DOCTRINE. When we ſee the Spring open upon 〈◊〉 Earth, we may hear the Cal • 〈◊〉 CHRIST to us, to riſe up from t •• Earth, and repair to him.

In the Illuſtration of this Point 〈◊〉 Doctrine, I ſhall do two Thing • . I. Show what is implied in the Call 〈◊〉 CHRIST, Riſe up, and come awa • II. Why this Call is in a peculiar Ma • ner ſeaſonable when the Winter is paſ • and the Spring opens.

I. What is implied in the Invitati •• of CHRIST, Riſe up, and come away •

I ſhall be but brief here, that I m •• haſten to a more ſeaſonable and u • common Set of Meditations. And 〈◊〉 ſhort then, when we hear the Cal • 〈◊〉 CHRIST, Riſe up, and come away, 〈◊〉 preſently diſcover the Condition 〈◊〉 thoſe who are addreſſed! They are i • dolent and ſupine and ſleepy Creature • . They want to be rouſed and quickne • and are by Nature bowed down, 〈◊〉 • ure and dead. The Voice is, Riſe up. Shake off the mortal Lethargy that hangs upon your Eye-lids. Ariſe from the dead, and CHRIST ſhall give thee Life. A wake thou that ſleepeſt, and call upon thy GOD. And indeed, all Mankind need ſuch a Call as this, for • hey are dead in Treſpaſſes and Sins. They are cold and lifeleſs Corpſes, unable to help themſelves, and can do nothing ſpiritually Good. They are not able as of themſelves, to think ſo much as a good Thought: And they have only a Power of chuſing which Sin to commit. They may if they pleaſe talk of a Free-Will, and amuſe themſelves with the idle Notion. But alas, they are free amongſt the dead: Free 'tis true, in their Choice of Wickedneſs, but it muſt be the infinite Power of GOD that can incline them to any Thing ſpiritually good. Our preaching to them is indeed only propheſying over dry Bones: Though this ſometimes does Wonders. In one Word, they act entirely from ſelfiſh Principles, negligent and forgetful of the Glory of GOD. They are • owed down to Earth and Creatures, and their own abject Will; and have need to be awaked, Riſe up.

And what is implied in this Phraſe, when it is ſpoken by our Lord CHRIST to his People? In a few Words, It compriſes in it, our Duty to our LORD JESUS. We are called to believe in CHRIST. To riſe up from a vain Earth, and raiſe our Eyes to inviſible and eternal Realities. To walk by Faith, and not by Sight.

Riſe up; 'tis a Call to Repentance that we are by Nature ſo bowed down. It comes with a Voice of Conviction and Awakening; to rouſe our drowſy Faculties, and ſhake us from our Security and Indifference. Riſe up, or we ſhall lie down among the dead; ſlide down to the Congregation of the damned.

'Tis a Call to Holineſs and Obedience. Riſe up and walk: It demands a holy Walk of us; and tells us that our Converſation ſhould be in Heaven; that we ſhould ſeek the Things which are above, and carry our Treaſure over into the other World. The Path of the Juſt—ſhines brighter as it riſes higher.

Riſe up, it beſpeaks our Meditation and Prayer. Lift up your Eyes and Hands, your Hearts and your Souls. Is it not a Shame that this Earth ſhould • eize our Thoughts and Affections, • nd GOD and CHRIST have ſo little of them. There is not an Object we • ee, but may ſerve to raiſe our Thoughts • o GOD. His glorious Name is di • inely impreſſed upon all his Works; • nd with one Voice, they all call out • o us, GOD! GOD! I was made by GOD! I am ſupported by GOD! I am a Servant of GOD! and an Inſtrument in his Hand! Riſe up! Ariſe and adore GOD. Contemplate him, pray to him, adore and bleſs him.

But to finiſh this Point, It will be the Call of CHRIST to us quickly to leave this World; Riſe up and come away. Death ſhall arrive with this welcome Meſſage, The Maſter calleth for • hee. This will finiſh our Life upon this Earth, the Voice of CHRIST inviting us to his Kingdom and Glory. Riſe up and come away, the Winter is paſt, the Rain is over and gone. Every Evil will be concluded forever, and we ſhall enter into Reſt: The Winter of Affliction, Temptation and Sin, will no more moleſt us: The Evils of this World, which fell on us like a continual dropping in a very rainy Day, will deſcend no more about us. The Rain is over and gone. No more Storms will roar in our Air; nor Clouds intercept our Sunſhine. The laſt Tempeſt of Death will beat after us but a little Way; and rapid we ſhall leave it behind. And now, welcome everlaſting Delights! Welcome the opening Dawn of Paradiſe! The Time of the ſinging of Birds is come. Angels tune their Harps, and join their Voices about us. The Flow • rs appear upon the Earth; and the everlaſting Hills lift up their flowry Tops before us. Joys unfelt till this bleſſed Moment, will now ſeize our beating Hearts, and our Souls will leap out, obedient to the dear Voice that calls us, Riſe up, and come away.

