THE State of the Church of Israel, when this Psalm was Penned, was very Calamitous (as appears from the Matter of the Psalm it self) both with respect unto Sins and Judg­ments. And the whole Psalm is a Prayer in the Name and Behalf of the Church, unto God for Deliverance. In the Verse before us, we may consider,

1. THE Description of the Church Prayed for, by that Metaphor of a Vine. To Explain which we may observe,

(1.) THAT Jesus Christ Himself as Mediator, God-Man, and as Head of the Church is the True Vine, Joh. 15.1. Christ compares Himself to a Vine [Page 2] according to His usual Custom of taking Simili­tudes from things Common and Obvious; such were Vines in Judea, Deut. 8.8. Planted by the sides of their Houses, Psal. 128.3. Probably of that House where Christ was when He spake those words. Christ is the Principal Vine, for whose sake the Church of Israel was compared to a Vine or Vineyard, because out of that Church the Messiah was to come who is the True Vine. Christ is that Vine, as God-Man, Mediator, to whom the Father hath given this Prerogative to have Life in Himself, Joh. 5.26.

AND to be a quickning Spirit unto those im­planted into Him, and who are given to Him to be His Members, 1 Cor. 15.45. Christ is therefore likened to that which is the chief part of a Vine, Namely the Root and Stock, when as His Members are but like the Branches. Christ as He is Man is of the same Nature with the Branches, as He is God He supplies the Branches with Spiritual Life and Grace. The Humane Nature of Christ is as the Conduit through which the Gifts of the Holy Spirit flow unto His People. As Mediator He both Merited Grace for Men, and Infuses Grace into Men; and more truly and perfectly nourishes Believers unto Eternal Life, than a Vine doth its Branches; as an Head of influence unto them. Christ is then the true and proper Vine, others but se­condarily so; and depending on Christ, and de­riving all their Spiritual Life from Him; and obtaining all they have, for His Sake: And that they are Vines in any sense is because God the Father to Glorify His Son, hath given them to Him in an Everlasting Covenant, to be brought unto Union and Communion with Him.

[Page 3]MANY Phrases in this Psalm, may be referred to Christ; He is Gods Joseph, Verse 1. to whom belongs the Right of Primogeniture; to be the First born of every Creature. He is the Man of Gods Right Hand, v. 17. Gods Benjamin, who is Exalted to sit at Gods Right Hand, and if this glorious Benjamin were not there, we should not be admitted to see Gods face. He it is whom God the Father hath made Strong for Himself▪ v. 15, 18. Who did stand and feed in the Strength of the Lord and in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God, Micah 5.4. And as Christ in­tended to make His Church conformable to Him­self; so in some respect, He would be like to His Church; therefore He would be the Branch, the Vine, the Fruit of the Earth, and would be brought out of Egypt, v. 8. Math. 2.15. So that Gods dis­pensations to His Church were Typical of the Messiah in many things: Therefore also the same Title of a Vine, comprehends both Christ and His Church; as the Name of Christ is also given to His Mystical Body the Church, 1 Cor. 12.12.

NOW God the Father hath Engaged Himself to be the Husbandman, when Christ condescends to be the Vine; the Father will and doth always manifest His gracious Presence with Christ as Head of the Church, to Assi [...]t and Help Him and Strengthen Him: and out of Respect and Love to the Lord Jesus Christ it is, that the Father takes any No­tice in a way of Pity, Compassion and Grace, of any Men or Societies of Men upon Earth.

(2.) THE Invisible Church of the Elect are likened to a Vine or Vineyard: The [...] are the Branches in­grafted into Christ. It is an intellectual Mystical [Page 4] Vineyard; The Mystical Paradise of God, partly in Heaven, and partly on Earth. As God Planted an Earthly Paradise in the Garden of Eden, which did excel all the rest of the Earth; so since the Ruine of Mankind by Adam's Apostacy, God will have a Remnant among fallen Mankind in every Age and Generation, to be His Vineyard, Garden, Orchard (or Eden, Eccl. 2.5.) depending on and United unto Christ, the Second Adam: For God in His Infinite Wisdom so ordered the things of the first Creation, that they might be Natural Types of what He would do in the New Crea­tion of all things by Christ.

THE Church is Gods Vineyard, which His Own Right Hand hath Planted, v. 8, 15. It is a Gar­den inclosed, Cant. 4.12. Planted and Formed for Himself, to shew forth His Praise, Isai. 43.21. Set a-part for His Own peculiar Use, Service and De­light; The Church owns no other Master but Christ, reserves all her fruit for Him, and keeps faithful to Him. Those Planted into this Vine­yard, tho' by Nature they are Wild Plants, and of the Wild Olive, yet are made Noble Vines and a Right Seed, by Effectual Calling and their Im­plantation into Christ. The Creating Power of Gods Right Hand is put forth in infusing Grace into them: Mans Nature brings not forth the fruits of the Spirit without the Skill and Husbandry of Him that made it: We are therefore called Gods Husbandry, 1 Cor. 3.9. The Seeds of the fruits of Righteousness must be Sown in us by Gods Spirit, and Grow in us by His Blessin [...] [...] so that as Israel were not the Natives of [...] but God fetcht His Vine from a-far off, even from Egypt; So Grace is not the Natural Growth of our Cor­rupt Hearts; but is Transplanted into us from a [Page 5] further Place, even from Heaven. And although the first Planting of Virtue and Piety in Men be not without some bitterness, (our Inoculation into Christ is not without Incision;) Yet the Growth of it is Pleasant and the fruit Sweet, and Whol­some, even as the fruit of the Vine, refreshing the Heart of God and Man. Variety of precious Graces and [...]rtues are implanted in them which are all Useful and make them fruitful in Good Works: And as the fruit of the Vine was used in Sacrifices, so the Good Fruits of Believers are a sweet Smelling Sacrifice unto God. They are made sensible that they are Weak and Worthless Creatures in and of themselves, (as a Vine is not Timber fit for Service, Ezek. 15.1, 2. Fit for no­thing but to be cast into the Fire; unless it bear fruit) yet being Vines Planted into Christ Him­self, the fattest Soil; and under-propped by the Grace and Spirit of Christ Strengthning and Supporting of them; and the Excrescencies of Corruption be­ing continually lopped off by their Careful Vine­dresser, Joh. 15.2. And being Watred every Mo­ment from Heaven by the fresh Influences of the Spirit, Isai. 27.2, 3. They become Plants of Re­nown, among whom Christ Loves to Walk: and He delights Himself with the Observation of the Flourishing of this His Vineyard, Cant. 6.11.

THIS Church of the Elect is the true Israel of God, verse 1. His Peculiar People on Earth, His Joseph, Gods First born among the Children of Men, to whom all Church-Priviledges belong as their Birth-right for their Saving Good: They are Christs Flock, v. 1. Gods Benjamin; And like Benjamin, full of Changes, sometimes a Benoni a Son of Sor­row, and afterwards of Joy; The Son of Gods [Page 6] Right Hand, whom He Loves as dearly as a Man doth his Right Hand, or the Apple of his Eye, whom God is always ready to Lead and Govern by His Right Hand; and to whom He Swears by His Right Hand that He will be their Preserver, Isai. 62.8. Israel are often called Collectively Gods Son, as Hos. 11.1. And His First born, as if the whole Multitude of them were One Person, Exod. 4.22, 23. As here they are compared to One Vine.

(3.) THE Visible Church of God on Earth is Gods Vine. And Gods Transactions with the Church Visible do Outwardly resemble the Spiri­tual and Invisible dealings of God with the Church of the Elect: and there-unto are afforded Out­ward Means▪ and Privileges for the Saving Good of Gods Elect among them.

