; then fliall the faints come forth as the wings of a dove covered with (ilver.

Thirdly, Chrill as judge will abfolve them before niea. aad

Vol. I, No. 7. S f

angels, as Pilate faid of Chrifl, * I find no fault in this man/ John xviii. 38. So will Chrift fay of the ele6l, I find no fault in them, I pronounce them righteous. Then follows, • come ye blefi'ed of my Father, inherit the kingdom.* Mat. xxv. 34. As if Chrift Hiould fay, 0 ye happy 07ies, the delight of my foul, the fruit of my fufferings, ftand no longer at the bar. Ye are heirs apparent of the croion of heaven^ enter and take pojfejjion. At the hearing of this fentence, with what ravifliing joy will the faints be filled.? This word. Come, ye bleJJ'edy will be mufic to their ear, and a cordial to their heart.

Fourthly, Chrift will mention before men and angels all the good deeds the faints have done. Mat. xxv. 35. ' I was an hnngered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirlly and ye gave me drink.' You that have wept in fecret for fin, that have Ihewn any love to Chrift's name, that have been rich in good works, Chriii will take notice of it at the lafl; day, and fay, * well done, good and faithful iervants.' He himlelf will be the herald to proclaim your prail'es ; thus it fliall be done to the man whom Chrift delights to honour.

Fifthly, Chrift will call his faints from the bar, to fit upon the bench with him to judge the world, Jude 14. * Behold the Lord Cometh with ten thoufand of his faints, to execute judgement upon all.' 1 Cor. vi. 2. ' Know ye not that the faints fhall judge the world ?' The faints fliall fit with Chriit in judicature, as juftices of peace with the judge : they fliall applaud Chrift's righteous fentence on the wicked, and, as it were, vote with Chrift. This, as it is a great honour to the faints, (b it mult needs add to the forrows of the wicked, to fee thofe whom they once hated and derided, fit as judges upon them.

Sixthly, The faints fhall be fully crowned with the enjoyment of God for ever. They fliall be in his fweet prelence, * in whofe prefence is fulnefs of joy,' Pfal. xvi, 11. and this fhall be for ever: the banner of God's love fliall be eternally di(-played : the joys of heaven are without intermiftion and expiration, \ Thell". iv. 17. * And fo fliall we be ever with the Lord.' Ufe. As it is fad news to the wicked, they fliall' not ftand in judgment,' Pf. i. 5. They fliall come to judgment, but they fliall not ftand in judgment, viz. they fliall not ftand acquitted, they fliall not ftand with boldnefs, but fneak and hang down their head, and not be able to look their judge in the face : fo it is great confolation to the godly. When the apoftle had laid, * The Lord fliall defcend from heaven with a fliout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God ;' he prefenfly adds, * Wherefore comfort one another with thefe words,* 1 Theft", iv. 10, 18.

1. The day of judgment is comfort, in refpe6t of weaknefs of grace. A Chriftian is ready to be troubled, to fee his grace

fo minute and imperfedl; but, at the laftday, if Chrift find but a drachm of true grace, it fhall be accepted. If thine be true gold, though it be many grains too light, Chrift will put his merits into the fcales, and make it pafs current.

2. It is a comfort to fuch of the faints who have met with unrighteous judgment in the world, who have been wronged of their ellates in law fuits, or had their hves taken away by an unrighteous fentence ; Chrill will judge over things again, and will give a righteous fentence. If your eftates have been taken away wrongfully, you fhall be rejlored a thoufand-fold at the day of judgment. If you have loft your lives for Chrift, yet you (hall not lofe your crown ; you fhall wear a garland made of the flowers of paradife, which fade not away.

Branch I. Meditate much upon the day of judgment. Feathers iwim upon the water, but gold finks into it: light feathery Chriftians float in vanity, they mind not the day of judgment; but ferious ipirits fink deep into the thoughts of it.

2. The meditation of this lali day would make us very fincere. We would then labour to approve our hearts to God, the great judge and umpire of the world. It is eafy to carry it fair be-r fore men, but there is no difTembling or prevaricating with God ; he fees what the heart is, and will accordingly pafs his verdi6l.

2. The meditation of Chrift's coming to judge us, would keep us from judging our brethren. We are apt to judge others as to their final flate; which is for men to ftep into Chrift's place, and take his work out of his hand, James iv, 12. * Who art thou that judgeft another?* Thou that pafleth a rafh fentence upon another, thou mult come thyfelf fliortly to be judged, and then perhaps he may be acquitted, and thou condemned-Branch II. So demean and carry yourfelves, that at the day of judgment you may be fure to be acquitted, and have thole glorious privileges the faints fhall be crowned with.

Q. How is that ?

Anf. 1. If you would ftand acquitted at the day of judgment, then, \Ji, Labour to get into Chrift, Phil. iii. 9. * That 1 may be found in him.' Faith implants us into Chrift, it ingarrifons us in him, and then ' there is no condemnation,' Rom. viii. I. There is no ftanding before Chrift, but by being m Chrift. 2f//?/, Labour for humility. It is a kmd of feli-annihilation, 2 Cor. xii. 11. ' Though I be nothing.' Chnftian, iialt thou parts and abilities, and doft thou cover them with the vail of humility? as Mofes, when his face f hone, put a vail over it. If thou art humble, thou fhalt be acquitted at the day of judgment. Job xxii. £9. ' He fhall fave the humble perfou.' An

Sf2

humble man judgeth himfelf for his fins, and Chriftwill acquit them who judge thenifelves.

2. If you would iland acquitted at the lad day, then keep a clear conlcience. Do not load yourfelves with guilt, and fur-nifli your judge with matter againll you. ' The Lord, faith Paul hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world,' A&.S xvii. 21. And how would Paul fit himfelf for that day ? Acts xxvi. 16. * Herein I exercife myfelf to have always a con-fcience void of offence, towards God and towards man.* Be careful of tile firit and fecond table, be holy and juft. Have hearts without falle aims, and hands without falle weights. Keep conlcience as clear as your eye, that no duft of fin fall into it: they that fin againll confcience, will be fliy of their jjidge : fuch as take in prohibited goods, cannot endure to fee the fearchers that are appointed to open their packs. ' Chrif-tian, thy pack will be opened at the lall day, I mean thy confcience ; and Chrift is the fearcher, to fee what fins, what prohibited goods thou halt taken in ; and then he proceeds to judgment. O ! be fure to koep a good confcience ; thfs is the belt way toftand with boldnefs at the day of judgment. The voice of conlcience is the voice of God : if confcience doth, uponjuft grounds, acquit us, God will acqviit us, 1 John iii. 21. * If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.'

3. If you would ftand acquitted at the laft day, then trade your talents for God's glory ; lay out yourfelves for God, honour him with your fuhllance : relieve Chrifi's members: this is the way to be acquitted. He that had five talents traded with them, and made them five talents more ; ' his lord faid unto him, well done good and faithful fervant, Mat. xxv. 21.

4. If you would ftand acquitted at the day of judgment, get an entire love to the faints, 1 John iii. 14. * We know we are paffed from death to life,' Sec. Love is the trueft touch-fi;onTe of fincerity. To love grace for grace, fliews the fpirit of God to be in a man. Doth confcience witnefs for you ? Are you perfumed with this fweet fpice of love ? Do you delight moft in thole in whom the image of God fhines ? Do you reverence their graces ? Do you bear with their infirmities ? A bltfied evidence that you fliall be acquitted in the day of judgment. " We know that we have paffed from death to life, becaufe we Ipve the brethren.'

OF OBEDIENCE TO GOd's REVEALED WILL. 325

OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S REVEALED WILL.

Deut. xxvii. 9, 10. Take heed UJid hearken, 0 Ifrael, thisday thou art become the people of the Lord thy God ; thou Jlialt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his corn-mandments,

Q. XXXIX. WHAT is the duty that Godrequireth of man ?

Anf. Obedience to his revealed will.

It is not enough to hear God's voice, but we muft obey. Obedience is a part of that honour we owe to God, MaL i. 6. * If I be a Father, where is my honour?' Obedience carries iu it the life-blood of religion. ' Obey the voice of the Lord God, and do his commandments.' Obedience without knowledge is blind, and knowledge without obedience is lame. Rachel was fair to look upon ; but, being barren, faid, * Give me children, or I die :' fo, if knowledge doth not bring forth the child of obedience, it will die, I Sam. xv. 22. * To obey is better than lacrifice.' Saul thought it was enough for him to offer facri-fices, though he difobeyed God's command : no, ' to obey is better than lacrifice.' God difclaims facrifice, if obedience be wanting, Jer. vii, 22. ' 1 fpake not to your fathers concerning burnt-oiierings, but this thing commanded I them, faying, obey my voice.' Not but that God did enjoin thofe religious rites of worfliip ; but the meaning is, God looked chiefly at obedience ; without which, facrifice was but devout foily. The end why God hath given us his laws, is obedience, Lev. xviii. 4. ' Ye (hall do my judgments, and keep my ordinances.' What doth a king pubhih an edi6l but that it may be obferved ;

Q. 1. JVhat is the ride of obedience P

Anf The written word, that is, proper obedience which the word requires ; our obedience muft correfpond with the word, as the copy with the original. To feem to be zealous, if it be not accordmg to the word, is not obedience, but will-worfliip, Popilh traditions, which have no footing in the word, are abominable ; and God will lay, Qu'is quce/ivet hcec ? W^ho hath required this at your hand ? Ifa. i. 12. The apofile condemns the worfliipping of angels, which had a (hew of humility, Col. ii. IS. The Jews might fay they were loth to be fo bold as to go to God in their own perfons, they would be more humble, and proltrate themfelves before the angels, and defire them to prefent their petitions to God ; this (hew of humility was hateful to God, becauie there was no word to warrant it.

32(5 OF OBEDIENCE TO GOd's REVEALED WILL.

Q. 2. What are the right ingredients in our obedience to maJce it acceptable? how mujl it be qiialijied?

All/. 1. Obedience mull be cum animi prohibio^ free and clieeiiul, elfe it is penance, not facrifice, Ifa. i. ly. * If ye be willing-and obedient.* Tho' we ierve God with weaknefs, let it be with wijlingnefs. You love to fee yourfervants go cheerfully about your work. Under the law, God would have a free-will ofi'ering, Deut. xvi. 10. Hypocrites obey God grudgingly, and againft their will ; they dofacere bonuniy but not velle. Cain brought his lacrifice, but not his heart. 'Tis a true rule, Quicquid cor nan facit, nan fit: what the heart doth not, is not done. Willingnefs is the Ibul of obedience ; God fometimes accepts of willingnefs without the work, but never of the work without willingnefs. Cheerfulnefs ftiewsthat there is love in the duty ; and love doth to our fervices, as the fun doth to the fruit, mellow and ripen them, and make them come off with a better relilh.

2. Obedience mull be devout and fervent, Rom. xii. 11. * Fervent in fpirit,' &c. Qua ebullit prce ardore; it alludes to water that boils over : lb ihe heart mull boil over with hot af-fe6lions in the fervice of God. The glorious angels, who, for their burning in fervour and devotion, are called Seraphims ; t.hefe God chufeth to ferve him in heaven. The fnail under the law was unclean, becaufe a dull flothtul creature : obedience without fervency, is like a facrifice without lire. Why fliould not our obedience be lively and fervent? God defervesthe flower and (Irength of our affections. Doniitian would not have his ftatuecarved in wood or iron, but in tjold ; lively a'ffedlions make golden fervices. It is fervency makes obedience acceptable ; Elijah was fervent in fpirit, and his prayer opened and fhut heaven : and again he prayed, and fire fell on his enemies, S Kings i. 10. Elijah's prayer fetched fire from heaven, becaufe, being fervent, it carried fire up to heaven : quicquid decorum ex fide proficitur. A ug.

3. Obedience mull be extenfive, it mufl reach to all God's commands, Plal. cxlx. (j. • Then fhall I not be afhamed, (or, as it is in the Hebrew, lo Ehofli, blufh) when I have refpe6l to all thy commandments. Quicquid propter Deum fit equaliter fit. There is a flamp of divine authority upon all God's commands; and, if I obey one precept becaufe God commands, I niuft obey all : true obedience runs through all duties of religion, as the blood through all the veins, or the fun through all the figns of the zodiac. A good Chrillian makes gofpel-piety and moral equity kifs each other. Herein fome dilcover their hypocrify* they will obey God in fome things which are more facile, and may raile their repute; but other things they leave undone, Mark x. 21. ' One thing is lucking,' ununi deeji.

Herod would hear John Baptift, but not leave his inceft : feme will pray, but not give alms; others will give abiis, but not pray, Mat. xxiii. 23. * Ye pay tithes of mint and anife, and have negle6led the weiohiier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith.' The badger hath one foot fluirter than the other : to thefe are fhorter in Ibme duties than in others. God likes not fuch partial fervants, that will do Ibme part of the work he fets them about, and leave the other undone.

4. Obedience muft be fincere, viz. We mull aim at the glory of God in it. Finis fpecificat actionem ; in religion the end is all. 7'he end of our obedience muft not be to Itop the mouth of confcience, or to gain applaufe or preferment; but that we may grow more like God, and bring more glory to God, 1 Cor. X. 31. ' Do all to the glory of God.' That which hath fpoiled many glorious actions, and made them lofe their reward, is, when men's aims have been wrong : the Pharifees gave alms, but blew a trumpet, that they might have glory of men, Mat. vi. 2. alms (hould fliine, but not blaze. Jehu did well in de-liroying the Baal-worfhippers, and God conmiended him for it; but, becaufe his aims were not good (he aimed at fettling him-felf in the kingdom) therefore God looked upon it as no better than murder, Hof. i. 4, * I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the houfe of Jehu.' , O let us look to our ends in obedience ; it is pofTible the a6lion may be right, and not the heart, '2 Chron. xxv. 2. ' Amaziah did that which was right in the fight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.^ Two things are chiefly to be eyed in obedience, the principle, and the end : a child of God though he (hoots (hort in his obedience, yet he takes a right aim.

o. Obedience muft be in and through Chrift, Eph. i. 6. * He hath accepted us in the beloved.' Not our obedience, butChrift's merits, procure acceptance : we muft, in every part of worlhip tender up Chrift to God in the arms of our faith : imlefs we ferve God thus, in hope and confidence ofChrift's merit's, we do rather provoke God, than pleafe him. As, when king Uzziah would offer incenfe without a prieft, God was angry with him, and ftruck him with leprofy, 2 Chron, xxvi. It), fo when we do not come to God in and tlirough Chrift, we ofter up incenfe to God without a prieft ; and what can we expe6l but fevere rebukes ?

6. Obedience muft be conftant, Pfal. cvi. 3. * Bleffed is he who doth righteoulhefs at all times.' True obedience is not like an high colour in a fit, but it is a right languine ; it is like the fire on the altar, which was always kept burning, Lev. vi. 13. Hypocrites' obedience is but for a lealon ; it is like plastering work, which is foon waflied oft': but true obedience is conftant; tho' we meet with aftliclion, we muft go on in our

obedience, Job xvii. 9. * The righteous dial! hold on his way/ We liave vowed conftancy ; we have vowed to renounce the pomp and vanities of the world, and to fight under Chrift's banner to death. When a fervant hath entered into covenant with his mailer, and the indentures are fealed, then he cannot go back, he mull ferve out his time : there are indentures drawn in baptifm, and in the Lord'sfupper the indentures are renewed and fealed on our part, that we will be faithful and conftant in our obedience ; therefore we mult imitate Chrifl, who became obedient to the death, Phil. ii. 8. The cro.vn i» fet upon the head of perfeverance. Rev. ii. 26. • He that keeps my words unto the end, to him will I give the morning-liar.'

Ufe 1. This indi6ts fuch who live in a contradi6lion to this text : they have caft off the yoke of obedience, Jer. xhv. 16. * As for the word which thou haft fpoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee.' God bids men pray in their family, they live in the total negle6l of it: he bids them fanctify the fabbath, they follow their pleafures on that day: God bids them abllain from the appearance of fin, they do not abftain from the a6l; they live in the act of revenge, in the acl of uncleannels. This is an high contempt of God ; it is rebellion, and rebellion is as the fin of witchcraft.

Q. Whence is it that men do not obey God ? They know their duly, yet do it not ?

Anf. 1. The not obeying of God is for want of faith, Ifa. liii. 1. Qids credidet ? ' Who hath believed our report?' Did men believe fin were ^o bitter, that hell followed at the heels of it, would they go on in fin ? Did they believe there were fuch a reward for the righteous, that godlinefs were gain, would they not purine it? but they are atheifls, not fully captivated into the belief of thefe things ; hence it is they obey not. This is Satan's mafter-piece, his draw-net by which he drags millioiis to hell, by keeping them in infidelity ; he knows, it he can but keep them from believing the truth, he is lure to keep them from obeying it.

2. The not obeying God is for want of felf-denial. God commands one thing, and men's lufts command another ; and they will rather die than deny their lufi^s : now, if lull cannot be denied God cannot be obeyed.

Ufe 2. Obey God's voice. This is the beauty of a Chriftian.

Q. What are the great arguments or incentives to obedience?

Anf. 1. Obedience makes us precious to God; we (hall be

his favourites, Exod. xix. 5. ' If ye will obey my voice, ye

fhall be a peculiar trealure to me above all people:' you Ihall

be my portion, my jewels, the apple of mine eye, ' I will give

kingdoms for your ranfora.' Ifa. xliii. S.

2, There is nothing loft by obedience. To obey God's will

IS the way to have our will, (l.) Would we have a bleffing in our eftates, let us obey, Deut. xxviii. 1,3. 'If thou fliult hearken to the voice of the Lord, to do all his comniandments, blefled (halt thou be in the field : bleffed fliall be thy baflvet and thy (lore.' To obey, is the befl way to thrive in our e(1ates. (2.) Would we have a blefiTing in our fouls, let us obey, Jer. vii. 23. ' Obey, and I will be your God.' My Spirit (hall be your guide, fan6tifier, and comforter, Heb. v. 9. ' Chrift became the author of eternal falvation to all them that obey him.' While we pleafe God, we pleafe ourfelves; while we give him the duty, he gives us the dowry. We are apt to fay, as Ama-ziah, 2 Chron. xxv. 9. ' Wiiat (hall we do for the hundred talents?' V^ou lee you lofe nothing by obeying; the obedient fon hath the inheritance fettled on him. Obey, and you fhall have a kingdom, Luke xii. 32. ' It is your Father's good plea-fure to give you a kingdom.'

3. What a fin difobedience is ; Ift, It is an irrational fin. (1.) We are not able to (land it out in defiance againft God, 1 Cor. x. 22. • Are we (tronger than he ?' will the finner go to meafure arms with God? he is the Father Almighty, who. can command legions : if we have no (Irength to refill him, it is irrational to difobey him. 2, It is irrational; as it is againft all law and equity : we have our daily fubfiftence from God ; in him we live and move : is it not equal, that as we live by him, we (hould live to him ? that as God gives us our allowance, fb we (hould give him our allegiance ?

2dli/, It is a deflirudive fin, 2 Thefl'. i. 7, 8. * The Lord Jefus fhall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that obey not the gof-pel.' He who refufeth to obey God's will in commanding, (hall be fure to obey his will in punilhing. The finner, while he thinks to flip the knot of obedience twills the cord of his own damnation ; he perifheth without excufe ; he hath no plea or apology to make for himfelf, Luke xii. 47. ' The fervant which knew his lord's will, but did it not, (hall be beaten with many (tripes.* God will fay why did you not obey ? you know how to do good, but did it not; therefore your blood is upon your owa head.

Q. What means Jhall we ufe that we may obey ?

Anf. y. Serious conjideration. Confider, God's commands are not grievous : he commands nothing unreafonable, I John V. 3. It is eafier to obey the commands of God than fin : the commands of fin are burthenfome ; let a man be under the power of any lull-, how doth he tire himfelf? what hazards doth he run, even to the endangering his health and foul, that he may fatisfy his lulls ? what tediousjourniesdid Antiochus Epiphanes take in perfecuting the Jews? Jer. ix, 5. * They weary

Vol. I. Na. 7. T t

themfelves to commit iniquity :' and are not God's command* more ealy to obey ? Chryfoftom faith, virtue is eafier than vice ; temperance is lefs burdenfome than dninkennefs. Some have gone with lefs pains to heaven, than others have to hell.

Conjkleration 2. God commands nothing but what is beneficial, Deut. X. 12, 13. * O Ifrael, what doth the Lord require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and to keep his ftaCutes, which I command thee this day, for thy good ?' I'o obey God, is not fo much our duty as our privilege : his commands carry meat in the mouth of them. He bids us repent ; and why? that our fins may be blotted out, A6ls ii. IJ). He commands us to believe; and why ? that we may be faved, A6ts xvi. 31. Tliere is love in every command : as if a king fliould bid one of his fubje6ts dig in a gold mine, then take the gold to himfelf.

2. Earnejl J'uppUcation. Implore the help of the Spirit to carry us on in obedience : God's Spirit makes obedience eafy and delightful. If the load-ltone draw the iron, now it is not hard for the iron to move : If God's Spirit quicken and draw the heart, now it is not hard to obey. When a gale of the Spirit blows, now we go full fail in obedience. Turn that promife into a prayer, Ezek. xxxvi. 27. * I will put ray Spirit within you, and cauleyod to walk in my ftatutes.' The promife encourageth us, the Spirit enables us to obedience.

OF LOVE.

The rule of obedience being the moral law, comprehended in the Ten Commandments, the next queflion is,

Qu. XLII. What is thefiim of the Ten Commandments ?

Anf. The fum of the Ten Commandments is, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our foul, with all our llrength, and with all our mind, and our neighbour as our-ielves.

Deut. vi. 5. ' Thou ftralt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy might.' The duty called for, is love, yea, the flrength of love, ' with all thy heart:' God will lofe none of our love. Love is the foul of religion, and that which goes to the right conilituting a Chril-tian : love is the queen of the graces ; it fliines and fparkles in God's eye, as the precious itpnes did on the breaft-plate of Aaron.

Qu. 1. What is love?

Anf. It is an holy fire^-kindled in the affe6tions, whereby a Chriiiian is carried out flrongly after God as the fupreme God.

Q. 2. What is the mUecedviit of love to God} Jnf. The antecedent ol" love is knowledge : the Spirit fhinea upon the underltandiiig, and dlCcovers thefe orient beauties in God, his wifdom, hoHnefs, mercy ; and thefe are the leiiociniwn, the load-(lone to entice and draw the love to God. Ignoti vnlla cupido : fuch as know not God cannot love him ; it" the lun be fet in the underftanding, there muft needs be rlight in the atFe6lions.

Qu. 3. Wherein doth the formal nature of love co7i/iJi 9 Atif The nature of love is in delighting in the obje6ls : Com-placentia amantis in amato, Aquin. This is our loving God, cur taking delight in him, Pf. Ixxiii. 4. * Delight thyfelf in the Lord ;* as a bride delights herfelf in her jewels. Grace changeth a Chriflian's aims and delights.

Qu. 4. Hoio miiji our love to God be qualified? •Anf. 1. If it be a fincere love, we mult love God with all our heart: in the text, ' Thou ihalt love the Lord thy God [Heb. Becol leuauca~\ with all thy heart.' God will have the whole heart; we mull not divide our love between God and fin ? the true mother would not have the child divided, nor will God have the heart divided ; it muft be the whole heart.

2. We muft. love God propter fe, for himfelf, for his own in-trinfic excellencies: we mull love him for his lovelinefs : Mere* tricius eft amor plus annulnm quamfponfum amare; " It is an harlot's love, to love the portion more than the perion." Hypocrites love God becaufehe gives them corn and wine : we muft love God for himfelf; for thofe ftiining perfe<5lions which iire in hira. Gold is loved for itfelf.

3. We muft love God with all our might; in the Hebrew text, our vehemency; we muft love God, quoad pojje, as much as we are able. Chriftians fhould be like Seraphims burning in holy love : we can never love God fo much as he deferves ; the angels in heaven cannot love God fo much as he deferves.

4. Love to God muft be a6live in its I'phere: love is an induf-trious-affeclion, it fets the head a ftudying for God, hands a working, feet a-running in the ways of his commandments; it is called the labour of love, 1 Thelf. i. 3. Mary Magdalene loved Chrift, and poured her ointments on him. We think we never do enough for the perfon whom we love.

5. Love to God muft be fuperlative. God is the quinteiTence of beauty, a whole paradife of delight; and he mult have apriority in our love. Our love to God muft be above all things be-fides, as the oil fwims above the water: we muft love God above eftate, relations. Great is the love to relations : there is a ftory in the French Academy, of a daughter, who, when her father was condemned to die by a famine, gave him fuck with her own breafts. But our love to God mull be above fltther and

Tt

mother, Matth. x. 37. We may give the creature the milk of our love, God miitl have the cream ; the fpouie keeps thejuice of her pomegranates for Chriit, Cant. viii. 2.

ti. Our love to God muil be conftant, like the fire the Veftal virgins kept in Rome, which did not go out : love muft be like the motion of the pulfe, it beats as long as there is life. Cant, viii. 7- ' Many waters cannot quench love,' not the waters of perfecution, Eph, iii. 17. * Rooted in love.' A branch withers that doth not grow on a root; that love may not die, it muft be well rooted.

Qu. 5. What are the vl/iblejigns of our love to God?

An)'. 1. If we love God, then our defire is after him, Ifa. xxvi. 8. ' The defire of our Ibul is to thy name.' He who loves God, breathes after communion with him, Pfal. xlii. 2. My foul thirds for the living God.' Perfons in love defire to be often conferring together ; he who loves God, defires to be much in his prefence ; he loves the ordinances, they are the glals where the glory of God is refplendent ; in the ordinances we meet with hmi whom our foul loves, we have God's fmiles and whifpers, and fome foretaftes of heaven. Such as have no defire after ordinances, have no love to God.

2. The fecond vifible figu : he who loves God, cannot take contentment in any thing without him. An hypocrite who pretends to love God, give him but corn and wine, and he cau be content without God : but a (bul fired with love to God, cannot be without him : lovers faint away, if they have not a fight of the obje6t loved. A gracious foul can want health, but not want God, who is the health of his countenance, Pf. xliii. 5. If God fhould fay to a ibul that entirely loves him, take thy eafe, fwim in pleafure, folace thyl'elf in the delights of the world, but thou flialt not enjoy my prefence ; this would not content the foul. Nay, if God fliould fay, I will let thee be taken up to heaven, but I will retire into a withdrawing-room, and thou fhalt not fee my face; this would not content the Ibul, it is an hell to want God. The philoibpher faith, there can be no gold without the influence of the liin : there can be no golden joy in the foul without God's fweet prefence and influence.

3. The thiid viiiblefign: he who loves God, hates that which would feparale between him and God, and that is fin. Sin makes God hide his face; it is like an incendiary, which parts chief friends : therefore the keennefs of a Chrifiian's hatred is fet againlt fin, Pf cxix. 128. ' i hale every falfe way.* Antipathies can never be reconciled : one cannot love health, but he muft hate poifon ; i'o we cannot love God but we muft hate fin, which would deftroy our communion with him.

4. The fourth vifible fign is iympathy ; friends that love, do grieve for the evils which belal each other. Homer defcribing

Agamemnon's grief, when he was forced to facrifice his daughter, brings in all his friends weeping with liim, and accompanying him to the facrifice in mourning : lovers grieve together; if we have true love in our heart to God, we cannot but grieve for thofe things which grieve him : we Ihall lay to heart his dishonours; the luxury, drunUennefs, contempt of God and re-hgion, Pfal. cxix. 136. ' Rivers of tears run down mine eyes,' &c. Some fpeak of (ins of others, and make a laughing at them ; lure they have no love to God, who can laugh at that which grieves his Spirit. Doth he love his father, who can laugh to hear him reproached ?

5. The fifth viQble fign : he who loves God, labours to render him lovely to others ; he not only admires God ; but fpeaks in his prailes, that he may allure and draw others to be in love with God. She that is in love will commend her lover : the ^ove-fick fpoufe extols Chrift, flie makes a panegyrical oration of his worth, that ihe might perfuade others to be in love with him. Cant. v. 11. ' His head is as the mod fine gold.' Tyue Jove to God cannot be filent, it will be elegant in fetling foriU God's renown : no better fign of loving God, than by making him appear lovely, and fo drawing proieiytes to him.

The fixth vifible fign : he who loves God, weeps bitterly for his abfence. Mary comes weeping, ' They have taken away my Lord,' John xx. 2. One cries, my health is gone ; another, my eilate is gone; but he who is a lover of God, cries out, my God is gone, I cannot enjoy him whom I love. What can all worldly comforts do, when once God is abfent.? It is like a funeral banquet, where there is much meet but no cheer, Job XXX. 28. ' 1 went rr'.ourning without the fun.' If Rachel mourned fo for the lofs of her children, what vail or pencil can (hadow out the forrow of that Chriftian who hath loft God's l\veet pre-Ibnce.? fuch a foul pours forth floods of tears, and, while it is lamenting, feems to fay thus to God, Lord, thou art in heaven, hearing the melodious fongs and triumphs of angels ; but I fit here-in the valley of tears, weeping becaufe thou art gone. O when wilt thou come to me, and revive me with the light of thy countenance ? Or, Lord, if thou wilt not come to me, let me come to thee, where I (hall have a perpetual fmile of thy face in heaven, and (hall nevermore complain, My beloved hath with" drawn himfelf.

7. The feventh vifible fign : he who loves God, is willing to do and fulFer for him. He fubfcribes to God's commands ; he fubmits to his will. Firji, He fubfcribes to God's commands: if God bids him mortify fin, love his enemies, be crucified to the world ; he obeys. It is a vain thmg for a man to fay he loves God, and flights his commands. Secondly, He fubmits to God's will: if God will have him iutfer for h'm, he doth not

difpute, but obey, 1 Cor. xiii. 7- ' Love endureth all things.' Love made Chrilt futler for us, and love vi^ill make us futFer for him. It is true, every Chriilian is not a martyr, but he hath a Spirit of martyrdom in him ; he hath a difpofition of mind to lufler, if God call him to it, 2 Tim. iv. 6. ' I am ready to be otfered up:' not only the fufferings were ready for Paul, but he was ready for the fufferings. Origen choofed rather to live defpifed in Alexandria, than with Piotinus to deny the faith, and be great in the prince's favour. Rev. xii. 11. Many fay they love God but will not fufler the lofs of any thing for him. If Chrid fhould have faid to us, I love you well, you are dear to me, but I cannot fufFer for you, I cannot lay down my life for you ; we (hould have queftioned his love very much: and may not the Lord queftion ours, when we pretend love to him, but will endure nothing for h > fake ?

Uj'e 1. What (hall we fay to them who have not a drachm of love in their hearts to God ? they ha^»e their life from him, yet do not love him. God fpreads their table every day, yet they do not love him : fmners dread God as a judge, but do not love him as a father. All the ftrength in the angels cannot make the heart love God; judgments will not doit; only omnipotent grace, can make a ftony heart melt in love. How fad is it to be void of love to God ? when the body is cold, and hath no heat in it, it is a fign of death : he is fpiritually dead, who hath no heat of love in his heart to God. Shall fuch live with God, that doth not love him ? will God lay an enemy in his bofom ? Such as will not be drawn with cords of love, /hall be bound in chains of darknefs.

U/'e 2. Let us be perfuaded to love God with all our heart and might: O let us take our love off from other things, and place it upon God. Love is the heart of religion, the fat of the oifering: it is the grace which Chriff: enquires moft after, John XKi. 15. • Peter, lovell thou me?' Love makes all our fervices aGce43table, it is the mullv that perfumes them. It is not fo much duty, as love to duty, God delights in; therefore ferving and loving God are put together, Ilij. Ivi. 6. It is better to love him, than to I'erve him; obedience without love, is like wine without the (pirit. O then, be perfuaded to love God with all your heart and might. To perfuade to this virgin afFe6lion of love.

1. It is nothing but your love God defires. The Lord might have demanded your children to be offered in facrifice : he might have bid you cut and lance yourl'elves, or lain in hell a while; but he only defires your love, he would only have this flower. Is this an hard requeff, to love God ? was ever any debt eafier paid than this ? is it any labour tor the wife to love her hulband ? Ittve is delightful. Non poieji ainorejje, et dulcis non ejfe, Bern.

What is there incur love, that God fiiould defireit? Why ftiould a king defire the love of a woman that is in debt and dil-eafed ? God doth not want our love. There are angels enough in heaven to adore and love him. What is God the better for our love? It adds not the leafl cubit to his effential bletlednefs. God doth not need our love, yet fceks it. Why doth God de-fire us to give him our heart? Prov. xxiii. 2(3. Not that he needs our heart, but that he may make it better.

2. Great will be our advantage, if we love God. God doth not court our love, that we fliould lofe it, 1 Cor. ii. 6. * Eye hath not feen, nor ear heard the things which God bath prepared for them that love him.' If you will love God, you fhall have fuch a reward as exceeds your faith. God will betrothe you to himfelf in the deareft love, Hof. ii. 19. * I will betrothe thee unto me for ever, in loving-kindnefs and mercies,' Zeph. iii. 17. ' The Lord thy God will rejoice over thee with joy, he will reft in his love.' If you love God, he will intereft you in all his riches and dignities, he will give you heaven and earth for your dov;ry, he will feta crown on your head. Vefpafian the emperor, gave a great reward to a woman who came to him, and profefled (he loved him ; God gives a crown of life to them that love him, James i. 12.

3. Love is the only grace that fhall live with us in heaven. In heaven we fhall need no repentance, becaufe we have no fin ; no faith, becaufe we (hall fee God face to face : but love to God fhall abide for ever. * Love never faileth,' 1 Cor. xiii. 8. How ihould we nourifh this grace, which (hall outlive all the graces, and run parallel with eternity!

4. Our love to God is a fign of his love to us, 1 John iv. 19. * We love him, becaufe he iirit loved us.' By nature we have DO love to God; we have hearts of ftone, Ezek. xxxvi. 1. And how can any love be in hearts of ftone? Our loving him is from his loving us. If the glafs burn, it is becaufe the fun hath fhined on it, elfe it could not bum : if our hearts burn in love, it isa fign the Sun of righteoufnefs hath fhined upon us.

^. How J]I all ive do, to love God aright ?

Anf. 1. Wait on the preaching of the word. As faith comes by hearing, fo doth love : the word fets forth God, in his incomparable excellencies; it doth decypher and pencil him out in all his glory, and a fight of his beauty inflames love.

2. Beg of God, that he will give y«u a heart to love him. When king Solomon alked wifdom of God, the fpeech pleafed the Lord, 1 Kings iii. 10. So, when thou criefttoGod, Lord^ give me a heart to love thee, it is my grief I can love thee no more; fure this prayer pleafeth the Lord, and he will pour out his Spirit upon thee, whofe golden oil will make the lamp of thy love burn bright.

$36 OF THE PREFACE

3. You who have love to God, keep it flaming upon the altar of your heart. Love, as fiie, will be ready to go out, Rev. ii. 4. • Thou haft left thy firll love.' Through negleft of duty, or too much love of the world, our love to God will cool. O preferve your love to God ; as you would be careful to preferve the natural heat in your body, fo be careful to preferve the heat of love to God. Love is like oil to the wheels, it quickens us in God's fervice. When you find your love abate and cool, life all means for quickening; when the fire is going out, you throw on fuel: when the flame of love is going out, make ufe of the ordinances as facred fuel to keep the fire of your love burning.

OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

ExoD. XX. 1, 2. And God /pake all thefe words, faymg, 1 am the LORD thy God, %c.

Qu. XLH. WHAT is the preface to the Ten Command" ments ?

Anf. The preface to the Ten Commandments is, * I am the Lord thy God.'

Where obfei-ve, 1. The preface to the preface, * God fpake all thefe words, faying,' 2. The preface itfelf to the commandments, ' I am the Lord thy God.'

I begin with the firft, the preface to the preface, * God fpake all thefe words, faying,' &c. This is like the founding of a trumpet before a iblemn proclamation, \^God fpake'] other parts of the Bible are faid to be uttered by the mouth of the holy prophets, Luke i. 70. but here God fpake in his own perlbn.

Q- How may we underftand this [God fpake] he hath no bodily parts or organs offpeech ?

Anf. God made fome intelligible found, or formed a voice in the air, which was to the Jews as God's very fpeaking to them. In the text, I. The lawgiver, God, \_God fpake,'] 2. The law itfelf, [a// thefe icords.']

1. The lawgiver, [God fpake."] There are two things re-quifite in a lawgiver. Firft, Wifdom. Laws are founded upon realon ; and he muftbe wife that makes laws. God, hi this re-fpe6t, is moll fit to be a lawgiver ; ' he is wife in heart,' Job ix. 4. he hath a monopoly of wifdom, 1 Tim. i. 17. ' The only wife God.' Therefore he is the fittefl; to enad ^nd con-liilule laws. iSecondly, The fecond thing requifiLe in a lawgiver

is, authority. If a fubjed make laws, tliouuli never fo wife, yet they want the ftan»p of authority. God hath the fuprome power in his hand ; he derives a being to all ; and he who gives men their lives, hath moft right to give them their laws.

2. The law itfelf [o// thefe words :'] that is, all the words of the moral law, which is ufually Ityled / -^ decalogue or ten commandments. It is called the moral la\\^,-becaule it is the rule of life and manners. St. Chryfoilom compares the fcripture to a garden, the moral law is a chief flower in it ; the fcripture is a banquet, the moral law the chief difli in it.

(1.) The moral law is perfc6l. Pfal. xix. 7. * The law of the Lord is perfedl.' It is an exa6l model and platform of religion ; it is the llandard of truth, the judge of controverfies, the pole liar to dire6l us to heaven, Prov. vi. 23. * The commandment is a lamp.' Though the moral law be not a Chrift to juftify us, yet it is a rule to inllruftus.

(2.) The moral law is unalterable; it remains flill in force. Though the ceremonial and judicial law are abrogated, yet the moral law delivered by God's own mouth is to be of perpetual ufe in the church. Therefore the law was written in tables of Itone, to fliew the perpetuity of it.

(3.) The moral law is very illulirious and full of glory. God did put glory upon it, in the manner of the promulgation of it. 1. The people, before the moral law was delivered, were ta wafti their clothes, Exod. xix. 10. Whereby, as by a type, God required the fan6iifying of their ears and hearts to receive the law. 2. There were bounds fet, that none might touch the mount, Exod. xix. 12. which was to breed in the people reverence to the law. 2. God wrote the law with his own finger, Exod. xxxi. IS. which was fuch an honour put upon the moral law, as we read of no other written. God did by fome mighty operation make the law legible in letters, as if it had been written with his own finger. 4. God's putting the law in the ark to be kept, was another (ignal mark of honour put upon it. The ark was the cabinet in which God put the ten commandments, as ten jewels. 5. At the delivery of the moral law, there was the attendance of many angels, Deut. xxxii. Here was a parliament of angels called, and God himfelf was, the fpeaker.

Uj'e I. Here we may take notice of God's goodnefs, who hath not left us without a law : therefore the Lord doth often let it down as a demonftration of his love, iq giving his commandments, Pf. cxlvii. 20. * He hath not dealt fo with any nation, and as for his judgments they have not known them." Neh. ix. 13. '.Thou gavell them true laws, good liatutes and commandments.' What a ftrange creature would man be, if he had no law to direct him ? There would be no living in the

Vol, I. No. 8. U u

world ; we (liould have none born but Iflimaels, every maii'j Imnd would be againd his neighbour. Man would grow wild, if he had not aftlidion to tame hinn, and the moral law to guide him. The law of God is an hedge to keep us within the bounds of Ibbriety and piety.

U/e. 2. If God fpake all thefe words of the moral law, then it condemns, Iji, The Marcionites, and Manichees, who fpeak nightly, yeablalphemoufly of the moral law : they fay, it is below a Chriftian, it is carnal; which the apoftle confutes, when he faith, ' The law is fpiritual, but I am carnal.' Rom. vii. 14. Qdly, The Antinomians, who will not admit the moral law to be a rule to a believer. We fay not he is under the curfe of the law, but the commands, we fay not the moral law is a Chrift, but it is a liar to lead one to Chrill ; we fay not it doth fave, but it doth fan6tify. They who cart God's law behind their backs, God will call their prayers behind his back : they who will not have the law to rule them, fliall have the law to judge them. 3dli/, The Papills, who (as if God's law were imperre6t, and when he fpake all thefe words, lie did not fpeak enough) add their canons and traditions to the moral law. This is to tax God's wifdom, as if he knew not how to make his own law. Andfurely it is an high provoking (in, Rev. xxii. 18. ' If any man fliall add to thefe words, God fliall add unto him the plagues written in this buok.* As it is a great evil to add any thing to a man's fealed will, fo much more to add any thing to that law God himfelf fpal^, and wrote with his own fingers.

Ufe. 3. If God fpake all thefe words, viz. of-the moral law, then this prelfeth upon us feveral duties : 1. If God fpake all thefe words, then we muft hear all thefe words; the words ■u'hich God fpeaks are too precious to be lolt. As we would have God hear all our words when we pray, fo we muft hear all his words when he fpeaks. VVe muft not be as the deaf adder, which iloppeth her ears : he that ftops his ears when God cries, fliall cry himfelf, and not be heard.

2. If God fpake all thefe words, then we muft attend to them with reverence. Every word of the moral law is an oracle from heaven ; God himfelf is the preacher; this calls for reverence. Ifajudge gives a charge upon the bench, all attend with reverence. In the moral law God himl'elf gives a charge, ' God fpake all. thefe words ;' Therefore, with what veneration fliould we attend ? Mofes put off his (hoes from his feet, in token of reverence, when God was about to fpeak to him, Exod. iii. 5, 6.

3. If God fpake all thefe words of the moral law, then we muft remember them. Sure all God ff)eaks is worth remembering ; thole words are weighty which concern falvation, Deut. xxxii. 47. * It is not a vain thing for you becaufe it is your

life.* Our memory fhould be like the cheft in the ark, where the law was kept: God's oracles are ornament, and fhall we forget them ? Jer. ii.2, 32. ' Can a maid forget her ornament?' 4. If God fpake all thefe words, then believe them. See the name of God written upon every commandment. The heathens, that they might gain credit to their laws, reported that they were infpired by the gods at Rome. The moral law fetcheth its' pedigree from heaven : ipfe dixit, God fpake all thefe words. Shall we not give credit to the God of heaven ? How would the angel confirm the woman in the refurre6lion of Chrift, Mat. xxviii. 7. ' Lo, (faith he) I have told you ;' I fpeak in the word of an angel. Much more fliould the moral law be believed, when it comes to us in the word of God. ' God fpake all ihele words.' Unbelief enervates the virtue of God's word, and makes it prove abortive, Heb. iv. 2. * The word bid not profit, not being mixed with faith.' Eve gave more credit to the devil when he fpake, than flie did to God.

5. If God Ipake all thefe words, then love the commandments, Pf. cxix. 97. ' O how love I thy law ? it is my meditation all the day.' * Confider how I love thy precepts,' Pf. cxix. 150. The moral law is the copy of God's will, our fpiri-tual dij-e6tory, it (hews us what fins to avoid, what duties to purfue : the ten commandments are a chain of pearls to adorn us, the}'^ are our treafury to enrich us ; they are more precious than lands of fpices, or rocks of diamonds, Pf. cxix. 72. ' The law of thy mouth is better to me than thoufandsof gold and fil-ver.' The law of God hath truth and goodnefs in it, Neh. ix. 13. Truth, for God fpake it; and goodnefs, for there is nothing the commandment enjoins, but is for our good ; O then let this command our love.

6. If God fpake all thefe words, then teach your children the law of God, Deut. vi. 7. * I'hefe words which I command thee this day iliall be in thy heart, and thou fhalt teach them diligently to thy children.' He who is godly, is both a diamond and a loadftone ; a diamond for the fparkling of his grace ; and a loadtlone, for his attractive virtue in drawing others to the love of God's precepts, vir bonus inagis aliis prodefi quam jibi. You that are parents, difcharge your duty : though you cannot impart grace to your children, yet you may impart knowledge. Let your children know the commandments of God, Deut. ix. ly. • Ye (hall teach them to your children.' You are careful to leave your children a portion ; leave the oracles of heaven with them ; in(lru6l them in the law of God : if God fpake all thele words, you may well (peak them over again to your children.

7. If God fpake all thefe words, then the moral law muft be obeyed : if a kuig (peaks, his word commands allegiance ; much

U u2

'640 OF THE PREFACE

more, when God fpeaks, all bis words muft be fubfcribed to. Some will obey partially, obey lonie commandments, not others; like a plough, which when it comes to a iiitJ' piece of earth, makes a baulk : but God that i'pake all the words of the moral law, will have all obeyed : God will not difpenfe with the breach ofone law. Indeed princes, for fpecial reafons, difpenfe fometimes with penal ftatutes, and will not take the feverity of the law: but God, who ("pake all thefe words, binds men with dijubpana to yield obedience to every law. This condemns the church of Rome, who inftead of obeying the whole moral law, blot out one commandment, and difpenfe with others.

1. They leave out the fecond commandment out of their catechifes, becaufe it makes againfl images ; and to fill up the number often, they divide the tenth commandment into two. Thus they run themfelves into that dreadful premunire. Rev. xxii. 1<). ' If any man (hall takeaway from the words of this book, God fliall take away his part out of the book of life.'

2. Astliey blot out one commandment, and cut that knot which they cannot untie : fo they difpenfe with other commandments ; they difpenfe with the fixth commandment, making murder nieriiorious, in cafe of propagating the catholic caufe : they difpenle with the feventh commandment, wherein God forbids adultery ; the Pope difpenfeth with the fin of unclean-nels, yea, incelf, only paying fuch lines andfums of money into his coffer. No wonder the Pope takes men oft from their loyalty to kings and princes, when he teacheth them difloyalty to God. Some of the papifts fay exprefsly in their writings, that the Pope hath power to difpenfe with the laws of God, and can give men a licence to break the commandments of the Old and New Teftament. That fuch a religion ever get foot in England, the Lord in mercy prevent. If God fpake all the commandments, then we mult obey all; he who breaks this hedge of the commandments, a ferpent fliall bite him.

Obj. ^Ht vhat man alive can obey all God's commandments 9 Anf. To obey the law in a legal fenfe. vk. to do all the law requiies, no man alive can ; fin hath cut the lock of original righteoufnefs, where our Ifrength lay : but, in a true gofpel-fenl'e, we may fo obey the moral law, as to find acceptance. Which gofpel obedience confills in a real endeavour to obferve the whole moral law, Pf. cxix. 16(5. * 1 have done thy commandments :' Not, Ihave done all I fhould do, but I have done all I am able to do; and wherein our obedience comes fhort, we look up to the perfe6t righteoulhefs and obedience of Chrift, and hope lor pardon through his blood : this is evangelically to obey the moral law ; which, though it be not to latisfa6iion, yet it is to acceptation. Thus I have done with the firfi, the pretuce to the preface, ' God Ipake all thele words :' 1 Ihould

now come to the fecond, the preface itfelf to the commandments, ' i am the Lord thy God,' &c.

ExoD. XX. 2. / am the Lord thy God, Sec.

II. The preface itfelf, which confifts of three parts: 1, * I am the Lord thy God : 2. Which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt; 3. Out of the houfe of bondage.*

Firft, I am the Lord thy God. Where we have a defcriptioii of God ; 1. By his eflential greatnefs, ' I am the Lord ;' 2. By his relative goodnels, * thy God.' \Ji, By his elTential greatnefs, * I am the Lord,' or, as it is in the Hebrew, Jehovah. This great name God fets forth his majefty. Sanctius habitum fuel, faith Buxtorf. The name of Jehovah was had ia more reverence among the Jews than any other name of God ; it fignifies God'sTelf-fufficiency, eternity, independency, immutability, Mai. iii. 6.

Ufe \. If God be Jehovah, the fountain of being, who can do what he will ; let us fear this great Lord, Deut. xxviii. 5S. * That thou mayeft fear this glorious and fearful name, Jehovah.*

Ufe 2. If God be Jehovah, the fupreme Lord ; then it condemns the blafphemous papifts, who fpeak after this manner. Our Lord God the Pope. It is a wonder the pope lifts his triple crown above the head of kings and emperors, when he ufurps God's title, * (hewing himfelf that he is God .?' 2 ThefT. ii. 4. The pope goes to make himfelf Lord of heaven, for he will canonize faints there ; Lord of earth, for with hiskeys he doth bind and loofe whom he pieafeth : Lord of hell, for he can free men out of purgatory : but God will pulldown thefe plumes of pride ; he will confume ' this man of (in with the breath of his n\outh, and the brightnefs of his coming,' 2 Theff ii. 8.

2(////, God is defcribed by his relative goodnefs, * thy God :* had God only called himfelf Jehovah, it might have terrified us, and made us flee from him ; but when he faith, ' thy God,* this may allure and draw us to him : this, tho' a preface to the law, is pure gofpel. This word Elceka, ' thy God,' is fo fweef, that we can never fuck out all the honey in it. ' I am thy God,' not only by creation, but by ele6lion. This word, ' thy God,* though it was fpoken to Ifrael, yet it is a charter belongs to all the faints. For the further explication, here are three queftions.

Q. 1. Hoio God comes to be our God?

Anf. Through Jefus Chrift. Chrift is a middle perfon in the Trinity: he js Emmanuel, * God with us:' he brings two different parties together; he makes our nature lovely to God, and God's nature lovely to us : he, by his death, caufeth friend-

fhip, ypa, union : he brings us within the verge of the covenant, and lb God U'cofiies our God.

Q. 2. What doth this imply God being our God 9 Anf. It is coniprehenhve of all good things: God is our firong tower; our I'ountain of hving water; our falvation. IVlore particularly, Gotl being our God implies the fweetell relation.

1. The relation of a father, 2 Cor. vi. IS. * I will be a father unto you ;' a lather is full of tender care for his child ; whom doth he fettle the inheritance upon, but his child ? God being our God, will be a father to us ; a * Father of mercy,' 1 Cor. i. 3. ' Theeverlalting Father,* Ifa. ix. 7. If God be our God, we have a Father in heaven that never dies.

2. It imports the relation of a hufband, Ifa. liv. 5. * Thy Maker is thy hufband.' If God be our hulband, he elteems us precious to him, as the apple of his eye, Zech. ii. 8. He imparts his fecrets to us, Pfal. xxv. IS. He bellows a kingdom upon us for our dowry, Ltike xii. 32.

Q. 3. How may we come to knoic this covenant-union, that God is our God ?

^Anf, 1. By having his grace planted in us. King's children are known by their coilly jewels; It is not having common gifts, which (hews we belong to God ; many have the gifts of God without God ; but it is grace gives us a true genuine title lo God. In particular, faith is vinculum unionis the grac^of union ; by this we may Ipell out our intereft in God. Faith doth not, as the mariner, call its anchor downwards, but upwards ; it trulls in the mercy and blood of God, and trulting in God, engageth him to be our God ; other graces make us like God, faith raal<es us one with him.

2. We may know God is our God, by having the earneft of his Spirit in our hearts, 2 Cor. i. 22. God often gives the purfe to the wicked, but the Spirit only to fuch as he intends to make his heirs. (1.) Have we had the confecration of the Spirit? If "We have not had the fealing work of the Spirit, have we had the healing work? 1 John ii. 20. * Ye have an un6lion from the holy One.' The Spirit, where it is, ftamps the imprefs of its own holinefs upon the heart: it embroiders and befpangles the foul, and makes it all glorious within. (2.) Have we had the attraction of the Spirit? Cant. i. 4. ' Draw me, we will run alter thee.' Hath the Spirit, by its magnetic virtue, drawn our hearts to God ? Can we lay, as Cant. i. 7- * O thou whom my luul loveth !' Is God our paradife of delight ? Our Segulkih, or chief trealure! Are our hearts fo chained to God, that no other obje6l can inchant us, or draw us away from him? (3.) Have Ave had the elevation of the Spirit? Hath it railed our hearts above the world? Ezek; iii. 14. ' The Spirit lifted me up.'

Hath the Spirit made us fnprema an helare, feek the things above where Chrill is? Though our fle(h is on earth, is our heart in heaven ? though we live here, trade we above ? Hath the Spirit thus lifted us up ? By this we may come to know, that God is our God ; where God gives his Spirit for an earneft, there he gives himfelf for a portion.

3. We may know God is our God, if he hath given us the hearts of children. Have we obediential hearts? Pfal. xxvii. 8. Do we fubfcribe to God's commands, when his commands crofs our will ? A true faint is like the flower of the fun, it opens and fliuts with the fun : he opens to God, and (huts to (in. If we have the hearts of children then God is our father.

4. We may know God is ours, and we have an intereft in him, by our Handing up for his interell. We will appear in his caul'e, and vindicate his truth, wherein his glory is ib much concerned. Athanafius was the bulwark of truth ; he flood up for it, when moil of the world were Arians. In former times the nobles of Polonia, when the gofpel was read, did lay their hands upon their fwords, fignifying that they were ready to defend the faith, and hazard their lives for the gofpel: no better fign of our having an intereft in God, than by our Handing up for his interell.

3. We may know God is owrs, and we have an intereft in him, by his havingan intereflin us. Cant. ii. 16. ' My beloved is i^ine, and I am his.' When God faith to the foul, * Thou art mine ;' the foul anfwers, ' Lord, I am thine :* all I have is at thy fervice ; my head (hall be thine, to lludy for thee ; my tongue (hall be thine to praife thee. If God be our God by way of donation, we are his by way of dedication : we live to him, and are more his than we are our own. And thus we may come to know that God is our God.

Ufe 1. Above all things let us get this great charter confirmed. That God is our God : Deity is not comfortable without propriety. Tulle meurn, et tille Deum, Aug. O let us labour to get found evidences, that God is our God : we cannot call health, liberty, eftate ours; O let us be able to call God ours, and fay as the church, Pfal. Ixvii, (5. * God, even our own God (hall blefs us.' Let every foul here labour to pronounce this Shibboleth, * My God.' A.rid that we may endeavour after this to have God for our God; confider, (I.) The mifery of fuch as have not God for their God : in how fad a condition are they, when an hour of diltrefs comes? this was Saul's cale, 1 Sam. xxviii. 13. ' I am fore diftrclfed, for the Philiftines make war againd me, and the Lord is departed from me.' A wicked.man, in time of trouble, is like a veffel toifed on the fea without an anchor, it falls on rocks or fands : a (inner, not hav-hig God to be his God, tho' he makes a fliift while healti) and

eftate laft, yet, when thefe crutches, which he leaned upon are broken, his heart (inks. It is with a wicked nnan, as it is witli the old world, when the flood canrie; the waters at hrft came to the valleys, but then the people would get to the hills and mountains, but when the waters came to the mountains, then there might be fome trees on the high hills, and they would climb up to them : ay, but then the waters did rife up to the tops of the trees : now all hopes of being faved were gone, their hearts failed them. So it is with a man that hath not God to be his God : if one comfort bo taken away, he hath another: if he lofe a child, he hath an eftate : ay, but when the waters rife higher, death comes and takes away all; now he hath nothing to help himfelf with, no God to go to, he mud needs die del-pairing. (2.) How great a privilege it is to have God for our God? Pfal. cxiiv. 15. * Happy are the people whofe God is the Lord.* Beathudo honimis ejl Deus, Aug. That you may fee the privilege of this charter ;

1. If God be our God, then, though we may feel the ftroke of evil, yet not the fting. He muft needs be happy, who is in fuch a condition, that nothing can hurt him : if he lofe his name, it is written in the book of life ; if he lofe his liberty, his con-fcience is free ; if he lofe his eftate, he is pofleffed of the pearl of price ; if he meets with llorms, he knows where to put in for harbour; God is his God, and heaven is his haven.

2. If God be our God, then our foul is fafe. The foul is the jewel, it is a blolfom of eternity, Dan. vii. 13, * I was grieved in the midft of my body ;' in the Chaldee it is in the midfl; of my flieath. I'he body is but the flieath; the foul is the princely part of man, which fways the fceptre of realbn ; it is a celeftial fpark, as Damafcene calls it. If God be our God, the foul is fafe, as in a garrifon ; death can do no more hurt to a virtuous heaven-born foul, than David did to Saul, when he cut otT the lap of his garment: the foul is fafe, being hid in the promifes; hid in the wounds of Chrifi;; hid in God's decree. The foul is the pearl, and heaven is the cabinet where God will lock it up fafe.

3. If God be our God, then all that is in God is ours: the Lord faith to a faint in covenant, as the king of Ifrael tcf the king of Syria, 1 Kings xx. 4. ' I am thine, and all that I have.' So faith God, * I am thine :' how happy is he who not only inherits the gift of God, but inherits God himfelf.^ All that 1 have Ihall be thine ; my wifdom fhall be thine, to teach thee ; my power (hall be thine, to fupport thee ; my mercy (hall be thine, to fave thee. God is an inhnite ocean of blelfednefs, and there is enough in him to fill us: if a thouland veifels be thrown into the fea, there is enough in the fea to (ill them.

4; If God be our God, he will entirely love us: propriety is

the ground of love. God may give men kingdoms, and not love them ; but he cannot be our God, and not love us: he calls his covenanted lainls, Jedidnth Naphjlii, * The dearly beloved of his foul;' Jer. xii. 7. ' He rejoicelh over them with joy, and reds in his love,' Zeph. iii. 17^ They are his refined fifver, Zech. xiii. 9. His jewels, Mai. iii. 17- His royal diadem, Ifa. ixii. 3. He gives them the cream and flower of his love : he not only opens his hand and fills them, Pfal. cxlv. 17. but opens his heart and fills them.

5. If God be our God, he will do more for us than all the world befides can. What is that? (I.) He will give us peace in trouble : when a fl:orm without, he will make mufic within. The world can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble : he will (end the Comforter, who, as a dove, brings an olive-branch of peace in his mouth, John xiv. 16. ["i.) God -will give us a crown of immortality : the world can give a crown of gold, but that crown hath thorns in it, and death in it: but God will give * a crown of glory that fadeth not away,' 1 Pet. V. 4. The garland made of the flowers of paradife never withers.

Q, If God be our God, he will bear with nriany infirmities: God may refpite finners a while, but long forbearance is no ac" quittance ; he will throw them to hell for their fins; but if God be our God, he will not for every failing deftroy Us; he bears with his fpoufe as with the weaker veflel: God may chafi;ife, Pfal. Ixxxix. 32. He may ule the rod and the pruning-knife, but not the bloody axe. Numb, xxiii. 21. * He hath not feeii iniquity in Jacob:' he will not fee fin in his people, fo as to deftroy them; he fees their fins fo as to pity them : he fees them as a phyfician fees a difeafe in his patient, to heal him, I(a. Ivii. 18. ' I have feen his iniquities, and I will heal him.' Every failing doth not break the marriage-bond afunder. The difciples had great failings, they all forfook Chrill, and fled; but this did not break ofl' their interell in God ; therefore, faith Chrift, at his afcenfion, * Tell my difciples, I go to my Go4 and to theirG od.

7. If God be once our God, he is fo for ever, Pfal. xlviii* 14. * This God is our God for ever and ever.' Whatever worldly comforts we have, are but for a feafon, Heb. xi. 25. we muft; part with all. As Paul's friends did accompany him to the fliip, and there left him, A6ts xx^ 28. fo all our earthly comforts will but go with us to the grave, and there leave us. You cannot fay you have health, and fliall have it for ever; you have a child, and fhall have it for ever ; but if God be your God, you fliall have him for ever ; ' This God is our God for ever and ever.' ~ If God be our God, he will be a God to us as long a,$ he is a God : ' You have taken away mv gfods,* faith Micah,

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Judges xviii. 24. But it eannot be faid fo to a believer, that his God is laken away ; he may lofe all things elle, but cannot lole his God. God is ours from everlafting in election, and to everlafting in glory.

8. It" God be our God, we fliall enjoy all our godly relationis with him in heaven. The great felicity on earth, is to enjoy relations; a father fees his own pidlure in a child ; a wife fees a piece of herlVlf in her hufband, we plant the flower of love among our relations, and the lofs of them is like the pulling of a limb from the body. But if God be ours, with enjoying God we fhall enjoy all our pious relations in glory. The gracious child Ihall fee his godly father, the virtuous wife (hall fee her religious hufl^and in ChriiVs arms; and then there will be a dearer love to relations than ever was before, though in a far different manner; then, relations (hall meet and never part: * And fo ihall we be ever with the Lord.'

ExoD. XX. 2. / atn the Lord thy God, ^c.

To all fuch as can make out this covenant-union, it exhorts to feveral things.

I. If God be our God, let us improve our intereft in him^ cafl; all our burdens upon him ; the burden of our fears, wants, fms, Pfal. Iv. 22. • Call thy burden upon the Lord.' Wicked men, who are a burden to God, have no right to call their burden upon him ; but fuch as have God for their God, are called upon to caft their burden on him. Where ihould the child eafe all its cares, but in the bofom of its parent? Judges xix. 2(5. • Let all thy wants lie upon me.' So God leems to fay to his children, Let all your wants lie upon me. Chrillian, what doth trouble thee ? thou haft a God to pardon thy (ins, to fupply thy wants: therefore roll your burden on the Lord, 1 Pet. v. 7. ' Calling all your care on him.' Whence are Chriftians fo difquieted in their minds? they are taking care, when they fliould be cafting care.

II. If God be our God, let us learn to be contented, though we have the lei's other things. Contentment is a rare jewel, it is the cure of care. If we have God to be our God, well may we be contented : * I know whom I have believed,' 2 Tim. i. 12. There was Paul's intereft in God, 2 Gor. vi. ]0. * As having nothing, yet pollefting all:' there was his content. That fuch who have covenant-union with God may be filled with contentation of fpirit, confider what a rich bleffing God is to the foul.

1. God honum fnfficienSf a fufficient good. He who hath

'God, hath enough. If a man be thirfty bring him to the ocean, and he is latisfied ; in God there is enough to fill the heaven-born foul: ' He gives grace and glory,' Pfal. Ixxxiv. 11. There is in God not only a fufficiency, but a redundancy ; he is not only full as a veflel, but as a fpring. Other things can no more fill the foul, than a mariner's breath can fill the fails of a (hip: but in God is a cornucopia^ an infinite fulnefs ; he hath enough to fill the angels, therefore enough to fill us. The heart is a triangle, which only the Trinity can fill.

2. God is bonum Janciificans, a fan6tifying good. 1. He fan«5lifies all our comforts, and turns them into bleliings. Health is blefied, efiate is blelled ; he gives with the venifon a blefling, Pfal. cxxxii. 15. ' I will abundantly blefs her provifion.' He gives us that life we have tanquam arraho, as an earnefl:of more. He gives us the little meal in the barrel, as an earneft of the

'royal feaft in paradife. 2. He lan6tifies all our crofi'es : they (hall not be deftructive punifliments, but medicines; they fliall corrode and eat out the venom of fin, they (hall polifli and refine our grace. Ihe more the diamond is cut, it fparkles the more, God's ftretching the fl:rings of his viol, is to make the mufic better.

3. God is bonum feleSlum, a choice good. All things fub fole, are but bona j'cabelU, as Auftin, the bleflings of the foot-

(lool; but to have God himfelf to be ours, is the bleflmg of the throne. Abraham gave gifts to the fons of the concubines, but Jie fettled the inheritance upon Ifaac, Gen. xxv. 4. ' Abraham gave all that he had to Ifaac' God may fend away the men of the world with gifts, a little gold and filver; but, in giving us himfelf, he gives us the very quinteflence, his grace, his love, his kingdom : here is the crowning blefling.

4. God i.s bonumfummum, the chief good. In the chief good there mull be, Flrji^ dele6tability, it muft have fonietliing that is delicious and fweet : and where can we fuck thofe pure qulntefiential comforts, which ravilh us with delight, but in God ? In Deo quadam dalcedine deleSlatur animal inio mpitur-, * At God's right hand are plealiires,' Pial. xvi. 11. Secondly^ In the ctiief good there mull be tranfcendency, it mull have a furpriling excellency. Thus God is infinitely better than all other things; it is below the Deity to compare other things with it. Who would go to weigh a feather with a mountain of gold } God hfons et origo, the fpring of all entities, and the caufe is more noble than the effedt. It is God that befpangles the creation, that puts light into the fun, that fills the veins of the earth with filver; creatures do but maintain life, God gives life. God infinitely outlliines all fublunary glory ; he is better than the foul,' than angels, than heaven. Thirdit/^ In the chief good, there mult be not onlv fulnefs, but variety ; where va-

X X 2

riety is wantinjr, we are apt to naufeate; to feed only on honey, would breed loathing ; but in God is all variety of fulnefs, Co). i. 10. He is an univerfal good, commeniurate to all our wants; he is honnm in quo omnia bona, a fon, a portion, an hornofi'al-valion : he is called the * God of all comfort,' 2 Cor. i. 3. There is a complication of all beauties and delights in him : health hath not the comfort of beauty, nor beauty of riches, nor riches of wildom ; but God is the God of all comfort. Fourthlt/^ In the chief good there mult be eternity. God is a treafure that can neither be drawn low, nor drawn dry. Though the angels are itill (pending on him, he can never be fpent; he abides for ever. Eternity is a flower of his crown. Now, if God be our God, here is enough to let in full contentment into our fouls. Whcit tho' we want torch-light, if we have the fun? what if God deny us the flower, if he hath given us the jewel? how fhould this rock a Chrillian's heart quiet ? if we fay God is our God, and we are not content, we have caule to quellion our in-tereftin him.

III. If we can clear up this covenant-union, that God is our God, let this chear and revive us in all conditions. To be content with God, is not enough, but to be chearful. What greater cordial can you have, than union with Deity ; when j efus Chrift' was ready to alcend, he could not leave a richer coiifolation with his difciples than this, * Tell them, I go to my God and their God,* John xx. 17. Who fhould rejoice, if not they, who have an infinite, all-fufficient, eternal God to be their portion, who are as rich as heaven can make them ? what though 1 want health? I have God, who is the health of my countenance, and my God, Plal. xlii. 11. Wl)at though 1 am low in the world ? if I have not the earth, I have him that made it. The philofopher comforted himfelf with this, though he had no mufic or vine trees, yet here are the houfehold-gods with me : fo, though we have not the vine or fig-tree, yet we have God with us. I cannot be poor, faith St. Bernard, as long as God is rich : for his i;iches are mine. O let the iaiuts rejoice in this covenant-union ! 'I'o fay God is ours, is more than to fay heaven is ours ; heaven would not be heaven without God. All the fiars cannot make day without the fun ; all the angels, thofe morning-ftars, cannot make heaven without Chrift the Sun of righteoulhels. And as to have God for our God is matter of rejoicing in life ; fo efpecially it will be at our death. Let a Chriftian think thus, I am going to my God. A child is glad when he is going home to his lather. This was Chrilt's comfort, when he was leaving the world, John xx. 17. ' I go to my God.' And this is a believer's death-bed cordial, I am going to my God ; I fiiall change my place, but not my kindred ; I go to my God and my Father.

TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. §i§

IV. If God be our God, then let us break forth into doxology and praife, Pfal cxviii. 28. ' Thou art my God, and I will praife thee.' O infinite, aftonifhing mercy, that God Oiould take duft and afhes into ih near a bond of love as to be our God ! As jNIicah laid. Judges xviii. 24. ' What have I more?* fo, what hath God more? what richer jewel hath he to beftow upon us than himielf? what hath he more? That God (houjd put off moll of the world with riches and honour, that he fliould pafs over himfelf to us by a deed of gift, to be our God, and by virtue of this fettle a kingdom upon us ; O let us praife him with the beft inftrument, our heart ; and let this inlbument be fere wed up to the higheft peg ; let us praife him with our whole heart. See how David rifeth by degrees, Pf. xxxii. 11. * Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, and fhout for joy.' [Be ghid,^ there is thankfulnefs ; \_Rejoice,'] there is chearfulnefs ; [_ShouQ th'ere is triumph. Praife is called incenfe, becaule it is fo fvveet a facrifice. Let the laints be chorifters in God's praifes. The deepeli fprings yield the fweeteft water ; the more deeply fen-fible we are of God's covenant-love to us, the fweeter praifes we? fhould yield. We fhould begin here to eternize God's name, and do that work on earth which we (hall be always doing in heaven, Pf. cxlvi. 2. * While I live, will I praife the Lord.'

V". Let us carry ourfelves as thole who have God to be oup God ; that is, when we walk lb, that others may fee there is fomething of God in us. Live holily ; what have we to do with fin ? is it not this, that if it doth not break, yet it will weaken the intereft ? Hof. xiv. 8. * What have I to do any more with idols ?' So fhould a Chriflian fay, God is my God ; what have I to do any more with fin, with luft, pride, malice! bid me commit fin ! as well bid me drink poilbn ; Oiall I forfeit my intereft in God ? Let me rather die, than willingly oifend him, who is the crown of my joy, the God of my lalvation.

ExOD. XX. S. The Land of Egypt, S^e.

The fecond part of the preface, * Who have broiio^it thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the houl'e of bondage-.'^. Egypt and the houfe of bondage are the fame ; only they ar^fl^ prefented to us under a ditferent exprelTion, or notion. I begin with the full exprelTion, ' Who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt.'

Q. Why doth the Lord mention this deliverance of Jfrael out of Egypt.

Anf, 1. Becaufe of the ftrangenefs of the deliverance. God delivered his people Ifrael by llrange figns and wonders, by

fending plague after plague upon Pharaoh, blafling the fruits of the earth, killing all the tirft-born in Egypt, Exori. xii. 29. And when liVael marched out of Egypt, God made the waters of the lea to part, and become a wall to his people, while they went ondry grcunid; and as he made the lea acaufeway tolfrael, fo a grave to Pharaoh and his chariots. Well might the Lord mention his bringing them'out of the land of Egypt, becaufeof the ftrangenels of the deliverance ; God wrought miracle upon miracle, for their deliverance.

2. God mentions Ifrael's deliverance out of Egypt, becaufe of the greatnel's of the deliverance. God delivered Il'rael from the pollutions of Egypt; E.g^ypt was a bad air to live in, it was infedted with idolatry; the Egyptians weregrofs idolaters, they ■were guilty of that which the apoille fpeaks of, Rom. i. 23. * They changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed bealls, and creeping things.* The Egyptians worfhiped, in-ilead of the true God, Fiijif corruptible man, they deified their king Apis, forbidding all, under pain of deaih, to fay that he was a man. 2c?/?/, They were worfbippers of birds, they wor-fliipped the hawk. Mhj, They were worlhippers of beafts, they worlbipped the ox : thus they made the image of a bead to be their god. Atldy, They were worOiippers of creeping things, they worfliipped the crocodile, and the Indian moufe. Therefore God mentions this as a memorable and fignal favour to Urael, that he brought them out of iuch an idolatrous country ; ' I brought thee out of the land of Egypt.'

The thing I would note is this. That it is no fmall blelTing to be delivered from places of idolatry. God I'peaks of it no lefs than ten times in the Old Teitament, * I brought you out of the land of Egypt ;* an idolatrous place. Had there been no iron furnace in Egypt, yet there being fo many altars there and falfe gods, it was a great privilege to Ifrael to be delivered out of Egypt. Jofhua reckons it among the chief and moft memorable mercies of God to Abraham, that he brought him outofUr of the Chaldees, where Abraham's anceftors lerved itrange gods, Jofh. xxiv. 2, 3. ' It is well for the plant that is fet in a bad foil, to be tranfplanted to a better, where it may grow and tlourifli ; fo, when any are planted among idolaters, it is a mercy when they are removed and tranfplanted into Zion, where are the filver-drops of God's word to make them grow in holinefs.

Qu. Wherein doth it appear that it isfiich a great hlejjing to he delivered from places of idolatry ?

Anf. It is a great mercy, becaufe our nature is fo prone to idolatry. Ifrael began to be defiled with the idols ofE^vpt, Ezek. xxiii. 3. Dry wood is not more prone to take fire, than

TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. S&l

our nature is to idolatry. The Jews made cakes to the queen of heaven, that is the moon. Jer. vii. 18.

Qu. Whence is it that tee are/a prone to idolatry ?

Anf. 1. Becaufe we are led much by vihble objects, and love to have our lenfes pleated. Men naturally fancy a god that they may fee; though it be fucli a god that cannot fee them, yet they would fee it. The true God is invifible ; this makes the idolater worfhip fomething that he may fee.

2. It is a mercy to be delivered from idolatrous places, becaufe of the greatnefs of the i\\\ of idolatry. It is giving that glory to an image, which is due to God. All divine v/orfliip God doth appropriate to himfelf; it is a flower of his crown : the fat of the facrifice God laid claim to, Lev. iii. 3. Divine wor-fliip is the fat of the facrifice, which God referves for himfelf. The idolater devotes this worfhip to his idol, which the Lord will by no means endure, Ifd. xlii. S. ' My glory will I not give to another, neither my praife to graven images.' Idolatry is ipiritual adultery, Ezek. xxiii. 37- ' With their idols have they committed adultery.' To worlhip any other than God, is to break wedlock: this makes the Lord difclaim his intereft in a people, Hof. ii. 2. * Plead with your mother, plead, flie is not my wife.' And Exod. xxxii. 7. ' Thy people have corrupted themfelves ;* no more my people, but thy people. God calls idolatry blafphemy, Ezek. xx. 27, 31. 'Thus your fathers have blafphemed me.' Idolatry is devil-worfhip, Deut. xxxii. 17. * They facrificed to devils, not unto God ; to new gods :* Thefe new gods were old devils. Lev. xvii. 7. * And they fhall no more olfer their facrifice unto devils ;' the Hebrew word LafJiegnirim, is the hairy ones, becaufe the devils were hairy, and appeared in the forms of fatyrs and goats. How dreadful a (in is idolatry ; and what a fignal mercy is it to be fhatched out of an idolatrous place, as Lot was fnatched by the angels out of Sodom ?