Theſe, I think, are natural Heads for Meditation from the Words: But that which I principally intend to allude to, in the Proceſs of this Diſcourſe, is, that when we ſee the annual Spring open upon the Earth, we have a Call to Riſe up to CHRIST in holy Medi • ations: To come away from lower Objects to him the higheſt and moſt • orthy of all. The Be •• ties which mile around us, at this lovely Seaſon of the Year, unite to lead our Thoughts to CHRIST. And this is the ſecond Point to be ſpoken to.

II. How is the Invitation of our bleſſed Saviour to riſe up and come away, pecu • iarly adapted to the Spring of the Year?

1. The Spring looks like the natural Beginning of the Year: And beſure • e are to begin our Year with GOD. The Demand and Expectation of the leſſed GOD is, for the firſt-ripe Fruits. And it is reaſonable that our • rſt Care ſhould be to pleaſe him, our • rſt Hours conſecrated to him. He • emands of us the firſt Day in every • eek, and why ſhould he not for the • oſt part have the firſt Hour in every • ay; and the firſt Seaſon in every Year. Seek firſt the Kingdom of GOD, 〈◊〉 the Direction of CHRIST. A Year • gun with GOD, is a Year well be • n, and it will yield a comfortable Reflection all the Year, for us to call to Mind how we have been enabled to ſpend the firſt Months of it.

2. The Temptations of the Spring afford another Argument for us to obey the Call of CHRIST, Riſe up, and come away. That the Spring is attended with many Circumſtances to tempt away our Minds from GOD and Duty, will very eaſily be rendred plain and evident. Then 'tis that the Face of Nature puts on the moſt gay and alluring Smiles; and the beautiful Proſpects about us are apt to catch away our Thoughts, and poſſeſs and fill up our Minds. Then 'tis too, that our animal Spirits are moſt ſprightly and vigorous; and our fermented Blood pours along its rapid Current more warm and impetuous. The Chains of the Winter are melted off: and the Bands of Orion are looſed: And from this Fluſh of Blood and Spirits, there ariſes a Variety of Temptations. Our Appetites are moſt raging and violent and our inferiour Faculties moſt apt t • uſurp the Throne of Reaſon and Conſcience. We are now moſt eaſily deceived with the tempting Proſpects of Futurity; and we preſume upon a vain Earth, and Happineſs here below, from a Warmth of Temper, and the Diſpoſition of our Blood and animal Spirits. Thus we ſee the Temptations of the Spring both external and internal. External, from the alluring Face of Nature; Internal, from our own Frame and Conſtitution. How proper then the Call? Riſe up and come away. Does the low Face of the Ground tempt us? Riſe up. Get above the Earth. Leave the Molehill for the Emmits to inhabit; but let us take to our ſelves Wings, as Angels, and fly away. Have we our Temptations in our ſelves? Come away then; let us get out of our ſelves into CHRIST; ſeparate our ſelves from our ſelves, and mortify and root out the corrupted ſelfiſh Principle in us.

And indeed nothing will have a greater Tendency to demonſtrate our Sincerity in Religion, than our Reſolution to defeat the ſtrongeſt Temptations which aſſault us in this World. When Sin ſpreads all its Snares, and lays all its alluring Bates in our Way, if we have then Power to overcome all, and paſs unhurt amidſt all, it will be a good Evidence that we are inſpired with a Power ſuperiour to our own: That the Holy Spirit is in us; and that we are in good Earneſt in Religion. The ſame Arguments to perſuade Youth to ſerious Piety, are in the ſame Senſe proper to perſwade us to Religion in the Spring. Becauſe we may all the Year look back on it with this concomitant Satisfaction, When Temptations were moſt univerſal, and moſt impetuous, I ſtood the Shock, and was carried graciouſly thro' them.

And what an Honour will it be for us to overcome Temptations when they are at the ſtrongeſt; and regulate our Appetites when they are moſt raging and lawleſs? So Joſeph, fortified with the Grace of GOD, withſtood Satan and himſelf together, joined in the moſt dangerous League; he broke looſe from the Toils of Death, and by a wiſe Retreat, ruſhed away, purſued by Victory and Triumph. This is more to the Honour of young Joſeph, than a Monument of Braſs, and the Trophies of conquered Nations! When the Caeſars and the Alexanders, and 〈◊〉 Conquerors of the Eaſt, bluſh and • de, Joſeph ſhall ſtand applauded by 〈◊〉 Judge of the World, and ſaluted by • outing Armies of Men and Angels. • d it will be an Honour of the ſame • ature, for us to be moſt firm and re • ute, when Temptations are moſt fre • ent and violent. So that if it has been • ved, that the Spring of the Year, is Seaſon lying moſt open to Tempta • ns, it plainly follows, that Religion this precarious Seaſon, is attended • th additional Honours.