THIS Visible Church was built upon Chris [...] the Messiah; that first Promise, in Gen. 3.15. Being the Foundation of the Church and of the whole Wor­ship of God therein. Christ hath seen His Seed in all Ages past, and shall still [...]ee His Seed in all Ages to come. The great Work of God in all Ages is to be Planting Vineyards or Churches, where there are none; and to Preserve those Churches which He hath already on Earth, and to restore them where they are under decays. Tho' Christs Church on Earth be a Weak and Feeble People, yet He makes them Strong for Himself, defending them against the Gates of Hell, keeping an Hedge of Protection about them, and guarding them by Armies of Angels, and so caring for them that the whole World may discern, that His special Care and gracious Providence is concerned for their Good, more than for the rest of Mankind.

[Page 7]AND the Dispensations of God towards Israel in Transplanting them out of Egypt into Canaan, and Erecting a Church State and Ordinances among them (which the former part of the Psalm doth mention) are in some kind of Similitude acted over again in New-Testament times in all Ages of the Church; and will still be again acted over while the World continues.

(4.) Particular Churches are the Ministerial Vine­yards of Christ, for the Exercise of Divine Worship, Ordinances, and Discipline, like so many particu­lar Inclosures under the Inspection of particular Keepers, which make up and constitute the Visible Catholick Garden of the Church. And each par­ticular Professor of Religion (whether Sound or Unsound) is a Branch in Christ Visibly, Joh. 15. And each Christian hath a Vineyard (namely his own Soul) to keep and look after, Cant. 1.6.

2. IN our Text is supposed, That the present State of Gods Vineyard then in the World, was very Distressed and Calamitons. They were fed with the Bread and Drink of Tears, and that in great Measure, verse 5. Afflictions and Sorrows were their constant Dyet, so that they could not re­frain from mixing Tears with their Food: Tho' they had Scarcity of Bread; yet had Trientals, tre­ble Measures of Tears. [Shalish,] Notes a Cup four times as big as the usual Cups they drink in, so that they drank Tears in Flagons, rather than in Cups.

THEY were made a Strife to their Neighbours, verse 6. Their Enemies Strove among themselves which should make a spoil and a prey of them; and those who once were Neighbourly and Kind [Page 8] to them, now took occasion to quarrel with them, and they had now almost as many Enemies as they had Neighbours. Israel, out of carnal Policy, joyned with their Neighbours in false Worship, and re­fusing to be Reformed by the Repeated Warnings sent them from God by His Prophets; therefore (because their Ways pleased not the Lord) God made their Friends turn to be their Enemies, Deut. 28.47, 48, &c.

AGAIN, Their Enemies Laughed among them­selves, verse 6. Made sport of, and delighted them­selves in the Calamities of Israel: So the People of the Earth make Merry when the Two Witnesses are slain, Rev. 11.10. Sampson was called for to make Sport for the Philistines, Judg. 16.25. Israel were justly made a Derision and Hissing among the Nations after they forsook God, Psal. 44.13, 14. & 79.4.

AGAIN, The Hedge of Divine Protection was removed, and all that passed by took liberty to Pluck at them, v. 12. This came to pass as an Accomp [...]shment of the Divine Comminations a­gainst them, Deut. 31.17. Isai. 5.5. Impure and Savage Nations, fierce and furious Enemies like wild Boars and Beasts, Endeavoured to root up this Vine, and extirpate the true Religion.

THUS Gods Vine was cast as 'twere into the Fire, v. 16. Cut down, and become like the burning Bush which Moses saw, all in a flame, likely to Pe­rish utterly, without a Miracle of Mercy prevented its Ruine, and Total over-throw, v. 16. They Pe­rish at the Rebuke of thy Countenance. And God seemed to be angry with the very Prayers of His People, v. 4. Tho' they sought deliverance with strong Cryes and Tears, yet obtained it not: but God in anger delivered them up into the Hands of [Page 9] their Enemies, Psal. 39.11. One Frown of Gods Face was (like the Scorching Wind we had this last Year Aug. 20. 1713.) sufficient to blast, wither and dry up the tender Plants of His Vine­yard. They hoped that their Prayers would have ascended like Incence and been as a Sweet-Smelling Sav [...]u [...] unto God: But the Smoke of Gods anger against them discovered that fair flattering Words would not Pacify a Provoked God.

3. IN our Text is set forth the Resolution of the true Israelites, the Remnant of Sincere Belie­vers yet left in this Vineyard of the Church, Not to give over Crying to God for Relief and Help; but to persist in Penitential Prayers to Him even to the last Gasp; resolving to go no where else for Help; and being Satisfyed and fully Convinced that One Look, One Smile, One Visit from Hea­ven would suffice to Recover the Vine from its Apostacies and Calamities.

THE DOCTRINE therefore, under which the Text may be Explained is this.

THAT Sincere Believers will Persevere in their Ap­plications to the Lord God of Hosts (notwithstanding all Repulses given to their former Addresses) for a Gracious Visit from Heaven to be made unto His [...] upon Earth, as the only and the Suff [...]ent Rel [...]ef against Impending Ruine by Sins and Judgments.

THE Plants in this Vineyard of the Church are Reasonable Creatures; and in Gods Visible Vineyard on Earth in times of greatest Degeneracy, there will in all Ages be left a Remnant who belong to the Election of G [...]ce who being Effectually [Page 10] Called and Savingly United to Christ the Head and Root of the Vine (for the Root of this Vine is in Heaven, tho' the Branch [...]s while in a Militant State, are on Earth) These are true Penitents who are Mourners in Zion for the Iniquities thereof, Gods Remembrancers, who stand in the Gap to keep off desolating Judgments by their Prayers and Pleadings with God: They will give God no rest Day or Night, but will plead with Him for Mercy as long as they have a Tongue, and Breath to Speak; and if their Breath fails, yet will even then give a Look by Faith towards His Holy Tem­ple in Heaven; and God knows the Meaning of their broken Sentences when they are almost out of Breath; He knows the Sense of their Looks and of their Stretched-forth Hands: and tho' He de­lay long, yet graciously Suffers Himself to be over­come at last, and quasi, Commanded by their Prayers; seeing they will not let Him alone, He yields to their Importunity, yea He Assists them by His Spirit in Pouring forth their fervent Prayers, and is so delighted with the Work of His Own Hands in their Hearts, that He Suffers them, as it were, to govern the whole World by their Prayers; see­ing their Petitions are agreeable to, and coincident with His Glorious Ends, and designs which He proposes to Himself in Upholding and Governing all things.

1. LET us Consider the Object to whom their Prayers are directed. The Lord God of Hosts. GOD the FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT; who hath Supreme Power, who hath all Creatures to Militate under Him, and can easily Vanquish the force of Enemies. He Sits Chief over the Angelical Cherubims, verse 1. And hath His peculiar Residence in Heaven, v. 14. [Page 11] On whom the Church might depend for Salvati­ons when all Earthly Helps failed them.

THE Church of the Jews placed all their Hopes in the Messiah (when their Case was most deplo­rable,) that at His Coming He would restore all things; And as God the Father who sent Christ, is called, The Lord of Hosts, Zech. 2.8. So also is Christ Himself, who was sent by His Father. He sits between the Cherubims, Noting that His Throne is in the Third Heavens Surrounded with Angels; yea the Angels themselves partly constitute His Throne, on which He Sits.