3. It is a mercy to be delivered out of idolatrous places, becaufe idolatry is luch a filly, irrational religion, I may fay, as Jer. viii. 9. ' What wifdom is in them ?' Is it not folly to refute the beft, and choofe the worft ? The trees in the field of Jotham's parable, defpifed the vine-tree which ehears both God and man, and the olive which is full of fatnels, and the fig-tree which is full of fweetnefs, and ehofe the bramble to reign over them ; this was a foolifh choice, Judg. ix. fo, for us to refufe the living God, who hath power to lave us, and to make choice of an idol, that hath eyes and fees not, feet, but walks not, Pf. cxv. 6. What a prodigy of madnefs is this ? Therefore, to be delivered from commiting fuch folly, is a mercy.

4. It is a mercy to be delivered from idolatrous places, becaufe of the fad judgments inflicted upon idolaters. This is a

fin which enrageth God, and makes the fury come up in bis face, Ezek. xxxviii. 18. Search through the whole book of God, and you (hall find no fin God hath followed with more plaguos than idolatry, Pf. xvi. 4. * Their forrows ftiall he muUiplied, that hallen after another god.' Pf. Isxviii. 58. 59. ' They nioved him tojealoufy with their graven images. When God lieard this he was wroth, and greatly abhorred H'rael ;* ver. 00. ' So that he forlook the tabernacle of Shiloh.' Shiloh was a cit}/ belonging to the tribe of Ephraim ; there God let his name, jer. vii. 12. But, for their idolatry God forlook that place, gave his people up to the fword, caul'ed his priefts to be fiain, his ark to be carried away captive, and it never returned to Shiloh any more. How fevere was God againft Ifrael for Avorfiiipping the golden calf? Exod. xxxii. 27. The Jews lay, that in every milery that befals them, there is zincio aurei vituli, an ounce of the golden calf in it. Rev. xviii, • Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her fins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.' Idolatry lived in, cuts men off from heaven, 1 Cor. vi. 9. So then it is no fmall mercy to be delivered out of idolatrous places.

Vfe 1. See the goodnefs of God to our nation, who hath brought us out of myftical Egypt, delivering us from popery, which is Romifii idolatry, and haih cauled the light of his truth to break forth giorioufly among us. In former times, and more lately in the Marian days, England was overfpread with idolatry ; we worfhipped God after a falfe manner ; that is idolatry, not only to worfliip a falfe god, but the true God in a falfe manner. '^J'his was our cafe formerly, we had purgatory, indulgen-cies, the idolatrous mafs, the Scriptures locked up in an unknown tongue, invocation of faints and angels, image-worfliip. Images are teachers of lies, Hab. ii. \S. Wherein do they teach lies ? becaule they reprelent God in a bodily (hape, whereas he cannot be feen, Deut. iv. 12. * ^efavv no fimilitude, only ye heard a voice.* Quod inviJlbUe eft, jiivgi, non poteji, A mbr. God cannot be pi6tured out by any finger? you cannot pidture the Ibul, being a fpirit ; much lets God, lia. xl. 18. * To whom then will ye liken God ?' The papifts fay, they worfliip God by the image; which hath a great abfurdity in it, for if it beab-furd to bow down to the pi(5ture of a king, when the king him-felf is prefent, then much more to bow down to the image of God, when God himfelt'is prefent, Jer. xxiii. 24. What is the popifh religion, but a bundle of ridiculous ceremonies? their •wax, flowers, pixes ag7ies Dei, cream and oil, beads, crucifixes : what are thete but Satan's policy, to drefs up a carnal worlhip, fitted to carnal minds ? Oh what caufe have we to blels God, for delivering us from popery! It was a mercy to be delivered from the Spanifli iuvalion and the powder-treafon; but afar

greater to be deliverefl from ihe popil]i religion, which would have njade God give us a bill of divorce..

'-2. If it be a great bleffing to bedelivered from Egypt, popidi idolatry ; then it fliews their fin and folly, who, being brought out of Egypt, are willing to return into Egypt again ; havnig put off the yoke of Rome, would fain put it on again. The apoftle failh, ' Flee from idolatry:' 1 Cor. x. 14. But thefe rather flee to idolatry : herein v;e are lil:e the people of Tfrael, who, notwithltanding all the idolatry and tyranny of Egypt, yet longed to go back to Egypt, Numb. xiv. 4. * Let us make a captain and return into Egypt.' But how (hall they go back into Egypt? how fhall they have food in the wildernefs? will God rain down manna any more upon fuch rebels.? how will they get over the red fea ? will God divide the water again by miracle, for fuch as leave his fervice, and go into idolatrous Egypt.? yet, (ay they. Let us make a captain. And are there not fuch (pirits amongil us, who fay, * Let us make a captain and go back to Romilh Egypt again .^ and if we do, what (hall we get by it.? I am afraid the leeks and onions of Egypt will make us Tick.' Do we ever think, if we drink in the cup of fornication, we (hall drink in the cup of falvation ? O that any fhould fo forfeit their reafon, as to enflave themielves to the fee of Rome ! that they (liould be willing to hold a candle to a mafs prieft, and bow down to a ftrange god ! let us not fay, we will make a captain; but rather fay as Ephraim, Hof. xiv. 8. * What have I to do any more with idols ?'

3. If it be a mercy to be brought out of Egypt, then it is not flefirable or fafe to plant one's felf in an idolatrous place, where it may be £i capital crime to be feen with a Bible in one's hand. Some for fecular gain thruft themielves among idolaters, and think there is no danger to live where Satan's ieat is : but do you pray God would not lead you into temptation, and do you lead yourfelves ? you are in great danger of being polluted : it is hard to be as the fi(h, which keeps frefh in fait waters. A man cannofdwell among the Blackmoors, but he will be difcoloured ; you will fooner be corrupted by idolaters, than they will be converted by you : Jofeph got no good by living in an idolatrous court; he did not teach Pharaoh to pray, but Pharaoh taught him to fwear, Pf. cvi. 35. They ' were mingled among the heathen, aud ferved their idols.' I fear this hath been the undoing of many ; they have feated themfeives amongft idolaters, for advancing their trade, and at lall have not only traded with them in their commodities, but in their religion.

Ufe 2. It is a mercy to be brought out of the land of Egypt, places which are defiled, and where fin reigns.? then it reproaches fuch parents as ihevv little love to the fouls of their children, whether it be in puttiiig them out to fervice or riiatch-

VoL. I. No. S. Y y

ing them. 1. In putting them out to fervice: their care fs chiefly for their bodies, that they may be provided for, but care not what becomes of their fouls ; their fouls are in Egypt, in houfes where there is drinking, fwearing, fabbath-breaking, and where God's name is every day difhonoured. 2. In matching their children, they look only at money, 2 Cor. vi. 24. • Be not ye unequally yoked :' if their children be equally yoked for eftate, they care not whether they be unequally yoked for religion : now, to fuch parents, I. Think how precious the foul of your child is; it is immortal, it is capable of communion with God, and angels: and will you let this foul be loft, by placing it in a bad family ? If you had an horfe you loved, you would not put him into a liable with other horfes that were lick and difeafed ; and do you not love your child better than your hoi-fe? 2. God hath intruded you with the fouls of your children, you have a charge of fouls. God laitli, as 1 Kings xx. 36. ' Keep this man ; if he be miffing, thy life fhall go for his life.' So faith God, if the foul of thy child mifcarry by thy negligence, his blood will I require at thy hand. Think of this, all ye parents ; take heed of placing your children in Egypt, in a wicked family; do not put them in the devil's mouth: find out a fober, religious family, fuch a family as Jolhua's, chap. xxiv. 15. * I and my houfe will ferve the Lord.' Such a family as Cranmer's which w^s pahv/tm pietatis, a nurfery of piety : fuch a family as is a Bethel, of which it may be faid, as Col. iv. 15. * The church which is in his houfe.*

Ufe 3. Let us pray that God would keep our Englifh nation from the defilements of Egypt, that it may not be again over-fpread with fuperftition and idolatry : O fad religion : not only to have our eltates, our bodies enflaved, but our confcience ; pray that the true protellant religion may ftill flourifii among us, that the fon of the gofpel may Hill fliine in our horizon. The gofpel lifts a peojjle up to heaven, it is columna et coranaregm\ the crown and glory of the kingdom : if this be removed, then Ichahod, the glory is departed. The top of the beech-tree being cut off, the whole body of the tree withers apace : the gofpel is the top of all our blefiings ; if this top be cut, the whole body politic will foon wither. O pray that the Lord will continue thevifible tokens of his prefence among us, his. ordinances, that England may be called, Jehovah Shammah, ' The Lord is there,' Ezek. xlviii. 35. Pray that righteoufnefs and peace may kils each other, that fo glory may dwell in our land.

ExOD. XX. 2. Out of the Houfe ofBoridage,

Egypt and the houfe of bondage are the fame, only they are exprelfed under a different notion. By Egypt is meant a place of idolatry and fuperftition ; by the houle of bondage is meant a place of afflidlion. Ifrael, while they were in Egypt, were under great tyranny ; they had cruel talk-maflers fet over them, who put them to hard labour, and fet them to make brick, yet allowed them nofiraw ; therefore Egypt is called the iron furnace, Deut. iv. 20. and Isere the houfe of bondage. From this expreQion, * 1 brought thee out of the houfe of bondage,' two things are to be noted ; 1. God's children may fome-times be under lbreaffli6lions, * In the houfe of bondage.' That God will, in his due time, bring them out of their afflidledftate,

* I brought thee out of the houfe of bondage.'

1. God's children may IbmeLimes be under fore affli6lions. In domo fervitutisy in the houfe of bondage : God's people have no writ of eafe granted them, no charter of exemption from trouble in this life : wlfile the wicked are kept in fugar, the godly are oft kept in brine. And indeed how could God's power be feen in bringing them out of trouble, if he did not fometimes bring them into it.? or how fliould God wipe away the tears from their eyes in heaven, if on earth they fhed none? doubtlefsGod fees there is need that his children iTiould be fometimes in the houfe of bondage, 1 Pet. i. 6. • If need be, ye are in heavinefs:' the body fometimes doth more need a bitter potion than a julap.

Qu. 1. Why God lets his people he in the houfe of bondage, in an qfflicied Jlate ?

Anf. He doth it, 1. For probation or trial, Deut. viii. 16.

* Who led thee through that terrible wildernefs, that he might humble thee and prove thee.' Affliction is the touch-llone of fmcerity, Pfal. xlvi. 10, 11. * Thou, O God, haft proved us; thou haft tried us as filver : thou laid ft affliction upon our loins.* Hypocrites may embrace the true religion in profperity, and court this queen while fhe halh a jewel hung at her ear : but he is a good Chriftian who will keep clofe to God in a time of fuf-fering, Pfal. xliv. 17. ' All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee ;' to love God in heaven, is no wonder : but to love God when he chaftileth us, this difcovers fincerity.

2. For purgation: to purge our corruption. Ardet palca, purgatur aurum, Ifa. xxvii. y. ' And this is all the fruit, to take away his (in.' The eye, though it be a tender part, yet when it is fore, we put fliarp powders and waters into it, to eat out the pearl : though the people of God are dear to him, yet,

Yy2

when corruption begins to grow in them, he will apply the fliarp powder or affliction, to eat out the pearl in the eye. Afflidiou is God's flail to threfh off our huflis; it is a means God ufeth to purge outfloth, luxury, pride and love of the world. ' God's furnace is in Zion,' Ha. xxxi. 5. This is not to confume, but to refine: wliat if we have more affliction, if by this means we have lefs fin.

3. For augmentation : to increafe the graces of the Spirit: grace thrives moft in the iron furnace ; fliarp frofl^s nourilh the corn, fb do fliarp affliftions grace : grace in the faints is often as fire hid in the embers, affliction is the bellows to blow it up into a flame. The Lord makes the houfe of bondage a friend to our grace : mow faith and patience a6l their part; the darknefs of the night cannot hinder the brightnefs of a ftar : fo, the more the diamond is rut, the more it fparkles; and the more God affli6ts us, the more our graces caft a fparkling luftre.

4. For preparation : to fit and prepare the faints for glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. Thefe ftones which are cut out for a building, are fiift hewn and fquared : the godly are called * living ftones,* 1 Pet. ii. 5. And God doth firft hew and polifli them by affliction, that they may be fit for the heavenly building : the houfe of bondage prepares for the houfe not made with hands, 2 Cor. V. 1. The vefl'els of mercy are feafoned with affli6lion, and then the wine of glory is poured in.

Qu. 2. How do the ajiidions of the godly differ from theaffUc-tions of the wicked P

AnJ'. 1. Thefe are but caftigations. thofe on the wicked are punilhments : thefe come from a father, thofe from a judge.

2. Affli6tions on the godly are fruits of covenant-mercy, 2 Sam. vii. 14. But affli6tions on the wicked are efle6ls of God's wrath, Eccl. v. 17. ' He hath much wrath with his ficknefs." Afthdions on the wicked are the pledge and earneft of hell : they are like the pinioning of a malefactor, which doth prefage his execution.

3. Affli6lions on the godly make them better, but afflictions on the wicked make them worfe : the godly pray more, Pfal. cxxx. 1. The wicked blafpheme more, Rev. xvi. 9. * Men were fcorched with great heat, and blafphemed the name of God.' Afllictionson the wicked make them more impenitent : every plague upon Egypt increafed the plague of hardnefs in Pharaoh's heart. To what a prodigy of wickednefs do fbme perfons come after great ficknefs ? affli6iion on the godly is like bruifing of fpices, which are more fweet and fragrant : affliction on the wicked is like ftamping of weeds with a peltle, which makes them more unfavoury.

Ufe 1. It fliews us, that we are not to wonder to feelfrael in the houfe of bondage, 1 Pet. iv, 12. The holinefsofthe faints

will not excufe them from fufFerings : Chrift was the holy one of God, yet he was in the iron furnace : Chrift's fpoufe is ulily among thorns, Cant. ii. 2. His fheep, though they have the ear-mark of ele6lion upon thepi, yet may have their wool fleeced off; the godly have ibme good in them, therefore the devil afflidls them ; and fome evil in them, therefore God afflidls them. While there are two feeds in the world, expe6t to be under the black rod. The gofpel tells us of reigning, but firlt of fuffering, 2 Tim. ii. 12.

2. It informs us, that afflidion is not always the fign of God's anger: Ifrael, the apple of God's eye, a peculiar treafure to him above all people, Exod. xix. 5. yet thefe were in the houfe of bondage. We are apt to judge and ceiifure them who are in an afflicted llate. When the Barbarians faw the viper on Paul's hand, they faid, * No doubt this man is a murderer,* A(5ls xxviii. 4. fo, when we fee the viper of affliction faften upon the godly, we are apt to cenfure them, and lay, thefe are greater finners than others, and God hates them : thisrafhcen-I'uring is for want of wifdom. Were not Ifrael in the houfe of bondage ? Jeremiah in the dungeon.? Paul a night and a day in the deep ? God's affliding is fo far from evidencing hatred, that his not affli6ling is, Hof. iv. 14. ' I will not punifh your daughters when they commit whoredom.* Dens maxime hxijci' tur cum non irafcitur, Bern. God puniflieth moll when he doth not punifh ; his hand is heavieft when it feems to be lighteft; thejudge will not burn him in the hand whom he intends to execute.

3. If God's own Ifrael may be in the houfe of bondage, then affli6lions do not of themfelves demonflrate a man miferable. Indeed fin unrepented of, makes one miferable ; but the crofs doth not. If God had a defign in afflicting his children, to make them happy, then they are not miferable ; but God's affliding them is to make them happy, therefore they are not miferable. Job. v. 17. * Happy is the man whom God corred-eth.' The world counts them happy, who can keep out of affliction ; but the fcripture calls them happy who are afflicted.

Qu. How are they happy ?

Anf. (I.) Becaufe they are more holy, Heb. xii. 10. (2.) Becaufe they are more in God's favour, Prov. iii. 12. 'fhe goldfmith loves his gold when in the furnace. (3.) Becaufe they have more of God's fweet prefence, Pf. xci. 15. And they cannot be unhappy that have God's powerful prel'ence in fupportmg, his gracious prefence in fanctifying their affliction. (4. J Becaufe, the more afflidtion they have, the more degrees of glory they Ihallhave : the lower they have been in the iron furnace, they Ihall fit upon the higher throne of glory : the heavier their croffes, the heavier fliall be their crown. So then, if

afflictions makes a Chriftian happy, they cannot denominate him milerable.

4. See the merciful providence of God to his children : though they may be in the houfe of bondage, and fmart by afflidlion, yet they Ihall not be hurt by affliction. What hurt doth the ifan to the corn ? only leparates the chaff from it : or the lance to the body ? only lets out the impollhume. The houfe of bondage doth that which fometime> ordinances will not do; it doth humble and reform. Job xxxvi, 8, 11. * If they be held in cords of affli6tion, he openeth their ear to difcipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.' O what a merciful providence is this, though God bruife his people ; yet, while he is bruifing them, he is donig them good? as if one ftiould throw a bag of money at another, and a little bruife him, yet it doth enrich him. Affliction enricheth the foul, and yields the fv\'eet fruits of righteoufnefs, Heb. xii. 11.

5. If Ifrael be in the houfe of bondage ; ^if the Lord deals fo with his own children, then, howfeverely will he deal with the wicked ? if God be fo fevere with them he loves, how fevere will he be with them he hates ? if it be done in the green tree, what Ihall be done in the dry? if they that pray and mourn for fin be fo feverely dealt with, what will become of them that fwear, and break the fabbath, and are unclean ? If Ifrael be in the iron furnace, the wicked fliall lie in the fiery furnace of hell. It fhould be the faddefl: news to wicked men, to hear that the people of God are affli6ted, let them think how dreadful will the cafe of (inners be, 1 Pet. iv. 17. * Judgment muft begin at the houfe of God ; and if it firft begin at us, what ihall the end be of them that obey not the gofpel ?* If God threlh his wheat, he will burn the chaff. If the godly fufler caftigation, the wicked fhall fulfer condemnation. If he mingle his people's cup with wormvt'ood he will mingle the wicked's cup with fire and brim (lone.

2. Uj'e i. If Ifrael be in the houfe of bondage, then do not entertain too hard thoughts of affli6tion. Chriilians are apt to look upon the crofs and the iron furnace as frightful things, and do what they can to fliun them. Nay, fometimes to avoid affli6tion, they run themielves into fin. But do not think too hardly of aflliCtion ; do not look upon it as through the multi-plying'glafs of fear ; the houfe of bondage is not hell. Confi-der, Firjif whence doth affliction come ? even from a wife God, who prefcrihes whatever befalls us. Perfecutions are but like apothecaries. They give us that phyfic which God prefi:ribes. Secondly, affli6tion hath its light fide as well as its dark. God can iweeten our afflictions, candy our wormwood, 3 Cor. i. 5. * As our futfcriiigs abound, fo doth all our confolation.' Arge-rius dated his letters from the pleafmt garden of the Leonine

prlfon, God doth fometimes fo revive his children in trouble, that they had rather bear their afflidions than want their comforts. Why then fhould Chridians entertain fuch hard thoughts of affliction ? do not look at its grim face, but at the meflage it brings, which is to enrich us both with grace and comfort.

Srf/y, If Ifrael be fometimes in the houfe of bondage, in an affli6ted (late, then think before-hand of affli6iion ; fay not as Job xxix. 18. * I (hall die in my neft.' In the iioufe of mirth, think of the houfe of bondage ; you that are now Naomi, may be Marah, Ruth i. 20. how quickly may the fcene turn, and the hyperbole of joy end in a catallrophe ; all outward things are upon the Tropics, given to change. The forethoughts of affli6lion would make us fbber and moderate in the ufe of lawful delight; it would cure a furfeit. Chrill at a feaft mentions his burial; a good antidote againlt a furfeit. The forethoughts of affliction would make us prepare for it ; it would take us off the world, it would put us upon a fearch of our evidences.

We fhould fee what oil we have in our lamp, what grace we can find, that we may be able to fland in the evil day. That foldier was imprudent who had his fword to whet, when he was juft going to fight. He who forecails fufl'erings, will have the Ihield of faith, and the fword of the Spirit ready, that he may not be furprized.

Mly, If afflidlions do come, let us labour to deport ourfelves wifely asChrillians, that we may adorn our fufferings : that is, let us endure with patience ; James v. 10. * Take, my brethren, the prophets for an example of enduring affli6lion and patience.* Satan labours to take advantage of us in affli6tion, by making us either faint or murmur ; he blows the coals of pa(non and difcontent, and then warms himfelf at the fire. Patience adorns futferings, A Chrifl;ian fhould fay as Jefus Chriff, ' Lord, not mv will, but thy will be done.' And indeed, it isaiiirn the afflidlion is fanctified, when the heart is brought to a fweet fub-mTlIiye frame, and then God will remove the aillidtion : he will take us out of the iron furnace. And that brings me to the fecond thing, God's deliverance of his people Ifrael, ' I brought you out of the houfe of bondage.'

ExoD. XX. 9. Who brought thee out of the houfe of bondage.

We may con fid er thefe words, * Who brought thee out of the houfe of bondage;' either, 1. Literally; or, '2. Spiritually, and myf^ically. (I.) In the letter, * I brought tliee out of the houfe of bondage ;* that is, I delivered you out of the mlfery and fervitude youfuflained in Egypt, when you were in

the iron furnace. (2.) Spiritually and myllically, * I broughfc thee out of the houfe ot bondage.' So it is a type of our deliverance by Chrift from lin and hell.

Firji, Literally, in the letter, * I brought thee out of the houfe of bondage.' viz. out of great mifery and flavery in the iron furnace. The thing 1 note hence is, though God bring his people fonietimes into trouble, yet he will bring them out again, Ilrael was in the houfe of bondage, but at lall I brought you out of bondage. 1. That God doth deliver out of trouble. 2. In what nianner. 3. When are the feafons. 4. Why God delivers. 5. How the deliverances of the godly and wicked out of trouble differ ?

\Jl, That God doth deliver his children out of troubles, Pfal. xxii. 4. ' Our fathers trufled in thee, they trufted, and thou didil deliver them,' 2 Tim. iv. 17. * And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion,* vk. from Nero. Pial. Ixvi. 11, 12. ' Thou laidd afflidion upon our loins, but thou broughteft us out into a wealthy place.' Pfal. xxx. 5. * Heavinefs may endure fora night, but joy cometh in the morning.' God brought Daniel out of the lion's den, Zion out of Babylon. God, in his due time, gives an iffue out of trouble, Pfal. Ixviii. 20. The tree which in the winter feemsdead, in the Ipring revives : Poji nubila Phcebus. Afflidlion may leap on us as the viper did on Paul, but at lad this viper fhall be fliaken otf. It is called a cup of ail]i6l!on, Ifa. li. 17- The wicked drink a fea of wrath, the godly drink only a cup of affliction, and God will fay fliortly. Let this cup paftf away. God will give his people a goal-delivery. *

2r//?/, Qu. In what manner doth God deliver his people out of trouble ?

Anf. He doth it like a God, in wifdom. 1. He dolh it fometimes fuddenly. As the angel was cauled to fly fvviftly, Dan. ix. 21. fo God fometimes makes a deliverance fly fwihly upon the wing, and on a fudden he turns the fiiadow of death into the light of the morning. As God gives us mercies above what we can think, Eph. iii. 20. fo fometimes before we can think of them, Pfal. cxxvi. 1. 'When the Lord turned the captivity of Sion, we were like them that dreamed ;' we were in a dream, we never thought of it. Jofeph could not have thought of fuch a fudden alteration, to be the fame day freed out of prifon, and made the chief ruler in the kingdom. Mercy fometimes does not Hick long in the birth, but it is brought forth on a fudden. 2. God fometimes delivers his people ftrangely. That the whale which Iwallowed up Jonah Ihould be a means to bring him lafe to land, God fometimes delivers his people in that very way they think he will deftroy : in bringing ilrael out of Egypt, God ilirred up the heart of the Egyptians

to hate them, Pfal. cv. 23. ami that was the means of their deliverance. He brought Paul to fliore by a contrary wind, and upon the broken pieces of the fhip, A6ls xxvii. 44.

3dh/, Qu. When are the times and feafons that God ufually delivers his people out of the bondage ofaflidlion ?

Anf. \. When they were in the greateft extremity. When Jonah was in the belly of hell, then, chap. ii. 5. ' Thou halt brought up my life from corruption.' When there is but an hair's-breadth between the godly and death, then God ufhers in deliverance. When the iLip in the golpel was almoll covered with waves, then Chrill awoke and rebuked the wind. When Kaac was upon the altar, and the knife going to be put to his throat, then comes the angel, * Lay not thy hand upon the child.' When Peter began to fink, then Chrift took him by the hand. Cum dupUcantur lateres, venit, Mofes; when the tale of brick was doubled, then comes Mofes the temporal fa-vioisr. When the people of God are in the greateft danger, then appears the morning-ftar of deliverance. When the patient is ready to faint, then the cordial is given.

2. The fecond feafon is, when affliction hath done its work upon them: when it hath etFe6led that which which God hath fent it for. As, (1.) When it hath humbled them. Lam. iii. 19. * Remembering my affli6lion, the wormwood and gall, my loul is humbled in me.' When God's corrofive hath eaten out the proud flefli. (2.) When it hath tamed their impatience-Before, they were proud and impatient, like froward children that would ftruggle with their parents: but when their curft hearts are tamed, and they lay as Micah vii. 9. * I will bear the indignation of the Lord, becaufe I have finned againft him;* and as Eli, ' It is the Lord ; let him do what feems good :' Let him hedge me with thorns, if he v/ill plant me with grace.

3. When they are more partakers of God's holinefs, Heb. xii. 10. they are more full of heavenly-mindednefs. When the Iharp froit of affli6tion hath brought forth the fpring-flowers of grajce, now the crofs is fanclified, and"God will bring them out of the houfe of bondage. Lucius in Icetitiam vertetar, cineres in 'corollas. When the metal is refined, then it is taken out of the furnace ; when affli6lion hath healed us, then God takes otf the Imarting plaifter.

Aihbj, Qu. Why doth God bring his people out of the houfe of bondage ?

Anf. Hereby he makes way for his ov/n glory. God's glory is dearer to him than any thing befides; it is a crown-jewel. God by raifing his people, raileth the trophies of his own honour: he glorifies his attributes; his pov/er, goodueft;, truth, do allride in triumph.

1. His power. If God did not fometimijs bring his people

Vol. I. No. 8. Z z • ' ^

into trouble, how would this power be feen in bringing theni out? he brought Ifrael out of the houfe of bondage, with miracle upon miracle; he faved them with an out-llretched arm, Pfal. cxiv. 5. * What ailed thee, O thou fea, that thou fleddeft?* &c. It is ipoken of Ifrael's march out of Egypt; * When the fea fled, and the waters were parted from each other.' Here was the power of God fet forth, Jer. xxxii. 27. ' Is any thing too hard for me ?' God loves to help, when things feem pail hope; he creates deliverance, Pfal. cxxiv. 8. He brought Ifaac out of a dead womb, and the ISIeffiah out of a virgin's ■womb. O how doth his power fhine forth, when he overcomes feeming impoflibilities, and works a cure when things look def-perate!

2. His truth. God hath made promifes to his people when: they are under great preiTures to deliver them ; and his truth is engaged in his promife, Plal. 1. lo. ' Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee.' Job v. 19. * He (hall deiiver thee in fix troubles, and in feven.' How is the fcripture be-fpangled with thefe promifes, as the firmament is with flars? cither God will deliver them from death, or by death ; he'>vill make a way to efcape, 1 Cor. x. 13. AVhen promifes are veri-fjed, God's truth is magnified.

3. His goodnefs. God is full of compafilon to fuch as are in mifery. The Hebrew word, Racham, for mercy, fignifies bowels, God hath ' founding of bowels,' Ifa. Ixiii. lo. And this fympathy flirs up God to deliver, Ifa. Ixiii. 0. ' In his love and pity he redeemed them.' This makes way for the triumph of Gud's goodnefs. For he is tender-hearted, he will not over-aftlidt; he cuts afunder the bars of iron, he breaks the yoke of the opprefibr. Thus all his attributes ride in triumph, in fav-ing his people out of trouble.

bthli/, Qu. How the deliverance of the godly and icicked out of trouble, differ? '

Anf. 1. The deliverances of the godly are prefervations; of the wicked are refervations, 2 Pet. ii. 9. * The Lord knowshow to deliver the godly, and to referve the unjull to be puniflied.* A finner may be delivered from dangerous ficknefs, and out of prifon ; but all this is but a refervation to fome greater evil.

2. God delivers the wicked (or rather fpares them) in anger. Deliverances to the wicked are not given as pledges of God's love, butfymptomsof difpleafure ; asqiiails were given to Ifrael in anger. But deliverances of the godly are in love, 2 Sam. xxii. 20. * He delivered me becaufe he delighted in me.' Ifa* xxxviii. 17. ' Thou hall, in love to my foul, delivered me from the pit of corruption ;' or as in the Hebrew, ChnfJiiacia Naphjhi, Thou hall loved me from the pit of corruption. A wicked man may fay, Lord, thou haft delivered me out of the pit of corrup-

lion ; but a godly man may fay. Lord, thou haft loved me out of the pit of corruption. It is one thing to have God's power deUver us, and another thing to have his love deliver us. O, faith Hezekiah, * Thou hail, in love to my foul, delivered me from the pit of corruption.' Qu. How may it he known that a deliverance comes in lovef Anf. 1. When a deliverance makes our heart boil over in iove to God, Pfal. cxvi, 1. * I love the Lord, hecaufe he hath heard my voice.' It is one thing to love our mercies, another thing to love the Lord : then a deliverance is in love, when il caufeth love.

2. Then a deliverance is in love, when we have hearts to improve it for God's glory. The wicked inllead of improving their deliverance for God's glory, improve their corruption : they grow worfe after, as the metal when it is taken out of the fire grows harder; but then our deliverance is in love, when we improve it for God's glory. God raifeth us out of a low condition, and we lift him up in our praifes, and honour him with jour fubftance, Prov. iii. 9. He recovers us from ficknefs, and we fpend ourfelves in his fervice. Mercy is not as the fun to the fire, to dull it, and put it out; but as oil to the wheel, to make it move fader.

3. Then a deliverance comes in love, when it makes us more exemplary in holinefs : our lives are walking Bibles. A thou-fand praifes and doxologies do not honour God fo much as the mortifying of one lull, Obadiah 17- * On mount Zion there ihall be deliverance and holinefs.' When thefe two go together, deliverance and holinefs; when, being made monuments of jnercy, we are patterns of piety ; now a deliverance comes in love, and we may fay as Hezekiah, * Thou haft loved me out of the pit of corruption.'

Vfe 1. If God brings his people out of bondage, then let none defpond in trouble, fay not, I (hall fink under this burden ; as David, ' I [hall one day perith by the hand of Saul.' God can make this text good perfonalhj and rmtionally, to bring his people out of the houfe of bondage ; when he fees a fit feafon, he will put forth his arm and lave them; and he can do it with eafe, 2 Chron. xiv. 11. * It is nothing for thee. Lord, to help.' He that turns the tides, can turn the times : he that raifed Lazarus when he was dead, can raife thee when thou art fick, Ifa. Ixiii. 5. ' I looked, and there was none to help : therefor* :uy own arm brought falvation.' Do uot defpond ; believe m God's power: faith lets God on work lo deliver us.

life 2. Labour (if you are in (ouble) to be fitted for deliverance : many would have vdeiivcrance, but are not fitted for it.

Qu. Wueu are we fitted for deliverance F • Zz2 ■

Anf. When we are, by our afflidions, conformed to Chrift: namely, when we have learned obedience, Heb. v. 8. * He learned obedience by the things which he lufTered •/ that is, he learned Aveet lubniiflion to his Father's will. Luke xxii. 42.

• Not my will but thy will be done.' When W'e have thus learned obedience by our lufl'erings, we are willing to do what God Would have us do, and be what God would have us be. Now we are conformed to Chrift, and are fitted for dehverartce.

3. If God had brought you at any time out of the houfe of bondage, out of great and imminent troubles, be much in doxology and praile. Deliverance calls for praife, Pfal. xxx. 11, 19. ' Thou had put off my fackcloth ; and girded me with gladnefs : to the end that my glory may fing praife to thee.* My glory, that is, my tongue, which is the initrument of glorifying thee. The faints are temples of the Holy Ghofl, 1 Cor. iii. l(j. Where (hould God's praifes be founded but in his tem»-pie? BenefiduM poftidatefficium : the deepeffcfprings yield the iweeted water ; and hearts deeply fenfible of God's deliverances yield the fweeteft praifes. Mofes tells Pharaoh, when he was going out of Egypt, ' We will go with our flieep and cattle,' Exod. X. 9. Why fo, becaufe he might have facrifices of thanklgiving ready to 'offer to God for their deliverance. To have a thankful heart for deliverance is a greater blelfing than the deliverance itfelf, Luke xvii. 15. One of the lepers,

* when he faw he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God.' The leper's thankful heart was a greater blelfing than to be healed of his leprofy: have any of you here been brought out of the houfe of bondage : out of priibn, fick-nefs, or any death-threatening danger? do not forget to be thankful: be not graves, but temples. And, that you may be more thankful, obferve every emphafis and circumftance inyoutv deliverance ; as to be brought out of trouble when you were in drtkulo mortis, there was but an hair's-breadth between you and death; or to be brought out of affliction, without fin, you did not purchafe your deliverance by theenfnaring of your confcien-ces ; or, to be brought out of trouble upon the wings of prayer; 6r, that tliofe who were the occafions of bringing you into trouble, Ihould be theinltrumentsof bringingyou out: thefecircum-Hances, being well weighed, do heighten a deliverance, and lliould heighten our thankfulnefs. I'he cutting of a ftone may be of more value than the ftone itfelf; and the circumfiancing of a deliverance may be greater than the deliverance itfelf.

Qu. 2. But how fliall we prai/e God in a right manner for deliverance 9

Anf. 1. Be holy perfons. In the facrifice of thanklgiving, whoibever did eat thereof, with then" uncleannefs upon them.

wefe lb be cut off, Lev. vii. 20. to typify how unpleafing their praifes and thank-oU'erings are who live in fin.

2. PraiCe God with humble hearts, acknowledge how unworthy you were ol" deliverance ; God's mercies are not debts, but legacies ; and that you fhould have a legacy given you, be humble, Rev. xi. 10". * The elders fell upon their faces (an ex-prefiTion of humility) and worfhipped and prail'ed God.'

3. Praile God for deliverances cordially, Pfal. cxi. I. * I will praife the Lord with my whole heart.' In religion there is no mufic but in concert, when heart and tongue join.

4. Praii'e God for deliverances conllantly, Pfal, cxlvi. ?. * While I live will I blefs the Lord :' fome will be thankful while the memory of a deliverance is fredi, and then they leave otL Like the Carthaginians, who ufed at fird to fend the tenth of their yearly revenue to Hercules: but by degrees they grew weary, and left off fending. But we mull be c^anftant in our eucharillical facrifice or thank-ofl'ering : the motion of our praile muil be like the motion of our pulfe, which beats as long as life lails, Pfal. cxlvi. L ' I will fing praifes to my God svhile I have a beino".'

ExoD. XX. 2. Out of the Houfe of Bondage.

Secondly, These words are to be underftood rayftically-and fpiritually. By Ifrael's deliverance from the houfe of bondage, is typified their fpiritual deliverance from fin, Satan and hell.

I. from/in.'] The houfe of bondage was a typeof Ifrael's deliverance from fin. Sin is the true bondage, itenflaves the foul. Nihil durias fervitute, Cicero. " Of all conditions, fervitudeis the wortl." *' I was held before couverfion (faith Aullin) not with an iron chain, but with the obllinacy of mine own will.'* Sin is the inllaver: fin is called a law, Rom. vii. 23. becaufe it hath fuch a binding power overa man ; and it is faid to reign, Rom. vi. 1^. becaufe it exercifeth a tyrannical power: and men are faid to be the fervants of fin, Rom.- vi. 17. becaufe they are fo enflaved by it. Thus fin is the houfe of bond„tge Ifrael was not lb enflaved in the iron furnace, as the finner is by lin : thofe are worfe flaVes and vaffals who are under the power of fin, than thofe who are under the power, of earthly tyrants.

1. Otker flaves have the tyrants only ruling over their bodies; but the finner hath his foul tyrannized over; the foul, that princely thing, which fways the Iceptre of reafon, and was once crowned with perfed knowledge and holinefs, now this

prince croes on foot; it is enflaved, and made a lackey to every bale lull.

• 2. Other Haves have fome pity fhevvn them ; the tyrant gives them meat, and lets them havt; hours for their reft; but fin is a merrilefs tyrant, it will let men have no reft. Judas had no reft until he had betrayed Chrift; and after that, he had lefs reft in his confcience. How doth a man hackney himfelf out in the fervice of lin, wafte his body, break his fteep, diftra6t his mind.? a wicked man is every day doing fin's drudgery-work.

. 3. Other (laves, tho' they are fet about fervile work, yet about lawful : it is lawful to work in the galley, tug at the oar; but all the iaw^s and commands of fin are unlawful. Sin faith to one man, defraud ; to another, be unchafte ; to another, take revenge ; to another, take a falfe oath. Thus all fin's com-f)>ands are unlawful; we cannot obey fins law, but by breaking tJoil's law.

4. Other flaves are forced againft their will; Ifrael groaned under flavery, Exod. ii. 23. but finners are content to be under the command of fin ; they are willing to be flaves, they love their chains, they will not take their freedom ; they ' glory in their ftiame,' Phil. iii. 19. They wear their fins, not as their -fetters, but their ornaments : they rejoice in iniquity, Jer. xi. 15.

5. Other flaves are brought to corre6tion, but fin's flaves are, svithout re[)entance, brought to condemnation : other flaves lie in the iron furnace, fin's (laves lie in the fiery furnace. What freedom of will hath afinner to his own confufion, when he can do nothing but what fia will have him ? he is enflaved. Thus finners are in the houfe of bondage ; but God takes his ele6tout of this houfe of bondage : he beats otf the chains aiid fetters of fin ; he rel'cues them IVom their flavery ; he makes them free, by bringing them into the glorious liberty of the childrenof God, Rom. viii. The law of love now commands, not the law of fin. Though the life of lin be prolonged, yet not the dominion : as thofe beafty in Daniel had their lives prolonged for a dealbn, but their dominion was taken away, Dan. vii. 12. The taints are made fpiritual kings, to rule and conquer their corruptions, to • bind thefe kings in chains.' This is the matter of 4he higheft praife and thankfgiving, to be thus taken out of the Jjoule of bondage, to be freed from inflaving lufts, and made kbigs to reign in glory for ever.

II. The bringing ifrael out of the houfe of bondage, was a type of their deliverance from Satan. Thus men naturally are in the houfe of bondage, they are enflaved to Satan : Satan is called the prince of this world, John xiv. 30. and the god of this worldj 2 Cor. iv. 4. becaufe he hath fuch power to com-

TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. S67

inand and enflave them. Though Satan fhall one day he a dofi* prifoner in chains, yet now he doth infultand tyrannize over the ibuis of men ; finnersare under the rule of Satan, he exercifeth over them fuch a jurifditlion as Ceefar did over the fenate. 'i'he devil fills men's heads with error, and their hearts with malice. Ads V. 3. * Why hath Satan tilled thine heart?' A finner's heart is the devil's mantion-houfe, Matth. xii. 44-. ' I will return inta mine houie.* And lure that muft needs be an houfe of bondage, which is the devil's manfion-houfe. Satan is a perfe6t tyrant: I. He rules men's minds, he blinds them with ignorance, "^J Cor. iv. 4. ' The god of this world hath blinded the minds of theffi that believe not.*" 2. He rules their memories ; they Ouill remember that which is evil, and forget that which is good ; their memories are like a fercer or llrainer, that lets go all the pure liquor, and returns only the dregs. He rules their wills : tho-' the devil cannot force the will yet he draws it, John viii. 44. The luftsof your father you will do.' He hath got your hearts, and him you will obey : his flrong temptations do more draw-men to evil, than all the promifes of God can draw tbem to good. This is the ftate of every man by nature, he is in the houfe of bondage, the devil hath him in his power: a IJimer grinds in the devil's mill ; he is at the command of Satan, as the afsis at the command of the driver. No wonder to fee men opprefs and perfecute; thefe flaves muft do what the god of this world will have them : how could thofe fwine but run,, when the devil entered into them ? Matth. viii. 32. When the devil tempted Ananias to tell a lie, he could not but fpeak what Satan had put iu his heart, A6tsv. 3. When the devil entered into Judas, and bid him betray Chriil, Judas would do it. though he hanged himCelf. This cafe is fad and dilmal, to be thus in the houfe of bondage, under the power and tyranny of Satan. When David would curfe the enemies of God, how did he pray againft them ? That Satan might be at their right-hand, Pf. cix, 6. He knew he could lead them into any fuare : if Satan be at the finner's right-hand, let the linnert.ike heed iie be not let on God's left-hand. Is not this a cafe to be bewailed, to fee men taken captive by Satan at his will ? 2 Tim. ii. '-26. he leads dinners as flaves before him in triumph ; he poifeffeth them. If people fhould fee but their beafts bewitched and poU'efftth of the devil, they would be much troubled ; yettheir fouls are pof-feffed by Satan, but they are not fenfible. [What can be worl'e than to be in the houfe of bondage, to have the devil luniy nsen on in their lufl to perdition?] Sinners are willingly enflaved to Satan ; they love their goaler ; are content to (it diiquietly under Satan's jurifdidlion ; they chufe this bramble to rule them, tho', within a while, fire will come out of this bramble to devour them. Judges ix. NoWj Vv'hat_an.iniinite mercy of God is

SG3 OF THE PREFACE

it, when he brings poor fouls out of this houfe of bondage, when he gives them a goal-delivery from the prince of tlarknefs I Jesus Cjirisx redeems captives, he ranfoms finners'by price, and refcties them by force ; as David took a lamb out of the lion's mouth, I Sam. xvji. 34. So Chrift refcuesfoulsout of the mouth of this roaring lion. O what a mercy is it to be brought out of the houfe of bondage, to be taken from being made captives to the prince of the power of the air, and to be made fub-je6ts of the Prince of peace 1 And this is dene by the preaching of the word, Ads xxvi. 18. ' To turn them from the power of Satan unto God.'

III. The bringing of Ifrael out of the houfe of bondage, was a type of their being delivered from hell. Hell is domns fervi-tutis, an houfe of bondage; an houfe built on purpofe for fmners to lie in.

1. That there is fuch an houfe of bondage where the damned Jie, Pf. ix. 17. * The wicked fliall be turned into hell.' Mat. ixxiii. S3. ' How can ye efcape the damnation of heil t' If any one fliail afk where this houfe of bondage is, where is the place oi heli? I wi(h you may never know feelingly. " Let us not fo iTiuch (faith Chryfoftom) labour to know where hell is, as how to elcape it." Yet, to fatisfy curiolity, hell is locusfiibterra-neus, iome place beneath, Prov. v. '2?4. ' Hell beneath.' Hefiod Jaith, 'Hell is as far under the earth, as heaven is above it,* Luke viii. 31. ♦ The devils befought Chriil that he would not command them to go into the deep.' Hell is in the deep.

2. Qu.. IVhy there mitji be this houfe of bondage ? why a hell ?

A?ir. Becaufe there muft be a place for the execution of divine juftice ; earthly monarchs have their prilbn for malefactors, and Ihall not God have his ; finners are criminal pcrfons, they have offended God ; and it would not confifl with God's holl-rjefs and juftice, to have his laws infringed, and not appoint penalties for the tranlgrelfors.

3. The dreadfulnefs of this place. Could you but for one hour hear the groans and (lirieks of the damned, it would confirm you in this truth, that heil is an houie of bondage : heli is the emphafis of mifery. Befides the pofna datnni, the puniOi-ment of lofs, which is the exclufion of the foul from the glorified fight of God, which divines think the worll part of hell ; I fay, bt'fidcs this, there will be pania fenjus, the punilhment of lenfe. If, when God's wrath is kindled but a little, and a fpark of it flies into a man's conlcience in this life, it is fo terrible (as in the cafe of Spira) then what will hell itfelf be } That I may delcribe this houfe of bondage,

1. In hell there will be a plurality of torments, 1. Bonds and chains, 2 Pet. ii. 4. 2. The v.'prin, Mark i?c. 44. this is the

Worm of confcience: and the lukeof fire, Rev. xx. 15, other fire is but painted to this.

2. This houfe of hell is haunted with devils, Matth. xxv. 41. Anfehn hath a faying, " I had rather endure all torments, than fee the devil with bodily eyes." Such as go to hell muft not only be forced to behold the devil, but mull be (hut up in the den with this lion ; they muft keep the devil company : the devil is full of Ipite againll mankind ; this red dragon will fpit fire in men's faces.

3. The torments of hell abide for ever, Rev. xiv. 11. * The fmoke of their torment afcendeth up for ever and ever,' Mark ix. 44. Time cannot finilh it, tears caimot quench it : the wicked are falamanders ; who live always in the fire of hell, and are not confumed : after finners have lain millions of years in hell, their punifhment is as far from ending, as it was at the

'beginning. If all the earth and fea were land, and every thou-fandth year a bird fhould come, and take away one grain of this fand, it would be a long time ere that vaft heap of fand were emptied ; yet, if after all that time the damned might come out of hell, there were fome home hope ; but this word EVER breaks the heart.

Qu. But how doth thisfeem tojiand ubith God's ju/iice, for a jin committed in a moment, to puni/li it with eternal torment ?

Anf. 1. Becaufe there is an eternity of fin in man's nature. 2. BecauCe (in is crimen laefae majejiatis, it is committed againfl an infinite majefty ; therefore the fin is infinite, and proportion-ably the punilhment muft be infinite. Now, becaufe a finite creature cannot bear infinite wrath, therefore he muft be eternally fatisfying what he cannot I'utisfy at once. Now then, if hell be fuch an houfe of bondage, wbat infinite caufe have they to blefs God, who are delivered from it ? 1 Theff. i. 20. * Jefus delivered us from the wrath to come.' Jefus Chrift fuffered the torments of hell in his foul, that believers fhould not fuller them. If we are thankful, when we are ranfomed out of pri-lbn,'or delivered from fire, O how fhould we blefs God to be preferved from the wrath to come! And that which may caufe the more thankfulnefs, is becaufe the moft part go into this houfe of bondage, the moft part go to hell : therefore to be of the number of thefe few that are delivered from it, it is matter of infinite thankfulnefs. I fay, moft go to this houfe of bondage when they die ; moft go to hell, Matth. vii. 13. ' Broad is the way which leadeth unto deftru6tion, and many there be that go in thereat.' The greatelt part of the world lies in wickednefs, I John V. UK Divide the world, laith Brerewood, into thirty-one parts, nineteen parts of it are poH'eiTed by Jews and Turks, ie\iex\ parts by Heathens ; fo that there are but five parts of Chriftians, and among thefe Chrifiiansfo many ftduced PapLft.s

Vol. I. No. 8 3 A

on the one hand, and fo many formal Pioteftants on the other;, that we may concUide the major part of the world goes to heL 1. The fcripture compares the wicked to briers, Ifa. x. 17. There are but few lilies in your fields, but in every hedge thorns and briers. 2. To ' the mire in the llreets,' Ifa. x. 6. Few jewels or precious ftones in the ftreet, but you cannot go a Hep but you meet with mire. The wicked are as common as the dirt in the ftreet: look into the generality of people, how many drunkards for one that is Ibber ? how many adulterers for one that is chafte? how many hypocrites for one that is fincere ? The devil hath the harveft, and God only a few gleanings. Oil then^ fuch as are delivered from the houfe of bondage, hell, have infinite caule to admire and blefs God. How fhould the velfels of mercy run over with thankfulnefs ? when moft are carried prifoners to hell, they are delivered from wrath to come.

Qu. Mow fhall I hiow I am delivered from hell?

Anf. 1. Thofe whom Chrift laves from hell, he faves from iin, Matth. i. 21. ' He (hall fave his people from their fins.* Hath God delivered you from the power of corruption, from pride, malice, luft ? if he hath delivered you from the hell of fm, then he hath delivered you from the hell of torment. . 2. If you have got an interell in Chrift, prizing, confiding, loving him, then you are delivered from hell and damnation^ Rom. viii. 1. ' No condemnation to them that are in Chrift Jefus.' If you are in Chrill, then he hath put the garment of his righteoufnefs over you, and hell-fire can never finge this garment. Pliny obferves, nothing will fo foon quench fire as falfe and blood : the fait tears of repentance and the blood of Chrift will quench the fire of hell, that it fhall never kindle upon you..

OF THE COMMANDMENTS.

ExoD. XX. 3. Thoujhalt have no other gods before-mCf ^e:^..

Before I come to the commandment, I fhall premife fome things about the moral law : viz. anfwer queftions, and lay down rules.

Qu. 1. What is the difference between the moral law and the gvjpel f

AriJ'. I. The law requires that we worfiiip God as our Crea-» tor; the gofpel requires that we worlhip God in and through Chrift. God in Chrift is propitious: out of Chrift we may fee God's power, juftice, holinels; in Chrift we lee his mercy difplayed.

2. The moral law requires obedience, but gives no ftrength

'Kas Pharaoh required brick, but gave no draw) but the gofpel gives Itrength ; the gofpel beftovvs faitli upon theele6l, the gol-pel fvveetens the law, it makes us ferve God with delight.

Qu. 2. Of what life then is the moral laic to us?

Anf. The law is a glai's to Thew us our fins, that fo, feeing our pollution and mifery, we may be forced to flee to Chriil to fatisty for former guilt, and fave from future wrath. Gal. ii. 24. * The law was our tchoolmafter to bring us to Chrift.

Qu. 3. But is the moral law Jiillin force to believers? is it not aboli/Iied to them f

Anf. In KQVCiQ. fenfe it is aboliflied to believers. 1. In refpe6b ofjuftification ; they are not jurtified by their obedience to the moral law. Believers are to make great ule of the moral law (as I (hall fhew) but they muft truft only to ChriiVs righteoul^ .nets for jullification ; as Noah's dove made ufe of her wings to fly, but truiled to the ark for ikfety. If the moral law could juf-tify, what need were there of Chrift's dying ? 2. The moral law is abolifhed to believers, in refpedl of the malediction of it : they are freed from the curie and damnatory power of it, Gal. iii. 13. ' Chrift hath redeemed us from the curie of the law, being made a curie for us.'

Qu. 4. How was Chriji made a curfe for us? Anf, Chrill may be conlidered, 1. As the Son of God, and fo he was not made a curfe. 2. As our pledge and furety, Heb. vii. 22. and fo he was made a curfe for us : this curfe was not upon his Godhead, but upon his manhood. Thiscurle was the wrath of God lying upon him ; and thus Chrift hath taken away from believers the curfe of the law, by being made a curie for them. But tho' the moral law is thus far aboliftied, yet it remains as a perpetual rule to believers : though the moral law be not their Saviour, yet it is their guide : though it be not fosdus, a covenant of life ; yet it is norma, a rule of living : every Chrifiian is bound to conform to the moral law ; and write, as exa6lly as he can, after this copy, Rom. iii. 31. ' Do we then make void the law through faith, God forbid.' Though a Chriftian is not under the condemning power of the law, yet he is under the commanding power; to love God, to reverence and obey him, this is a law always binds, and will bind in heaven. This 1 urge againft the Antinoniians, who fay, the moral law is abrogated to believers; which, as it oc>ntradiets fcripture, fo it is a key to open the door to all licentioufnefs. They who •will not have the law to rule them, fliall never have the gofpel to fave them. Having anfwered thele queftions, I fliall in the next place, lay down Ibme general rules for the right under-^landing ot the Decalogue, or Ten commandments : thefe rules may ferve to give us fome light into the fenfe and meaning of the commandments.

3 A2

S72 ©T THE COMMANDMENTS.

Rule I. The commands and prohibitions of the moral law rf*arh the heart.

1. The commands of the moral law reach the heart: tiie commandments requiie not only outward actions but inward affections; they require not only the outward a6l of obedience, but the inward atie(!>tion of love, Deut. vi. 5. * Thou fhalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart.*

2. The threats and prohibitions of the moral law reach the heart; the law of God forbids not only the a6t of fin, but the defire and inclination ; not only doth it forbid adultery, but lufl* ing, Matth. v. <^8. Not only Healing, but coveting, Rom.vii. 7. Lex hiimana ligat manum, lex djvAna comprimet animam : man's law binds only the hands, God's law binds the heart.

Bule 2. In the commandments there is ^Jynechdoclie, more is intended than isfpoken. 1. Where any duty is commanded, there the contrary fin is forbidden, ^c. When we are commanded to keep the fabbath-day holy, there we are forbidden to break the fabbath : when we are cominanded to live in a calling, • Six days flialt thou labour,' there we are forbidden to live idly, and out of a calling. 2. Where any fin is forbidden, there the contrary duty is commanded : when we are forbidden to take God's name in vain, the contrary duty is commanded, that we fhould reverence his name, Deut. xxviii. 58. * That thou mayeil fear this glorious and fearful name. The Lord thy God.* Where we are forbidden to wrong our neighbour, there is the contrary duty included, that we fhould do him all the g^ood we can, by vindicating his name, and i'upplying his wants.

Rule 3. Where any fin is forbidden in the commandment, there the occafion of it is alio forbidden. Where murder is forbidden, there envy and ralh anger are forbidden, which may occafion it. Where adultery is forbidden in the commandment, there is forbidden all that may lead to it, as wanton glances of the eye, or coming into the company of an harlot, Prov. v. 8. * Come not nigh the door of her houfe :' he who would be free from tlie plague, mull; not come near the infe6ted houfe. Under the law the Nazarite was forbidden to drink wine ; nor might he eat grapes of which the wine was made.

Rule 4. In relatofubhttelligitur correkttam. Where one relation is named in the commandment, there another relation is included. Wfiere the child is named, there the father is included : where there is the duty of children to parents mentioned, there is included alfo the duty of parents and children : where the child is commanded to honour the parent, there is implied that the parent is alfo commanded to inllru6l, to love> to provide for the child.

Rule 5. Where greater fins are forbidden, there leffer fins are ailb forbidden. Though no fin in its own nature is little.

yet comparatively one may be lefs than another: where idolatry is forbidden, there is forbidden luperllirion, of bringing any innovation into God's vvorfhip, which he haih not appointed. As the ions of Aaron were forbidden to worihip an idol, (b to facritice to God with llrange fire. Lev. x. 1. Mixture in facred things, is hiie a dafli in the wine, which though it gives it a colour, yet doth but debafe and adulterate it. It is highly provoking to God, to bring any fuperftitious ceremony inio his worship, which he hath not prefcribed ; it is to tax God's wildom, as if he Were not wile enough to appoint the manner how he will be ferved.

Rule (j. The law of God is copulative ; Lex eft copulativa: the lirll and fecond tables are knit together ; piety to God, and equity to our neighbour : thefe two tables, which God hatii joined together, mull not be put afunder. Try a moral man by the duties of the firft table, piety to God, and there you will find him negligent; try an hypocrite by the dutiesof the fecond table, equity to his neighbour, and there you will (ind him tardy. He who is llrift in the fecond table, but neglects thetiill, or iie who is zealous in the fnii: taWe, but negle6ls the lecond, his heart is not right with God. The Pharilees were the higheft pretenders to the tirft table, zeal and holinefs : but Chrill de-ledls their hypocrify, Matth. xxiii. 23. ' Ye have omitted judgment, mercy and faith.' They were bad in the fecond table; they omitted judgment, that was, being juft in their dealing ; mercy, in relieving ihe poor ; and faith, that is faith-fulnefs in thtir promifes and contrails with men. God wrote both the tables, and our obedience mull fet a feal to both.

Rule 7. God's law forbids not only the acting of fin in our own perlbns, but being acceflbry to, or having any hand in tlie fins of others.

Qu. How and in wJiat fenfe may we he faid to par lake ofy and have an hand in thejlns of others ^

Anf. 1. By decreeing unrighteous decrees, and impofing on others that which is unlawful. Jeroboam made the people of Ifrael to fin : he was accelibry to their idolatry, by fetting up golden calves : fo David, though he did not in his own perlbn kill Uriah, yet becaule he wrote a letter to Joab, to fet Uriah on the fore-front of the battle, and it was done by his command, therefore he v^'as acceffory to Uriah's death, and the murder of him was laid to David's charge by the prophet, 2 Sam. xii. y. • Thou hall killed Uriah the Hitiite with the fword.'

2. We become acceflbry to the fins of others by not hindering them wheii it is iti our power, Qui non prohibit cum poteji, Jubet. If a mafler of a family fee his fervant break the fal)bathj or hear him fwear, and let liim alone, doth not ufe the power be hath to fupprels him, he becomes acceflory to his lin. JEli,

S74 OF THE COMMANDMENTS.

fornot puriifhing his i'ous when they made the offeHng of the Lord to be al)horred, made himfelf guilty, 1 Sam. iii. 14. He that lutfers an offender to pals unpunilhed, makes himfelf aa oiFender.

3. By counfelling, abetting, or provoking others to fin. Ahithophel made himfelf guilty of the fa6l, by giving counfel to Ablalom to go in and defile his father's concubines, 2 Sam. xvi. 91. He who (hall tempt or folicit another to be drunk though himfelf be fober, yet being the ocrnfion of another's fin, he is acceirory to it, Hab. ii. 15. ' Wo unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that putteft thy bottle to him.'

4. By confenting to another's fin ; Saul did not cafl one ftone at Stephen, yet the fcripture iaith, * Saul was confenting to his death,' Ads viii. i. Thus he had a hand in it. If feveral did combine to murder a man, and they lliould tell another of their intent, and he ihould give his content to it, he were guilty : though his hand were not in the murder, yet his heart was in it: though he did not a6t it, yet he did app.'-ove it, fo it became fcisfin.

3. By example, vivitur exemplis. Examples are powerful and cogent; letting a bad example occalions another to fin ; and fo a perfon becomes accelfory. If the father fwears, and the diild by his example, learn to fwear, the father is acceflbry to the child's fin ; .he taught him by his example. As there are diieafes hereditary, fo there are fins.

Ride 8. The laft rule about the commandments, is this, that though we cannot, by our own llrength, fulfil all thefe commandments, yet doing, quoad pojfe, what we are able, the Lord hath provided encouragement for us. There is a threefold encouragement.

1. That though we have not ability to obey any one command, yet God hath, in the new covenant, promifed to work that in us, which he requires, Ezek. xxxvi. 97. 'I will caufe you to walk in my llatutes.' Ood commands us to love him: alas, how weak is our love! it is like the herb that is not only J.*-! the firft degree; but God hath promifed to circumcife our hearts, that we ihall love him, Deut. xxx. 6. He that doth <fK)nmiand us, will enable us. God commands us to turn from fin, but alas ! we have not power to turn ; therefore God hath promifed to turn us, to put his Spirit within us, and turn the heart of ftone into flefli, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. There is nothing in the command, but the fame is in the promife. Therefore, Chriftian, be not dilcouraged tho' thou halt no ftrength of thy own, yet God will give thee this ftrength. The iron hath no power to move, but when the loadftone draws it, it can move, l-i'd. xxvi. 12. ' Thou haft wrought all our works in us.'

2. Though we cannot exadly fulfil the moral law, yet God

will, for Chrifl's fake, mitigate the rigour of the law, and accept of fomething lefs than he requires. God in the law requires exa6l obedience, yet he will accept of fincere obedience : he will abate fomething of the degree, if there be truth in the inward parts; God will fee the faith, and pafs by the failing; the gofpel remits fmnething of the feverity of tire moral law.

3. Wherein our perfonal ol)edience comes ihort, God will be pleafed to accept us in our I'urety, Eph. i. d. ' He hath accepted us in his beloved.' Though our obedience be imperfect, yet, through Chrift our furety, God looks upon it as perft<5t. And that very fervice which God's law might condemn, God's mercy is pleafed to crown, by virtue of the blood of our Mediator. Having given you theie rules about the commandments, I ihall come next to the direct handling of them^

O? THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.

ExOD. XX. 3, Thou Jlialt have no other gods before me.

Qu. XLV. WHY doth the commandment rmi in thefe-cond perJ'o7i/inguhir, Thou? why doth not God J ay, Yon jliall have no other gods, bitty. Thou ?

Anj\ Becaufe the commandment concerns every one, and God would have you take it as fpoken to you by name. 1*hough we are forward to take privileges to ourfelves, yet we are apt to fhift off duty from ourfelves to others: therefore the commandment runs in the fecond perfon. Thou and Thou, that every one may know that the commandment is ipoken to him, as it were, by name. And lb I come tO' the commandment, * Thou flialt have i>o other gods before me:' this commandment may well lead the van, and be fet in the front of all the commandments, becaufe it is the foundation of all true rehgion. The fijm of this commandment is, that we fhould fanjStify God in our hearts, and give him a precedency above all created beings. There are two branches of this conimandment: 1. That we mud have one God. Q. That we mufi: have but one. Or thus, (1.) That we muft have God for our God. (*^.) That we muft have no other. 1. That we mud have God for our God : it is manifeft that we muft have a God, and ' who is God fave the Lord ?' 2 Sam. xxii. S^. The Lord Jehovah (one God in three perfons) is the true, livii^, eternal God ; and him muft we have for our God.

Qu. 1. What,is it to make God to be a God to lis?

Anf. 1. Tamake God to be a God to us, is to acknowledge

S76 OF THE FIRST COMMANDMEMT.

him for a God : the gods of the heathens are idols, Pfal. xcvK 6. and we * know that an idol is nothing,' I Cor. viii. 4. that is, it hath nothing of deity in it: if we cry, //e//?, O Idol, an idol cannot help; the idols were themfelves carried into captivity, ITi. xlvi. 2. fo that an idol is nothing ; vanity is al'cribed to it, Jer. xiv. 22. we do not acknowiedge it to be a God. But this is to make God to be a God to us, when we do, ex animo, acknowledge him to be God, I Kings xviii. 39. All'the people fell on their faces, and faid, * The Lord he is the God ! the Lord he is the God !' Yea, we acknowledge God to be the only God, 2 Kings xix. 15. ' O Lord God of Ifrael which dwelled; between the Cherubims, thou art the God, even thou a-lone.* Deity is a jewel that belongs only to his crown. Yet further, we acknowledge that there is no God like him, 1 Kings viii. 22, 23. ' And Solomon ftood before the altar of the Lord ; and he Hiid, Lord God of Ifrael, there is no god like thee.' Pfdl. Ixxxix. 6. ' For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the fons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord.' In the Chaldeeit is, Who among the angels; None can do as God : he brought the world out of nothing? * And hangefh the earth upon nothing,' Job xxvi. 7. This is to make God to be a God to us, when we are perfuaded in our liearts, and confefs with our tongues, and fubfcribe with our liand, that God is the only true God, and that there is none co(nparabIe to him.

2. To make God to be a God to us, is to choofe him, Jofli. xxiv. 15. ' Choofe ye this day whom you will ferve; but as ibr me and my houfe we will ferve the Lord :' that is, we will choofe the Lord to be our God. It is one thing for the judgment to approve of God, and another for the will to choofe him. Religion is not a matter of chance, but choice.

Qu. What is antecedent to, or goes before this choice?

Anf, \. Before this choofing God lor our God, there mufl be knowledge : we niuft know God, before we can choofe him ; before one chufe the pertain he will marry, he muft firil have fbme knowledge and cognizance of the perfon : lb we ir.uft know God, before we can choole him for our God, 2 Chron. xxviii. 9. ' Know thou the God of thy father.' We mufi; know God in his attributes, glorious in holinefs, rich in mercy, faithful in promifes. We muft know God in his fon ; as in a glals a face is reprefented, fo in Chrill, as in a tranfparent glafs, we fee God's beauty and love (Tiine forth. This knowledge mult go before our choofing of God. La6tantius faid, all the learning of the philofophers was without a head, becaufe it wanted the knov^ledge of God. 2. Wherein our choofing of God confifts : it is an'a6l of mature deliberation; a Chrillian having viewed the fuiperlative excellencies in God, and being

ftricken into an holy admiration of his perfections, he Angles out God from all other objeds to fet his heart upon : he faith as Jacob, Gen. xxviii. 21. ' »The Lord fhall be my God.' 3. The effe<^ ot choofing God : the foul thatchoofeth God, devotes himfeh to God, Pfal. cxix. 38. * Thy fervant, who is devoted to thy fear.' As the velfels of the fan6luary were conferrated and fet apart from common to holy ufes; lb the foul who hath chofen God to be his God, hath dedicated and fet himfelf apart for God, and will be no more for profane ufes.

3. To make God to be a God to us, is to enter into folemn Covenant with him, that he fliall be our God : after choice follows the marriage-covenant. As God makes a covenant with us, Ifa. liii. 3. ' I will make an everlafling covenant with you, even the fure mercies of David :' fo we make a covenant with him, 2 Chron. xv. 12. * They entered into covenant to feek the Lord God of their fathers.' And Ifa. xliv. 5. * One (hall fay, I am the Lord's : and another (hall fubfcribe with his hand unto the Lord ;' like foldiers, that fubfcribe their names in the mufler roll. This covenant, ' That God (hall be our God,' we have often renewed in the Lord's fupper: and it is like a feal to a bond, to bind us fad to God, and to keep us that we do not depart from him.

4. To make God to be a God to us, is to give him adoration; which coufills, 1. In reverencing of him, Pf. Ixxxix. 7-

* God is to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.* The Seraphims, who Hood about God's throne covered their faces, Ifa. vi. And Elijah wrapt himfelf in a mantle, when the Lord paflfed by, in token of reverence. This reverence Ihews the,high efteem we have of God's facred Majefty. 2. Adoration is in bowing to him, or worfhipping him, Pf. xxix. 2. * Worlhipthe Lord in-the beauty of hoiinefs.' Neh. viii. 6,

• They bowed their heads, and worlhipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.' Divine worlhip is the peculiar honour belonging to the Godhead : this God is jealous of, and will have no creature fhare in, Ifa. xlii. 8. * My glory will I not give to another.' Magiftrates may have a civil refpe6t or veneration, God only a religious adoration.

5. To make God to be a God to us, is to fear him, De«t. xxviii. 58. * That thou mayft fear this glorious and fearful name. The Lord thy God.* This fearing of God is, (1.) To have God always in our eye, Pf. xvi. 8. * I have fet the Lord always before me.' And Pf. xxv. 15. * Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord.' He who fears God, imagines, that whatever he is ao-ing, God looks on, and, as a judge, weighs all his actions. (2.) To fear God, is, when we have fuch an holy awe of God upon our hearts, that we dare not fin, Pf. iv. 4. * Stand in -Awe and fin not.' The wicked fin and fear not j the godly fear " Vol. I. No. 8. 3 B

and fin not. Gen. xxxix. p. * How ihali I do this great wick-ednefs, and fin ac^ainft God ?' bid me fin, bid me drink poifon. It is a faying of'Anfelm, " If hell were on one fide, and fin on the other, I would rather leap into hell, than willingly fin againfi: my God." 1. This glorious and fearful name : he who fears God will not fin, though it be never lb fecret. Lev. xix. t4. * Thou fhalt not curfe the deaf, nor put a ftumbling-block before the blind, but fhalt fear thy God.* Suppofe you fhould curie a deaf man, he cannot hear you curfe him : or if you lay a block in a blind man's way, and make him fall, he cannot fee you lay it: ay, but the fear of God will make you forfkke thefe fins which can neither be heard nor feen by men. 2. Where the fear of God is, it deftroyes the fear of man : the three children feared God, therefore they feared not the king's wrath, Dan. iii. 1(5. The greater noife drowns the left ; the noife of thunder drowns the noife of a river? fo when the fear of God is fuperinteVident in the foul, it drowns all other carnal fear. This is to make God to be a God to us, when we have an holy filial fear of him; That thou mayeji fear.

6. To make God to be a God to us, is to trull in him, Pfal. cxli. 8. • Mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord : in thee will I truft.' 2 Sam. xxii. 3. * The God of my rock, in him will I truft.' There is nothing we can trull in but God ; all the creatures are a refuge of lies; they are like the Egyptian reed^ too weak to fupport us, but ftrong enough to wound us. Om-nis motus fit j'uper immohili. God only is a fufticient foundation to build our truft upon ; and then when we truft, we make him a God to us, elfe we make him an idol, if we do not trull in him. Trufting in God, is when we rely on his power as a Creator, and on his love as a Father. Trufting in God, is, when we commit our chief treafure to him : our foul is our chief trea-fure, we commit our foul to him, Pf. xxxi. 5. ' Into thy hands I commit my Ipirit.' As the orphan truils his efi:ate with his guardian, fo we truft our fouls with God : this is to make him a God to us.

Q. I. Hoio [hall loe know that we truft in God aright ?

Anf. If we trull in God aright, then we will truft in God at one time as well as another, Pf. Ixii. 8. * Truft in him at all times.' Can we truft God, I. In our ftraits ? when the fig-tree doth not flourifh, when our earthly crutches are broken, can we now lean upon God's promife ? when the pipes are cut oft'that ufed to bring us comfort, can we live upon God, in whom are all* our frefli fprings ? when we have no bread to eat but the bread of carefulnefs, Ezek. xix. 8. when we have no water to drink unlefs tears, Pf. Ixxx. 5. * Thou gaveft them tears to drink in great meafure;' Can we now truft in God's providence, to make fupply for us; A good Chriftian believes, that

OF THE FIRST COMMANDMENT. $70

if God feed the ravens, he will feed his children : he lives upon God's all-fufFiciency, not only for grace, but food ; hebelives if God will give him heaven, he will give daily bread : he trufls God's bond, Pful. xxxvii. 3. * Verily thoufhaltbe fed.' 2. Can we trull God in our fears ? fear is the age of the foul. When adverf'aries begin to grow high, can we now dilplay the banner of faith ? Pfal. Ivi. 3. * What time I am afraid, 1 will trOft in thee.' Faith cures the trembling at the heart: faith gets above fear, as the oil fwims above the water. This is to trull in God, and it is to make him to be a God to us.

7. To make God to be a God to us, is to love him ; in the godly, fear and love kifs each other.

S. To make him a God to us, is to obey him : but I forbear to fpeak of thefe, becaufe I fhall be large upon them in the le-eond commandment : * Shewing mercy unto thoulands of them that love me and keep my commandments.'

Q. Why muft we cleave to the Lord as our God?

Anf. 1 From the equity of it: it is but equal we fliould cleave to him as our God, from whom we receive our being ; who can have a better right to us than he that gives us our breatli? Pf. c. 3. ' For it is he that made us, and not we our-felves.' It is unequal, yea ungrateful, to give away our love or worfliip to any but God.

9. From the utility. If we cleave to the Lord as our God ; then (I.) He will blefsus, Pf. Ixvii. 6. * God, even our own God, will blefs us.' He will blefs us, 1. In our eftate. Dent, xxvili. 4, 5. ' Blelfed (hall be the fruit of thy ground : bleffed Ihall be thy b^fket and thy llore ;* we fhall not only have our lack full of corn, but it (hall be bleffed ; here is money in the mouth of the fack. (2.) He will blefs us with peace, Pf. xxix. II. The Lord will blefs his people with peace :' outward peace, which is the nurfe of plenty, Pf. cxlvii. 14. ' He'maketh peace in thy borders ; inward peace, a fmiling confcience ; this is fvveeter than the dropping honey. (3.) God will turn all\ evils to our good, Rom. viii. 'iS. He will make a treacle of poi-fon. Jofeph's imprifonment was a means for his advancement. Gen. I. 20. Out of the bitterelt drug, God will dillil his glory and our falvation. In (hort God will be our guide to death, our comfort in death, our reward after death. So then the utility of it may make us cleave to the Lord as our God, Pf. cxliv. 15. * Happy is that people who have the Lord for their God.'

1. From the neceffity, 1/?, If God be not our God, he will curfe our bleffings; Mai. ii. 2. and God's curie blalls wherever it comes, ^dlg. If God be not our God, we have none to help us in inifery : will God help his enemies ? will he alfilt them wUo difclaim him ? 3c//y, If we do not make God to be our

God, he will make himfelf to be our judge; and if he co** deinns, there is no appealing to a hii>her court. So that, there is a neceHity of having God for our God, unlefs we intend to be eternally el'pouled to tnil'ery.

U/'e 1. It we muit have one God, and the Lord Jehovah for our God, it condemns the Aiheifls who have no God, PI", xiv. 1. *• The fool hath laid in his heart, There is no God.' There is no God he believes in, or worfhips : luch Atheifts were Di- ' agoras and Theodorus. When Seneca had reproved Nero for his impieties, I'aith Nero, • Doft thou think 1 believe there is any God, when 1 do luch things ?' The duke of Silefia was fo infatuated. That he affirmed, I^eque inferos neqiieJuperos ejfe ; that there was neither God nor devil. ' We may fee God in the works of his fingers. The creation is a great volume, in which we may read a Godhead ; and he muft needs put out his own eyes that denies a God. Arillotle, tho' an heathen, did not only acknowledge God, when he cried out, *' Thou Being of Beings, have mercy on me;" but he thought, he that did not confels a Deity was not worthy to live. They who will not believe a God, Ihall feel him. Heb. x. 31. ' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.'