Beſides, the Rewards of our future • ory, will be proportioned to our • bours and Difficulties. We know • t he who ſoweth ſparingly ſhall reap • ingly; and they who take the greaPains, ſhall reap the fulleſt Harveſt. • w he who ſtands his Ground againſt • ſt Oppoſition, who beats through 〈◊〉 thickeſt Temptations beſt, ſhall • ive the brighteſt Crown, and hear • loudeſt Applauſe. So that if we • ld attain the higheſt Degrees of • ry, one Way is to ſpend that Time 〈◊〉 , which is fulleſt of Temptations. • en it was aſſerted, that the Spring is the Seaſon fulleſt of Temptations, a vain Mind would perhaps have drawn another Conſequence: Let me then wait for a more convenient Seaſon for the Duties of Religion and Holineſs. But it is you ſee eaſily retorted. Is the Spring of the Year fulleſt of Temptations, ſure then we have moſt need of gracious Hearts. This will be attended with the higheſt Pleaſure in the Reflection here; This will be followed with the ampleſt Rewards of Heaven hereafter. This will prove our Sincerity to us with the fulleſt Evidence. For, as one ſpeaks, if there is no Enemy, there can be no Fight; if no Fight, no Victory; if no Victory no Crown. And on the contrary, if there be powerful Enemies, there will enſue a ſharper Fight, a greater Victory, and a brighter Crown. But to take the Objectors in their own Way —

3. The Advantages of the Spring afford another Argument why we ſhould obey the Call of CHRIST, Riſe up and come away. Riſe up and come away, for the Winter is paſt, the Rain is over and gone; many Diſadvantages are over and gone: The Time of the ſinging of Birds is come, and the Flowers appear upon the Earth; many Advantages • ome pouring round us, and call, and awaken, excite and quicken us.

If it can be proved that there are • eculiar Advantages in the Spring for • he Duties and the Delights of Piety, • t will follow of Courſe that we ought 〈◊〉 make Uſe of theſe Advantages, and improve them while they laſt: For they are all but ſo many Talents committed to us by the GOD of Nature, which he will call us to a ſtrict Account for, and miſerable we, if we can give no good Account of them.

And that the Spring of the Year is indeed attended with ſuch Advantages for the Labours and Delights of Piety, • ll be evident upon a very little Refection. Now it is that the Days lengthen apace, and the Light increaſes over • s. The Morning awakes us early; and the Day-ſpring from on high, the riſing Sun, calls us betimes from our Slumbers, Riſe up, and come away. Now it is alſo, that the Weather grows moderate, and we bleſs the Indulgence of the mild Skies, and the temperate Air. We are not chained up with Cold, or confined by the bleak Winds. We may live more in one Day now, than in many that are numbed with Froſt, and chilled by the Rigour of the Winter. Now it is alſo that our Spirits awaken, and our Blood has a cheerful and lively Flow, ſo that our Souls are moſt ſprightly, vigorous and active. Our Boſoms kindle with new Delights, and we enjoy the ſmiling Hours that glide ſmoothly by us. It is a moſt happy Seaſon to revive the Joys of Piety, and raiſe our Satisfactions in the bleſſed GOD to a renewed Ardor and Vehemence. Add to this, now it is that our Health is at its beſt Eſtate, unmoleſted by the cold Rheums of the Winter, or the faint Heats of the Summer-Noons. Beſides, the opening of the Earth by the Plough, and the Odours of the various Bloſſoms ſcattered from every glowing Tree around, conſpire to call back the declining Health, or eſtabliſh the ſound Conſtitution. So that we ſee new Advantages ariſe in every Light, and are convinced how many Opportunities we have for the Service of GOD, and the Raptures of Devotion, let us look where we will. Whether we conſider the lengthened Days, and the many Hours of Light and Buſineſs: The moderate Weather, and fine Temperature of the Air and Skies: The Chearfulneſs of our Spirits, and our confirmed Health; — they all with one Voice agree in the Call, Riſe up, and come away. Riſe up to GOD; ſerve him in theſe golden Seaſons, theſe ſmiling Moments, which though they dance along ſo ſmoothly, wing away ſo ſwiftly. Lovely as they are, they will be quickly gone and over. Let them not paſs without this additional Delight in the Reflection, that we ſerved GOD in them, and taſted the ſub • meſt Tranſports of Devotion, while we • lled them up in Communion with GOD.

Beſides, in the Spring of the Year, we have many Advantages for Medi • ion, and are ſurrounded with Objects for this holy and bleſſed Employment. Now the Works of GOD ſhine in our Eyes, with the moſt finiſhed Beauty, and raiſe our Thoughts to the infinite Artificer, who has poured out ſuch a Profuſion of Charms and Graces • n the wide Creation. The Flowers appear upon the Earth, and the Time of the ſinging of Birds is come, riſe up, and come away. To be particular here, I ſhall offer a Set of Meditations peculiarly adapted to the Spring of the Year, and raiſed out of the Objects which then ſmile around us.