THUS in our Prayers unto God for His Vine­yard on Earth, Our Faith ought to be acted distinctly on God the Father, the Husbandman, Vine-dresser, and Owner of the Vineyard; On the Lord Jesus Christ, the Root and Head of Influence to His Church; And on the Holy Spirit, by whom the Father and Son do Work peculiarly for the good of the Church.

2. THE Matter or Substance of their Petitions.

(1.) Return. Gods promise to dwell in the midst of Israel, was on Condition that they kept His Pre­cepts, Lev. 26. When they neglected this their Duty, they were liable to be forsaken of God, Jer. 7. Upon their Apostacies, God with-drew from them, turned away from them, hid Himself from them, carryed Himself as if He took no Notice of their Afflictions, took no Care of them, and had no Com­passionate Regard to them.

THE Church then Prays here for the Tokens and Evidences of Gods Returning unto them in a Way of Pity, Favour and Mercy. Its call'd, Gods Coming to Save them, vers. 2. Unless God did after a Sort Come from Heaven to Save them by His [Page 12] Efficacious Presence on Earth, they could not ex­pect to be delivered out of the Depth of Apostacy and Calamity which they were fallen into.

(2.) LOOK down from Heaven and behold this Vine. Hitherto God seemed to be so Angry with them that it seemed as if He would not design to Look on them, nor would give them a good Look, and would not Look after them, as if He cared not what would become of them.

THE Thing Prayed for then, is, A Gracious Look of Divine Providence, and Look of Pity and Com­miseration, as in Isai. 63.15. Look down from Heaven, and behold from the Habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory: Where is thy Zeal, and thy Strength, the Sounding of thy Bowels and of thy Mercy towards me? Are they Restrained? God is said to Look down from Heaven when He Pities their Case, who are Ex­tremely Afflicted beyond all Measure, and gives them such Remarkable Help, that None can doubt but that their Deliverance comes from Heaven: Psal. 102.19. For He hath Looked down from the Height [...]h of His Sanctuary, from the Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth; to hear the groaning of the Prisoners, to loose those that are appointed to Death.

SO great is the Insolency and Cruelty of the Enemies of the Church; that Believers know if they could but prevail with the God of Heaven to turn His Eyes towards them, and Look upon their Distressed Case, He could not refrain from Help­ing and Pitying them, when no Eye is left on Earth to Pity them; and they know that One Look from Heaven is sufficient to turn their Enemies into Confusion. When God once said, That [...] had seen the Oppression of Israel, then Deliverance was not far off, Exod. 3.7, 9.

[Page 13](3.) VISIT this Vine. I shall chiefly improve the Time remaining, in Explaining what is meant by the Divine Visit, or Visitation here Prayed for. And it may perhaps be Pleasant as well as Pro­fitable to those who have Learned the Hebrew Grammar to hear the Word [...] Explained, which they have often repeated.

1. OBSERVE, That the Word [...] commonly Notes the Acting of a Superiour towards an Inferiour. When Inferiours Visit their Superiours (as Chil­dren do Visit their Parents) it is to Comfort them with their Company, or to receive Counsel or Re­proofs from them, to obtain Direction in their difficult Cases from their Aged Experience, and to obtain from them Supplies of their Wants: (And thus Men are said to Visit God when in Trouble, Isai. 26.16.) And to pay their Duty, and Reverence to their Superiours. But Superiours Visit their In­feriours in a way of Pity and Care: So the Apostles Visited the Churches, and the Shepherds Visit their Flocks, to provide for them, and to redress what is amiss, Jer. 23.2. Now the Visit here Prayed for, is requested of Him who is called the Shepherd of Israel, v. 1. The great Owner of the Vineyard, who in and by His Covenant with them had Under­taken the Office of a Shepherd, to Feed, Lead and Govern them, and to Rectify and Reform what was amiss among them.

2. THE Word [...] is commonly used to Note, the Acting of God towards His People for their Good.

INDEED sometimes a Day of Divine Visitation signifies, a Day of Calamity and Destruction which comes upon the Wicked and Impenitent, Isai. 26.14. Hosea 9.7. As there is a Common Visitation of all Men by a common Death, Numb. 16.29. So there are more Special and Signal Days of Visitation, by [Page 14] Strange and Unusual Deaths, and by Desolating Judgments, Isai. 10.3. Jer. 5.9, 29.

BUT in our Text is meant, A Merciful Visit for the Restoration and Recovery of the Church from Sins and Judgments. Thus God is said to have Visited Hannah, when She bare Three Sons, 1 Sam. 2.21. And to Visit the Earth, when He Waters and Enriches it, Psal. 65.9. The Visit Prayed for is that of a Father afforded to his Children, which is with Pity and Compassion, with Care and Faith­fulness, as well as with Power to Help them. Such a Visit Joseph promised that God would give to Israel: Gen. 50.24, 25. God will surely Visit you▪ and bring you out of this Land, unto the Land which He Sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Exod. 3.16. I have surely Visited you and seen what is done to you. Exod. 4.31. When they had heard the Lord had Visited the Children of Israel, and that He had Looked on their Affliction, then they bowed their Heads and Worshipped.

3. A DIVINE Visit oftentimes signifies, A Re­markable, and sometimes a Miraculous Appearance of God, in bestowing Mercies on His People; or in Deli­vering them out of Trouble. A Divine Visitation is Real and Efficacious, an Actual Accomplishment of Mercy for them; and not a bare Preparation for Action. The Ordinary, Common Visitation of God doth preserve Mens Life and Spirit, Job 10.12. But there are more Special and Peculiar Visits of God afforded to His People by the more than Or­dinary Emanations of the Power, Wisdom, Grace, and Spirit of God; when their Case, as to Men, Means, and ordinary Helps, seems desperate.

4. THIS Phrase of Visiting is Especially used to Express the Gracious Actings of God towards His Church, in and by CHRIST, who is GOD Incarnate. [Page 15] When God sent His Son into the World to take up­on Him the Nature of Man, then God is said to have Visited His People: Luk. 1.68. Through the ten­der Mercy of our God, the Day Spring from on High hath Visited us, v. 78. What a Wonderful Visit was this▪ That He who was God should Visit the Nature of Man, and Advance it into Union with the Divine Nature!

AGAIN, The Time of Christs Bodily Presence and Abode on Earth, is peculiarly called a Day of Vi­sitation, Luk. 19.44. Because thou knewest not the Time of thy Visitation. Luk. 7.16. A great Prophet is risen up among us, and God hath Visited His People.

5. THAT which the Church hoped would be the Happy Effect of such a Gracious Visit from Heaven, may be collected from several Requests made in this Psalm. As,

1. IN General, they hoped for all Manner of Sal­vations, by such a Visit of the God of Heaven, v. 2, 3. Visit us, O Lord, and we shall be Saved, then our Sorrow will be turned into Joy, v. 7, 19.

2. MORE Particularly, Such a Visit would Turn them again, v. 3. i. e. Bring a Happy Turn upon them, it would cause a Return of their former Pros­perous State unto them: They should thereby be recovered from their fainting Fits, who were now at Deaths door.

OR thus, Such a Divine Visit will Turn us again to our God by Unfeigned Repentance, and Recover us from our Apostacies: Visit us, O Lord, and then we shall be turned unto thee from our Sins, Jer. 31.18. Lam. 5.21.

3. SUCH a Divine Visit will Quick [...] us, v. 18. And Recover us from that Death which hath been upon our Piety and Prosperity: It will make our dry [Page 16] Bones to come to Life again; It will revive Gods Work, the Work of Religion among us; So shall we call upon Thy Name, and Worship Thee according to Thy Will, in Spirit and Truth. So shall we not go back from Thee, v. 18. But a stop will be put to our Apostacy from God. The Messiah when He Visits us, will Restore all things, put all things into Order again, will Subdue our Iniquities, and Reform our Evil ways.