Ufe 2. It condemns Chriftians, who profefs to own God for their God, yet they do not live as if he were their God. (1.) They do not believe in him as a God : when they look upon their fins, they are apt to (ay can God pardon ? when they look upon their wants, can God provide ? can he prepare a table in the wildernefs ? (2.) They do not love him as a God : they do not give him the cream of their love, but are apt to love other things more than God ; they fay, they love God, but will part ■with nothing for him. (3.) They do not worfliip him as a God : they do not give him that reverence, nor pray with that devotiorf, as if they were praying to a God. How dead are their hearts? if not dead in fin, yet dead in duty : 'tis as if praying to a god that hath eyes and fees not; eais and hears not : in hearing the word, how much diltraction, what regardlefs hearts have many ? they-are thinking of their (liop and drugs. Would a king take it well at our hands, if, when he is fpeaking to us, we Ihould be playing with a feather? when God is a ipeaking to us in his word, and our hearts are taken up with thoughts about the world, is not this playing with a feather ? O how may tliis humble moll of us, we do not make God to be a God to us ! We do not believe in him, love him, worlhip him as a God. Many heathens have worffiipped their falfe gods witii more ferioulnels and devotion, than R)me Chrillians do the true God. O let us chide ourfelves ; did I fay chide ? let us abhor ourfelves for our deadiiefs and formality in religion, how w'e have profclkd God, yet we have not worlhipped him as God.

or THE FIRST CO>)[MA?fDMENT. S81

So much for the firfl, * We muft have God for our God.' I /hould come to the fecoiid, * Werauft have no other God.'

ExoD. XX. 3. Thoujhalt have no other gods before me.

1. That we muft have * no other god ;* * Thou fhalfc have no other gods before me.'

Qu. What is meayit by this word. Before me ?

Anf. That is before my face ; in confpeclu meo, in my fight, Deut. xxvii. 15. * Curl'ed be he that makes a graven image, and puts it in a fecret place.' Some would not bow to the idol that others might lee, but they would fecretly bow to it; but ihoutrh this was out of man's fight, it was not out of God's fight ; ' Curfed therefore (faith God) be he that puts the image in a fecret place.' * Thou fhalt have no other gods.' 1. There is really no other God. 2. We muft have no other.

(I.) There is really no other God. The Valentinians held there were two gods ; the Poiytheites that there were many ; the Perfians worfhipped the fun ; the Egyptians the ox and elephant; the Grecians Jupiter; but there is no other than the true God, Deut. iv. 3i). * Know therefore, this day, and confider it in thy heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath ; there is no other.' For, 1. There is but one Firji CaiifCy that hath its being of itfelf, and on which all others beings depend ; as in the heavens the Primum Mobile moves all the other orbs, fo God is the Great Mover, he gives life and motion to every thing exiftent.

2. There is but one Oinnipotent power. If there be two Om-* nipotents, then we muft always fuppofe a contcft between thefe two; that which one would do, the other Power, being equal, would oppofe ; and fo all things would be brought into a con-fulioo. If a fliip (hould have too pilots of equal power, one would be ever crolhng the other ; when one would fail, the other would caft anchor ; here were a confufion, and the fliip muft needs perifh. The order and harmony in the world, the conllant and uniform government of all things, is a clear argument that there is but one Omnipotent, one God, that rules all, Ifa. xliv. 6. • I am the Firfl, and I am the Lart, and befides me there is no God.'

(2.) We miiji have no other God. * Thou fhalt have no other gods before me;' this commandment forbids, (I.) Serving a falfe god, and not the true, Jer. ii. 27. ' Saying to a ftock, thou art my father; and toaftone, thou haft brought me forth.* Or, (2.) Joining a faUe god with a true, 2 Kings xviii. 33. * They feared the Lordj and ferved their own gods; both thefe

SS2 OF THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.

are forbidden in the commandment; we muft adhere to the true God, and no other? God is a jealous God,' and he will endure no corrival. A wife cannot lawfully have two hu(bands at once; nor may we have two gods, Exod. xxxiv. 14. * Thou (halt worfhip no other God, for the Lord isa jealous God.' Pfal. xvi. 4. ' Their forrows (hall be multiplied that haden after another god.' The Lord interprets it a ' Forfaking of him,' toefpoufe any other god. Judges ii. 12. * They forfook the Lord, and followed other gods.' God would not have his people fomuch as make mention of idol-gods, Exod. xxiii. 13. ' Make no mention of the names of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.' God looks upon it as a breaking of the marriage-covenant, to go after other gods. Therefore, when Ifrael committed idolatry with the golden calf, God difclaims his intereft in them, Exod. xxxii. 7- ' Thy people have corrupted them-felves.' Before, God called Ifrael his people ; but when they went after other gods, ' Now (faith the Lord to Mofes) they are no more my people but thy people.' Hof. ii. 2. * Plead %vith your mother, plead ; for (he is not my wife.* She doth not keep faith with me ; flie hath ftained herfelf with idols, therefore I will divorce her; ' (he is not my wife.' To go after other gods, is what God cannot bear; it makes the fury rile up in his face, Deut. xiii. 6, 8, 9. ' If thy brother, or thy fon, or the wife of thy bofom, or thy friend, which is as thine own foul, entice thee fecretly, faying, let us go and ferve other gods : thou Ihdlt not content unto him, neither (hall thine eye pity him.' But thou fhalt iurely kill him; thine hand fhall be firll upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.

Qu. But ichat is It to have other gods be^des the true God? I fear, uponfearchy we have more idolaters among us than we are aware of.

Anf. To truft in any thing more than God, is to make it a god. 1. If we truft in our riches, then we make riches our god : we may take comfort, not put confidence in them. It is a fooli(h thing to trull in them. (I.) They are deceitful riches, Matth. xiii. 2. and it is foolith to truft to that which will deceive us. \ft. They have no folid confiftency, they are like land-fkips or golden dreams, which leave the foul empty when it awakes or comes to itfelf. 2c?/?/, They are not what they pro-mile ; they promife to fatisfy our defires, and they increale them ; they promife to ftay with us, and they take wings. (2.) They are hurtful, Eccl. i. 13. ' Pi,iches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.' It is foolilh to truft to that which will hurt one: who would take hold of the edge of a razor to help him ? they are oft fuel for pride and luft, Ezek. xxviii. 5. Jer.. V. 7. So that it is folly to truft in our riches ; but foiue do.

and fo make money their god, Prov. x. 15. * The rich man's ■Wealth is his (Irong tower.' He makes the wedge of gold his hope, Job xxxi. 24. God made man of the dull of the earth, and man makes a god of the dull of the earth. Money is his creator, redeemer, comforter : his creator ; if he had money, now he thinks he is made : his redeemer; if he be in danger, he truds to his money to redeem him : his comforter; if he be fad, money is the golden harp to drive away the evil fpirit. Thus, by trufting to money, we make it a god.

2. If we truft in the arm of flefh, we make it a god, Jer. xvii. 5. * Curfed be the man that trufteth in man, and maketh flelh his arm.' The Syrians trulled in their army, which was fb numerous, that it filled the country, 1 Kings xx. 27. but this arm of flefti withered, verfe 29. What we make our trufl, God makes our (liame. The fheep run to the hedges for fhelter, and they lofe their wool; we have run to fecond caufes to help us, and we have loll much of our golden fleece ; they have not only been reeds to fail us, but thorns to prick us. We have broken our parliament-crutches, by leaning too hard upon them.

3. If we truft in our wifdom, we make it a god. Jer. ix. 2c3. * Let not the wife man glory in his wifdom.' Glorying is the height of confidence. JNIany a man doth make an idol of .his wit and parts ; he defiles himfelf, but how oft doth God take the wife in their own craftinefs, Jobvi. 13. Ahithophel had a great wit, his counfel was the oracle of God ; but his wit brought him to the halter, 2 Sam. xvii. 23.

4. If we truft in our civiHty, we make it a god : many truft to this, none can charge them with grofs fin. Civility is but nature refined and cultivated; a man may be waftied, and not changed ; his life maybe civil, yet there may be Conie reigning fin in his heart: the Pharifee could fay, ' I am no adulterer,' Luke xviii. 11. but he could not fay, * L am not proud,' To truft to civility, is to truft to a fpider's web.

5. If we truft to our duties to fave us, we make them a god, IPa. l-xiv. Q. * Our righteoufnefles are as filfby rags :' they are tly-blown with fin. Put gold* ip the fire, and there comes out much drofs ; our moft golden duties are mixed with infirmity : we are apt either to neglect duty, or idolize it. Ufe duty, but do not truft to it; for then you make it a god. Truft not to your praying and hearing thel'e are the means of falvation, but they are notlaviours. If you make duties bladders to truft to, you may fink to hell with thefe bladders.

Q. If we truft in our grace, we make a god of it. Grace is but a creature ; if we truft to it, we make it an idol. Grace is imperfe6l, we cannot truft to that to fave us which is imperfect, Pfal. xxvi. I. 'T have walked in my integrity : I have trufted alfo in tlie Lord.' David did walk in his integrity ; but did

not truft in his iiitegrify ; * I have trufted in the Lord.' If we trnfl; in onr graces, we make a Chrifl; of them. They are goodi graces but bad Chrills. To love any thing more than GckI, ia lo make it a god.

Ift, If we love our eftate more than God, then we make it .\ god. The young man in the gofpel loved his gold better than his Saviour ; the world lay nearer his heart than Chrift, Matth. xix. 22. Fulgens hoc aunim pra'Jiringit oculos, Var. Hence it is, the covetous man is called an idolater, Eph. v. 5. Why (b ? Becaufe he loves his eftate more than God, and fo he makes it his god : tho' he doth not bow down to an idol, yet he worfhips the graven image in his coins ; he is an idolater. That which hath moft of tlie heart, that we muke a god.

2<////, If we love our pleafures more than God, we make a god of plealure, £ Tim. iii. 4. * Lovers of pleal'ure more than lovers of God.' Many let loofe the reins, and give themfelves up to all manner of fenfual delights; they idolize pleafure. Job xxi. 12, 13. * They take tho timbrel, and the harp, and rejoice at the Ibnnd of the organ. They I'pend their days in mirth.' I have read of a place in Africa, where the people fpend all their time in dancing, and making merry : and have not we many \vho make a god of pleafure, who Ipend their time in going to plays, and vifiting ftews, as if God had made them like the leviathan, to play in the water ? Pfal. civ. 26. In the country of Sardinia there is an herb like balm, that if one eat too much of it, he will die laughing ; inch an herb is pleafure; if one feeds immoderately on it, he will go laughing to h-ell. Such as make a god of pleafure, let them read but two fcriptures, EccJ. vii. 4. ' The heart of fools is in the houfe of mirth.' And, Rev. xviii. 7. ' How much Oie hath lived delicioufly, fo much torment give her.' Sugar laid in a damp place turns to water; fo all the fugared joys and pleafures of finners will turn to the water of tears at laft.

3d/ij, If we love our belly more than God, we make a god of it, Phil. iii. 19. ' Whofe god is their belly.' Clemens Alex-andrinus writes of a fifh that had its heart in its belly : an emblem of epicures, their heart is in their belly ; they do Jacrijiewe /an,.their belly is their god, and to this god th*y pour drink-offerings. The Lord allows what is fitting for the recruit of nature, Deut. xi, 15. • I will fend grafs, that thou mayeft eat and be full.' But, to mind nothing but the indulging of the appetite, is idolatry ; * Whofe god is their belly.' What pity is it, that the foul, that princely part, which fways the fceptre of reafon, and is a kin to angels, fliould be enflaved to the brutifli part.

4thh/y If we love a child more than God, we make a god of it. jtlow a»any are guilty in this kind ! they think of their

cfeildren, and delight more in them than in God ; they s^rieve more for the lofs of their firil born, therefore the lofs of iheir firft love. This is to make an idol of a child, and to fet it in God's room. Thus God is oft provoked to take away our children : if we love the jewel more than him that jjave it, God will take away the jewel, that our love may return to him again.

Uje 1. It reproves fuch as have other gods, and fo renounce the true God. (1.) Such as let up idols, Jer. ii. 28. ' According to the ry.miber of thy cities are thy gods, O Ifrael.' Hof. xii. H. ' Their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the field.* (2.) Such as feek to familiar fpirits. This is a fin condemned by the law of God, Deut. xviii. 11. * There fhall not be found amongyou any that confult with familiar fpirits.' It is ordinary, that if people have lofl any of their goods, they fend to wizards an'd foothlayers, to know how they may come by their goods again ; what is this but for people to make a god of the devil, by confulting with him, and putting their truft in him ? what? becaufe you have lofl your goods, will you lofe your fouls too ? S Kings i. 6. So, is it not becaufe you think there is not a God in heaven, that you afk counfel of the devil ? If any be guilty, be humbled.

Uj'e 2. It founds a retreat in our ears. Let it call us off from the idolizing any creature ; and renouncing other gods, let us cleave to the true God and his fervice. If we go away from God, we know not where to mend ourfelves.

1. It is honourable ferving of the true God ; Servire Deo eft regnare. It is more honour to ferve God, than to have kings ferve us. 2. Serving the true God is delightful, Ifa. Ivi. 7. * I will make them joyful in my houfe of prayer.' God oftdifplays the banner of his love in an ordinance, and pours in the oil of gladnefs into the heart. All God's ways are pleafantnefs, his paths are lire wed with rofes, Prov. iii. 17. 3. Serving the true true God is beneficial : they have great gain here, the hidden manna; inward peace, and a great reward to come : they that ferve God fiiall have a kingdom when they die, Luke xii. 32. and fliall wear a crown made of the flowers of paradife, 1 Pet. V. 4. To ferve the true God is our true intereft. God hath twifted his glory and our falvation together: he bids us believe; and why ? that we may be faved. Therefore, renouncing all others, let us cleave to the true God.

2. You have covenanted to ferve the true Jehovah, renouncing all others. When one hath entered into covenant with his mafter, and the indentures are drawn and fealed, then he cannot go back, but mull I'erve out his time. We have covenanted in baptifm, to take the Lord for our God, renouncing all others ; and renewed this covenant in the Lord's fupper, and fliali wa

Vol. I. No. 9. 3 G

not keep our folemn vow and covenant ? we cannot go away from God without the highed perjury, Heb. x. 38. • If any man draw back,' as a foldier that fteals away from his colours, • my foul (hull have no pleafure in him ; I will pour vials of VI?rath oil him, and make mine arrows drunk with blood.'

3. None ever had eaufe to repent of cleaving to God and his fervice : fome have repented that they have made a god of the world. Cardinal WoHay faid, '♦ Had I lerved my God as faithfully as I have ferved my king, he would never hc^ve left me thus." None ever complained of ferving God, it was both their comfort and crown on their death-bed.

OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.

ExoD^ XX. 4. ThoiuJJialt not make unto thee any graven image, &c.

In the firft commandment is forbidden the worfhipping' a falfe god; in this, \\iQ worfhipping the true God in a falfe manner.

1. ' Thou (halt not make unto thee any graven image." This forbids not the making an image for civil ufe. Mat. xxii. 20. ' Whofe is this image and fuperfcription ? They fay unto him, It is Caefar's.* But the commandment forbids fetting up an image for religious ufe or worfhip.

2. * Nor the likenefs of any thing,' &;c. All ideas, portraitures, (hapes, images of od, whether by elhgies or pictures, are here forbidden, Deut. iv. 15. * Take heed iell ye corrupt yourfelves. and make the fimilitude of any figure.* God is to be adored in the heart, not painted to the eye.

Si. ' Thou flialt not bow down to them.' The intent of making images and pictures, is to worlhip them. No fooner was Nebuchadnezzar's golden image fet up, but all the people fell down and worfliipped it, Dan. iii. 7. Therefore God forbids the proftraiting of ourfelves before an idol ; fo then, the thing prohibited in this commandment is image-worfliip. To fet up an image to reprelent God, is a debafing of the Deity, it is below God. If one fhould make images of fnakes or fpiders, faying he did it to reprelent his prince, would not the prince take this in high difdain ? what greater difparagement to God, than to reprefent the infinite God by that which is finite: the living God, by that which is without life, and the Maker of all, by a thing which is made ?

I. To make a true image of God is impoflible. God is a Ipiritual eli'ence, John iv. ^4. and,,being a Spirit, he is invifi-

fele, Deut. iv. 15. * Ye faw no fimilitude in the day that the Lord (pake with you out of the rnidfl; of the fire.' How can any paint the Deity ? can they make an image of that which they never law ? Quod invijiblc eji, pingi, non proteji, Amb, *' Ye law no fimilitude." it is impoirible to make a picture of the foul, or to paint the angels, hecaule they are of a Ipiritual nature ; much lefs then can we paint God by an image, who is an infinite, uncreated Spirit.

2. To worfiiip God by an image, is both abfurd and unlawful.

I. It is abfurd and irrational ; for, 1. The workman is better than the work, Heb. iii. 3. * He who buildeth the houfe hath more honour than the houfe,' If the workman be better than the work, and none bow to the workman, how abfurd then is it to bow to the work of his hands ? 2. Is it not an abfurd thing to bow down to tlie king's pi6lure, when the king him-felf is prefent ? fo to bow down to an image of God, when God himfelf is every-where prefent.

II. It is unlawful to worlhip God by an image; for, 1. It is againft the homily of the church ; it runs thus ; ' The images of God, our Saviour, the Virgin Mary, are of all others the moH dangerous; therefore the greatell care ought to be had, that they Hand not in temples and churches.' So that iniage-worlhip is contrary to our own homilies, and doth ati'ront the authority of the church of England. 2. Image-worlhip is ex-prefsly againft the letter of fcripture. Lev. xxvi. l. * Ye Ihall make no graven, image, neither Iliall ye fet up any image of Hone, to bow down to it,' Deut. xvi. -sja. ' Neither fiialt thou fet up any image which the Lord thy God hafeth.' Pfal. xcvii. 7., * Confounded be all they thatferve graven images.' Do we think to pleale God, by doing that which is contrary to his mind, and that which he hath exprefsl'y forbidden ? 3. Image-worfliip is againft the pra6tice of the faints of old. Jofiah, that renowned king, deftroyed the groves and images, 2 Kings xxiii. 24. ConftantiiK) abrogated the images let up in temples ; the Chril-tians deftroyed images at Bafil, Zurick, Bohemia; when the Roman emperors would have thruft images upon them, they chofe rather to die than deflower their virgin- profelFion by idolatry ; they refufed to admit any painter or carver into their ib-ciety, hecaule they would not have any carved ftatue or image of God : when Seraphion bowed to an idol, the Chriltians excommunicated him, and delivered him up to Satan.

Uj'e 1. It reproves and condemns the church of Rome, who, from the Alpha of their religion to the Omega, are wholly idolatrous. -They make images of God the Faiher, painting him in their church windows as an old man ; and an image of Chrift in the crucifix: and, becaufe it is againft the letter of this com-

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fbandiYient, therefore they facrilegioufly blot out the fecond commandment out of their catechifes, dividing the tenth commandment into two; now this image^worfhip mud needs be very impious and blaf'phemous, becaufe it is a giving that religious vvorfliip to the creature, which is only due to God. It is vaia for papids to fay, they give God the worfliip of the heart, and the image only the worlhip of the body ; for the worfhip of the body is due to God, as well as the worfhip of the heart: and to give an outward veneration to an image, is to give that adoration to a creature, which only belongs to God, Ilk. xlii. S. * My glory will 1 not give to another.'

Object. 1. But the papifts fay, they do not tcorPiip the image y only make vj'e of it as a rnedium, they worpiip God by it ; Ne imagine quideni ChrilU in quantum eft lignum fcuiptum, ultra debetor reverentia, Aquinas,

Anf. 1. Where hath God bidden them worfhip him by an effigy orfpirit? Ifa. i. 12. ' Who hath required this at your hands ?' The papiits cannot fay fo much as the devil, Scriptum eji. It is written.

2. The heathens may bring the fame argument for their grofs idolatry, as tb,e papifts do for their image-worfhip. Who of the heathens were fo fimple, as to think of gold and filver, or the figure of an ox or elephant, were God ? They were only emblems and hieroglyphics to reprefent him ; they did worfhip the invifible God, by fuch vifible things. To worfhip God Jay an image, God takes as done to the image itfeJf.

Obje6t. 2. But, fay the papijls, images are lay-men^s books, and they are good to put lis in mind of God. One of the popi/k councils affirmed, that ice might learn more by an image^ than by 6 long findy of the fcriptures.

Anf. Hab. ii. 18. ' What profiteth tbe graven image, the molten image, and a teacher of lies?' Is an image a lay-man's book ? See then what lefTons this book teacheth ; it teacheth lies; it reprefents God in a vifible fhape, who is invifible. For the papiits to fay, they make ufe of an image to put them in mind of God, is as ifa woman (hould fay, flie keepsT company with another man, to put her in mind of her hufband.

Ohject. 3. But did not Mofes make the image of a brazen ferpent ? Why then may not images hefet up f

Anf. That was done by God's fpecial command. Numb, xxi. 8. • Make thee a brazen ferpent;' and there was a fpecial ufe of it, both literal and fpiritual; but what, doth the fetling up this image of the brazen ferpent juilify the fetting up of images in churches ? what, becaui'e Mofes did make an image by God's appointment, may we therefore fet up an image of our own devifing? becaufe Mofes made an image to heal them that were flung, isitlawful therefore to fetup imagesinchurches.

to (ling them that are whole ? this doth not at all follow. Nay, that very brazen ferpent which God himfelf commanded to be fet up, when lirael did look upon it with too much reverence, and began to burn inceufe to it, Hezekiah defaced that image, and called it, Nehulhtau ; and God commended him for fo doing, 2 Kings xviii. 4,

Object. 4. But is not God reprefented as having hands, and ^yes, and ears ? Why then may we not make an image to repre-fent him by, and help our devotion.

Anf. Though God is pleafed to ftoop to our weak capacities, and let himfelf out in fcripture by eyes, to fignify his omnifcien-cy ; and hands to fignify his power ; yet it is very abfurd, from metaphors and figurative expreffions, to bring an argument for images and pi«5tures ; for, by that rule, God may be pi6tured by .the fun and the element of fire, and by a rock; for God is fet forth by thefe metaphors in fcripture : and fure the papifts them-ielves would not like to have fuch images made of God.

Qu. 1. If it he not lawful to make the image of God the Fa* ther, yet may ice not make an image of Chriji, who took upon him the nature of man ?

Anf. No. Epiphanius feeing an image of Chrift hanging in a church, brake it in pieces, it is Chrifl;'s Godhead, united to his manhood, that makes him to be Chrift : therefore, to picture his manhood, when we cannot picture his Godhead, is a fin, becaufe we make him to be but half Chrift, we feparate what God' hath joined, we leave out that which is the chie^ thing, which makes him to be Chrift.

Qu. 2. But hoio then fliall we conceive of God aright, if we may make no image or refemblance of him ?

Anf. We mult conceive of God fpiritually, viz. 1. Inhis attributes, his holinefs, juftice, goodnefs, which are the beams by which his divine nature fhines forth. 2. We muft conceive of him as he is in Chrill, Chrift is the * image of the invifible God,' Col. i. 15. as in the wax we fee the print of the feal. Set the eyes of your faith on Chrift God-man, John xiv. 9. * He that hath feen me, hath feen the Father.'

Uj'e '■2. Take heed of idolatry, viz. image-worfhip: our nature is prone to this fin, as dry wood to take fire ; and indeed, what needs fo many words in the commandment, • Thou fhait; not make any graven image, or the likenefs of any thing in heaven, earth, water,' fun, moon, ftars, male, female fifli ; * thou Ihalt not bow down to them :' I fay, what needed fo many words, but (hew how i'ubje6t we are to this fin of falfe worfiiip.'^ it concerns us therefore to refiftthis fin. Where the tide is apt to run with greater force, there we had tieed to make the banks higher and Itronger, the plague of idolatry is very infectious, Pfdl, cvi. 33, 30\ * They were mingled among the heathens.

and ferved their idols.' It is my advice to you to avoid all occafions of this fin.

1. Come not into the company of idolatrous papifts, dare not to live under the fame roof with them : you run into the devil's mouth. John the divine woutd not be in the bath where Cerinthiis the heretic was.

2. Go not into their chapels to fee their crucifixes, or hear mafs: as the looking on an harlot draws to idolatry, fo the looking on the popifh gilded pidure may draw to idolatry. Some care not though they go and fee their idol-wor(hip : indeed, a vagrant that hath nothing to lofe, cares not though he goes among thieves; fuch as have no goodnefs in tliem, care not into what idolatrous places they come, or what temptations they call themfelves upon : but you who have .a treafure about you, good principles, take heed the popilh priefts do not rob you of your principles, and defile you with their images,

3. Dare not to join in marriage with image-worfliippers. Solomon, tho' a man of wifdoni, yet his idolatrous wives drew away his heart from God. The people of Ifrael entered into an oath and curie, that they would not give their daughters in marriage to the idolaters, Nehem. x. 30. For a proteftantand papift to marry, is to be unequally yoked, 2 Cor. vi. 14. and there is more danger that the papift will corrupt the proteftant, than hope that the proteftant will convert the papift. Mingle wine and vinegar, the vinegar will fooner four the wine, than the wine will fweeten the vinegar.

4. Avoid fuperftition, which is a bridge leads over to Rome. Superftition is the bringing in any ceremony, fancy, or innovation into God's worftiip, which he never appointed. This is very provoking to God, becaufe it refle6ts much upon his honour, as if he were not wife enough to appoint the manner of his own tvorfliip. God hates all ftrange fire to be offered in his temple. Lev. X. 1. A ceremony may in time bring to a crucifix. They who contend for the crofs in baptifm, why may they not as welt have the oil, fait, and cream, the one being as ancient as the other? fuch as are for altar-vvorfhip, they who will bow to the eaft, may in time bow to the hoft. Take heed of all occafions of idolatry ; idolatry is devilifii-worftiip, Pfal. cvi. 37- and if you fearch through the whole bible, there is no one fin that God hath more followed with plagues, than idolatry ; the Jews have a faying, that in every evil that befals them there is uncia aurei vituli, an ounce of the golden calf in it. Hell is a place for idolaters, Rev. xxii. 15. * For without are idolaters.' Senefius calls the devil a rejoicer at idols, becaufe the image-worlhippers help to fill hell. That you may be prefei'ved from idolatry and image-worlhip.

1. Get good principles, that you may be able to oppofe the

OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT. SQI

^amfciyer. Whence doth the popirti religion get grouncl ? not irom the goodnefsof their caufe, but from the ignorance of their people.

2. Get love to God. The wife that loves her hufband is fafe from the idolater ; and the Ibul tliat loves Chrill is fafe from the idolater.

3. Pray that God will keep you. Tho' it is true, there is nothing in an image to tempt (for if we pray to an image, it cannot hear, and if we pray to God by an image, he Will not hear: I fay, there's nothing to temp*-) yet we know not our own hearts, or how foon we may be drawn to vanity, if God leaves us: therefore pray that you be not enticed by falfe worlhip, or receive the mark of the beall in your right hand or forehead. Pray, Pf; cxix. 117. ' Hold thou me up, and 1 fhall be fafe.' Lord, let me neither millake my way for want of light, nor leave the true

'way for want of courage.

2. Let us blefs God, who hath given us the knowledge of his truth ; that we have tailed the honey of his word, and our eyes are enlightened. Blefs him that he hath (hewn us the pattern of his houfe, the right mode of worlhip ; that he hath difcovered to us the forgery and blafphemy of the Romilh religion. Let us pray, that God will preferve pure ordinances, and powerful preaching among us: idolatry came in at fird by the want of good preaching ; then the people began to have golden images, when they had wooden prielts.

E.KOD. XX. b. For I the Lord thy God am a Jealous God, vj/tt-ing the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me.

If * I THE Lord thy God am a jealous God.' The firfl reafcn why Ifrael muft not worfliip graven images, is, becaufe the Lord is a jealous God, Exod. xxxiv. 14. ' The Lord whole name is Jehovah, is a jealous God,' Jealoufy is taken in a good fenfe, and foGod is jealous for his people. 2. In a bad fenfe, >« and io God is jealous of his people.

1. In a good fenfe, and fo God is jealous for his people, Zech. i. 14. * Thus faith the Lord I am jealous for Jerufalem,-and for Zion, with a great jealoufy.' God hath a dear atfec-tion for his people, they are his Hephzibah, or delight, Ifa. ixii. 4. The apple of his eye, Zech. ii. 8. To exprefs hov/ dear they are to him, and how tender he is of them, Nthil charins pupil/a oculi^ Drufius. They are his fpoufe, adorned with jewels of grace ; they lie near to his heart. He is jealous for his fpoufe, therefore he will.be avenged ou them who go 10

wrong her, Ifa. xliii. 13. ' The Lord (hall fiir up jealoufy like a mail of war; he fliall roar, he fhall prevail againft hit; enemies.' What is done to tiie faints, God takes asdonelohimlelf, 2 Kings xix. ^2. and the Lord will undo all them that affli6l Zion, Zeph. iii. 19. ' I will undo all that afflia thee.' <'2. Jealoufy is taken in a bad fenfe, and fo God is jealous of his people : and io it is.taken in this commandment, * I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.' I am jealous left you (hould go after falfe gods, or vvorlhip the true God in a falfe manner; left you defile your virgin-profefifion by images. Gr-1 will have his fpoufe to keep clofe to him, and not go after other lovers, Hof. iii. 3. ' Thou /halt not be for another man.* God cannot bear a corrival: our conjugal love, viz. a love joined with adoration and worlhip, mull be given only to God.

life I. Let us give God no juft caufe to be jealous. A good wife will he fo difcreet and chafte, as to give her hufband no juft occafionol jealoufy. Let us avoid all fin, efpecially this fin of idolatry, or image-worftiip ; it is heinous, after we have entered into a marriage-covenant with God, now to proftituteour-felves to an image. Idolatry is fpiritual adultery, and God is a jealous God, he will avenge it: image-worfhip makes God abhor a people, Pfal. Ixxviii. 68. * They moved him to jealoufy with their graven images. When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Ifrael.' Image-worftiip enrageth God, Prov. vi. 34. * Jealoufy is the rage of a man;' it makes God divorce a people, Hof. ii. 2. ' Plead with your mother, plead ; for (lie is not my wife.' Cant. viii. 6. ' Jealoufy is cruel as the grave.' As the gravedevours men's bodies, fo God will devour image-worfhi ppers.

Ufe 2. If God be a jealous God, let it be a word to fucli whofe friends are popifli idolaters, and they are hated by their friends, becaule the}' are of a different religion, and perhaps they cut off their maintenance from them. O remember, God is a jealous God ; better move your parents to hatred, than move God to jealoufy ; their anger cannot do you lb much hurt as God's ; if they will not provide for you, God will, Pfal. xxvii. 10. ' When my father and mother forfake me, then the Lord will take me up.'

II. The fecond reafon againft image-worfliip, * Vifiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.' There is a twofold vifiting. 1. There is God's vifiting in mercy, Gen. 1. 25. * God will furely vifit you ;' that is he will bring you into the land of Canaan, the type of heaven. Thus God hath vifited us with the fun-beams of his favour; he hath made us fwim in alea of mercy ; this is an happy vifituf ion. 2. There is God's vifiting in anger, Jer. v. 9. ' Shall I not vifit for thefe things V that is, God's vifiting with the rod : and.

tfa. X. 5. * What will ye do in the day of vifitation ?' that 13, in the day when dod fhall vifit with his judgments. Thus God's viHtinw is taken here, in this commandment, * vifiting iniquity,' that is, punilhing iniquity. Obferve here three thinijs :

Obferve I. That fm makes God vifit; * Vifiting iniquity.* Sin is the caufe why God vifits with ficknefs, poverty, Pfal. Ixxxix. 31, 32. * If they break my commandments; then will 1 vifit their tranfgrefiions vvith the rod.' Sin twifls the cords which pinch us ; fin creates all our troubles, it is the gall in our cup, and the gravel in our bread ; Flas^ithim etfagellum, funt JJcnt acns et fibnifi', Sin is the Trojan horfe, the phaeton, that fets all on fire ; it is the woml) of our (brrows, and the grave of our comfort. God vifit.s for fin.

Obferve 9. One fpecial fin God vifits for, is idolatry and image 'worfhip. ' Vifiting the iniquity of the fathers.' Mott of God's invenomed arrows have been fhot among idolaters, Jer. vii. 12. ' Go now into my place which was in Shiloh, where I f'et my name at the firfl, and fee what I did to it.' God, for Ifrael's idolatry fuflered their army to be routed, their priefls flain, the ark taken captive; and we never read that the ark returned to Shiloh any more. Jerufalem was the moft famous metropolis of the world ; there was the temple, PPal. cxxii. 4. ' Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord.' Yet, for tl\eir high places and images, their city was befieged, and taken by the Chaldean forces, 2 Kings xxv. 4. When images were fet up in Confiantinople, the chief feat of the Eaftern empire: this city, which was in the eye of the world impregnable, was taken by the Turks, and many cruelly maf^acred. Then the Turks, in their triumphs, reproached the idolatrous Chriliians, caufing an image or crucifix to be carried through the fi:reets in contempt, and throwing dirt upon it cried, " This is the god of the Chrillians." Here was God's vifitatiorii for their idolatry. God hath fet fpecial marks of his wrath upon idolaters: at a place called Epoletium, there perifiied by an earthquake 350 perlbns, while they were offering facrifice to idols. Idolatry hath brought mifery upon the Eallern churches, it removed the golden candlefticks of Afia. This iniquity God vifits for.

Obferve 3. Idolatrous perfons are enemies not only to their own fouls, but to their children : * Vifiting the iniquity of the fathers upon their children.' As an idolatrous father entails his land of inheritance, fo he entails God's anger and curfe upon them. A jealous hufband, finding his wife hath ftained her integrity, may juflly cafl her off and her children too, becaule they are.none of his. If the father be a traitor to his prince, no wonder if all the children fufFer. God may vifit the iniquity of image-worfhippers upon their children.

Vol. I. No. y. ^ D

Qu. Bift is it vot/aid, * Every one piall die for his own //nv the fun jhallnot hear the iniquity of the father .?' How then doth God fay. He * loill vijit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children ?*

Anf. Tho' the fon be not damned for his father's fin, yet he may be feverely puniftied, Job xxi. 19. * God lays up his iniquity for his children ;' that is, God lays up the punifhment of his iniquity for his children ; the child I'marts for the father's lin. Jeroboam thought to have eitablifhed the kingdom by idolatrous vvorfhip, but it brought ruin upon him, and all his pofrerity, 1 Kings xiv, 10. Ahab's idolatry wronged his pofterity, they loft the kingdom, and were all beheaded, 2 Kings X. 7. ' They took the king's fons, and flew feventy perfbns.* There God vifited the iniquity of the father upon the children. As a fbn catcheth an hereditary difeafe from his father, the ftone or gout; fo he catcheth mifery from him, his father's fin ruins him.

Ufe 1. If fo, then how fad is it to be the child of an idolater? It had been fad to have been one of Gehazi's children, who had leproiy entailed upon them, 2 Kings v. 27. ' The leprofy of Naaman fhall cleave to thee and to thy feed for ever.' So it is fad to be a child of an idolater, or image-worfliipper : his feed are expofed to God's heavy judgments in this life ; * God vifits the iniquity of the fathers upon their children.' Methinks I hear God fpeak, as, Ifa. xiv. 21. * Prepare flaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers^'

Ufe 2. See what a privilege it is to be the children of good parents; the parents are in covenant with God, and God lays up mercy for their pofterity, Prov. xx. 7. ' The juftman walks in his integrity, his feed are blefled after him.' A religious parent doth not procure wrath, but helps to keep olf wrath from his child ; he feafons his child with religious principles, he prays down a bleffing on his child : he is a loadftone drawing his child to Chrift by good counfel and example. O what a privilege is it to be born of godly religious parents! St. Auftin faith, that his mother Monica travelled with greater care and pains for his new birth, than for his natural. Wicked idolaters entail^ mifery on their pofterity, God ' vifits the iniquity of the fathers upon their children :' but religious parents procure a blelluig upon their children, God velerves mercy upon their pofteiity.

III. The third reafon againft image-worftiip, Of them that hate me. This is a reafon againft image-worftiip, 'tis hating God ; the papifts, who worfliip God by an image, hate God. Image-woidiip is a pretended love to God, but God interprets it an hating of him : Qucc diligit aliemim odit fponfvm ; She that loves another man, hates her own hufband. An image-

fever is a God-hater. Idolaters are faid to go a-whoring from Grod, Ezek. xxxiv. 15. How can they love God? I thai 1 fhew that image-worlhippers hate God, whatever love they pretend.

1. They who go contrary to God's exprefs will, hate him. God faith, you fhall not fet up any ftatue, image nor pi6lure, to reprefent me; thefe things I hate, Deut. xvi. 22. ' Neither fhalt thou fet up any image which the Lord thy God hateth.* Yet the idolater will fet up images, and worfhip them. This <God looks upon as an hating of him. How doth that child love his father, who doth all he can to crol's him ?

2. They who fhut the truth out of doors, hate him, becaufe they laboured to Ihut him out of his father's houfe. Judges xi. ,7. The idolater (huts the truth out of doors ; he blots out the fecond commandment; he makes a fhape of the invilible God ; •he brings a lie into God's worfliip : which is a clear proof he

hates God.

3. Idolaters, tho' they love the falfe image of God in a picture, yet they hate the true image of God in a believer : they pretend to honour Chrift in a crucifix, yet perfecute Chrift in his members; thefe hate God.

Ufe 1. This may confute thofe who plead for image-worfhip-pers. They are very devout people, they adore images, they fet up the crucifix, kifs it, light candles to it: they love God. Nay, but who fhall be judge of their love? God faith, they hate him : they give religious adoration to a creature. Thefe hate God, and God hates them ; and they (hall never live with God, whom God hates: he will never lay fuch vipers in his bofom ; heaven is kept as paradife, with a flaming fword, that they fhall not enter in : and Deut. vii. 10. • He repayeth them that hate him, to their face.' God will (hoot all his murdering-pieces among idolaters : all the plagues and curfes in the book of God (hall befal the idolater : the Lord repays him that hates him to his face.

Ufe 2. Let it exhort us all to flee from Romifh idolatry : let us not be among God-haters, 1 John v. 21. ' Little children keep yourfelves from idols.' As you would keep your bodies from adultery, fo keep your fouls from idolatry. Take heed of images, they are images of jealoufy to provoke God to anger ; they are damnable: you may as well perifh by falfe devotion, as by real Icandal; by image-wor(hip, as drunkennels and whoredom. A man may as well die by poifon, as piltol : we may as well go to hell by drinking poifon in the Ronii(h cup of fornication, as by being piftoled with grofs and fcandalous fins. To conclude, 'God is a jealous God,' who will dJmitofno corrival; ' he will vifit the niiquities of the liUhers upon their children :' he will entail a plague upon the potlerity of idolaters.

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He interprets idolaters to be fuch as hate him ; he that is an image-lover, is a God-hater: Therefore keep yourfelves pure from Romifh idolatry ; if you love your Ibuls, keep yourfelves from idols.

ExoD. XX. 6. Shewing Mercy unto Thoufands, &c.

This is another argument againfl; image-worfliip, be-caufe fuch as do not provoke God with their images, he is mercif ful to them, and will entail mercy upon their pofterity ; ' Ihcw-ing mercy to thoufands.'

1. Here is the golden fceptre of God's mercy difplayed. 2, The perfons interelled in God's mercy ; fuch as love him, and keep his commandments. 1. The golden fce|)tre of God's mercy difplayed, ' fhewing mercy to thoufands.' The heathens thought they praifed Jupiter enough, when they called him good and great. Both thefe excellencies meet in God, majefty and mercy. Mercy is that innate propenfenefs in God to do good to diftrelfed finners. God Ihewing mercy, makes his Godhead appear full of glory. When Mofes faid to God, ' I belieech thee (hew me thy glory ; I will (faith God) fliew mercy,* Exod. xxxiii. 19. His mercy is his glory. Mercy is the name by which God will be known, Exod. xxxiv. 0". * The Lord paffed by, and proclaimed. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious.' Mercy proceeds primarily, and originally from God ; he is called, the ' Father of mercies,' 2 Cor. i. 3. be-caufe he begets all thofe mercies and bowels which are in the creature. Our mercies compared with God's, are fcarce fo much as a drop to the ocean.

Qu. What are the qualifications ?

Anf. 1. The fpring of mercy which God fliews, is free and fpontaneous. To iet up merit is to dellroy mercy : nothing can deferve mercy nor force it; we cannot deferve mercy be-caufe of our enmity, nor force it: we may force God to punifli us, not to love us, Hof. xiv. 3. ' I will love them freely.* Every link in the golden chain of falvation is wrought and interwoven wiih free grace. Ele6lion is free, Eph. i. 4. ' He hath chofen us in him according to the good pleafure of his will.* JuJiification is free, Rom. iii. 24. ' Being juftified freely by his grace.' Say not then, I am unworthy; for mercy is free. If God Ihould fhew mercy only to fuch as deferve it, he mud (liew mercy to none at all.

2. The mt rcy God fhews is powerful-: how powerful is that mercy, which ibfiens an heart of ftone ? Mercy changed INIary Magdalen's heart, out of whom levcn devils were call; Ihe who

was an inflexible adamant, mercy made her a weeping penitent, God's mercy works I'weetiy, yet irreliftably ; it allures, yet conquers. The law may terrify, mercy doth mollify. Of what fovereign power and efficacy is that mercy which fubdues the pride and enmity of the heart, and beats off thofe chains of (in in which the ibul is held !

3. The mercy which God (hews is fuper-abundant, Exod. xxxiv. 6. ' Abundant in goodnefs, llievving mercy to thou-lands.' God vifits iniquity only to the third and fourth generation, Exod. XX. o. but he (hews mercy to a thoufand generations. The Lord hath Ireafures of mercy lying by, therefore he is faid to be * plenteous in mercy,' Pl'al. Ixxxvi. 5. and

* rich in mercy,' Eph. ii. 4. The vial of God's wrath doth but drop, but the fountain of his mercy runs. The lun is not fo full of light, as God is of love.

-God hath mercy, Firji, Of all dinienfions ; he hath depth of mercy, it reacheth as low as (inners ; and height of mercy, it reacheth above the clouds.

Secondly, God hath mercies for all feafons: mercies for the night, he gives (leep; nay, fometimes he gives a long in the night, Pfal. xlii. S. And he hath mercies for the morning. Lam. iii. 3. ' His compaffions are frefh every morning.'

Thirdly, God hath mercies for all forts. Mercies for the poor, I Sam. ii. 8. ' He raiieth the poor out of the duft;* mercies for the prifoner, Pfal. Ixix. 33. ' He defpifeth not his prifoners :' Mercies for the deje6ted, Ifa. liv. S- ' In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, but with great mercies will [ gather thee.' God hath old mercies, Pfal. xxv. 6. * Thy mercies have been ever of old :' and new mercies, Plal. xl. 3.

• He hath put a new long in my mouth.' Every time we draw our breath, we fuck in mercy ; God hath mercies under iieaven, and thole we tafte of; and mercies in heaven, and thole we hope for. Thus God's mercies are fuper-abundant.

4. The mercy God Ihews is abiding, Pf. ciii. 10. ' The mercy of t-he Lord is from everlafting to everlailing.' God's anger to his children latls but a while, Pf. ciii. p. but his mercy lalts for ever. God's mercy is not like the widow's oil, which ran a while and then ceafed, 2 Kings iv. G. Overflowing, ever flowing. God's mercy, as it is without bounds, fo without bottom, Pf. cxxxvi. ' His mercy endures for ever.' God never cuts off the entail of mercy from the elect.

Qu. 2. H<no many luays is God/aid to Jhew mercy 9 Anf. 1. We are all living monuments of God's mercy. God (hews mercy to us in daily fupplying us. 1. He fupplies lis with health : health is the fauce which makes our life relilh fweeter. How Would they prize this mercy, who are chained to a fick-bed .^ 2. God fupplies us with provifions. Gen. xlviii.

15. * The God who hath fed me all my days.' Mercy fpreads our tables, it carves us every bit of bread we eat; we never drink but in the golden cup of mercy.

^. God (hews mercy in lengthening out our gofpel-liberties, 1 Cor. xvi. 9. There are many adverfaries ; many would flop the waters of the lan6tuary, that they fliould not run : we enjoy the Iweet feafons of grace, we hear joyful founds, we fee the goings ofGod in his fanctuary, we enjoy fabbath after fabbath ; the manna of the word yet falls about our tents, when in divers parts of the land they have no manna. Here is God (hewing mercy to us ; he fpins out our forfeited liberties.

3. God (hews mercy to us, in preventing many evils from invading us, PC. iii. 3. ' Thou, O Lord, art a lliield for me.* God hath reltrained the wrath of men, and been a (creen between us and danger : when the deltroying angel hath been abroad, and fliot his deadly arrow of pelfilence, God hath kept otf the arrow that it hath not come near us.

4. God fhews mercy in delivering us, 2 Tim. iv. 17. * And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.' viz. Nero. God hath reftored us from the grave. May we not write the writing of Hezekiah, Ha. xxxviii. 9. ' When he had been (ick, and was recovered of his ficknefs ?* When we thought the fun of our life had been fetting, God hath made it return to its former brightnefs.

5. God (hews mercy, in reftraining us from fin : lufts within, are worfe than lions without. The greateft fign of God's anger, is to give men up to their fins, Pfal. Ixxxi. 12. ' So I gave them up to the luflsof their own hearts ;' let them fin themfelves to hell : but God hath laid the bridle of reftraining grace upon us. As God laid to Abimelech, Gen. xx. (J. ' I withheld thee from firming againft me ;' lb God withheld us from thole exor-bitancies which might have made us a prey to Satan, and a terror to ourfelves.

6. God (hews mercy, in guiding and direding us. Is is not a mercy for one that is out of the way to have a guide ? Fhfty There is a providential guiding : God guides our atfairs for us, chalks out a way he would have us to walk in ; he refolves our doubts, unties our knots, appoints the bounds of our habitation, A6ls xvii. 2(). Secojidh/, A fpiritual guiding, Pfal. Ixxiii. 24, * Thou (halt guide me with thy counlel.' As Ifrael had a pillar of (ire to go before them, lb God guides us with the oracles of his word, and the conduct of his Spirit. He guides our head, keeps us from error; and he guides our feet, keeps us from Icandal. O what mercy is it to have God to be our guide and pilot! Pfal. xxxi. 3. * For thy name's fake lead me and guide me.'

7. God fhews mercy in correfting us. God is angry in love ; he fmites that he may lave. God's rod is not a rod of iron to break us, but a fatherly rod to humble us, Heb. xii. 10. ' He, for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holinefs.' Either God will mortify fonie corruption, or exercife fome grace. Is there not mercy in this? Every crofs, to a child of God, is like Paul's crofs wind, which, tho' it broke the (hip, it brought Paul to fliore upon the broken pieces, A^s xxvii. 44.

8. God fhews mercy in pardoning us, Mic. vii. 18. * Who is a god like thee, that pardoneil iniquity ?' 'Tis mercy to feed us, rich mercy to pardon us: this mercy is ipun out of the bowels of free grace ; this is enough to make a fick man well, Ifa. xxxiii. 24. ' The inhabitant ihall not fay, I am fick ; the people that dwell therein Qiall be forgiven their iniquity.' Pardon of fin is a mercy of the firll magnitude, God i'eals the fin-ner's pardon with a kifs. This made David put on his belt clothes, and anoint himfelf: hischild newly dead, and God had told him the fvvord fiiould not depart from his houfe, yet now he falls anointing himfelf; the reafon was, God had lent him his pardon by the prophet Nathan, 2 Sam. iii. 12, 13. ' The Lord hath put away thy fin.' Pardon is the only fit remedy for a troubled confcience : what can give eal'e to a wounded I'pirit, but pardoning mercy? Offer him the honours and pleafures of the world ; 'tis as if you bring flowers and mufic to one that is condemned.

Q. How may I know my/ins are pardoned.

Anf. Where God removes the guilt, he breaks the power of fin, Mic. vii. ly. * He will have compafiion, he will fubdue our iniquities.' With pardoning love God gives fubduing grace.

y. God fiiews his mercy in fan6tifying us, Lev. xx. S. ' I am the Lord that fandify you.' This is the partaking of the divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. God's fpirit is a fpirit of confecra-tion, though it fanclify us but in part, yet in every part, 1 ThefT. V. 23. This is fuch a mercy that God cannot give it in anger ; if we are fandified, then we are elected, 2 Thelf. ii. 13. * God hath chofen you to falvation through fandification.' This doth difponere ad ccetuin ; it prepares for happinefs, as the feed prepares for harveft. When the virgins had been anointed and perfumed, then they were to ftand before the king, Efih. ii. 1^2. ib, when we have had the anointing of God, then we ihall ftand before the King of heaven.

10. God fliews mercy in hearing our prayers, Pf. iv. 1. * Have mercy upon me and hear my prayer.' Is it not a favour when a man puts up a petition to the king, and haih it granted ? when we pray for pardon, adoption thelenfe of God's love, to have God give a gracious anfwer ; what a fignal mercy is this ? God may fometimes delay an aufwer ; when he^

will not deny. You do not prefently throw a mufirian monef, becaiife you love to hear his mufic : God loves the mufic of prayer, therefore doth not prefently let us hear from him ; but, in due lealon he will give an anlwer of peace, Plal. Ixvi. 20,

* Blefi'ed be God who hath not turned away my prayer nor hii? mercy Irom me.' If God doth not turn away our prayer, then he doth not turn away iiis mercy.

11. God thews mercy in Iviving us, Titus iii, 5. ' According to his mercy he faved us.' This is the top-(tone of mercy, and it is laid in heaven. Now mercy dilplays itfeif in all its orient colours ; now mercy is mercy indeed, when God fl)all perfectly refine us from all the lees and dregs of corruption. Our bodies fhall be made like Chrift's glorious body, and our fouls like the angels. Saving mercy is crowning mercy : it is not only to be freed from hell, but enthroned in a kingdom. In tliis life we do rather defire God than enjoy him ; but what rich mercy win it be to be fully poiTelfed of God, to fee his Imiiing face, and to have God lay us in his bofom ? This will fill us with

* joy unfpeakable and full of glory,' Pf. xvii. 15. ' I fliall be fatistied, when I wake, with thy likeneft.*

Uj'e I. As an argument againii defpair, fee what a great encouragement here is to ferve God ; he fhews mercy to thou-lands. Who would not be y^'illing to ferve a prince who is given to mercy and clemency ? God is reprelented with a rainbow round about him, Rev. *iv. 3. an emblem of his mercy. Ads of feverity are rather forced from God : juflice is his llrange work, Ifa. xxviii. 21. Therefore the difciples, who are not faid to wonder at the other miracles of Chrift, yet did wonder when the fig-tree was curfed and withered, becaufe it Avas not ChriiVs manner to put forth a6ls of feverity. God is faid to delight in mercy, Micah vii. IS. Juftice is God's left-band, mercy is his right-hand ; God ufeth his right-hand moft; he is more ufed to mercy than to juliice prunier eji Dens adpar^ cendtim quain ad puniendum. God is faid to be flow to anger, VL ciii. 8. but ready to forgive, Pf. Ixxxvi. 5. This may encourage us to ferve God. V\^hat argument will prevail, if mercy will not ? Were God all juflice, it mightfright us from him, but hisi mercy may be a load-fione to draw us to him.

Uj'e 2. Branch i. Hope in God's mercies, Pf. cxlvii. 11.

* The Lord takes pleafure in them that fear him, and hope in his mercy.' God counts it his glory to be fcattering pardons among men.

Obje<5l. But I have been a great Jijmer, and fiire there is no mercy for ine.

Anf, No, not if thou goefl on in fin, and art fo refolved : but, if thou wilt break oft'thy fins, the golden fceptre of mercy (hall be held forih to thee, lia. Iv. 7. * Let the wicked forfake his

way, and let him turn unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him,' And ChriiVs blood is ' a fountain fet open for fin and uncleannefs,' Zech. xiii. 1. Mercy doth more overflow in God, than fin in us ; God's mercy can drown great fins, as the iea covers great rocks. Some of ihol'e Jews, who had their hands imbrued in Chrift's blood, were faved by that ,blood : God loves to magnify his goodnefs, to difplay the trophies of free grace, and to (et up his mercy above you, in fpite of fin : therefore hope in God's njercy.

Branch 2. If God fliew mercy to thoufands, labour to know that this mercy is for you, Pfal. lix. 17. * He is the God of my mercy.' A man that was ready to drown, faw a rainbow; faith he, what am I the better, though God will drown the world, if I drown ? fo, what are we the better God is tnerci-ftd, if we periQi; let us labour to know God's fpecial mercy is for us.

Qu. How fJiallwe know it belongs to ns?

Anf. I. If we put an high value and eftimation upon God's mercy : God will not throw away his mercy on them that flight it': we prize health, but we prize adopting mercy above it. This is a diamond in the rinar, it outihines all other com-forts.

2. If we are fearers of God, wehavea reverend awe upon us; we tremble at fin, and flee from it, as Mofes did from his rod turned into a ferpent, Luke i. 50. ' His mercy is on them that fear him.'

3. If we take fan6tuary in God's mercy, we truft in it, Pfal. lii. 8. As a man is faved by catching hold of a cable ; God's mercy is a great cable let down from heaven to us ; now taking fail hold of this cable by faith, we are laved, Pf. lii. S. * I trull in the mercy of God forever.' As a man trufteth in his life and goods in a garrifon, fo we trufl our fouls in God's mercy.

Q. What fmll ice do to get a Piare in God's fpecial mercy ?

Anf. 1. If we would have mercy, it mult be through Chrift ; outof Chrill no mercy is to be had. We read in the old law, Fiijl, None might come into the holy of holies, where the mer-cy«ieat flood, but the high-prieft, fignifying, we have nothing to do with mercy, but through Chriit our high-prieft. ^dly. The high-priefl might not come near the mercy-feat without blood. Lev. xvi. 14. to fhew that we have no right to mercy, but through the expiatory facrifice of Chrift's blood. 2>dly, The high-prieft might not, upon pain of death, come near tlie mercy-feat without incenfe. Lev. xvi. 13. No mercy from God without the incenfe of ChrifVs iuterceffion : fo that if we would have mercy, we muft get a part in Chriit. Mercy fvvims to us through Chrift's blood.

Vol. I.'No. 9, 3E

2. If we would have mercy, we muft pray for it, Pf. Ixxxv. 7. * Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy falvation," Pf. XXV. 16. * Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me.* Lord, put me not off with common mercy; give me not only mercy to feed and clothe me, but mercy to pardon me; not only fparing mercy, but faving nnjjrcy. Lord, give me the cream of thy mercies ; let me have mercy and loving-kindnefs, PI", ciii. 4. ' Who crowneth thee with loving kindnefs and tender mercy.' Be earned fuitors for mercy ; let your wants quicken your importunity : then we pray moft fervently, when we pray moll feelingly.

ExoD. XX. 6. Of them that love me,

1. God's mercy is for them that love him. Love is a grace that (hines and fparkles in God's eye, as the precious Hone did upon Aaron's breaft-plate. Love is an holy expanfioii or enlargement of foul, whereby it is carried with delight after God, as the chief good ; fo Aquinas defines love, Complacen-tia amantis in amato : love is a complacential delighting in God, as in our treafure : love is the foul of religion; 'tis a grace highly momentous. If we had knowledge as the angels, or faith of miracles, yet without love it would profit nothing, 1 Cor. xiii. 2. Love is the firltand great commandment,' Matth. xxii. 38. It is fo, becaufe, if this be wanting, there can be no religion in the heart ; there can be no faith, for faith works by love, Gal. v. 6. All is but pageantry, or a devout compliment.

2. Becaufe love doth meliorate and fweeten all the duties of religion ; it makes them lavoury meat, elfe God cares not to tafte of them.

3. It is the firft and great commandment, in refpcd of the excellency of this grace. Love is the queen of the graces ; it outfliines all tlie other, as the fun the lelfer planets. In feme refpeft it is more excellent than faith ; tho' in one fenfe faith be more excellent, virtute unionis, as it unites us to Chrift ; faith puts upon us the embroidered robe of Chrift's righteoul-neis, which is a brighter robe than any of the angels wear : yet in another fenfe love is more excellent, refpectn durationis, in refped of the continuance of it ; it is the moll durable grace: faith and hope will fhortly ceafe, but love will remain. When all the other graces like Rachel, lliall die in travel, love (hall revive. The other graces are in the nature of a leafe, only for term of life; love is a freehold, it continues for ever. Thus love carries away the garland from all the other graces, it is ths

mofl long-lived grace, it is a bud of eternity ; this grace alone Ihall accompany us in heaven.

Qu. 1. How mnjiour love to God he qiialijied?

Anf. 2. Love to God mull be pure and genuine, he muft be loved chiefly for himfelf; this the fchooimen call amov amkitae. We muft love God, not only for his benefits, but for thofe in-trinfic excellencies wherewith he is crowned : we mult love God not only for the good which flows from him, but thegood which is in him. True love is not mercenary ; a foul that is deeply in love with God, needs not to be hired with rewards : he cannot but love God for the beauty of his holinefs : not but that it is lawful to look at God's benefits ; Moles had an eye to the re-compence of reward, Ileb. xi. 2(). but we muft not love God only for his benefits, for then it is not love of God but felf-love.

2. Love to God muft be with all the heart, Mark xii. 20. ■ * Thou (halt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.* We

muft not love God a little, give God a drop or two of our love ; but the main ftream of our love muft run after him ; the mind muft think of God, the will chufe him, the aft'edions pant after him : the true mother would not have the child divided, nor God would not have the heart divided : we muft love him with our whole heart. Though we may love the creature, yet it muft be a fubordinate love : love to God muft be higheft, as the oil fwims above the water.

3. Love to God muft be flaming; to love coldly, is all one as not to love. The fpoule is laid to be amove perculfa^ * fick of love,' Cant. ii. o. The Seraphims are lb called, from their burning: love turns faints into feraphims, it makes them bura in holy love to God ; and ' many waters cannot quench this love.'

Qu. 2. How may we know whether we love God?

Anf. 1. He that loves God, defires his fweet prefence : lovers cannot be long alunder, they have their faintingfits, they want a fight of the obje6t of their love. A foul deeply in love with God, defires the enjoyment of him in his ordinances, in word, prayer, facraments. David was ready to faint away and die, when he had not a fight of God, Pf Ixxxiv. 2. * My foul fainteth for God ;' fuch as care not for ordinances, but fay whea will the fabbath be over ? plainly dilbover want of love to God.

2. He who loves God, doth not love fin, Pf. xcvii. 10. * Ye that love the Lord hate evil.' The love of God, and the love of fin, can no more mix together, than iron and clay : every fin loved, ftrikes at the being of God ; but he who loves God, hath an antipathy againft fin ; he who would part between two lovers,-is an hateful perlbn : God, and the believingIbul are two lovers ; fin comes to part between them, therefore the foul is implacably fet againft fin. By this try your love to God : how

3E2

could Dalilah fay (he loved Samfon, when flie entertained cor-refpondence with thePhiliflines who were his mortal enerriies? how can he fay he loves God, who loves fin, which is God's enemy ?

3. He who loves God, is not much in love with any thing elfe ; his love is very cool to worldiy things : his love to God moves as the fun in the firmament, fwiftly ; his love to the world moves as the fun on the dial, very flow. The love of the world eats out the heart of religion ; it choaks good affections, as the earth puts out the fire. The world was a dead thing to Paul, Gal. vi. 4. ' 1 am crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to me.' In Paul we might fee both the pidure and pattern of a mortified man : he that loves God, nfeth the world, but chufeth God ; the world is his penfion, but God is his portion, Pfal. cxix. 37. The world doth bufy him, but God doth delight and faiist'y him. He faith as David, Pfal. xliii. 4. • God my exceeding joy,' the gladnefs or cream of my joy.

4. He who loves God cannot live without him. Things we love, we know not how to be without; a man can want mufic or flowers, but not food ; a foul deeply in love with God looks upon hin)felf as undone without him, PI", cxliii. 7. * Hide not thy face from me, led 1 be like them that go down into the pit.' He faith, as Job, chap. xxx. 28. ' I went mourning without the fun.' I have ilar-light, I want the Sun of righteoufnefs ; I enjoy not the fweet prefence of my God. Is God our chief good that we cannot Hve without } alas, how do they demon-ftrate they have no love to God, who can make a iliift well enough to be without him! let them have but corn and oil, and you ihall never hear them complain of the want of God.

5. He who loves God, will be at any pains to get him. What pains doth the merchant take, what hazard doth he run, to have a rich return frotn the Indies.^ Extremos currit mercator ad Jndos. Jacob loved Rachel, and he could endure the heat by day, and the froft by night, that he might enjoy her. A foul that loves God, will take any pains for the fruition of Wm, Pf. Ixiii. 8. ' My foul follows hard after God.' Love is pondus animae, Aug. It is as the weight which lets the clock agoing. The foul is much in prayer, weeping, faftng ; he Arrives as in agony, that he may obtain him whom liis foul lovee. Plutarch reports of the Gauls, an ancient people of France, after they had tailed the Iweet wine of Italy, they never refl:ed tiU they had arrived at that country. He who is in love with God, never refis till he hath gotten a part in him. Cant. iii. 2. * 1 ibught him whom my (oul loveth.' How can they fay they love God, who are not induftrious in the xii'e of means to obtain him ? Prov. xix. 24. * A flothful man hides his hand in his boibm.' Thefe are not in agony, but lethargy : if Chrill and falvation would

drop as a ripe fig into his mouth, he could be content to have them ; but he is loth to put himfelf to too much trouble. Doth he love his friend, that will not make a journey to him ?

6. He that loves God, prefers him before eltateand life. 1, Before ellate, Phil. iii. S. ' For whom I have fufTered the lofs of all things.' Who that loves a rich jewel, would not part with a flower for it ? Galeacius marquis of Vico parted with a fair eftate to enjoy God in his pure ordinances : when a jefuit per-fuaded him to return to his popifh religion in Italy, promifing him an huge fum of money ; laith he, * Let their money perilh with them, who elleem all the gold in the world worth one day's communion with Jefus Chriil, and his holy Spirit.' 2. Before life, Rev. xii. 11. * They loved not their lives to the death.* Love to God carries the foul above the love of life, and the fear of death. * 7. He who loves God, loves his favourites, viz, the faints, 1 John v. 1. Idom eft motus animi in imaginem et rem. To love a man for his grace, and the more we fee of God in him, the more we love liim, is the infallible fign of love to God. The wicked pretend to love God, but hate and perfecute his image. Doth he love his prince who abufeth his ftatue, tears his picture ? Lideed they feeni to fliew great reverence to the feints departed ; they have a great reverence for St. Paul, and St. Stephen, and St. Luke : they canonize dead faints, but perfecute living faints ; and do thefe love God ? can it be imagined he fhould love God, who hates his children becaufe they are like him ; if Chrift were alive again, he would not efcape a fecond perfecution.

8. If we love God, as we cannot but be fearful of difhonouring him (the more a child loves his father, the more he is afraid to difpleafe him) fo we weep and mourn when we have offended him. ' Peter went out and wept bitterly,* Matlh. xxvi. 75. When Peter thought how dearly Chrift loved him, betook him up to the mount where he was transfigured ; Chrlll fliewed him the glory of heaven in a vifion : now, that he fhould deny Chrift, after he had received fuch fignal tokens of Chrift's love, this broke his heart with grief, * He wept bitterly.' Are our eyes limbecs, dropping tears of grief for lin againft God ? a bleffed evidence of our love to God : and fuch ihall find mercy. • He fliews mercy to thou lands of them that love him.'

Vfe. Let us be lovers of God. We love our food, and (hall we not love him that gives it ? All the joy we hope for in heaven, is in God ; and fhatl not he whofliall be our joy, be our love ? It is a laying of St. Auftin, Annan poena J atis magna eji non aniQre te? Is it not punilliment enough. Lord, not to love thee? And again, Aniniam meam in odlo haherem: I would hate myown foul, if I did not find it loving of God,

" ■ 406 OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.

Qu. What are the incentives to provoke and injlame our love to God ?

AnJ\ 1. God's benefits beftovved on us. A prince who be-ftows continual favours on a lubje6t, if that fubje6thath any ingenuity, he cannot but love his prince. God is conflantly heaping benefits upon us ; * He fills our hearts with food and glad-nels,' A6ts xiv. 17. As the rock followed Ifrael, vvhitherfo-ever they went ftreams of water out of the rock followed them ; fo God's blefiings follow us every day ; we fwim in a fea of mercy. The heart is hard, tliat is not prevailed with by all God's bleffings, to love him ; magniis ainoris amor. Kindnefs "works on a brute ; the ox knoweth his owner.

2. Love to God would make duties of religion facile and plea-fant. I confefs to him that hath no love to God, religion mutt needs be a burden ; and I wonder not to hear him fay * What a wearinefs is it to ferve the Lord?* It is like rowing againll the tide. But love oils the wheels, it makes duty a plealure. Why are the angels lb fwift and winged in God's fervice, but becaufe they love him ? Jacob thought feven years but little, for the love he did bear to Rachel. Love is never weary ; he who loves money is not weary of telling it; and he who loves God is not weary of ferving him.

3. It is advantageous. There is nothing lofi; by our love to God, I Cor. ii. 0. * Eye hath not feen, &c. the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.' Such glorious rewards are laid up for them that love God, " That (as St. Aullin faith) they do not only tranfcend our reafon, but faith itfelf is not able to comprehend them." A crown is the higheit en-lign of worldly glory ; and God hath promifed a * crown of life to them thai love him/ James i. 12. And it is a never-fading crown, 1 Pet. v. 4.

4. By our loving God, we may know that he loves us, 1 John V. 10' * We love him, becaufe he firft loved us-* If the ice melts, it is becaufe the fun hath fhined upon it; if the frozen heart melts in love, it is becaufe the Sun of Righteoufnefs hath fhined upon it.

Qu. IVhat means may he iifed to excite our love to God ?

Anf. 1. Labour to know God aright. The fchoolmen fay true, Bonum non amatur, quod non cognofcitur: we cannot love that which we do not know. God is the mofl eligible good ; all the excellencies which lye fcattered in the creature, are united in God : he is Optitims maximus. Wifdom, beauty, riches, love, do all concenter in God. How fair was that tulip which had the colours of all tulips in it? all perfe6lions and fweetnelVes are eminently in God. Did we know God more, and by the eye of faith lee his orient beauty, our hearts would be fired with love to him.

?. Make the fcriptures familiar to you. St. Auftin faith, before his converlion he took no jjleaiure in fcripture, but after converfion it was his chief delight. The book of God diicovers God to lis, in his hoUnefs, wildom, veracity and truth : it re-prefents God rich in mercy, incircled with promifes. St. Auftin calls the l<:'ripture a golden epiflle, or love-letter, fent from God to us ; by reading this love-letter, we fhall be the more enamoured with love to God ; as by reading lafcivious books, comedies, romances, &c. luft is provoked.

3. Meditate much of God, and this will be a means to love him, Pf. xxxix. 3. ' While I was mufing, the fire burned.' Medifation is the bellows of the atfedions. Meditate on God's love in giving us Chrift, John iii. 16. * Godfo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,' &c. That God fliould give Chrift to us, and not to the angels that fell; that the Sun of Righteoulhefs fliould (hine in our horizon ; that he is revealed to us, and not to others ; what wonderful love is this ! Prov. vi. 28. * Who can go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned ?' Who can meditate on God's love ? who can tread on thefe hot coals, and his heart not burn in love to God ? beg an heart to love God, the affection of love is natural, but not the grace of love. Gal. v. 22. This fire of love is kindled from heaven ; beg that \\ may burn upon the altar of your heart. Surely this requeft is pleafing to God, and he will not deny fuch a prayer, * Lord, give me an heart to love thee.'

ExoD. XX. 6. And keep my Commandments.

Love and obedience, like two fillers, muft go hand in hand : indeed, this is a good evidence of our loving God, John xiv. 21. * If ye love me, keep my commandment.' Prohatio dileciionis, eft exhihitio operis. The Ion that loves his father, will obey him. Obedience pleafeth God, 1 Sam. xv. 22. * To obey is better than facrifice.' In facrifice, only a dead bead is offered ; in obedience, a living foul: in facrifice, only a part of the fruit is offered ; in obedience, fruit and tree, and all: a man oflers himfelf up to God. ' Keep my commandments.* It is not fuid, God fhews mercy to thoufands that know his commandments, but that keep them. The knowing God's commandments, without keeping them, doth not entitle any to mercy. The commandment is not only a rule of knowledge, but duty. God gives us his commandments, not only as a land-Ikip to look upon, but as his will and teftament, which we are Jto. .perform. A good Chrillian is like the fun which doth not-only fead forth light, but goes its circuit round the world : fo he-

hath not only the light of knowledge, but goes its circuit too, and moves in the fphere of obedience.

Qn. In what manner ynuji ice keep GocVs commandments?

Anf. 1. Our keeping the commandments mull be fiducial. Our obedience to God's commandments mwii projiuere a fide, fnring from faith ; therefore it is called ' the obedience of faith,* Rom. xvi. 20. ' Abel by faith oifered up a better facrifice than Cain,' Heb. xi. 4. Faith is a vital principle, without it all our fervices are opera mortita, dead works, Heb. vi. 1. Faith doth meliorate and fweeten our obedience, and niake it come off with a better relith.

Qu. But ivhy mnft faith be mixed icith obedience to the com' mandment ?

Anf. Becaufe faith eyes Chrifl; in every duty, and fo both the perfon and offering are accepted. The high prieft under the law laid his hand upon the head of the beaft ilain, which did point to the Melliah, Exod. xxix. 10. So faith, in every duty, lays its hand upon the head of Chrill. His blond doth expiate the guilt, and the fweet odours of his intercelFion perfume our Morks of obedience, Eph. i. (5. * He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.'

9. Our keeping the commandments mufl be uniform. We muft make confcience of one commandment as well as another, Pf. cxix. 0. ' Then fliall I not be alhamed, when 1 have refpect to all thy commandments.' Every commandment hath a jus divinum, the fame ftamp of divine authority upon it; and if I ol)ey one precept becauie God commands, by the fame reafoii I muft obey all. Some obey the commands of the firll table, but are carelefs in the duties of the fecond ; and fo, e contra. Phyficians have a rule, when the body fvveats in one part, but is cold in another, it is a (ign of a diilemper : fo when men feem zealous in fome duties of religion, but are cold and frozen in another, it is a fign of hypocrify. We muit have refpedt to all God's commandments.

Qu. But zvho can keep all commandments ?

Ajif. There is a fulfilling of God's commands, and a keeping of them : though we cannot fulfil all, yet we may be faid to keep them in an evangelical fenle. We may facere, though not perficere: we keep the commandments evangelically, I. Where we make confcienCe of every command ; though we come fhort in every duty, yet we dare not negle6l any duty. ^2. Our de--lire is to keep every commandment, Pf. cxix. 5. ' O that my ways were directed to keep thy flatutes !' What we want in llrertgth we make up in will. 3. We grieve that we can do no better ; when we fail, we weep; we prefer bills of complaint againfl ourlelves, and judge ourfelves for our failings, Rom. vii. 24. 4. Wfc do eliceie cmalum, we endeavour to obey every

commandment, Phil. iii. 14. ' I prels toward the mark.' We ftrive as in as^ony, and, if it lay in our power, we would fully comport with every commandment- 5. When we fall tliort, and are nnahle to come up to the full latitude of the law, we look to Clirift's blood to fprinkle our imperfeit obedience, and with the grains of his merits call into the Icales to make it pafs current ; this is an evangelical fenfe to keep all the commandments ; and though it be not to fatisfaclion, yet it is to accej>« lation.

3. Our keeping God's commandments muft be willing, Ifa. i. 19. ' If ye be willing and obedient.' God was for a freewill offering, Deut. xvi. 10. David will run the way of God's commandments, Pfal. xix. 32. that is, freely and cheerfully. The lawyers have a canon, adverbs are better than adjedlives ; it is not the bcmum, but the bene ; not the doing much, but the 'doing well. A mufician is not recommended for playing long, but for playing well; it is obeying God willingly is accepted : virtiis nolentium nullum eji ; the Lord hates that which is forced, it is rather paying a tax than an oft'ering. Cain ferved God grudgingly; he brought his facrifice, not his heart. To obey God's commandments unwillingly, is like the devils who came out of the men poflefTed, at Clirift's command, but with re-luclancy, and againft their will, Matth. viii. 29- Ohedientia prceji, and a eJi non timore pctna, fed amore Dei; good duties muft not be preffed nor beaten out of us, as the waters came out of the rock, when Mofes fmote it with his rod ; but mull freely drop from us, as myrrh from the tree, or honey from the comb. Ifa willing mind be wanting, there wants that flower which ihould perfume our obedience, and make it a fweet-fmelling favour to God. That we may keep God's commandments willingly, let thefe things be well weighed.

1. Our willingnefs is more efteemed than our fervice ; therefore David couniels Solomon, not only to ferve God, but with a willing mind, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. The will makes fin to be worl'e, and makes duty to be better. To obey willingly, fhews we do it with love ; and this crowns all our lervices.

2. There is that in the law-giver, which may make us willing to obey the commandments, viz. God's indulgencies to us.

(1.) God doth not require ihe fummum jus, as abfolutely neceflary to falvation ; he expe6ls not perfed obedience, only requires fincerity. Do but a6l from a principle of love, and aim at honouring God in your obedience, and it is accepted.

(2.) In the times of tb.e golpel a furety is admitted. The law would not favour us fo far; but now God doth fo indulge us, that what vve cannot do of ourielves, we may do by pro.xy, * Jefus Chrift is a furety of a better tellament.' Heb. vii. 2sJ.