Firſt of all, See the Perfections of the glorious GOD. Who gave the Face o • Nature theſe flowery Charms? How beauteous then, and how divine the Being whoſe ſcattered Rays ſo adorn the blooming Earth? The glowing Raptures of divine Love and ſacred Meditation may well be lighted up by theſe wondrous Works which we behold about us. See the Glories of creating Power diſplayed in the Flouriſh of the Spring! Gen. i. 11, 12. And GOD ſaid, Let the Earth bring forth Graſs, the Herb yielding Seed, and the Fruit Tree yielding Fruit after his Kind, whoſe Seed is in it ſelf, upon the Earth. And the Earth brought forth Graſs,— and Herbs,— and Trees,— and GOD ſaw that it was good. And it is his unwearied Providence that ſtill demands our Aſcriptions, Pſalm civ. 30. Thou reneweſt the Face of the Earth.

Look abroad in the Spring, and ſee the Beauty and Beneficence of Divine Providence, and learn to adore and truſt GOD. Matth. vi. 25.— Therefore I ſay unto you, take no Thought for your Life, what ye ſhall eat, nor for your Body, what ye ſhall put on—Behold the Fowls of the Air—Your Father provides for them—Conſider the Lillies of the Field, how they grow; they toil not, nor do they ſpin, and yet I ſay unto you, that Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of theſe. Wherefore if GOD ſo cloath the Graſs of the Field, which to Day is, and To-morrow is caſt into the Oven, ſhall he not much more cloath you, O ye of little Faith? How proper ſuch a Truſt in GOD, and ſuch a conſecrated Meditation, when the Time of ſinging of Birds is come and the Flowers appear upon the Earth? My GOD feeds the Birds, and adorns the Flowers, ſhall he not much rather feed and cloath me? Does he not love me better than theſe?

Look abroad in the Spring and riſe our Thoughts to the Reſurrection of the Dead at the laſt Day. Theſe Fields were once covered with Snow like the Pale of Death. Theſe Trees were diſrobed of their flowry Honours, and appeared bare and naked. The Roſes droped away, and the Lillies hung down their Heads and died, but ſee how the Year revives again, and bloſſoms, and brightens, and lives. Iſaiah lxvi. 14. And when ye ſee this, your Heart ſhall rejoice, and your Bones ſhall flouriſh like an Herb. Juſt as theſe Groves revive, and as this Graſs renews its Green, ſo ſhall our ſcattered Bones flouriſh from their prolifick Graves. When CHRIST the Judge ſhall deſcend from Heaven, our dead Bodies ſhall hear his Call, Riſe up, and come away, for lo, the Winter is paſt, the Rain is over and gone, the Flowers appear on the Earth, the Time of the ſinging of Birds is come. Pſalm lxxii. 6.— He ſhall come down like Rain upon the mown Graſs: as Showers that water the Earth. In his Days ſhall the Righteous flouriſh—They that dwell in the Wilderneſs — the burying Place— the wild and ſolitary Retreats of Death and the Grave, — ſhall how before him. Pſalm lxxii. 16. In what a living Repreſentation do we ſee the Reſurrection of the Dead, exemplified in the Reſurrection of the Year. Pſalm lxxii. 16. They of the City, ſhall flouriſh like the Graſs of the Earth. Who can count it a Thing incredible that GOD ſhould raiſe the Dead, who ſees him ſo renew the flowery Fields, and the blooming Trees! Cannot he as eaſily make our Graves, as our Gardens to bloſſom? The Wilderneſs and the ſolitary Place ſhall be glad for them, and the Deſert ſhall rejoice, and bloſſom as a Roſe. It ſhall bloſſom abundantly, and rejoice even with ſinging; the Glory of Lebanon ſhall be given to it, the Excellency of Carmel and Sharon: They ſhall ſee the Glory of the LORD, and the Excellency of our GOD. Iſaiah xxxv. 1, 2.

Again, See the fair Scenes about you, and lead your Meditations to the final Judgment of the World. Pſalm xcvi. 11, — Let the Heavens rejoice, and let the Earth be glad: let the Sea roar, and the Fulneſs thereof. Let the Field be joyful, and all that is therein: then ſhall all the Trees of the Wood rejoyce. Before the LORD; for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the Earth: he ſhall judge the World with Righteouſneſs, and the People with his Truth. And indeed, well may the Earth, and Fields, and Woods rejoyce, which are to be renewed, and bloom in a perpetual Spring. All the Creatures Groan, for this Reſtitution of all Things. II. Pet. iii. 13. Nevertheleſs, we according to his Promiſe, look for new Heavens and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteouſneſs.