6. LET us Consider Some of those Glorious Ope­rations of God in an Uncommon way of Mercy, which may bear the Name of such a remarkable Visit of God from Heaven, afforded to His Vine on Earth.

1. WHEN the God of Hosts works by the Hosts of Heaven, the holy Angels, for the good of His Vine; That is a remarkable Visit. Thus after Rabshakehs Railing and Blasphemy, the Churches Enemies were found all dead Corpses, being destroyed by an Angel. Also when by the holy Angels God stirs up good Motions in the Hearts of Men, and Spirits them to Engage in, and Perform some work for God. An Angel assisted Darius in wielding his new gotten Empire, Dan. 11.1. Angels assisted in raising up and afterwards rasing to the ground those mighty Empires of Persia and Grecia, Dan. 10.13, 20, 21. All which changes on the Empires were ultimately for the sake and benefit of the Church of God: for God can readily part even with an Earthly Kingdom, and give it for His Churches good: So dear and precious is His Vine unto Him: And God hath Invisible State-Ministers (even the Holy Angels) to bring about the Fates of Kingdoms and Empires.

2. WHEN Suitable Means and Instruments are Un­expectedly raised up and afforded for the Restoring Re­ligion, Peace and Order to the Church of God on Earth. [Page 17] God remarkably Visited Israel in raising up Moses, to be their Instrumental Saviour, and in preparing him for Civil Government by a Learned Education; also in raising up Joseph to be a Father and Shepherd unto Israel in Egypt; So He raised up Judges in Israel to deliver them, who were filled with the Spirit in a more than ordinary measure. David, So­lomon, Asa, Jehosophat, Hezekiah, Nehemiah, Ezra, Ze­robbabel were raised up to promote Temple-work, and to set forward the Work of Reformation with all their might. In New-Testament times the A­postles were in an Extraordinary manner acted by the Holy Spirit, and made willing and able to Undertake that great Work of Gospellizing the World, which was then over-spread with Paganism and Idolatry. In such Instruments Gods People see the Face of God shining Mercifully upon them.

ALSO when God ordaineth Praise and Promotes His Own Glory, even by Instruments as unlikely as Babes and Sucklings, Psal. 8.2. And by things ac­counted foolish by Carnal Men, and things Weak, and Base, and by things which are not, doth con­found the Wise and the Mighty, and doth bring to nought things which are, 1 Cor. 1.25—29. And by Men of a Modest and Meek Spirit carries on His Work Succesfully, so that they are not daunted and discouraged from their Duty, by the brow­beatings of Imperious Spirits; which shews that they are Acted and Assisted by a Spirit beyond their own, and that God is with them of a Truth.

IN such a Day of Divine Visitation God is wont to Communicate Ministerial Gifts in an Eminent Manner on Gospel Ministers, in Increasing the Num­ber of Preachers, and Increasing their Abilities, and Increasing their Forwardness and Diligence in their Work. When God gives the Word, great is the [Page 18] Army of them that Publish it, Psal. 68.11. An Army of Labourers are sent forth into Gods Vineyard when He hath a great Harvest to gather in. In such a Day His Spirit is not meerly Given, but Poured forth, in the Gifts of it, most plentifully on such as are to carry on His Work, Acts 2.16, 17, 18. And they have a Spirit of forwardness to double their Diligence in the Work of Christs Kingdom in such a Day and Season, and to act with more than usual Presence, Courage and Vivacity; their Hearts being Lift up in the ways of the Lord; They are pressed forwards and go bound in the Spirit about Gods Work; They set forth with full Sail, having the fresh Gales of the Wind of Gods Holy Spirit to carry them along through most Arduous Affairs to promote the Glory of God, and the Good of His Vineyard: And sometimes even Youths or Young Men are so strengthned with Might in the Inner Man, as that they faint not in the Work of God. Even in great, and almost Apostolical Enterprizes and Services for God; as in Planting of Religion where it was not before.

3. WHEN God gives His Vine such a Visit from Heaven, He is wont to give great Success to the Labours of His Servants whom He Calls and Appoints to Labour in His Vineyard.

(1.) AT such a time God is wont to make a People Willing to be Reformed, by the Efficacy of His Spirit on their Hearts. They are made to be of a Teachable Spirit, and desirous to know and be Instructed wherein they have offended God, and provoked Him to with-draw from them, and what it is that God would have them to do, that they may obtain the Returns of His Presence unto them again; Now Pars est Sanitatis, [...]elle Sanari. [Page 19] The Work of Reformation will go on with de­light when the People are generally Willing to be Healed and to Turn from the Error of their Ways, being Convinced of the Necessity of it to prevent the Total Ruine of this Vine. It was a Visit of God to the Hearts of the People, which made them readily to fall in with the Leaders and Rulers in proceeding to a Publick Reformation in the Days of Josiah, Hezekiah, and Nehemiah, so that they would Excite the Rulers to set about this good Work, and Strengthen their Hearts and Hands therein, Saying, Arise, this matter belongeth unto thee, be Strong and do it. Where-upon,

(2.) ALL Ranks and Orders of Men that Fear God are made to Unite in Promoting the Welfare of this Vine, when God thus Visits them from above. Its a remarkable Work of God to Unite the Hearts of good Men in determining what ought to be done for the Promoting of Religion, the Reforming of Vice, and Encouraging Virtue, and in Practising what they have agreed upon for the good of the Lords Vineyard; that as they see Eye to Eye, so they draw all one Way; and readily to bury all lesser Jarrs and Animosities, rather than the Glory of God and the Work of Christ should be Ob­structed or Neglected.

AND in such a time Men of an Inferiour Rank have been Signally Animated to give good Advice and seasonable Reproofs unto Others, so far as became their Stations: Yea in such a Day of Vi­sitation, even Infants have had such Impressions on their Hearts as to cry out Hosanna to the Son of David: And Young Persons on their Death-beds have been Extraordinarily assisted to give most whol­some and profitable Warnings and Advice to their Companions, for their Awakening to Repentance.

[Page 20](3.) IN order here-unto God hath been won't to give His People Remarkable Warnings, to awaken them out of their Security, to stir them up to Pre­pare to meet the Lord: As by many Sudden Deaths, Removal of Aged Christians, Amazing Fires, Pinching Scarcities, Epidemical Sicknesses, Perplex­ing Turns in Humane Affairs; and when God is about to Revive His Work in a particular Place, or among the Body of a People; He doth Sanctify those Warnings, and cause the Hearts of Men to be deeply Affected with the Dispensations of His Providence; and to consider that there is no Shelter for them against the Calamities impending, but only in God; and no Expectation to be Safe and Secure in the Evil Day, but by making Friends with Hea­ven, and Maintaining a good Correspondence with that Friend we have in the Court of Heaven, our blessed Lord JESUS CHRIST.

(4.) THIS Success of the Labourers in Gods Vineyard consists, in the Upholding of Religion where it is Set up, and in Planting and Propagating of it to other Places. It is the good Hand of God Working for His People, which provides Pastors after His Own Heart for His Church, Successively from Age to Age; so that when Fathers in the Ministry have left the World, yet the Churches of Christ on Earth have not been left destitute of Qualifyed Persons to Feed them with the Bread of Life, and to Lead and Guide them according to the Rules of the Gospel.

