WHOEVER is acquainted with the Nature of Mankind in general, or the Propenſity of his own Heart in particular, muſt acknowledge, that Self-righteouſneſs is the laſt Idol that is rooted out of the Heart.—Being once born under a Covenant of Works, it is natural for us all to have recourſe to a Co •• venant of Works for our everlaſting Salvation▪ And we have contracted ſuch a deviliſh Pri •• by • ur Fall from 〈◊〉 , that w •• would, 〈…〉 yet in, 〈◊〉 leaſt, glory in being 〈◊〉 Cauſe 〈◊◊〉 Salvation. We • ry out again 〈◊〉 and that very juſtly; but 〈…〉 at leaſt I am ſure we are 〈…〉 Nature▪ and therefore no wonder 〈◊〉 Natural Men embrace that Scheme. Its 〈◊〉 we diſclaim the Doctrine of Merit, are aſhamed directly to ſay we deſerve any Good at the Hands of God; therefore, as the Apoſtle excellently well obſerves, we go about, we fetch 〈◊〉 Circuit, to eſtabliſh a Righteouſneſs of our own, and, like the Phariſees of old, will not wholly ſubmit to that Righteouſneſs, which is of God thro' Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.

This is the ſoreſt, tho' 〈◊〉 ! the moſt common Evil that was ever yet ſeen under the Sun. An Evil, that in any Age, eſpecially in theſe Dregs of Time wherein we live, cannot 〈◊〉 be inveighed againſt.—For, as it is with the People, ſo it is with the Prieſts; and it is to be feared, even in thoſe Places where once the Truth, as it is in Jeſus, was eminently preached, many Miniſters are ſo ſadly degenerated from their pious Anceſtors, that the Doctrine of Grace, eſpecially the perſonal, all-ſufficient Righteouſneſs of Jeſus, is but too ſeldom, too ſlightly mentioned. Hence the Love of many waxeth cold; and I have often thoug • , was it poſſible, that this ſingle Conſideration would be ſufficient to raiſe our venerable Forefathers again from their Graves.

The Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt is one of thoſe great Myſteries the Angels deſire to look 〈◊〉 , and ſeems to be 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Leſſons that 〈◊〉 taught Men after 〈◊〉 Fall. For what were the Coats that God made to put on our firſt Parents, but Tpyes of the Application of the Mer •• or Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt to Believers Hearts? We are told▪ that 〈◊◊〉 were made of Skins of Beaſts, and as Beaſts were not then Food for Men, we may fairly infer, that thoſe Beaſts were ſlain in Sacrifice, in Commemoration of the great Sacrifice Jeſus Chriſt hereafter to be offered. And the Skins of thoſe Beaſts thus ſlain being put on Adam and Eve, they were hereby taught how their Nakedneſs was to be covered with the Righteouſneſs of the Lamb of God.

This is it which is meant, when we are told Abraham believed on the Lord, and it was counted to him for Righteouſneſs. In ſhort, this is it of which both the Law and all the Prophets have ſpoken, eſpecially Jeremiah in the Words of the Text—The Lord our Righteouſneſs.— I propoſe through Divine Grace I. To conſider who we are to underſtand by the Word Lord. II. How the Lord is Man's Righteouſneſs. III. I'll conſider ſome chief Objections that are generally urged againſt this Doctrine. IV. I ſhall ſhew ſome very ill Conſequences▪ that flow naturally from denying this 〈◊〉 . V. Shall conclude with an 〈◊◊〉 , all to come to Chriſt by Faith, that they may be enabled to ſay with the Prophet in the Text, The Lord our Righteouſneſs.

I am to conſider who we are to 〈…〉 Word Lord—The Lord our 〈◊〉 .