See the Flowers appear upon the Earth in the Spring, and riſe up to Meditations on the ſwift Progreſs of the Goſpel through the World. The Sun of Righteouſneſs ſo aroſe with healing in his Wings; and the Church of GOD ſprouted and ſprung up, and flouriſhed at the reviving Heat. So was the Propheſy of the myſtical Iſrael, Iſaiah xxvii. 6. Numb. xvii. 8. Iſrael ſhall bloſſom and bud, and fill the Face of the World with Fruit. So the typical Rod of Aaron, budded, and brought forth Buds, and bloomed Bloſſoms, and yielded Almonds †. So the Sower goes out in the Spring, to ſow; and O what a large Harveſt covers the Fields around him. This World lay in the Cold and Darkneſs of a long Winter-Night, till the Goſpel, like the Dayſpring from on high, viſited the Nations, and a ſudden Spring covered the Face of the Ground. Ezek. xvii. 22, — 24. Thus ſaith the LORD GOD, I will alſo take of the higheſt Branch of the high Cedar, and will ſet it, I will crop off from the top of his young Twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high Mountain and eminent. In the Mountain of the height of Iſrael will I plant it: and it ſhall bring forth Boughs, and bear Fruit, and be a goodly Cedar: and under it ſhall dwell all Fowl of every Wing: in the Shadow of the Branches thereof ſhall they dwell. And all the Trees of the Field ſhall know that I the LORD have brought down the high Tree, have exalted the low Tree, have dried up the green Tree, and have made the dry Tree to flouriſh: I the LORD have ſpoken a have done it. The GOD of He ven called to the Nations that lay Ignorance and Wickedneſs, Riſe up, a come away, and at once the Sha • ſcattered, and the Darkneſs fled away and the Nations of them who are ſay walked in open Light.

See the gay Appearance of the Sprin and learn the Deſtruction of the wicked. T. beautiful annual Flouriſh which now charmingly guilds the Fields, ſhall quickly fade away, and die. So the laſt Spri • was ſcorched by the Summer-Sun, a • frozen by the Winter-Cold. And 〈◊〉 we not here behold the lively Emble of a wicked Man, and the ſudden, a • the dreadful Change which muſt pa • upon him. Pſalm xcii. 7. When the Wicked ſpir • as the Graſs, and when all the Worke of Iniquity do flouriſh, it is that they ſh • be deſtroyed for ever. So Nebucha • •• zzar ſtood Dan. iv. flouriſhing in his Pala and at once fell down deprived of h • mane Reaſon, and howled like a wi • Beaſt, through the blaſted Defar How often does it happen that the in • pious Youth is cut off at once, like a ſudden Froſt, withering the whole Spring in its Infant-Bud? Ezek. vii. 10. It ſhall be accompliſhed before its Time, and 〈◊〉 Branch ſhall not be green. He ſhall ſhake off his unripe Grape as the Vine; and ſhall caſt off his Flower as the Olive. What though the wicked Man glitters in all his gaudy Pride, and has every Beauty ſmiling round him; what though his ſilken Apparel be gay like the Spring; and like the flowery Crown on every waving Tree, yet is Deſtruction from GOD nigh to the unhappy Criminal. Iſai. xxviii. 1. Wo to the Crown of Pride, — whoſe glorious Beauty is a fading Flower, on the Head of the fat Vallies. This is the great Woe of an almighty GOD, denounced againſt the moſt pompous Sons of Earth; and as it is denounced it ſhall come on. Ezek. vii. 10. Behold the Day, behold it is come, the Morning is gone forth, the Rod hath bloſſomed, Pride hath budded; Violence hath riſen up into a Rod of Wickedneſs: None of them ſhall remain, — the Time is come, the Day draweth near, let not the Buyer rejoice, nor the Seller mourn; for Wrath is upon all the Multitude thereof. Let the Wicked then look freſh as the green Herb, and chearful as the opening Spring, yet, riſe up, and come away our Thoughts from his preſent Glory to his future Ruins. The Epitaph on the moſt flouriſhing wicked Men, will be that, II. Kings xix. 26. They were as the Graſs of the Field, and as the green Herb, as the Graſs on the Houſe Tops, and as Corn blaſted before it be grown up.