Vol. I. No. ^, 3 F

AVe fall (l)ort in every thing, but God looks upon us in ouir furety ; and Chrifl having fulfilled all righteoulhefs, it is as if we had fuliilkd the law in our own perlbns.

(3.) God gives (Irength to do what he requires. The law called for obedience; but tho' it required brick, it gave no iiraw ; but in the gofpel, God, with his commands, gives power, Ezek. xviii. 31. ' Make ye a new heart.' Alas! it is above our llrength, we may as well make a new world, Ezek. xxxvi. (5. ' I will give you a new lieart.' God commands us to cleanfe ourfelves, I(a. i. 1(5. * Wafli ye, make you clean. But who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean.' Job xiv. 4. Therefore the precept is turned into a promife, Ezek. xxxvi. 25. ' From all your fiUhinefs will I cieanfe you.' When the child cannot go, the nurfe takes it by the band, Hof. xi. 3. * I taught Ephraim alfo to go, taking them by their arms.'

3. There is that in God's commandments, which may make us willing ; they are not burdenlbme.

I/?, For a Chriltian (fo far as he is regenerate) confents to God's commands, Rom. vii. 16. ' 1 confent to the law that it is good.' What is done with confent, is no burden ; if a virgin gives her confent the match goes on cheerfully ; if a lul)je6t con-lent to his prince's laws (as feeing the equity and rationality of them) then they are not irkfome. A regenerate peri'on in his judgment approves, and in his will confents to God's commandments, therefore they are not burdenfome.

^d/y, God's commandments are fweetened with joy and peace. Cicero quellions whether that can properly be called a burden^ ■which one carries with delight and pleafure; Utrum onus ap~ pel/atur quod Ictetitia fertur. If a man carries a bag of money given him, it is heavy, but the delight takes off the burden. When God gives inward joy, that makes the commandments delightful, Ifa. Ivi. 7. ' I vvill make them joyful in my houfe of pra'y^er.' Joy is like oil to the wheels, which makes a Chrifliaa run in the way of God's commandments, fo that it is not burdenfome.

Sdly, God's commandments are advantageous. 1. The commandments are preventive of evil; a curb bit to check us from fin. What mifchiefs would we not run into, if we had not afIli6lions to humble us, and the commandments to rellrain us ? God's commandments are to keep us within bounds ; the yoke keeps the beaft from itraggling : we are to be thankful to God for precepts : had not he let his commandments as an hedge or bar in our way, we might have run to hell and never ftopt.

2. There is nothing in the commandments but what is for our good ; Deut. x. 13. ' To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his flatutes, which I commaud thee for thy good.'

J. God commands us to read his word; and what hurt is in this? God befpangles the word with promifes; as if a father fliould l)id his (on read his laft will and teftament, wherein he makes over a fair edate to him. 2. God bids us pray : and he tells us, if we aik, * it (hall be given,' Matth. vii. 7. A(k power againft fin, afk faivation, and it fhail be given. If you had a friend fhould lay, " Come when you will to me, I will fupply you with money," would you think it a trouble to vilit that friend often ; 3. God commands us to fear him. Lev. xxv. 43. ' But fear thy God.' . And there is honey in the mouth of this command, Luke i. 50. * His mercy is upon them that fear him.' 4. God commands us to believe, and why io} ' Believe, and ye fliall be faved,' A(5ls xvi. 31. Salvation is the crown fet upon the head of faith : good reafon then we obey God's commands willingly ; they are for our good, they are not To much 'our duty as our privilege.

3. God's commandments are ornamental; Omnia quae pra-ejiari jubet Deus, non onerant nos fed ornam : Salvian. God's commandments do not burden us, but adorn us. It is an honour to be employed in a king's fervice ; and fo to be employed in God's, ' by whom kings reign.' To walk in God's commandments, proclaims us to be wife, Deut. iv. 5, Q. * Behold I have taught you llatutes ; keep, therefore, and do them ; for this is your wifdom.' And to be wife is an honour ; I may fay of every commandment of God, as Prov. iv..y. ' It (hall give to thy head an ornament of grace.*

- 4. The commands of God are in(initely better than the commands of (in, thele are intolerable. Let a man be under the command of any lull, how doth he lire himfelf .^ What hazards doth he run to the endangering his health and foul, that he may fatisfy his luli.^ Jer. ix. 3. * They weary themfelves to commit iniquity.' And, are not God's commandments more equaJ, facile, pleafant, than the commands of fin ? Chryfoftom faith true, ** Toa<5t virtue is eafier than toa6l vice," Temperance is lefs troublefome than drunkennefs ; meeknefs is lei's troublefome than paflion and envy. There is more difficulty in the contrive-ment and purfuit of a wicked defign, than in obeying the commandments of God. Hence a finner is faid to travail with iniquity, Pfal. vii. 14. A woman while (he is in travail, is ini pain, to (hew what pain and trouble a wicked man hath in bringing forth fin. IVIany have gone with more pains to hell, than others have to heaven. This may make us obey the commandments willingly.

5. Willingnefs in obedience makes us refemble the angels. Thecti£rubims, types reprefenting the angels, aredefcribed with wings difplayed, to 'ihQVf how ready the angels are to ferve God, God no fooner fpeaks the word, but they are ambitious

3F2

to obey; how are they ravifhed with joy, while they are praif-ingGofi! In heaven we Oiall be as the angels ; by our willing-nels to obey God'scomiTiandmeiits, we (hall be like thentj here. This is what we pray for, that God's will may be done by us on earth, as it is in heaven. Is it not done willingly there ? We mull keep God's commandments conftantly, Pfal. cxvi. 3. • Bleffed is he that doth righteoufneCsatall times.' Our obedience to the command mull be as the fire of the altar, which never went out, Lev. xiii. 6. It mufl be as the motion of the puUe always beating. The wind blows off the fruit, our fruits of obedience mufl not be blown off by the wind of perl'ecution, John XV. 1.6. ' I have chofen you, that you ftiould go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit fhould remain.'

Uj'e. It reproves them who live in a wilful breach of God's commandments, in malice, uncleannefs, intemperance; they walk antipodes to the commandment. To live in a wilful breach of the commandment is,

\fi, Againft reafon. Are we able to fland it out againft God ? 1 Cor. X. 22. * Do we provoke the Lord ? are we flronger than he?' Can we meafure arms with God .f^ can impotency ftand againtl: omnipotency ? A (inner, JH acting fin, a6ts againft realon.

^d/y. It is againft equity. We have our being from God ; and, is it not equal we (hould obey him who gives us our being ? we have all our I'ubfiftence from God ; and is it not fitting, that as God gives us our allowance, we fhould give him our allegiance .f* If a general gives his foldier pay, he is to march at his command ; lb that to live in the breach of his commands, is againft equity.

3d/y, It is againft nature. Every creature in its kind obeys God's laws: 1. Animate creatures obey him; God fpake to the fi(h, and it fet Jonah a (hore, Jonah ii. 10. 2. Inanimate creatures; the wind and the fea obey him, Mark iv. 41. The very ftones, if Goo gave them a commifTion, will cry out againll the fins of men, Hab. ii. 11. * The ftone fhali cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber (hall anfwer it:' none dil-obey God but man and the devil; and can we find none to joia with elfe.^

4thly, It is againft kindnefs. How many mercies have we to allure us to obey ! Miracles of mercy ; therefore the apoftle joins thefe two together, Tlifobedient and unthankful, 2 Tim. iii. 2. and this dyes a fin of a crimfon colour. And, as the fin is great, (for it is a contempt of God, a hanging out of the flag of defiance againll God, and rebellion is as the fin of witchcraft) fo the puniftiment will be proportionable; fuch cut themfelves oft" from mercy. God's mercy is for th^m that keep his commandments, but no mercy for them that live in a wilful breach

of them. All God's judgments fet themfelves in battle-array againft the difobed lent. (I.) Temporal judgments, Lev. xxvi. 15, 16. (2.) Eternal. ' Chrift comes in flames of fire, to take vengeance on them that obey not,' 2 Theff. i. 8. Such as break the golden chain of God's command.s, God hath iron chains to hold them ; chains of darknefs, in which the devils are held, Jude 6. As long as there is eternity, God hath time enough to reckon with all the wilful breakers of his commandments.

Qu. Hoiv piall we do to keep God's commandments ?

Anf. Beg the Spirit of God. We cannot do it in our own (Irength; ' The Spirit muft work in us both to will and to do,' Phil. ii. 13. When the loadllone draws, the iron moves; when God's Spirit draws, then we run in the way of God's com* niandments.

iiMS09nii<n'

OF THE THIRD COMMANDMENT

ExoD. XX. 7. Thoii (halt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain : For the Lord will not hold him guiltlej's that taketh his name in vain.

This commandment has two parts: Firji, A negative exprefled. That we mufi; not take God's name in vain, viz. Caft any refle6lion and dilhonour on God's name. Secondhj, An affirmative implied. That we fhould have a care to reverence and honour his name ; but that I fhall ipeak to more fully, when I come to the firffc petition in the Lord's prayer, * Hallowed be thy name.' I fliall now fpeak of the negative exprefled in this commandment, or the prohibition ' Thou (halt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.' The tongue is an unruly member, all the parts and organs of the body are defiled with.fin, as every branch of wormwood is bitter; * But the tongue is full of deadly poifon,' James iii. S. There is no one member of the body doth more break forth into God's diflionour, than the tongue ; therefore this commandment is a bridle for the tongue, it is to bind the tongue to its good behaviour; * Thou (halt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; and this prohibition is backed with a ftrong reafon, * For the Lord will not hold him guiltlefs :' that is, he will not hold him innocent. Men of place and eminency take it heinoufly to have their names abufed, and will inflidt heavy penalties on the offenders. ' The Lord will not hold him guiltlefs that taketh his name in vain ;• God looks upon him as a criminal perfbn, and he will feverely punifh him, Well then, the thing to be infill-

, ed on, i?, That great care mud be had, that the holy and reverend name of God be not profaned by us, or taken in vain.

Qu. How jnany wai/s may we be /aid to take God's name in vain ?

Avf. I. We take God's name in vain, when we fjseak (lightly and irreverently of his name, Dent, xxviii. 58. ' That thou niayelt fear tliis glorious and feartul name. The Lord thy God.' David Ipeaks of God with reverence, Pfal. 1. I. 'The Lord even the molt mighty God,' Pfal. Ixxxiii. 18. ' That men may know, that thou whofe name alone is Jehovah, art the nioll High over all the earth.' And the difciples, fpeakingof Jefus, did hallow bis name, Lukexxiv. 19. * Jefus of Nazareth, which was a prophet migiity in deed and word before God, and all the people.' When we mention the names of kings, we give them (bme title of honour, as ' excellent majeOy ;' fo (bould ■we fpeak of God with ("uch I'acred reverence, as is due to the infinite Majefty of heaven. When we fpeak flightly of God or his works, God interprets it to be a contempt, and it is a taking his name in vain.

IL When we profefs God's name, but donot live anfwerably to it, it is a taking his name in vain, Titus i. 16. * In words they profefs Chrift, but in works they deny him.' When men's tongues and lives crofs one another ; when, under a maflv of proteffion, men will lie and cozen, and be unclean, thefe make life of God's name to abufe him, they take his name in vain : Simulata J'anciitas duplex iniquHas, Rom. ii. 24. ' The name of God is blafphemed among the Gentiles through you,' When the heathen faw the Jews, wlio profelled to be God's people, to be fcandalous, this made them fpeak evil of God, and hate "the true religion for their fakes.

IIL We take God's name in vain, when we ufe God's name in idle difcourfe. God is riot to be fpoken of but with an holy awe upon our hearts ; and to bring in God's name at every turn when we never think of God, to fay, O God ! or, O Chrift ! or. As God (hall fave my Ibul; this is taking God's name in vain. And, how many are guilty in this kind ! though they have God in their mouths, they have the devil in their hearts. It is a wonder that (ire doth not come out from the Lord and confume them, as it did Nadab and Abihu, Lev. x. 2.

IV. We take God's name in vain, when we worfhip him with our lips, but not our hearts, this is to abufe God. 'Tis the heart which God calls for, Prov. xxxiii. 26. * My fon, give me thy heart.' The heart is the chief thing in religion ; it draws the will and atlections after it, as the Frimuni mobile draws the other orbs along with it. The heart is the incenfe that perfumes our holy things, it is the altar that fandlilies the olTeriog.

Now, when we feem to worfliip God, but withdraw our heart from hhn, we take his name in vain, Ila. xxix. 13. ' This -people draw near me with their mouth, and with their hps they do honour me, but they have removed their heart from me.'

iy« Hypocrites take God's name iti vain, their reUgion is a lie ; they leem to honour God, but they do not love him : their hearts go after their lulls, Hof. iv. S. ' They fet their hearts on their iniquity.* Their eyes are lifted up to heaven, but their hearts are rooted in the earth, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. Thefe are devils in Samuel's mantle, they take God's name in vain.

2f////, Superftitious perCons take God's name in vain. They bring God a few ceremonies which he never appointed ; they bow at Chrift's name and cringe to the altar, but hate and per-fecute God's image; thefe take his name in vain.

V. We take God's name in vain, when we pray to him, but do not believe in him. Faith is the great grace that honours God, Rom. iv. 20. ' Abraham being ftrong in faith, gave glory to God ;' but when we pray to God, but do not mix faith with our prayer, we take his name in vain. I may pray, (faith aChriilian) but I fhall be never the better ; Iqueftion whether God doth hear, or whether he will grant. This is todifhonour God, and take his name in vain ; this is to make God either an idol, that he hath ears and hears not; or a liar, who promifeth mercy to the penitent, but will not make good his word, John V. 10. ' He that believeth nut, hath made God a liar.' When the apoftle faith, ' How fhall they call on him in whom they have not believed ?' Rom. v. 3-1. the meaning is. How Ihail they call on God aright, and not believe in him ? but how many do call on God who do not believe in him ? they afk for pardon, but unbelief in whifpers, their finis are greater than can he forgiven. Thus to pray and not believe, is to take God's name in vain, and is an high diihonouring of God, as if he were n jt fuch a God as the word reprefents him. ' Plenteous in mercy to all that call upon him,' Pfal. txxxvi. 7.

VI. We take God's name in vain, when we in any kind profane and abule his word. Now the word of God is profaned, Firji, In general when profane men meddle with it. It is un-feemly and unbecoming a wicked man to talk of facred things, of God's providence, and the decrees of God and heaven; it was very diftafteful to Chrift, to hear the devil quote icripture, * It is written.' To hear a wicked man that wallows in fin, talk of God and religion, is oflenfive : it is the taking of God's name in vain. When the word of God is in the drunkard's mouth, it is like a pearl hung upon a hog. Under the law the hps of the leper were to be covered. Lev. xii. 45. The lips of a profaiie, drunken minifi;er ought to be covered, he is unfit to Ipeak of God's word, becaule he takes God's name in vajn.

But, 2f////, more particularly they profane God's word, anc! lake Ills name in vain,

1. That (peak Icoruftilly of God's word, 2 Pet. iii. 4. Where is the piorr)i(e of his coming? For (ince the fathers fell afleep, all things continue as they were from the begmning of the creation.' As if they had fuid, here is much ado the preachers make about the day of judgment, when all mull be called to account for their works ; but where is the appearing of that day } we fee things keep their courfe, and continue as they were fince ihe creation ; thus they fpeak fcornfully of frripture, and take God's name in vain. It fentence be not fpeedily executed, men fcorn and deride ; but, Prov. xix. 29. ' Judgments are prepared for (corners.'

9. That fpeak jefiingly. Such are they who fport and play with fcripture ; 'tis playing with fire. Some cannot be merry, imlefs I hey make bold with God ; they make the fcriptures an ])arp to drive away the fpirit of fadnefs, Eufebius relates of one who took a piece of fcripture to jeft with, God ftruck him with frenzy. To play with fcripture fliewsa very profane heart. Some will rather lofe their fouls, than lofe their jells ; thefe are guilty of taking God's name in vain. Tremble at it ; fuch as mock at Icripture, God will mock at their calamity, Prov. i. 2(j.

3. They abufe God's word, and take his name in vain, that bring fcripture to countenance any fin. The word, which was written for the fuppreHing of fin, fome bring it for the defending of fin. For inltance, Fuji, If we tell a covetous man of his fin, that covetoulbefs is idolatry, he will bring fcripture to maintain his fin ; hath not God bid me live in a calling ? ' Six days fhalt ihou labour.' Haih not God faid that ' he who provides not for his family is worlie than an infidel ?' Thus he goes to fupport his covetoulnels with fcripture, jinf. It is true, God hath bid thee take pains in a calling, but not hurt thy neighbour ; he hath bid thee provide for thy family, but not by oppreffion. Lev. xxv. 14. ' Ye fliall Hot opprefs one another.' He hath bid thee look after a livelihood, but not with the neglect of thy foul ; he hath bid thee lay up thy treafure in heaven, Matth. vi. 20. He hath commanded thee to lay out, as well as lay up : to fow feeds of charity on the backs and bellies of the poor, which perhaps thou negiedeft ; lb that to bring Icripture to uphold tliee in thy fin, is an high profaning oi fcripture, and a taking of God's name in vain. Second inltance, if we tell a man of his inordinate paffions, That he may be drunk as well with rafli anger, as wine ; he will bring Icripture to jultify it : doth not the word fay, ' Be angry and fin not,' Eph, iv. 2(5. 'Tis true, that anger is good, which is mixed with zeal ; then anger is without fin, when it is againll fin: but thou dofi fin in thine anger; thou fpeaktll unad-

vifedly with thy lips ; thy tongue is fet on fire of hell : and to bring Icripture to defend thy fin, is to profane fcripture, and to take God's name in vain.

4. They abule the word, and take God's name in vain, who adulterate the word, and wrelt it in a wrong fenfe. Such are heretics, who put their own glofs upon fcripture, and make it fpeak that which the Holy Gholl never meant. For inllance, Firft^ When we expound thofe texts liteially, which are meant figuratively. Thus the Pharifees were guilty, when God laid in the law, * Thou fhalt bind the commandments for a fign upon thy hand, and they fliall be as frontlets between thine eyes,* Deut. vi. 8. 'J'he pharifees took it in a literal lenfe ; they got two (broils of parchment, wherein they wrote the two tables, putting one on their left-arms, and binding the other to their eye-brows : thus they wrefted the fcripture, and took God's name in vain. That fcripture was to be underftood fpi-ritually, and by a figure : God meant, by bindinghis laws upoa their hands, that they fliould meditate on his law, and put it in pra6lice ; and fo the papills expound that fcripture, " This is my body," literally, of the very body ofChrifl; then, when Chrift gave the bread, he Ihould have had two bodies, one ia the bread, and the other out of the bread ; whereas Chrift meant it figuratively, it is a fign of my body. Thus they, by wrefting the fcripture to a wrong (enfe, profane it, and take God's name in vain. 2c?/?/, When we expound thofe fcriptures figuratively and allegorically, which the Holy Ghott means literally. For example, Chrill faid to Peter, ' Launch out into the deep, and make a draught,' Luke v. 4. This text is fpo-ken in a plain, literal fenfe of launching out the fliip ; but the papifls take it in a myftical and allegorical: this text proves, lay they, that the pope: which is Peter's fuccelibr, fliall launch, forth and catch the ecclefiaftical and political power over the weft parts of the world; this, fay they, was meant when Chrift bade Peter launch out into the deep : but I think the pa-pifts have launched out too far beyond the meaning of the text. When men ftrain their wits, to wrelt the word to fuch a fenfe as pleafeth them, they do protane God's word, and highly take his name in vain.

VIL We take God's name in vain, when we fwear by his name. Many feldotn name God's name but in oaths ; for this fin the land mourns, Matth. v. 34. ' Swear not at all/ that is, raflily and finfully, fo as to take God's name in vain ; not but that in fome cafes it is lawful to take an oath before a magiftrate, Deut. vi. 13. • Thou fhalt fear the Lord thy God and ferve him, and fwear by his name.' Heb. vi. 16. 'An oath for confirmation is the end of all ftrife ;' but when Chrift

Vol. I, No. 9. 3 G

faith, * fwear not at all ;' he forbids fuch a fwearing as takes God's name in vain. There is a threefold fwearing forbidden ; 1. Vain-fwearing ; when men in their ordinary difcourl'e let fly oalhs. Some will go to excul'e their fwearing. It is a coarfe wool that will take no dye, and a bad fm indeed that hath no excufe.

Excufe 1. I fwear little trifling oaths ; as Fahli, or, Bg the Hal's. Avf. The devil hath two taife glalies, which he fets before mens eyes ; the one is a little glafs, in which the fin appears fo fiiiall, that it can hardly be feen ; this glafs the devil i'ets before mens eyes when they are going to commit fin ; the other is a great magnifying glafs, wherein fin appears fo big, that it cannot be forgiven ; the devil fets this before mens eyes •when they have finned. Thou that fayeft, fin is fmall, when God fliall open the eye of thy confcience, then thou wilt fee it great, and be ready to difpair. But to anfwer this plea, thou layell, they are but fmall oaths ; but Chriil forbids vain oaths, ;• Swear not at all :' If God will reckon with us for idle words, fliall not idle oaths be put in the account-book ?

Excufe 2. But I fwear to the truth. See how this harlot-fin would paint itlelf with an excufe. Anf I. Tiio' it be true, yet if it be a rafli oath, 'Tis finful. Befides, 2. He that fwears commonly, it cannot be avoided but fometimes he muil fwear more than is true : as, where much water runs, fome gravel or mud will pals along with the water ; fo, where there is much fwearing fome lies will run along with the oaths.

Excufe 3. But I (liall not be believed, unlefs I feal up my words with an oath. Anf. 1. A man that is honell will be believed without an oath ; his bare word carries authority with it, and is as good as letters tellimonial. 2. I anfwer, He who fwears, the more he fwears, the lefs others will believe him. Juris credit mi7iiis: thou art a fwearer. Another thinks an oath weighs very light with thee, thou careft not whattjiou fweareft ; and the more thou fweareft the lefs he believes thee. He will trufi; thy bond, but not thy oath.

Excufe 4. Rut it is a cullom of fwearing I have gotten, and I hope God}i?ill forgive me. Anf. Tho' among men cuiloni carries it, and is pleadable in law ; yet it is not fo in the cafe of fin, cuftoni here is no plea. Thou haft got an habit of fwearing, and canft not leave it ; is this an excufe ? it is a thing well done, becaufe it is commonly done ? this is fo far from being an excufe, that it is an aggravation of fin. As if one that had been accufed for killing a man, fhould plead with the judge to fpare him, becaufe it was his cullom to murder: this is an ag-'gravation of the otfence, fo is it here ; therefore all excufes for this fin of vain fwearing are taken away. Dare not to live in this fin, it is a taking,of God's name in vain. 2, Vile fwearing, horrid prodigious oaths not to be named.

Swearers, like mad-dogs, fly in the face of heaven ; and when they are angered fpue out their blafphemous venom on God's facred Majelly. Some in gaming, when things go crofs, and the dice run againft them, their tongues run as faft againft God in oaths and curfes : and tell them of their fin, go to bring home thele alfes from going aftray, and it is but pouring oil on the flame, they will fwear the more, St. Aullin faith, '* They do iio lefs (in who blalpheme Chrill now in heaven, than the Jews did, who crucified him on earth." Swearers profane ChrilVs blood, and tear his name. An harlot told her hufband, that of her three fons, there was but one of them his : the father dying, defired the executors to find out which was the true and natural fon, and all his eltate he bequeathed to him. The father being dead : the executors fet uphis corpfe againft a tree, and delivering to every one of thele three fons a bow and arrows, telling them, that he who could fhoot neareft the father's heart fliould have all the eftate. The two baltard-fons flaot as near as they could to his heart, but the third did feel nature fo work in him, that he refufed to Ihoot at his father's heart : whereupon the executors judged him to be the true fon, and gave all the eftate to him. Such as are the true children of God fear to ihoot at him ; but fuch as are baftards, and not fons, care not tho' they ihoot at him in heaven with their oaths and curfes. And that which makes fwearing yet more heinous is when men Jiave refolved upon any wicked a6tion, they bind themfelves with an oath to do it, fuch were they, A6ts xxiiU 12. who Ijound themfelves with an oath and curie to kill Paul. To commit fin is bad enough ; but to fwear we will commit fin, is an high profaning of God's name, and isas it were to call God approve our fin.

3. Forfwearing : this is an heaven-daring fin, Lev. xix. IS, ' Ye ftiall not fwear by my name falfely, neither ftiall ye profane my name.' Perjury is a calling God to witnefs to a lie. It is laid of Philip of Macedon, he would fwear and unfwear, as might ftand beil with his intereft. Jer. iv. 2. * Thou flialt fwear. The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment^^nd in righte-cufnefs.' In righteoufnefs, therefore it muft nUfce an unlawful oath. In judgment, therefore, it muft not be a rafti oath. In truth, therefore it muft not be a falfe oath. Among the Scythians, if a man did forfwear himfelf, he was to have his head ftricken oft": becaufe if perjury were allowed, there would be no living in a commonwealth ; it would take away all faith and truth from among men. The perjurer is in as bad a cafe as the witch ; for by a falfe oath, he binds his foul faft to the devil. In forfwearing or taking a falfe oath in a court, there are many fins linked together; plurima peccata in una: for be-fides the tailing God's name in vain, the perjurer is a thief; by

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his falfe oath he robs the^innocent of his right : he is a per-verter of jufiice; he doth not only fin hinifelf, but occafions the jury to give a faU'e verdi6l, and the judge to pafs an unrighteous I'entence; and lure God's judgments will find him out. When God's flying roll or curfe goes over the face of the earib, into whole houle doth it enter? * Into the houie of him who fvvears faKely ; and it {hall confume the timber and ftones of his houfe,' Zech. v. 4. Beza relates of a perjurer, that he had no fooner taken a falfe oath, but he was immediately (truck with an apoplexy, and never fpake more, but died. O tremble at fuch horrid impiety!

VIII. We highly take God's name in vain, when we prefix God's name to any wicked a6tion. 1 fay the mentioning of God to a wicked defign, is taking his name in vain. 2 Sam. xv. 7.

* I pray, (faith Abfalom) let me pay my vow, which 1 have vowed unto the Lord in Hebron.' This pretence of paying his TOW made to God, was only to cover over his treafon, v. 20.

* When ye hear the found of the trumpet, ye fliall fay Abfalom reigneth.' When any wicked a6tion is baptized with the name of religion, this is taking God's name in vain. Herein the Pope is highly guilty, when he fends out his bills of excommunication or curies againll the Chriftian ; he begins with, In nomine Dei, in the name of God. What a provoking fin is this ? It is to do the devil's work, and put God's name to it.

IX. AVe take God's name in vain, when we ufe our tongues rfiny way to the difhonour of God's name ; as when we ufe railing, or curfe in our palTions ; efpecially, when we wifh a curfe upon ourfelvesif a thing be not fo, when we know it to be falfe. I have read of one who wilhed his body might rot, if that which he faid, was not true; and foon after his body rotted, and he became a loathfome fpedacle.

X. We take God's name in vain, by rafh and unlawful vows. There is a good vow when a man binds hinifelf by a vow to do that which the word binds him to ; as, if he be fick, he vows, if God rellore him, he will five a more i\ri(5l holy life, Pf. Ixvi. 13. * I will 1^ thee my vows which my lips have uttered when I was in troJlPe.' But Voveri non debet quod Deo di/plicit: Such a vow fliould not be made, as is difpleafing to God ; as to vow voluntary poverty, as your friars ; or, to vow to live in nunneries. Jephtha's vow was rafh and unlawful; he vowed to the Lord to lacVifice that to him which he met with next, and it was his daughter. Judges xi. 31. He did ill to make the vow, and worfe to keep it; he became guilty of the breach of the third and fixth commandments.

* XI. When we fpeak evil of God, now we take his name in vain, Numb. xxii. 5. * They fpake againll God.' Qu. How do loe fpeak againjl God ? Anf. When we murmur at his pro-*

vldences, as if he had dealt hardly with us. Murmuring is the accufingof God's jullice, Gen. xviii. 26. * Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?' Murmuring firings frorei a bitter root, it comes from pride and difcontent ; it is a reproaching of God, and a high taking his name in vain. It is iuch a fin as God cannot bear. Numb. xiv. 97. ' How long fhall I bear with this people that murmur againft me ?'

XII. And iajilij, We take God's name in vain, when we fal-fify our promife; to fay, if God fpare us life we will do this» and never intend it. Our promife fhould be facred and inviolable ; but, if we make no reckoning to make a promife, and mention God's nanie in it, yet never intend to keep it, it is a double fin; it is telling a lie, and taking God's name in vain. I fliould come now to the aflirmalive implied ; but hereafter—

Ufe, Take heed of taking God's name in vain any of thefe ways. Remember this commination and threatening in the text,

* The Lord will not hold him guiltlefs.* Here is a meiojisi lefs is faid, and more intended ; * He will not hold him guilt-kfs ;' that is, he will be feverely avenged on fuch an one.

* The Lord will not hold him guiltlefs.' Here the Lord fpeaks after the manner of a judge, who holds the court of alTize ; the judge here, is God himlelf; the accufers, Satan, and a man's own confcience ; the matter of fa6l is, * Taking God's name in vain ;' the malefador accufed is found guilty, and condemned ; * The Lord will not hold him guiltlefs.' Methinks, thele words, * The Lord will not hold him guiltlefs,' may let a lock upon our lips, and make us afraid of Ipeaking any thing that may redound difhonour upon God, or may be a taking his name in vain : * The Lord will not hold him guiltlefs.' It may be men may hold fuch guiltlefs, when they curfe, fwear, fpeak irreverently of God : men may hold them guiltlefs, let them alone, not puniih them. If one takes away another's good n^me, he.fhall be lure to be punifhed ; but if he takes away God's good name, where is he that doth punifii him } he that robs another of his goods, fliall be put to death ; but he that robs God of his glory, by oaths and curies, he is fpared ; but God himfelf will take the matter into his own nlnd, and he will punifli him who takes his name in vain.

1. Sometimes God punilhes fwearing and blafphemy in this life, l/f. Swearing. In the country ofSamurtia there arole a great tempeft of thunder and lightning : af^ldier burft forth into i'.veanng ; but the tempeft tearing up a great tree by the root, it fei! upon him, and cruflied him to pieces. The Germain hiltcry relates of a youth, who was given to fwearing, and difl ul'e to mvent new oaths ; the Lord lent a canker intotiis moiiili, which old eat out his tongue, whereupon he died. 2rf/y, bialpiietny. He who did blafpheme God, the Lord caufed him

to be ftoned to death. Lev. xxiv. 11, 23. 'The Tfraelitifh woman's Ion blafphemed the name of the Lord, and curfed. And Mofes fpake to the people of Ifrael, that they fhould bring forth him that had curfed, and Hone him with Hones.' Olym-pias, an A.rian bifhop, reproached and blafphemed the facred I'rinity ; whereupon he was fuddeuly llruck with three flafiies of lightning, which burned him to death. Felix, an ofticer of Julian, feeing the holy veifels which were ufed in the facrament, laid, in fcorn of Chrill, " See what precious veffels the Son of Mary is ferved withal." Soon after he was taken with a vomiting of blood out of his blafphemous mouth, whereof he died.

2. Or, if God fliould not executejudgment on the profaners of his name in this life, yet their doom is t9 come; God will not remit their guilt, but deliver them to Satan the goaler, to torment them for ever. If God jullify a man, who (hail condemn him? But if God condemn him, who Ihall juftify him ? If God lay a man in prifon, where (hall he get bail or main-prize? God will take his full blow at the fmner in hell, Heb. X. 31. ' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.'

OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMEN-T.

ExoD. XX. 8. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep itholy. Six daysjlialt thou labour, and do all thy Work: But the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God ; in it thou /halt not do any Work, thou, nor thy Son, nor thy Daughter, thy Man--fervant, nor thy Maid-fervant, nor thy Cattle, nor thy Stranger that is within thy Gates: For in Six Days the Lord made Hea' ven and Earthy the Sea, and all that in them is, and refted the Seventh Day ; wherefore the Lord blejfed the Sabbath da^, and hallowed it.

This commandment was engraven in ftone by God*s own finger, and it will be our comfort to have it engraven in our hearts.

The fdbbath day is fet apart for God's folemn worfhip ; it is God's enclofure, and it muft not be alienated to common ufes. The Lord hath fet a preface before this commandment, he hath put a memento to it, * Remember to keep the fabbath-day holy.* This word • remember,' fliews that we are apt to forget fabbath-holinefs; therefore we need a memorandum to put us in mind of fan6lifying this day.

1 fhall explain the words.

1. Here is afolemn command, * Remember the fabbath-day

to keep it holy.'

2. Many cogent arguments to induce us to obferve the command.

I. In the command, (I.) The matter of it, viz. The fan6tify-« ing of the fabbath, which fabbath-fanftification confifts in two thines.

1. In reflinj!^ from our own works.

9. In a conicientious difcharge of our religious duty.

(2.) The perfons to whom the command of fandifying the fabbath is given, ly?, Either fuperiors ; and they are, 1. More private, as parents and mailers. Or, 2. More public, as Ma-gillrates. Or, <^dly. Inferiors. 1. Natives, as children and fervants, * Thy fon, and thy daughter, thy man-fervant, and thy maid-fervant.' 2. Foreigners, ' The ftranger that is with-rn thy gates.'

II. The cogent arguments to obey this command of keeping holy the fabbath, 1. From the rationality of it—' Six days Ihalt thou labour and do all thy work;' as if God had laid, I ami not an hard rnafter, I do not grudge thee time to look after thy calling, and to get an ellate. I have given thee fix days, fix to do all thy work in, and have taken but one day for myfelf; I might have referved fix days for myfelf, and allowed thee but one ; but I have given thee fix days for the works of thy calling, and have taken but one day for my own fervice; therefore it is equal and rational, that thou Ihouldeft fet this day in a I'pecial manner apart for my worlhip.

2. The fecond argument for fan6tifying the fabbath, is taken from theJLiflice of it. * The feventh day is the fabbath of the Lord thy God,' as if God had faid, the fabbath-day is my due, I challenge a fpecial right in it, and none hath any thing to do to lay claim to it. He who robs me of This Day, and puts it to common ufes, is a facrilegious perfon, he deals from the crdM'n of heaven, and I will in no wife hold him guiltlefs.

3. -The third argument for landifying the fabbath, is taken from God's own pattern, he ' relied the feVenth day ;* as if the Lord fhould fay. Will you not follow my pattern ? having finifijed all my works of creation, I relied the feventh day : lb you having done all yourfecular workon thefix daysyou (hould now ceafe from the labour of your calling, and dedicate the feventh day to the Lord, as a day of holy rell.

4. The fourth argument for fabbath-lanCtification, is taken ah ulli, from the benefit which redounds, from a religious obferva-tion of the fabbath; ' The Lord blelied the feventh day, and hallowed it:' it is not only a day of God's appointment, God did not only apJDointthe feventh day, but he bleffed the feventh day. The fabbath-day is not only a day of honour to God, but

a day of bUflTing- to us; it is not only a day wherein we give God wornii|), but a day wherein he gives us grace ; on this day a blePiing drops down from heaven. This is a great argument for the keeping the fubbath-day lioly ; God is not benefited by it, we cannot add one cubit to his elTential glory : but we our-, felves are advantaged; the fabbath-day, religioufly obferved, entails a blelTmg upon our fouls, our eftate, our pollerity ; as the not keeping this day holy brings a curie, Jer. xvii. 27. God curfeth a man's bleHings, Mai. ii. 2. The bread which he eats is poifoned with a curfe ; fo the confcientious oblervation of the fabbath, brings all manner of bleffings with it. Theie are the arguments to induce iabbath-fandlification. And fo I have divided the comuiandment into rts feveral parts, and explained the fenfe of it.

The thing I would have you obferve is. That this commandment, about keeping the fabbath, was not abrogated with tiie ceremonial law, but it is purely moral, and the obiervation of the labbath is to be continued to the end of the world. Where can we ftiew that God hath given us a difcharge from keeping one day in feven ? So that 1 fay, this fourth commandment is moral, and obligeth Chriftians to the perpetual commemoration and fan6tirication of the fabbath.

Qu. IVhi/ Gad hath appointed a fabbath ?

Atif. 1. In refpe6l of himfelf: it is requifite that God fhould referve one day iri feven for his own immediate fervice, that hereby he might be acknowledged to be the great Plenipotentiary or Ibvereign Lord, who hath power over us, both to command worfhipj and appoint the time when he will be wor-Ihipped.

2. In refpe6t of us : the fabbath-day makes for our intereft, it promotes holinefs in us ; the bufinefs on the week-day makes us too forgetful of God and our fouls ; the fabbath brings God into our remembrance. When the dud of the world frilling hath clogged the wheels of our affedtions, that they would fcaf^e move towards God, the fabbath comes, and oils the wheels of cur atFe6tions, and now they move fwiftly in religion : therefore God hath appointed a fabbath to ripen our holinels. On this day the thoughts contemplate heaven, the tongue fpeaks of God, and is as the pen of a ready writer; now the eye drop tears, now the Ibul burns in love. When the heart was all the week frozen, now on the iabbath it is melted with the word. The fabbath is a friend to religion, it files otf the rull of our graces ; it is a fpiritual jubilee, wherein the foul is let to converle with its Maker.

I Ihould, in the next place, fhew you the modus, or manner how we fliould keep the fabbath-day holy. But, before I come to that, I Ihall propound a great queftion, viz.

Qu. How comes it topafs that ice do not keep the feventh-day Jabbath, as it uas in the primitive injiitutioriy but have changed it to another day?

Anf. The old feventh-day fabbath (which was the Jewifh fabbath) is abrogated, and in the room of it the firft day of the week (which is the Chriftian fabbath) fucceeds. The morality or fubftance of the fourth commandment doth not fie in keeping the feventh day precifely, but in keeping one day in feven, which God hath appointed.

Qu. But how comes the Jirji day in the week to be fubftituted in the room of the feventh day ?

Anf. Not by ecclefiallic authority. The chu rch (faith Mr. Perkins) hath no power to ordain a fabbath. But, f" 1. The change of the fabbatii from the laft day of the week to the firft, was by Chriil'sown appointment. Chriftis ' Lord of the fabbath,' Mark ii. 28. And who fhall appoint a day but he who is Lord of it.? He made this day, Pfal. cxviii. 24. * This is the day which the Lord hath made.' Arnobius, and the current of expoiitors, underftand it of our Chriilian fabbath, and it is called the ' Lord's day,' Rev. i. 10. As it is called the * Lord's I'upper,' becaule of the Lord's inftituting the bread and wine, and fetting it apart from a common ufe to a more fpecial and facred ufe : fo it is called the Lord's day, becaufe of the Lord's inftituting it, and fetting it apart from common days, to his fpecial worftiip and fervice. Chriil arofe on the firll day of the week out of the grave, and appeared twice on this day to his difciples, John xx. 19, 26. which was to intimate to the difciples (fay Auftin and Athanafms) that he transferred the Jewifti fabbath to the Lord's day.

2. The keeping of the firft day (which is the Lord's day) was the pradlice of the apoftles, I Cor. xvi. 2. A<5ls xx. 7. ' On the firft day of the week, when his dilciplescame together to break bread, Paul preached to them.' Here was both preach*». ing and breaking of bread on this day. Auftin, and Innocentius, and Kiodore, make the keeping of our gofpel ikbbath to be an apoftolical j'anciion, and affirm, that by virtue of the apoftles practice, the Lord's day is to be fequeftered and let apart for divine worfhip. What the apoftles did, they did it by divine authority ; for they were infpired by the Holy Ghoft.

3. Befides, the primitive church held the Lord's day, which we now celebrate, in high eftimation : it was" a great badge of their religion, to obferve this day. Ignatius, the moft ancient father, who lived in the time of St. John the apoftle, hath thele words, " Let every one that loveth Chrift, keep holy the firft day of the week, the Lord's day." This day hath been ob-iecved bythe church of Chrift, above fixteen hundred years^

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Sis learned Bucer notes. Thus you fee how the feventh-day fabbath comes to be changed to the firft-day fabbath.

Now there is a grand reafon for changing of the Jewifh lalv-bath to the Lord's day, becaule this puts us in mind of the ' Myfiery of our redemption by Chrift.' The reafon why God did inditute the old fabbath was, Becaufe God would have it kept as a memorial of the creation : but the Lord hath now brought the firft day of the week in the room of it, in memory of a more glorious work than Creation, and that is Redemption.

Great was the work of creation, but greater was tlie work of redemption. As it was faid. Hag. ii. g. * The glory of the fecond temple was greater than the glory of the firft temple :' i'o the glory of the redemption was greater than the glory of the creation. Great wifdom was feen in the curious making us, but more miraculous wifdom in faving us. Great power was feen in bringing us out of nothing, but greater power in helping us when we were worfe than nothing. Itcoftmore to redeem us, than to create us. In tlie creation there was but * Ipeaking a word,' Pl'al. cxlviii. 5. In the redeeming us, there was ' flied-ding of blood,' 1 Pet. i. ly. * The creation was the work of God's fingers,' Pfal. viii. 3. * Redemption was the work of his arm,' Luke i. 5. In the creation, God gave us ourfelves ; in the redemption, he gave us himfelf; by creation, we have a life in Adam ; by redemption, we have a life in Chrift, Col. iii, 3. By creation, we had a right to an earthly paradife ; by redemption, we have a title to an heavenly kingdom. So that well Chrift might change the feventh day of the week into the firft, becaufe this day puts us in mind of our redemption, which is a more glorious work than the creation.

Vfe. The ule I ftiall make, is, that we fhould have this Chrif-tian fabbath, we now celebrate, in high veneration. The Jews called the fabbath, ** The defire of days, and the Queen of days;" it is a day of fweet reft. This day we muft call a * Delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable,' Ifa. Iviii. 13. Metal that hath the king's ftamp upon it is honourable, aiid of great value. God hath let his royal ftp.mp upon the fabbath : it is the fabbath of the Lord, this makes it honourable. This day we fiiould look upon as the beft day in the week. What the phsnix is among the birds, what the fun iSj among the planets, that the Lord's day is among other days. * This is the day wliich the Lord hath made,' Pfal. cxviii. 24. God hath made all the days, but he hath blefi'ed this. As Jacob got the bieftmg from his brother, fo the fabbath got the blelhng from all the other days in the week : the fabbath is a day in which we converfe in a fpecial manner with God. The Jews called the fabbalh '• A day of fight;" on this day the Sun of

Righteoufnefs (hines upon the Ibul. The fubbath is the market-day of the ibul, the ereani of time ; this is the day of GhriiVs riling- out of the grave, and the Holy Gholl's defcending upon the earth : this day is perfumed with the Cvveet odour of prayer, which goes up to heaven as incenfe ; tliis day the manna falls^ that angels' food : this is the foul's fellival day, on this day all the graces a6t their part: the other days of the week are moll employed about earth, this day about heaven : then you gather llraw, now pearl. Now Chrilt takes the foul up into the mount, and gives it transfiguring fights of glory : now Chrift leads his fpoufe into the wine-cellar, and difplays the banner of his love; now he gives her his fpiced wine,'and the juiceof the pomegranate. Cant. ii. 8. The Lord doth ulually reveal him-lelf more to the Ibul on this day. The apofile John ' was in the Ipirit on the Lord's day,' Rev. i. 10. He was carried up in divine raptures towards heaven. This day a Chrillian is in the altitudes, he walks with God, and takes as it were a turn with him in heaven, I John i. 3. On this day holy atfeftions are quickened ; the (lock of grace is improved, corruptions are weakened : on this day Satan falls like lightning before the majefty of the word. Chrifh wrought moft of his miracles upon the fabbath ; fo he doth now ; the dead Ibul israifed, the heart of (lone is made flefli. How fhould this day be highly efteemed, and had in reverence! This day is more precious than rubies; God hath anointed this day with the oil of gladnefs above its fellows. On the fabbath we are doing angels' work, our tongues are tuned to God's praiies. This fabbath on earth, isafhadow and type of that glorious reft and eternal labbath we hope for in heaven, when God ftiall be the temple, and the Lamb (hall be the light of it. Rev. xxi. 22, 23.

OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.

ExoD. XX. 9, 10. Six Days /halt thou labour and do all thy work : But the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thouJJialt do no manner of worky &c.

* Six days (halt thou labour.'—God would not have any live out of a calling : religion feals no warrant for idlenefs* 'Tis as well a duty to labour fix days, as to keep holy red on the ieventh day : * Six days (halt thou labour.' .2 ThelT. iii. 11. * We hear there are fome among you, walking dilbrderjy, working not at all. Now, them that are fuch, we command and exhort by our Lord Jefus, that with quietnefs they work, and eat their own bread.' A chrillian mull not only mind heaven,

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but his calling. While the pilot hath his eye to the liar, he hath his hand to the helm. ^^■^ithout labour the pillars ol a commonwealth will diUblve, and the earth will be like the flug-gxiid's field, over-run with briars, Prov. xxiv. 31. Adam in in-liocency, the' he was the monarch of the world, yet God would not have bim idle, but he muftdrefs and till the ground. Gen. ii. 15. Piety doih not exclude induftry. ' Six days flvdlt thou labour.* Standing water putriJies. The inanimate creatures are in motion : the fun goes its circuit, the fountain runs, the fire fparkles : and animate creatures : Solomon fends us to the ant and pifmire to learn labour, Prov. vi. 6. chap. XXX. 35. The bee* is the emblem of induftry ; fome of the bees trim the honey, others work the wax, others form the comb, others lie centinel at the door of the hive to keep out the drone. And Hiall not man much more inure himfelf to labour.'* That law in paradife was never yet repealed, ' In the fweet of thy brows flialt thou eat bread,' Gen. iii. 19. Such profeffors are to be difliked, who talk to living by faith, but live out of a calling ; they are like the lilies which toil not, neither do they fpin, Matth. vi. 28. 'Tis a fpeech of the holy and learned Mr. Perkins. '' Let a man be endowed with excellent gilts, and hear the word with reverence, and receive the facrament ; yet if he pra6lifenot the duties of his calling, all isbuthypocrily." What is an idle perfon good for ? what benefit is there of a (hip that lies always on the fhore ? or ofarmour that hangs up and rufts ? To live out of a calling, expofeth a perfon to temptation. Me-lan6thon calls idlenefs the devil's bath, becaufe he bathes him-lelf with delight in an idle foul. We do not ufe to fow feed in ground when it lies fallow ; but Satan fows niofl; of his feed of temptation in fuch perfons as lie fallow, and are out of a calling. Idlenefb is the nurle of vice. Seneca, an old heathen, could fay, Nul/iis m'thiper otium dies exit; No day palleih me without fome labour. An idle perfon (lands for a cypher iti the world, and God writes down no cyphers in the book of life. W\j read in fcripture of eating the * bread of idlenefs,' Prov. XXX. 29. and drinking the ' wine of violence.' Prov. iv. 17, It is as well a fin ' to eat the bread idlenefs,' as to ' drink the wine of violence.' An idle perfon can give no account of his time ; time is a talent to trade with, both in our particular and general calling ; the flothful perfon ' hides his talent in the earth,' he doth no good, his time is not lived, but loft ; an idle perlbn lives unprofitably, he cumbers the ground ; God calls the flothful lervant ' Wicked,' Matth. xxv. 2(). * Thou wicked and flothful fervant.' Draco, whofe laws were written in blood, deprived them of their life, who would not work for their living. In Heturia, they cauled fuch perfons to be banifli-^d. Idle perfouii live in the breach of this couimandmeut.

• Six days (halt thou labour;' let them take heed they be not banilhed heaven. A man may as well go to hell for not working in his calling, as for not believing. So I pal's to the next.

But thefeventh day is the fabhath of the Lord thy God, in it thou flmlt do no manner of icork.

Having fpoken already of the reafons of Ikndlifying the fab-bath, I come now to that rjueliion ;

Qu. In ivhat manner we are to Jan6iify the fahhalli, ?

Anf. 1. Negatively. We mult do no work in it ; that is ex-preffed in the commandment, ' In it thou flialtdo no manner of work.' God hath eticlofed this day for him (elf; therefore we are not to lay it common, by doing any civil work. As Abraham, when he went to lacritice, left his I'ervant and the afs at the bottom of the hill. Gen. xxii. 5. So, when we are to wor-ih'\p God this day, we muft leave all worldly bulinefs behind, ■leave the afs at the bottom of the hill. And as Jofeph, whea he would fpeak with his brethren, thrufl; out the Egyptians, lb, when we would converfe with God this day, we mult thrufl out all earthly employments. The Lord's day is a day of holy reft, all fecular work muft be forborn and fufpended ; it is a profaning the day, Neh. xiii. 15. ' In thel'e days law I in Judah fome treading wine-prelVes on the fabbath, and bringing in (heaves, as alio wine-grapes and figs, and all manner of burdens which they brought into Jerulalem on the (abbath day ; and I teliified againft them. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and laid to them, * What evil thing is that ye do, and profane the fabbath day?' It is facrilege to rob that time for civil work which God hath dedicated and let apart for his worfhip. He that converts any time of the fabbath for worldly bulinels, is a worfe thief than he who robs on tiie highway; ior Inch a thief does but rob man, but this thief robs God, he robs him of his day. The Lord forbade manna to be gathered on the fabbath day, Exod. xvi. One would think that might have been difpenfed with, for manna was the ' Staff of their life;' a'nd the time when manna fell was early, between, five and fix in the morning ; to that they might have gathered it betimes, and all the reft of the fabbath they might have employed in God's wor(hip ; and befides, they needed not to have taken any great journey for manna, for it was butllepjjing out of their doors, and it fell about their tents : yet they might not gather manna on the (iabbath : and, but for purpohng to gather it, God was very angry, Exod. xvi. 27, 28. ' There went out fome of the people on the feventh day to gather, and they found none : and the Lord faid, ' How long refufe ye to keep my commandments and my laws ?' Surely the anointing Chrilt when he was dead, was a conmiendable work ; but Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Jame&, tho' they had

prepared fweet ointments toanoint the dead body of Chrlft, yet Ihe^i came not to the i'epulchre to embalm him, till the lahbath was pall, Luke xxiii. 5(5. ' They refted on the labl>ath day according to the commandment.* The hand cannot be buhed on the Lord's day, but the heart -will be defiled. The very heathens, by the hght of nature, would not do any fecular work, in that time which they had fet apart for the worfliip of their falfe gods. Clemens Alexandrinus reports of one of the emj^rors of Rome, that on the day of let worfliip for his gods, he did forbear warlike affairs, and did fpend that time in his devotion. To do fervile work on the labbath, (hews an irreligious heart, and highly affronts God : to work fervile work on this day, is to follow the devil's plough; it is to debafe the foul. God hath made this day on purpole to raifethe heart up to heaven, to converfe with God, to do angel's work ; and to be employed in earthly work, is to degrade the foul of its honour. God will not have his day entrenched upon, or defiled in the leaff thing : the man that gathered fticks on the Ikbbath, God would have him ftoned. Numb. xv. One would think it a fniall thing, to pick up a few flicks to make a fire; biit God would not have this day violated in the fmallefl matters. Nay, that work which had a leference to a religious ufe, might not be done on the fabbath, as the hewing of fiones for the building of the fan6tuary : Bezaleel, who was to cut the ftones, and carve the timber out for the (Un6luary, yet lie mult forbear it on the. fabbath, Exod. xxxi. 15. A temple is the placeof God's wor-Oiip, but it were a fin to build a temple on the Lord's day. This is keeping the fabbath day holy negatively, in doing no iiervile work. Yet caution : not that works of neceflity and charity may be done on this day; God, in thefe calies, will have mercy and not lacrifice. (1.) 'Tis lawful to take the ne-ceflary recruits of nature; food is to the body, as oil to the lamp.. (2.) 'Tis lawful to do works of mercy, as helping our neighbour when either life or ellate are in danger. Herein the Jews were too nice and precife, they would not fuffer works of charity to be done on the fabbath : if a man were fick, they thought on this day they might not wi'e the means for his recovery. Chrift chargeth them with this, that they were angry that he had wrought a cure on the labbath, John vii. 23. If a houfe were on fire, the Jews thought they might not bring water to quench it; if a vellel did run, they thought that on this day they might not Hop it. Thele were ' righteous overmuch :' Here was leemitig zeal, but it wanted difcretion to guide it. But unleGi in tlitl'e two cafes of necellity and charity, all lecular work is to be fufpended and laid afide on the Lord's day ; ' la it thou Ihalt do no manner of work.' Which jufily doth arraign and condemu many among us, who do too much foul their

fingers with work on that day; feme drefling great feafts, others in opening their fliop doors, and felling meat on the fabbath, which I have feen. The mariner will not fet to fea, but on the JGibbath, and fo runs full fail into the l)reach of this commandment. Others work on this day, tho' privately ; they put up their fliop windows, but follow their trade within doors : but though they think to hide their fin under a canopy, God fees it, Pfal. cxxxix. 7. * Whither Qiall I go from thy prefence ?' ver. 12. * The darknefs hideth not from thee.' Thefe perfons do profane this day, and God will have an action of trerj)afi) againfl^ them.

2. PoJitkeJy. We keep the fabbath-day holy, by * confecrat-ing and dedicating' this day to the ' fervice of the high God.* *Tis good to reft on the fabbath-day from the works of our calling : but if we reft from labour, and do no more, the ox and the afs keep the fabbath as well as we ; for they reft from labour. We muft dedicate the day to God ; we muft not only ' keep a fabbath,' but ' fancliiy* a fabbath. This fabbath fanc-tification confifts in two things ; I. The folemn preparation for it. II. The (acred obfervation of it. 1. The folemn preparation for it. If a prince were to come to your houfe, what preparation would you make for his entertainment ? fweep the houfe, wafti the floor, adorn the room with the richeft tapeftry and hangings, that there might be fomething fuitable to the ftate and dignity of fo great a perfon. On the blefled fabbatti God intends to have fweet communion with you ; he feems to fay to you, as Chrift to Zaccheus, Luke xix. 3. * Make hafte, and cotfle down, for this day I muft dine with you.* Now, what preparation fhould you make for entertaining this King of glory ! Now this preparation for the fabbath is, Firji, When the evening of the Saturday approacheth, found a retreat; call your minds off" from the world, and fumnion your thoughts together, to think of the great work of the day approaching. Secondly, Purge out all unclean affections, which may itidifpofe you tor the work of the fabbath. Evening preparation will be like the tuning of the inftrument, it will fit the heart the better for the duties of the enfuing fabbath.

2. Tkefacred obfervation of it ; touching which thefe things are to be pratlifed.

(1.) Rejoice at the approach of this day, as being a day wherein we have a prize for our fouls, enjoy much of God's prefence, John viii. 56. Abraham ' faw my day, and rejoiced.* So, when we fee the light of a fabbath fhine, we (hould rejoice, Ifa. Iviii. 13. * Thou ftialt call the fabbath a delight :' this is the queen of days, which God hath crowned with a blelTiug. As there was onieday in the week on which God did rain manna twice as much as upon any other day, fo God rains down the

manna of heavenly blelTings twice as much on the fabbath as on any other. This is the day wherein Chrift carries the foul into the liouCe of wine, and difplays the banner of love over it; now the dew of tlie Spirit falls on the Ibul, whereby it is revived and comforted. How many may write the Lord's day, the day of their new birth ! this day of reft is a pledge and earneft of that eternal reft in heaven : and fiiall not we rejoice at the approach of it ? that day on which the Sun of Righteoufnefs (hines, (hould be a day of gladnefs.

(2.) Get up betimes on the fabbath morning. Chrift rofe early on this day, before the fun was up, John xx. I. Did Chrift rife early to fave us, and (hall not we rife early to wor-fhip and glorify him ? Pf. Ixiii. 1. * Early will I feek thee.* Can we be up betimes on other days? the hufbandman is early at his plough, the traveller rifeth early to go his journey, and fhall not we, when we are on this day travelling to heaven ? certainly, did we love God as we fliould, we would rife on this day betimes, that we may meet with him whom our foul loveth. Such as lit up late at work on the night before, will befo buried in fleep, that they will hardly be up betimes on a fabbath morning.

(3.) Having dreffed our bodies, we muft drefs our fouls for the hearing of the word. As the people oflfrael were to wafti themfelves before the law was delivered to them, Exod. xix. 20. ib we muft wafli and cleanfe our fouls; and that is, by reading, meditation and prayer.

I. By reading the word. The word is a great means to fanctify the heart, and bring it into a fabbath-frame, John xvii. 17. ' Sandify them through thy truth. &c.' And read the word not carelefsly, but with ferioufnefs and affe6tion ; it is the oracle of heaven, the wellof falvation, the book of life. David, for the precioufnefs of God's word, efteemed it above gold ; and, for the fweetnefs, above honey, Pf. xix. 10. By reading the word aright, our hearts, when they are dull, are quickened ; when they are hard, are mollified ; when cold and frozen, are inflamed ; and we can fay as the difciples, ' Did not our hearts burn within us ?' Some llep oui of their bed to hearing. The reafon why many get no more good on a fabbath by the word preached, is, becaufe they did not breakfaft with God in the morning, by reading of his word.

II. Med'talioii. Get upon the mount of meditation, and fo converfe with God. Meditation is the foul's retiring of itfelf, that, by a ferious and folemn thinking upon God, the heart may be railed up to divine aft'eftions.

Meditation is a work lit for the morning of a fabbath. Meditate on four things;

(1.) On the works,of creation. That is expreffed herein

the commandments, * The Lord made heaven and earth, the fea,' &c. The creation is a looking-glais, in which we fee the "wifdom and power of God glorioufly reprei'ented. God produced the fair ftru6lure of the world without any pre-exiftent matter, and with a word, Pf. xxxiii. 0. ' By the word of the Lord were the heavens made.' The difciules wondered that Chrifl could, with a word calm the Tea, Matth viii. 26. But it was far more with a word, to make the fea. Let us on a fab-bath meditate on the infinitenefs of our Creator. Look up to the firmament, there we may fee ' God's wonders in the deep,* Pf. cvii. 21. Look into the earth, there we may behold the nature of minerals, the power of the load-llone, the virtue of herbs, the beauty of flowers. By meditating on thefe works of creation, fo curiouOy embroidered, we come to admire God, and praife him, Pf. civ. 24, ' O Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wifdom haft thou made them all.' By meditating on the works of creation, we come to confide in God. He who can create, can provide; he that could make us when we were nothing, he can raife us when we are low, Pf. cxxiv. 8. ' Our help (lands in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.'

(2.) Meditate on God's holinefs, Pf. cxi. 9. ' Holy and reverend is his name.' Hab. i. 13. * Thou art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.' God is effentially,. originally, and efficiently holy : all the holinefs in men and angels is but a cryf-tal llream that runs from this glorious ocean. God loves holinefs, becaufe it is his own image : a king cannot but love to fee his own effigies (lamped on coin : God counts holinefs his glory, and the moft fparkling jewel of his crown, Exod. xv. 11. * Glorious in holinefs.' Here is a meditation fit for our firft entrance into a fabbath, God's holinefs: the contemplation of this would work in us fuch a frame of heart as is fuitable to an holy God : it would make us then reverence his name, hallow his day : while we are mufing of the holinefs of God's nature, we begin to be transformed into his likenefs.

(3.)'Meditate on Chrid's love in redeeming us. Rev. i. 5. Redemption exceeds creation : t'he one is a monument of God's power, the other of his love. Here is fit work for a fabbath. O the infinite llupenduous love of Chrill in raifing poorlapfed creatures from a ftate of guilt and damnation ! (l) That Cliriji who was Godpiould die; that this glorious Sun of Righteoufnefs ihould be in an eclipfe : we can never enough admire this love, no, not in heaven. (2.) That ChriftfwiUd die for Jinners; not finful angels, but finful mankind. That fuch clods of earth and fin (hould be made bright ftars of glory : O the amazing' love of Chrift'. This was lllvjlre amori, Chrift mnemojynum, Brugenfis. (3,.) That Chri/t piould not only die forjinners, but die as a /inner, 2 Cor. v. 21, ' He was made fin for us.' He who

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was amon^ the glorious perfons of the Trinity, • was numberect among tranfgreiibrs,' lia. liii. 12. Not that he had fin, but he was hke a finner, having our fins imputed to him. Sin did not live in him, but it was laid upon him. Here was an hyperbole of love, enough to ilrike us into aftonifhment. (4.) 'J'hat Chrijt fhould redeem us, when he could not look to gain any thing, or be advantaged at all by us. Men will not lay out their money upon a purchafe, unlefs it will turn to their profit : but what benefit could Chrill expert in purchafing and redeeming us? We were in fuch a condition, that we could neither deferve nor recompenfe ChrKl's love. Firjt, We could not deferve it; for we were in our bloody Ezek. xvi. Q. We had no fpiritual beauty to tempt Chrilh Nay, we were not only in our blood, but we were up in arms, Rom. v. 8. When we were * enemies, Chrifl; died for us :' when he was fhedding his blood, we were Ipitting our poifon. Secondly, As wecould notdeferve, fo neither could we recom pence Chrill's love : for, I. After he had died for us, we could not fo much as love him, till he made us love him. '2. We could give Chrift nothing in lieu of his love, Rom. xi. 35. * Wholiath firft given to him ?' We were fallen to poverty. If we have any beauty, it is from Chrift, Ezek. xvi. l4. ' Thou wert comely thro' my comelinefs which I put upon thee.' If we bring forth any good fruit, it is not of our own growth, it comes from Chrifi: the true vine, Hof. xiv. 8. ' From me is thy fruit found.' So that it was nothing but pure love, for Chrifl to lay out his blood to redeem fuch as he could not expe(5t to be really bettered by. (5.) That Chriji fliould die Jo icillingly, John x. 17. ' I lay down my life.' The Jews could not have taken it away, if he had not laid it down : he could have called to his Father for a legion of angels to be his life-guard ; but what needed that, when his Godhead could have defended him from all aflaults ? but he

* laid down his life :' the Jews did not fo much thirfbfor Chrifli's death, as he ttiirft^ed for our redemption, Luke xii. 50. * I have a baptifm to be baptized with,.and how am 1 fl:mitened till it be accomplifhed ?' Chrift called his fufi'erings a baptifm : he was to be baptized and fprinkled with his own blood ; and Chrift thought the time long before he fuffered ; ' How am I (Iraiten-ed till it be accomplifhed.* Tlierefore to (hew Chritl's willing* nefs to die, his futferings are called an offering, Heb. x. 10.

* By the offering of the body of Jefus :' his death was a freewill offering, (6.) That Chrift fhould 7iot grudge nor think much ofallhisjUff'erings ; his being Icourged and crucified (we grudge him,a light, fervice) but that he fhould be well contented with what he hath done ; and, if it were to do again, he would do it, Ifa. iiii. 11. * He ffjall fee of the travail of his foul, and be fatisfied." As the mother though (lie hath hard labour; yet

■when fhe fees a child brought forth, fhe doth not repent of her (pangs, but is well contented: fo Chrift, though he had hard travail upon the^rofs, which put him into an agony, yet he doth not think much ; he is not troubled, but thinks his fweat and blood well beflowed, becaufe he fees the man-child of redemption brought forth into the world. * He (hall fee of the travail of his foul, and fliall be fatisfied.' (7-) That Chrift piould make redemption effectual to fame, and not to others ; here is thequin-teflence of love. Though there is afufficiency in ChrilVs merit to fave all, yet only fome partake of its faving virtue; all do not believe, John vi. 64. ' There are fome of you that believe not.' Chrift doth not pray for all, John xvii. i). Some refufe Chrift, Pfal. cxviii. 2'2. ' This is the ftone which the builders refufed.' Others deride him, Luke xvi. 1-1. Others throw off his yoke, Luke xix. 14. ' We will not have this man to rfeign over us.' So that all have not the benefit of falvation by him. Herein appears the diftinguifliing love of Chrift, that the virtue of his death ftiould reach (bme, and not others, 1 Cor. i. 26. ' Not many wife men after the flefti, not many mighty, not many noble are called.' That Chrift fliould pafs by many of birth and parts, and that the lot of free grace ftiall fall upon thee ; that he (hould fprinkle his blood upon thee; ' The depth of the love of Chrift.' (S.) That Chriji 'piould love us with J'uch mi entire tranj'cenderit love. Theapollle calls it a * Love which paffeth knowledge,' Eph. iii. 19. That he ftiould love us more than the angels; he loves them as his friends, believers as his ipoufe. He loves them with fuch a kind of love as God the Father bears to him, John xv. 9. ' As the Father hath loved me, fo have I loved you,' O what an hyperbole of love doth Chrift (hew in redeeming us! (9.) Tiiat Chriji'slove in our redemption (hould be everlujiing, Jolm xii. 1. ' Having loved his own, he ioved them to the end.' As Cbrift's love is nmtchlefs, fo end-lefs ; the llower of Chrift's love is fweet ; and that which makes it fweeter, it never dies. Chrift's love is eternized, Jer. xxxi. 3. He will never divorce his ele6t fpoufe. 'Jlie failings of his people cannot quite take oft'his love : they may eclipfe his love, or wholly remove it; their failings may make Chrift angry with them, but not hate them. Every failing doth not break the inarriag*-knot. Chrift's love is not like the faints' love ; fome-times they have ftrong affe<5tions towards Chrift, at other times the hot fit is off, and they can find little or no love ftirring in them : but it is not fo with Chrift's love to the faints, it is a love of eternity. When the fun-fhine of Chrift's electing love is once rifen upon the foul, it never lets finally. Death may take away our life from us, but not Chrift's love. Behold here a rare fubje;^ in a fabbath-morning to meditate upon I Tli£ me-

3i2

ditation of Chrift's wonderful love in redeeming us, would work in us a fabbath-frame of heart.

Fnft, It would melt us into tears for our fpiritual unkind-r\e{^eh ; that we fhould fin againft fo fweet a Saviour ; that we fljould be no more affe6led with his love, but requite evil for good ; like the Athenians, who, notwithftanding all the good fervice Ariilides had done them, banifhed him out of their city ; that we (hould grieve Chrifi: with our pride, rafh anger, our un-fruitfulnefs, animofities, ftrange fa6lions. Have we none to abuf(E but pur friend ? Have we nothing to kick againft but the bowels of our Saviour ? Did not Chrift fuffcr enough upon the crofs, but we muft needs make him fuffer more ? Do we give him more ' gall and vinegar to drink?' O if any thing -can diliblve the heart in Ibrrow, and broach the eyes with tears, it is difingenuity and unkindnefs offered to Chrift. When Peter thought of Chrift's love to him, how he had made him an apof-tle, and revealed his bofom-fecrets to him, and taken him to the mount of transfiguration, and that he fliould deny Chrift, it broke his heart with forrow ; ' he went out, and wept bitterly,' Mat. xxvi. 75. What a blefted thing is it to have the eyes dropping tears on a fabbath I and nothing would iooner fetch tears, than to meditate on Chrift's love to us, and our unkind requitals.

Secondly, The meditating on a Lord's Day morning of Chrift's love, would kindle love in our hearts to Chrift. How can we look on Chrift's bleeding and dying for us, and our hearts not be warmed with love to him } Love is the foul of religion, the pureft affection ; it is not rivers of oil, but fparks of love that Chrift values. And fure, as David faid, ' While I wasmufing the fire burned,' Plal. xxxix. 3. So, while we are mufing of Chrift's love in redeeming us, the fire of our love would burn towards Chrift; and then is a Chriftian in a bleffed fabbath frame, when he is like a feraphim burning in love to Chrift.

(4.) On a fabbath-morning meditate on the glory of heaven. Heaven is the extra6t and quinteflence of happinel's. It is called a kingdom, Matth. xxv. 34. A kingdom for its riches and magnificence ; it is fet out by * precious ftones, gates of pearl,' Rev. xxi. There is all that is truly glorious i tranlparent light, perfe6t love, unftained honour, unmixed joy ; and tlftt which crowns the joy of the celeftial paradife, is eternity. Suppole earthly kingdoms were more glorious than they are, their foundations of gold, their walls of pearl, their windows of lapphire, yet they are corruptible ; but the kingdom of heaven is eternal; thofe rivers of pleafure ' run for evermore,' Pf. xvi. ll. And that'wherein the efl'ence of glory confifts, and makes heaven to be heaven, is the immediate fight and fruition of the blefted God, Plal. xvii. 15. * Whea I awake I ftiall be fatisfied with

sr-

thy likenefs.' O think of this Jerufaiem above ! this is proper for a fabbath.

1. The meditation of heaven would raife our hearts above the v/orld. O how would thefe things dilappear and flirink into nothing, if our minds were mounted above the vifible orbs, and we had a profpect of glory !

2. How would the meditation of heaven make us heavenly in our fabbath exercifes! it would quicken alfeclion, it would add wings to devotion, it would make us to be * in the Spirit on the Lord's day,' Rev. i. 10. How vigoroufly doth he ferve God, who hath a crown of glory always in his eye!

HI. We drefs our fouls on a iabbath-morning, by prayer, Matth. vi. 6. ' When thou prayed, enter into thy clofet,' &c. Prayer fanctifies a fabbath.

1. The things we fhould pray for in the morning of the fabbath.

Beg a blefiing upon the word which is to be preached, that it may be a favour of life to us; that by it our minds may be more illuminated, our corruptions more weakened, our ftock of grace more increafed : pray that God's fpecial pretence may be with us, that our hearts may burn within us while God fpeaks : pray that we may receive the word into meek, humble hearts, James i. 22. That we may fubmit to it, and bring forth the fruits of it. Nor fhould we only pray for ourfelves, but for others.

Fiiji, For him who difpenfeth the word; that his tongue may be touched with a coal from God's altar; that God would warm his heart, who is to help to warm others. Your prayers may be a means to quicken the miniiler. Some complain, they iind not that benefit by the word preached : perhaps they did not pray for their minifter as they fhould. Prayer is like the vv'hetting and fharpening of an Intlrument, which makes it cut the better.

Secondly^ Pray with and for your family: yea, pray for all the congregations' that meet this day in the fear of the Lord ; that the dew of the Spirit may fall with the manna of the word, that fome fouls may be converted, and others ilrengthened; and that gofpel ordinances may be continued, and have no re-ftraint^put upon them. Thefe are the things we Ibould pray for. , The tree of mercy will not drop its fruit, unlefs it be ihaken by the hand of prayer.

(2.) The manner of our prayer. It is not enough to fay a prayer, to pray in a dull, cold manner, which teacheth God to deny; but we niufi; pray with reverence, humility, hope in God's mercy, fervency, Luke xxii. 44. Chrilt prayed more earneftly. And that we may pray with more fervency, we niuil pray with a fenfe of our wants. He who is pinched with

want, will be earned in craving an alms. He prays mofl; fervently, who prays moft feelingly. This istofandlify the morning of a labbath, and it is a good preparatory for the Word preached. When the ground is broken up by the plough, now it is fit to receive the feed ; when the heart hath been broken by prayer, now it is fit to receive the feed of the Word preached. Thus you fee how todrelsyour fouls on a fabbath-morning. 7'here are other duties remaining.

IV. Having thus dreffed your fouls in a morning, for the further fandification of the fabbath, addrefs yourfelves to the hearing ot the VV^ord preached.

(I.) And when you are let down in your feat.

Lift up your eyes to heaven for a blelling upon the word to be dilpenfed, for, you muftknovv the word preached doth not work as phyfic, by its own inherit virtue, but by a virtue from heaven, and the co-operation of the Holy Ghoit; therefore put up a fliort ejaculutory prayer for a blelfing upon the word, that it may be made effeclual to you.

(9.) The word being begun to be preached, fet yourfelves ia a right manner;

With reverence and holy attention, A6ls xvi. 14. * A certain woman, named Lydia, attended unto the things which were fpoken of Paul.' Conftantine the emperor was noted for his reverend attention to the word, Luke xix. 48. ' Chrift taught daily in the temple: and all the people were attentive to hear him.' In the Greek, * they hung upon his lip.' Could we tell men of a rich purchafe, they would diligently attend : and fliall they not much more, when the gofpel of grace is preaching* rmto them ? Now, that we may fan6tify and hallow the fabbath, by attentive hearing, take heed of two things, in hearing, viz. L Diftra6tion. H. Drowfinefs.

L Dijiraftmi. 1 Cor. vii. 35. * That ye may attend upon the Lord without diflradion.* It is faid of St. Bernard, that when he came to the church-door, he would fay, *' Stay here all jiiy earthly thoughts." So flioulcl we fay toourfelves, when we are at the door of God's houfe, Stay here all my worldly cares, and wandering cogitations ; I am now going to hearken what the Lord will fay to mc Dillra6lion hinders devotion. Dif-tra6tion in hearing is, when the mind is tolled with vain thoughts, and diverted from the bufinefs in hand. It is hard to make the Cjuick-filver heart fix. St. Hierom complained of himfelf; *' Sometimes (faith he) when I am about God's fervice, per porticus dicanbulo, I am walking in the galleries, and fometimes calling up accounts." So, oft in hearing of the word, the thoughts dance up and down ; and when our eye is upon the iiiiniller, our mind is upon other things. Di(lra6led hearing is far from fan^lifying the fabbath. It rauft needs be very heinous

to give way to vain thoughts at this time ; becaufe, when we are-hearing the word, we are now in God's fpecial prefence. To do any treafonable action in the king's prefence, is high impudence, Jer. xxiii. 11. ' Tea, in ray hoiil'e have I found their wickednefs.* So may ihe Lord fay in my houfe, while they are hearing my word, I have found wickednefs; they have wanton eyes, and their ^oul is fet on vanity. This enhanceth and aggravates the fin.

Qu. Whence do thefe roving dijlracled thoughts in hearing come ?