〈◊〉 if any Arians or 〈◊〉 are drawn by 〈◊〉 to hear what the 〈◊〉 has to ſay, let them be aſhamed of • enying the Divinity of that Lord that has bought poor Sinners by his 〈◊〉 Blood.—For the Perſon mentioned in the Text under the Character of the Lord, is Jeſus Chriſt.—Behold, (ver. 5.) the Days c • me, ſaith the Lord, that I will raiſe unto David a righteous Branch, a King ſhall reign and proſper, ſhall execute Judgment and Juſtice in the Earth.—In 〈◊〉 Day • (ver. 6.) Judah ſhall be ſaved, and Iſrael ſhall dwell ſafely, and this is his Name whereby he ſhall be called, "The Lord our Righteouſneſs."—By the righteous Branch, all agree that we are to underſtand Jeſus Chriſt.—He it is that is called the Lord in our Text. If ſo, if there were no other Text in the Bible to prove the Divinity of Chriſt, that is ſufficient. For if the Word Lord may properly belong to Jeſus Chriſt, He 〈◊〉 be God. For as you have it in the Margins of your Bibles, the Word Lord is in the Original Jehovah, which is the Eſſential Title of God himſelf. Come then, ye Arians, kiſs the Son of God, low down before him, and honour him, even as you honour the Father. Learn of the Angels thoſe Morning Stars, and worſhip him as 〈◊〉 God.—For otherwiſe you are as much Idolaters, as thoſe that worſhip the Virgin Mary. And as fo • you▪ Socinians, who ſay Chriſt was a •• er Man, and yet profeſs that he was 〈◊〉 Saviour, according to your own Principles you are accurſed. For, if Chriſt be a 〈◊〉 Man, then he is only an Arm of Fleſh.—And it is written, Curſed 〈◊〉 ; he that truſteth on an Arm of Fleſh.

—But I would hope there are no ſuch Monſters here. At leaſt, that after theſe Conſiderations, they would be aſhamed of broaching ſuch monſtrous Abſurdities any more.—For it is plain, that by the Word Lord, we are to underſtand the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who here takes to himſelf the Title of Jehovah, and therefore muſt be very God of very God, or, as the Apoſtle devoutly expreſſes it, God bleſſed for ever more.

How the Lord is to be Man's Righteouſneſs comes next to be conſider'd.

And that is, in one Word, by Imputation.—For it pleaſed God, after he had made all Thing; by the Word of his Power, to create Man after his own Image. And ſo infinite was the Condeſcenſion of the high and lofty One, who inhabiteth Eternity, that tho' He might have inſiſted on the everlaſting Obedience of him and his Poſterity, yet' He was pleaſed to oblige Himſelf, by a Covenant or Agreement made with his own Creatures, upon Condition of an unſinning Obedience, to give them Immortality and eternal Life.—For when it is ſaid, the Day thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely die," we may fairly infer, ſo long as 〈◊〉 continued obedient, and did not eat thereof▪ he ſhould ſurely live.—The 3d of Geneſis gives us a • ail, but mournful Account, how our firſt Parents broke this Covenant, and thereby 〈◊◊〉 Need of a • etter Righteouſneſs than 〈…〉 in order to procure their future 〈…〉 God.—For what muſt they do? They were as •• ch under a Covenant of Works, as ever. And, tho' after their Diſobedience they were without Strength, yet they were obliged not only to do, but continue to do all Things, and that too in the moſt perfect Manner which the Lord had required of them.—And not only ſo, but to make Satisfaction to God's infinitely offended Juſtice, for the 〈◊〉 they had already been guilty of.—Here then opens the amazing Scene of Divine Philanthropy—I mean God's Love to Man—For behold, what Man could not do, Jeſus Chriſt, the Son of his Father's Love, undertakes to do for him. And that God might be juſt in juſtifying the Ungodly, tho' He was in the Form of God, and therefore thought it no Robbery to be equal with God, yet he took upon him the Form of a Servant, even human Nature.—In that Nature He obeyed, and thereby fulfilled the whole moral Law in our ſtead—And alſo died a painful Death upon the Croſs, and thereby became a Curſe for, or inſtead of, thoſe whom the Father had given him.—As God, He ſatisfied at the ſame Time that He obeyed, and ſuffered as Man; and being God and Man, in 〈◊〉 Perſon, wrought out a full, perfect and ſufficient Righteouſneſs for all to whom it was to be imputed.