Look abroad upon the opening Spring and behold a beautiful Emblem of humane Life. For all Fleſh is Graſs, and the Glory of Man as the Flower of Graſs, the Graſs withereth, and th • Flower fadeth away. I. Pet. i. 24 See the glowing Bloſſoms, how ſoon they drop to the Ground; and what are we ourſelves better than they? Job xiv. 2. He comet • forth as a Flower, and is cut down. I • the Spring we ſee the verdent Graſs and the bluſhing Flowers; but to fad • and die is common to both, and equal • ly to us with them. Pſalm ciii. 15. As for Ma • his Days are as Graſs, as a Flower of the Field ſo he flouriſheth; for the Wind paſſeth over it and it is gone, and the Place thereof ſhall know it no more. Nay, ſhould we eſcape Death in our Youth, and out live the Spring of our Time, yet Old-Age will come on, when our hoary Heads ſhall be covered like the Groves with white Bloſſoms. So is the beautiful and accurate Deſcription of Old-Age by Solomon, Eccl. xii. 5. The Almond Tree ſhall flouriſh. And in a little Time muſt the Silver Crown be thrown at the Feet of Death, and the Bloſſom go up as Duſt. Iſaiah v. 24. Here then is the Life of Man exactly; no more than a fading Spring. Pſalm xc. 5. In the Morning they are like Graſs that groweth up. In the Morning it flouriſheth and groweth up, in the Evening it is cut down and withereth. When the Winter is paſt then, and the Flowers appear, and the Birds ſing, do we not hear the Voice of CHRIST to us? A Voice that calls us to riſe up? Iſaiah xl. 6. The Voice ſaid, Cry, and he ſaid, What ſhall I cry? All Fleſh is Graſs, and all the Goodlineſs thereof as the Flower of the Field. The Graſs withereth, and the Flower fadeth. Surely the People is Graſs.

The Winter is • aſt, the Flowers appear, the Time of the ſinging of Birds is come. Riſe up, and come away. Conſider the bleſſed and happy Condition of the holy; they are under the mild Influence of a perpetual Spring; and Paradiſe it ſelf breathes in their tranſported Breaſts. Pſalm xcii. 12. The Righteous ſhall flouriſh like the Palm Tree, he ſhall grow like the Cedar in Lebanon. Thoſe that be planted in the Houſe of the LORD, ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of our GOD. They ſhall ſtill bring forth Fruit in Old-Age: They ſhall be fat and flouriſhing. The good Man himſelf ſhall be chearful and proſperous as the youthful Spring. Prov. xi. 28. The Righteous ſhall flouriſh as a Branch. And even the Houſe of the good Man ſhall be bleſſed, even his Children ſhall ſhoot up as Olive-Plants about his Table.

Prov. xiv. 11. The Tabernacle of the Upright ſhall flouriſh. O happy Man, thrice, yea, four Times happy; — Bleſſed art thou, and bleſſed are thy Children, and thy Servants. Job v. 24▪ Thy Tabernacle ſhall be in Peace. — Thy Seed ſhall be great, and thy Off-ſpring as the Graſs of the Earth. Thou ſhalt come to thy Grave as a Shock of Corn in its Seaſon. This is the Man beloved by his GOD, the Darling of Heaven, and fair and beauteous as an immortal Spring. He ſhall grow as the Lilly, and caſt forth his Roots as Lebanon; his Branches ſhall ſpread, and his Beauty ſhall be as the Olive-Tree, and his Smell as Lebanon. And the deſcending Dews of Heaven, ſhall ſtill refreſh and cheriſh him. Hoſea xiv. 5. He ſhall revive as the Corn, and bloſſom as the Vine. This is your Portion, ye holy People, and ſhall we not riſe up from the lower Spring, and rejoice in our GOD, who gives us to vie with it, and aſſert our ſuperiour Beauty. Hab. iii. 17. Although the Fig-Tree ſhall not bloſſom, neither ſhall Fruit be on the Vines, th • Labour of the Olive ſhall fail, and th • Field ſhall yield no Meat, yet will I r • joice in the LORD, I will joy in th • GOD of my Salvation. This GOD may the good Man ſay, will ſhowe his Bleſſings round me with a layiſ • Hand, and though the Year die in th • Spring, I ſhall be ſatisſied with goo • Things. Pſalm xxiii. 2. He maketh me lie down i • green Paſtures, he leadeth me beſide th • ſtill Waters. Gen. xxvii. 26, 27. See! the Smell of my So is as the Smell of a Field which th • LORD hath bleſſed. GOD ſhall gi • thee the Dew of Heaven, and the Fa • neſs of the Earth, and plenty of Cor • and Wine.

Again, See the Spring; and what proper Meditation riſes out of it, o • the Sufferings of our LORD JESUS The Flowers appear on the Earth Riſe up and come away: Contempla • the Bitterneſs and Sorrows of the bleeding JESUS, in the Garden of his Ag • ny. We behold the charming Aſpe • of Nature all about us; and are ra • viſhed with the Beauty of Proſpect from the green Graſs, and the Roſey and the Silver Bloſſoms: He had ſomething elſe to do, when he lay weeping on the Ground, and cried, My Days are like a Shadow that declineth: and I am withered like Graſs Pſalm cii. 11.. So the Lilly of the Valley lay, hung down his Head, drooped and languiſhed. He bowed his Head, and gave up the Ghoſt. Bleſſed SAVIOUR! Is not this the Call we hear from thee, in the Spring, To riſe up and conſider, If theſe Things be done to the green Tree, what ſhall be done to the dry? Adam ſinned in a Garden, and for this our LORD ſuffered in a Garden.