Jnfrl. Partly from Satan. The devil is no recufant he, will be fure to be prefent in our aflemblies : if he cannot hinder us from hearing, he will hinder us in hearing, Jobi. It). * When tlie fons of God came to prefent themfeives before the Lord, Satan came alio among them.' The devil fets vain objects before the fancy, to caufe a diverfion. Satan's great defign is to render the word we hear fruitlefs : as when one is writing, another jogs him that he cannot write even ; fo, when we are hearing, the devil will be jogging us with a temptation, that we fhoLild not attend to the word preached, Zech. iii. 1. ' He fhewed me Jofhua the high-priell ftanding before the angel of the Lord, and Satan (landing at his right-hadd to refift him.'

2. Thefe wandering thoughts in hearing come partly frotn ourfelves. We mull not lay all the blame upon Satan.

(1.) They come from the eye. A wandering eye caufeth wandering thoughts. A thief may be let into the houfe at a window; fo vain thoughts are let in at the eye. So that, as we are bid to keep our feet when we enter into the houle of God, Eccl. V. 1. fo we had need make a covenant with our eyes, when we are in the houfe of God, Job xxxi. 1. that we be not di(lra6ted by beholding other obje6is.

2. Wandering thoughts in hearing rife out of the heart. Thel'e fparks come out of our own furnace. Vain thoughts are the mud which the heart (as a troubled tea) calls up, Mark vii. 12. • For, (from within,) out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts.' It is thefoulnefsof the llomach fends up fumes into the head ; and the corruption of the heart fends up evil thoughts into the mind.

3. DiHiraded thoughts in heaving proceed from an evil cuflom. We inure ourfelves to vain thoughts at other times, therefore we cannot forbear them on a fabbath. Cultom is a fecond nature, Jer. xiii. 23. ' Can tl.vj Ethiopian change his (kin, or the leopard his fpots? then may ye alfo do good, that are accudom-ed to do evil?' He that is ufed to bad company, knows not how to leave it; fuch.as hdve vain thougtits keeping them compariy all the week, they know not how to get rid of them on the fab-

bath. Let me fhew you how evil thefe vain diftraiSling thoughts in hearing are.

Fuji, To have the heart diftrac^led in hearing, is a difrefpeft to God's omnifciency. God is an all-feeing Spirit; and thoughts fpeak louder in his ears, than words do in ours, Amos iv. 13. * He declareth unto man what is his thought.' Therefore, to make no confcience of wandering thoughts in hearing, is the afl'rontiug of God's omniiciency, as if lie knew not our heart, or did not hear the language of our thoughts.

Secondly, To give way to wandering thoughts in hearing is hypocrify. We pretend to hear what God faith, and our mind is quite upon another thing. We prefent God with our bodies, but do not give him our hearts, Hof. vii. 11. This hypocrify Ghd complains of, Ifa. xxix. 13. ' This people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their hearts far from me.' This is to prevaricate and deal falfely with God.

Thirdly, A^ain thoughts in hearing dilcover much want of love to God. Did we love God we fliould lillen to his words as oracles, * and bind them upon the table of our heart,' Prov. iii. 3. When a friend whom we love fpeaks to us, and give us advice, we mind it with ferioufnefs, and fuck in every word. The giving our thoughts leave to ramble in holy duties, fliews the defe6t of our love to God.

Fourthly, Vain impertinent thoughts in hearing defile aa ordinance ? they are as dead flies in the box of ointment. When a ftring of the lute is out of tune, it fpoils the mufic ; diftradliori of thought puts our mind out of tune, and makes our iervices found harOi and unpieafant. Wandering thoughts poifon a duty, and turn it into fin, Pfal. cix. 7. * Let his prayer become fin.* What can be Worle, than to have a man's praying and hearing of the word become fin ? Were it not fad, when the meat we eat fliould increafe bad huinours ? So when the hearing of the word, which is the food of the foul, Iboukl be turned into fin.

Fifthly, Vain thoughts in hearing, anger God. If the king M^ere fpeaking to one of his fubjecls, and he fliould not give heed to what the king faith, but be thinking on another bufi-nefs, or playing with a feather ; would not this provoke the kin^; So, when we are in God's prefence, and God is fpeak-ing to us in his word, and we minding not much what he (iiith, but our hearts go after covetoufnefs, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. VViil not this anger God, to be thus fhghted ? God hath pronounced a curfe upon fuch, Mai. i. 14. ' Curled be the deceiver, which liath in his fiock a male, and facrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing.' To have flrong lively alfe6lions to the world, here is a male in the flock j but to hear the word with diftratStion, to

give God duties fly-blown witli vain thoughts, this is to offer to the Lord a corrupt thing ; this brings a curfe, ' curfed be the deceiver.'

Sixtkhf, Vain thoughts in hearing (when allowed and not re-fifled) make way for Tiardning the heart. A Hone in the heart, is worfe than in the kidneys. Diltra6led thoughts in hearing, do not better the heart but harden it. Vain thoughts* take away the lioly awe of God which iliould be upon the heart; they make confcience lefs tender, and hinder the efficacy the word (hoi)l(l have upon the heart.

Seventhly, Vain diftracting thoughts rob us of the comfort of an ordinance. A gracious foul oft meets vi^ith God in the fanc-tuary, and can fay, as Cant. iii. 4. ' I tbund him whom my ibiil loveth.' He is hke Jonathan^ who, having taded the honey on the rod, his eyes were enlightned. But vain thoughts hinder the comfort of an ordinance, as a black cloud hides the warm comfortable beams of the fun from us. Will God fpeak peace to us, when our minds are wandering and our thoughts are travelling to the ends of the earth ? Prov. xvii. 24. If ever you would hear the word with attention, do as Abraham, he drove away the fowls from the facrifice. Gen. xv. 11. i'o when we find thefe excurfions, and finful wanderings in hearing, labour to drive away the fowls : get rid of thefe vain thoughts ; thev are vagrants, and we nmft not give them entertainment.

Qu. But how Piall iveget help agahiji theje vagabond thovghta ?

Arif. (1.) Pray and watch againlt them. (2.) Let the fenfe of God's omnifcient eye over awe your hearts. The fervant will not (port in his mafter's pretence. (3.) Labour for an holy frame of heart. Were the heart more fpiritual, the mind would be lefs feathery. (4.) Bring more love to the word. That which we love, we fix our minds upon ; he that loves his pleafures and recreations, his mind is fixed upon them, and he can follow them without diftraclion. Were our love more let upon the word preached, our minds would be more fixed upon it : and furely there is enough to make us love the word preached ; for it is the word of life, the inlet to knowledge, the antidote againft fin, the quickner of holy atre6lions : It is the true manna, which hath all forts of fwett taftes in it: it is the pool of Bethefda, in which the rivers of life fpring forth to heal the broken in heart ; it is a fov^reign elixir or cordial to revive the forrowful fpirit. Get love to the word preached and you will not be fo difiradled in hearing. What the heart delights in, the thoughts dwell upon.

II. If you would fandlify the fabbath by diligent, attentive hearing, take heed of drowfinefs in hearing ; drowfinefs (hews much irreverence. How lively are many when they are about the world, but in the worfliip of God how drowly, as if the de«

Vol. I. N.o. 10. S K

vil had given them fome opium to make them deep ? A- drowiy temper is (now) very abfiird and finfti!. Are not you in prayer afliing pardon of fin ? Will the prifonev fall afleep when he is beygino his pardon ? In the preaching of the word, is not the bread of life broken to you : and will a man fall afleep at his food ?^ which is worfe, to flay from a I'ermon, or deep at a fer-iiion ? While you fleep, perhaps the truth was delivered, which might have converted your fouls. Befides fleeping is very ofl'en-iive in thefe holy affemblies ; it is not only a grieving the Spirit of God, but a making the hearts of the righteous fad, Ezek. xiii. 27- It troubles them to fee any Ihew fuch a contempt of God and his worfliip : to fee them bufy in the (hop, but drowfv in the temple- Therefore, as Chrill faid, Matth. xxvi. 4. ' Could ye not watch one hour ?' fo can ye not wake one hour ? I deny not but that a child of God may fometimes thro' weaknefs and indifpofition of body drop a fleep at a fer-mon, but it is not voluntary or ordinary. Tlie fun may be in an ecli])fe, but not often ; if fleeping becuftomary and allowed, it is a very bad fign and a profaning of the ordinance. A good remedy againft drowfinefs is to ufe a fpare diet uf)on this day. Such as indulge their appetite too much on a fabbath, are fitter to fleep on a couch, than pray in the temple. Now, that you may throw oft'diftracling thoughts and drowfinefs on the Lord's day, and may hear the word with reverend attention^ confider,

1. It is God that fpeaks to us in his word ; therefore the preaching of the word is called ' the breath of his lips,' Ifa. xi. 4. And Chrifl is faid * now to fpeak to us from heaven,' Heb. xii. 25. as a king fpeaks in his ambaflador. Minitters are but as the pipes and organs. It is the fpirit of the living God breathes in them. When we come to the word, we fliould think thus with ourfelves. God I'peaks in this preacher, The Thefllilonians heard the word Paul preached, as if God himfelf had fpokeu unto them, 1 Thefl". ii. 13. * When ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of n)en, but (as it is in truth) the word of God.' When Samuel knew it ' was the Lord that fpake to him, he lent his ear,' 1 Sam. iii. 10. If we do not regard God, when he fpeaks to us, he will not regard us when we pray to him.

2. Confider, how Serious and weighty the matters delivered to us are. As Mofes (iaid, Deut. xxx. 10. * I call heaven and earth to record this day, that I have fet before you life and death.' Can men be regardlefs of the word, or drowfy when the weighty matters of eternity are fet before them .f^ W'e preach of faith, and holinefs of life, and the day of judgment, and the eternal rccompences : here is life and death fet before you : *nd doth not ail this call for ferious attention : Ifa letter were.

read to one of fpecial bufinefs, wherein his life and eftate were concerned, would not he be very ferious in liftening to that letter? In the preaching of the word, your lalvation is concerned ; and if ever you would attend, it fhould be now, Deut. xxxii. 49. ' It is not a vain thing for you, becaufe it is your life.*

S. To give way to vain thoughts, and drowlinefs in hearing, doth much gratify Satan. He knows, that not to mind a-duty, is all one, as not to do a duty in religion. *' What the heart doth not do, is not done." Therefore Chrill faith offome,

* Hearing, they hear not,' Matth. xiii. 13- How could that be ? becaufe, though the word founded in their ear, yet they minded not what was faid to tliem, their thoughts were upon other things ; therefore it was all one as if they did not hear :

* Hearing, they hear not:' and doth not this pleafe Satan, to fee men come to the word, and as good (lay away ? they are haunted with vain thoughts, they are taken otf the duty while they are in it : their body is in the aflembly, their heart ia their ihop : * Hearing, they hear n-ot.'

4. It may be the lail fabbath that ever we fhall keep; we may go from the place of hearing to the place of judging : and fhall not we give reverend attention to the word } did we think thus when we come into God's houfe. Perhaps this will be the laft time that ever God will counfel us about ourlbuls; before another fermon, death's alarm will found in our ears : witfi what attention and devotion (hould we come hither, and our affe6lions would be all on fire in hearing.?

5-You rauft give an account for every fermon you hear, Luke xvi. 2. Redde rationem ; ' Give an account of thy lleward-Ihip.' So will God fay. Give atr account of thy hearing : haft thou been aifected with the word } haft thou profited by it ? and how can we give an account, if we have been diftradted in hearing, and have not taken notice what hath been faid to us ? The Judge, to whom we muit give an account, is God. Were one to give an account to man, he might faliify his accounts ; but we muft give an account to God, Nee donis CGrrumpilur, nee blanditiis fallitur, Bern. *' He is lb jull a God, that he cannot be bribed, and fo vsrife, that he cannot be deceived.'* Therefore, going to give an account toluch an impartial Judge, how Ihould we obferve every word preached, remembering ihe account ? Let all this make us Ihake offdiftraction anddrowfi* nels ui hearing, and huve our ears chained to the word.

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OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. ExoD. XX. 8. Remember the Sabbath'day to Iceep it holy, &c,

II. If you would hear the word aright, lay afide lhof«

things which may render the word preached inefte6tual : As,

1. Ciiriofity, Sonne conie to the word preached, not fo much to get grace, a* to enrich themlelves with notions: ' Itching ears,* 2 Tim. iv. "6. Aultin contelieth. That, before his convertion, he went to hear St. Au)brolie, rather for his eloquence, than for the fpirituality of the matter, Ezek. xxxiii. 3'2. ' Thou art unto them as a very lovely fong of one that hath a pleafant voice, and can play well on an inilrument.' Many come to the word only to feaii their ears ; they like the melody of the voice, the mellifluous Ivveetnels of the exprellion, the newnefs of the notion, Acts xvii. 21. This is to love the garnifhing of the difli more than the food ; this is to defire to be pleafed, ratlier than edified. Like a woman that paints her face, but nfgle6ls her health : fo they paint and adorn themfelves with curious fpe-gulations, but negle6t their fouls health. This hearing doth neither fimctify the heart, nor the fkbbath.

2. Lay afide J07c/z<c??ce.

(I.) Prejudice againfl the truths preached. The Sadduceei were prejudiced againfl the do6trine of the refurre6iion, Luke XX. 27-

(2.) Prejudiced againfl the perfon preaching, 1 Kings xxii. 8. ' There's one Micaiahby whom we may enquire of the Lord, but I liate him.' This hinders the virtue of the word. Ifapa-tient hath an ill opinion of his phyfician, he will not take any of his receipts, tho' never fo good. Prejudice in the mind is like an oblirutStion in the flomach, which hinders the nutritive virtue of the meat. Prpjudice poiibns the word, and makes it lole its etiicacy.

3. Lay afide covetovfnejs. Covetoufnefs is not only getting the world unjuitly, but loving it inordinately. This is a great hindrance to the word preached. The feed which fell among thorns was choked, Malth. xiii. 22. An emblem of the word being preached to a covetous hearer. The covetous man is thinking on the world when he is hearing; his heart is in his fliop, Ezek. xxxiii, 31. * They fit before thee as my people, and ihey hear thy words, but their heart goeth after their co-vetoufiiels.' A covetous hearer derides the word, Luke xvi. 14. ' The Phanfecs, who were covetous, heard all thefe things, and they derided him.'

4. Lay afide partialitif. Partiality in hearing is, when we like to hear fome truths preached, but not all. We love to hear of heaven, but not of felf denial ; of reigning with Chrid, but not of fuffering ; of the more facile duties of religion, but not them which are more knotty and dithcult; as mortification, laying the ax to the root, and hewing down their beloved fin, lla. XXX. 10. ' Prophefy fmooth thing>,' fuch as may noi qrate upon our confcience. Many like to hear of the love of Chrill, but not of loving their enemies ; they like the comforts of the word, but not the reproofs. Herod heard John Baptift gladly ; he liked many truths, but not when he Ipake againll his incelt. Lay afide partiality.

5. Lay afide cenj'orionfnefa. Some, inftead ofjudging them-felves for fin, fit as judges upon the preacher : either his fer-mon had too much gall in it, or it was loo long. Thefe will Ibmier cenl'ure a fermon than pra6lile it. God will judge the judger, Matth. vii. I.

d. Lay afide difobedience, Rom. vii. 92. * All the day long have I llretched forth my hands unto a difobedient people.* *Tis fpoken of the Jews ; God fl;retched out his hands in the preaching of the word, but they reje6led Chrift:. Let there be none among you that wilfully refule the counfels of the word ; it is fad to have an adder's ear, and an adamant heart, Zech. vii. II, 12. If, when God fpeaks to us in his word we are deaf; when we fpeak to him in prayer, he will be dumb.

IIL If you would hear the word aright, have good ends ia hearing ; * Come to the word to be made better.' Some have no other end in hearing, but becaufe it is in fafhion, or to gain repute, or Hop the mouth of confcience ; but come to the word, to be made more holy. There's a great deal of difference between one that goes to a^garden for flowers to wear in her bo-Tom, and another that goes for flowers to make fyrups and medicines of. We (hould go to the word for a medicine to cure us; as Naaman the Syrian went to Jordan to be healed of his leprofy; 1 Peter ii. 2. ' Delire the fincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.' Come to the word to be changed into the fiinilitude of it; as the feal leaves its print upon the wax, fo labour that the word preached may leave tlie print of its own holineCs upon your heart ; labour that the ' word' may have fuch a virtue upon yon, as the water of jealoufy, ' to kill and make fruitful,' Numb. v. 27. I'hat it may kill your fins, and make your fouls fruitful in grace.

IV. If you would hear the word aright, come to it with delight. The word preached is a feall of fat things : with what dehght do men come to a feall.? the word preached anoints the blind eye, mollifies the rocky heart; it beats otf our fetters, and turns us from the * power of Satan lo God,' Adsxxvi. 18. The

word is the feed (ff regeneration, James i. 18. the engine of falvation. Hear the vvoid with delight and complacency, Jer. XV. i6. * Thy words were found, and I did eat them. They were the joy and rejoicing of nsy heart.' Pfal. cxix. 103.

* How i'weet are thy words unto my tafte ! yea, fweeter than honey unto my mouth.' Yea, love that word which <omes molt home to the conlcience : biefs God when your corruptions have been met wjth, when the fword of the Spirit hath divided between you and your fins. Who cares for that phyfic which will not work.

V. If you would hear the word aright, mix it with faith. Believe the verity of the word preached, that it is that word by which you mull be judged ; not only give evidence to the word preached, but learn to apply it to your own fouls : faith con-co6ts the word, and turns it into fpiritual nouriftiment. Many hear the word, but it may be faid of them, as Pfal. cvi. 24.

* TheA' believed not his word.' Melan6lhon once faid to fomc of the Italians, " Ye Italians worfliip God in the bread, when ye do not believe him to be in heaven :" fo, many hear God's word, but do not believe that God is ; they queition the truth of his oracles. If we do not mix faith with the word, it is like leaving out the chief ingredient in a n)edicine, which makes it inetfecStual ; unbelief hardens men's hearts againfl the word, Acls xix. y. ' Divers were hardened, and believed not.' Men hear many truths delivered concerning the precioufnefsof Chrift, the beauty of holinefs, the felicity of a glorified ef^ate; but, if through unbelief and atheilin they queftion thefe truths, we may as well fpeak to the Hones and pillars of the church as to them. That word which is not believed, can never be pra6lifed. Ubi male credilure, ibi nee bene vivitur, Hierom. Unbelief makes the

r>^4^^>word preached of no effect. Heb. iw 2. * The word preached did not profit, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.* I'he word to an unbeliever is like diofcordium put into a dead man's mouth, which lofeth all its virtue. If there be any unbelievers in our congregations, what fliall minifiers fay to God at the lail day ? Lord, we have preached to the people, thou lenteil us to, we fhewed them ourcommiflion, we declared unto them the whole counfel of God, but they believed never a word we fpake : we told them what would be the fruit of fin, but they would drink their fugared draught, though there was death in ihe cup: Lord, we are free from their blood. God forbid that ever minifiers Ihould make this report to God of their people. But this they mult be forced to do, if people live and die in unbelief. Would you lan<5tify a fabbath in liearing the word aright? hear the word with faith. The apofile puta thefe two together, * belief and falvaiion,' Heb. x. 3y. * We are of them that believe Lo the laving of the foul.'

VI. If you wonUl hear the word aright, hear it with * meek fpirits,' James i. 21. Receive the word in manfuetndine, with meeknefs. Meeknel's is a fubrnflfiive frame of heart to the word: contrary to this meeknefs is fiercenefs of fpirit, when men rife up in a VAge againli the word ; as if the patient fhould be angry with the phyfician when he gives him a receipt to purge out his bad humours. Acts vii. 54. ' When they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and gnafhed on Stephen v^ith their teeth.* 12 Chron. xvi. 10. * APa was wroth with the feer, and put hitTi in a prifon-houfe.' Pride and guilt make men fret at his word r what made A fa dorm fo, but pride? he was a king, and thought he was too good to be told of his fin. What made Cain fo angry, when God faid to him, * Where is Abel thy brother?' Saith he, ' Am I my brother's keeper ?' What made him fo touchy, but guilt? he had embrued his hands in his brother's blood. If you would hear the word aright, lay down your paflions, ' Receive the word with meeknefs:' get humble hearts to fubmit to the truths delivered. God takes the meek perfon to be his fcholar, Pfal. xxv. 9. * The meek will he teach his way.' Meeknefs makes the word preached to bean ' ingrafted word,' James i. yi. A good Icion grafted in a bad flock changeth the nature of it, and makes it bear good and generous fruit; fo when the word preached is grafted into man's heart, it fanclifies them, and makes them bring forth the fweet fruits of righteoufuefs. By meeknefs it becomes an ingrafted word,

VII. If you would hear the word aritjht, be not only attentive, but retentive. Lay the word up in your memories and hearts, Luke viii. 15. ' The feed on the good ground are they. Mho having heard the word, keep it.' The Greek word for * to keep,' fignihes * to hold the word faft, that it do not run fiom us.' If the feed be not kept in the ground, but is pre-fently wafhed away, it is fown to little purpofe : fo if the word preached be not kept in your memories and hearts, it is preached in vain. Many people have memories like leaky veliels, tlia word goes out as fall as it comes in, how can it profit ? if a trea-fure be put in a cheil, and the cheltbe not locked, it may eafily be taken out: a bad memory is like a cheft without a lock, the devil can eafily take out all the treal'ure, Luke viii. 22. ' Then comes the devil, and takes away the vi'ord out of their hearts.* Labour to keep in memory the truths you hear : the things we fcfteem we are not fo apt to forget. ' Will a bride forget iicr jewels?' Jer. ii. 32. ' Can a maid forget her ornaments?' Did we prize the word more, we (hould not fo foon forget it: if the meat doth not Hay in the flomach, but comes up as fatt as we eat it, it cannot nouriih : fo, if the word fiays not in the memory, but is prefently gone, it can do the foul but httle good.

VIII. If 3-0U would hear aright, pra6iire what yon hear. Pra6tice is the life of all, Rev. xxii. U. ' BleO'ed are ihey that do his coDimandments, that ihey may have right to the tree of Jife.' Bare hearing will be no plea at the day of judgment; Lord, I have heard To many fermons. But God will fay^ What fruits of obedience have ye brought forth ? The vvord we preach is not. only to inform you, but reform you ; not only to mend your fight, but to mend your pace in the way to heaven : a good hearer is like the heJitropuim &c. it opens and fluits with the fm\, to God againlt (in. Now, that you may liinftify a labbaih by hearing:

1. If you do not hear tlie word arigiu, you lofe all your la-tour : how^ n^iany a weary Hep have you taken ; your body hath been crowded, your fpirit faint; if you are not bettered by hearing ; if you are as proud, as vain, as earthly as ever, all your ;hearing is loft. You would be loth to trade in vain ; and why Dot aft well to hear fermons in vain? Job ix. 29. ' Why then labour I in vain?' Put this queltion to tliy own foul? "' Why labour I in vain ?' why do 1 take all this pains to hear, yet have not the grace to praclile it? I am as bad as ever? why then labour I in vain ?

2. If you liear the word, and are not bettered by it, you are like the falamander in the fire, not hotter; your hearing will in-creafe your condemnation, Luke xii. 47. ' That liervant which knew his Lord's will, and did it not, (hall be beaten with many llripes.' We pity fuch as know not where to hear ; it will be worl'e with fuch as care not how they hear. 'J'o grace-lels difobedient hearers every fermon will be a faggot to heat hell: it is fad to go loaded to hell with ordinances. O beg the opirit to make the word preached efleciual. Minifters can but ipeak to the ear, the Spirit fpeaks to the heart, Acts x. 44. * While Peter ipuke, the Holy Gholt fell uj^on all them that heard the word.'

IX. Having heard the word in an holy and fpiritual manner, for the further lanctification of the fabbath, confer of the word. ^We are forbidden on ihisday tofpeak our own words, Ifa. Iviii. 14. but we muft (peak of God's word. Speak of the fermons as you fit together; this is one part of fan6lifying the fabbath. Good difcourle brings holy truths into our memories, and faftens them upon our hearts ; ISIal. iii. 17- ' Then they that feared the Lord, fpake ofieu one to another.' There is a great power »nd eliicacy in good difcourfe, Job vi. 9b. * How forciljle are right words?' By holy conference on a labb.sth, one Chrifii?tn helps to warm another when he is frozen, to fh'engthen anoitier when he is weak. Latimer confeffed, he was much furthered in religion, by having conference with Mr. Bilny the martyr, l^liil. cx.\i.\. 172. ' xMy tongue fliall fpeak of thy word.' One

fealon why preaching the word onaiahbath doth no more good, is, becaiife ihore is lb little good conference. Few fpeak of the word they have heard, as if (ermons were fucb fecrets tliat they mull not he fpoken of again, or as ii it were a (hameto Ipeak of that which will lave us.

X. Shut up the fiibbath evening with repetition, reading, finging of pfahns, and prayer: beg that God would blefs the word you have heard. But I hope your practice herein will prevent my furtlier fpeaking. Could we but thus,fpend a fab-bafh, we might be ' in the Spirit on the Lord's day,' Rev. i. lO. our fouls miglit be nourirtied and comforted : and this lab-bath which we now keep, would be an earneft of that everlall-ing- fabbath which we (hall celebrate in heaven.

ExoD. xx. 8. Re?nefnber to keep the Sabbath-day holy.

U/e T. See here a Chriftian's duty, * To keep the fab= bath-day holy.'

I. The whole fabbath is to be dedicated to God. It is not faid. Keep a part of the fabbath holy, but ihe whole day muft 1)6 religioully obferved. If God hath given us fix days and taken but one to himfelf, Ihall we grudge him any part of that day ? it were lacrilege. The Jews kept a whole day to the Lord, and we are not to abridge or curtail the fabbath (faith St. Auftin) more than the Jews did. The very heathens, by the light of nature, did fet apart a whole day in the honour of their falfe gods; and Scoevola the high-prieft did affirm, That the wilful tranfgreffion of that day could have no expiation or pardon. Whofoever do rob any part of the fabbath for fervile work or recreation, Scoevola, the high-priell of the heathenifh gods, Ihall rile up in judgment againftfuchChriftians, and condemn them., And they who fay, that to keep a whole fabbath is too Judaical, let them Ihew where God has made any abatement of the time of worfliip. Where he hath faid, you fliall keep but a part of tlie fabbath : and if they cannot (hew that, it argues much bold-uefs to go to rob God of his due. That a whole day be defigned and fet a part for God's fpecial worfliip, is a perpetual ftatute, while the church remains upon the earth, faith Pet. Martyr. Of this opinion alfo were Theodoret, Auftin, Irgeneus, and th« chief of the fathers.

9. As the whole fabbath is to be dedicated to God, fo it mult be kept holy ; you fee the manner of landlifying the Lord's day, * by readi^ig, meditation, prayer, hearing of the word, and by finging of pi'alms, to make melody to the Lord.' Now, bcfides what I have laid for the keeping this day holy, let me make a

Voi,. 1. No. 10. 3L

comment or paraphrafe on that fcripture, Ifa. Iviii. 13. * If thou turn away thy foot from the ilibbath, from doing thy pleafure on my holy day, and call the fabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord honourable, and (halt honour him, not doing thy own way:^, nor finding thine own pleafure, nor fpeaking thine own words :' Here is a defcription of the right fan6tifying a fabbath.

(1.) ' If thou turn away thy foot from the fabbath.' That iDay be underftood either literally or fpiritually.

Pirft, Literally, ' If thou turn away thy foot from the fabbath,' that is, if thou withdraweft thy foot from taking long walks or journeys on the fabbath-day : So the Jewifh dodlors expound it. Or,

Secondly, Spiritually. * If thou turn away thy foot from the fabbaih,' that is, if thou turn away thy afFe6lions (the feet of thy foul) from inclining to any worldly bufinefs.

(9.) * From doing thy pleafure on my holy day,* that is, thou muft not do that which may pleal'e the carnal part, as fports and pallimes : this is to do the devil's work on God's day.

(3.) ' And call the fabbath a delight.' Call it a delight, that is, edeem it fo : though the fabbath be not a day for carnal pleafure, yet holy pleafure is not forbidden. The foul muft take pleafure in the duties of a fabbath. The faints of old counted the fabbath a delight: the Jews called the fabbath rffe^^ lucis, a day of light. The Lord's day, on which the Sun of Righteoufnefs fhines, is both a day of light and delight. This is the day of fweet intercourfe between God and the foul. On this day a Chriftian makes his fallies out to heaven, his foul is lifted above the earth : and can this be wiihout delight? The higher the bird flies, the fweeter it fings. On a fabbath the foul a6ts its love to God ; and where the love is, there is the delight: on this day a believer's heart is melted, g. d. quickened, enlarged in holy duties; and how can all this be, and nota fecret delight go along with it ? On a fabbath, a gracious foul can fay, as Cant. ii. 3. ' I fat under his fhadow with great delight, and his fruit was fweet to my tafte.* How-can a fpiritual heart chufe but call the fabbath a delight ? Is it not delightful to a queen to be putting on her wedding robes, in which (he lliall meet the king her bridegroom ? When we are about fabbath exercifes, we are drelfnig ourl'elves, and putting on our wedding robes, in which we are to meet our heavenly bridegroom, tlie Lord Jefus : and is not this delightful? On the fabbath God makes a feall of fat things ; he fealls the ear with his word, and the heart with his grace. Well then may we call the fabbath a delight: and to find this holy delight, is to * be jn the Spirit on the Lord's day.*

(4.) ' The holy of the Lord, honourable.' In the Hebrew, it is glorious. To call the fabbath honourable, is not to be under-

•ftcod fo much of an outward honour given to it, by wearing richer apparel, or having better diet on this day, as the Jewilh do6lors corruptly glofs; this is the chief honour fome give to this day ; hut thou fhalt call the fabbath honourable, that is meant of the honour of the heart that we give to this day, reverencing it, and efteeming it the queen of days. We are to count the labbath honourable, becaule God hath honoured it. All the perfons in the Trinity have honoured it; God the Father blelfed it, God the Son rofe upon it, God the Holy Ghoft defcended on this day, A6ls ii. 1. And indeed this day is to be honoured of all good Chriftians, and had in high veneration. It is a day of renown ; on this day a golden fceptre of mercy is held forth. The Chrifl;ian fabbath is the very crepitfculum and dawning of the heavenly fabbath. It is honourable becaufe this day, ' God comes down to us, and vifits us.' To have the King of heaven prefent in a fpecial manner in our aflemblies, makes the (abbath-day honourable. Befides, the work that is done on this day makes it honourable : the fix days are filled up with fervile work, which makes them lofe much of their glory ; but on this day lacred work is done. The Ibul is employed wholly about the worfliip of God ; it is praying, hearing, meditating ; it is doing angels work, praifing, and bleffing God. Again, the day is honourable by virtue of a divine inllitution : (liver is of itfelf valuable ; but when the royal ftamp is put upon it, it is honourable; fo God hath put a facred llauip upon this day, the (lamp of divine authority, and the ftamp of divine be-nedidtjon : this makes it honourable ; this is a (an6lifying the fabbath, to call it a delight, and honourable.

(5.) * Not doing thy own ways.* That is, thou fh^lt not defile the day by doing any fervile work.

(•6.) * Nor finding thy own pleafure.' That is, not gratifying the flefhly part, by walks, vifits, or paflimes.

(7.) • Nor fpeaking thy own words.' That is, words heterogeneous and unfuitable for a fabbath ; vain, impertinent words; dilcoiirfes of worldly affairs. Here is the fandifying of a fabbath defcribed.

Ufe n. If the fabbath-day be to be kept holy, it reproves them, who, inllead of fanClifying the fabbath, profane it: They take that time, which fliould be dedicated wholly to God, and fpend it in the fervice of the devil and their lufts. The Lord hath encloied this day for his own worfhip, and they lay thia day commr)-!. God hath fet an hedge about this command-ment, * Remember;' and they break this hedge ; but he who break- * hedge, a ferpent Ihall bite him,' Eccl. x. 8. The fa!»'i V in England lies bleeding : and oh that our pariia-

m> ^^\n in fome balm into the wounds which the fab-

b i I how is this day profaned, by fitting idle at

3L2

liome, by felling meat, by vain difcourfe, by finfiil vifitp, by walking in the fields, by ufing f'ports. 1'he people ol' Ifrael might not gathsr i^ianna on the lat)bath, and may we ule (ports and daiicingy on this day ? Truly it flioukl be matter of grief to us, to fee lb much fabbath-profanation. When one of Darius' eunuchs faw Alexander fetting his feet on a rich table of Darius', be iell a weeping ; Alexander aflved him why he wept ? He faid it was to fee the table which his mafter fo highly elleemed to be now made a foot-ilool. So we may weep to fee the I'ab-baih-day, which God (o highly efieems/and hath (b honoured and blelied, to be made a foot-ftool, and to be trampled upon by the feet of finners. To profane the fabbath, is a lin of an high nature ; it is a wilful confempt of God ; it is not only ^ cafling God's law behind our back, but a trampling it under foot. God faith ' keep the fabbath holy ;' but men will pollute it. This is to defpife God, to hang out a flag of defiance, to throw down the gauntlet, and challenge God himlelf. Now, how can God endure to be thus fauciiy confronted by proud du(l? God will not futfer this high impudence to go unpunifh-ed. This will draw God's curfes upon the fabbath-breaker, and God's cuife will blaft where it comes. No Iboner did Chrift curfe the fig-tree, but. it withered ; though the law of the land lets labbath'breakers alone. To rob a man of his purfe, (hall be punilhed with death ; but to rob God of his day, fhall not be J3unifbed with death. But God will take the matter into his own hand ; he will fee after the punifhing 6f fabbath-violation ; and how doth he punifh it?

1. With fpiritual plagues. He gives up fabbath-profaners to hardneis of heart, and a feared confcience. Spiritual judgment?; are forefl, Pf. Ixxxi. 12. ' So I gave them np to their own hearts lulls.' A fear in the confcience is a brand-mark of reprobation. *

2. God punifheth this fin of fabbath-brcaking, by giving them up to commit other fins. God, to revenge the breaking of his fabbath, futfers men to break open houles, and ib come to be punilhed by the magittrate. How many fuch confeffion? have we heard from thieves going to be executed ! they never regarded the fibbath, and fb God fuffered them to commit thole henious fins, for which now they are to die.

3. God puniflieth fabbath-breaking, by fudden vifible judgments on men fortius fin ; God punifheth them in theireltates, and in their perlbns. One carrying corn into his barn on the Lord's dry, both houfe and corn were confumed with fire from heaven. In Wiltfliire there was a dancing match appointed iipon the Lord's day ; and one of the company, as he was dancing, fell down dead fuddenly, and (b was made a fpe6tacle of God'eijuflice. The theatre of God's judgments relates of one.

wlw ufed every Lord's day to hwnt in fermon-Ume, and lie had a child by his wife with an head like a doo, and it cried like a hound. His fin was raonftrous, and it was punilhed wiih a monllrous birth. 7'he Lord threatened the Jews, that if they would not hallow the fabbath-day, he would kindle a ' (ire ia their gates,' Jer. xvii. 27. The drftidful fire whic!i brake out in London, began on the fabbath day ; as if God would ttll ih from heaven, he was then punching us for our I'abbath profanation. Nor doth God punifli it only in this life with death, but ivith dananation. Such as break God's fabbath, let them lee if they can break thofe chains of darknefs, in which they and the devils (hall be held.

Ufe IlL It exhorts us to fabbath-holinefs.

1, Make confcience of keeping this day holy. The other commandments have only an affirmative in them, or a negative : this' fourth commandment hath both an affirmative in it, and a negative; ' Thou fli£>lt keep the labbath-day holy,' and ' thou ftialt not do any manner of work in it:' to (hew how carefully God would have us obferve this day. Not only mult you keep this day yourlelves, but have a care that all under your charge keep it; * thou, and thy fon, and thy daughter, and thy man-fervant, and thy maid-fervant ;' that is, thou who art a fuperior, a parent, or a mailer, thou muff have a care that not only thy-felf fandify the day, but thofe who are under thy trull and tuition. To blame are thofe mailers of families, who are careful that their fervants ferve them, but have no care that they ferve God ; they care not though their fervants Ihould ferve the devil, fo long as their bodies do them fervice. That which St. Paul faith to Timothy, I Tim. vi. 20. Serva clepn/itum, 'Keep that which is committed to thy trnft,' is of a large extenhon. Not only have a care of ihy own foul, but have a care of the fouls thou art eutruited with. See that they who are under thy charge fandify the fabbath. God's law provided, that if a niaa met with an ox or an afs going allray, he Ihould bring him back again: much more, when thou feeft the foul of thy child or I'ervant going aitray from God, and breaking his fabbath, thou lliouldeft bring him back again to a religious obfervation of this day. Now, that 1 may prefs you to fabbath-fandification. confider,

(1.) God hath promifed great bleffings to the flri6i obfervers of this day. 1. A promife of joy. if this be a delight, Ifa. Iviii. 14. ' Then (halt thou delight thyl'elf in the Lord.' Delighting in God is both a duty, Pf. xxxvii. 4. and a reward. In this text, it is a reward, ' Then fhait thou deliglU thy fell iu the Lord :* as if God had faid, if thou keep the fabbaih con-fcientioufiy, I will give thee that which will fill thee with delight ; if thou keep the fabbath willingly, I will make thee keep

it joyfully: I will give thee thofe enlargements in duty, and that inward comfort, which fliail ahundantly fatisfy thee; thy foul fiiall overflow with t'uch a (tream of joy, that thou flialt fl\y, Lord, in keeping thy labbath there is great rewards. 2. Of honour. And, ' I will caufe thee to ride upon the high places of the earth.' That is, I will advance thee to honour, q/cendere fadam ; So Munller interprets it. Some, by the high places of the earth, underftand Judea : So Grotius, I will bring thee into the land of Judea, which is higher fituated than the other countries adjacent. 3. Of earth and heaven, * And I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob ;' that is, I will feed thee wiih all the delicious things of Canaan, and afterwards I'll tranllate thee to heaven, whereof Canaan was but a type.— And another promife, Ifa. Ivi. 2. * Bleffed is the man that doth this, that keepeth thefkbbath from polluting it.' * Bleffed is the man ;' in the Hebrew, it is, bleirednefs. To him that keeps the fabbath holy, here is bleffednefs upon bleffednefs belongs to him ; he (hall be bleffed with the upper and nether fprings ;. he (hall be bleffed in his name, eftate, foul, progeny. Who would not keep this labbath from polluting it, that (hall have fo many bleffings entailed upon him and his pofterity after him ?

(2.) A confcientious keeping the fabbath, feafons the heart for God's I'ervice all the week after. Chriftian, the more holy thou art on a fabbath, the more holy thou wilt be on the week following.

OF THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.

ExoD. XX. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother: that thy Days may he long upon the Land lohich the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Having done with the (irft table, I am next to fpeak of the duties of the fecond table. The commandments mviy be likened to Jacob's ladder; the firft table, as the top of his ladder, reacheth to heaven ; it refpe6ls God : the fecond table, as the foot of the ladder, refts on the earth : it refpec^s (Superiors and inferiors. By the firil table, we walk religiouily towards God ; by the fecond, we walk religioufly towards man. He cannot be good in the firll table that is bad in the fecond. * Honour thy father and thy mother.'

In this, (1.) A command, * Honour thy father and thy mother.*

(9.) A reafon annexed to it, * That thy days may be long in the land.'

1. The command, ' Honour thy father.'

Qu. V/ho is meant here h]f father ?

Anf. Father is taken feveral ways ; the political, ancient, fpiritual, OBConomical, natural.

1. The political father, the magiftrate. He is the father of his country ; he is to be an encourager* of virtue, a puniflier of vice, a father to the widow and orphan : fuch a father wa& Job, ch. xxix. 16. ' I was a father to the poor, and the caufe which I knew not, I fearched out.' And, as magiftrates are fathers, fo efpecially the king, who is the head of magidrates, is a political fatiier : he is placed as the fun among the lelfer flars. The fcripture calls kings' father,' 11a. xlix. 23. ' Kings fliall be thy nurfing fathers.' They are to nurfe up their lub-je(5ls in piety, by their good edt6lsand examples ; and to nurfe them up in peace and plenty. Such nurfing fathers were David, Hezekiah, Jofiah, Conilantine, Theodofius. It ife happy for a people who have fiKh nurling fathers, wbofe brealls nurfe comfort to their children. Thele fathers are to be honoured ; for,

(I.) Their placesdeferve honour, God hath fet thefe political fathers to preferve order and harmony in a nation, and to prevent thofe ftate-couvulfions, which otherwile might eniue. Judges xvii. 6. When there was no king in Ifrael, every man did that which was. right in his own eyes. A wonder, Prov» xxx. 27.

(2.) God hath promoted kings, that they may promote juf-tice. As they have a fword in their hand, to lignify their power ; fo a fceptre, an emblem of jullice. It is faid of Marcus Aurelius, emperor, that he allotted one hour of the day to hear the complaints of fuch as were opprelled. Kings place judges as cherubims about the throne, for ditlribution of jullice. Thefe political fathers are to be honoured ; ' Honour the king,* 1 Pet. ii'. 17. And this honour is to be (liewn*by a civil rerpe6t to tiieir perfons, and a cheerful fubmillion to their laws, fo far as they agree and run parallel with God's law. Kings are to be prayed for, which is a part of that honour we give them, 1 Tim. ii. 1. • I exhort that fupplications, prayers, intercef-fions, be made for kings, that we may lead a quiet, peaceable life under them, in all godiinefs and honefty.' We are to pray for kings, that God would honour tliem to be bleffings, that under them v/e may enjoy the gol'pel of peace, and the peace of the gofpel. How happy was the reign of Nunia Pompilius, when the fwords were beaten into plough-lliares, and the bees made their hives of the foldiers helmets !

Secondlyf There is the grave ancient father, who is.venerable

for o!fl age ; whofefrrey hairs are refembled to the white flower* ofthe a!niond-tree, Eccl. xii. 5. Thele are fathers for^enwr/^y, on whofe wrinkled brows, and in the furrows of whole cheeks is pi6lLired t henna p of old age. Thefe fathers are to be honoured. Lev. xix. 3^i. * Thou (halt rife up before the hoary head, and J)onour the face ofthe old man.' Efpecially, thofe are to be honoured who are fathers not only for their feniority, but their piety; whofe fouls are flourifhing, when their bodies are a decaying. 'Tis a bleiled fight to fee fprings of grace in the autumn of old age ; to fee men Hooping towdvds the grave, yet going up the hill of God ; to fee them lofe their colour, yet keep their favour. Such, whofe (ilver hairs arft crowned with jighteoufnefs, are worthy of double honour : they are to be honoured, not only as pieces of antiquity, but'as patterns of virtue. If you fee an old man fearing God, whofe grace fliines brightell when the fun of his life is letting, O honour him as a father, by reverencing and imitating him.

Tliirdfy, There are fpiritual fathers, as paftors and minijiers. Thefe are the inftruments of the New-birth, 1 Cor. iv. 15. * Though ye have ten thoufand inftru6lors, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Chriil Jefus 1 have begotten you through the gofpel.* The fpiritual fathers are to be honoured,

1. In refpe6t of their q/fice. Whatever their perfons are, their office is honourable ; they are the ' Meffengers of the Lord of Hofts,* Mai. ii. 7- They reprefent no lefs than God him-felf, 2 Cor. v. 20. ' Now then we are ambafladors for Chriffc.* Jefus Chrift was of this calling ; he had tiis million and fan6tioii from heaven, John viii. 18. and this crowns the minitlerial calling with honour.

2. Mmifiers, thefe fpiritual fathers, are to be * honoured for their work's fake;* th.ey come, like the dove, with an olive branch in their mouth : the}^ * preach glad tidings of peace :* their work is ' to fave fouls.' Other callings have only to do with men's bodies or ei]:ates, but the minifter's calling is employed about the fouls of men. Their work is to redeem (piri-tual captives, and turn men * from the power of Satan to God,* A6ls xxvi. 10. Their work is * to enlighten them who fit in the region of darknel's,* and make them fhineas ilars in the ' kingdom of heaven.' Thefe fpiritual fathers are to be ' honoured fur their work's fake,' and this honour is to be fliewn three ways,

1. By giving them refpe6t, I Theff. v. 12. * Know them which labour amono- you, and are over you in the Lord, and elieem them very highly in love for iheir work's f.»ke.' I con-fffs the fcandalous lives of fome miniders, have been a great reproach, and have made the ' otfering of the Lord to be abhorred in foiue places'of the laad.' The leper in the law was to have-

his lip covered ; fuch as are angels by office, but lepers in their lives, ought to have their lips covered, and to be filenced. But though Come deferve ' no honour,' yet fuch as are faithful, and make it tb^ir work to bring fouls to Chriil, are to be reverenced as fpiritual fathers. Obadiah honoured the prophet Elijah, 1 Kings xviii. 17. Why did God reckon the tribe of Levi for the hrllborn? Numb. iii. 12. Why did he appoint that the prince l"bould a(k counfel of God by the prieft ? Numb, xxvii. ^tr Why did the Lord Ihew, by that miracle of ' Aaron's rod flourinVing,' that he had chofen the tribe of ' Levi to minifter before him?' Numb. xvii. Why doth Chrill call his apollles

• the light of the world ?' Why dotii he fay to all his minillers,

* Lo, I am with you to the end of the world ;' but becaufe he would have thefe fpiritual fathers reverenced? In ancient times the Egyptians chofe their kings out of their priells. They are i'ar from fliewing this refpe6l and honour to their fpiritual fathers, who have flight thouii;hts of fuch as have the charge of the fant-tuary, and do minilter before the Lord. Know them, faith the apoltle, ' which labour among you.' Many can be content to know their minillers in their infirmities, and are glad when they have any thing againit them ; but do not know them in the apoftle's Ceuie, fo as to give them * double honour.' Surely, were it not for the minillry, you would not be a vineyard, but a defart: were it not for the miniftry, you would be deftitute of the two feids of the covenant, baptifm and the Lord's (upper ; you would be infidels ; * For faith comes by hearing; and how Ihall they hear without a preacher,' Rom. x. 14.

2. Honour the minifi;ers, thefe fpiritual fathers, by becoming advocates for them, and wipi-.g ofli" thole flanders and calumnies which are unjufi;ly caft upon them, 1 Tim. v. 19. Conftantine was u great honourer of the miniftry ; he vindicated them ; he would not read the envious accufationa brought in againft them, but did burn them. Do the minifters open their mouths to God for you in prayer, and will not you open your mouUis io, their.behalf? Surely, if they labour to preferve you from hell, you fliould preferve them from flander; if they labour to fave your fouls, you ought to fave their credit.

3. Honour them, by conforming to their do6lrine. This is the greateft honour you can put upon your fpiritual fathers, by believing and obeying their doctrine. He is an honourer of the miniftry, who is not only an hearer, but a follower of the word. A^ dilbbedience reproacheth the miniftry, fo obedience.honour-eth it. The apoftle calls the Theflalonians his crown, I Thelf. ii. 19. * What is our crown of rejoicing, are not ye ?' A thriving people are am in ifter's crown, when there isamelamorphofef, a change wrought: people came to the word proud, but they go away humble ; they came earthly, but they go away heaven-

Vol.. L No. 10, 3 M

ly ; they came, as Naaman to Jordan, lepers ; but they go away healed. This is an honour to the miniflry, ^ Cor. iii. J. • Need v/e, as Tome others, epifiles of commendation ?' Though other miniflers might need letters of commendation, yet Paul needed none : for, when men fhould hear of the obedience of thefe Corinthialfis, which was wrought in them by Paul's preaching ; this was a fufFicient certificate for him, that God had blcfied his labours. The Corinthians were a fufficient honour to him ; they were his letters-tellimonial. You cannot honour your fpiritual fathers more, than by thriving under their miniflry, ami living upon thofe fermons which they preach.

Fourthly, There is \\\e c?conomical father, that is, the mafter i he is pater fomilias, the father of the family ; therefore Naaman's fervants called their mafter, father, '2 Kings v. 18. And the centurion calls his fervant, fon, Matth. viii. 0. The fervant is to honour his mafler, as the father of the family. Tho'the mafter be not To exadly qualified as he (hould ; yet the fervant niuft not negle6i his duty, but fhew fome kind of honour to him.

(1.) In obeying his mafter in Ileitis 4' honefiis, in things that are lawful and honeft, 1 Pet. ii. IS. ' Servants, be rubje6t to your mailers ; not, only to the good and gentle, but alfo to the froward.' God hath no where given a charter of exemption to free you from your duty. You cannot difobey your earthly mafter, but you difobey your mafler in heaven. Think not that birth, or high parts, no, nor yet your grace will exempt you from obedience to your mafter: to obey him, is an ordinance of God ; and the apoftle faith, ' Whofbever refifteth the ordinance, fliall receive to themft'.vesdamnation,' Rom. xiii. 2.

(2.) The iervant's honouring of his mafter, (his occonomidal father) is feen in being diligent in his fervice. Apelles painted a fervant with his hands full of tools, an emblem of diligence. The loitering fervant is a kind of thief; though he doth not Heal from his mafter's goods, yet he ftealsthat time which he fhould have employed in his mailer's fervice. The flothful fervant is called a ' wicked fervant,' Matth. xxv. 26.

(3.) The fervant is to honour his mafter, who is his family-father, by he'mg faithful, Matib. xxiv. 45. 'Who then is a faithful and wife lervant ?' Faithfulnefs is the chief thing in a fervant. This faithfulnefs in a fervant is feen in fix things ; yl. In temiciovfncfs in concealing the I'ecrets your mafter hath in-tjufled you with : If thofe fecrets are not fins, you ought to promife privacy. What is whifpeied in your ear you are not to , |Hiblilh on the houfe-top ; fuch fervants are fpies. Who would keep a glafs that is cracked ? who would keep a fervant that has a crack in his brain, and cannot keep afecret? 2f%, Faithful-

nefs in a fervant is feen in dejtgn'mg the mailer's advantage. A faithful I'ervant efleems his njaller's good as his own. ouch a good I'ervant had Abraham ; w.hen his mailer I'ttit him to tranf-acl bulinefs for him, he was as careful about it, as if it had been his own, Gen. xxiv. 12. * O Lord God of my mailer Abraham, I pray thee fend me good fpeed this day, and (hew kindnefs unto my malter Abraham.' Doubtlei's Abraham's fervant was as glad he had got a wife for his mailer's ibn, as if he had got a wife for himfelf. Mly, Faithfulnefs in a fervant is feen in Jianding up for the honour of his matter. When iie hears him fpoken againll, he mull vindicate him. As the mailer is careful of the fervant's body, lo the fervant fliould be careful of the mailer's name: vi'hen the mailer is unjuilly reproached, the fervant cannot be exculed if he be polfeli'ed with a duml^ devil. Athhj, Faithfulnefs is, w?hen a fervant " is true to his word.'* He dares not tell a lie, but will fpeak the truth, though it be againll himfelf. A lie doubles the fin, Pfal. ci. 7- * He that telleth lies, (hall not tarry in my fight.' A liar is near a kin to the devil, John viii. 44. And who would let any of the devil's kindred live with him? The lie that Gehazi told his mailer Elilha, entailed leproly on Gehazi and his feed forever, 2 Kings V. 22. A faithful fervant, his tongue is the true index of his heart, bthly, Faithfulnefs is, when a fervant is againll ?m/jro-priation. He dares not convert his mailer's goods to his owa ufe, Tit. ii. 10. ' Not purloining.' What a fervant lilchetli from his mailer, is damnable gain.—The fervant whoenrichetU himfelf by Healing from his mailer, llufteth his pillow with thorns, and his head will lie very uneafy when he comes to die. Gthly, Faithfulnefs is in preferving the mailer's perfon, if unjuilly in danger. B?nniller, who betrayed his mailer the Duke of Buckinghcim, in King Richard the Third's reign ; it is remarkable how the judgments of God befel that traiterous fervant: his eldell Ion ran mad : his daughter, of a fingular beauty, was fuddeniy flruck with leproly ; his younger fon was drowned, and he himfelf arraigned, and had been executed, had he not been laved by his clergy- That fervant who is not true to his mailer, will never be true to God or his own foul.

(4.) The fervant is to honour his mailer, by ferving him, as with love {for willingnefs is more than the work) lb with (iience, that is, without repining, and without replying. Tit. ii. 9. * Exhort fervants to be obedient to their mailers, not anfwering again,' Gr. " not giving crofs anfwers." Some jervants are quick atfpeech, though flow at work ; and inilead of being Ibiry for a fault, they provoke by unbecoming language; were the heart more humble, the tongue would be more fiient. They are the apollle's words, * not anfwering again.' Aud to tholis fervants who do thus honour their mailers, or family-fathers,

3 M 2

by fubmiflion, diligence, failhfulnefs, love, and humble filence, for llieiV encouragement let lliem take that, * Servants, obey in all things your mailers, according to the fiefli, nxjt with eve-fervice, knowing that of the Lord ye (hall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye ferve the Lord Chrilt,' Col. iii. 24. In ferving your maftery, you leTve Chrift, and he will not let you lole your labour, ye fhall receive the ' reward of the inheritance.' From ferving on earth, you fball be takeb up to reign in heaven, and (hall in with Chrill upon his throne. Rev. iii. yL '

ExOD. x.v. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mather, &c.

If we are not juft, we cannot be holy.—Having fiiewn you how fervants are to honour their mailers, the fathers of families; I (hall next fliew how mailers are to carry it towards their fervants, that they may gain honour from them.

1. In general, niailers mull remember that they have a mafter in heaven, who will call them to account, Eph. vi. i). • Knowing that your Mailer alio is in heaven.*

2. M^ore particularly.

(1.) Mailers mull have a care to provide for their fervants : as they cut them out work, io they muft give them their meat in due feafon, Luke xvii. 7- And the food fhould be \itholfome and fuificing. It is an unworthy thing in fome governors of families, to lay out fo much upon their own back, as to pinch their fervants' bellies.

(a.) Mailers fhould encourage their fervants in their work, by commending them when they do well: though a mailer is to tell a fervant of his faults, yet he is not always to beat upon <5ne firing, but fometimes take notice of that which is praife-worthy. This makes a fervant more cheerful in his work, and gains the mailer love from his fervant.

(3.) Mafiers muft not overburden their fervants, but proportion their work to their (irength ; if you Iny too much load on a fervant he will faint under it. Chriiiianity teacheth companion.

(4.) Mailers muft endeavour the fpiritual good of their ft;r« vants, tliey muft be feraphims to kindle their love to religion ; they muil be monitors toi{;)ut them in mind of their fouls, they" mull bring them to 'the pool of the fan6luary, waiting till the angel ftir the waters,' John v. 4. They muft feek God for them, that their fervants may be his fervants ; they muft allow them time convenient' for fecret devotion. Some mafters are cruel to the fouls of- their fervants, they look that they do their

work about the houfe, but abridge them of time they fhould employ in working out (alvation.

(6.) Mafters flmuld uf'e mild gentle behaviour towards fer-vants, E|)h. vi. [). ' Forbearing threatening,' Lev", xxv. 43.

* Thou (lialt not rule over him with rigour, but fear thy God.' It requires wi(d6m in a miller to know how to keep up his authority, yet lay down his aulterity : we have a good copij lo write after; our Mader in iieaven is ' flow to anger, and of great mercy,' Pfal. cxlv. 8. Some mafters are Ibharlh and implacable,, that they are enough to fpoil a good fervant.

(6.) Be very exa6l and punctual in the compacts and agreements you make with your (ervants ; do not prevaricate, keep not back any of their wa^es, nor deal deceitfully with them, as Laban did with Jacob, ' changing his wages,' Gen. xxxi. 7. Falfenefs in promife is as bad as falfe weights.

(7.') Be careful of your i'ervants, not only in health but in ficknefs. They have got their ficknefs in your fervice ; ufe what means you can for their recovery; be not like the Amalekite,

* who forfook his fervant when he was tick,' 1 Sam. xxx. 13. but be as the good centurion, .who kept his fick I'ervant, and fought to Chrill for a cure, Mat. viii. (). If you have a bealt that falls Tick, you will not turn it off, but have it looked to, and pay for its cure; will you be kinder to your horfes than to your fervants? Thus fliould mafters (the fathers of the family) carry themfelves prudently and pioufly, that they may gain honouf from their fervants, and may give up their accounts to God with

joy-

Fifthlij, The natural father, the father of the flefh, Heb. xii. 9. ' Honour thy natural father.' This is fo neceliary a duty, that Philo the Jew placed the fifth commandment in the firlt table, as though we had not performed our whole duty to God, till we had paid this debt of honour to our natural parents. Children are the vineyard of the parent's planting ; and honour done" to the parent is fome of the fruit of the vineyard.

Qu. Wherein are children to Jhew their honour to their pa--rents ?

Anf. 1. In a reverential efteem of their per/T;??.?;, they muft *' give them a civil veneration." Therefore w.hen the apoftle fpeaks of fathers of our bodies, he fpeaks alio of ' giving them reverence,' Heb. xii. y. This veneration or reverence mull be Ihewn,

1. Inicardly, by fear mi.xed with love. Lev. xi\'. 3. ' Ye (hall fear every man his mother and his father.' In the commandment the father is named lirlt, here the mother is named firft, (1.) Partly to put the honour upon her the mother, be-caufe, by reafpn of many weakneiies incident to her lex, the is apt to be more flighted by children. And, (2.) Partly, becaufe

the mother endures more for the child ; therefore, here God gives the moiher the priority, names her firll, * Ye Ihall fear every one his mother and his father.'

2. Reverence mull be fliewn to parents outwardly^ viz. In word and geflure.

(l.J In word: and that either in fpeaking to parents, or fpeak-ing of them.

Firjif Reverence in fpeaking to parents : children muft fpeak to parents refpe<^\fully, and in decent language, 1 Kings ii. 20. * Afk on, my mother,' faid king Solomon to his mother Bathfheba.

Secondly, Reverence in fpeaking of parents: children muft fpeak of their parents honourably ; they ought to fpeak well of them, if they dei'erve well, Piov. xxxi. 28. * Her children rife up, and call herblefled.' And, in cafe a parent bewrays weak-nefsand indiicretion, the child thould make the beftof it, and, by his wife apologies for his father, cover his father's nakednefs.

(2.) In Gelture. Children are to fhew their reverence to their parents by fubmilTive behaviour, by uncovering the head ; bending the knee. Joteph, though he was a great prince, and his father grown poor, yet he bowed to him, and behaved himfelf as humbly, as if his father had been the prince and he the poor man. Gen. xlviii. 46. And king Solomon, * when his mother came to him, role off his throne, and bowed himfelf to her,* 1 Kings ii. 19. Among the Lacedemonians, if,a child had carried himfelf arrogantly or faucily to his father, it was lawful for the father to appoint whom he would to be his heir. O how many children are far from this, giving reverence to their parents! they defpife their parents ; they carry themfelves with that pride and malapertnefs towards them, that they are a Ihame to religion, and bring their parents' gray hairs with for-row to the grave, Deut. xvii. 1(5. ' Curfed be he that fetteth light by his father or his mother.' If all that fet light by their parents are curled, how many children in our age are under a curfe 1 If fuch as are difrefpeclful to their parents live to have children, they will be thorns in their fides, and God will make them read their fins in their punifhment.

II. The fecond w^ay of fliewing honour'to parents, is in careful obedience. Col. iii. 20. * Children, obey your parents in all things.' Our Lord Chrift herein fet a pattern to children, Luke ii. 5^2. ' He was lijbjecl to his parents.' He to whom angels were fubje6l, yet was luhje6t to his parents. This obedience to parents is Ihewn three ways;

(1.) Ill hearkening to their co'uniel, Prov. i. 8. Hear the in-ftruction of thy father, and forfake not the law of thy mother.* Parents are, as it were, in the room of God ; if they would

teach you the fear of the Lord, you muft liften to their Words? as oracles, and not be as the deaf adder, to rtop your ears. Eli's ihna hearkened not to the voice of their father, I Sam. ii. 25. but they were called ' Tons of Belial,' ver. 12.—And children mull hearken to the counftl of their parents, as in fpi-rittiil matters, fo in other affairs which relate to this life ; as in the choice of a calling, and in cafe of entering into marriage. Jacob woidd not dirpofe of himfelf in marriage (though he was forty years old), without, the advice and confent of his parents. Gen. xxviii. l, <2. Children are as it were the parent's proper goods and poffeffion, and it is high injuftice in a child to give away heifelf without the parents' leave.' If parents fliould indeed counfel a child to match with one that is irreligious or po-pi(h, I think the cafe is plain, and many of the learned are of opinion, that here the child may have a negative voice, and is not obliged to be ruled by the parent. Children are to ' marry in the Lord,' 1 Cor. viii. 30. Therefore not with perfons irreligious, for that is not to marry in the Lord.

(2.) Obedience to parents is Oiewn in fubfcribing to tlieir commands. A child fliould be the parent's echo : when the father fpeaks, the child fhould echo back obedience. The Re-chabites were forbidden by their father to drink wine, and they did obey him, and were commended for it, Jer. xxxv. 6. And children mull; obey their parents in all.things. Col. iii. 20. Things that are more againft tlie grain, and which they have fome reluctance to; yet they muft obey their parents, l^'.fau would obey his father, when he commanded him to fetch him venilbn, becaufe it is probable betook pleafure in hunting; but refuted to obey him in a matter of greater concernment, namely, in the choice of a wife. But though children muft obey their parents ' in all things,' yet rejiringitur ad Ucita et honef-ta, it is with this limitation, *' thingsjuft and honeft." ' Obey in the Lord,' Eph. vi. 1. that in fo far as the commands of parents agree with, and are conlbnant to God's commands. If they couirnand againft God, then they lofe their right of being obeyed, but in this cafe we muft unchild ourfelves.

3. Honour is to be (hewn to parents, in relieving their wants. Jofeph cheriflied his father in his old age. Gen. xlvii. 12. It is but paying the juil debt. Parents have brought up children when they vi^ere young, and children ought to nourifh their parents when they are old. The young fiorks, by the in-iVuitl of nature, bring meat to the old ftorks, when by reafon of age they are not able to fly. Pliny. Lex pelarglca, —The memory of ^Eneas was honoured, for carrying his aged father out of'I'roy when it was on fire. I have read of a daughter, whoCfr' father bt-ing condemned to be ftarved to death, Ihe did in prifon give him fucli with her own bieafts: which being

known to the governors,:- procured his freedom out of prifon. : To blanie are llich, fhall 1 fity children or monilers, who are ', athairied of their parents when they are old, and fallen to de- i cuy when parents* tears and lean cheeks may plead piiy, yet childreuj)ave no compafTion : when they alk tor bread they give them a Hone. When houffS are fhut up, we fay the plague is there : when childrens' hearts are iliut up aganilt their parents, the plague is in thofe hearts. Our blehed Saviour look great care for his mother ; when he was on the crol's he charged his diiciple John to take her home to him as his mother ; and fee that the wanted nothing, John xix. 26, 27. The reafons why children fhould honour their parents, are,

1. It is a Iblemn command of God, * honour thy father, &c.' As God's word is the rule, fo his will mult be the* reafbn of our obedience.

2. They deferve honour, in refpedl of that great love and iafle6lion which they bear to their children ; and that love is evi- ^ denced both by their care and cofl, (I.) Their cure in bringing up their children ; a fign their hearts are full of love, be-caufe their hearts are fo full of care. Parents often take more care for their children than for themfelves. They take care of tliem when they are tender, lelf, like wall-fruit, they fhould be nipt in the bud. And as children grow older, fb the care of parents grows greater : they are afraid of their children falling \vhen young, and of worfe faults when they are older. (2.) Their love is evidenced by their cof^, 1 Cor. xii. 14. They lay up, and they lay out for their children ; they are not like the raven or oltrich. Job xxxix. 14. whicli are cruel to their young. Parents fbmetimes impoverifh thenifelves to enrich their children : all (his calls for honour from the children. Children can never parallel or erjual parents' love ; parents are the inllruments of life to their children, children cannot be ib to their parents.

3. To honour parents, * is well pleaflng to the Lord,' Col. iii. 20. As it is joyful to ihe parents, lb it is pleafmg to the Lord. Children, is it not you duty to pleale God ? In honouring and obeying your parents, you pleaie God, as well as when you repent and believe. And, that you may lee how well it pleafeth God, he bellows a reward upon it, * That thy days inay be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.' Jacob would not let the angel go, till he had biellied him ; ftor God would not part with this commandment till he had blelled it. Here is the blelling, ' that thy days may be long upon the 4aod, ifcc* St Paul calls thi?^ the tirll conimandn^ent with pro-mife, Kph. vi. 2. The fecond commandment hath a general promife of njercy ; but this is the firllcommandn^ent that hath a pailicular promile made to it, • 1'hat thy days may be long

in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.' Long life is mentioned as a bleffing, Pf. cxxviii. 6. * Thou ftialt fee thy children's children.' It was a great favour of God to Mofes, that though he was an hundred and twenty years old, he needed no fpeclacles ; ' his eye was not dim, nor his natural ilrength abated,' Deut. xxiv. 7. God threatened it as a^curfe to Eli, that there fhould not be an old man in his family, I Sam. ii. 31. Since the flood, life is much abbreviated and cut (hort; feme the womb is their tomb ; others exchange the cradle for their grave ; others die in the flower of their age ; death ferves its warrant every day upon one or other. Now, when death lies in ambufli continually for us, if God fatisfy us with long life, " Pfal. xci. 16. * With long life will I latisfy him ;' This is to be efteemed a bleffing. It is a blefling that God gives a long time to repent and a long time to do fervice, and a long time to enjoy the comforts of relations; and upon who.m is thisblef-fing of long life entailed, but obedient children ? Honour thy father, that thy days may be long. Nothing fooner (hortens life than difobedience to parents. Abfalom was a difobedient fon^ who fought to deprive his father of his life and crown ; andli^. did not live out half his days ; the mule he rode upon as being weary of fuch a burden, left him hanging in the oak betwixt heaven and earth, as not fit to tread upon the one, or enter into the other. Obedience to parents fpins out thy life, —' that thy days may be long.' Nor doth obedience to parents only lengthen life but fweeten it : therefore it follows, * that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.* To live long, and not to have a foot of land, is a mifery ; but obedience to parents fettles land of inheritance upon the child. ' Haft thou but one bleffing, O my father ?' faid Efaii. Behold, God hath more blellings for an obedient child than one ; not only (hall behave a long life, but a fruitful land ; and not only lliall he have land, but land given in love,' The land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.' Thou (halt have thy land not only with God's leave, but with his love. All which are cogent arguments to make children honour and obey their parents.

Vol. I. No. 10. S N

ExoD. XX. 12. Honour thy father-

Ufe 1. If we are to honour our fathers on earth, the« much more our Father in heaven, Mai. i. 6". * If tlien I am a father, where is my honour ?' A father is but the inftrunient of conveying life, but God is the original caufe of our being, Pf. c. 3. ' For it is he that hath made us, and not we ourfelves. * Honour and adoration is a pearl which belongs only to the crown of heaven. And,

1. We fhew honour to our heavenly Father, by obeying him. Thus Chriil honoured his Father, John vi. 38. ' I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that fent me.' This he calls honouring of God, John viii. 2y. ' I do always thofe things which pleafe him.' v. 4<). 1 honour my father.' The wile men did not only bow the knee to Chrift, but prefented him with gold and myrrh,' Mat. ii. 2. So we muft not only bow the knee, give God adoration, but bring him pre-lents, give him golden obedience.

2. We fhew honour to our heavenly Father, by appearing advocates in his caufe, and (landing up forhis truth in an adulterous generation. That fon honours his father, who (lands lip in his defence, and vindicates him when he is calumniated and reproached. Do they honour God who are adiamed of him } John xii. 42. * Many believed on him, but durfl notcon-lefs him.' They are ballard-fons, who are aQiamed to own their heavenly Father ; fuch as are born of God, are (leeled with courage for his truth ; they are like the rock which no waves can break ; like the adamant, which no fword can cut. Ba(ii was a champion for truth in the time of the emperor Valens ; and Athanafius, when the world was Arian, appeared for God.

3. We (hew honour to our heavenly Father, by aCcribing the honour of all we do to him, 1 Cor. xv. 10. 'I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me.' If a Chridian hath any afiillance in duty, any ftrength againll corruption, he tears up a pillar and writes upon it, * hitherto hath the Lord helped me.' As Joab, when he had fought againd Rabbah, and had like to have taken it, fent for king David, that he might carry away the honour of the victory, 2 Sam. xii. 27. So, when a child of God hath any con-quefl over Satan, he gives all the honour to God. Hypocrites (whole lamp is fed with the oil of vain-glory) while they do any eminent fervice for God, feel<: tliemfelves ; and fo their very ferving of him is a dilhonouring him.

4. We fhew honour to our heavenly Father, by celebrating

/

his praife, Pf. Ixxi. S. ' Let my month be filled with thy praifo, and with thy honom- all the day,' Rev. v. 13. ' Bleiling, honour, glory, and power be to him that fits upon the throne.* Bleiling God is honournig of God : It lifts him up in the eyes of others; it fpreads his fame and renown in the vvorld. In this manner the angels, the chorillers of heaven, are now honouring God, they trumpet forth his praife : in prayer, we att hke (Lints, in praife like angels.

5. We (hew honour to our heavenly Father, by fuftering dif-honour, yea death tor liis fake. St. Paul did bear m his body the ' marks of the Lord Jeius,' Gal. vi. 17. As they were the marks of honour to him, lb trophies of honour to the gofpel. The honour which comes to God, is not by bringing that outward [)omp and glory to him, which we do to kings, but it eomes in another way, by the fuffering of his people : they let the world fee what a good God thoy ferve, and how they love him, and will fight under his banner to the death. Thus you fee how you are to honour your heavenly Father : God is ' worthy of honour,' Pf. civ. I. ' Thou ait clothed with honour and majelty.' What are all his attributes, [)ut glorious beams iliia-ing from this fun ? He del'erves more honour than men or angels can give him. 2. Sam. xx. 1. ' I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be prailed.' God is worthy of honour. Often times we confer honour upon them that do not deferve it : many noble perfons we give titles of honour to, who are ibrdid and vicious ; they do not deferve honour : but God is wortliy of honour, Neh. ix. 5. ' Bleffed be thy glorious name, whicii is exalted above all bleffings and praife.' He is above all the acclamations and triumphs of the arch-angels. O then, let every true child of God honour'^is heavenly Father ! Though the wicked dilhonour him by their flagatious lives, yet let not his own children difhonour him. Sins in you are worfe than in others ; a fault in a llranger is not lb much taken notice of, as a fault in a child : a fpot in black cloth is not lb much obierv-ed ; but a fpot in fcarlet, every one's eye is upon it; a (in in the wicked is not fo much wondered at, it is a fpot in black ; but a fin in a child of God, here is a fpot in Icarlet; this is more vifible, and brings an odium and diihonour upon the gofpel. The fins of God's own children go nearer to his heart, Deut. xxii. li). ' When the Lord law it he abhorred iheui, becaule o." the provoking of his fons and daughters.' O forbear doiui^ any thing that may reflect di(honour upon God. Will you disgrace your heavenly Father.? Let not God complain of the provocations of his fons and daughters ; let him not cry our, as 11a, i. 2." * I have brought up children, and they have Vtbeiled againil me.* So much for the firll ; if our earthly father be to be honoured, then much more our heavenly Father.

3 N 2

Ufe II. Exhort. Firft Branch. Doth God command, * Honour thy father and thy mother?' Then let it exhort children to put this great dut37 in pra61ice ; be living commentaries upon this commandment. Honour and reverence your parents; not only obey their commands, but I'ubmit to their rebukes : you cannot honour your Father in heaven, unleis you honour your earthly parents ; to deny obedience to parents ; entails God's judgment upon children, Prov. xxx. 1?. * The eye that mock-eih at his father, and defpifeth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley (hall pick it out, and the young eagle (hall eat it.* Eli's two dilbbedient Pons were flain, 1 Sam. iv. 11. God made a law that the ' rebellious fon fliould be ftoned :' the fame death the blafphemer had. Lev. xxiv. 14. Deut. xxi. 18. 'Ifajnan have a ituhborn and rebellious fon, wliich will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother; then (hall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of the city, and all the men of his city (hall ftone him with (lones that he die.' A father once complaining, " Never had a father a worfe fon than I have:" Yes," faid the fon, ** my grandfather had :" a prodigy of impudence that can hardly be paralleled. ISIanlius, when he was grown old and poor, and had a Ion very rich, the old father de(ired fome food of him, but the fon denied him relief; yea, difclaimed him from being his father, and fenthim away with reproachful language : the poor old father let tears fall (as witneffes of his grief.) But God, to revenge this difobedience, ftruck this unnatural fon with madnefs, of which he could never be cured. Difobedient children (land in the place where all God's arrows fly.

Second Branch. Let parents fo carry it, as they may gain honour from their children.

Qu. Hoiu marj parents Jo carry toivards their children^ that their chihbeii nimj willingbj pay the debt of honour and reverence to their parents ?

Jnf. If you would have your children honour you,

1. pe careful to bring them up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, Eph. vi. 4. * Bring them up in the admonition of tlie Lord.' You conveyed the plague of fm to them, therefore endeavour togtt them healed and fan6li(ied. Auflin faith his mother Monica travailed more for his fpiritual birth than his natural. Timothy's mother infl:ru6led him from a child, 2 Tim. iii. 13. She did not only give him her breall-milk, but * The fmcere milk of the word.* Seaibn your children with good

£rinciples betimes, that they may, with Obadiah, * fear (he ord from their youth,' 1 Kings xviii. 19. When parents in-lhu(^ not their children, they feldom prove bleffings* God oft punifheth the carelelineis of parents with undutifulnefs in their children. It is not enough, that in baptifm your child is de-

dicated to God, but it muft be educated for God. Children are young plants which you muft be continually watering with good inftru6lion, Prov. xxii. 6. * Train up a child in the way he (hould go, and he will not depart from it when he is old.' The more your children fear God, the more they will honour you.