Here then we ſee the Meaning of the Word Righteouſneſs. It implies the active, as well as paſſive Obedience of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, We generally, when talking of the Merits of Chriſt▪ only mention the latter, viz.—His Death, where▪ the former, viz. his Life and active Obedience is equally neceſſary. Chriſt is not ſuch a Saviour as becomes us, unleſs we join both together.—Chriſt not only died, but lived; not only ſuffered, but obeyed, for or inſtead of poor Sinners. And both theſe jointly make up that compleat Righteouſneſs which is to be imputed to us, as the Diſobedience of our firſt Parents was made ours by Imputation. In this Senſe, and no other, are we to underſtand that Parallel which St. Paul draws in the 5th of the Romans, between the firſt and ſecond Adam. This is what he elſewhere terms our being made the Righteouſneſs of God in Him. This is the Senſe wherein the Prophet would have us to underſtand the Words of the Text; therefore Chap. xxx. ver. 16. She, i. e. the Church it ſelf ſhall be called (having this Righteouſneſs imputed to her) the Lord our Righteouſneſs.—A Paſſage, I think, worthy the profoundeſt Meditation of all the Sons and Daughters of Abraham.

Many are the Objections which the proud▪ Hearts of fallen Men are continually urging againſt this wholeſome, this divine, this ſoul-ſaving Doctrine.—I come now, in the third Place, to anſwer ſome few of thoſe which I think the m • ſt conſiderable.

And firſt, they ſay, becauſe they would appear Friends to Morality, that the Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs is deſtructive of good Morality and • eads to Licentiouſneſs 〈◊〉 • octrine of an 〈◊〉 are the Perſons, that generally the Ground. 〈◊〉 Are they Men full of But ſurely the really concerned for Good Works? th •• 〈◊〉 never 〈◊〉 few Exceptions there may be, if 〈◊〉 Diſcourſ • all, it's notorious they are generally Men of corrupt Minds, reprobate concerning the Faith. The beſt Title I can give them is, that of prophane Moraliſts, or Moraliſts falſely ſo called. For I appeal to the Experience of the preſent, as well as paſt Ages, if Iniquity did and does not moſt abound where the Doctrine of Chriſt's whole perſonal Righteouſneſs is moſt •• ied down, and moſt ſeldom mentioned,—Arminian being Antichriſtian Principles, always did, and always will lead to Antichriſtian Practices. And never was there a Reformation brought about in the Church, but by the Preaching the Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs.—This, as that Man of God Luther calls it, is Articulus Stantis aut Cadentis Eccleſiae, the Article by which the Church ſtands or falls.—And tho' the Preachers of this Doctrine are generally branded by thoſe on the other Side with the opprobious Names of Antinomia • s▪ Deceivers, and what not? yet, I believe, if the Truth of the Doctrine on both Sides was to be judged of by the Lives of the Preachers and Profeſſors of it, their's on our Side the Queſtion▪ would have the Advantage every way.

It's true, this, as well as every other Doctrine of Grace, may be abuſed. And perhaps the • nchriſtian Walk of ſome, who have talked of Chriſt's imputed Righteouſneſs, Juſtification by Faith, and the like, and yet 〈◊〉 the Merits of puted to their own Souls, has give viz.—His of the Lord thus Cauſe to blaſphe • his Life and is a very unſafe, as well as a very▪ 〈◊〉 Chriſt is arguing.—The only Queſtion ſhou • unleſs we or no this Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs does in itſelf cut off the Occaſion of good Works, or lead to Licentiouſneſs? No, in no wiſe. It ex ••• des Works indeed from being any Cauſe of our Juſtification in the Sight of God.—But it requires good Works as a Proof of our having this Righteouſneſs imputed to us, and as a declarative Evidence of our Juſtification in the Sight of M • n. And then how can the Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs, be a Doctrine leading to Licentiouſneſs?

Its all 〈◊〉 ▪ —St. Paul introduces an Infi ••• making this Objection in his Epiſtle to the Romans.—And none but Infidels, that never felt the Power of Chriſt's Reſurrection upon their Souls, will urge it ever again—And therefore, notwithſtanding this Objection, with the Prophet in the Text we may boldly ſay, the Lord is our Righteouſneſs.