Look on the amiable Landſkip, and remember the Eden we have loſt. The Timeof the ſinging of Birds is paſt; and of flowry Fields. The very Ground is under the Curſe. Thorns alſo and Thiſtles ſhall it bring forth unto thee.

To conclude, The Winter is paſt, the Rain is over and gone; the Time of the ſinging of Birds is come, and the Flowers ſmile over the Gronnd: Riſe up, and come away: Lift up your Eyes to the Joys prepared for good Men after Death. The Glories and Delights of Paradiſe, how ſublime and magnificent are they, when even this lower World can look ſo beauteous from the Flowers of the Spring! This Earth, polluted by Sin, and devoured by the Curſe of GOD, does yet retain ſo much of its Ornament and gay Aſpect. But, O the raviſhing Glories of the Place where no Curſe lays waſte, no Sin defiles! The Paradiſe of holy Souls; the Manſion of bleſſed Angels; the imperial Seat and Reſidence of GOD! In our low Spring of Earth, all our Senſes are agreeably entertained with a Variety of Delights and Satisfactions. The Winter is paſt, and as the Cold decays, a moderate Warmth diffuſes thro' the Air, we feel it, and are refreſhed by it. The Time of the ſinging of Birds is come, and our Ears are regaled by all the Harmony of the Groves and Foreſts. The idle Muſicians of the Spring f • ll the Fields and the Skies with their artleſs Melody. A thouſand Odours are thrown from every Bough; and ſcatter through the Air, to gratify our Smell. The Flowers appear on the Earth; and the opening Buds, and the riſing Graſs dreſs the rich Landſcape, and paint the Scene to delight and charm our Eyes. Theſe are the Pleaſures of an earthly Spring: But, O the Joys of the upper Paradiſe! There the Eyes are delighted with Sunſhine ever bright, and Fields ever fair, and never ſading. The Angels, and not the Birds, ſing; and nothing addreſſes the Ear but Hallelujahs and Anthems to GOD: The Fruits of the Tree of Life ſatisfy the Taſte; and Rivers of Pleaſures and the Breath of GOD, baniſh Thirſt, and cool the deathleſs Region. From the Things that we ſee then all below us, Riſe up, and come away, to the future State of eternal Rewards, reſerved in Heaven for us. — Ariſe, let us go hence.

And now what remains but the Exhortation and the Motives in my Text. Riſe up, and come away, for the Winter is paſt, the Rain is over, and gone, the Flowers appear on the Earth, the Time of the ſinging of Birds is come. Lo, the Seaſon of the Year, and every fragrant Breeze of Air, conſpire to awaken us to Thoughts on GOD, and to quicken our Love to him, and truſt in him. Univerſal Nature about us with one Voice, ſings Hallelujah aloud. Glory to GOD in the Higheſt, is reſounded by every tuneful Bird, every warbling Brook, and bubling Fountain. Incenſe to the GOD of Heaven is offered by every opening Lilly, and glowing Bloſſom, which perfume the Air with their ambient Sweets. The wide Earth we tread on ſeem: but one great Altar, covered with Incenſe and Offerings to GOD its Maker. And ſhall not we alſo offer ourſelves upon it? Riſe up, and come away. It belongs to us, as the Prieſt of GOD below, to expreſs the Praiſe of the ſubordinate Creatures in articulate Sounds, and utter their ſilen Voice in intelligible Language. Fo • all thy Works praiſe thee, O LORD and thy Saints bleſs thee.

But the Application may more particularly be directed to young People who exult under the Indulgence of double Spring. To you, my Brethren turn my Addreſs; and ſuffer, I pray • ou, the Word of Exhortation. Will • ou as waſte theſe golden Moments, • hat glitter in the Spring of Life, which • nce fled away, can never return more? Riſe up, and come away; leave the low • r Objects that allure and tempt you. Give your ſelves up to GOD. Seek • ſt the Kingdom of GOD and his Righ • onſneſs, and all other Things ſhall be • dded unto you. Riſe up, for lo, the • inter [—is paſt ſhall I ſay? Nay] it 〈◊〉 coming on, and the evil Days of Rain • nd Tempeſt are haſtening over you. Remember now thy Creator in the Days 〈◊〉 thy Youth, before the evil Days come, 〈◊〉 the Years draw nigh, when thou • alt ſay I have no Pleaſure in them. Riſe up, out of the Way of theſe de • ending Evils, by a Flight to the dear • AVIOUR, who invites you with his • racious Voice, and opens his tender Arms to receive you. My Brethren, Your Life will decay, like the fading • pring, O let it not before your eter • al Well-being is ſecured, and a ſure • oundation for happy Reflection laid 〈◊〉 theſe pleaſant Hours.