AGAIN, It is a gracious Visit from Heaven that Causes this Vine to Propagate; so that as People are Multiplyed, Churches also should be Multiplyed: and more Ministerial Vineyards and Gardens En­closed, for our Lord Jesus to take delight in, and to walk in the midst of.

THAT remarkable Breathing of the Spirit in the [Page 21] Day of a Merciful Visit by the God of Heaven, which Quickens and Revives Grace in the Hearts of Old Disciples, doth commonly gain home some Others unto Christ, which were not Converted be­fore: As that Sermon which much Affects an Old Christian, is likely to be a Means of Converting Sinners unto God. And the Increase of the Church by New Converts doth tend to freshen and quicken Grace in Old Disciples, Cant. 7.12, 13. When the Vineyard flourishes, and the tender Grape appears and the Pomegranate buds forth, which is a Proof of Christs Special Presence with His People, Re­viving His Work among them; then the Affections and Delights of Gracious Souls are abundantly en­larged, and drawn forth after Christ, so that they want words to Express how dearly they Love the Lord Christ.

AND the Propagation of Religion to Plantations formerly Ungospellized is Preparatorily attended with the Revival and Fresh Springing up of Reli­gion in Places where it was before; The Church (like a Mother) hath many Thro [...]s and Pangs, in order to the bringing forth more Children to her Husband Christ; Namely, the renewed Exercise of Humiliation and Repentance, and Pleading and Wrestling with God by Faith in Prayer for the Converting, and Gospellizing of Other Places; And the fresh Breathings and Pourings out of Gods Spi­rit on His People, who make up His Vineyard on Earth, is a Prognostick that Christ hath a Marriage Day at hand, wherein He will Espouse some Other People to Himself, Even such as knew Him not, and that call'd not on His Name: and that His Church, like a flourishing Vine, shall Spread forth its Branches over the Wall, and Extend it self to those who before were not within the Pale of the Church.

[Page 22]OH! what luculent Evidences of a Visit from Heaven are given forth in Planting the Gospel in Places where it never was before Setled, so that all must Confess, Verily God hath wrought this, and not Man! When the worst sort of Sinners are changed into Saints Suddenly and Surprizingly; and of Opposers become Promoters of Religion. Was it not strange that Israel coming out of Egypt should be willing to lay themselves under Bond and Co­venant-Engagements to Keep and Obey all Gods Commandments, before they knew in particular what God would Enjoyn them?

AND altho' in this Age, we expect not Apostles to be raised up, acted by an infallible Spirit; yet it is Easy to grant that unto remarkable Success granted to Men in the use of ordinary Means, there is often required a greater Concurrence of Gods Communicative Power, than in those that are Ex­traordinary. The Weakness of Instruments tends to set forth the Greatness of the Power of God put forth by them.

4. WHEN the Lord God of Hosts Looks down from Heaven and Visits His Vine on Earth, He doth remarkably Remove, Divert, and Overcome the Opposi­tion made to His Work. The Gates of Hell are al­ways engaged in Opposition to the Gospel Kingdom, Math. 16.18. The Gospel could never make En­trance on the Kingdom of Satan, did not God Re­move and Divert the Powerful Oppositions made to it. The Erecting of a Church-State among Israel, was like the Creation of a New World, the Making a New Heaven, and a New Earth, Isai. 51.15, 16. And this was a Day of Visitation to them. Hence its said, Heb. 3.7. To Day if you will hear his Voice, &c. Sometimes remarkable Rebukes are given by Frights and Terrors of Conscience to Restrain those Labans, [Page 23] who would stop Gods Jacobs in their Purposes to build Altars to the Lord, and Set up His Worship. There is sometimes a Day of Judicial Visitation, wherein the Chaff, Bryars, Thorns and Weeds; the Sticks and Stones, which offend the Vines, and hin­der their growth, are Pickt up and thrown out of this Orchard and Garden of the Lord; Those who are obstinately bent to oppose Gods Work, God hath a Day wherein to Remove them, and by ter­rible things in Righteousness doth sometimes answer the Prayers of His People for the flourishing of His Vine on Earth, Psal. 65.2. Also God doth Re­strain the Wrath, Bound and Limit the Malice of His Enemies, and Disappoint their Crafty Projects whereby they Endeavour to Circumvent, Prevent, and Obstruct all good Designs. The Wisdom of God herein, is in these Latter Ages especially Ex­erted rather than His Power. And the astonishing Hardness of Heart judicially inflicted on some at such a time, is also a sign that it is a Day and Season of a Divine Visitation. When there be Instances of some that are Provoked, Enraged, Tormented by that Word which Converts Others, Rev. 11.10. Who are cut to the Heart to see the Gospel flourish and the Kingdom of Christ prevail; and who do grow worse under all Divine Cultivations; that Sentence is past upon them, He that is Unjust & Filthy, Let him be so still, Rev. 22.11. The Preremptory Opposition which such make to the Ways and Truths of God is a proof that their Con­sciences are scorched with it.

5. IN such a Day of Divine Visitation of the Vineyard, God is won't to Prune and Lop off the Exu­berancies and Excrescencies of the good Vines, which hin­der their Growth and Fruitfulness. God Sanctifies those Afflictions to them which He Exercises His Vineyard with, to Humble them and to cause Grace [Page 24] to take the deeper Root down-wards in their Hearts, that they may bring forth more and better Fruits Up­wards. Some forward Humoursome Saints, after God hath taken them in hand, and Pruned and Purged them by Afflictions, do become very Humble, Patient, Meek and Holy Christians: Others almost ruined by a Worldly Spirit, after Divine Purgations become of a Publick Spirit, and forward to do Service for God; The Contentious are made Peaceable, yea become Peace-Makers; and the Selfish made Generous, and the Slow and Dull and Sluggish Christian quickned and made forward and ready to every good Work. At such a Time when there is a Revival of Religion by gaining New Converts unto Christ, Aged Christians are wont to Experience a New and Second Conver­sion in their Souls, wherein the whole Work of Re­pentance and Faith is Repeated and Exercised over again in them.

6. SUCH a Visit from Heaven for the Reviving and Reforming of Gods Vine on Earth, is attended with Remarkable Preservations, Deliverances and Outward Prosperity. The Fence and Hedges about the Vine­yard are a-new Repaired. The Church (yea the World) always fares the better, even in Outward respects, when Religion Revives, and when this Vine doth flourish. Never any Plantation or Nations fared the worse for having Gods Vineyard Planted among them.

7. WHEN the Lord of Hosts doth in Mercy give His Vineyard on Earth a Visit, He doth not tarry with them meerly for a Night as a Traveller and a Wafaring Man, but Makes His Abode with them. He grants them Days, yea Years of His gra­cious Visitation and Presence with them, Hos. 9.7. Jer. 11.23. He doth not meerly come Once to look upon His Vine; but Often Returns to Set things [Page 25] in order that it may flourish; He gives forth Re­peated Effusions of His Spirit, and renewed mani­festations of God in His Glory, when He is re­solved to build up Zion, and to have His Work carryed on to Effect. God will not suffer His tender Plants to be Nipt in the Bud, tho' Satan Endeavour it by His Power and Stratagems.

8. WHEN He who is called the Desire of all Nations doth come and Visit His Vine, and cause it to Spread and Propagate, there are usually great Con­cussions, Convulsions, and Shakings among the Nati­ons; God then Shakes the Heaven and the Earth, the Sea and the Dry Land; and proportionably in a lesser degree, the Planting and Propagating of Religion in any dark Corner of a Land is not without Convulsi­ons among them ordinarily.

BUT it is time to Proceed to some APPLICATION.