2. if you would have your children honour, you keep up parental authority over your children ; be kind, but do not. cocker them ; if you let them get too much ahead, they will contemn you, inftead of honouring you. The rod of difcipline mud not be withheld, Prov. xxiii. 14. ' Thou (halt beat him with the rod, and deliver his foul from hell.' A child indulged and humoured in wickedneis, will be a thorn in the parent's eye. .David cockered Adonijah, 1 Kings i. 6. ' His father had not difpleafed him at any time, in faying, Why hall thou done fo.?' And he afterwards was a grief of heart to his father, and was falfe to the crown, v. 7, 9. Keep up your authority, and you keep up your honour.

3. Provide for your children what is fitting, both in their minority, and when they come to maturity, 2 Cor. xii. 14. * The children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for thechildren.' They are your own flefh ; and, as the apoftle faith, * No man ever yet hated his own flefh,' Eph. v. 2>u. The parent's bountifulnefs will caufe dutifulnefs in tiie child. If you pour water into the pump, the pump will fend water again out freely ; fo, if parents pour in fomething of their eftate t6 their children, children (if ingenuous) will pour out obedience again to their parents.

4. When your children are grown up, put them to fome lawful calling, wherein they may ierve their generation. And it is good to coni'ult the natural genius and inclination of a child ; forced callings do as ill, fometimes, as forced matches. To let a child be out of a calling, is to expofe it to temptation. Me-lan^b.on, Otimn balneum diaboli, a child out of a calling, is like fallow-ground ; and what can you expect Ihould grow up but weeds of dilbbedience ?

5. Carry it lovingly to your children : in all your counfels and commands, let them read love. Love will command honour: and how can a parent but love the child, who is his living picture, nay part of himfelf; the child is the father in the fecond edition.

6. Carry it prudently towards your children. A great point of prudence, is, when a parent doth not provoke his children to wrath, Col. iii. yl. ' Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, left they be difcouraged.'

Qu. How many ways may a parent provoke his children to tcrath f Anf. 1. By giving them opprobrious terms, 1 Sam. xx.

30. * Thou Ion of the perverfe, rebellious woman,' laid Saul to his Ton Jonathan. Some parents iite imprecations and curies to their children : this is to provoke them to wrath. Would you iiave God blels your children, and do you curie them ?

2. Parents provoke children to wrath, when they Itrike their children without a caufe ; or when the corre6tion exceeds the iault. 'I'his is rather to be a tyrant than a father : Saul caft a javelin at his Ion to Irnite him, 1 Sam. xx. 33. and his Ion was provoked to anger, ver. 34. * So Jonathan arofe from the table in fierce anqer. In. fdinm pater ohtinet not tyranicum^ imperium,

Jed hajilicuni, Davenant.

3. VVhen parents deny their children conveniences: they will not let tlieni have that which may cheriQi and cove/ nature. Some have thus provoked their children : they have itinted them, and kept them I'o fliort, that they have forced tliem upon indire6t courles, and made them put forth their hands to iniquity.

4. When pnrents carry it unequally towards their children, fliewing more kmdnels to one than to another; this fometimes lireeds bad blood. Though a parent hath a greater love to one child, yet dii'cretion fhould guide atfeclion, that he fliould not fhew more love to one than to another. Jacob iliewed more Jove to joleph than all his brethren, and what did it procure, Ijut envy of his brethren. Gen. xxxvii. 3. ' Now Ifrael loved Joleph more than all his children; and when his brethrenfaw that they hated him, and could notfpeak peaceably to him.'

.5. VV^hen a parent doth any thing which is fordid and unwor-ihy, that which caft's dilgrace upon himlelf and his family; as to cozen, or take a falle oath ; this is to provoke the child to wrath. As the child fliould honour his father, lb the father Ihould not diflionour the child.

(). Whet) parents lay luch commands upon their children, as their children cannot perform without wronging their cunliL-ience. Saul commanded hislbn Jonathan to bring David to him, 1 Sam. XX. 3. ' Fetch him to me, for he fliall lurely die.' Jonathan could not do this with a good conlcience ; but was provoked to anger, ver. 34. ' Jonathan role from the table in tierce anger.' Now, the realbn why parents Ihould (hew their prudence in not provoking their children to wrath, is let down,' Col. iii. 21. ' Lell they be dilcouraged ;' this word diicouraged implies three tilings ; (1.) Grief. The parents provoking the child, the child lb takes it to heart, that it caul'eth iminatuie death. (9.) Uefpondency : the parents' aullerity ditpiritsthe child, and makes It unlit ibr t'ervice ; like members of the body llupihed, which are unfit for work. (3.) Contumacy and refra6torinels : the child being provoked by the cruel and unnatural carriage of the parent, grows derperate, and oft lludies to irritate and vex

his parents ; which, though it he evil in the child, yet the parent is accellbry to it, as heing the occafion of it.

7. It you would have honour from your children, pray much for llieiji. Not only lay up a portion for them, hut lay \\\^ a ftock of prayer for them. Monica prayed much for her ion Aufiin ; and it u'as faid. It was impolTible a Ion of Co many prayers and tears fl)ould perifh. I'ray that your children may be preferved from the contagion of the times : pray, that as your children bear your image in their faces, they niay bear God's inmge in their hearts ; pray they may be inHrun^ents and veifels of glory. I'his may be one fruit of prayer, that the child may honour a praying parent.

8. Encourage that which you fee good and commeudable in yoin* children. Virtus laudala crefcit. Commending that which is good in your children, makes them more in love with virtuous a(*lions ; and is like the watering of plants, which makes them grow more. Some parents difcourage the good they fee in their children, and to nip virtue in the hud, and help to damn their children's fouls. They have their children's curies.

<}. If you would have honour from your children, fet them a good example ; it makes children defpile their parents, when the parents live in a contriidiction to their own precepts ; when they bid their children be fober, yet they themfelves will be drunk : they bid their children fear God, yet are themfelves loole in their lives. Oh ! if you would have your children honour you, teach them hy an holy example. A father is alook-ing-glafs wb.ich the child oft drelfeth himfelf by ; let the glafs be clear, and not fputted. Parents Ihculd ohferve a good decorum in their whole carriage, lell they give occahon to their children to lay to them, as Plato's fervant, " My mailer hath made a hook againft ralli anger, but he himfelf is pallionatc ;" or, as a fon once laid (o hi.', father, " If 1 have done evil, I have learned it of you."

OF THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.

ExoD. XX. 13. ThouJJialt not kicL

In this commandment-, (l.) Is a fin forbidden, viz. murde!.; - Thou (Indt not kill.' («.) A duty implied, " To prefer\c oisr own life, and the life of others."

l.Thelin forbidden, murder : * Thou Ibalt not kill.' Where two thit)!is are to be underllood. (I.) The not injuring another, ("i.) Ourfeives. .

I. In this, * Thou fhalt not kill,' is meant the not injuring another. 1. We muft not injure him in his name. 2. In his body. 3. In his foul.

(I.) We muft not injure another in his name. A good name is a precious balfam ;' it is a great cruelty to murder a man in his name. We injure others in their name, when we calumniate and {lander them. It was David's complaint, Pf. xxxv. 11. • They laid to my charge things which I knew not.* The primitive Chriftians were traduced for inceft, and killing their children, as Tertul. Dicimur injantkidiiy incejius rei. This is to behead others in their good name ; there is an irreparable injury : no phyfician can heal the wounds of the tongue.

(Q.) We mull not injure another in his body. The life is the moft precious thing : and God hath fet this commandment as a fence about it to preferve it, • Thou flialt not kill.' God made a ftatute which was never to this day repealed. Gen. ix. 6. ' Whofo (heddeth man's blood, by man (hall his blood be fhed.' In the old law, had a man killed another unawares, he might take fancluary : but if he had killed him wiJiingly, tho' he did flee to the fan6luaiy, the holinels of the place was not to defend him, Exod. xxi. 14. ' If a man come prefumptuoufly upon his neighbour, to flay him with guile ; thou ihalt take him from my altar, that he may die.' Now in this commandment, ' Thou thalt do no murder,' all thofe fins are forbidden which lead to it, and are Ihe occaftons of it: as,

1. UnadviJ'ed anger. Anger boils up the blood in the veins, and oft produceth murder. Gen. xlix. (i. * In their anger they flew a man.*

2. Envy. Satan envied our firft parents the robe of innocence, and the glory of paradife ; therefore never left till he had procured their death. Jofeph's brethren envied him, becaufe his father loved him, and gave him a ' coat of many colours;*

* therefore take counfel to flay him,' Gen. xxxvii. 20. Envy and murder are near a kin, therefore the apoflle puts them together, Gal. v. 21. * Envyings, murders.' Envy is a fin breaks both the tables at once : it begins in difcontent againft God, and ends in injury againft man, as we fee in Cain, Gen. iv. 6, S. Envious Cain was firft difoontented with God, there he broke the firft table; and then he fell out with his brother and flew him, there lie broke the fecond table. Anger is fometimes

* foon over,' like fire kindled in ftraw, which is quickly out; but envy is a radicated thing, and will not quench his thirft without blood, Prov. xxvii. 4. • Who is able to ftand before envy?'

3. Hatred. The Pharifees hated Chrift, becaufe he excelled them in gifts, and had more honour amdng the people than they ; therefore they never left till they had nailed him \o thfe

crofs, and taken away his life. Hatred is a vermin lives upon blood, Ezek. XXXV. 5. ' Becaufe thou haft had a perpetual hatred, and haft fhed the blood of the children ot'Ifrael.' Human hated Mordecai, becaufe he did pot bow to him ; and he pre-fently fought revenge, he got a bloody warrant fealed for the deftrii6tion of the whole race and feed of the Jews, Efther iii.

9. Hatred is ever cruel. All thefe (ins are forbidden in this commandment, which lead the van, and are oft the occafions of this fin of murder.

Qu. Hoiv many icajfs is murder committed ? Anf. We may be laid to murder another, twelve ways, (I.) With the hand ; as Joab killed Abner and Amafa, 2 Sam. xx.

10. • He fmote him in the fifth rib, and flied out his bowels.' (2.) Murder is committed with the mind. Malice is mental murder, 1 John iii, 15. ' Whofo hateth his brother is a murderer.' To malign another, and wifti evil againft him in the heart, is a murdering him. (3.) Murder is committed with the tongue, by fpeaking to the prejudice of another, and cauf-jng him to be put to death. Thus the Jews killed the Lord of life, when they inveighed againft him, and accufed him falfely to Pilate, John xvii. 30. (4.) Murder is committed with the pen. So David killed Uriah in writing to Joab ' to fet Uriah in the forefront of the battle,' 2 Sam. xi. 15. Tho* the Ammonite's fword cut otF Uriah, yet David's pen was the caufe of Jiis death ; therefore the Lord tells David by the prophet Nathan, e Sam. xii. 9. ' Thou haft killed Uriah.* (5.) Murder is committed by plotting another's death. Thus Jezebel, tho' (he did not lay hands herfelf upon Naboth ; yet becaufe flie contrived his death, and caufed two falfe witnefles to fwear againft him, and bring him within the compafs of trealbn, Ihe was a murderer, 1 Kings xxi. 10. (6.) Murder is committed by in-ftilling poifon into potions. Thus the wife of Commodus the emperor killed her huft)and, by poifoning the wine which he drank. So, many kill the children they go with, by taking fuch. medicines, or ftrong purges, as proves the death of the child. {?.) By witchcraft and forcery ; a thing forbidden under the law, Deui. xviii. 10. ' There (hall not be found amon^ you an enchanter, or a witch, or aconfulter with familiar fpirits.' (8.) 'By having an intention to kill another; as Herod would, under a pretence of worfhipping Chrift, have killed him, Matth-ii. 8, 13. So Saul, when he made David go as captain aw'ainft the Philiftines, defigning thereby that the Phililtines (houkl have killed him, 1 Sam. xviii. 17. * Saul faid. Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philiftines be upon bim.' Here was intentional murder, and it was in God's account, as

^bad as a(9;ual murder. (9.) By confenting to another's deaih ; fo Saul to the death of Stephen, A6ts xxii. 20. * I aifo wa« Vol. L No. 10. 3 O

ftandingby, and confenting to his death.' He that gives con-fen t is accelTory to th» murder. (10,) By not hindering the death of another when in our power. Pilate knew Chrift was innocent, ' 1 find no fault in him;' but he did not hinder his death ; therefore he was guilty. It was not wafhing his hands in water, could wafh away the guilt of Chrift's blood. (H.) By unnnercifulnels. 1. By taking away that which is necelfary for the fuftentation of life : as to lake away thofe tools or uten-fils whereby a man gets his living, Deut. xxiv. G. ' No man fhall take away the upper or the nether miUlone to pledge, for he takes a man's Ufe.' 2. By not helping him when he is ready to periih. You may be the death of another, as well by not relieving him, as by offering him violence. Si non paveris, occid/Jii, Amb. If thou dofl not feed him that is ftarving, thou killeft him.—And then, how many are guilty of the breach of this commandment. (12.) By not executing the law upon capital offenders. A felon having committed fix murders, the judge may be faid to be guilty of five of them, becaufe he did jiot execute the felon for his firfl offence.

The next thing 1 fhall fpeak to, is, to fliewthe aggravations of thii' fin of murder : As;

1. To fhed the blood of another caiifelefs; as to kill another in an humour or frolic. A bee will not fting, unlefs provoked, but many when they are not provoked, will take away the life, of another. This makes the fin of blood more bloody. The lefs provocation to a fin, the greater the fin.

2. To fhed the blood of another contrary to prom?/**?. Thus, after the princes of Ifrael had fworn to iheGibeonites, that they fliould live, Jofh. ix. 17. Saul flew them, 2 Sam. xxi. 1. Here were two fins twifl:ed together, breach of oath, and murder.

3. To take away the life of any p?/5/?c/)er/on, enhanceth the murder, and makes it greater; as, (1.) To kill a judge upon the bench, becaufe he reprefents the king's perfon. (2.) To murder a perfon whofe office is facred, and comes on the King of heaven's embaffage : the murder of him may be the murdering of many. Herod added this fin above all, that he fhut up John Baptift in prifon, Lul«e iii. 20. then much more to behead John in prifon. (3.) To flain one's hands with royal blood. David's heart fmote him, becaufe he did cut off the lap of king Saul's garment, 1 Sam. xxiv. 5. How would David's heart have fmitten him, if he had cut off Saul's head ?

4. To fhed the blood of a near relation, aggravates the murder, and dyes it of a deeper crimfon. For a fon to kill his father, is horrid. Parricides are monfters in nature. Qui occidit patrem, plurima committit peccato in nno, Cicero. He who takes away his father's life, committeth many fins in one; he

is not only guilty of murder, but of difobedience, ingratitude, Oftracifm, and diabolical cruelty, F>xod. xxi. lo. ' He who' ftriketh his father or mother, ftiall (urely be put to death.' Then how many death's is he worthy oi, that dertroys his father or mother? Such a monfter was Nero, who caufed his mother Agrippina to be flain.

5. To filed the blood of any righteous perfun, ags^ravates the fin. (1.) Hereby jullice is perverted. Such a perfon, being innocent, is unworthy of death. (2.) A faint, being a public blefling, he lies in the breach to turn a^vay wrath : fo that to dedroy him, is to go to pull down the pillars of a nation. (3.) He is precious to God, lia. xv. 43, 44. He is a member of ChrilVs body ; therefore what injury is offered to him is done to God himfelf, Acts ix. 4.

Caution 1. Though this commandment, Thou flialt not kill,* Forbids private perfons to flied the blood of another (unlefs in their own defence), yet fuch as are in olhce mult punifh public otFenders, yea, with death, elfe they fin. To kill an offender, isnot murder, butjuftice. A private perfon fins, if he draws the fword ; a public perfon fins, if he puts up the fword. A rnagiltrate ought not to let the fword ofjultice rufl in the fcab-bard. As the magiftrate Ihould not let the fword be too fiiarp by feverity, fo neither fhould the edge of it be blunted by too much lenity.

Caution II. Neither doth this commandment, * Thou (halt not kill,' prohibit a jufl war. When men's fins grow ripe, and long plenty hath bred furfeit, then God faith, * Sword, go through the land,' Ezek. xiv. 17- God did abet the war between the tribes of Ifrael and Benjamin ; when the iniquity of the Amorites was full, then God lent Ifrael to commence a war againft them, Judges xi. 21.

Ufe I. Lamentation, Tjiat this land is fo defiled with blood. Numb. XXXV. 33. How common is this fin in this heftoring . age! England's fins are written in letters of blood. Some make no rhore of killing men than fheep, Jer. ii. 34. * In thy fkirts is found the blood of the poor innocents.' Junius reads it, in alis; and fo in Hebrew, ' in'thy wings' is found the blood of innocents. It alludes to the birds of prey, which flain their wings with the blood of other birds. May not the Lord juftly take up a controverfy with the inhabitants of the land, becaufe * blood toucheth blood?' Hof. iv. 2. There is a concatenation, a plurality of murders. And that which may increafe our lamentation, is, that not only man's blood is (hed among us, but Chrift's blood. Such as are profane flagitious finners, are laid to ' crucify the Son of God afrefii,' Heb. vi. 6. (I.) They fwear by his blood, and fodo, as it were, make his wounds bleed afrefh. (2.) Crucify Chrift in his members, Ads ix. 5, / Why

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perfecuteft thou nie?' The foot being trodden on, the head crieth out. (3.) If it lay in their power, were Chrift aUve on earth, they would nail him again to the crofs : thus inen cruciiy Chritt afrelh ; and, if man's blood dolh fo cry, how loud will Chrilt's blood cry againft finners?

life II. Beware of having your hands imbrued in the blood of others.

Obj. But fuch a man hath wronged me by defamation, or otherways ; and if I Jpill his bloody I do but revenge my own quarrel.

AnJ'. If he hath done you wrong, the law is open ; but take heed of fliedding blood. What, becaufe he hath wronged you, will you therefore wrong God? Is it not a wrong to God, to take his work out of his hand ? He hath faid, * Vengeance is mine, and I will repay,* Rom. xii. 19. But you will take upon you to revenge yourlelf; you will be both plaintiff, judge, and executioner, yourfelf. This is an high wrong done to God, and he will not hold you guiltlefs. Now, to deter all from having their hands defiled with blood, conlider what a fin murder is.

1, A God-atTronting fin : it is a breach of his commandment, trampling upon God's royal edi6t: It is a wrong offered to God's image, Gen. ix. 6. * In the image of God made he man/ It is a tearing God's pi6ture, and breaking in pieces the King of heaven's broad-leal. Man is the temple of God, 1 Cor. vi. 19. * Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Gholl?' So that the man-flayer deftroys God's temple: and will God endure to be thus confronted by proud duff ?

S. It is a crying fin. Clamitat in ccelum vox fangiiinis-— There are three fins in fcripture laid to cry. (I.) Oppreffion, Plal. xii. 5. (2.) Sodomy, Gen. xviii. 23. (3.) Blood-thed. This cries lb loud, that it drowns alt the other cries, Gen. iv. iO. ' The voice of thy brother's blood cries unto me from the ground.' Abel's blood had as many tongues as drops to cry aloud for vengeance. This fin of blood lay heavy on David's confcience: Though he had finned by adultery, yet what he cried out of moll, was, this crimfon fin of blood, Plal. li. 14. * Deliver me from blood-guiltinels, O God.' Though the Lord vifits for every (in, yet he will in a fpecial manner ' make in-quifirion for blood,' Plal. ix. 12. If a beaftdid kill a man, the beaii was to be ftoned, and * his flefii muff not be eaten,* £xod, XXI. 28. If God would have a beaff ffoned that killed a man, who had not the ule of reafon to relfrain him, then much more will he be incenfed againff thole, who go both againft reafon and confcience in fpoiling the life of a man.

3. Murder is a diabolical fin : It makes a man the devil's firli born: he was a murderer from the beginning, John viii. 44.

By laying to our firft parents, * Ye fliall not die,* he brought in death to the world.

4. It is a curfed fin. If there be a curfe Ifor him that fmites his neighbour fecretly, Deut. xxvii. 23. then he is doubly curfed that kills him. The firll man that was born was a murderer. Gen. iv. II. * And now art thou curfed from the earth.* He was an excommunicated perfon, banifhed from the place of God's public worfhip. God let a mark upon bloody Cain, Gen. iv. 1.5. Some thought it was horror of mind, which (above all fins) doth accompany the fin of blood. Others think this mark was a continual (baking and trembUng in his flefii, which was

mark of infamy God let upon him. He carried a curfe along \«!th him.

5. It is a wrath-procuring fin, 2 Kings xxiv. 4.

j(l.) It procures Temporal judgments. Phocas, to get the empire, put to death all the Ions of Mauriciusthe emperor, and then flew him : but this Phocas was purfued by his Ibn-in-lavv Prifcus, who cut off his ears and feet, and then killed him. Charles IX. who caufed the maffacre of fo many Chriftians at Paris, blood iifued out at feveral parts of his body, of which he died. Albonia killed a man, and then made a cup of his fkuU to drink in ; afterwards his own wife caufed him to be murdered in his bed. Vengeance, as a blood-hound, purines the murderer ; * bloody men fliall not live out half their days.' Pfal. Iv. 23.

(2.) It brings eternal judgments. It binds menrover to hell. The papifl:s make nothing of maifacres ; theirs is a bloody religion : they difpenie with men for murder, fo it be to propagate the catholic caufe. If a cardinal put his red hat U|X)n the head of a murderer going to execution, lie is faved from death. But let all impenitent murderers read their doom. Rev. xxi. 8.

* Murderers fhall have their part in the lake which burns with iire and brimftone,* this ' is the fecond death :' we read of

* fire niingled with blood,' Rev. viii. 7. Such as have their hands full of blood mult undergo the wrath of God. Here is fire mingled with blood, and this fire is inextinguifliable, Mark ix. 44. Time will not finifli it, tears will not quench it.

ExoD. XX. 13. ThouJhalt not Idll.

(3.),, We muft not injure another's foul. This isthe greateft murder of all, becaule there is more of God's image in the foul than in the body. The foul, though it cannot be annihilated, is faid to be murdered, becaufe it miffeth of happi-

nefs, and is for ever in torment. Now, how many are foul-murderers ?

1. Such as corrupt others by bad example. The world is led by example; efpecially the examples of great ones are very pernicious—We are apt to do as we lee others before us, efpecially above us. Such as are placed in high power, are like the pillar of cloud ; when that went, Ifrael went: when great ones move HI their fphere, others will follow them, though it be to hell. Evil magillrates, like the tail of the dragon, draw the ' third part of the liars after them.'

2. Such as entice others to fin. The harlot, by curling her hair, rolling her eyes, laying open her brealls, doth what in her lies to be both a tempter and a murderer: Cuch an one was JMelTalina, wife to Claudius the emperor, Prov. vii. 7, 10. * I difcerned a young man, and there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot; fo Ihe caught him and kilfed him.' Better are the reproaches of a friend, than the kilfes of an harlot.

S. Miniilers are murderers, who either ftarve, or poifon, or infedt fouls.

(I.) That ftarve fouls, 1 Pet. i. v. « Feed the flock of God •which is among you.' Thefe feed themfelves, and ftarve the flock; either through non-refiding, they do not preach, or through infuificiency they cannot. There are many in the miniftry (a fliame to fpeak it) fo ignorant, that they had need to be taught the * firft principles of the oracles of God,' Heb. V. 12. Was not he fit to be a preacher in Ifrael (think ye) who being afked fomething concerning the decalogue, anfwered he never faw any fuch book ?

('2.) That poifon fouls. Such are heterodox miniilers, who poifon people with error : the bafilifk poifons herbs and flowers, by breathing on them : the breath of heretical miniilers, like the bafiliiVs breath, poilbns fouls. The Socinian, that would rob Chrilt of his Godhead, the Arminian," that by advancing the power of the will, would take off the crown from the head of iVee-grace ; the Antinomian, who denies the ufe of the moral law to a believer, as if it were antiquated and out of date ; thelc_ poifon men's fouls. Error is as daninable as vice, 1 Pet. ii. 1. * There lliall be falfe teachers among you, who privily fiiall bring in damnable herefies, denying the Lord that bought them-.'

(3.) That infedt fouls, viz. by their fcandalous lives, Exod. xix. 2"^. * Let the priells which come near to the Lord, fanctify themfelves.' JMinillers, who by their places are nearer to God, Ihould be holier than others. The elementb, the higher they are, the purer; the air is purer than the water ; the fire is purer than the air. The higher men are by office, the holier they ftiould be ; John Baptill was a fhining lamp. But there

are many who infe6t their people with their bad life; they preach one thing, and live another.

Qui curiosJimiilant et bacchanalia inuant

They, like Eli's Tons, are in white linen, but they have fcarlet fins. Sonie fay, that Prefter John, the lord of Africa, caufed to be carried before him a golden cup full of dirt: a fit emblem of fuch minifters as have a golden oflice, but are dirty and polluted in their lives. They are murdeif:ers, and the blood of fouls will cry againfl; them at the lafl: day.

(4.) Such as deftroy others, by getting them into bad company, and fo making them profelytes to the devil. Vitia iii proximmn quemque tran/iliunt, Sen. A man cannot live in the Ethiopian climate but he will be difcoloured with the fun, nor he cannot be in bad company, but he will partake of their evil. One drunkard makes another; as the prophet fpeaks in ano-thcF fenfe, Jer. xxxv. 5. * I fet before them pots full of wine and cups, and faid unto them, drink ye wine ;' fo the wicked fet pots of wine before others, and make them drink till reafom be ilupified, and lull; inflamed. Thefe are guilty of the breach of this commandment, they are murderers of fouls. How fad will it be with thefe, who have not only their own fins, but the blood of others, to anfwer for ? So much for the firll thing forbidden in the commandment, the injuring of others.

II. The fecond thing forbidden in it is, the injuring one's felf. • Thou fhalt not kill:' thou flialt not do hurt to thyfelf.

(1.) Thou fhalt not hurt thy own body. One may be guilty of felf-murder, either 1. indire6lly and occafionly. Or, 2. Dire6lly and abfolutely.

1. Indire6tly and occafionally; as,

Firji^ When a man thrufis himfelf into danger which he might prevent: as if a company of archers were fliooting, and one Ihould go and (land in the place where the arrows fly; if the arrow did kill him, he is acceflbry to his own death. In the law, God would have the leper fliut up, to keep others from being infected. Lev. xiii. 4. Now, if any would be fo pre-fumptuous as to go in to the leper, and get the plague of leprofy, he might thank himfelf, he occafioned his own death.

Secondly, A perfon may be in fome fenfe guilty of his own death, by negie6ting the ufe of means. If lick, and ui'e no phyfic; if he hath received a wound and will not apply balfam, he hallens his own death. God appointed Hezekiah to'lay a * lump of figs to the boil, Ifa. xxxviii. 21. If he had not ufe'l the lump of figs, he had been the caufe of his own death. 'ihirdlij. By imm'oderale grief, 2 Cor. vii. 10. * the forrow of the world worketh death ;* when God takes away a dear relation, and one is fwallowed up with forrow. How many weep

themfelvcs into their graves! queen Mary grieved fo excefiTivelj^ for the lofs of Calais, that it broke her heart.

Fonrthly, By intemperance, excels in diet. Surfeiting fliort-ens life : plures periere crapula, qnam gladf'o; many dig their grave with their teeth. Too much oil chokes the lamp: the cup kills more than the cannon. Exceflive drinking caufeth untimely death.

2. One maybe guilty of felf-murder, direftly and abfolutely.

1. By envy. Envy is trijlilia de bonis alienis, a fecret repining at the welfare of another.

Invidus alterius rebus macrefcit ophn'ts.

An envious man is more forry at another's profperity than at another's adverfity ; he never laughs, but when another weeps* JZnvy is a felf-murder, a fretting canker. Cyprian calls it vulnus occultnm, a fecret wound ; it hurts a man's felf moft. Envy corrodes the heart, dries up the blood, rots the bones, Prov, xiv. 30. ' Envy is the rottennefs of the bones.' It is to the body, as the moth to the cloth, it eats it, and makes its beauty confume : envy drinks its own venom. The viper, which leaped on Paul's hand, thought to have hurt Paul, but fell herfelf into the fire, A6ls xviii. 3. So, while the envious man thinks to hurt another, he deftroys himfelf.

(2.) By laying violent hands on himfelf, and thus he is felo 4eje; as Saul fell upon his own fword and killed himfelf.

And becaufe I fee fo many in the bills of mortality, who make away themfelves, let me a little expatiate. It is the moll unnatural and barbarous kind of murder for a man to butcher himfelf and imbrue his hands in his own blood. A man's felf is moft dear to him, therefore this fin of felf-murder breaks both the law of God, and the bonds of nature. The Lord hath placed the foul in the body, as in a prifon ; now it is a great fin to break prifon, till God by death open the door. Self-murderers are worfe than the brute creatures : they will tear and gore one another, but no beafl: will go to deftroy itfelf. Self-murder is occafioned ufually from difcontent: difcontent is joined with a fullen melancholy. The bird that beats heifelf in the cage, and is ready to kill herfelf, is the true emblemof adifcontented fpirit.

And this difcontent arifeth, (1.) From pride. A man that is fwelled with an high opinion of himfelf, thinks he deferves betterthan others; and if any crofs befal him, he is difcontented, and now in a fudden paffion will make away himfelf. Ahithophel had high thoughts of himfelf, bis words wereelleemed oracles; and to have his wife counfel reje6led, he was not able to bear it, 9 Sam. xvii. 23. ' He put his houfe in order, and hanged himfelf.' (2.) From Poverty. Poverty is a fore temptution, Prov. XXX. ly. ' Give me not poverty.' Many by their fia

or THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT. '481

have brouglit themfelves to poverty ; and when a great eftate is boiled away to nothing, then they are difcontented, and think better to die quickly, than ianguilli in milery : hereupon the devil helps them to difpatch themfelves. (3.) From covetouC-nefs. Avavide is a dry drunkennels, an horfe-leechthatis nevet fatitfied. The covetous man is like Behemoth, Job xl. 23. • Behold, he drinketh up rivers, and yet his thirft is not allayed.* The covetous mifer hoards up corn ; and if he hears the price of corn begins to fall, then he is troubled, and there is no cure for his difcontent but an halter. (4.) From horror of mind. A man hath finned a great fin, he hath fvvallowed down fome pills of temptation the devil hath given him, and thefe pills begin to work in his confcience ; and the horror is fo great, that he choofeth Itrangling. Judas having betrayed innocent blood, ne was in that agony, that he hanged himfelf to quiet his confcience; as if one (hould, to avoid the flinging of a gnat, endure the biting of a ferpent. Thus felf-murder is an high breach of this commandment, it is an execrable fin. I can fee no ground of hope for fuch as make away themfelves ; for they die in the very a6l of fin, and cannot have time to repent.

(2.) Here is forbidden hurting one's own foul, * thou fhalt not kill.' Many who are free from other murders, yet are guilty here; they go about to murder their own fouls; they are wilfully fet to damn themfelves, and throw themfelves into hell.

Qu. Who are they that go aloiit defperately to murder their oivv fouls?

Anf. 1. Such wilfully go about to murder their fouls, who have no fenfe of God, or the other world ; they are paft feeling, Eph. iv. 19. Tell thenn of God's hoHnefs and juftice, they are not at all affe6led, Zech. vii. 12. * They made their hearts like ati adamant.' The adamant faith Pliny is infuperable, the hammer cannot conquer it. Sinners have adamantine hearts. The altar of Hone, when the prophet fpake to it, * rent afun-der,' 1 Kings xhi. 9. But finners' hearts are fo hardened in fin, that nothing will work upon them, neither ordinances nor judgments; they do not believe a Deity, they laugh at hell; thele go about to murder their own fouls, they are throwing themfelves as fad as they can into hell.

2. Such as are fet wilfully to murder their own fouls, are they who are refolved upon their lufts, let what will come of it. The foul may cry out, I am killing, I am murdering, Eph. iv. 19. ' They have given themfelves over to work all unciean-nefs with greedinefs.* Let minifters fpeak to them about their fins, let confcience fpeak, let afFli6lion fpeak, yet they will have their luft;s, though they go to hell for them. Are not thele refolved to murder their fouls? As Agrippina, mother to Nero,

faid, Occidat modo imperet, let my fonkill me, fo he may reign; fo many fay in their hearts, let our (ins damn us, (b they may but pleafe us. Herod will have his inceftuous lull, though it cod him his foul: men v/ill, for a drop of pleafure, drink a lea of wrath. Are not thefe about to maflacre and damn their fouls?

3. They murder their fouls, who avoid all means of faving their fouls. They will go to plays, to drunken meetings : but will not fet their foot within God's houfe, or come near the found of the gofpel-trumpet: as if one that is difeafed (hould Ihun the bath, for fear of being healed ; thefe do wilfully damn their fouls, and are as great murderers of themfelves, as he, who having means of cure offered him, choofeth death rather than phyfic.

4. They do voluntarily murder their fouls, who fuck in falfe prejudices againll religion ; as if religion were lb flri61; and fevere : they that efpoufe holinefs, mud live a melancholy life, like Hermits and Anchorites, and drown all their joy in tears. This is a flander which the devil hath caft upon religion : for there is no true joy but in believing, Rom. xv. 13. No honey fo fweet as that which drops from a promife. Some men have fooliflily taken up a prejudice againil religion ; they are refolved rather never to go to lieaven, than to go thither through the llrait gate. I may fay of prejudice, as Paul to Elymas, Adls xiii. 10. • O prejudice, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteoufnefs,' How many fouls haft thou damned ?

5. They are wilfully fet to murder their own fouls, who will neither be good themfelves, nor fuffer others to be fo. Mat. xxii. 23. ' Ye neither go into the kingdom of heaven yourfelves, neither futfer ye them that are entering, to go in.' Such are thofe that periecute others for their religion. Drunken meetings fliall elcape punilhnients : but, if men meet to ferve God, then let all feverity be ufed. Thefe are refolved to fliipwreck others, though they themfelves are call away in the ftorm. Oh! take heed of this, of murdering your own fouls ; no creature but man doth willingly kill itfelf. So I have done with the firft, the fin forbidden in this commandment, ' thou flialt not kill."

i

ExoD. XX. 13. Thoujhalt not hill,

II. The fecond duty implied is, that we fliould do all the good ive can to our/elves and others.

1. In reference to others. \Ve fhould endeavour to preferve the lives and fouls of others. 2. In reference to ourfelves. To preferve our own life and foul. [1.] In reference to others.

(l.) To preferve the life of others. Comfort them in their forrows, rehevethem in their wants ; be as the good Samaritan, pour wine and oil into their wounds, Job xxix. 16. ' I was a father to the poor.—13. The bleffin^ of him that was ready to perifti came upon me.' This is a great means of preferving the hfe of another, by relieving him when he is ready to perifh. Pompey, when there was a great dearth in Rome, provided corn for their relief; and when the mariners were backward to fail thither in a tempeft, faid he, *' It is not neceffary that we Ihould live, but it is necellary that Rome be relieved." Grace makes the heart tender, it cauleth fympathy and charity : as it melts the heart in contrition towards God, lb in compaffion towards others, Pf. cxii. 9. ' He hath difperfed, and given to the poor.' This the commandment implies, that we (hould be fb far from ruining others, that we (hould do all we can to preferve the lives of others. When we fee the picture of death drawn in their faces, adminifter to their necelTuies; be temporal faviours to them ; draw them out of the waters ofaffli6tion with a filver cord of charity. That I may perfuade you to this, let me lay before you arguments ;

Firji, Works of charity evidence grace.

1. Faith, James ii. 18. ' I will fhew thee my faith by my works.' V/orks are faith's letters of credence to fhew. We judge of the health of the body by the pulfe, where the blood llirs and operates: Chriftian, judge of the health of thy faith by the pulfe of charity : the word of God is the rule of faith, and good works are the witnefles of faith.

Love. Love loves mercy : it is a noble bountiful grace. Mary loved Chrift, and how liberal was her love ! fhe bellowed on Chrill her tears, kifles, coftly ointments. Love, like a full vel-fel, will have vent; it vents itfelf in a6ts of liberality.

Secondly, To communicate to the neceflities of others, is not aroitrary (is it not left to our choice whether we will or no) but it is a duty incumbent, 1, Tim. vi. 16. * Charge them that are rich in this world that they do good,—that they be rich in good works.' This is not only a counfel, but a charge. If God fhould lay a charge upon the inanimate creatures, they would obey ; if he would charge the rocks, they would fend forth water, if he fliould charge the clouds, they would melt into thow-« ers : if he (hould charge the (tones, they would become bread. —And (liall we be harder than the ftones, not to obey God, when he chargeth us to ' be rich in good works }'

Thirdly, God fupplies our wants, and (hall not we fupply the wants of others ? *' We could not live without mercy." God makes ev-ery creature helpful to us : the fun doth enrich us with its golden beams : the earth yields us its increafe, veins of gold, crops of corn, (lore of flowers, God opens the treafury of his

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mercy ; be feeds us every day out of the alms-bafket of his providence : * thou openell thy hand, and fatisheft the defiieof every hving tiling,' Pf. cxlv. 1(). Now, doth God fiipply our waots, and fliall not we miniller to tlie wants of others? ftiall we be only as a-l'punge to fuck in mercy, and not as breafts to milk it out to others?

Fourth/if, Herein we referable God, to be doing good to others-. It is our excellency to be like God : ** godlinefs is Godlikenefs." And wherein are we more like him, than in acts of bounty and munificence? Pf. cxix. 68. * Thou art good, and doll good.' ' Thou art good,' there is God's efl'en-tial goodnefs ; and ' doft good,' there is his communicative goodnels. The more helpful we are to others, the more like we are to God : we cannot be like to God in omnifciency, or in working miracles ; but we may be like him in doing works of mercy.

Fifthly, God remembers all our deeds of charity, and takes them kindly at our hands, Heb. vi. 10. ' God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love which you have (hewed towards his name, in that you have miniftred unto the faints.* The chief butler may forget Jofeph's kindnefs, but the Lord will not forget any kindnefs we fhew to his people, Matth, XXV. 35. * i was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; thirfty, and ye gave me drink.' Chrift takes the kindnefs done to his faintt^, as done to himfelf, God, that hath a bottle for your tears, hath a book to write down your alms, Mai. iii. 16. * A book of remembrance was written before him.' Tamerlane had a regifler to write down all the names and good fervices of his foldiers; fo, God hath a book of remembrance to write down all your charitable works ; and at the day of judgment there fhall be an open and honourable mention made of them in ppf fence of the angels.

Sixthly, Hard heartednefs to them in mifery reproacheth (he gofpel. When men's hearts are like pieces of rocks, or as f the fcales of the Leviathan, (hut up as with a clofe feal,,' Job xli. 15. You may as well extra6l oil out of a flint (lone, as the golden oil of charity out of their hearts. " Thefe unchriftian themielves. Unmercifulnefs is the fin of the heathen," Rom, i. 31. ' Without mercy.* It eclipfeth the glory of the gofpel ; doth the gofpel teach uncharitablenefs ? Doth it not bid us diMW ' out our foul to the hungry ?' Ifa. 1. 10. Tit. iii. 8. * Thefe things I will that ye alhrm, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works.' While you relieve not fuch as are in want, you walk antipodes to the gofpel ; you caule it to be evil fpoken of, and lay it open to the la(h and cenfure of others.

Seventhlyt There is nothing loft by relieving the neceffitous.

The Shunamite woman was kind to the prophet, flie welcomed him to her houfe, and (he received kindnels from him another way ; he reftored her dead chikl to hfe, 2 Kings iv. 35. Such as are helpful to others, (hall ' find mercy to help in time of need.' Such as pour out the golden oil of compaliion to others, God will pour out the golden oil of (alvation to them : for a

* cup of cold water,' they (hall have ' rivers of pleaCure.' Nay, God will make it up ibme way or other in this life, Piov. xf. 2o. * The liberal foul fliall be made fat ;' as the loaves in breaking multiplied ; or, as the widow's oil increalisd in pouring out, 1 Kings xvii. 10. An ellate may be imparted, yet not impaired.

Eighthly, To do good to others in necelTity, keeps up the credit of religion. Works of mercy adorn the gofpel, as the fruit adorns the tree : when ' our light fo fhines that others fee our good works,' this glorifies God, crowns religion, filencetli the lips of gainfayers. Balil faith, nothing rendered the true religion more famous in tlie primitive times, and made more profelytes to it, than the bounty and charity of the Chrillians.

Ninthltf, andlajiy, 7'he evil that doth accrue by not prelerv-ing the lives of others, and helping them in their neceliities. God fends oft a IVcret moth into their ellate, Prov. xi. 24.

* There is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty,' Prov. xxi. 13. ' Wholb lloppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, healfo fhall cry himfelf, but fiiall not be heard." James ii. 13. ' He fball have judgment without mercy, that fliewed no mercy.' Dives denied Lazarus a crumb ot bread, and Dives was denied a drop of water, Matth. xxv. 41. * Depart from me, ye curled ; fori wasan hungred, and ye gave me no meat.' Chrill faith not ye took away my meat ; but ♦ 3'e gave me no meat;' ye did not feed my meuibers, therefore,

* depart from me.' By all this, be ready to diitribute to the ne-celfities of others. 7"his is included in the commandment,

* thou (halt not kill.' Not only thou flialt not dellroy his life, but thou fiialt prel'erve it by giving to his necelfities.

(2.) It is implied, that we fliould endeavour to preferve the fouls of others ; counfel them about their fouls, fet life and death before them, help them to heaven. In the law, if one met his neighbour's ox or afs going aftray, he muft bring him again, Exod. xxxiii. 4. Much more, if we fee our neighbour's foul going aftray, wefliould ufe all means to bring him back to God by repentance.

[2.] In reference to ourfelves. The commandment, ' Thou flialt not kill,' requires that we (fjould preferve our own life and foul; it i^ engraven upon every creature, that we fhould preferve our own natural life. We mull be fo far from felf murder, that we muft do all we can to preferve our natural life; we

muft ufe all means of diet, exercife and lawful recreation, which is like oil to preferve the lamj) of life fronfi going out. Some have been under temptation ; Satan has fuggefted they are fuch Himers as do not deferve a bit of bread, and fo they have been ready to llarve themfelves ; this is contrary to the fixth commandment, ' thou Ihalt do no murder;' it is implied, we are to ufe all means for the prefervation of our own life, 1 rim. V. 23. ' Drink no longer water, but ufe a little wine for thy ftomach's fake.' Timothy was not by drinking too much water to overcool his ftomach, and weaken nature, but we mull "ufe means ibr ielf-prefervation, * drink a little wine,' &c.

Secondly, This commandment requires, that we (hould endeavour {as to preferve our own, life fo efpecially) to prelerve oiir ownibuls.

Omnia perdas anhnam fervare memento.

It is engraven upon every creature, as with the point of a diamond, that it.fliould look to its own prefervation. If the life of the body mull be preferved, then much more the life of the foul. If he who doth not provide for his own houfe is worfe than an infidel, 1 7'im. v. 8. then much more he who doth not provide for his own foul. This is a main thing implied in the commandment, a fpecial care for the preferving our fouls : the foul is the jewel; the foul is a diamond fet in a ring of clay : Chrill puts the foul in balance with the world, and it outweighs. Mat. xvi. 26. The foul is agials, in which fome rays of divine glory Ihine ; it hath in it fome faint idea and refemblance of a Deity;' it is a celeltial fpark lighted by the breath of God. The body was made of the dull, but the foul is of a more noble extra6l and original. Gen. ii. 7. ' God breathed into man a living foul.*

1. The foul is excellent in its nature. It is a fpiritual being, • it is a kind of angelical thing :' the mind fparkies with knowledge, the will is crowned with liberty, and all the atfections are as liars fliining in their orbs. The foul being fpiritual, (I.) It is of quick operation. How quick are the motions of a fpark! how fwift the wing of a cherubim ! fo quick and agile is the motion of the foul! what is quicker than a thought? Howmany miles can the foul travel in an inftant! (2.) The ibul, being Ipi-ritual, moves upward, it contemplates God and glory, Pf. Ixxiii. 25. ' Whom have I in heaven but thee ?' The motion of the foul is upward ; only fin hath put a wrong bias upon the foul, and made it move too much downward. (3.) The foul, being fpiritual, hath a felf-moving power; it can fuhfift and move when the body is dead, as the mariner can fublill when the ihip is broken. (4.) The foul, being fpiritual, is immortal, (Scaliger) Aeternitatis gemma, a bud of eternity.

i'. As the foul is excellent in its nature, lb in its capacities.

It is capable of grace, it is fit to be an affociate and companioa of angels : It is capable of communion with God, of being Chrifl's fpoufe, 2 Cor. xi. 12. * That I might efpoufe your virgin fouls to Chrift.' It is capable of being crowned with glory for ever. O then, carrying fuch precious fouls about you, created with the breath of God, redeemed with the blood of God ; what endeavours (hould you ufe for the faving of thefe fouls ! let not the devil have your fouls. Heiiogabalus fed his lions with pheafant: the devil is called a roaring lion, feed him not with your fouls. Befides the excellency of the Ibul, which may make you labour to get it faved, confider how fad it will be not to have the foul faved. It is fuch a lofs as there is none like it; becaufe, in loling the foul you lofe a great many things with it. A merchant in lofing his fliip, lofeth many things with it; he lofeth money, jewels, fpices, &c. lb, he that lofetli his foul, lofeth Chrift, the company of angels in heaven : it is an infinite lofs, audit is an irreparable lofs; it can never be made up again. Two eyes butonefoul, Chryfollom. O what care fhould be taken of the immortal foul! I would requefl but this of you, that you would but take as much care for the faving of your fouls, as you do for the getting of an eflate : nay, I will fay this, do but take as much care for the faving your fouls, as the devil doth for deftroyingthem. O how induftrious is Satan to damn fouls ? how doth he play the ferpent in his fubtil laying of fnares to catch Ibuls ! how doth he fhoot fiery darts ! the devil is never idle; the devil is a bufy bifiiop in his dio-cefe; he ' walks up and down feeking whom he may devour,' 2 Pet. v. 8. Now, is not this a reafonable requeft, to take but as much care for the faving of your fouls, as the devil doth for deftroying of them ?

Qu. how flinll ice do to get our fouls faved ?

Anf. By having them fanclified. Only the * pure in heart ihall fee God.' Get your fouls inlayed and enamelled with ho-linefs, 1 Pet. i. 16. It is not enough that * we ceafe to do evil,' which is all the evidence fome hove to fliew) this is to lofe heaven by fliort-lhooting; but we mud be inwardly fandtified : not only the * unclean fpirit' mud go out, but we muft be filled with the * Holy Ghoft,' Eph. v. 18. This holinefs mull needs be, if you confider God is to dwell with you here, and you are to dwell with him hereafter.

Firft, God is to dwell with you here. God takes up the foul for his own lodging, Eph. iii. 17. * I'hat Chrill may dwell in your hearts.' Therefore the foul muft be confecrated. A king's palace mufl, be kept clean, efpecially his prefcnce-chamber. The bodj' is the temple of the Holy Ghoft, I Cor. vi. 19- then the foul is ihe fanciiim fanclorum: how holy ought that to be.

Secondly, You are to dwell with God. Heaven is an holy

place, 1 Pet. i. 4. ' An inheritance undefiled.' And how can you dwell with God till you are f'andified ? We do not put wine into a mufly veffel : God will not put the new wine of glory into a fmful heart. O then, as you love your fouls, and would have them laved eternally, endeavour after holinefs; by this means you will have an idoneity and fitnefs for the kingdom of heaven, and your fouls will be laved in the day of the Lord Jefus.

OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.

ExoD. XX. 14. Thdu piait not commit adultery,

God is a pure, holy Spirit, and hath an infinite antipa* thy againrt all uncleannefs. In this commandment he hath entered his caution againfl: it, non mcechaberis, * Thou flialt not commit adultery.' The fum of this commandment is. The pre fervation of corporal purity. We mull lake heed of running on the rock of uncleannefs, and fo making fliipwreck of our chal-tity. In this commandment there is fomething tacitly implied, and fomething exprefsly forbidden.

1. Something tacitly implied, viz. That the ordinance of marriage fhould be obferved.

*2. Something exprefsly forbidden, viz. The infe6ling our-felves with bodily pollutions, * Thou flialt not commit adultery.' -

(I.) Something implied, that the ordinance of marriage fhould he obj'crved, 1 Cor. vii. 2. * Let every man have his own wife, and every woman have her own hufband.* Marriage is honourable and the bed undefiled, Heb. xiii. 4. God did inllitute marriage in paradile : he • brought the woman to the man,* Gen. ii. 22. He did as it were give them in marriage. And Jefus Chrift did honour marriage with his prefence, John ii. 2. The firfi; miracle he wrought was at a marriage, when he turned the * water into wine.'—Marriage is a type and refemblance of the myrtical union between Chrilt and his church, Eph. v. 32. Concerning marriage,

[I.] There are general duties. 1. The general duty of the hutband is to rule, Eph. v. 23. ' The hufband is the head of the wife.' The head is the feat of rule and government; but he muft rule with difcretion. He is head, therefore muft not rule without reafon. 2. The general duty on the wife's part is fubmiffion, Eph. iii. 22. ' Wives fubmit yourfeives unto your own hufbands, as unto the Lord.' It is obfervable, the Holy Ghoft paifed by Sarah's failings, he doth not mention her ua-

belief: but he takes notice of that which was good in her, her reverence and obedience to her hufbuud, I Pet. iii. 6. ' Sarah obeyed Abrahann, calling him Lord.'

[2.] Special duties belonging to marriage, are love and fidelity. I. Love, "Eph. V. 23. ' Love is the marriage of the af-fedlions.* There is, as it were, but one heart in two bodies : love hnes the yoke and makes it eafy : love perfumes the marriage-relation : without which it is not conjugium but cofijur" giuni; it is like two poifons in one ftotnach, one is ever fick of the other. 2.-Fidelity. In marriage there is mutual promife of living together faithfully according to God's holy ordinance. Among the Romans, on the day of marriage, the woman pre-Tented to her hufband fire and water ; fire refines metal, water deanleth : hereby fignifying, that (he would live with her hufband in chafl:ity and fincerity. This is the firft; thing in the commandment implied, that the ordinance of marriage Ihould be purely obferved.

(•-2.) The thing forbidden in the cornmandment, i. e. infe6l-ing ourfeives with bodily pollution and uncleannefs. * Thou llialt not commit adultery.' The fountain of this fin is lull. Since the fall, holy love is degenerated to lufi;. Luft is the fever of the foul. There is a twofold adultery: 1. Mental, Mat. V. 28. * Whofoever looketh on a woman to luft after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.' As a man may die of an inward bleeding, lb he may be damned for the inward boilings of luft, if they be not mortified. 2. Corporal adultery ; when fin hath conceived, aad brought forth in the •dft. This is exprefsly forbidden undera/«6 poena, ' Thou fiialt not commit adultery.' This commandment is fet as an hedge to keep out uncleannefs ; and they that break this hedge a fer-pent Ihall bite them. Job calls adultery an heinous crime, Job xxxi. 11. Every failing is not a crime ; and every crime is not an heinous crime ; but adultery \^,jiagitium, an heinous crime., The Lord calls it villainy, Jer. xxix. 33. ' They have committed villainy in Ifrael, and have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives.

Qu. Wherein appears the henioufnefs of this Jin of adultery ?

Anf. 1. In that adultery is the breach of the marriage-oath. When perfons come together in a matrimonial way, they bind themfelves by covenant each to other in the pretence of God, to be true and faithful in the conjugal relation. Unchaitity is a falfifying this folemn oath; and herein adultery is worfe than fornication, becaufe it is a breach of the conjugal bond.

2. The heniouhiefs of adultery lies in this. That it is fuch an high difhonour done to God. God faith, * Thou fiialt not commit adultery.' The adulterer fets his vi'iU above God's

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law, tramples upon God's command, affronts him to his face j as if a (Libject fhoiild tear his prince's proclamation. The adulterer is highly injurious to all the perlbns in the Trinity. I. To God the Father. Sinner, God lialh given thee thy life, and thou doft wafte the lamp of thy life, the flower of thy age in lewdnefs ; he hath beftowed on thee many mercies, health and eftate, and thou fpendeft all on harlots. Did God give thee wages to ferve the devil? (2.) Injurious to God the Son, two ways. Fbji, As he hath purchaled thee with his blood, 1 Cor. vi. 20. • Ye are bought with a price.' Now, he who is bought, is not his own ; it is a fin for him to go to another, without con-fent from Chrift, who hath ' bought him with a price.' Secondly, By virtue of baptifm thou art a Chriftian, and profellell that Chrift is thy head, and thou art a member ofChrill; therefore, what an injury is it to Chrill, to take the members of Chrift, and make them the * members of an harlot,' i Cor. vi. 15. {3.) It is injurious to God the Holy Gholl; for the body is his temple, I Cor. vi. 19. • Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghofl; which is in you?' And what a fin is it to defile his temple I

3. The henioufnefs of adultery lies in this. That it is committed with mature deliberation. Firft, there is the contriving the fin in the mind, then confent in the will, and then the finis put forth into a6t. To fin againft the light of nature, and to fin deliberately, is like the dye to the wool, it gives fin a tin6lure, and dyes it of a crimtbn colour.

4. That which makes adultery fo heinous, is. That it is a fin after remedy. God hath provided a remedy to prevent this fin, 1 Cor. vii. 2. ' To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife.' Therefore, after this remedy prefcribed, to be guilty of fornication or adultery, is inexcufable; it is like a rich thief, that fi;eals when he has no need. This doth enhance and accent the fin, and make it heinous.

Ufe I. It condemns the church of Rome who allow (he fin of fornication and adultery. They futfer not their priefi;s to marry, but they may have their courtezans ; the worll kind of unclean-nels. Inceft with the neareft of kin, is difpenfed with for money. It was once faid of Rome,— Urbs ejijam tola lupanar, —Rome was become a common ftevv. And no wonder, when the pope could, for a fum of money, give them a licence and patent to commit uncleannefs: and, if the patent were not enough, he would give them a pardon. IVlany of the papifts judge fornication venial. God condemns the very lufiing, Matth. v. 2^. If God condemns the thought, how dare they allow the fa6t of fornication ? You fee what a cage of unclean birds the church of Rome is; they call themfelves the Holy Catholic Church ;

but, how can they be holy, who are fo fteeped and par-boiled in fornication, inceft, fodomy, and all manner of uncleannefs ?

Ufe II. It is matter of lamentation, to fee his commandment fo flighted and violated among us. Adultery is the reigning fin of the times, Hof. vii. 4. * They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker.' The time of k. Henry VIII. was called the golden age, but this may be called the unclean age, wherein whore-hunting is common, Ezek. xxiv. 13. ' In your filthinefs is lewdnefs.' Luther tells of one who faid, ** If he might but fatisfy his luft, and be carried from one whore-houfe to another, he would defire no other heaven; afterwards he breathed out his foul betwixt two notorious ftrumpets." This is to be the right feed of Adam, to love the forbidden fruit, to love to drink of (lolen waters, Ezek. viii. 8, 9. ' Son of man, dig in the wall ; and when I had digged, behold a door ; and he faid. Go in and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.' Could we, as the prophet, dig in the walls of many houfes, what vile abominations (hould we fee there! In fome chambers we might fee fornication ; dig further, and fee adul* tery ; dig further, and we may fee inceil, &c. And may not the Lord go from his fan6tuary ? as, Ezek. viii. 9- * Seeft thou the great abominations that the houfe of Ifraelcommitteth, that I (hould go far off from my fan6luary ?' God might remove his gofpel, and then we might write I chabod on this nation, ' The glory is departed.' Let us mourn for what we cannot reform.

Ufe III. It exhorts us to keep ourfelves from this fin of adultery. * Let every man have his own wife,* faith Paul, I Cor. vii. 2. not his concubine, nor his courtezan. Now, that I may deter you from adultery, let me fhew you the great evil of it.

Firjl, It is a thievifh fin. Adultery is the higheft fort of theft: the adulterer Heals from his neighbour that which is more than his goods and ellate ; he Heals away his wife from him, * who is flefliofhis flefh.'

Secondhj, Adultery debafeth a perfon, it makes him referable the beails; therefore the adulterer is defcribed like an horfe neighing, Jer. v. 8. * Every one neigheth after his neighbour's wife.' Nay, this is worfe than brutifli; for fome cieatures, that are void of reafon, yet by the infl:in6i of nature, obferve a kind of decorum of chafliity. The turtle dove is a challe creature, and keeps to its mate : the ftork, whenever he flies, comes into no nell but his own. Naturalifl;s write, if a ftork, leaving his own mate, joineth with any other, all the reft of the ftorks fall upon him, and pull his feathers from him. Adultery is worfe than brutifli, it degrades a perfon of his honour.

Thirdhji Adultery doth pollute and be-filthy a perfon. The devil is called an unclean fpirit, Luke xi. 24. The adulterer is the devil's firll-born ; he is unclean ; he is a moving quag-

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mire; he is all over ulcerated with fin : his eyes fparklc with liift; his n.oiitli foams out filfh ; his heart burns like mount Aetna, in unclean defiies : he is fo filthy, that if he die in this fin, all the flames of hell will never purge away his uncleannefs. And, as lor the adulterets, who can paint her black enough? The fciipture calls her a deep ditch, Prov. xxiii. 27. She is a con^mon fliore : whereas a believer, his body is a living temple, and his ibul is a little heaven, befpangled with the graces, as fo many little ftars. The body of an harlot is a walking dunghill, and her foul a lefier hell.

Fourthly, Adultery is defiru6live to the body, Prov. v. II. * And thou mourn at laft, when thy fletli and thy body is con-fumed.' It brirjgs into a conl'umption. Uncleannefs turns the body into an hofpital; it waftes the radical moifture, rots the fl<ull, eats the beaut}' of the face. As the flame waftes the candle, fo the fire of luft confumes the bones. The adulterer hadens his own death, Prov. vii. 23. ' Till a dart ftrike through his liver.' The Romans had their funerals at the gate of Venus' temple, to fignify that lull brings death. Venus is luft.

Fifthly, Adultery is a purgatory to the purfe: as it waftes the body, fo the eftate, Prov. vi. 2(). * By the means of a whorifh woman, a man is brought to a piece of bread.' Whores are the devil's horfe-keches, fpunges that will foon fuck in all one's money. The j)rodigal had foon fpent his portion, when once he fell among harlots, Luke xv. SO. King Edward III. his concubine, when he lay a-dying, got all flie could from him, and plucked the rings otT his fingers, and foleft him. He that lives in luxury, dies in beggary.

Sixthly, Adultery blo^teth and eelipfeth the name, Prov. vi. S3. * Whofo committeth adultery with a woman, a wound and diflionour ihd\i he get, and his reproach ftiall not be wiped away,' Souie, while they get wounds, get honour. The foldier's wounds are full of honour : the martyr's wounds for Chrift are full of honour : thefe get honour while they get wounds; but the adulterer gets wounds in his name, but no honour. * His reproach fhall not be wiped away.' Thewounds of the name no phyfician can heal. The adulterer, when he is dead, his fhame lives. When his body rots under ground, his name rots above ground. His bafe-born children will be the living monuments of his fliame.

Seventhly, This fin doth much eclipfe the light of reafon ; it ftcals away the underftanding; it ftupifies the heart, Hof. iv. 11. • Whoredom takes away the Iieart.' It eats out all heart for good. Solomon befotted himfelf with women, and they enticed him to idolatry.

Eighthly, Ihis fin of adultery ufhefs in temporal judgments.

The Mofaical law made adultery death, Lev. XK. 10. * The adulterer and adultrels (hall furely be put to death,' and the ulual death was Honing, Deut. xxii. 21. The' Saxons commanded the perfons taken in this fin to be burnt. The Romans caufed their heads to be ftricken off. This (in like a icorpioii carries a (ling in the tail of it. The adultery of Paris and Helena, a beautiful ftrumpet, ended in the ruin of Troy, and was the death both of Paris and Helena. ' Jealouiy is the rage of a man ;' and the adulterer is often killed in the a6lof his fin. Adultery coft Otho the Emperor, and Pope Sixtus IV. their lives.

Lcetiis venire Venus trijiis ahire folet.

I have read of two citizens in London, 1583, who, defiling themfelves with adultery on the Lord's day, were immediately flruck dead with a fire from heaven. If all that were now guilty of (jiis fin fhould be punilhed in this manner, it would rain fire again, as on Sodom.

Ninthli/, Adultery, (without repentance) damns the foul, 1 Cor. vi. 9. ' Neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, fliall enter into the kingdom of God.' The fire of lufl; brings to the fire of hell, Heb. xiii. 4. * Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.' Though men may negled to judge them, yet God will judge them.—But will not God judge all other finners ? Yes. Why then doth the apollle lay, ' Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge .^' Themeaning is, (1.) He will judge them alTuredly; they fliall not efcape the hand of juflice. (9.) He will punifli them feverely, 2 Pet ii. 10. * The Lord knoweth how to referve the unjull to the day of judgment to be punifhed, but chiefly them that walk in the luit of uncleannefs.' The harlot's breafl. keeps from Abraham's bofom, Momentaneum eft quod dcleckit, ceternum quod cruciate Who would, for a cup of pleafure, drink a fea of wrath ? Prov. ix. 18. • Her guefi;s are in the depths of hell.' A wife traveller when he comes to his inn, though many pleafant difhes are fet before him, yet he forbears to tafl;e, becaule of the reckoning which will be brought in : we are here all travellers to Jeru-felem above; and though many baits of temptation are fet before us, yet we fliould forbear, and think of the reckoning which will be brought in at death. With what ftomach could Dionyfius eat his dainties, when he imagined there was a naked fword hung over his head as he (at at meat.^ While the adulterer feeds on ftrange flelh, the fword of God's jufl:ice hangs over his head. Caufinus (peaks of a tree that grows in Spain that is of a fweet fmell, and pleafant to the talle, but the juice of it is poifonous: the emblem of an harlot; flie is perfumed with powders, and fair to look on, but poifonous and damnable to

the foul, Prov. vii. 26. * She hath caft down many wounded, yea, many ftroug men have been flain by lier.'

Tenthbj, The adulterer doth not only wrong his own foul, but doth what in him lies to deftroy the foul of another, and fo kill two at once. And thus the adulterer is worfe than the thief: for, fuppofe a thief rob a man, yea, take away his life, yet that man's foul may be happy; he may go to heaven as well as if he had died in his bed. But he who commits adultery endangers the foul of another, and deprives herof falvation fo tar as in him lies. Now, what a fearful thing is it to be an inftrument to draw another to hell!

Eleventhly, The adulterer is abhorred of God, Prov. xxii. 14. • The mouth of a llrange woman is a deep pit: he who is abhorred of the Lord fliall fall therein.' What can be worfe than to be abhorred of God ? God may be angry with his own children ; but for God to abhor a man, is the higheft degree of hatred.

Qu. How doth the Lord piew his abhorrence of the aduU ierer ?

Anf. In giving him up to a reprobate mind, and a feared confcience, Rom. i. 2(5. And now he is in fucha condition that he cannot repent. This is to be abhorred ofGod ; fuch a perfon Hands upon the threfhold of hell; and when death gives him a jog he tumbles in. All which may found a retreat in our ears, and call us off from the purfuit of fo damnable a fin as unclean-* nefs. I will conclude with two fcriptures, Prov. v. 8. ' Come not nigh the door of her houfe.' Prov. vii. 27. * Her houfe is the way to hell.'

Twelfthlijy Adultery is a fower of difcord ; it deflroys peace and love, the two beft flowers which grow in a family. Adultery fets hufband againfl wife, and wife againfl hufband ; and fo it caufeth the * joints of the fame body to fmite one againft another.' And this divifion in a family works confufion : for,

* An houfe divided againfl itfelf cannot fiand,' Luke xi. 17. Omne divi/ibile eft corruptibile.

Qu. How may we ahjinin from thisfin of adultery?

Anf. I fhall lay down fome diredions, by way of antidote, to keep you from being infected with this fin. (1.) Come not into the company of a whorifli woman ; avoid her houfe, as a feaman doth a rock, Prov. v. 8. * Come not near the door of her houfe.* He who would not have the plague, mufl not come near houles infe6ted : every whore-houfe hath the plague in it. Not to beware of the occafion of fin, and yet pray,

* Lead us not into temptation,' is, as if one fhould put his finger in the candle, and yet pray that it may not be burnt. (2.) Look to your eyes. Much fin comes in by the eye, 2 Pet,

ii. 4. * Having eyes full of adultery.' The eye tempts the fan* cy, and the fancy works upon the heart. A wanton amorous eye may ufher in fin. Eve firtt law the tree of knowledge, and then (he took, Gen. iii. 6. Firll ihe looked, and then (he loved. The eye oft fets the heart on (ire ; therefore Job laid a law upon his eyes, Job xxxi. 1. * I made a covenant with my eyes, why then (hould I think upon a maid ?' Democrites the philofo-pher plucked out his eyes, becaufe he would not be tempted with vain oi)je<5ls : the fcripture doth not bid us do^ lb, but fet a watch before our eyes. (3.) Look to your lips. Take heed of any unfeemly word that may enkindle unclean thoughts in yourCelves or others, 1 Cor. xv. 33. ' Evil communications corrupt good manners.' Impure difcourfe is the bellows to blow up tlie fire of luft. Much evil is conveyed to the heart by the tongue, Pf. cxli. 3. * Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth.' (4.) Look in a fpecial manner to your heart, Prov. iv. 23. * Keep thy iieart with all keeping.' Every one hath a tempter in iiis own bofom, Matth. xv. ly. * Out of the heart come evil thoughts.' And thinking of fin makes way for the acl of (in. Supprefs the firll rifings of fin in your heart. As the ferpent, when danger is near, keeps his head ; fo keep your heart, which is the fpring from whence all luilful motions do proceed. (5.) Look to your attire. We read of the attire of an harlot, Prov. vii. 10. A wanton drefs is a provocation to lul]^. Curlings and towerings of the hair, a painted face, naked breafi;s, are allurements to vanity. Where the bufh ia hung out, people will go in and talle of the liquor. Hierom faith, fuch as by their lafcivious attire endeavour to draw others to lufl;, though no evil follow, yetthefe tempters (hall bepunifhed, becaufe they offered poilbn to others, though they would not drink. (6.) Take heed of evil company. Serpimt vitia et m proxhnum quemqne tranjiliunt. Sen. Sin is a difeafe very catching : one man tempts another to fin, and hardens him in fin. There are three cords to draw men to adultery ; the inclination of the heart, the perfuafion of evil company, and the embraces of the harlot; and this three-fold cord is not eafily broken, Pf. cvi. IS. * A fire waskindledin their company.' I may allude to it, the fire of luft is kindled in bad company. (7.) Beware of going to plays. A play houfe is oft a preface to a whore-houfe, Ludi proibent femina nequitiae We are bid to avoid all appearance of evil : are not plays the appearance of evil ? Such fights are there, as are not fit to be beheld with chafle eyes; Both fathers and councils have fhewn their diflike of going to plays. A learned divine obferves, ** That many have on their deathbeds, confefied with tears, that the pollution of their bodies hath been occafioned by going to plays. (8.) Take heed of mixed dancing. Inftrumtnta luxuriae tripudia. From dancing-.peo-

pie come to dalliance one with another, and from dalliance to uncleannefs. There is, laith Calvin, for the moll part, fbme unchafle behaviour in dancing. Dances draw the heart to foil}' by wanton geftures, by unchafie touches, by kiflful looks. St. ChryfoUom did inveigh againft mixed dancing in his time. *' We read (faith he) of a marriage-feafi:, and of virgins going before with lamps," Mat, xxv. 7. • but of dancing there we read not.' Many have been enfnared by dancing ; as the duke of Normandy, and others. Saitatio ad adulleras nonpii-dicas pertinet, Ambr. Chryfoftom faith, where dancing is, there the devil is ; I fpeak chiefly of mixed dancing. And, whereas we read of dances in icripture, Exod. xv. thofe were fober and modeft. They were not mixed dances, but pious and religious, being ufually accompanied with finging praifes to God. (y.) Take heed of iafcivious books, and thole pictures that provoke to lull; 1, Books. As the reading of the fcrip-ture doth Itir up love to God, lb reading of bad books doth ftir up the mind to wickednefs. I could name one who publifhed a book to the world full of etfeminate, amorous and wanton ex-prefifions ; before he died, he was much troubled for it, and did burn that book, which did make fo many burn in lult. 2. And to Iafcivious books, I may add Iafcivious pictures, which bewitch the eye, and are the incendaries of lult. They fecretly convey poifon to the heart, Qui ojpicit innocens afpeftufit nocenS" Popilh pi6tures are not more prone to ftir up idolatry, than unclean pictures are to (lir up to concupilcence. (10.) Take heed of excefs in diet. When gluttony and drunkennefs lead the van, chambering and wantonnefs bring up the rear. Vinnm fomentum lihidinis: any wine inflames luft ? and fulnefs of bread is made the caufe of Sodom's uncleannefs, Ezek. xvi. 49. The rankeft weeds grow out of the fattell foil ; uncleannefs proceeds from excefs, Jer. v. 8. ' When they were ii:d to the iull, every one neighed after his neighbour's wife.' Get the * golden biidle of temperance.' God allows recruits of nature, and what may fit us the better for his fervice ; but beware of iur-feit. Excefs in the creature clouds the niiud, chokes good u{fe6tions, provokes lull. St. Paul did ' keep under his body,* 1 Cor. ix. 27. '^1 he flelh pampered is apt to rebel. Corpus impinguatum recakitrat. (11.) Take heed of idlenefs. When a man is out of a calling, now he is fit to receive any temptation. We do not ufe to low feed in fallow ground : but the devil fows moll feed of temptation in fuch as lie fallow. Idlenefs is the cauCe of fodomy and uncleannefs, Ezek. xvi. 4i), When David was idle on the top of his leads, then he efpicd BathOieba, and took her to him, 2 Sam. xi. 4. Hierom nave his friend this counfel, to be always well employed in God's vineyard ; that, when the devil came, he might have no lei-

Aire to liften to a temptation. (12.) To avoid fornication and adultery, let every man have a chaile, entire love to his own wife. Ezekiel's wife was the detire of his eyes, chap. xxiv. 16. When Solomon had diifuaded from ftrange women, he prefcribesa remedy againfl it, Prov. v. 18. ' Rejoice with the wife of thy youth.' It is not the having a wife, but the loving a wife makes a man live chaftly. He who loves his wife, whom Soloman calls his fountain, will not go abroad to dring of mud--dy, poifoned waters. Pure conjugal love is a gift of God, and comes from heaven ; this, like the veftal fire, muft be che-riflied, that it do not go out. He who loves not his wife, is the likeKeft perfon to embrace the bofom of a ftranger. (13.) Labour to get the fear of God into your hearts, Prov. xvi. 6.

* By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.' As the banks keep out the water, fo the fear of the Lord keeps out unclean-nefs. Such as want the fear of God, want the bridle that ihould check them from fin. How did Jofeph keep from his miltreiV temptation ? the fear of God pulled him back. Gen. xxxix. p. * How fhould I do this great wickednefs, and (in againft God ?' St. Bernard calls holy fear, Janitor animaet *' the door-keeper of the foul." As a nobleman's porter Hands at the door, and keeps out vagrants, fo the fear of God (lands and keeps out all finful temptations from entering. (14.) Get a delight in the word of God, Pf. cxix. 123. • How fweet is thy word to my taftel' St. Chryfoftom compares God's word to a garden. If we walk in this garden, and fuck fweetnefs from the flowers of the promifes, we (liall never care to pluck the * forbidden fruit.' Sint cajlae deUciae 7neae fcripturae, Aug, The reafon why perfonskeep after unchafte, finful pieafures, is, becaufe they have no better. Caefar riding through a city, and feeing the women play with dogs and parrots, faid " Sure they have no children." So they that fport with harlots, it is becaufe they have no better pieafures. He that hath once tafted Chrift in a promife, is ravaflied with delight ; and how would he fconi a motion to fin ! Job (aid, the word was his * appointed food,' Jobxxiii. 12. No wonder then he * made acovenant with his eyes.' (15.) If you would abftain from adultery, ufe ferious confideration. Confider,

L.God fees thee in the aft of fin. He fees all thy curtain wickednefs. He is totus ocultts, all eye, Aug. The clouds are no canopy, the night is no curtain to hide thee from God's eye. Thou canll not fin, but thy Judge looks on, Jer. xv. 27. * I have feen thy adulteries and thy neighings.' Jer. xxix. 33.

* They have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives; even 1 know, and am a witncfs, faith the Lord.'

2. Few that are entangled in the fin of adultery recover out of the fnare, Prov. ii. 19. * None that go to her return again.* Vol. I. No. 11. 3 R

That made ibme of the ancients conclude, thai adultery was an unpardonable fin: but not fo; David repented, and Mary Magdalene was a weeping penitent: her amorous eyes that had fparkied with luil, the leeks to be revenged of them, (he wafli-ed Chrili's feet with her tears : fo that feme have recovered out of the fnare. But ' none that go to her return,' that is, * very few ;' it is rare to hear of any who are enchanted and bewitched with this fin of adultery, that recover out of it. Ecclef. vji. 26. * Her heart is fnares and nets, and her hands as bands.* * Her heart is fnares,' that is, fhe is fubtil to deceive thofe who come to her; and, ' her hands are bands,' that is, her embraces are powerful to hold and intangle her lovers. Plutarch faid of the Perfian kings, * They were captives to their concubines ;' they were fo inflamed, that they had no power to leave their company. This confideration may make all fearful of this fin: ' none that go to her return again.' Soft pleafures harden the heart.