But Satan, (and no wonder that his Servants imitate him) often transforms himſelf in an Angel of Light. And therefore (ſuch perverſe' Things, 〈◊〉 ill Infidelity and Arminianiſm, make Men ſpeak) in order to dreſs their Objections in the beſt Colours. Some urge, that our Saviour preached no ſuch Doctrine—that in his Sermon upon the Mount, He mentions only Morality; and conſequently the Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs falls wholly the Ground.

But ſurely the Men, who urge this Objection, 〈◊〉 never read, or never underſtood our Lord's 〈◊〉 Diſcourſe, wherein the Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs▪ 〈◊〉 plainly taught, that 〈◊〉 that 〈…〉 that ſee, may read.

Indeed our Lord does recommend Morality and good Works ( 〈◊〉 all faithful Miniſters will do) and clears the moral • aw from many corrupt 〈◊〉 put upon it by the l • tter-learned Phariſee • . 〈◊〉 But then, before He comes to 〈◊〉 , it's remarkable, He talks of inward Piety, ſuch as Poverty of Spirit, Meekneſs, 〈◊〉 Mourning▪ Purity of Heart—eſpecially hung •• ing and 〈◊〉 after Righteouſneſs; and 〈◊〉 recommends good Works, as an Evidence of our having his Righteouſneſs imputed to us, and theſe Graces and Divine Tempers wrought in our Hearts.—Let your Light, (that is, the Divine Light I before have been mentioning) ſhine before Men, in a holy Life, that they, ſeeing your good Works, may glorify your Father which is in Heaven.—And then immediately adds, Think not that I am come to deſtroy the moral Law—I came not to deſtroy▪ to take away the Force of it as a Rule of Life, but to fulfil, to obey it in its whole Latitude, and give the compleat Senſe of it.—And then he goes on to ſhew, how exceeding broad the moral Law is. So that our Lord, inſtead of diſanulling of an imputed Righteouſneſs in his Sermon upon the Mount, not only confirms it, but alſo anſwers the foregoing Objection urged againſt it, by 〈◊〉 good Works a Proof and Evidence of its being imputed to our Souls.—He therefore that h • s Ears to hear, let him hear what the Prophet ſay in the Words of the Text—"The Lord o • Righteouſneſs."

But as Satan not only quoted 〈◊〉 ▪ • ut alſo backed one Temptation with it, after 〈◊〉 , when he attacked Chriſt▪ Perſon in the Wilderneſs; ſo his Children generally take the ſame Method in treating his Doctrine. And therefore they urge another Objection againſt the Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs, from the Example of the young Man in the Goſpel.

We may ſtate it thus:—The Evangeliſt St. Mark, ſay they, Chap. x. mentions a young Man that came to Chriſt, running and aſking him, what he ſhould do to inherit eternal Life? Chriſt, ſay they, referred him to the Commandments, to know what he muſt do to inherit eternal Life. It is plain therefore, Works were to be partly at 〈◊〉 , the Cauſe of 〈◊〉 Juſtification; and conſequently the Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs in unſcriptu •• ▪ —This is the Objection in its full Strength▪ and little Strength in all its Fulneſs▪ —For, was I to prove the Neceſſity of an imputed Righteouſneſs, I ſcarce know how I could bring a better Inſtance to make it good.