[...] us all be Exhorted to Endeavour by Prayer, and all [...]her Proper Means to Obtain such a Visit from the Lord God of Hosts unto His Vine, which His Own Right Hand hath Planted in this Land.

LET us Consider,

1. THAT Nothing short of such a Divine Visitation can Recover the Church from Apostacies and Calamities. All the Power of Men and Angels, cannot turn a De­generate Plant into a Noble Vine, nor Recover a De­generate Church, nor Revive Dying Religion. The use of other Means of Gods Appointment, will avail nothing 'till God Himself do come down from Heaven by His Gracious Efficacious Presence, to work with us, by us, in us, and for us. Indeed God accepts of the good Will and Desires of His People, and of their Weak Endeavours to do what they can for the Pro­moting His Kingdom and Interest on Earth, and we [Page 26] have reason to be ashamed of our Slothfulness and Backwardness to do what we might do in our several Capacities to Promote Virtue & Holiness (for who knows but that God would as it were Step down from Heaven, to work with us, and by us, if we did Stre­nuously Engage in His Work?) But the Virtue and Power of Man is Weakness it self, yea, Nothing; It is God who brings all to pass, which is done for the good of His Vine. Act. 3.12. Paul may Plant & Apollo may Water, but God alone gives the increase. When Israel by their Sins had ripened themselves for Ruine, the Judgments of God came upon them, even in those times wherein they had Godly Rulers, and good Kings, and extraordinary Prophets, who used utmost Endea­vours to Reform them, and so to prevent Impending Judgments from being Executed upon them; Vain then is the Help of Man to Save us from Sins and Judgments: If God forsake a People they are Undone, and their Case becomes as desperate as if they were already cut down and cast into the Fire, v. 16. When a People are Entred into a way of Apostacy and Backsliding from God, tho' at first their Motion be slow & gradual, yet at length they (like the Pos­sessed Swine) run down hill violently and grow worse and worse in a little time: Facilis Descensus Averni. What a Multitude fell away to Idolatry in Rehoboam's time? How many did Mahomet Seduce in a little time? Sometimes the Apostacy (which is a sort of Conspiracy against Religion) prevails to such a heighth as to carry all before it; In such a time Iniquity abounds and none dare or care to oppose it: and none but God can stop Men in their Career of Sin, and turn them back from their Evil Courses; their Hearts be­ing fully set in them to do Evil; None but God can turn them about and cause them to set their Faces to Seek the Lord God of their Fathers.

[Page 27]2. IT is the Absence and Withdrawing of God from His Vineyard, that is the Reason why all things are out of Order therein. When the Master and Owner of a Gar­den is long absent, Fences & Hedges soon decay, and the Garden & Orchard yields little Fruit for want of Digging, Pruning, Weeding and other good Husban­dry, which the Masters Eye and Presence would from time to time carefully bestow upon it. The Sins of Gods Visible People Provoke Him to hide Himself from them, yea to forsake His Vineyard; we first forsake God by our Sins, before the Lord forsake us; and when we loose the gracious Presence of God, we soon loose both our Piety & Prosperity. How soon will ill Weeds spring up and grow a-pace in the Vineyard, and have remarkable Success in Promoting an Apostacy from God; and all Attempts for Refor­mation are unsuccessful, when God is departed from Israel. The Means of Grace are Evanid when the Spirit of God is withdrawn. 2 Chron. 24.20. Ye can­not Prosper, because ye have forsaken the Lord, He hath forsaken you: After Israel forsook the Lord, He de­prived them of skilful Pilots to direct them, of Pious Priests to intercede for them; the destroying Angel arrested them and delivered them up, to the Fowls of the Air, and Beasts of the Field; and the Land of Canaan which God gave their Fore-Fathers was delivered up to the most wicked of the Heathen; first to the Romans, then to the Saracons, and at last to the barbarous Turks: and because they rejected Christ, the Light of the World, are Judicially given up to grope in the very Sun-shine of the Gospel, like blind Men that can't see a beaten Path.

3. CONSIDER, That the Return of the Lord God of Hosts, in a way of Mercy to Look down from Heaven and Visit His Vine in and by the Son of His Right Hand, is Suffi­cient to Recover His People from the Lowest depths of [Page 28] Apostacy from God, and from the worst of Miseries and Ca­lamities. God can o every thing; with Him all things are possible; Nothing is too hard for God. One Look and Visit of this Great Physician heals the worst and most incurable Maladies. He can open the blind Eyes, mollify the hardest Hearts, and heal the most grievous backslidings of His People. He may at all times say, Veni, vidi, vici. When the Lord is pleased to pour out of His Spirit abundantly upon a People & rain down Righteousness upon them; when He waters it from above with the fresh influences of His Spirit, then the Vine shall revive & spring up as the Grass. When God comes to us from Heaven, and brings much of Heaven with Him to His People on Earth, then they shall be Saved, vers. 3, 7, 19. Where Christ comes, Salvation comes; so He said to Zacheus, This Day is Salvation come to thy House; The Lord never comes empty handed; wherever He sets up His Throne, His Train fills the Temple, He brings a Train of Mercies with Him for Soul & Body; There I will meet with thee and bless thee. Gods Meeting with His People never goes alone, without bestowing blessings upon them.

4. CONSIDER, After what Manner we should Pray for such a Divine Visit.

(1.) WE should Pray Humbly and Penitently. We should be deeply sensible of our Unworthiness that the Lord of Hosts should give us so much as one good Look, or that He should come under our Roofs; and that it is infinite Condescention in the High & Lofty One, to come and dress our Wounds, and bind them up for us; seeing our Sins deserve that the Lord should cast us off for ever: We should Mourn for our Sins whereby we have Provoked the Eyes of His Glory to turn away from us; and have provoked Him to stop His Ears against our Cryes, and to hide His Face [Page 29] from us and to frown upon us with the Rebukes of His Countenance. However, we should humbly spread before Him our Lamentable State, our decays in Grace and Fruitfulness, that the Vineyard goes to decay and is almost dead; and we should spread before Him our Miseries and Distresses, that we are Undone, without His Helping Omnipotent Hand be put forth for the Revival of Religion; We should Prostrate our Selves at the Feet of Divine Mercy, resolving if we Perish, that it shall be in the Posture of Penitent Supplicants at the Throne of Grace for the Returns of Gods Mercy to us. Who knows but that the Merciful God who heard the gronings of Israel, Exod. 1.24. and had respect to them; will also be moved to Compassionate our Case?

(2.) OUR Prayers should be conjoyned with Holy Purposes and Endeavours to Reform our Evil Ways, by the Help of God. Would we have the Great GOD come and Visit our Hearts, & our Houses, and our Churches, we should then Prepare for His Coming, by cleansing our Hearts, Houses & Societies, from all that is filthy and ungrateful to Him; from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit: Put all things in Order, if we intend that the King of Glory should come in and walk & dwell among us. Let us find out what the Sins are which keep God at a distance from us, which Separate be­tween our God and us, and Provoke Him so much, that He will not give us a good Look. We should cease from doing Evil, and learn to do well, that so the Lord without diminution of the Glory of His Ho­liness, may Return unto us in Mercy. Those who continue Obstinate Sinners and hate to be Reformed, instead of Praying in a Right manner to the Lord to Return to us, do practically say to the Almighty, De­part o [...] of our Coasts. How dare any but the truly Contrite put up this Prayer in our Text, That God [Page 30] would Look from Heaven and behold them, and their behaviours? Those who are going on in a Course of Sin, care not that a God of Infinite Holiness should behold and observe their Wickedness.