3. Confider what the fcripture faith, and it may ponere obi' cem, lay a bar in the way to this fin, Mai. iii. 5. * I will be a fwift witnefs againft adulterers.' It is good when God is a wit-nefs * for us,' wh^n he witneiTeth for our fincerit.y, as he did for Job : but it is fad to have God a * witnefs againft us.' * I (faith God) will be a witnefs againft the adulterer.* And who iball difprove his witnefs? and be is both witnefs and judge, Heb. xiii. 4. ' Whoremongers and adulterers God willjudge.'

4. Confider the fad farwel this fin of adultery leaves : it leaves an hell in the confcience, Prov. xv. 4. ' The lips of a ftrange woman drop as an honey comb, her end is bitter as worm-wood.' The goddefs Diana was fo artificially drawn, that fhe feemed to fmile upon thofe that came into her temple, but frown on thofe that went out. So the harlot fmiles on her lovers as they come to her, but at laft conjes the frown and iling, • a dart ftrikes through their liver,' Prov. vii. 23. * Her end is bitter.' When a man has been virtuous, the labour is gone, but the comfort remains: but when he hath been vicious and unclean, the pleafure is gone, but the fting remains. De-leciqt in momentum criiciat in aeternum, Jerom. When the fenfes have been feafted with unchafte pleafures, the foul is left to pay the reckoning. Stolen waters arefweet.; but, as poifon, tho' it be fweet in the mouth, it torments the bowels. Sin always ends in a tragedy. Memorable is that which Fincelius reports of a prieft in Flanders, who enticed a maid to unclean-nefs. She obje6led how vile a fin it was; he told her. By authority from the pope he could commit any fin ; fo at laft he drew her to his wicked purpofe. But when they had been together a while, in came the devil, and took away the harlot from the prieft's fide, and, notwithftanding all her crying out

carried her away. If all that are guilty of bodily uncleannefs in this nation, (hould have the devil come and cany them away, I fear more would be carried away than would be Idt behind.

(1(5.) Pray againil this fin. Luther gave a lady this advice, that when any lufl; began to rife in her heart, fhe ftiould go to prayer. Prayer is the bell armour of proof: prayer quenchetlj the wild fire of luft. If prayer will ' call out the devil,' why may it not calt out thofe lulls that come from the devil ?

Ufe lilt. ' If the body muft be kept pure from defilement, much more the foul of a Chrillian muft be kept pure.' This is the meaning of the commandment, not only that we fhould not Ilain our bodies with adultery, but that we fiiould keep our fouls pure. To have a challe body, but an unclean ibul, is like a fair face with bad lungs ; or a gilt chimney piece, that is all foot within, I Pet. i. 1(5. * Be ye holy, for I am holy.* The foul cannot be lovely to God, till it hath Chrill's image llamped upon it, which image confifts in righteoufnefsand true holinefs, Eph. iv. 14. The foul mull efpecially be kept pure, becaufe it is the chief place of God's refidence, Eph. iii. 17. A king's palace mull be kept clean, efpecially his prefence-chamber. If the body of the temple, the foul, is the ' holy of holies,' this mull be coniecrated. We mull not only keep our bodies from carnal pollution, but our fouls from envy and malice.

Qu. How fJialltce know ourjhuls are pure ?

Anf. 1. If our fouls are pure, then we flee from the appearance of evil, I Thefl\ v. 22. We will not do that which looks like fin. Whenjofeph's miftrefs did court and tempt him, he * left his garment in her hand and tied,' Gen. xxxix. 12. It was fufpicious to be near her. Polycarp would not be feen in company with Marceon the heretic, becaufe it would not be good report.

2. If our fouls are pure, this light of purity wJU fiiine forth. Aaron had ' Holinefs to the Lord' written upon his golden plate.: where there is fandity in the foul, there * Holinefs to the Lord is engraven upon our life ;' we are adorned with, patience, humility, good works, and (hine as * Lights in the world,' Phil. ii. 15. carry ChrilVs pi6ture in our converfations, 1 John ii. 6. O let us labour for this foul purity ! ' without it there is no feeing of God,' Heb. xii. 14. ' What communion hath light with darknefs ?' And that we may keep our Ibuls pure, (1.) Have recourfe to the blood of Chi ill : this iii the fountain let open for ' Sin and uncleannefs,' Zech. xiii- 1. A foul fteeped in the brinilh tears of repentance, and bathed in the blood of ChriH, is made pure. (2.) Pray much for pure-nels of foul, Pf.. Ii. 10. ' Create in me a clean heart, O God.* Some pray for children, others for riches ; but pray for foul' purity. Say, •* Lord, tho' my body is kept pure, yet. Lord, , ' 3R 2

my foul is defiled, I pollute all I touch. O purge me with hyllbp, let Cluill's blood fprinkle me, let the Holy Ghoft come upon me and anoint me. O make me evangelically pure, that I may be tranflated to heaven, and placed among the cheru-bims, where I fhall be as holy as thou wouldft have me to be, and as happy as 1 can defire to be."

OF THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.

ExoD. XX. 15. ThouJhalt not fteal.

As the holinefs of God fets himfelf againft uncleannefs, * Thou flialt not commit adultery ;' fo the juftice of God fets him againft rapine and robbery, * Thou fhalt not fteal.' The thing forbidden in the commandment, is meddling with another man's propert}', * Thou (halt not fteal.' The civil lawyers define,y?/r^;Mw, ftealth or theft, to be *' the laying hands un-juftly on that which is another's ;" the invading another's right.

Qu. 1. Whence doth theft arife ?

Aiif. 1. The internal caufes are, (1.) Unbelief. A man hath an high diftruft of God's providence : ' Can God prepare a table in the wildernefs?' Pf. Ixxviii. 19. So faith the unbeliever, Can God fpread a table for me? No, he cannot. Therefore he is refolved, he will fpread a table for himfelf, but it (hall be of other men's coft, and both firft and fecond courfe Ihall be ferved in with ftolen goods. (2.) Covetoufnefs. The Greek word for covetoufnefs fignifies ** an immoderate defire of getting :" this is the root of theft. A man covets more than his own, and this itch of covetoufnefs makes him fcratch what he can from another. Achan's covetous humour made him fteal the wedge of gold, which wedge did cleave afunder his foul from God, Jofhua vii. 21.

2. The external caufe of theft, is, Satan's folicitation: Judas was a thief, John xii. 6. How came he to be a thief? * Satan entered into him,' John xiii. 27. The devil is the great maf-ter-thief, he robbed us of our coat of innocency, and he per-fuades men to take up his trade ; he tells men how bravely they ftiall live by thieving, and how they may catch an eftate. And as Eve liftened to the ferpent's voice, fo do they; and, as birds of prey, live upon fpoil and rapine.

Qu. 2. Hoio many forts of thefts are there?

Anf. I. There is ftealing from God ; and fo they are thieves who rob any part of God's day from him—* Remember to keep holy the labbath day.'—Not a part of the day only, but the

whole day muft be dedicated to God. And left any fhould forget this, the Lord hath prefixed a memento, * remember." Therefore to cut God ihort, and after morning facrifice, tofpend the other part of the fabbath in vanity and pleafure : this ia * fpiritual thievery,' 'tis to rob God of his due : and the very heathens vi'ill rife up in judgment againll fuch Chrillians ; for the heathens (as Macrobius notes) did oblerve a whole day to their falfe gods.

II. There is a flealing from others, Iji^ A Healing away their foulb: and fo heretics are thieves : by robbing men of the truth, they rob them of their fouls. Qdly, A ftealing away their money and goods from them : and under this head of llealing away others money, there may be feveral arraigned for thieves.

(1.) The high-way thief, who takes a purfe, contrary to the le.fter of this commandment. Lev. xix. 13. * Thou ihalt not rob thy neighbour.' Mark. x. 19. * Do not fteal.' This is not the violence which takes the ' kingdom of heaven,' Mat. xi. 12.

(2.) The houfe-thief, who purloins and filcheth out of his iiialter's cafti, or fteals his wares and drugs. The apoftle faith, * Some have entertained angels into their houles unawares,* Heb. xiii. 2. But many mailers have entertained thieves into their houfes unawares. The houfe-thief is an hypocrite, as well as a thief; he hath demure looks, and pretends he is helping his mafter, when he only helps to rob him.

(3.) The thief that (hrouds himfelf under law, as the unjuft attorney or lawyer, who prevaricates and deals falfely with his client. This is to fteal from the client. By deceit and prevarication the lawyer robs the client of his land, and may be the means to ruin his family ; he is no better than a thief in God's account.

(4.) The church-thief or pluralift, who holds feveral benefices, but feldom or never preacheth to the people : he gets the golden fleece, but lets his flock ftarve, Ezek. xxxiv. 2. * Wo be to the fnepherds of Ifrael:' v. 8. * They feed themfelves, and feed not my flock.' Thefe minifters will be indicted for thieves at God's bar.

(5.) TheJJwp-thicf, he {iea.h'mM\'mg. (1.) Who ufeth falfe weights and meafures ; and fo fteals from others what is their due. Amos V. 8. * Who makes the ephah fmall.' The ephah was a meafure the Jews ufed in felling ; they made the ephah fmall, gave fcant meafure, which was plain Itealing, Hof. xii. 7. ' The balances of deceit are in his hand.' Men by making their weights lighter, make their accounts heavier. (2.) He fteals in felling, .who puts excelTive prices on his commodities. He takes thrice as much for a commodity as it coil him, or as it is worth : to over-reach others in felling, is to fteal men's

money from them, Lev. xix. 13. * Thou fhalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him.' To defraud him is to rob him; this over-reaching others in felhng (which is a cunning way of ftealing) is both againll law and golpel. 1. It is againlt the law of God, Lev. xxv. 14. ' If thou fell ought to thy neighbour, ye fhall not opprefs one another.' And, 2. Againftgof-pel, 1 Their, iv. Q. * Let no man go beyond, or defraud his brother.' It is ftealing.

(6.) The Vjurer, who takes of others even to extortion: he feems to help another by letting him have money in his necef-fity, but gets him into bonds, and fucks out his very blood and marrow. I read of a woman whom Satan had bound, Luke xiii. 16. And truly he is almoft in as bad a condition whom the ufurer hath bound : the oppreffing ufurer is a robber. An ufurer once afked a prodigal, when he would leave fpending? Saith the prodigal, then I will leave fpending what is my own, when thou leaveft oft' ftealing from others. Zaccheus was an extortioner, and after his converlion he made reftitution, Luke xix, 8. He thought all he got by extortion was theft.

(7.) The/«?o^e in truft, who hath the orphan's eftate committed to him : he is deputed to be his guardian, and manage his eftate for him ; and he curtails the eftate, and gets a fleece out of it for himfelf, and wrongs the orphan. This is a thief: this is worfe than taking a purfe, becaufe he betrays his truft, which is the higheft piece of treachery and injuitice.

(8.) The borrower, who borrows money from others with aii intention never to pay them again. PI", xxxvii. 21. ' The wicked borroweth and payeth not again.* What is it but thievery to take money and goods from others, and not feftore them again ? The prophet Ehfha bade the widow fell he roil, and pay her debts, and then live upon the reft, 2 Kings iv. 7.

(9.) The laft fort of theft is, the receiver of ftolen goods. The receiver if he be not the principal, yet he is accefiary to the theft, and the law makes him guilty. The thief fteais the money, and the receiver holds the fack to put it in. The root would die if it were not watered, and thievery would ceafe if it were not encouraged by the receiver. I am apt to think, he who doth not fcruple to take ftolen goods into his houfe, would as little fcruple to take a purfe.

Qu. What are the aggravations of this Jin ofjtcalivg?

Anf. 1. To fteal when one has no need. To be a rich thief.

2. To fteal facrilegioufly. To devour things fet apart to holy ufes, Prov. xx. 25. * It is a fnare to the man which de-voureth that which is holy.' Such an one was Dionyfius, who robbed the temple, and took away the (liver veilels.

S. To commit the fia of theft againft checks of confcience.

and examples of God's juftice ; this is like the dye to the wool, it doth dye the fin of a crimfon colour.

4. To rob the widow and orphan, Exod. xxii. 22. * Ye fliall not affli6l the widow or fatherlefs :' peccatam damans ; ' If they cry unto me, I will lurely hear them.'

5. To rob the poor : How did David difdain that the rich man (hould take away the poor man's lamb! ' As the Lord liveth, he fhall furely die,' 2 Sam. xii. 5. What is the inclof-i-ing of commons, but a robbing of the poor ?

III. There is a dealing from a man's felf. A man may be a thief to himfelf.

Qu. How fo ?

Anf. 1. By niggardlinefs. The niggard is a thief ; he deals from himfelf, in that he doth not allow himfelf what is fitting. He thinks that loll which is beftowed upon hlmfeif: he robs hfmfelf of neceflfaries, Eccl. vi. 2. ' A man to whom God hath .^iven. riches, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof.' He gluts his cheft, and (larves his belly : He is like theafs that is loaded with gold, but feeds upon thiftles: He robs himfelf of that which God allows him. This is indeed to be puniflied with riches : To have an ellate, and want an heart to take the comfort of it, this man is a thief to himfelf.

2. A man may be a thief to hi-mfelf, and rob himfelf by prodigality, viz. wafting his eftate. The prodigal lavifheth gold out of the bag; he is like Crates the philofopher, who threw his gold into the lea. The prodigal boils a great eftate to nothing : this is to be a thief to a man's felf, to fpend away that eftate from himfelf, which might conduce to the comfort of life.

3. He is a thief to himfelf, by idlenefs, when he mifpends his time. To fpend one's hours in pleaibre and vanity, this is to rob himfelf, of that precious time which God hath given him ta work out falvation. Time is a rich commodity, becaufe on the ■well-fpend ing this prefent time, an happy eternity depends. He that fpends his time idly and vainly, is a thief to himfelf.; he robs Mmfelf of his golden fealbns, and, by confequence of falvation.

4. A man may beathief to himfelf, by furetiOiip, Prov. xxii. €6. * Be thou not one of them that are fureties for debt.' The creditor comes upon the furety for the debt, and lb by paying another's debt he is a thief to himfelf, he undoes himfelf. Let not any man fay, he ftiould have been counted unkind, if he had not entered into bonds for his friend : better thy friend count, thee unkind,.than all men count thee unwife. Lend another what you can fpare; nay, give him if he needs, but never be a furety : it is no wifdom for a man fo to help another, as to undo himfelf This is to rob himfelf and his family.

Ufe I. It confutes the do6lrine of community, that alLthin/^s are common, and one man hath a right to another's eftate. The fcripture confutes it, Deut. xxiii. 25. * When thoucomeft into the {landing corn of thy neighbour, thou fhalt not move a fickle into thy neighbour's corn.* Propriety mu(t be obferved : God hath fet this eighth commandment as a hedge about a man's ellate, and this hedge cannot be broken without fin. If all tilings be common, then there is no ftealth, and fo this commandment were in vain.

Ufe II. It reproves fuch as live upon ftealing. Inftead of Kving by faith, they live by their (hifts. The apol'tle exhorteth, that * every man eat his own bread,' 2 Thelf, iii. 12. The thief doth not eat of his own bread, i)ut of another's. If there be any who are guilty of this fin, let them labour to recover out of the fnare of the devil, by repentance, and let them Ihew their repentance by reft.itution. Non remittitur peccatum niji rejiitua* tur ablatum, Aug. '* Without refi;itution, no remilTion.'* Luke xix. 8. * If I have taken away any thing from any man iinjuft:ly, I reftore him fourfold.' It may fuftice to reftore ill-gotten goods by one's own hand, or by proxy. Better a thou-land times reftore goods unlawfully gotten, than to fi;utf one's pillow with thorns, and have guilt trouble one's confcience upon a death-bed.

Ufe III. Exhort. To all to take heed of this fin of thieving; it is a fin againft; the light of nature. Some may go to excufe this fin : hear the thief's plea; it is a coarfe wool will take no dye, and a bad fin indeed that hath no excufe. *' I am (faith one) grown low in the world, and trading is bad, and 1 have no other way to a livelihood."

Anf. 1. This Ihews a great diftrufl; of God, as if he could not provide for thee without thy fin. 2. This fliews fin is gotten to a great height, that, becaufe a man is grown low in the world, therefore he will, Acheronta movere, go to the devil for a livelihood. Abraham would not have itfaid, that * the king of Sodom had made him rich,' Gen. xiv. S2. O let it never be faid, that the devil hath made thee rich! 3. Thou oughteft not to undertake any a6tion which thou canll not pray for a bleffing upon : but, if thou livefi: on thieving, thou canft not pray for a bleffing upon ftolen goods ; therefore take heed of this fin, lucrum in acru, damnum in confcientiay Aug. Take heed of getting the world with the lofs of heaven. To difl*uade all from this horrid fin, confider,

(I.) Thieves are the caterpillars of the earth, enemies to civil fociety.

(2.) God hates them. In the law, the Cormorant was unclean. Lev. xi. 17. becaufe a thievifli, devouring creature, a bird of prey; by which God Ihewed his hatred of this fin.

(3.) The thief is a terror to himfelf, he is always in fear, Pf. liii. 5. ' There were they in great fear;' true of the thief. Guilt breeds fear : if he hear but the fliakingof a tree, his heart Ihakes. It is laid of Catiline, he was afraid of every noife. If a briar doth but take hold of a thief's garment, he is afraid it is the officer to apprehend him ; and fear hath ' torment in it,' 1 John iv. 18.

(4.) The judgments that follow this fin, * Achan the thief wasrtoned to death,' Jothua vii. and Zech. v. 2. ' What feeft thou? And I Riid, a flying roll,' verfe 3. ' This is the curfe that goeth over the face of the earth ; I will bring it forth, faith the Lord, and it fliall enter into the houfeof the thief.' Fabius, a Roman cenfor, condemned his own fon to die for theft. Thieves die with ignonriny, the ladder is their preferment: anci there is a worfe thing than death, while they rob others of money, they rob themfelves of falvation.

Qu. What is to be done to avoid ftealing ?

Anf. 1. Live in a calling, Eph. iv. 28. * Let him that ftole fteal no more, but rather let him labour, working with his hands,' &;c. Such as Hand idle, the devil hires them, and puts them to the pilfering trade. An idle perfon tempts the devil to tempt him.

2. Be content with the eftate God hath given you, Heb. xiii. 5. * Be content with fuch things as ye have.' Theft is the daughter of avarice : ftudy contentment. Believe that condition bed, God hath carved out to you. God can blefs that little meal in the barrel. We fliall not need thefe things long, we -Ihall carry nothing out of the world with us but our winding ^leet. If we have but enough to bear our charges to heaven, it fis fufficient.

OF THE NINTH COMMANDMENT.

ExoD. XX. 16. Thou JJia/t not bear falfe witnefs againji thy

neighbour.

The tongue, which at firft was made to be an organ of God's praife, is now become an inftrumentof unrighteoufnefs. This commandment binds the tongue to its good behaviour; God hath fet two fences to keep in the tongue,-the teeth and lips : and this commandment is a third fence fet about it, that it (hould not break forth into evil; * Thou fhalt not bear falfe witnefs againlt thy neighbour.* This comn>andment hath a prohibitory, and a mandntory part: the firit is fet down in plain words, the other is clearly implied. Vol. I. No. 11. 3 S

I, The prohibitory part of the commandment, or, what it forbids in general. It forbids any thing which naay tend to the difparagementor prejudice of our neighbour. More particularly, two things are forbidden in this commandment, (1.) Slandering. ('J) Falie vvitnefs.

(I.) Slandering our neighbour. This is a fin againft the ninth coM<mandnient. The fcorpion carries hispoilbn in his tail, the ilandorer carries his poilbn in his tongue. Slandering, •' is to report things of others unjultly," Pliil. xxxv. 11. ♦ Tliey laid things to my charge which I knew not.' It is ufual to bring in 0 Chriilian beheaded of his good name: they raifed a flander of Paul, that he fnnukl preach, ' Men might do evil, that good might come of it,' Rom. iii. 8. * We are lUnderoufly reported ; and Ibme afllrni that we fay, let us do evil, that good may come,' Eminency is comuionly blalied by fiander. Holinels itfeif is no (hield for flander. The lamb's innocency will not prelerve it from the wolf.-—Chrid was the moft innocent upon earth, yet was reported to be a friend of finners : John Baplill, a man of a holy auftere life, yet they faid of him ' he hath a devil,' Mat. xi, IS. The Icriplure calls (landering, fmiting with the tongue, Jer. xviii. IS. ' Come and let us fmile him with the tongue.' You may fmite another and never touch him. Majora funt linguce viilnera quam gladii, Aug. The wounds of the tongue no phyfician can heal : and to pretend friendthip to a man, yet flander him, is moil odious. St. Hie-rom fpcaks thus, " The Arian fadion made a ihew of kind-inefs; they kiifcd my hands, but flandered me, and fought my ]ife." And, a^i it is a fin againll this comniandment, to raife a falfe report of another ; fo it is a fin to receive a falfe report before we have examined it, Plal. xv. 1. ' Lord, who Ihall dwell in thy holy hill?' Quis ad ccelum? ver. 3. * He that backbiteth not, nor lukelh up a reproach againfl, his neighbour.' We mull; not only not raife a falfe report, but not take it up. He that raifeth a flander, carries the devil in his tongue; and he that receives it, carries the devil in his ear.

(2.) The fecond thing forbidden in this commandment is, falfe witnefs. Here three fins are condemned : (1.) Speaking. (■2.) Witnefiing. (3.) Swearing, that which is falfe, contra ^roximum.

1. Speaking that which is falfe, Prov. xii, 22. * Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord.' To lie, is to fpeak that whicl) one knows to be an untruth. There is nothing more contrary to God than a lie. The Holy Ghofi; is called the ' Spirit of truth, I John iv. 5, 6. Lying is a fin that doth not go alone; jt ufliers in olher fins: Ablalom told his father a lie, that he Was^joing to pay his vow at Hebron, 2 Sam. xv. 7. and that

lie was a preface to his treafon. Where there is a lie in the tongue, it ihews the devil is in the heart, A6ts xv, 3. * Why-hath Satan filled thy heart to lie ?' Lying is fuch a (in, as unfits men for civil fociety. How can you converfe or bargain with him, that you cannot trult a vford he faith ? This is a (in which highly provokes God. Annanias and Sapphira were llruck dead for telling a lie, A6ts v. 5. The furnace of hell is heated for liars. Rev. xxii. 15, ' Without are forcerers, and whofoever loveth and maketh a lie.' Oh abhor this fin ! Quicquid dixeris jujimn putes, Hieronj. When thou fpeakeft, let thy word be as authentic as thy oath. Imitate God, who is the pattern of truth. Pythagoras being aflced, what made men like God ? anfwered, cum vere luquuntur, when they ("peak truth. It is made the character of a man that (hall go to heaven, Pfal. xv* S. * He fpeaketh the truth from his heart.'

2. That which is condemned in the commandment is, wit-nefling that which is falfe ; * thou (halt not bear falfe witnefs.* There is a twofold bearing of falfe witnefs. (1.) There is a bearing of falfe witnefs for another. 2. A bearing falfe witnefs againll another.

1/?, A bearing falfe witnefs for anothen When we do give our teftimony for a perfon that is criminal and guilty, wejullify him as if he were innocent, Ifa. iii. 23. * Which juftify the wicked for a reward.' He that goes to make a wicked man juft, makes himfelf unjufl.

2a7//, There is a bearing falfe witnefs againft another, i. e. when we accule another in open court falfely. This is to imitate? the devil, who is the * accufer of the brethren.' Though the devil is no adulterer, yet he is a falfe witnefs, Solomon faith, Prov. XXV. 18. ' A man that beareth falfe witnefs againll h\s neighbour, is a hammer and a fword :' In his face he is hardened like an hammer; he cannot blufli, he cares not what lie he witnefi'eth to : and he is a fword ; his tongue is a fword to wound him he witnefi'eth againft in his goods or life : thus, 1 King's xxi. 13. * There came in two men, children of Belial, jind witnefled againft Nabotb, faying, Naboth blafphemed God and the king :' and their witnefs took away his life. The queen of Perfia being fick, the magician accufed two godly virgins, that they had by charms procured the queen's (icknefs ; whereupon (he caufed thefe virgins to be fawn alunder. A falfe vvit« nefs doth pervert the place ofjudicature : he corrupts the judge, by making him pronounce a wrong (entence, and caufes the innocent to futfer. Vengeance will find out the falfe witneis, Prov. xxix. 4. * A falie witnefs (hall not be unpunidied, Deut, xix. 18, U>. * If the witnels be a falfe witnefs, and hath tefti-fied falfely againft his brother, then (hall ve do unto him as he

3 S 2

had thought to have done unto his brother:' i. e. If he had thought to have taken away his life, his own (hall go for it.

3. That which is condemned in the commandment, isfwear-ing that which is falle. When men take a faUe oath, and by that take away the hfe of another, Zech. viii. 17. ' Love no falfe oath.' chap. v. 2. ' What feeft thou ? 1 faid, a flying roll.' verfes 3, 4. * This is the curie that goeth forth, and it fhall enter, faith the Lord, into the houle of him that fweareth fallely by my name : and it (hall confume his houfe, with the timber and ftones of it.' The Scythians made a law, when a man did bind two fins together, a lie with an oath, he was to lofe his head ; becaufethis fin did take away all truth and faith from among men. The devil hath taken great poflelfion of fuch who dare fwear to a lie. This is a manifefl: breach of this commandment.

Ufe I. Branch 1. It reproves the church of Rome, who will difpenfe with a lie, or a falfe oath, if it be to promote the catholic caufe. They approve of an officious lie ; they hold fome fins to be lawful; they may as well hold fome lies to be lawful. God hath no need of our lie. It is not lawful to tell a lie prop-ter Deigloriam, it we were fure to bring glory to God by it, as Auftin J peaks.

Branch 2. It reproves thofe who make no confcience of (lan-dering others ; they come under the breach of this commandment, Pf. 1. 20. ' Thou fitteft and flanderell thy own mother's fon,' Jer. xx. 10. ' Report, fay they, and we will report,' Ezra iv. 15. * This city {i. e. Jerufalem) is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces.' Paul was llandered as a mover of fedition, and the head of a fa<5tion. Acts xxir. 5. The lame word fignifies both a flanderer and a devil, I Tim. iii. U. * Not flanderers:' In the Greek, Not devils. Some think it is Ko great matter, to milVeport and flander others; know that this is to a6l the part of a devil. Clipping a man's credit, to make it weigh lighter, is worl'e than clipping of coin. The flanderer wounds three at once: he wounds him that he flan-ders; and he wounds him to whom he reports the flander, by caufing uncharitable thoughts to arife up in his mind againil the party flandered ; and he wounds his own foul, by reporting that of another which is falfe. This is a great (in ; and I would, I could not lay, it is common. You may kill a man as well in his name as in his perlbn. Some are loth to take away their neighbour's goods ; confcience would fly in their face : but better take away their corn out of their field, their wares out of their fliop, than take away their good nan)e. This is a fin you can never make them reparation for; a blot in a man's name, being like a blot on white paper, which will never be got out. Surely God will vifit for this fin. If idle words (hall be ac-

coHnted for, fhall not unjuft flanders? The Lord will make in-quifition one day, as well for names as for blood. Oh therefore take heed of this (in ! it is a breach of the ninth commandment. Was it a fin under the law to defame a virgin, Deut. xxii. 19. And, is it not a greater fin to defame a foint, who is a member of Chrift! The heathens, by the light of nature, abhorred this fin of (landering. Diogenes ufed to lay, ** Of all wild bealls, a flanderer is the worlt." Antoniiis made a law, that, if a perlbn coidd not prove the crime he reported another to be guilty of, he fhould be put to deatli.

Branch 3. It reproves them who are fo wicked as to bear falfe witnels againft others. Thefe are monllers in nature, unfit to live in a civil fociety. Eufebius ralates of one Narcilfus, a man famous for piety, who was accufed by two falfe witneifes of un-chaftity : and to prove their accufation, they bound it with oaths and curCes after this manner : one laid, ' If I fpeuk not true, I pray God I may perifh by fire :" the other faid, " If I fpeak not true, I wi(h I may be deprived of my fight." It plealed God, that the firll witnefs who forfwore himl'elf, his houfe be-i'et on fire, he was burned in the flame : the other witnefs being troubled in conlcience, confelled his perjury, and continued ib long weeping, that he wept himfelf blind. Jezebel, who Cuborned two falfe witneifes againil Naboth, fhe was thrown down out of a window, and ' the dogs licked her blood,' 2 Kings ix. 33. O tremble at this fin ! a perjured perlbn is the devil's excrement. He is curled in his name, and feared in his confcience. Hell gapes for fuch a wind-fall.

Ufe II. Branch 1. It exhorts all to take heed of the breach of this commandment, of lying, flandering, and bearing falfe witnefs ; and to avoid thefe. fins,

1. Get the fear of God. Why doth David fay, ' the fear of the Lord is clean?' Pf. xix. 8. Becauie it cleanleth the heart of malice, it cleanleth the tongue of flander. * The fear of the Lord is clean :' it is to the Ibul as lightening to the air which cleanleth it.

2. Get love to your neighbour, Lev, xxi. 18. If we love a friend, we will not fpeak or atteit any thing to his prejudice. Men's minds are cankered with envy and hatred ; hence comes ilanderiug and falfe-witneffing. Love is a lovely grace ; ' love thinks no evil,' 1 Cor. xiii. 5. It makes the bell interpretation of another's words. Love is a well-wifiier, and it is rare to fpeak ill of him we with well to. Love is that which cements Chrillians together; it is the healer of divifion, and thehinder-er of flander.

Branchy. To fuch whole lot it is to meet with fianderers

^and falfe accu'fers, (1.) Labour to make a lanctified ule of it.

When Shitnei railed on David, David made a ianclified ule of

it, 9. Sam: xvi. 10. * The Lord hath (aid to him, curfe Da^ vid.' So, if you are flandered or falfely accui'ed, make a good ufe of it. See if you have no fin unrepented of, for which God may fuifer you to be calumniated and reproached. See if you have not at any time wronged others in their name, and laid that of them which you cannot prove ; then lay your hand on your mouth, and confefs the Lord is righteous to let you fall under the fcourge of the tongue. (2.) If you are flandered or Jallely acculed, but know your own innocency, he not too much troubled, let this be your rejoicing, the witnefs of your con-fcicnce. Miiriis ahencus ejio nil confdrejthi. —A good con-Icience is a wall of brafj;, that will be able to ftand againfl a falle witnefs. As no flattery can heal a bad conlcience, fb no flander can hurt a good. God will clear the names of his people, Pf. xxxvii. 6. ' He fliall bring forth thy righteoufnefs as the light.' God, as he will wipe away tears from the eyes, fo he will wipe off reproaches from the name. Believers fhall come forth out of all their flandcrs and reproaches, as • the wings of a dove covered with filver, and her feathers with yellow gold.'

Branch 3. It Hiould exhort fuch to be very thankful to God ; whom God hath preterved from flander and falle witnefs. Job calls it ' The fcourge of the tongue,' chap. v. 21. Asa rod doth fcourge the back, fb the flanderer's tongue doth fcourge the name. It is a great mercy to be kept from the fcourge of the tongue ; a mercy, that God flops malignant mouths from bearing falfe witnefs. What n>ilchief may not a lying report or a falle oath do ? One deflroys the name, the other the life. It is the Lord who muzzles the mouths of the wicked, and keeps thofe dogs, thut fnarl at us, from flying upon us, Pfal. xxxi. 20. • Thou (halt keep them fecretly in a pavilion, from the flrife of tongues.' It is, I fuppoie, an allulion to kings, who beings refolved to^roteft their favourites againft the accuiations of men, take them into their bed-chamber, or bolbm, where none may touch them : lb God hath a pavilion, or fecret hiding-place for his favourites, where he prefervestheir credit and reputation untouched ; he keeps them from the ' flrife of tongues.' This is a mercy we ought to acknowledge to God.

II. The mandatory part of this commandment implied ; that is, '* That we ftand up for others, and vindicate them, when they are injured by lying lips." This is the fenfe of the commandment, not only that we fliould not flander, or falfely ac-cufe others; but that we fhould witnefs for them, and Hand up in their defence, when we know them to be traduced. A man may wrong another as well by lilence as by flander ; when he Knows him to be wrongfully acculed, yet doth not fpeak in his behalf^ if others call ialfe afperfions on any, we fhould wipe

them off. The apoftles (who were filled with the wine of the Spirit) being charged with drunkennei's, Peter was their compurgator, and openly cleai*ed their innocency, Acts ii. 15. * Thefe are not drunken, as ye liippofe.* Jonathan knowing David to be a worthy man, and ail thofe things Saul laid othim to be fianders, vindicated David, 1 Sam. xix. 4, 5. * David liath not (inned againil thee, but his works to thee-ward have been very good. Wherefore then wilt thou fin againil innocent blood, and ilay David without a taufe ?' When the primitive Chriflians were falfely accuied for incelt, and killing their children, Tertullian made a famous apology in their vindication. This is to a<Sl the part both of a friend and of a Chriilian, to be fill advocate for another, when he is wronged in his good name.

OF THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.

ExoD. XX. 17. Thou flialt not covet thy Neighbour s Iloufe^ thon fhalt not covet thy Neighbour s Wife, nor his Mun-J'er-vant, nor his Maid-fervant, nor his Ox, nor his Afs, nor any Thing that is thy Neighbour s.

t This commandment forbids, (1.) Covetoufnefs in gene-

ral, ' Thou (halt not covet.' {'2.) In particular, 'Thy neighbour's houie, thy neighbour's wife,' &c.

1. It forbids coveloufnels in general, * Thou fhalt not covet.* It is lawful to ufe the world, yea, and to defire fo much of it as may, (1.) Keep us from the temptation of poverty, Prov. XXX. 8. • Give me not poverty, leil l ileal, and take the nanie of my God in vain.' (2.) As may enable us to honour God with works of mercy, Prov. iii. y. ' Honour the Lord with thy fubflance.' But all the danger is, when the world gets into the heart. The water is ufeful for the failing of the fiiip ; all the danger is, when the water gets into the fliip ; fo the fear is, when the world gets into the heart, ' Thou Ihalt not covet.*

Qu. What is it to covet ?

Anf. There are two words in the Greek, which let forth the nature of covetoufnefs. I. F/eonexia, which fi;:;nifies " an in-latiable defire of getting tiie world." Covetoufnefs is a dry dropfy. Aullin defines covetoufnefs. Plus veile quam fat eft; to defire more than enough ; to aim at a great edate ; to be like the daughters of the horfe-leech, crying, ' Give, give,' Prov. XXX. 15. Or like Behemoth, Job xl. 23. * He trulleth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.' 2. Phylarnyria, which fig-nifies an " inordinate love of the world." 'j'lie world is the idol; it is fo loved, that a man will not part with it to any good

ufe ; this is to come under the infliclment of covetoufnefw. He may be faid to be covetous, not only who gets the world un-righfeoufly, but who loves the world inordinately. But, for a more full anfvver to the queltion, ' What is it to covet ?' I fhall (hew you in fix particulars, when a man may be faid to be given to covetoufnefs.

1. When his thouehts are wholly taken up about the world. Asa good man's thouehts are ftill in heaven, he is thinking of Chriil's love and eternal recompence, Pf. cxxxix. 18. * When I awake, I am flill with thee,' that is divine contemplation! fo a covetous man is ftill with the world ; his mind is wholly taken up about it ; he can think of nothing but his (hop or farm. The fancy is a mint-houfe, and moft of the thoughts a covetous man mints are worldly : he is always plotting and proje6ting about the things of this life ; like a virgin that hath all her thoughts runnhig upon her fuitor.

2. A man may be faid to be given to covetoufnefs, when he takes more pains for the getting ot earth, than for the getting of heaven. He will turn every fione, break his fleep, take many a weary ftep for the world ; but will take no pains for Chrift, or heaven. The Gauls, who were an ancient people of France, after they liad tafted of the fweet wine of the Italian grape, they enquired after the country, and never refted till they had arrived at it; fo a covetous man having had a relifh of the world, purfues after it, and never leaves till he hath got it; but he neglects the things of eternity. He could be content if fal-vation would drop into his mouth, as a ripe fig drops into the mouth of the eater, Nahum iii. 12. But he is loth fo put him-felf to too much fweat or trouble to obtain Chrift or falvation. He hunts for the world, he witheth only for heaven.

3. A man may be faid to be given to covetoufnefs, when all his difcourfe is about the world, John iii. 31. * He that is of the earth, fpeaketh of theearth.' As it is a,fign of godlinefs to be ftill fpeaking of heaven, to have the tongue tuned to the language of Canaan, Eccl. x. 12. * The words of a wife man's mouth are gracious ;' he fpeaks as if he had been already in heaven ; fo, a fign of a man given to covetoufnefs, he is fpeaking of fecular things, his wares and drugs. A covetous man's breaih, like a dying man's fmells llrong of the earth. As they faid to Peter, ' Thy fpeech bewrayeth thee,' Matth. xxvi. 73. So a covetous man's fpeech bewrayeth liim : tie is like the iidi in the gofpel, which had a piece of money in the mouth. Mat. xvii. 27. Verba J)tnt fpeculum mentisy Bern. The words are the looking-glals of the heart, they fliew what is within ; Ex (ibunchmtia cordis.

4. A man is given to covetoufnefs, when he doth fo fet his heart upon worldly things, that, for the love of them, he will

part with heavenly ; for the * wedge of gold,' he will part with the * pearl of price.' The young man in the gofpel, when Chrift faid, ' Sell all and come and follow me ;' abiit trijiis, * he went away forrowfu!,' Matth. xix. ^'2. He would rather part with Chrift, than with his earthly pofleflions. Cardinal Bourbon faid, he would forego his part in paradife, if he might keep his cardinalfliip in Paris. When it comes to a critical point, that men muft either relinquilh their eftffte or Chrid, and they will rather part with Chrift, and a good confcienee, than with their eftate ; it is a clear cafe they are poffelfed with the devil of co-vetoufnefs.

5. A man is given to covetoufnefs, when he overloads him-felf with worldly bufinefs. He hath many irons in the fire ; he is in this fenfe a pluralift, he takes fo much bufinefs upon him, that he cannot find time to ferve God ; lie hath fcarce time to eat his meat, but no time to pray. When a man doth overcharge himfelf with the world, and, as Martha, cumber himfelf about many things, that he cannot have time for his foul, fure he is under the power of covetoufnefs.

6. He is given to covetoufnefs whofe heart is fo fet upon the world, that, to get it, he cares not what unlawful indiredt means he ufeth : he will have the world per fas et nefas ; he will wrong and defraud, and raife his eftate upon the ruins of another, Hof, xii. 7, 8. ' The balances of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to opprefs.' And Ephraim faid, * yet I am become rich.' Pope SilvefterH. did fell his foul to the devil for a popedom.

Ufe. Take heed and beware of covetoufnefs, Luke xii. 15. It is a direct breach of this tenth commandment. Covetoufnefs is a moral vice, it infedts and pollutes the whole foul. The fin.

(1.) It is a fubtil fin, a fm that many do not fo well difcern in themfelves ; as fome have the fcurvy yet do not know it. This fin can drefs itfelf in the attire of virtue. It is called the * cloak of covetoufnefs.' 1 ThefT. ii. 5. Covetoufnefs is a fin that wears a cloak, it cloaks itfelf under the name of frugality and good huft)andry. It hath many pleas and excufes for itfelf, more than any other (in ; as the providing for one's family. The njore fubtil the fin is, the lefs difcernible.

(2.) Covetoufnefs is a dangerous fin, it checks all that is good. It is an enemy to grace ; it damps good afte6lions, as the earth puts out the fire. The hedge-hog, in the fable, came to the coney burrows in ftormy weather, and defired harbour: • but when once he had gotten entertainment, he let up his prickles, and did never leave till he had thruft tiie poor coneys out of their burrows ; fo covetoufnefs, by fair pretences, wins itfelf into the heart ; but, as foon as you have let it in, it vvill never

Vol. I. No. 11. 3T

leave till it hath choaked all good beginnings, and thruft all religion out of your hearts. ** Covetoufnefs hinders the efficacy of the word preached." In the parable, the thorns (which Chrift expounded to be the cares of this life) choaked the good feed, Matth. xiii. 7- Many iernnons lie dead, buried in earthly hearts. We preach to men, to get their hearts in heaven ; but where covetoufnefy is predominant, it chains them to the earth, and makes them like the won^^n which Satan had bowed together, that (lie could not lift up herfelf, Luke xiii. 11. Yqu may as well bid an elephant fly in the air, as a covetous man live by failh. We preach to men to give freely to Chrill's poor ; but covetoufnefs makes them to be like him in the gofpel who had * a withered hand,' Mark iii. 1. They have a withered hand and cannot ftretch it out to the poor. It is impoffible to be earthly minded and charitably minded. Thus covetoufnefs obfirucls the efficacy of the word, and makes it prove abortive. Such whofe hearts are rooted in the earth, will be fo far from profiting by the word, that they will be ready rather to deride it, Luke xvi. 14. The pharifees, who were covetous, ' derided him.'

(3.) Covetoufnefs is a mother-fin, a radical vice, 1 Tim. vi. 10. * the love of money is the root of all evil.'

Quid non mortalia pectora cogit aurifacra fames ;—Hor.

He who hath an earthly itch, a greedy defire of getting the world, hath in him the root of all fin, Covetoufnefs is a mother fin. I fhall make it appear that covetoufnefs is a breach of all the ten commandments. (1.) It breaks the firft commandment, ' thou ffialt have no other gods but one.' The covetous man hath more gods than one ; mammon is his god. He hath a god of gold, therefore he is called an idolater, Col. iii. 5. (2.) Covetoufnefs breaks the fecond commandment, • Thou ffialt not make any graven image, thou ffialt not bow down thyfelf to them.' A covetous man bows down, the* not to the graven image in the church, yet to the graven image in his coin. (3.) Covetoufnefs is a breach of the third commandment, * Thou ffialt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.' Abfalom's defign was to get his father's crown, there was covetoufnefs; but he talks of' paying his vow to God,' there he took God's name in vain. (4.) Covetoufnefs is a breach of the fourth commandment, * Remember the fabbath day, to keep it holy.' A covetous man doth not keep the lab-bath holy ; he will ride to fairs on a fabbath : inftead of reading in the bible, he will cad up his accounts. (5.) Covetoufnefs is a breach of the fifth commandment, ' Honour thy father and thy mother. A covetous perfon will not honour his father, if he doth not feed him with money ; nay, he will get his father to make over his eftate to him in his lifetime, and fo the lather

ihall be at the fon's command. (6.) Covetoufnefs is a breach of the fixth commandment, * Tliou flialt not kill.' Covetous Ahab kiiled Naboth, to get his vineyard, I Kings xxi. 13. How many liave Iwimmed to the crown in blood ! (?.) Cove-toufnels is a breach of the feventh commandment, * Thou (halt net commit adultery.' Covetoufnefs caufeth uncleannefs ; you read of the * hire of a whore,' Deut. xxiii. 18. An adulterefs for money fets both confcience and chaflity to iale. (S.) Covet-oulhefs is a breach of the eighth commandment, * Thou flialt not Ileal.' Covetoufnefs is the root of theft; covetous Achan fiole the wedge pf gold : therefore thieves and covetous are put together, 1 Cor. vi. 10. (9.) Covetoufneis is a breach of the ninth commandment, ' Thou (halt not bear falfe vi^itnefs.* What makes the perjurer take a falfe oath but covetoufnefs? He hopes for a dividend. And, (10.) It is plj^inly a breach of the laii commandment, • Thou Ihalt not covet.* The mammonift covets his neighbour's houfe and goods, and endeavours to get them into his own hands. Thus you fee how vile a fin covetoufnefs is, it is a mother-fin, it is a plain breach of every one of the ten commandments.

(4.) Covetoufnefs is a fin difiionourable to religion. For fuch as fay their hopes are above, yet their hearts are below : for them who profels to be above the ftars, to ' lick the dud' ofl" the ferpent; to be born of God, yet buried in the earth ; how diflionourable is this to religion ! The lapwing wears a little coronet on its head, yet feeds on dung ; an emblem of fuch as profefs to be crowned kings and priefts unto God, yet feed immoderately on the terrene dunolnll comforts, Jer. xlv. 5.

* And feekefb thou great things for thyfelf .^ leek them n<>t: What, thou Barak, who art ennobled by the new-birth, and art illullrious by thy office, a Levite, dofi; thou feek earthly things, and feek them now ? When the (hip is finking, art thou trimming thy cabin ? O do not lb degrade thyfejf, nor blot thy fcutcheon! ' feeke 11 thou great things ? feek them not/ The higher grace is, the lefs earthly (hould Chriftians be ; the higher the fun is, the fhorter always is the (hadow.

1. Covetoulnefs expofeth us to God's abhorreacy, Pf. x. 3.

* The covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.' A kingabhors to fee his (latue abufed : God abhors to fee a man made in his his image fliould have the heart of a beatt given to him. ^Vho would live in fuch a fin as makes him abhorred of God ? Whum God abhors he curfeth, and God's curfe blalls wherever it comes.

2. Covetoufiiefs precipitates men to ruin : it (huts them oi<t of heaven, Eph» v. 5. * This ye know, that no covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Chrift, and of God.' What fliould a covetous man do in hea-

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ven ? God can no more converfe with him, than a king can converfe with a f'wine, I Tim. vi. 9. * They that will be rich fall into a (bare, and many hurtful lufts, which drown men m perdition.' A covetous man is lil<e a bee, that gets into a barrel of honey, and there drowns itfelf: he is like a ferryman, that takes in fo many paffengers to increafe his fare, that he finks his boat; fo a covetous man takes in more gold, to the increafing of his ellate, that he damns himfelf in perdition. I have read of fome inhabitants near Athens, who lived in a very dry, barren illand, and they took much pains to draw a river to this ifland, to water it and make it fruitful ; but when they had opened the paifages, and brought the river to it, the water broke in with fuch a force, that it drowned the land, and all the people in it : an emblem of a covetous man ; he labours to draw riches to him, ajid at laft they come in in fuch an abundance, that they drown him in hell and perdition. How many, to build up an eliate, pull down their fouls ? Oh, therefore, flee from covetouhiefs. I Ihall next prelcribe fome remedies againft covet-oufnefs.

ExoD. XX. 17. Thou (halt not covet thy Neighbour s Houfe, thoujlialt not covet thy Neighbour s Wife, &c.

I AM, in the next place, to refolve a queftion, ** How we may do to cure this itch of covetoufnefs?"

Anf. For anfwer to this, 1 fhall prelcribe fome remedies and antidotes againft this fin.

1. Faith, 1 John v. 4. * This is the vij^lory over the world, even your faith.' The root of covetoufnefs is, the diftruil of God's providence : faith believes God will provide ; God who feeds the birds, will feed his children ; he who clothes the lilies, will clothe his lambs; and fo faith overcomes the Avorld. Faith is the cure of care : Faith not only purifies the heart but fati^fies the heart: Faith makes God our portion, and fb in him we have enough, Plal. xvi. 5. * The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, the lines are fallen unto me in pleafant places; yea; 1 have a goodly heritage.' Faith, by a divinechymiilry, extracts his chief comfort out of God. A little with God is fweet. Thus faith is a remedy againll covetoul'nefs; faith overcomes not only the fear of the world, but the love of the world.

2. The fecond remedy is, judicious confideration.

(I.) What poor thingsthefe things below are, that wefhould covet them. 1. They are below the worth of the foul, which carries in it an idea, and relemblance of God. The world is but the workraanfhip of God, the foul is the image of God. 2.

You covet that which will not fatisfy youj Eccl. v. 10. * He that loveth filver (hall not be fatisfied with filver.' Solomon had put all the creatures in a limbec, and Hilled out the quin-telience, and behold, * All was vanity,* Eccl. ii. 11. Covetoui^ nefs is a dry dropfy: ihe more a man hath, the more he thirds.

Quo plusfunt potcc, plusJitiuntur acquce.

3. Worldly things cannot remove trouble of mind. King Saul being perplexed in confcience, all his crown jewels could not adminirter comfort to him, 1 Sam. xxviii. 15. The things of the world will no more eafe a troubled fpirit, than a gold cap will cure the head-ach. 4. The things of the world, if you had more of them, cannot continue with you. The creature hath a little honey in its mouth, but it ha,th wings to fly away. Thefe things either go from us, or we from them : what poor things are thele to covet }

(2.) Second coufideration, the frame and contexture of the body : God hath made the tace to look upwards towards heaven.

Os hominifuhUine dedit, ccelumque tueri JiiJJit. —Ovid. Anatomifts obferve, that whereas other creatures have but four rjiufcles to their eyes, man hath a litth mufcle, by which he is able to look up to heaven; and as for the heart, it is made like a glafs-vial, narrow and contracted downwards, but wide and broad upwards. And as the frame and contexture of the body teacheth us to look to things above, fo gfpecially the foul is planted in the body, as a divine fparkle to afcend upwards. Can it be imagined that God gave usintelie6lual, immortal louls, to covet only earthly things? What wife man would filh for gudgeons with golden hooks } Did God give us glorious fouls, only to filh for the world } Sure our fouls are made for an higher end ; to al'pire after the enjoyment of God in glory.

(3.) Third coniideration, the examples of thofe who have been contemners and defpifers of the world. The primitive Chriflians, as Clemens Alexandrinusobferves, were fequeftered from the world, and were wholly taken up in converfe with God : they lived in the world above the world ; like the birds of paradife, who foar above in the air, and feldom or never touch with their feet upon the earth. Luther faith, that he was never tempted to this fin of covetoufnefs. The faints of old, though they did live in the world, they did trade in heaven, Phil. iii. SO. * Our converfation is in heaven:' the Greek word fignifies, our commerce, or traffic, or burgerfhip, is in heaven. * Enoch walked with God,' Gen. v. 24. His atfe61ions were fublimated, hedid takeaturn in heaven everyday. The righteous are compared to a palm-tree, Pfai. xcii. 12. Philo

obferves, that whereas all other trees have their fap in their root, the A\p of the palm-tree is towards the top; the eniblem oi the faints, whofe hearts are above in heaven, where their trea-fure is.

3. The third remedy, covet fpiritual things more, and you will covet earthly things lefs. Covet grace : grace is the beft blelling, it is the feed of God, 1 John iii. 9. the angels* glory. Covet lieaven ; heaven is the region of happinels, it is the moft pleafant climate. Did we covet heaven more, we fliould covet earth lefs. They that (land on the top of the Alps, the great cities of Campania feeni but as fmall villages in their eyes : if we could have our hearts, more fixed upon the Jerufalem above, how would all worldly things difappear, and be as nothing in our eye ; we read of an angel coming down from heaven, who did tread with his right foot on the fea and with his left foot on the earth. Rev. x. 2. had we but once been in heaven, and viewed the fuperlative glory of it, how might we, in an holy fcorn, trample with one foot upon the earth, and with the other foot upon the fea! Oh covet after heavenly things! there is the tree of life, the mountains of fpices, the rivers of pleafure, the honey-comb of God's love dropping, the delights of angels, the tlower of joy fully ripe and blown. There is the pure air to breathe in ; no fogs nor vapours of fin arife to infe6t that air; but the Sun of righteoufnefs enlightens that horizon continually with his glorious beams. O let your thoughts and delights be always taken up about the city of pearl, the paradife of God. Did we covet heavenly things more, we fhould covet earthly things lefs. It is reported that after Lazarus was raifed from the grave, he was never feen to fmile or be delighted with the world after: were our hearts raifed by the power of the Holy Ghoft up to heaven, we Ihould not be much taken with earthly things.

4. The fourth remedy, pray for an heavenly mind. Lord, let the loadlione of thy fpirit, draw my heart upward : Lord, dig thy earth out of my heart; teach me how to polfefs the world, and not love it; how to hold it in my hand, and not let it get into my heart. So much for the commandment in general, * Thou flialt not covet.'

(2.) I thall fpeak of it more particularly: * Thou flialt not covet thy neighbour's houfe, thou flialt not covet thy neighbour's wife,' &c. Obferve here the holinefe and perfe(5lion of God's law : It forbids the motus primo primi, the firlt motions and lifings of fin in the heart; * Thou flialt not covet.' The laws of nren take hold of the adions, but the law of God goes further, it forbids not only the adions, but the atfedions ; ' Thou flialt not covet thy neighbour's houfe.' It is not faid, thoy flialt not take away his houfe; but * Thou flialt not covet itC*

Thefe luftings and defires after the forbidden fruit are finful, Rom. vii. 7. * The law hath iiiid, Thou fiialt not covet.' Though the tree bears no bad fruit, it may be faulty at the root; though a maji doth not commit any grofs (in, yet who can fay his heart is pure ? There may be a faultinefs at the root, there may be finful covetings and luftings in the foul.

Uje. Let us be humbled for the fin of our nature, the rifings of evil thoughts, coveting that which we ought not. Our nature is a feed-plot of iniquity, it is like charcoal that is ever fparkling : the fparkles of pride, envy, covetoufneCs, arife in the mind. How (houid this humble us? If there be not finful a<5lings, there are finful covetings. Let us pray for mortifying grace, which may be like the water of jealoufy, to make the thigh of fin to rot. But to come to the words mcrre clearly, * Thou ftialt not covet thy neighbour's houle, nor thy neighbour's wife, &c.

Qu. Why is the houfe put before the wife? In Deuteronomy the wife is put firjl, Deut. v. 21. ' Neither fJialt thou de/ire thif neighbour s icife, neither fJuilt thou covet thy neighbour's houfe.' Here the houfe is putfirft.

Anf, In Deuteronomy, the wife is fet down firft, in refpe6l; of her value. She (if a good wife) is of far greater value and eftimate than the houfe, Prov. xxxi. 10. * Her price is far above rubies.* She is the furniture of the houfe, and this furniture is more worth than the houfe. When Alexander had overcome king Darius in battle, Darius feemed not to be much difmayed; but when he heard his wife was taken prifoner, now his eyes, like fpouts, did gufh forth water, as valuing his wife dearer than his life. But yet in this place in Exodus, the houfe is put before the wife : the reafon is, becaufe the houfe is firft in order; the houfe is ere6led before the wife can live in it; the neft is built before the bird is in it: the wife is firft efteemed, but the houfe muft be firft provided.

1. Then, * Thou fhalt not covet thy neighbour's houfe.' How depraved is man fince the fall! Man knows not how to keep within bounds, but is coveting more than his own. Ahab, one would think had enough ; he was a l^ing, and one would fuppole his crown-revenues Oiould have contented him ; but ftill he was coveting more : Naboth's vineyard was in his eye, and ftood near the fmoke of his chimney, and he could not be quiet till he had it in pofl'effion. Were there not fo much coveting, there would not be fo much bribing: one man pulls away another's houfe from him. It is only the prifoner lives ia fuch a tenement as he may be fure none will go about to take from him.

2. * Thou fhalt not covet thy neighbour's wife.' This commandment is a bridle to check the iuordinaucy of brutifli lufts;

• Thou fhalt not covet thy neighbour's wife.' It was the devil that ' fovved another man's ground,' Mat. xiii. 25. But how is the hedge of this Gommandment trodden down in our times! there be many who do more than'covet their neighbour's wives, they take them, Deut. xxvii. 20. ' Curled be he that lieth with his father's wife, and all the people fhall fay Amen.' If it were to be proclaimed, * Curfed be he that lies with his neighbour's wife,' and all that were guilty fliould fay Amen, how many would curfe themfeives !

3. * Thou (halt not covet thy neighbour's man-fervant, nor his maid-fervant.' Servants, when faithful are a treafure. What a true and trufty fervant had Abraham! he was his right-hand : how prudent and faithful was he in the matterhe was^ntrufted with, in getting a wife for his mailer's fon ? Gen. xxiv. 9. And furely it would have gone near to Abraham, to have had any one entice away his fervant from him. But this fin of coveting fervants is common : if one hath a better fervant, others will be inveigling and laying baits for him, and endeavour to draw him away from his mailer. This is a fin againft the tenth commandment. To fteal away another's fervant by enticement, is no better than thievery.

4. * Nor his ox, nor his afs, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.* Were there not coveting of ox and afs, there would not be fo much Healing: firft, men break the tenth commandment by coveting, and then ihey break the eighth commandment by ftealing. It was an excellent appeal that Samuel made to the people, I Sam. xii. 3. * Witnefs againft me before the Lord, whofe ox have I taken, or whofe afs, or whom have I defrauded.' And it was a brave fpeech of St. Paul, A<5ls xx. S3. ' I have coveted no man's gold, or filver, or apparel.*

Qu. But what means may we ufe, to keep us from coveting that which is our neighbour s ?

Anf. The bell remedy is contentation. If we are content with our own, we fliall not covet that which is another's. St. Paul could fay, • I have coveted no man's gold or lilver:' whence was this ? It was from contentment, Phil. iv. 11. * I have learned, in whatever Hate I am, therewith to be content.* Content faith, as Jacob, Gen. xxiii. 3. ' I have enough :' I have a promife of heaven, and have fufficient to bear my charges thither; I have enough. And he who hath enough, will not covet that which is another's. Be content; and the beft way to be contented, is, (1.) Believe that condition beft which God carves out to you by his providence. If God had fcen it fit for us to have more, we would have had it; but his wifdom fees this beft for us. Perhaps we could not manage a great ellate ; it is hard to carry a full cup without fpilling, and a full edate without (inning. Great ellates may be fiiares ; a boat may be

man's iNABiLiry, &c, ' 521

overturned by having too great a fail. The believing that eftate bed God carves for us, makes us content; and being contented, we will not covet that which is another'.^.

(2.) The way to be content with fuch things as we have, and not to covet another's, is to confider, the his eftate we have, the lels account we fliall have to give at the laft day. Every perlbn is a lleward, and mull be accountable to God. They who have great ellales have the greater reckoning: God will fay, what good have you done with your eitates ? have you honoured me with your fubftance ? Where are the poor you have fed and clothed ; if you cannot give a good account it will be iad. This niay make us contented with a lefs porcion, to con-(ider, the lels eftate, the lets account we have to give; the lefs riches, the lefs reckoning. This is the way to have contentment, and no better antidote againft coveting that which is.another's than being content with that which is our own.

So much for the Commandments.

MAN'S INABILITY TO KEEP THE MORAL LAW.

f Q. LXXXIL IS any man able perfedlly to keep the commandments of God?

Anf. No mere man, fincethe fall, is able in this life perfe6l!y to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed.

Jam. iii. 2. ' In many things we offend all.' Man in his primitive ftate of innocency, was endowed with ability to keep the whole moral law : Adam had re6litude of mind, fan6lity of will, perfe6tion of power: Adam had the copy of God's law* written on his heart; no fooner did God command, but he did obey : as the key is fuited to all the wards in the lock, and can open them ; lb Adam had a power fuited to all God's commands, and could obey them. Adam's obedience did exa6lly run parallel v?ith the moral law, as a well made dial goes exa6tly with the fun. Man in innocence was like a well tuned organ, he did fweetly tune to the will of God : he was adorned with holinefs as the angels, but not confirmed in holinefs as the angels : Adam was holy but mutable ; he fell from his purity, and we with him. Sin cut the lock of original righteoufnefs, where our ftrength lay ; fin hath brought fuch a langour and faintnefs into our ibuls, and hath lb weakened us, that we ftiall never recover our full ftrength till we put on immortality. The thing I am now to demonftrate, is, that we cannot yield perfe<^ obedience to the moral law. * In many things we offend all.*

1. The cafe of an unregenerate man is fuch, that he cannofr perfe6tly obey all God*s commands : he may as well touch the Itars, or fpan the ocean, as yield exa6t obedience to the law. A perfon unregenerate cannot adl Ipiritually, he cannot pray in the Holy Ghoft, he cannot live by faith, he cannot do duty out of love to duty; and if he cannot do duly fpirltually, then much lefs perfectly. Now, that a natural man cannot yield perfe6t obedience to the moral law, is evident; (1.) Becaufe he is fpiritually dead, Eph. ii. 1. And bein^ fo, how can he keep the commandments of God perfectly ? A dead man is not fit for action. A finner hath the fymptoms of death upon him; 2. He hath no fenfe; a dead man hath no fenfe: he hath no fenfe of the evil of fin, of God's holinels and veracity ; therefore he is (aid to be without feeling, Eph. iv. ly. 2. He hath no ftrength, Rom. v. 6. What (Irength hath a dead man? A natural man hath no ftrength to deny himfelf, to refill temptation ; he is dead : and can a dead man fulfil the moral law ? (2.) A natural man cannot perfectly keep all God's commandments, becaufe he is fo interlarded with fin, he is ' born in fin,* Plal. li. 5. Job XV. 16. * He drinks iniquity as water.' All the imaginations of his thoughts are evil, and only evil, Gen. vi. 4. Now the leaft evil thought is a breach of the royal law ; and, if there be defe6tion, there cannot be perfe6lion. And, as a natural man hath no power to keep the moral law, fo he hath no will. He is not only dead, but worfe than dead ; a dead man doth no hurt, but there is a life of refiftance againft God goes along with the death of fin ? a natural man not only cannot keep the law through weaknefs, but he breaks it through wilfulnefs, Jer. xliv. 17. ' We will do whatfoever goeth out of our mouth to burn incenfe lo the queen of heaven.'

2. As the unregenerate cannot keep the moral law perfe6lly» fo neither the regenerate, Eccl. vii. 20. • There is not a juft roan upon the earth, that doeth good and finneth not ;' nay, that ' (ins not in doing good.' 'J'hereis that in the beft a6tions of a righteous man that is damnable, if God fhould weigh him in the ballance of juftice. Alas ! how are his duties fly-blown } He cannot pray without wandering, nor believe without doubting, Rom. vii. 18. ' To me to will is prefent, but how to perform I find not.' In the Greek it is, " How to do it throughly I find not." Paul though a faint of the firft magnitude, was better at willing than at performing. Mary afked where they had laid Chrill: fhe had a mind to have carried him away, but fhe wanted ilrength : lb the regenerate have a will to obey God's law perfectly, but they want ftrength ; their obedience is weak, and fickly : the mark they are to fiioot at, is perfedion of holinels, though they take a right aim, yet do what they can, they Ihoot Ihort, Rom. vii. 19. * The good which I would, 1 d©

not.* A Chriftian, while he is ferving God, is hindered : like a ferryman, that plies the oar, and rows hard, but a guftof wind carries him back again: fo faith Paul, ' The good Twould, I do not;' I am driven back by temptation. Now, if there be any failure in our obedience, we cannot make a perfe6t commentary upon God's law : no Chriftian alive can write a copy of hnlinefs without blotting. The virgin Mary's obedience was not perfe6t, (he needed Chriil's blood to wafh her tears. Aaron was to make atonement for the altar, Exod. xxix. 37- to fhew that the mod holy offering hath defilement in it, and needs atonement to be made for it.

Qu. 1. But if a man hath no power to keep the whole moral law, then why doth God require that of a man, which he is not able to perform ? How doth this Jiand with hisjujtice ?

.Anf. 'Fhough man hath loll his power of obeying, God hath not loft his right of commanding. If a mafter intrufts a fervant with money to lay out, and the fervant fpends itdilfolutely, may not the mailer jullly demand this money } God gave us a power to keep the moral law ; we, by tampering with fin loll it : But may not God ftill call for perfect obedience > or, in cafe of a fault, juftly punifh us ?

Qu. 2. But why doth Godfufferfuch an impotency to lie upon man that he cannot perfe6ily keep the law ?

Anf. The Lord doth it, (I.) To humble us. Man is a felf-exalting creature : and, if he hath but any thing of worth, he is ready to be puffed up : but when he comes to fee his deficiencies and failings, and how far fhort becomes of theholiuefsand perfedtion God's law requires, this is a means to pull down his plumes of pride, and lay them in the duft : he weeps over his impotency, he blufheth over his leprous fpots : he faith, as Job,

* 1 abhor myfelf in duft and alhes.' (2.) God lets this impotency and iufirmnefs lie upon us, that we may have recourfe to Chrift, to obtain pardon for our defedls, and to fprinkle our beft duties.with his blood. When a man fees himfelf indebted, he owes perfe6l obedience to the law, but he hath nothing to pay : this makes him flee to Chriil to be his friend, and anfwer all the demands and challenges of the law and let him free in the court ofjuftice.

Ufe 1. Is matter of humiliation for our fall in Adam. In the ftate of innocency we were perfectly holy; our minds were crowned with knowledge, and our wills, as a queen, did fway the fceptre of liberty: but now we may fay, as Lam. v. 15\

• The crown is fallen from our head.' We have loft that power which was inherent in us. When we look back to our primitive glory, whert we fhone as earthly angels, we may take up Job's words, chan. xxix. 2. * O that it were with us as in mouLUspitl!' O'that it were with us as at firft, when there

3U 2

was no (lain upon our virgin-nature, when there was a perfe^ harmony between God's law and man's will! but, alas! how the fcenc iti altered, our ttrcntrth is gone from us, we tread awry every Itep ; we come below every precept; our dwarfifhnels "will not reach the lublimity of God's law ; we fail in our obedience ; and while we fail, we forfeit. This may put us in dole mourning, and Ipring a leak of Ibrrow in all our ibuls.

Uj'e II. Of confutation. Branch 1. It confutes the Armi-nian.s, wlio cry up the power of the will : they hold, they have a will to fave ihemfelves. But by nature, we not only warit ftrength, Rom. v. 6. but we want will to that v^'hich is good. The will is not full of impotency, but oblVmacy, Pll Lxxxi. 11. * Ifrael would none of me.' The will hangs iorth a flag of defiance againfc God. Such as fpeak of the fovereign power of the will, forget Phil. ii. 13. ' It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do.' If the power be in the will of man, then what needs God work in us to will ? If the air c^n enlighten itfelf, what needs the fun to fliine ? Such as talk of the power of nature, and the ability they have tofave themfelves, theydif-parage Chrifl's merits. 1 may fay, as Gal. v. 4. * Chrill has become of no eire6l to them.' This 1 affirm, fuch as advance the power of their will in matters of Palvation, without the medicinal grace of Chrift, do abfolutely put themfelves under the covenant of works. And now 1 would a(k them, " Can they perfe6lly keep the moral law.^" malum oritur ex (piolibet defecUi* If lijcie be but the lealldefe6lin their obedience, they are gone : for one linful thought the law of God curfeth them, and the jutlice of God arraigns them. Confounded be their pride, who cry up the power of nature, as if, by their own inherent abilities, they could rear up a building, the top whereof Ihould reach to heaven.

Branch <?. It confutes a fort of people that brag of perfection ; and ciccording to that principle, they can keep a!l God's commandments perfe6tly. I would afk thefe, have they at no time a vain thought come into their mind ? If they have, then they are not perfe(5l. The virgin Mary was not perfect ; tiio' her womb was pure (being overfhadowed with the Holy Gholl) yet her foul was not perfe6f.; Chrift doth tacitly imply a failing in her, Luke ii. 49. And, are they more perfei^ than the blelled virgin was? Such as hold perfe6tion, need not confefs fm. David coufefl'ed fin, Pf. xxxii. 6. and Paul confelfed fin, Rom. vii. 94. But they are got beyond David and Paul ; they are perfe6f, they never tranlgrels : and where there is notranl-grefiion, what needs confelfion ?

'■2d/y, If they are perfe<5t, they need not afk pardon : they can pay God'sjultice what they owe; therefore, what need they pray, ' Forgive us our debt.^' Oh that the devil Ihould rock

mSn fo fiifl: afleep, as to make thern dream of perfe6tion! and whereas they bring that, Phil. iii. 15. ' Let us therefore as many as be perfe6l be thus minded.' Anf. Peri'ection there, is meant of fincerity. God is beil able to interpret his own word. He calls fincerity perfedion. Job i, 8. * A perfe<5f and an upright man.' But who is exa6tly perfed? A man full of difeafes may as well lay he is healthful, as a man full of fin fay, he is perfett.

Ufe ill. To regenerate perfons. Though you fail in your obedience, and cannot keep the moral law exaclly, yet be not difcou raged.

Qu. What comfort may he given to^vfgenerate per/on under the faihires and imperfections of his obedience ?

Anf. I. That a believer is not under the covenant of works but under the covenant of grace. The covenant of works, requires perfect, perlbnal, perpetual obedience : but in the covenant oi grace, God will make Ibme abatements : he will accept of lefs than he required in the covenant of works.

{!.) In the covenant of works God required perfe6lion of degrees; in the covenant of grace, he accepts perfection of parts : there he required perfe6t working, here he accepts fin-cere believing: in the covenant of works God required us to live without fin ; in t!?e covenant of grace, God accepts of our combat with fin.

(2.) Though a Chrift.ian cannot, in his own perfon, perform all God's commandments; yet Chrilt, as his Curety, and in his ftead, hath fulfilled the law for him ; and God accepts of Chrill's obedience, v;hich is perfect, to fatisfy for that obedience which is imperfe6t. Chrill being made a curie for believers, all the curfes of the law have their Iting pulled out.

(3.) Though a Clirifiian cannot keep the commands of God to lktisfa6tion, yet he may to approbation.

Qu. How is that?

Anf. 1. He gives his full aflfent and confent to the law of God, Rom. vii. i-^. * The law is holy and jult: there was a[-fent in the judgment, Rom. vii. It). ' 1 confent to the law :* there was confent in the will.

2. A Chriliian mourns that he cannot keep the commandments fully : when he fails, he weeps: he is not angry with the law, becaule it is fo ftrict; but he is angry with himfelf, be-caufe he is ib deficient.

3. He takes a fvveet complacential delight in the law, Rom. vii. 22. * I delight in the law of God in the inward man.' Gr. \_Synedomai,'\ *' I take pleafure in it." Plalm cxix. L>7. ' O how love I thy .law !' Though a. Chriliian cannot keep God's law, yet he loves his law; though he cannot ierve God perfcdtly, yet he ferves him willingly.

4. It is his cordial defire to walk in all God's commaHdg, TC, cxix. 6. * O thar. my ways were direded to keep thy lla-tutes ?' Though his Itrength fails, yet his pulfe beats.

5. He doth really endeavour to obey God's law perfe6lly : and wherein he comes fhort he runs to Chrill's blood to niake i'ljpply for his defedls. This Cordial defire, and real endeavour, God efteems as perfe<5t obedience, 2 Cor. viii. 12. * If there be a willing mind, it is accepted.* ' Let me hear thy voice, for fweet is thy voice,' Cant. ii. 14. Though the prayers of the righteous are mixed with fin, yet God fees they would pray better : God picks out the weeds from the flowers ; he fees the feith and winks at the failing. The faint's obedience, though he falls fhort of legal perfe6lion, yet having fincerity in it, and Chrill's merits mixed with it, finds gracious acceptance. When the Lord fees endeavours after perfe<5t obedience, this he takes well atourhands: as a father that receives a letter from his child, though there be blots in the letter, and falfe fpellings, yet the father takes all in good part: O what blottings are there in our holy things! but God is pleafed to take all in good part : faith God, it is ray child, and he would do better if he could ; I will accept it.

—-a>00»0«s—

ALL SINS NOT EQUALLY HEINOUS.

Q. LXXXIII. ARE all tranfgrej/ions of the law equally heinous ?

Anf. Some fins in themfelves, and by reafon of feveral aggravations, are more heinous in the fight of God than others.

John xix. 11. * He that delivered me unto thee hath the greater fin.' The Stoic philofophers held, that all fins were equal : but this fcripture clearly holds forth, that there is a gradual difference in fin ; fome are greater than others ; fome are * mighty fins,' Amos v. 12. and ' crying fins,' Gen. xviii. 21. Every fin hath a voice to fpeak, but fome fins cry. As fome difeales are worfe than others, and fome poifons more venomous ; fo fome fins are more heinous, Ezek. xvi. 47. Jer. xvi. 12. * You have done worfe than your fathers, your fins have exceeded theirs.' Some fins have a blacker afpedt than others : to clip the king's coin is treafon, but to ft:rike his perlbn is a higher degree of treafon. A vain thought is a fin, but a blaf-phemous word is a greater fin. That fome fins are greater than others, ap|)ears, (1.) Becaufe there was difference in the offerings under the law; the fin offering was greater than the tref-pafs offerings.- (2.) Becaufe fome fins are not capable of pardon as others are, therefore they muft needs be more heinous, as

the blafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft, Mat. xii. 31. (3.) Be-caufe fome fins have a greater degree of punifhment than others. Mat. xxiii. 14, 24. ' Ye fhall receive greater damnation,'^

* Shall not the Judge of all the earth do riglit?' God would not puni(h one mdre than another, but that his fin is greater. It is true, " all fins are equally heinous in refpect of the objeiSl," or the perfon againft whom fin is committed, viz, the infinite God : but in another fenfe, all fins are not alike heinous ; fome fins have more bloody circumilanceH in them, which are like the dye to the wool, to give it a deeper colour.

Qu. JVhatJins may hefaid to be more heinous than others?

Anf. 1. Such fins as are committed without any occafion offered : a man IWears or is angry, and hath n^o provocation. The lefs the occafion of fin is, the greater is the fin. 2. Such fins are more heinous, that are committed prefumptuoufiy. Under th.e law there was no facrifice for prelumptuous lins. Numb.

XV.

Qu. What is it to Jin prefumptuoujly, which doth heighten and aggravate^ti, and make it more heinous?