Let us take a more intimate View of this young Man, and our Lord's Behaviour towards him. Mark x. 17. the Evangeliſt tells us, that when Chriſt was gone forth into the Way, there came one running (it ſhould ſeem it 〈◊〉 ſome Nobleman, a Rarity indeed, to ſee ſuch a One running to Chriſt▪ ) and 〈◊〉 only ſo, but he kneeled to him tho' perhaps many of his Rank ſcarce know the Time when they kneeled to Chriſt) and aſking him, ſay ••• ▪ Good Maſter, what ſhall I do, that I 〈◊〉 inherit eternal Life▪ —Then Jeſus, to 〈◊〉 whither or not he believed him to be what 〈◊〉 really was, truly properly God, ſaid unto him, Why c • lleſt thou me Good? There is 〈◊◊〉 good but one, that is God.—And that he might directly anſwer his Queſtion; ſays he, Thou knoweſt the Commandments: Do not commit Adultery, Do not bear falſe Witneſs, Defraud not, Honour thy Father and thy 〈◊〉 This, I ſay, was a direct Anſwer to his Queſtion; namely, that eternal Life was not to be attained by his Doings.—For our Lord, by referring him to the Commandments, did not, (as the Objecte • s inſinuate) in the leaſt hint, that his Morality would recommend him to the Favour and Mercy of God.—But he intended thereby to make the Law his Schoolmaſter to bring him to himſelf; that the young Man, ſeeing how he had broken every one of theſe Commandments, might thereby be convinced of the Inſufficiency of his own, and conſequently the abſolute Neceſſity of looking out for a better Righteouſneſs, whereon he might depend for eternal Life.

This was what our Lord deſigned.—The young Man being Self-righteous, and willing to juſtify himſelf, ſaid, All theſe have I obſerved from my Youth. But had he known himſelf, he would have confeſſed, All theſe have I broke 〈◊〉 Youth.—For ſuppoſing he had not actually committed Adultery, Had he never luſted 〈◊〉 a Woman in his Heart? What? if he had 〈◊〉 really killed another; Had he never been 〈◊〉 without a Cauſe, or ſpoken unadviſedly with his Lips? If ſo, by breaking one of the leaſt Commandments in the leaſt Degree, he became liable to the Curſe of God: For Curſed is he (ſaith the Law) that continueth not to do all Things that are written in this Book.—And therefore, as I obſerved before, our Lord was ſo far from ſpeaking againſt, that he treated the young Man in that Manner, on purpoſe to convince him of the Neceſſity of an imputed Righteouſneſs.

But perhaps they will reply, it is ſaid, Jeſus beholding him loved him. And what then? This he might do with a human Love, and at the ſame Time this young Man have no Intereſt in his Blood.—Thus Chriſt is ſaid to wonder—to weep over Jeruſalem, and ſay— Oh that thou hadſt KNOWN, &c. But ſuch like Paſſages are to be referred only to his human Nature. And there is a great deal of Difference between the Love wherewith Chriſt loved this young Man, and that wherewith he loved Mary, Lazarus, and their Siſter Martha.—To illuſtrate this by a Compariſon.—A Miniſter of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ſeeing many amiable Diſpoſitions, ſuch as a Readineſs to hear the Word, a decent Behaviour at publick Worſhip, a Life outwardly ſpotleſs in many, cannot but ſo far love them. But then •• ere is much Difference betwixt that Love which 〈◊〉 Miniſter feels for ſuch, and that Divine Love, that Union and Sympathy of Soul, 〈◊◊〉 feels for thoſe that he is ſatisfied are really born again of God.—Apply this to our Lord's Caſe, as a 〈◊〉 Illuſtration of it.—Conſider what has been ſaid upon the young Man's Caſe in general, and then, if before you were fond of this Objection, inſtead of triumphing, with him you will go ſorrowful away.—Our Saviour's Reply to him more and more convinces us of the Truth of the Prophet's Aſſertion in the Text, viz. that the Lord is our Righteouſneſs.

But there is a fourth and grand Objection yet behind, and that is taken from the 25th Chapter of St. Matthew, where our Lord is deſcribed, as rewarding People with eternal Life, becauſe they fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and ſuch like.—Their Works therefore were a Cauſe of their Juſtification; conſequently, the Doctrine of imputed Righteouſneſs is not agreeable to Scripture.

This I confeſs is the moſt plauſible Objection that is brought againſt the Doctrine inſiſted on from the Text. And in order that we may anſwer it in as clear and brief a Manner as may be, we confeſs, with the Article of the Church of England, that albeit good Works do not juſtify us, yet they will follow after Juſtification, as Fruits of it; and tho' they can claim no Reward in themſelves, yet foraſmuch as they ſpring from Faith in Chriſt, and a renewed Soul, they ſhall receive a Reward of Grace, tho' no • of Debt; and conſequent 〈◊〉 the mere we abound in ſuch good Works, the greater will be our Reward when Jeſus Chriſt ſhall come to Judgment.