(3.) OUR Prayers for a Divine Visit should be Fervent and Importunate. Wrestle with God in Prayer, take no denyal at His Hand: Oh! let us Cry mightily to Heaven for One Good Look more, the Smiles of His Countenance upon us, and that He would Return to us and leave a blessing behind Him; Plead with God, Lord, Hast Thou no Mercy in Store for this Genera­tion? Hast Thou Utterly cast off and abhorred them? Art Thou resolved not to bestow of Thy Spirit upon them? &c. But How shall we plead in Prayer for such a Visit?

1. PLEAD we for the Soveraign Grace of God to be Exerted towards us, that which is undeserved by us, and for which we can make no Recompence: Let us Plead thus, O Lord, will it not Glorify Thy Soveraign Grace and Mercy, to Revive Thy Work among such a Degenerate People, to remove the Iniquity of our Land in One Day? Zech. 3.9. Will not that be a Glorious Days work indeed? Will not the Lord gain as much Glory to His Great Name, by Pardoning our Sins, giving us Re­pentance, and by Pruning & Purging His Vineyard, as He can gain to His Justice by giving us up to our own Hearts Lusts, thereby to ripen our Selves for Ruine?

2. LET us Plead for a Divine Visit, in the Name and for the Sake of the Son of Man, the Son of Gods Right Hand; who is the Root and Head of the Vine, yea most properly He is the Vine it Self. Let us Exercise Faith in our Lord Messiah, our Great Friend in the Court of Heaven, to Intercede with God for us, that such a gracious Visit from Heaven may be afforded un­to us on Earth. The Reason why Christ did no migh­ty Works in some Places, during His Bodily Presence [Page 31] on Earth, was because of their Unbelief, who dwelt in those Places; Let us strive against Unbelief & Labour for a Lively Exercise of Faith on the Promises of the Covenant & on Christ in the Promises; for God hath engaged to Return again to His People when they Re­turn to Him, and Seek Him with their whole Hearts: So in Prov. 1.23. Turn ye at my Reproof; and then Behold (beyond your deserts, and beyond your hopes, and to your Admiration) I will pour out my Spirit upon you. Let us plead that Promise made by God the Father unto Christ, That He shall see His Seed, or have a Visible Vine upon Earth in all Ages, notwithstanding all the Power & Policy of Hell whereby it is opposed. Let us plead the Interest which the Lord Christ hath in the Church on Earth, and the Glory that redounds to Christ the Mediator, by the Preserving, Propagating & Flou­rishing of His Vineyard on Earth: It is the only Gar­den, Orchard (or Eden) which Christ hath on Earth, wherein He takes delight to Walk, and Recreate Him­self.

3. LET us plead with God that it is the Vineyard, which His Own Right Hand hath Planted, v. 8, 15. It is such a Work, wherein the Glorious Power of Gods Own Right Hand appears in every Age, to Plant Re­ligion where it was not, and to Preserve it where it hath been Planted▪ and to Revive it where it is Decay'd and Languishing. Let us then plead with God that He would not forsake the Work of His Own Hands, That that Work (which above all other Works He appro­priates to Himself, to be His Own Work) may appear to His Servants; that Work which He is pleased to call His Glory, may appear to the Children of His Ser­vants; that Work of Establishing Religion among us, which is the Beauty & Comeliness of the Lord our God put upon us; may flourish more and more as an Evi­dence of a Divine Visit granted unto us Psal [...] 6.17 [Page 32] Let us plead with God and put Him in Remembrance of this, That it is the great End & Design of Divine Providence in disposing of Kingdoms, and in all the Turns & Fates that attend them, to promote the good of His Vine upon Earth; and were it not for Gods Vineyard upon Earth, what would the whole World be but an Hell upon Earth. Where Religion flourishes, all other good Interests Prosper: But as Religion de­cays, so a People may conclude that things will go ill with them. This Vineyard of the Lord on Earth He hath an Eye and Regard to, in all other of His Works, and as it were lays aside all other Works, that He may Mind the good of His Vine; Yea He dispences Bles­sings, and Curses to Men, according to that regard or disregard which they have to His Vineyard on Earth. Gen. 12.3. I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee. Let us then plead with God thus, Lord, Thou knowest how few there be in the World that Fear Thy Name, that Profess Religion, that bring Honour to God their Creator, to Christ their Redeemer; Thou hast reserved to Thy Self but a Little Spot of Ground on Earth to be Thy Garden Inclosed; and all the Rest of the World are suffered to go on in their Own Ways to Thy Dishonour; and wilt Thou not Stand by those that Stand for Thee? Wilt Thou not Ho­nour them that Honour Thee? Shall Satan prevail & leave Christ no Garden-Spot on Earth to Walk in? For Thy Name Sake, Let it not be so!

5. CONSIDER, Some Motives to Excite us in our Prayers to God for such a Gracious Visit. We have the Command of God given forth to us, to put up this Pe­tition Daily, Thy Kingdom Come! Unto which Com­mand we should manifest our ready Obedience. We have the Example of the Church in our Text set before us for our Imitation, to Pray for the Lords Vineyard the Church, when under greatest Distresses & Degene­racies. We have the Promises & Prophecies of the Scrip­ture, [Page 33] wherein Mercy is Stored up for the People of God; we have the Predictions of the future Glory of the Church, and some Pledges of it before Hand, Psal. 72.6, 7, 8. In the Days of Christ the True Solomon, The Righteous shall flourish, there shall be abundance of Peace, He shall have dominion from Sea to Sea, and from the River to the Ends of the Earth. The taking down the Partition-Wall between Jews & Gentiles whereby the Vine of the Church was made to spread its branches over the Wall; did not take in the whole World into the Lords Vineyard, at Once; but there is still a distinction to be made between the Church and the rest of the World which lies in Wickedness; between a Religious People by a Visible Profession, and the rest of the World that are Perishing for want of Vision; therefore Gods dealings with some particular Nations and People may yet in times to come resemble His Dispensations towards Israel, in taking them to be a Select People to Himself, in Forming them to be a People peculiarly for Himself to shew forth His Praise, by Erecting His Visible Kingdom in all the Privileges, Ordinances & Worship thereof among them. Let us then be moved to Pray in Faith, and with Hope and Expectations of the Glorious Things which are Spoken of, concerning Zion the City of our God.

ANOTHER Motive may be turned into an Expostu­lation with our own Souls. Are we Willing that Gods Mystical Paradise, His Garden of Pleasure upon Earth should be quite Defaced, Razed & Extinguish'd? Are Aged Christians willing that Religion should dye with them­selves? No sure, we dare not harbour such Cruelty in our Hearts! Let us then Cry mightily to God for the Preservation of His Vineyard, that Religion may be Propagated to the Succeeding Generation, by new Descents of the Lord God of Hosts from Heaven, by new & plentiful Effusions of His Spirit on all Flesh! [Page 34] We can't find in our Hearts, to be willing that Religi­on should take its flight from our Land, or that the Vineyard of Christ here should be under a Divine De­reliction! Let us then Cry fervently to God to Re­vive His Work among us in the Midst of the Years: that it may not be charged on us, that we by our Luke▪ warmness, & Slothfulness & other Sins Contributed to the Ruine of these Churches, and drove away the gra­cious Presence of God from this His Vineyard.