Anf. To fin prefumptuoufiy, is to fin againft convi6ttons and illuminations, or an enlightened confcience. Job xxiv. 13 ' They are of thofe that rebel againft the light.* Confcience, like the cherubim. Hands with a flaming fword in its hand, to deter the finner ; yet he will fin. Did not Pilate fin againft conviction, and with an high hand, in condemning Chrift } He knew that of envy the Jews had delivered him, Matt, xxvii. 18. he GonfefTed ' he found no fault with him,' Luke xxiii. 14. and his own wife lent to him, faying, 'have nothing to do with that jult man,' Matt, xxvii. 1<). Yet for all this, he gave the fentence of death againft Chrift. Here he finned prelbmptu-oufly, againft an enlightened confcience. To fin ignorantly„ doth fomelhing extenuate and pare off the guilt, John xv. 22.

* If I had not come, ye had had no lin ;' that is, your fin had been lefs ; but to fin againft illuminations andconvidtions, doth enhance and accent men's fins. Thefe fins make deep wounds in the foul ; other fins fetch blood, thefe are a ftab at the heart.

Qu. Hoio many ways doth a man Jin againji illuminations and convictions ?

Anf. 1. When he fives in the fatal negle<^ of duty. He is not ignorant that it is a duty to read the word, yet he lets the Bible lie by as rufty armour, that he feldom makes ule of; he is convinced that it is a duty to pray in his family, yet he can go days and months, and God never hear of him ; he calls God father but never a(ks his blefling. Neglect of family-prayer doth, as it were, uncover the roof of men's houfes, and makfc way for a curfe to be rained down upon their table.

9. When a man lives in the fame fins he condemns in others, Rom. ii. 2. * Thou that judgett another, doil the iarne tiling,' As Auftin (iiith of Seneca, " He wrote againft fiiperftHions, yet he worthipped thofe images which he reproved." One n)an condemns another for rafh cenfuring, yet lives in the fame fin himfelf; a maiter reproves his apprentice for fwearing, yet he hinifelf iwears. The fnuflfers of the tabernacle were of pure gold : they who reprove and fnuflthe vices of others, had need them-felves to he free from thole fins. The fnuffers muft, be of gold.

3. When a man fins after vows, Pf. Ivi. lo. ' Thy vows, O God, are upon me.' A vow is a religious promile made to God, to dedicate ourfelves to him. A vow is not only a pur-pofe, but a promife. Every votary makes himfelf a debtor, he binds himlielf to God in a Iblemn manner. Now to fin after a vow, to vow himfelf to God, and give his Ibul to the devil, muft Deeds be againft: the highefl; convictions.

4. When a man fins after counfels, admonitions, warnings, he cannot plead ignorance : the trumpet of the gofpel hath been blown in his ears, and founded a retreat to call him off from his fins ; he hath been told of his injufi^ice, living in malice, keeping bad company, yet he would venture upon (in : this is to fin againft convi6lion, it aggravates the fin, and is like a weight put into the fcale, to make his fin weigh the heavier. If a tea mark be fet up to give warning, that there are fiielves and rocks in that place, yet, if the mariner will fail there, and fplit his lliip, it is prefumption ; and, if he be call away, who will pity him ?

5. When a man fins againft exprefs comminationsand threatening?. God hath thundered out threatenings againft iuch fins, Pf. Ixvi. 21. ' God fliall wound the hairy fcalp of fuch an one as goes on ftill in his trel'pafl'es.' Yet, though God let the point of his fword to the breall of a finner, yet he will commit fin. The pleafure of fin doth more delight him, than the threatenings affright him : he, like the ' leviathan, laushs at the (baking of a fpear,' Job xli. Sy. Nay, he derides God's threatenings, Ifa. V. 1,9. * Let him make fpeed, and hallen his work, that we may fee it :' we have heard much what God intends to do, and of judgment approaching, we would fain fee it. For men to fee the flaming fword of God's threatenings brandiflied, yet to ftrengthen themfelves in fin, is in an high"manner to fin againft illumination and convi6tion.

6. When a man fins under aflliftion. God doth not only thunder by threatening, but hath let his thunder-bolt fall : he hath inflicted judgments on a perfon ; he may read his fin in his pimilhment, yet he fins. Hisfin was uncleannefs : he hath wafted his llrength as well as his eltate. He hath had a fit of apoplexy ; yet, though he feels the fmart of fin, he retains the love of fin. This is to fin againft convidion, 2 Chron. xxviii.

22. * In his diftrefs did he trefpafs yet more ; this is that king Ahaz.* This doth enhance and make the fin greater than other fins: for finning againft an enlightened confcience : (1.) Is full of obfl:inacy and pertinacioufnefs ; men tjive noreafon, make no defence for their fins, yet they are rel'olved to hold fall: iniquity. This is defperate vvilfulnefs ; and, Voluntas ejl regula et menfU' raaciionis, the more of the will in a fin, the greater the fin, Jer. xviii. 1'2. ' We will walk after our own devices.' Though there be death and hell every fl;ep, we will march on under Satan's colours. This made the fin of the apoft;ate angels fo great, becaufe it was wilful ; they had no ignorance in their mind, no pafiion to fiir them up ; there was no tempter to deceive them, but they finned obftinately and out of choice. (5.) To fin againft convi6lions and illuminations, is joined with flighting and contempt of God. It is bad for a finner to forget God, but it is worl'e to contemn him, Prov. x. 13. ' Wherefore do the wicked contemn God ?' An enlightened finner knows, that by his fin he difobligeth and angers God ; but he cares not whether God be pleaCed or not, he will have his fin : therefore fuchan one is faid to reproach God, Numb. xv. 30. * The foul that doth ought prefumptuoufly, the fame reproacheth the Lord.' Every fin difpleafeth God, but fins againft an enlightened confcience reproach the Lord. To contemn the authority of a prince, is a reproach done to him. (3.) It is accompanied with impudency. Fear and Ihame are baniflied, the veil of modefty is laid afide, Zeph. iii. 3. * The unjuft know-eth no fiiame.' Judas knew Chrift was the Melfiah ; he was convinced of it by an oracle from heaven, and by the miracles he wrought, and yet he impudently goes on in his treafon ; nay, when Chrifi; laid, ' He that dips his hand with me in the difii, he fliall betray me :' and Judas knew Chrift meant him. And when Judas was going about his treafon, Chrift pronounced a wo to him, Luke xxii. S2. yet, for all that, he proceeded in his treafon. Thus to fin prefumptuoufly, againft an enlightened confcience, dyes the fin of a crimfon colour, and makes it greater than other fins.

3. Such fins are more heinous than others, which are fins of continuance. The continuing of fin is the enhancing of fin. He who plots treafon, makes hitnfelf a greater offender. Some men's heads are the devil's mint-houfe, they are minting of milchief, Rom. i. 30. ' Inventors of evil things.' Some invent new oaths, others new fnares ; fuch were thofe prefidents that invented a decree againft Daniel, and got the king to fign it, Dan. vi. 9.

4. Thofe fins are greater which proceed from a fpirit of malignity. To malign holinefs is diabolical. It is a fin to want grace, it is worfe to bate it. In nature there are antipathies.

Vol. I. No. 11. ' 3X

as between the vine and laurel. Some have antipathy again^ God becauie ofhis purity, Ha. xxx, 11. * Caufe the holy One of Ifrael to ceafe from before us.' Sinners, if it lay in their power, would not only unthrone God, but unbe God ; if they could help it, God fhould no longer be God. This fin is boiled up to a greater height.

5. Thofe fins are of a greater magnitude which are mixed ■with ingratitude. God cannot endure, of all things, to have his kindnefs flighted. God's mercy is feen, in reprieving men fo long, in wooing them by his Spirit and minifters, to be reconciled, in crowning them with fo many temporal blefiings : now, to abufe all this love, when God hath been filling up the meafure ofhis mercy, that men fliould fill up the meafure of their fins : this is high ingratitude, and doth make their fins of a deeper crimfon. Some are worfe for mercy. The Vulture (faith Aeliau) draws ficknefs from perfumes. So the finner contra6ts evil from the fweet perfumes of God's mercy. The Englifh chronicle reports of one Parry, who being condemned to die, queen Elizabeth fent him his pardon ; and, after he was pardoned, he confpired and plotted the queen's death ; juft fo fome deal with God ; he befiows mercy, and they plot treafon againll him, Ifa i. 2. * I have nourilhed and brought up children, and they have rebelled againft me.' The Athenians, in lieu of the good fervice Themidocles had done them, baniflied him their city. The fnake, in the fable, being frozen, fi;ung him that gave it warmth. Certainly fins againft mercy are fair more heinous.

(j. Thofe fins are more heinous than others, which are committed with delegation. A child of God niay fin through a furpriial, or againft his will, Rom. vii. 19. ' The evil which I would not, that do I.' Like one that is carried down the ftream involuntarily. But, to fin with delight, dolh heighten and greaten the fin ; a fign the heart is in the fin, Hof. iv. 8. * They fet their heart on their iniquity,' As a man follows his gain with delight. Rev. xxii. 15. ' Without are dogs, and whofoever loveth and maketh a lie.' To tell a lie, is a fin ; but to love to tell a lie is a greater fin.

7. Thofe fins are more- heinous than others, whicli are committed under a pretence of religion. To cozen and defraud is a fin ; but to do it with a Bible in one's hand, is a double fin ; to be unchafte is a fin, but to put on a maflv of religion to play the whore, makes the fin greater, Prov. vii. 14. * I have peace-offerings with me ; this day have I paid my vows : come let us take our fill of love.* She fpeaks as if fhe had been at church, and had been faying her prayers : who would ever have fufpeded her of dilhonefty ? But, behold her hypocrify ; fhe makes her devotion a preface to adultery, Luke xx. 47. ' Who

devour widows' houfes, and for a pretence nnake long prayers.' This fin wai not in making long prayers ; (for Ciiriit was a whole night in prayer) but to make long prayers, that they might do unrighteous d<5tions, did make their lin more horrid.

I. Sins of apoilacy are more heinous than others. Demas forfook tile truth, ^ Tim. iv. 10. and afterwards became a prieft in an idol-temple, faith Dorotheus. To fall is a fin, but to fall away, is a greater fin. Apoftates call a difgrace upon religion. The apoftate (faith Tertullian) feems to put God and Satan in the ballance, and, having weighed both their fer-Tices, prefers the devil's fervice, and proclaims him to be the beft mailer. In which refped, the apoftate is faid to put Chrift to * open fhanie,* Heb. vi. 6. This dyes a fin in grain, and makes it greater. It is a fin not to profefs Chrift, but it is a greater to deny him : not to wear Chrifl's colours is a fin ; but to run from his colours, is a greater fin. A pagan finslefs than a baptized renegado.

Q. To perfecute religion, makes fin greater, A6ls vii. 22. * To have no religion, is a fin : but to endeavour to deftroy religion is a greater.' Antiochus Epiphanes took more tedious journies, and ran more hazards, to vex and oppofe the Jews, than all his predecellbrs had done in obtaining vi6tories. ' Herod added this above all, that he put John in prifon,' Luke iii. 20. He finned before by inceft ; but, by imprifoning the prophet, this added to his fin, and made it greater. Perfecution fills up the meafure of fin, Matth. xxiii. 32. * Fill you up the meafure of your fathers.' If you pour in a porringer of water into a ciftern, that adds fomething to it; but pour in a bucket-full or two, and that fills up the meafure of the ciflern : fo perfecution fills up the meafure of fin, and makes it greater.

10. To fin malicioufly, makes fin greater. Aquinas and other of the fchoolmen, place the trn-againll the Holy Gholl in malice. The finner, doth all he can to vev God, and defpite the Spirit of grace, Heb. x. 29. Thus Julian, who threw up his dagger in the air as if he would have been revenged upon God. This fwells fin to its full bignefs, it cannot be greater. When a man is once come to this, blaf'phemoufly to defpite the Spirit, there is but one flep lower he can fall, and that is to hell.

II. S^'ult. It aggravates fin, and makes it greater, when a man not only fins himfelf, but endeavours to make others fin. (1.) Such as teach errors to the people, who decry Chrifl's Deity, or deny his virtue, making him only a political head, not an head of influence ; who preach againll the morality of the fabbath, or the immortality of the foul : thefe men's fins are greater than others. If the breakers of God's law fin, what do they that teach men to break them ? Matth. v. l9. (2.) Such as deflroy others by their bad example. The Iwearing

3X2

father hath taught his fon to fwear, and damned hinn hy lus ex-? ample. Thele njen's fins are greater than others, and they ftiall have an hotter place in hell.

Uj'e. You fee all fins are not equal; fome are more grievous than others, and bring greater wrath ; therefore el'pecially take heed of thefe fins, Pfal. xix. 13. ' Keep back thy fervant fron-i prefumptuous fins.' The lead fin is bad enough; yon need not aggravate your fins, and make them more heinous : He that hath a little wound will not make it deeper. O beware of thefe bloody circumftances which greaten your fin, and make it more heinous. The higher a man is in finning, the lower he fliall lie in torment.

WHAT SIN DESERVETH.

Q. LXXXV. WHA T doth everyfm deferve ?

Anf. God's wrath and curfe, both in this life, and that which is to come.

Mat. XXV. 41. * Depart from me, yecurfed, into everlafting fire.'

Man having finned, is like a favourite turned out of the king's favour, and deferves the wrath and curfe of God.

I. God's curfe, Gal. iii. 10. As when Chrift curled the fig-tree, it withered. Mat. xxi. Ip. So, when God curfeth any, he withers in his foul. God's curfe blalls whether it comes.

II. God's wrath, which is nothing elfe but the execution of God's curfe.

Virft, \7hat this wrath is? In this wrath there is, (1.) Something that is Privative ; that is, the being deprived of the lh)i!es of God's face. It is hell enough to be excluded from God's * pif fence; in whole prefence is fulnefs of joy,' Pfal. xvi. II. God's fmiling face hath that fplendor and oriency of beauty fhining in it, as ravifiieth the angels with delight. This is the diamond in the ring of glory. And, if it were fuch a mercy for Abfalom, that he might not fee the king's face, 9, Kings xiv. 92. what will it be for the wicked to be thut out from beholding God's pleatant face! Privatio Divinae vi/ionis omnium J'up-p/icwrum Jummum.

('-2.) God's wrath hath fomething in it Pofitive : That is, his frown and enraged fury ; which is ' wrath come upon the fin-ner to the uUermoit,' 1 Theli". ii. 16. Here three pofitions or maxims;

1. God's wrath is irrefifiible, Pfalm xc. 11. * Who knows the power of thine anger.''' Sinners may oppofe God's ways.

but not his wrath. Shafl the briars contend witli (he fire ? Shall finite contend vviih intinite? Job xl. y. ' Haft tljouan arm like God ?'

2. God's wrath is tenihie. The Spanifli proverb is, The lion is not Jo fierce as he is painted. We are apt lo have flight thoughts of God's wrath ; but it is very tremendous and difinal, as if tcalding lead fliould bedropt into one's ej'e. Tlie Hebrew word for icrath, fignifies heat. I'o (Tiew that the wrath of God is hot, tlierefore it is compiued io fire in the text: Fire, when it is in its rage, isdreadtiil (as wefawin thetlatnes of this city). So the wrath of God is hl<e fire, it is the terrible of terribles. Other fire is but painted to this: If when God's wrath is kindled but a little, and a ("park ol it flies into a wicked man's con-fcience in this life, it is lb terrible; what will it be when God *' Itirs up all his wrath ?" Plal. Ixxviii. 38. How lad is it with a*foul in defertion ! Now God dips his pen in gall, and * writes bitter things:' now his poiloned arrow llicks fail in the heart, Plalm Ixxxviii. la, 1(). ' While 1 fuffer thy terrors, I am dif-tra6led ; i«y tierce wrath goeth over me.' Luther, in defertion, was in fuch horror of mind, that Nee calor, nee J'anguisfuper cjfet; he had no blood feen in his face, but he lay as one dead. Now, if God's wraih be fuch towards them whom he loves, what will it be towards them whom he hates? If they who fip of the cup fuid it fo bitter, what will they do who drink the dregs of the cup? PIhI. 1\kv. 8. Solomon faith, " The wrath of a prince, is as I he roaring of a lion," Prov. xix. l'^. What then is God's wrath? When God mullers up all his forces, and (ets himfelf in battalia againft a finner, how can his heart endure? Ezek. xxii. 14. ' Who is able to lie under mountainsof wrath?' God is the fweeteft friend, but the foreil enemy. To fet forth the fearfulnc'fs of ihis wrath.

(I.) The wrath of God IhuU feize upon every part of a finner : 1. Upon the body: The body, which was lb tender, it could not bear heat or cold, (hall be tormented in the wine-prels of God's wrath ; thofe eyes, which before could behold amorous objects, fliall be tormented with the fight of devils; the ears, which before were delighted with mufic, fliall he tormented with the hideous flirieks of the damned, 2. The wrath of God fhall feize upon the foul of a reprobate. Ordinary fire cannot touch the (bdl; when the martyrs' bodies wereconfuming, their fouls did triumph in the flames: but God's wrath burns the foul. 1. The memory fliall be tormented to remember what means of grace have been abufed. 2. Theconfcience fliall be tormented with felf-acculations : The finner fliall accufe himfelf for pre-fumptuous fins, for mil-fpending his precious hours, for refilling the H<ily Gholt.

l'^.) I'he wrath of God is without interraiflion. Hell is ao

abiding place, Imi no reftine: place; there's not a minute's reft. Outward pain hath fonie abatement.; if it be the lloneorcholic, the patient hath Ibmetimeseale: But the torments of the damned have no intermiffion ; he that feels God's wrath, never faith, • I have eafe.'

(3.) The wraih of God is eternal. So faith the text, * Ever-lafting fire.' No tears can quench the flame ot God's anger; no, though we could Ihed rivers of tears. In all pains of this life, men hope for a ceflation, the fufl'ering will not continue long ; either the tormentor dies, or the tormented : But the wrath of God is always feeding upon a hnner. The terror of natural fire is, that itconfumes what it burns: But this makes the fire of God's wrath terrible, that it doth not confume what it burns. Sicmorienturdamnatititfempervtvant, Bern. The finner fliall ever be in the furnace ; after innumerable millions of years, the wrath of God is as far from ending, as it was at the beginning. If all the earth and fea were fand, and every thou-land years a bird fhould come and take away one grain of this fand, it would be a long while ere that vafi; heap of land were emptied ; but if after all that time the damned might come out of hell, there were feme hope: But this word Ever breaks the heart.

Qu. But how doth it feem to confft with God's jiijiice to fjunifh Jin f which perhaps was committed in a moment J loith eternal Jive ?

Anf. In refpe6l of the heinous nature of fin. Confider the perfon offended; it is Crimen Lcejce-majejiatis: Sin is committed againft an infinite n)ajefiy ; therefore the fin is infinite, and fo the punilhment mufl; be infinite. Now, becaufe the nature of man is but finite, and a finner cannot at once bear infinite wrath, therefore he muft in eternity of time be fatisfying what he cannot fatisfy at once.

(4.) While the wicked lie fcorching in the flames of wrath, they have none to commiferate them. It is Ibme eale of grief, to have fome condole with us ; but the wicked have wrath and no pity fhewn them. Who fliould pity them? God will not pity them : They derided his Spirit, and now he will laugh at their calamity, Prov. i. 26'. The faints will not pity them : They perfecuted the faints upon earth, therefore they will rejoice to fee God's juftice executed on them, Pfal. Iviii. 10. * The righteous fliall rejoice when he fees the vengeance.'

(5.) The finner under wrath hath none to ipeak a good word for him. An ele6t perfon when he fins, hath one to intercede for him, 1 John ii. 1. ' We have an advocate, Jefus Chrill the righteous.' Chrifi will fay, It is one of my friends, one for whom I have fhed my blood ; Father, pardon hmi. But the wicked (that die in fin) have none to folicit for them ; they have

an accufer, but no advocate ; ChriIVs blood will not plead for them ; they flighted Chrill, and refufed to cone under his government, therefore Chrill's blood cries againlt then».

3. God's wrath is juft. The Greek word for vengeance, fignifies juftice. The wicked fhall drink a iea of wrath, but not one drop of injuftice. 'Tis juft God's honour be repaired, and how can that be but by punifhing offenders ? Havinc^ flievva you what this wrath of God is, 1 fhall (hew you, 2. That we have deferved the curfe and wrath of God : he who infringeth the king's laws, deferves the penalty. Mercy goes by favour, puniQiment by defert, Dan. ix. 8. •* To us belongeth confu-fion of face. Wrath is that which belongeth to us as we are finners; it is as due to us, as any wages that are paid.

Ufel. Of information, yt^ Branch. It juftifies God in condemning finners at the laft day. Sinners deferve wrath, audit is'no injuftice to give them that which they deferve. If a malefactor deferves death, the judge doth him no wrong in condemning him.

Qd, Branchy See what a great evil fin is, which expofeth a perfon to God's wrath for ever. You may know the lion by his paw: and you may know what an evil thing fin is, by the wrath and curie it brings. When you fee a man drawn upon an hurdle to execution, you conclude he is guilty of fome capital crime that brings fuch a punifliment : when a man lies under the horrid zone of God's wrath, and roars out in flames ; then fay, How horrid an evil fin isl They who now fee no evil in fwearing, or fabbath-breaking, they will fee it look black in the glafs of hell-torments.

od, Branch. See here an hand-writing upon the wall; here is that which may check a finner's mirth. He is brifknow and frolic, ' he chants to the found of the viol, and invents inftru-ments of mufic,' Amos vi. 5. He drinks ' ftolen waters,'and faith, * they are fvveet.* Oh ! but let him remember, that the wrath and curfe of God hang over him, which will Ihortly (without repentance) be executed on him. Dionyfius thought, as he fat at table, he faw a naked fword hang over his head : the fword of God's juftice hangs over a finner ; and when the (lender thiead of life is cut afunder, the fword falls upon him. ' Rejoice, O young man in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth,' Eccl. xi. 9. * But know thou for all thefe things, God will bring thee into judgment.' For a drop of pleafure, thou muft driv^k a fta of wrath. Your pleafure cannot be fo fweet, as wrath is bitter : the delights of the flelh cannot countervail the horror ofconfcience : better want the devil's honey, than be fo ftung with the wrath of God. The garden of Eden, which fignifies pleafure, had a tlammg fword placed at the eaft end of it, Gen. iii. 24, The garden of (^rnaland

fltjftil delight is furrounded with the flaming fv\'ord of God's wrath.

Uj'e 11. Reproof. It reproves the ftupidity of finners, who are uo more afl^'ecied with the curfe and wrath of God which ia due to ihem, Ha. xliv. IJ). * no n)an confidereth in his heart.* If they were in debt, and were ready to have the ferjeant arreft them, they would be a'ffecled with that : but tho' the fierce wrath of God is ready to arreft them, they remember not. A heaft, though he hath no fhame, yet he hath fear ; he is afraid of fire: but finners are worfe than brutifli, they fear not the * fire of hell,' till they are in it. Moft have their confcience afleep, or feared ; but when they (hall fee the vial's of God's wrath dropping, then they will cry out, as Dives, * O lam tormented in this flame!' Luke xvi. 24.

Ufe III. Exhort. 1. Let us adore God's patience, who hath not brought this wrath and curfe upon us all this while. We have del'erved wrath, yet God hath not given us our defert. We may all fubfcribe to that, Pf, ciii. 8. * The Lord is flow to anger :' and ver. 10. * He hath not rewarded us according to our iniquities.* God hath deferred his wrath, and given us fpace to repent. Rev. ii. 19. God is not like an hafty creditor, that requires the debt, and gives no time for the payment: he flioots ofl" his warning-piece, that he may not O^'^ot of}' his murdering-piece, 2 Pet. iii. y. * The Lord is long-fuflering to US-ward, not wiliing that any fliould perifh.' God adjourns the alfizes, to fee if finners would turn ; he keeps off the ftorm of his wrath : but if men will not be warned, let them know, that long-forbearance is no forgivenefs.

"2(1, Branch. Let us labour to prevent the wrath we have deferved. Howcareftd are men to prevent poverty or difgrace? Oh labour to prevent God's eternal wrath, that it may not only be deferred, but removed.

Qu. IVhat piall we do to prevent and efcape tvrath to come ?

/in/'. 1. By getting an iniereft in Jefus Chrift. Cbriftisfhe only (Ivreen to ftand betwixt us and the wrath of God : he did feel God's wrath, that they who believe in him fliould never feel it, 1 Thtff. i. 10. * Jelus hath delivered us from the wrath to come.' Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace was a type of God's wrath, and that furnace did not finge the garments of the three children, ' nor was the finell of fire upon them,* Dan. iii. 27-Jefus Chrift went into the furnace of his Father's wrath ; and thole that believe in him, the fmell of the fire of hell fhall never pafs upon them.

2. If we would prevent the wrath of God, let us take heed of thofe fins which will bring the wrath of God. Edmund, fuc-ceifor of Anfelm, had a faying, ♦' I had rather leap into a fur-

nace of fire, than willingly commit a fin againft Gofl." There are feveral fiery fins we mufl; take heed of, which will brhig the fire of God's wrath.

(I.) The fireof rafii anger. Some who profefs religion, yet cannot bridle their tongue ; they care not what they fay in their anger, they'will curfe their pallions. St. James faith * The tongue is fet on fire of hell,' chap. iii. 6. O take heed of a

* fiery tongue,' left it bring thee to ' fiery torment.' Dives begged a drop of water to cool his tongue: St. Cyprian faith. He had offended moil in his tongue, and now that was moft fet on fire.

{'2.] Take heed of the fire of malice. Malice is a malignant humour, whereby we wifii evil to one another; it is a vermin lives on blood, it ftudies revenge. Caligula had a cheft where he kept deadly poifons for them he had malice againft. The fire of malice brings men to the fiery * furnace of God's wrath.'

(3.) 'iake heed of the fin of uncleannefs, Heb. xiii. 4.

* Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.' Such as burn in uncleannefs, are in great danger to burn one day in hell. Let one fire put out another; let the fire of God's wrath put out the fire of liift.

Qd, Branch. To you who have a well-grounded hope, that you fiiall not feel this wrath, which you have deferved ; let me exhort you, 1. To be very thankful to God, who hath given his Son to lave you from this tremendous wrath. • Jefus hath delivered you from wrath to come.' The Lamb of God was fcorched in the fire of God's wrath for you : Chrift did feel the wrath which he did not deferve, that you may elcape the wrath which you have deferved. Pliny obferves, that there is nothing-better to quench fire than blood : Chrift's blood hath quenched the fire of God's wrath for you. ' Upon me, upon me be the curfe,' faid Rebekah to Jacob, Gen. xxvii. 13. So faid Chritt to God's juliice, "Upon me be the curfe, that my ele6l may inherit the bleffing." 2. Be patient under all the afl:li6tions which you endure. Affliction is fiiarp, but this is not wrath, this is not hell. Who would not willingly drink in the cup of afflidion, that knows he ftiall never drink in the cup of damnation ? who would not be willing to bear the wrath of men, that knows he fiiall never feel the wrath of God ?

Chrillian, tho' thou mayeft feel the rod, thou fiialt never feel the bloody Ux. Aufl;in once faid, " Strike, Lord, where thou v,?ilt, if fin be pardoned." So fay, Affli6t me, Lord, as thou wilt in this hfe, feeing I fliall efcape wrath to come.

Vol. I. No. 12. 3 Y

OF FAITH.

Q. LXXXV. WHAT doth God require of us that tee may efcape his math andvurje due to us for Jin ?

Anf. Faith in jefus Chrill, repentance unto life, with the diligent ufe of all the outward means, whereby Chrift commu-nicateth to us the benefits of redemption,

I begin with the firft, * Faith in Jefus Chrift,' Rom. iii. 25. * Whotii God hath let forth to be 'a propitiation through faith HI his blood.' The great privilege in the text is, to have Chrift for a propitiation ; which is nut only to free us from God's wrath, but to ingratiate us into God's love and favour. And the means of having Chrill to be our propitiation is, ' Faith in his blood.' There is a twofold faith, Fides guce creditur, (i. e.) " The doctrine of faith;" and Fides qua creditur, (i. e.) the ** grace of faith." The a6l of juftifying faith lies in recumbency : we do reft on Chrift alone for falvation. As a man that is ready to drown, catcheth hold on the bough of a tree; fo a poor trembling fmner, feeing himl'elf ready to perifli catcheth hold by faith on Chrift the tree of life, and fo is faved. The work of faith is by the holy Spirit; therefore faith is called the ' fruit of the Spirit,' Gal. v. 22. Faith doth not grow in nature, it is an ouilandifti plant, a fruit of the Spirit. This grace of faith is fancfijjimum humani peSiorit benum ; of all others, the moft precious ricli faith, and moft holy faith, and faith of God'se]e<5l: hence it is called ' precious faith,' 2 Pet. i. 1. As gold is the moft precious amorig the metals, fo is faith among the graces. Faith is the queen of the graces ; faith is the condition of the gofpel; * Thy faith hath faved thee,' Luke vii. 50. Not thy tears. Faith is the *' vital artery of the foul," it animates it, Heb. ii. 4. ' The juft ftiall live by faith.' Unbelievers, though they breathe, yet want life. Faith is (as Clemens Alexandrinus calls it) a mother grace: it excites and invigorates all the graces: not a grace ftirs till faith lets it a-work. Faith fets repentance a-work ; it is like fire to the ftill; faith fets hope a-work ; firft we believe the promife, then we hope for it: did not faith feed the lamp of hope with oil, it would foon die : faith fets love a-work. Gal. v, 6. * Faith which worketh by love.' Who can believe in the infinite merits of Chrift, and his heart not afcend in a fiery chariot of love } Faith is a catholi-con, or remedy agaiuft all troubles, a ftieet-anchor we caft out into the fea of God's mercy, and are kept from finking in de-fpair. Other graces have done worthily ; thou, O Faith, ex-

celled them all. Indeed in heaven love will be the chief grace: but, while wn are here militant, love mult give place to faith. Love takes poflelfion of glory, but faith gives a title to it. Love is the cjowning grace in heaven, but faith is the conquering grace upon earth, 1 John. v. 4. * This is the vidtory that overcometh the world, even our faith.' Faith carries away the garland from all the other graces: other graces help to iandtify us, but it is faith only that hath the honour to juftify, Rom. v. i. * Being ju ill tied by faith.'

Qu. But how cumes faith to he fo precious 9

Anf. Not as it is a more holy quality, or as if it had more worthinefs than other graces, but refpeciu objeSll, " as it lays hold on Chrill the blelied object," and fetcheth in his fuluelis, John ix. l(j. Faith in itfelt'coufidered, is but manus mendicat " the beggar's hand :" but as this hand receives the rich alms of Chriil's merits, fo it is precious, and doth challenge a fupe-riority over the reft of the graces.

Uje L Branch \Ji. Of all llns beware of the rock of unbelief, Heb. iii. 12. ' Take heed left there be in any of us an evil heart of unbelief.' Men think, as long as they are not drunkards or Iwearers, it is no great matter to be unbelievers. This is the gol'pel-lin, it dyes your other fins in grain.

1. Unbelief is a Chrift-reproaching fin. Unbelief difparagetli Chrift's infinite merit as if it could not fave : unbelief makes the wound of fin to be broader than the plaifter of Clirilt's blood. This is an high contempt offered to Chrift and is a deeper fpear than that which the Jew? thurft into his fide.

2. Unbelief is an ungrateful fin. Ingratus vitandus eji ut di-rnmfcelus, tellus ipfafcedius nihilcreat. Ingratitude is a prodigy of wickednefs ; unbelief is ungrateful, being againft the nchelt mercy. Suppofe a king (hould redeem a captive, and to redeerii him fliould part with his crown of gold from his head : and when he had done this, fiiould fay to the maa redeemed, " All I defire of thee in lieu of my kindnefs, is to believe that I love thee-:" now, if he (hould lay, *' No, I do not believe any fuch thing ; or that thou carell at all for me :" I appeal to you, were not this odious ingratitude ? So is this cafe here, God hath fent his Son to (bed his blood : God requires only to believe in him, that he is able and willing to fave us : No, faith unbelief, his blood was not died for me,-1 cannot perCuade myfelf that Chrift hath any purpofe of love to me : is not this horrid ingratitude? And this enhanceth a fin, and makes it of a criinfon colour.

3. Unbelief is a leading fin. It is the breeder of fin. Qualita^ malae vitae initium fummit ab injidelitate. Unbelief is a root-fin, and the devil labours to water tliis root, that the branches may be fruitful. (1.) Unbelief breeds hardnefs of heart: therefore they are put together, Mark xvt. 14. Chrift upbraideth

3 Y ^^

them with their unbelief and harclnefs of heart. Unbelief breeds the iione of the heart: he who beheves not in Chrill, is Dot afl'eded with his fufferings, he melts not in tears of love. Unbelief tVeezeth the heart: fit ft it defiles antl hardens. (2.) Unbehef breeds profanenefs : an unbeliever will Hick at no fin ; neither at falfe weights, nor falfe oaths. He will iwallow down treafon ; Judas was firll an unbeliever, and then a traitor, John vi. 04. He who hath no faith in his heart, will have no fear of God before his eyes.

4. Unbelief is a wrath procuring fin; it is inhm'ca falutis^ Bern. John iii. 18. Jam condemnutus eft, dying fo, he is as fure to be condemned as if it were I'o already, John iii. 36. * He that believeth not on the Son of God, the wrath of God abideth on him.' He who believes not in the blood of the Lamb, mull feel the wrath of the Lamb. The Gentiles that believe not in Chrill, will be as well damned as the Jews who blafpheme him. And if unbelief be fo fearful and damnable a fin, (liall we not be afraid to live in it }

^d. Branch. Above all graces, * fet faiih a-work on Chrifl,' John iii. 15. 'That wholbever believeth on him Ihould not perifii.' Eph. vi, 1(5. 'Above all, tuke the Ihield of faith.' Say as queen Eilher, ' I will go in into the king ; and if I pe-rifh, I perifli.' She had •lothing to encourage her, fhe ventured agaiiill law, yet the golden fceptre was held forth to her. We have promifes to encourage our faith, John vi. 37 ' He that Cometh unto m5, I will in no wife call out.* Let us then advance faith by an holy recumbency on ChrilVs merits. Chrift's blood will notjuftify without believing: they are both put together in the text, * Faith in his blood.' The blood of God, without faifh in Chriil will not fave. Chrifl's fufferings are the plaifter to heal a fin-fick loul, but this plaifier mufl be applied by faith. It is not money in a rich man's hand, tlio' offered to us, will enrich us, unlets we receive it. So it is not Chrifl's virtues or benefits will do us good, unlefs we receive them by the hand of failh. Above all graces, let faith on work ; remember this grace is moll acceptable to God, and that upon many accounts.

(I.) Becaufe it is a God exalting grace: it glorifies God, Rom. iv. '-20. * Abraham being llrong in faith, gave glory to God.' To believe that there is more mercy in God, and merit in Chrifl, than fin in us, and that Chritt hath anfwered all the demands and challenges of the law, and that his blood hath fully fatisfied for us ; this is an high degree to honour God. Faith in the mediator brings more glory to God, than martyrdom, or the moil heroic a6l of obedience.

(y.) Failh in Chrifl is fb acceptable to God, becaufe itis fuch a Telf-denying grace ; it makes a man go out of himfelf, re-

nounce all felf-righteoufnefs, and wholly rely on Chrifi; for jufti* ficalion. Faith is very humble, itconl'elfeth its own indigence, and lives wholly upon Chiilt. As the bee fucks fweetnelsifrom the flower, lb faith fucks ail its flrenglh and comfort from •Chrift.

(3.) Faith is a grace fo acceptable to God, becaufe by faith we prefent a righteoufnefs to God, which doth bell pleale him; we bring the righteoufnefs of Chrill into the court, which is called the righteoufnefs of God, '2 Cor. v. 21. To bring Chrift's righteoufnefs, is to bring Benjamin with us. A believer may fay. Lord, it is not the righteoufnefs of Adam, or of the angela but of Chrift who is God-man, that I bring before thee. The Lord cannot choofe but fmell a fweet favour in Chrift's righteoufnefs.

U/e II. Trial. Let us try our faith ; there is fometliing that looks like faith, and is not. Pliny faith, there is Cyprian (lone, which is in colour, like a diamond, but it is not of the right kind ; there is a falfe fpurious faith in the world. Some plants have the fame leaf with others, but the Herbalifl can diftinguilh them by the root and tafte ; fomething may look like true faith, but it may be diftinguifhed (everal ways.

(1.) Trial. True faith is grounded upon knowledge; knowledge carries the torch before faith. There is a knowledge of Chrid's orient excellencies, Phil. iii. 8. He is all made up of love and beauty. True faith is a judicious, intelligent grace, it knows whom it believes, and why it believ^. Faith is feated as well in the underllanding a^ the will : it hath an eye to fee Chrill, as well as a vi'ing to fly to him. Such therefore as are invailed with ignorance, or have only an implicit faith, to believe as the Church believes, have no true genuine faith.

(2.) Faith lives in a broken heart, Mark ix. 24. ' He cried out with tears, Lord, I believe.' True faith is always in an heart bruifed for iiii : fuch therefore, whofe hearts were never touched for fin, have no faith. If a phyfician (hould tell us, there were an herb would help us againll all infetSlions, but it always grows in a watery place : if we fliould fee an herb like it in colour, leaf, fmell, blofi'om, but it grows upon a rock we fhould conclude this were the wrong herb. So faving faith doth always grow in an heart humbled for fm ; it grows in a weeping eye, watery conlcience : therefore, if there be a fiiew of faith, but it grows upon a rock, an hard impenitent heart, this is not the true faith.

(3.) True faith is at firft nothing, but an Embryo, it is minute and fmall ; it is full of doubtings, temptations, fears; it begins in weaknefs. It is like the fmoaking flax. Mat. xii. 20, It fmokes with defires, but doth not tlame with comfort ; it is at fir-fl fo fmall, that it is fcarce difceruable. Such as^ at the

OF FAITH.

firfl dafii, have a flrong perfuafion that Chrift is theirs, who leap out of (in into afl'urance, their faith is falle ami fpurious : that faith, whicli is come to its full ftature on its birth-day, is a monller. The feed that fprung up fuddenly withered. Mat. xiii. 5.

(4.) Faith is a refining grace, it confecrates and purifies. Moral virtue may wafh the outiide, faith walheth the infide. Ads XV. (). ' Having purified their hearts by faith,' faith makes the heart a facrary or tenjple with this infcription, * hohnefs to the Lord,' fuch, whofe hearts have legions of lufts in them, were never acquainted with the true faith. For one to fay he hath faiih, yet live in fin ; is, as if one fhould fay, he were in health, yet his vitals are perifiied. Faith is a virgin-grace, it is joined with (andity, 1 Tim. iii. 0. ' Holding the myftery of faith in a pure confcience.' The jewel of faith is always put in the cabinet of a pure conlcience. The woman that touched Chrift by faith, fetched an healing and cleanfing virtue from him.

(5.) True faith is obediential, Rom. xvi. 2G. * The obedience of faith.' Faith melts our will into the will of God. If God commands duty (though crofs to flefli and blood) faith obeys, Heb. xi. 8. • By faith Abraham obeyed.' Faith doth not only believe the promlle, but obey the command. It is not having a fpeculative knowledge will evidence you to be believers: the devil hath knowledge ; but that which makes him a devil is, he wants obedien(%.

(0.) True faith is increafing, Rom. i. 17. * From faith to faith,' i. e. From one degree of faith to another. Faith doth not lie in the heart, as a ftone in the earlh ; but, as feed in the earth, it grows. Jofeph of Arimathea was a difcipie of Chrift, but afraid to confefs him ; afterwards he went boldly to Pilate and begged the body of Jefus, John xix. 36. And a Chrit tian's increafe in faith is known two ways :

1. By ftedfadnefs : he is a pillar in the temple of God, Col. il, 7. ' Rooted and built up in him ; and eilablilhed in the faith.' Unbelievers are fceptics in religion, they are unfettled; they queftion every truth : but, when faith is on the increafing hand, it doth fubilire animum, it doth corroborate a Chriftian ; he is able to prove his principles; he hojds no more than he will die for : as that martyr-woman laid, " I cannot difpute for Chriil, but lean burn for him." An increafing faith is not like a fliip ii; the midft of the fea, that flu6luates and is tofi'ed upon the waves ; but like a (hip at anchor which is firm and ftedfaft.

2. A Chriftian's increafe in faith is known byfirength: he can do that now, which he could not do belbre. When one is man-grown, he can do that which he was not able to do when

he was a child ; he can carry an heavier burden ; fo a Clniftian

can bear crolTes wilh more patience.

' Obj. But I fear I have no faith it isfo iceak?

Anf. If you have faith though but in its infancy, be not dif-conraged ; For, (I.) A Mttle i'aith is faith, as a fpark of fire is fire. {"-Z.) A weak fiith may lay hold on a ftrong Chrifl;: a weak hand can tie the knot in rnarriige, as well as a itrong. She, in^he gofpel, who but touched Chriil, fetched virtue from him. (3.) I'he promifes are not made to rtrong faith, but, to true. The promife doth not fay, he who hath a giant faith, who can believe God's love through a frown, who can rejoice in aftli6lion, who can work wonders, remove mountains, Itop the mouth of lions, fhall be faved ; but, whofoever believes, be his faith never fo fmall. A reed is but weak efpecially when it is bruifed; yet the promife, is made to it, Mat. xii. 20. * A brtfifed reed will he not break.' (4.) A weak faith may be fruitful. Weakelt things multiply mofi:. The vine is a weak plant, but it is fruitful. The thief's crofs, which was newly converted, was but weak in grace; but how many precious chillers grew upon that tender plant! Luke xxiii. 40. he chides his fellow-thief, ' Doft thou not fear God?' He judgeth him-fell", * We indeed futfer judly.' He believes in Chriil, when he faid, ' Lord.* He makes a heavenly prayer, ' Remember me, when thou comeft into thy kingdom.' Weak Chrillians may have itrong aff'edions. How ftrong is the firft love, which is after the firlt planting of faith ! (5.) The-weakeft believer is a member of Chrift, as well as the ftrongeft; and the weakeft member of the body myftically (liallnot perilh. Chrift will cut otf rotten members, but not weak members. Therefore, Chrif-tian, benotdilcouraged : God, who would havens receive them that are weak in faith, Rom. xiv. 1. will not himfelf refufe them.

n. The fecond means whereby we efcape thecurfe and wrath due to fin, is by repentance.

OF REPENTANCE.

Acts xi. IS. Then hath God alfo to the Gentiles granted Repent' ance unto Life.

Repentance feems to be a bitter pill to take, but it is to purge out the bad humour of fin. Repentance is, by tome Anfii">miari fpirits, cried iovvn as a legal do6lrine ; but Chrift himfelf pr-eachedit, Matth. iv. I7. * From that time Jefus began to preach, and lay. Repent,' &c. And, in his iall farewel.

when he was afcending to heaven, he commanded that *. Repentance fliould be preached in his name,' Luke xxiv. 37. Repentance is a pure gofpel grace. The covenant of works would not admit of repentance: it curfed all that could not perform perfe6t and perfonal obedience, Gal. iii. 10. Repentance comes in by the gofpel; it is the fruit of Chrifl's purchafe, that repenting finners fnall be faved. Repentance is wrought by the miniflry of the gofpel, while it fets before our eyes Chrift crucified. Repentance is not arbitrary, but neceflary ; there is no being faved without it, Luke xiii. 3. ' Except ye repent, ye (hall all likewife perifti.' And we maybe thankful to God, that he hath left us this plank after (hipwreck. (1.) I (hall fliewthe counterfeits of repentance.

1. Natural foftnefs and tendernefs of fpirit. Some have a tender affedlion, arifing from their complexion, whereby they are apt to weep tuid relent when they fee any obje6t of pity. Thefe are not repenting tears ; for many weep to fee another's mifery, who cannot weep at their own fin.

2. Counterfeit, Legal affrightments. A man hath lived in a courfe of fin ; at laft he is made a little fenfible, he fees hell ready to devour him, and he is filled with anguifh and horror; but, within a while the tempefi; of confcience is blown over, and he is quiet: then he concludes he is a true penitent, becaufe he hath felt fome bitternefs in fin : this is not repentance. Judas had fome trouble of mind. If anguifli and trouble were fuf-ficient to repentance, then the damned would be moft penitent, for they are mofl in anguifli of mind. There may be trouble of mind, where there is no grieving for the offence againfi: God.

3. Counterfeit, a flight fuperficial forrow. When God's hand lies heavy upon a man (he is fick or lame) he may vent a figh or tear, and fay. Lord, have mercy ; yet this is no true repentance. Ahab did more than all this, 1 Kings xxi. 27. * He rent his clothes, and faded, and lay in fackcloth, and went foftly.* His clothes were rent, but not his heart. The eye may be watery, and the heart flinty. An apricock may be foft without, but it hath an hard fl:one within.

4. Counterfeit, Good motions arifing in the heart. Every good motion is not repentance. Some think, if they have motions in their hearts to break off their fins, and become religious, this is repentance, x'^ls the devil may ftir up bad motions in the godly, lb the Spirit of God may iVir up good motions in the wicked. Herod had many good thoughts, and inclinations flined up in him by John Baplill'spreaching, yet he did not truly repent for he (till lived in incefl;.

6. Counterfeit, vows, and refolutions. What vows and fo-lemn protellations do fome make in their ficknefs, if God recovered them they will be new men, but afterwards are as bad as ,

ever ! Jer. ii. 20. * Thou faidft, I will not tranfgrefs ; here was a refolution : but for all this Die ran after her idols ; * Under every green tree thou waudereli, playing the harlot.

6. CounteVfeit, Leaving off Ibme grofs (in. But this is a Tniftake, for, (1.) A man may leave fome fins, and keep others. Herod did reform many things aniifs, but kept his Herodias. (2.) An old fin may be left, to entertain a new. A man may leave off riot and prodigality, and turn covetous ; this is to exchange a fin. Thefe are the counterfeits ofYepentance. Now, if you find that your's is a counterfeit repentance, and you have not repented aright, mend what you have done amifs : as in the body, if a bone be fet wrong, the chirurgeon hath no way but to break it again, and fet it aright : fo muft you do by your repentance ; if you have not repented aright, you mull: have your heart broken again in a godly manner, and be more deeply afflided for fin than ever. And that brings me to the fe-cond, to fliew wherein true repentance confills : it confifts in two things ;

ly? Humiliation ; Lev. xsvi. 41. ' If their uncircumcifed hearts be humbled.' There is (as the Ichoolmen) a twofold humiliation, or breaking of the heart. 1. Attrition ; as when a rock is broken in pieces ; This is done by the law, which is an hammer to break the heart. 2. Contrition ; as when ice is melted into water. This is done by the gofpel, which is as a fire to * melt the heart,' Jer. xxiii. 9- It is the fenie of abufed kindnefs caufeth contrition.

2f//y, Transformation, or change, Rom. xii. 2. * Be ye tranf-formed by the renewing of your mind.' Repentance works a change in the whole man : as wine put into a glafs where water is, the wine runs into every part of the water, and changeth its colour and taflie ; fo true repentance doth not reft in one part, but diffufe and fpread itfelf into every part.

1. Repentance caufeth a change in the mind. Whereas, before a man did like well of fin, and fay in defence of it, as Jonah, ' rdid vvelltobeangry,' chap. ii. 9. So, I did well to fwear, and break the fabbath. When once a man becomes a penitent, his judgment is changed, he now looks upon fin as the greateft evil. The Greek word for repentance, fignifies afier-wifdom ; when, having feen how deformed and damnable a thing fin is, we change our mind. Paul, beforeconverfion, verily thought he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jcfus, Acts xxvi. 9. But, when he became a penitent, now he was of another mind, Phil. iii. 8. ' I count all things but lots for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus.* Repentance caufeth a change of judgment.

2. Repentance caufeth a change in theaffe6lions, which move under the will as the commander in chief. Repentance doth

Vol. I. No-. 12, 3 Z

metamorphofe the afTe6lions. It turns rejoicing in Cin into for-row for (in : \f turns bold nets in fin into holy (hame : it turns the love of fin into hatred. ' As Aninon hated Tamar more than ever he loved her,' 2 Sam. xiii. 15. So the true penitent hated (in more than ever he loved it, Pial. cxix. 104. * I hate every faife way.'

3. Repentance works a change in tlie life. The' repentance begins at the heart, it doth not reft here, but goes into the hfe. 1 (ay, it begins at the heart, Jer. iv. 14. ' O Jerufalem, wa(h thy heart.' If the fpring be corrupt, there can no pure ftream run (Vom it. But tho' repentance begins at the heart, it doth not red there, but changeth the life. What a change did repentance make in Paul! it changed a perl'ecuter into a preacher. What a change did it make in the jailer ? Ads xvi. 33. He took the apoftles, and wa(hed their ftripes, and fet meat before them. What a change did it make in Mary Magdalene ^ She that before did kifs her lovers with wanton embraces, now kid'eih Chriit's feet ; flie that did ufe to curl her hair, anddrefs it with coftly jewels, now (he makes it a towel to wipe Chrift's feet : her eyes that ufed to fparkle with lult, and with impure glances to entice her lovers, now (lie makes them a ibuntain of tears to wafli her Saviour's feet : her tongue, that uledto (peak vainly and loolely, now it is an inftrument fet in tune to praife God. And this change of liie liath two things in it;

(I.) 'The tertninns a quo, a breaking off fin, Dan.iv. 27. * Break off thy fins by righteoufnefs.' And this breaking off fin muft have three qualifications ; 1. It muff be univerfai, a breaking oif all fin. One dii'eafe may kill as well as more, one fin lived in may damn, as well as more. The real penitent breaks off fecret, gainful complexion (ins ; he takes the facri-ficing k)ufe of mortification, and runs it through the heart of his deareft luffs, 'i. Breaking off fin muft be fincere : it muft not be out of fear or defign, but uponfpiritual grounds : as Iji, From antipathy and dilguft.

2rf///, From a principle of fove to God. If fin had not fucli evil etfe6ls, yet a true penitent would forfake it out of love to God. The beft way to feparate things that are frozen, is by fire. When fin and the heart are frozen together, the beft way to feparate them is by the fire of love. Shall I fin againft a gniciou.s Father, and abule that love which pardons me ? 3c?/;/, The breaking of fin muft be perpetual, fo as never to have to do with fin any more, Hof. xiy. 8. * What have I to do anymore with idols .?' Repentance is a fpiritual divorce, which muff be till death-

(y.) Change of life hath in it terminus ad quern, a returning unto the Lord : it is called ' repentance towards God.' A6ts XX. 21. 'Tis not enough when we repent, to leave old fins:

OF REPENTANCE. §47

but we muft engage in God's fervice : as when the wind leaves the well it turns into a contrary corner. The.repenting prodigal did not only leave his harlots, but did arife and go to liis father, Luke xxv. 8. In true repentance the heart points di-re€t\y to God, as the nttxile to the North-pole.

Ufe. Let us all let upon this great work of repentance ; let us repent fincerely and fpeedily : let us repent of all our fins, our pride, rafh anger, unbelief. ' Without repentance no re-niilfion ;' It is not confident with the holineis oT God's nature, to pardon a finner wldle he is in the a<5t. of rebellion. O meet God, not with v^'eapons, but tears in your eyen^. And, to llir you up by a melting, j)enitent frame.

1. Confider, what is there in (in, that you fliould continue ia the practice of it ? It is the * accurfed thing,' Jofii. vii. 11, It is the Ipirits of mifchief difiilled. {1.) It defiles the fours gloVy ; it is like a (lain to bexxuty : 'tis compared to a plague-fore, 1 Kings viii. 38. Nothing fo changeth one's glory mto fhame, as fin. (2.) Without repentance, fin tends to final damnation. Peccutum tranjit a6tua manet reutu. —Sin at firlt (hews its colour in the glafs, but afterwards it bites like a fer-pent, Thofe loculls. Rev. i.\. 7. were an emblem of fin : * On their heads were crowns like gold, and they had hair as thehair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions, and there were (lings in their tails.' Sin unrepented of, ends in a tragedy. Sin hath the devil for its father, (hame for its companion, and death for its wages, Rom. vi. 23. What is there in fin then, that men fhould continue in it? Say not, it is fweet : who would defire that pleafure which kills ?

2. Repentance is very pleafing to God; no facrifice like a broken heart, Pf. li. 17- ' A contrite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not defpile.' St. Aufiin caufeth this fentence to be written over his bed when he was fick. ' When the widow brought empty velTels to Eliflia, the oil was poured into them,' 2 Kings iv. 6. ' Bring God the bix)ken veliel of a contrite heart, and he will power in the oil of mercy. Repenting tears are the joy of God and angels, Luke xv. Doves delight to be about the waters; and (urely God's Spirit (who once defcended in the likenefs of a dove) takes great delight in the waters of repentance. iMary (lood at Jefus' feet weeping, Luke vii. 38. She brought two things to Chrill, tears and ointment ; her tears were more precious to Chrifi; than her ointment.

3. Repentance u(hers in pardon ; therefore they are joined together, A(^ts v. 31. * Repentance and remiliion.* Pardon of fin is the richeft blelTmg ; it is enough to make a fick man well, Ila.-xxxiii. 24. * The inhabitant (hall not lay, I am fick ; the people that dwell therein (hall be forgiven their iniquity.* Pardon fettles upon us the rich charter of the promifes. Par-

&4S or REPENTANCE.

doning mercy is thefauce that makes all other mercies relifli the fweeter; it fvveetens our health, riches, honour. David had a crown of pure gold let upon his head, Pf. xxi. 3. But that which David did moft blefN God for, was not that God had fet a crown of gold upon his head, but that God fet a crown of mercy upon his head, Pf. ciii. 4. ' Who crowneth thee with mercies.' But what was this crown of mercy ? you m;jy fee, ver. 3. * Who forgiveth all thine iniquities.' David more rejoiced that he was crowned with forgivenefs, than that he wore a crown of pure gold. Now, what is it makes way for pardon of fin, but repentance? When David's foul was humbled and broken, then the prophet Nathan brought him that good news, 2 Sam. xii. 13. ' The Lord hath put away thy fin.'

Obj. Butfure, my Jzns are Jo great, that ?/1 fiould repent, God would not pardon them.

Anf. God will not go from his promife, Jer. iii. 12. * Return thou backiliding Ifrael, faith the Lord, and I will not caufe mine anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful.' If thy fins are as rocks, yet, upon thy repentance, the fea of God's mercy can drown thefe rocks, Ifa. 1. l(). * Wath ye, make ye clean.* Wafh in the laver of repentance, ver. 18. * Come now, and let us reafon, faith the Lord ; though your fins be as i'carlet, they fhall be as white as fnow.' Manaflah was a crimlbn fin-ner; but, when he humbled himfelf greatly, the golden f/;!eptre of mercy was held forth ; when his head was a fountain to weep for fin, Chrift's fides was a fountain to wafli away fin. 'Tis not the greatnefs of fin, butimpenitency, deftroys. The Jews, fome of them, that had an hand in crucifying Chriil, upon their repentance, the blood they flied was a fovereign balm to heal them. When the prodigal came home to his lather, he had the robe and the wring put upon him, and his * father killed him,' Luke xv. If you break off your fins, God will become a friend to you : all that is in God fhall be yours; his power fhali be yours, to help you ; his wifdom fhall be yours, to coun-fel you ; his fpirit fliall be yours, to fan6iify you ; his promifes ftiall be yours, to comfort you ; his angels fliall be yours, to guard you ; his mercy (hall be yours to faveyou.

4. There's much fweetnefs in repenting tears. The foul is never more enlarged and inwardly delighted, them when it can melt kindly for fin. Weeping days are feftival days. The Hebrew wotd to repent, Nichajn, fignifies confolari, ' to take comfort,' John xvi. 21. .' Yonr forrow fliall be turned into joy.' Chrift turns the water of tears into wine. David, who was the great mourner in Ifrael, was the fweet finger ; and the joy a true penitent finds, is a prelibation and foretaft,e of the joy of paradife. The wicked man's joy turns to ladnefs ; the penitent's (adnefs turns to joy. Though repentance feems at

THE WORD READ AND PREACHED, &C. 549

frrft to be thorny and bitter, yet of this thorn a Chriilian gathers grapes. Ail which confiderations may open a vein of godly Ibrrow in our fouls, that we may both weep for tin, and turn from fin, if ever God reftores comfort, it is to his mourners, Jla. Ivii. IS. And when we have wepjl, let us look up to Chrill's blood for pardon : lay, as that holy man, lava Domhie lacrhy' mas meas. —*' Lord, wafli my tears in thy blood." We drop iin with our tears, and need Chrift's blood to wafh them : and this repentance mull not be only for a {qw days, like the mourning for a friend, which is foon over; but it muffc be the work of our lives : the iflue of godly forrow muft not be jlopt till death. After fin is pardoned, we mull repent. We runafrelh upon the fcore, *' we fin daily, theretore mull repent daily." Some Ihed a few tears for fin ; and, when their tears, like the widow's oil, have run a while they ceale. Many, if the plaif-ter of repentance begin to fmart a little, pluck it off; whereas this plailler of repentance mull ftill lie on, and not be plucked oil" till death, when as all other tears, fo thele of godly Ibrrow, Ihall be wiped away.

Qu. Wkat Jliall ice do to obtain a penitential frame of heart ?

Anf. Seek to God for it : It is his promife to give an ' heart of flelh,* Ezek. xxxvi. and to ' pour on us a fpirit of mourning,' Zech. xii. 10. Beg God's ' holy Spirit,' Pf. cxlvii. 18. * He caufeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.' When the wind of God's Spirit blows upon us, then the waters of repentant tears will flow from us.

THE WORD READ AND PREACHED, HOW EFFECTUAL }

in. The third way to efcape the wrath and curfe of God and obtain the benefit of redemption by Chrill, is, ' The diligent ufe of ordinances :* in particular the '* word, facra-nients and prayer."

1. I begin with the firftofthefe ordinances,

I. The * word,' I Theli". u. 13.—' which etFeaually worketh in you that believe.'

Qu. What is meant hy the words working efte6lual ?

Anf. The word of God is laid to work etleclually, when it hath good eft'edl upon us for which it was appointed of God ; namely, when the word works powerful illumination, and thorough retormation, A6ls xxvi. IS. ' To open their eyes, and turn them from the power of Satan to God.' The * opening their eyes,' denotes illumination ; and, ' turning them from Satan to God,* denotes reformation.

Qu. 2. how is the word to be read and heard that it may be^ come effeSiual to J'alvation ?

This queltion conlilts of two branches.

J. Huw may the word be read effectnalhi 9

Firji, I (hall begin wiih.the lirlt branch of the queftion,

• How is the word to be read that it may be effectual to falva-tion?'

A?if. That we may fo read the word, that it may conduce effe6tually to our Iklvation :

1. Let us have a reverend efteem of every part of canonical fcrij)Lure, Pf. cxix. 10. ' More are they to be defired than gold.' Value thib book of God above all other books; it is a golden epillle, eudited by the Holy Gholl, lent us from heaven. More particiilirly, to raile our eileeni, (1.) Thefcriplure is a fpiritual glafs, to drels our fouls by ; it (hews us more than we can fee by the light of a natural confcience: that may dif-cover grofs (ins ; but the glafs of the word (fiews us heart-fins, vain thoughts unbelief, &c. And it not only (hews us ourfpots, but waflieth them away. (2.) "^Fhe fcripture is a magazine, out of which we may fetch our fpiritual artillery to tight agaiuft Satan. When the devil tempted our Saviour, he fetched armour and weapons from fcripture, ' it is-written,' Matth. iv. 4, 7. (3.) The holy fcripture is a panacea, or univerfal medicine for the foul; it gives a receipt to cure deadnefs of heart, Pfal. cxix. 50. Pride, 1 Pet. v. 5. Infidelity, John iii. 30. It is a phyfic garden, where we may gather an herb or antidote to expel the poifon of fin. The leaves of fcripture like the leaves of the tree of life, are for the ' healing of the4iati€)ns,' Rev. xxii. 2. And may not this caufe a reverend efteem of the word ?

2. If we would have the word written effe6tual to our fouls, let us perufe it with " intenfenels of mind," John v. 39.

* Search the fcriptures.* The Greek word [^erynate'] fignifiesto fearch as for a " vein of filver." The Bereans, Ads xvii. ' fearched the fcriptures daily.' The word [anakrimontes'] *' fignifiesto make a curious and critical fearch." And Apollos was mighty in the fcriptures, A6ts xviii. 24. Somegallop over a chapter in halte and get no good by it : if we would have the word etfedlual and laving, we muil mind and obferve every paflage of fcripture. And that we may be diligent in the pe-lulal of fcri|)ture, confider,

Firji, 'The word written is norma cultiis, the rule and platform by which we are to (quare our lives ; it contains in it all things needful to falvation, Pf. xix. 7. what duties we are to do, what (ins we are to avoid. God gave Mofes a pattern how he.would have the tabernacle made, and he was to go exacliy according to the pattern, Exod. xxv. 9. The word is the pat-

t*m God hath g-iven us in writing, for modelling onr lives; therefore, how careful Ihould we be in the peruhiig and looking over this pattern ?

Secondly, The written word, as it is our pattern, fo it will be our judge, John >:ii. 48. ' The word that I have fpoken, the fame (hall judge him at the laft day.' VV"e read of the

* of)ening of the books,' Rev. xx. 1*2. This is one book God will open, the book of rhe fcripture and will judge men out of it; he wilHay, have you lived according to the rule of this word ? The word hath a double work, to teach, and to judge.

3. If we would have the word wriiten eiFedtual, we muii bring faith to the reading of it: believe it to be the word of the eternal Jehovah. The word written comes with authority, it (hews its conjuiiOTion from heaven, * Thus faith the Lord.'—It is of divine inrpiratiojl^ ^2 Tim. iii. 16. The oracles of icripture rauft be furer to us than a voice from heaven, 1 Pet. i. 18. Unbelief enervates the virtue of icripture, and renders it inetfedtual. Firll, men quefiion the truth of the icripture and then fall away from it.

4. If we would have the word written effectual to falvation, we mufl delight in it as our iplritual cordial, Jer. xv. 16. ' Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart.' All true folid comfort is fetched out of the word. The word (as Chrylbftom faith) is a fpiritual garden : and the promires are the fragrant flowers or fpices in this garden. How fhould we delight to walk upon theie beds of fpices .? is it not a comfort in all dubious perplexed cafes, to have a counfellor fo advife us? Pf. cxix. 24. * Thy teiiirnonies are m)^ counlellors.' Is it not a comfort to find our evidences for heaven ? and where (hould we find them but in the word ? 1 Theif. i. 4, 5. The word written is a fovereign elixir orcom« fort in an hour of diftrefs, Pf cxix. 50. ' This is my comfort in my affli6lion, for thy word hath quickened me.' It can turn al! our * water into wine.' How (hould we take a great complacency and delight in the word ! They only who come to the word with delight, go from it with fuccefs.

5. If we would have the fcripture etfeftual and faving, we mull be fure, when we have read the word, to hid^^ it in our hearts, Pf. cxix. 11. ' Thy word have I hid in my heart.' The word, locked up in the heart, is a prefervative againil (in. Why did David hide the word in his heart .^ In the next words,

* That I might not fin againft thee.' As one would carry an antidote about him when he comes near a place' infe6led ; fo David carried the word in his heart, as a facred antidote to pre' ierve him from,the infedion of fin. When the fap is hid in the root, it makes the branches fruitful, when the feed is hid in the

ground, then the corn fprings up, fo, when the word is hid in the heart then it brings forth good fruit.

CJ. If we would have the word written effe(5lual, let us labour not only to have the light of the word in our heads, but the power of the word in oi>r hearts. Let us endeavour to have the word copied out, and written a fecond time in our hearts, Pf. xxxvii, 32. ' The law of God is in his heart.' The word faith, * Be cloathed with humility,' 1 Pet. v. 5. Let us be low and humble in our own eyes. The word calls for fan6lity ;

* Let us labour to partake of the divine nature, and to have fomething conceived in us which is of the holy Gholl,' 2 Pet. i. 4. When the word is thus copied out in our hearts, and we are changed into the fimilitude of it, now the word written id made etTeclual to us, and becomes a favour of life.

7. ^- idt. When we read the holy fcriptures let us look up to God for a blefling : beg the fpirit of wifdom and revelation, that we may fee the * deep things of God,' Eph. i. 17. Pray to God that the fame Spirit that wrote the Icripture would enable us to underiland it: Pray that God will give us that

* favour of knowledge,' 2 Cor. ii. 14. that we may \e\\([\ a fweetnefs in the word we read. David tailed it ' fweeter than the honey-comb,' Pf. xix. 10. Let us pray that God will not only give us his word as a rule of holinels, but his grace as a principle of holinels.

§(/ Branch of the '2d. Queftion. How may wefo hear the word, that it may be effectual andfaving to our fouls ?

Avf. 1. Give great attention to the word preached ; let nothing pafs without taking fpecial notice of it, Luke xix. 48. ' All the people were very attentive to hear him, they hanged upon liis lip. A6ts xvi. 14. ' Lydia a feller of purple, which worshipped God, heard us, whofe heart the Lord opened, that fhe attended to the things which were fpoken of Paul.' Give attention to the word, as to a matter of life and death : and, to that purpofe have a care, (1.) To banifti vain impertinent thoughts, which will dilba6t you, and take you olf from the work in hand. 'J'hefe fowls will be coming to the lacrifice. Gen. XV. 11. therefore we muft drive them away. An archer may take a right aim : but if one ftand at his elbow, and jog him when he is going to fhoot, he will not hit the mark : Chrif-tians may have good aims in hearing ; but take heed of impertinent thoughts which will jog and hinder you in God's fervice. (2.) Banifh dullnefs. 'I"he devil gives many hearers a ileepy Ibp, they cannot keep their eyes open at a fermon : they eat 16 much on a Lord's day, that they are fitter for the pillow and couch, than the temple. Frequent and cuilomary fleeping at a iermon, (hews high contempt and irreverence of the ordinance : it gives a bad example to others ; it makes your liucerity to be

called in queftion ; it is the devil's feed-time, Matth. xiii. 95. • While men flept, the enemy came and fowed tares.* Oh (hake off drowfinefs, as Paul (hook off the viper ! Be ferious and attentive in hearing the word, Deut. xxxii. 47. * For it is not a vain thin^ for you, it is your life.' When people do not mind what God fpeaks to them in his word, God doth as little mind what they fay to him in prayer.

2. If you would have the word preached effe6tual, come with an holy appetite to the word, i Pet. ii. 2. The thirfting foul is the lariving foul. In nature, one may have an appetite and no digeftion ; but it is not fo in religion : where there is a great appetite to the word, there is for the mod part digeflion, the word doth conco6t and nourifh. Come with hungerings of foul after the word : and therefore defire the word, that it may not only pleale you, but profit you. Look not more at the garnilh-ing of the di(h than the meat, at eloquence and rhetoric more than folid matter. It argues both a wanton palate, and I'ur-feited ftomach, to feed on fallads and kicklhaws, rather than wholeibme food.

3. if you would have the preaching of the word effe6lual, come to it with a tendernels upon your heart, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 9. * Becaufe thy heart was tender.' If we preach to hard hearts, it is like fhooting againlt a brazen wall, the word doth not enter ; it is like fetting a gold feal upon marble, which takes no imprelfion. Oh come to the word preached with a melting' frame of heart! it is the melting wax receives the (lamp of the feal: when the heart is in a melting frame, it will better receive the flamp of the word preached : when Paul's heart was melted and broken for fin, then ' Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?' Acts ix. 6. Come not hither with hard hearts : who can expe6l a crop when the feed is fown upon ffony ground ?

4. If you would have the word effedlual, receive it with meeknefs, James i. 21. * Receive with meeknefs the ingrafted word.' Meeknefs is a fubmifltive frame of heart to the word, a willing'nefs to hear thecounfels and reproofs of the word. Contrary to this meeknefs, is, (I.) Fiercenefs of fpirit, whereby men are ready to rife up in rage againft the word. Proud men, and guilty, cannot endure to hear of their faults. Proud Herod put John in prilbn, Mark xii. 12. The guilty Jews being told of their crucifying Chrift, ftoned Stephen, A6ts ix. 59. To tell men of fin, is to hold a glafs to one that is deformed, who cannot endure to fee his own face. (2) Contrary to meeknefs is ftubbnrnnefs of heart, whereby men are refolved to hold fad their fins, let the word fay what it will, Jer. xliv. 16. * Vv'e will burn, incenfe to the queen of heaven.* Oh take heed of this ! if you would have the word preached work elfeclually, lay afide fiercenefs and ftubuornnefs, receive the word with

Vol. I. No. 12. 4 A

meeknefs. By meeknefs the word preached conies to be ingrafted. As a good fcion that is grafted in a bad ftock, doth change the nature of the fruit, and make it tafte fweet ; lb when the word comes to be ing[rafted into the foul, it fan6lifies it, and makes it bring forth the fweet fruit of righteoufnefs.

5. Mingle the word preached with faith, Heb. iv. <2. * The word preached profited not, not being mixed with faith.' If you leave out the chief ingredient in a medicine, it hinders the operation ; do not leave out this ingredient of faith. Believe the word, and fo believe it as to apply it. When you hear Chrifl preached, apply him to yourfelves ; this is to put on the Lord Jefus, Rom, xiii. 14. when you hear a promife fpoken of, apply it ; this is to fuck the flower of the promife, and turn it to Iionpy.

6. Be not only attentive in hearing, but retentive after hearing, Heb. ii. 1. ' We ought to give the more diligent heed to the things we have heard, left at any time we let them flip.* Left we fliould let them run out, as water out of a fieve : if the ground doth not retain the feed fown into it, there can be no good crop. Some have memories like leaking veffels, the fer-mons they hear, are prefenlly gone, and then there is no good done. If meat doth not ftay and conco6l on the ftomach, it will not nourifli. Satan labours to fteal the word out of our mind, Mark iv. 15. * When they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was fown.' Our memories fliould be like the cheft of the ark wherein the law ■was put.

7. Reduce your hearing to practice ; live on the fermons you hear, Pfal. cxix. 16S. * I have do/ue thy commandments.* Rachel was not content that ftie was beautiful, but her defire was to be fruitful. What is a knowing head without a fruitful heart! Phil. i. 11. * Filled with the fruits of righteoufnefs.' It is obedience crowns hearing: that hearing will never fave the foul, which doth not reform the life.

8. Beg of God that he will accompany his word with his pre-fence and bleffing. The Spirit mult make all i?ff'e6tual: minify ters may prefcribe phyfic, but it is God's Spirit muft make it work. " He hath his pulpit in heaven that converts Ibuls," Auftin. Ads X. 44. * While Peter was fpeaking, the Holy Ghoft fell on all them that heard. It is laid, the alchymillcan draw oil out of iron. God's fpirit can produce grace in the moll obdurate heart.

y. If you would have the word work efTe6lual1y to your falva-tion, make it familiar to you, difcourfe of the word you have heard when you come home, Pf. cxix. 172. ' My tongue fliall fpeak of thy word.' That may be one realbn why fome people get no vnore good by what they hear, becaufe they never fpeak

one to another of what they have heard : as if fermons were fuch fecrets, that they muft not be fjioken of again ; or as if it were a (hame to fpeak of matters of falvation, Mai. iii. 16.

* They that feared the Lord fpake often one to another and a book of remembrance was written.'

Ufe. Caution. Take heed, as you love your fouls, that the word become not inefte6tual to you. There are fome to whom the word preached is ineffedtual. (I.) Such as cenfure the word; inllead of judging themfelves judge the word. (2.) Such as live in contradi^ion to the word, Ifa. xxx. 8. (3.) Such as are more hardened by the word, Zech. vii. 11. * They made their hearts as an adamant,' And when men harden their hearts wilfully, God hardens them judicially, Ifa. vii. 8.

* Make their ears heavy.' The word to thefe is inetFe6luaI: were it not fad, ifa man's meat fhould not nourifli; nay, if it Ihould turn to poifon ? Oh ! take heed that the word preached be not ineffe6tual and to no purpofe. Confider three things.

(1.) If the word preached doth us no good there is no other way by which we can be faved. This is God's inftitution, and the main engine he ufeth to convert fouls, Luke xvi. 31. 'If they hear not Mofes and the prophets, neither will they be per-fuaded tho' one rofe from the dead.' If an angel fhould come to you out of heaven, and preach of the excellency of the glorified eftate, and the joys of heaven, and that in the moft patheti-cal manner ; if the word preached doth not perfuade, neither would you be wrought upon by fuch an oration from heaven. If a damned fpirit fhould come from hell, and preach to you in flames, and tell you what a place hell is, and roar out the torments of the damned, it might make you tremble, but it would not convert, if the preaching of the word would not do it.

(2.) To come to the word, and not be favingly wrought upon, is that which the devil is pleated with; he cares not though you hear frequently, if it be not effe6tually : he is not an enemy to hearing, but profiting. Though the minilter holds out the breafts'of the ordinances to you, he cares not as long as you do not fuck the fincere milk of the word. The devil cares not how many fermon-pills you take, fo long as they do not work upon your confcience.

(3.) If the word preached be not effectual to men's conver-fion, it will be effe6tual to their condemnation : the word will be effeftual one way or other ; if it doth not make your hearts better, it will make your chains heavier. We pity them who have not the word preached, but it will be worfe with them who are not fandtified by it: dreadful is their cafe, who go loaden to hell with fermons. But I will conclude with the apoil;le, Heb. vi. y. * I arc perfuaded better things of you, and things that accompany falvation.'

END OF THE FIllSX VOLUME.

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