Thus have I taken you with me to meditate in the Fields. We have been ſurveying the beautiful Scenes of the Spring: And ſhall we have no good Effect of the ſoft Proſpects? Shall not a rival Glory open and dawn in our raviſhed Hearts, while all the Fields flouriſh about us? O for a Spring now! and that even while I am ſpeaking, every conſenting Breaſt may feel new Delights in GOD kindle with a ſudden Flame, and glow with immortal Ardor! That is the Deſign as of all the Meſſages from the Pulpit, ſo particularly of this Diſcourſe on the ſpringing Year. I would call your Souls in to flouriſh like the Earth about you. Deut. xxxii. 2. My Doctrine ſhall drop as the Rain, my Speech ſhall diſtill as the Dew; as the ſmall Rain upon the tender Herb; and as the Showers upon the Graſs. Away! thou North-wind, and come thou South, blow upon my Garden, that the Spices thereof may flow out.

Thoſe of us who have recovered from the Sick-Bed, methinks, may hear the loud Call, Riſe up, — Ariſe, and walk! Taſte the renewed Bounties of Heaven with redoubled Pleaſure, while we redouble our Labours for GOD, and his Kingdom. But, ah! Let us not think the Danger is all paſt, and the Rain is over and gone; for the Clouds return after the Rain; Death ſhall quickly ſhut the pleaſing Scene, and the Days of Darkneſs ſhall be many. Do therefore with thy Might, what thy Hand findeth to do. If all the Care of Heaven to manure and cultivate you be loſt, the Voice quickly will be that, No Fruit be found on thee for ever! Cu • it down!—Ah! rejected and nigh unto Curſing, thy End is to be burned.

And indeed, The Addreſs of Heaven is proper for us all: For we are all in the Spring of our Being, while we are in this Life. Eternity is like an endleſs Year, of which this Life is like the budding Spring. And, as the Spring is, the Year will be more or leſs fruitful and bleſſed. If in this Life we diſobey GOD; the Spring of this Life will end in the Heat of a withered Summer, the Flames of eternal Fire. If, on the contrary, we ſerve GOD from a Principle of Faith in CHRIST, our Spring will end in a bleſſed Harveſt: And we ſhall enter upon the Feaſt of the Fruits that adorn Paradiſe. Death it ſelf will but convey us to the Regions of immortal Life: And our LORD JESUS CHRIST the good Shepherd, will lead us through the dark Valley, to the green Paſtures, and the ſtill Waters. There the Groves ever bloſſom, the Flowers ever flouriſh, and the Fields are ever green. There JESUS himſelf blooms in unveiled Charms, and invites us to him, with his dear Voice. We may lie upon the Bed of Death, and ſee the endleſs Glories ſhine behind the Glooms, and guild and break away the awful Shadows. We may ſee our dear SAVIOUR at a Diſtance, encouraging our defired Flight. We may hear his Voice ſound charming through the dark Length of the Vale of Death; Riſe up, and come away! And the laſt Words we utter, when we leave the Flouriſh of the lower Spring may be like that, Cant. ii. 8, 9. It is the Voice of m • Beloved: He flouriſheth through th • Windows, ſhewing himſelf through th • Latteſs. Then ſhall be compleatly fulfilled to you, that bleſſed Promiſe, Iſai. lv. 10—13. For as the Rain cometh down, and the Snow from Heaven, and returneth not thithor, but watereth the Earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give Seed to the Sower, and Bread to the Eater: So ſhall my Word be that goeth forth out of my Mouth: it ſhall not return unto me void, but it ſhall accompliſh that which I pleaſe, and it ſhall proſper in the Thing whereto I ſent it. For ye ſhall go out with Joy, and be led forth with Peace: the Mountains and the Hills ſhall break forth before you into ſinging, and all the Trees of the Field ſhall clap their Hands. Inſtead of the Thorn ſhall come up the Fir-tree, and inſtead of the Brier ſhall come up the Myrtle-Tree: and it ſhall be to the LORD for a Name, for an everlaſting Sign, that ſhall not be cut off. Iſai. xxxv. 6. — — In the Wilderneſs ſhall Waters break out, and Streams in the Deſert. And the parched Ground ſhall become a Pool, and the thirſty Land Springs of Water: In the habitation of Dragons, where each lay, ſhall be Graſs with Reeds and Ruſhes. — No Lion ſhall be there, nor any ravenous Beaſt ſhall go up thereon, it ſhall not be found there: but the redeemed ſhall walk there. And the ranſomed of the LORD ſhall return and come to Zion with Songs, and everlaſting Joy upon their Heads: they ſhall obtain Joy and Gladneſs, and Sorrow and Sighing ſhall flee away.

FINIS.