LET me add Another Motive; Namely, That we might Enjoy more of Heaven upon Earth were it not our own Faults. We might have more Visits from the Lord God of Hosts and the Man of His Right Hand, did we fervently Pray for them; For Christ hath promised to give His Holy Spirit to those that Ask it of Him; What God has wrought by some Glympses of His Gracious Aspect from Heaven in some Persons, Families & Plantations for the Reviving of Religion, demonstrates what He could and would do more generally and abundantly, when there is a general Application in a right manner made to Him for this Mercy. May we not esteem it a good Omen that the God of Hosts will lengthen out the Day of His gracious Visitation unto us (unless by our A­postacies persisted in we refuse His Company) even in this Century also, seeing He hath so ordered in His Providence, that this New & Famous House should be Erected, wherein we now Assemble, in the Metropolis of our Province, for that best of Uses, the Celebration of Divine Worship; and that this House should with such Expedition & Success be Completely finished, in a Day of many & great Distresses upon us, whereby Occasion has been given to many to shew their Love to God & His House by their Liberal Donations to­wards this Building; withal Exercising their Faith and Hope that God will still build up His Mystical House and Vineyard in this Land, and that in this House we [Page 35] shall Enjoy much of Heaven upon Earth, the Manifesta­tions of God to our Souls, and those delights appro­priated to His Mystical Paradise.

6. AND Lastly, Consider, Who they are that should more especially concern themselves for the Obtaining such a Visit from Heaven to be made to His Vineyard upon Earth, and more particularly to the Vine which the Lord of Hosts by His Own Right Hand, (working by remarkable Providences) hath Planted in this Wil­derness. Now all Sorts of Men are Ranked into Rulers and Subjects: and something might Pertinently be Spoken from this Subject to them all.

AS to those in Chief Rank among us in the State and in the Church, My Innate Modesty forbids me, to say much; Yet I shall not wholly Pretermit the usual Custom of saying something with suitable Brevity.

AND in the First Place, My Speech may be directed to His Excellency, Our Governour in Chief, who hath been betrusted with the Care of the Lords Vineyard in this Land for many Years past.

EXCELLENT SIR, We Acknowledge the great Mercy & Kindness of our GOD, who hath moved the Heart of the QUEENS Most Excellent Majesty, to Im­power & Improve Your Excellency, to Lead, Guide and Govern us; and that the Lord hath Preserved Your Life hitherto, and Your Abilities of doing Eminent and Remarkable Services for His Vineyard, in defending it against the Boars & Wild Beasts of Heathen Adver­saries, and our other Neighbouring Enemies, during the late Long War; and in Managing the Civil Affairs of this Province so as that the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts therein hath Enjoyed Tranquillity hitherto; and in giving forth Proclamations & Exhortations to Your People here from time to time to Excite & En­courage them to Set about the Work of REFORMA­TION; and in Countenancing and Encouraging the [Page 36] Propagation of Religion, the Planting it in the dark Corners of our Land, and the Upholding of it where it was Planted. We heartily render our Thanks to Your Excellency for these Favours; and believe Your Excellency doth Esteem it Your Glory, and a Sufficient Reward of it Self, that the Lord of Hosts is Pleased to Accept of such Your Desires & Endeavours to Promote the Flourishing of His Vineyard in this Land: and that on th [...]se Accounts All the Churches of this Pro­vince Salute You; and Pray for You [...] Prosperity. God grant we may have always such a GOVERNOUR, who like Moses is daily Lifting up his Hands & Heart to GOD in the Heavens, for the Prosperity of these Churches: For the Fervent Prayers of Rulers keep off dismal Strokes from a People.

NEXTLY; TO the Honourable Members of Her Ma­jesties COUNCIL, and of the House of Representatives: I would only add, That as You have hitherto, so We trust you will still, hold on and continue in your Pious Endeavours to Promote the Flourishing of Religion in this Land, the Suppression of Vice, the Encourage­ment of Virtue, the regulating of Disorders, the Com­posing of Differencies, that Arise; that you may be able to say, That All that could be done by Men in your Stations, according to the best of your Abilities, for the good of this Vine, You have Endeavoured to be found in the Performance thereof: May the Lord God of Hosts Accept of your Endeavours, and give them Success through His blessing upon them!

THIRDLY; TO My Reverend Fathers & Brethren in the Ministry: I take leave in all Humility to say, That when the Lord of Hosts intends a Remarkable Visit to His Vine on Earth, He is wont to Raise up Ministers and fill those that are the Standing Ministry in His Churches, in a more than Common Measure with His Holy Spirit; so that they are carryed forth with more [Page 37] than usual Courage, Forwardness, Diligence & Activity in their Station, for the Restoring & Preserving Reli­gion in their several Charges; they have at such a time peculiar Impressions from Above, both as to the Sub­jects they are to handle, and as to the manner of trea­ting of them; Their Faculties & Abilities are quick­ned & enlivened, their Ministerial Gifts & Graces En­larged, their good Affections and Zeal Encreased, and their Watchfulness over their Flocks to Promote their Spiritual Good more abundant than before; and a Spirit of Prayer is in such a Day of Visitation Poured out upon the Ministry in a High Degree, and the Bent of their Souls is to Promote Religion, to Convert and Edify Souls, and they are made Resolute in this Work, to Pursue & Prosecute it, notwithstanding all the Op­positions & Discouragements that attend them therein. And they are forward and ready to Reform what-ever is amiss in themselves, that they may become Patterns to the Flocks of Christ, Exemplary in Good Works, and as Shining Lights in a dark World. Blessed be God who hath Supplyed His Churches with such a Ministry hitherto; and let us all Cry to Heaven that such a Ministry may be continued unto these Churches Successively; and that God will be pleased to Accom­pany their Labours with His blessing.

FOURTHLY; TO Aged Christians: Give me leave to say; You are the Peculiar Friends & Ancient Ac­quaintance of the God of Heaven, who are yet left on Earth; Oh! therefore Improve your Interest in God to Prevail with Him to Look down, and Come down, and Visit this His Vine!

FIFTHLY; TO the Churches of New-England: who have been & are yet the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts, who enjoy the Privileges of His Visible Kingdom the Tokens of His Presence, the Ordinances of His House; and in that respect have from the first Founding of our [Page 38] Churches, and first Planting of this Vineyard, enjoy'd a Day of Divine Gracious Visitation; and altho' we have Experienced great Decays & Declensions, the loss of our First Love, and the Withdrawings of Gods Spirit; so that the Churches sometimes Complain of their Barrenness, that Few are Converted & New Born to Christ, and the Work of Christ is sometimes under Sensible & Visible Languishments; yet we have rea­son to Bless God who gives some Revivals of His Work, sometimes in One Church, and sometimes in Another; and from thence should be Encouraged to plead with God for a more General Effusion of His Spirit upon all His Churches, that all Parts of His Vineyard may Flourish; even the dark Corners of our Vineyard, that they may have Wisdom to Know the Day of their Visitation, and to Accept of the Gospel Offered to them, and bid Welcome to Our Lord Jesus Christ, who Offers to come & dwell among them; lest they should Provoke God to Visit them in Judgment & Fury.

LASTLY; TO Impenitent Sinners and Hypocrites: Let me say, What will you do in the Day of Visitati­on? For when God gives His Vineyard a Visit in Love, in order to its Fruitfulness; Oh! what danger are they in who are as Dry & Withered Branches; they are as Thorns & Bryars in the Vineyard, that hinder the Flourishing of Religion in the Places where they Live? They may justly expect to be pluckt up by the Roots, Cut down and Cast into the Fire; unless speedy Repentance & Reformation prevent it.

Having thus after my Weak manner, given you the Explication of the Text, with some Application, as by Divine Leave and Help, Let us all as One Repeat it in way of Supplication; Return, we beseech Thee, O God of Hosts: Look down from Hea­ven, and behold, and Visit this Vine.