Take theſe Conſiderations along with us, and they will help us much to anſwer the Objection now before us.—For thus St. Matthew.— Then ſhall the King ſay to them on his Right-hand, Come ye bleſſed Children of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World.—For I was an hungry, and ye gave me Meat. I was thirſty, and ye gave me Drink. I was a Stranger, and ye took me in. Naked, and ye cloathed me. I was ſick, and ye viſited me. I was in Priſon, and ye came unto me. I will therefore reward you, becauſe you have done theſe Things • ut of Love to me, and hereby have evidenced yourſelves to be my true Diſciples.—And that the People did not depend on th • ſe good Actions for their Juſtification, in the Sight of God, is evident. For when ſaw we thee a hungry, ſay they, and fed thee? or thirſty, and gave thee Drink? When ſaw we thee a Stranger, and took thee in? Or naked▪ and clothed thee? Or when ſaw we thee ſick, or in Priſon, and came unto thee?—Language and Queſtions quite improper for Perſons relying on their own Righteouſneſs for Acceptance and Acquittance in the Sight of God.

But then they reply againſt this.—In the latter Part of the Chapter, ſay they, it is plain that Jeſus Chriſt rejects and damns the others for not doing theſe Things. And therefore, if he damns thoſe for not doing, he ſaves thoſe for doing; and conſequently the Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs is good for nothing.

But that is no Conſequence at all—For God • ay juſtly damn any Man for omitting the • eaſt Duty of the moral Law, and yet in himſelf is not obliged to give any one any Reward, ſuppoſing he has done all that • e can. We are unprofitable Servants, we have done not near ſo much as it was our Duty to do, muſt be the Language of the 〈◊〉 holy Souls living; and therefore from, or in our ſelves, cannot be juſtified in the Sight of God.—This was the Frame of the devout Souls juſt now referr'd to.—Senſible of this, they were ſo far from depending on their Works for Juſtification in the Sight of God, that they were filled, as it were, with a holy Bluſhing, to think our Lord ſhould condeſcend to mention, much more to reward them for their poor Works of Faith and Labours of Love. I am perſuaded their Hearts would riſe with a holy Indignation againſt thoſe, who urge this Paſſage as an Objection againſt the Aſſertion of the Prophet in the Words of the Text, that the "Lord is our Righteouſneſs."—

Thus I think we have fairly anſwered theſe grand Objections, which are generally urg'd againſt the Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs.—Was I to ſ • ep here, I think I might ſay, we are made more than Conquerors, through him that loved us.—But there is a Way of arguing which I have always admired, becauſe I have thought always very convincing, viz. by ſhewing the Abſurdities that will follow from denying any particular Propoſition in Diſpute.

This is the next Thing that was propoſe • 〈◊〉 And never did greater or more Abſur •• flow from the denying any Doctrine, than 〈◊〉 flow from denying the Doctrine of 〈◊〉 imputed Righteouſneſs.

And firſt, if we deny this Doctrine, we turn the Truth, I mean the Word of God, as much as we can, into a Lie, and utterly ſubvert all thoſe Places of Scripture, which ſay, that we are ſaved by Grace; that it is not of Works, le • t any Man ſhould boaſt.—That Salvation is God's free Gift—and that he that glorieth, muſt glory only in the Lord.—For, if the whole perſonal Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt be not the ſole Cauſe of my Acceptance with God, if any Work done by or foreſeen in me, was in the leaſt to be joined with it, or looked upon by God as an inducing, impulſive Cauſe of acquitting my Soul from Guilt, then I have ſomewhat whereof I may glory in my ſelf. Now Boaſting is excluded in the great Work of our Redemption. But that cannot be, if we are Enemies to the Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs.—It would be endleſs to enumerate how many Texts of Scripture muſt be falſe, if this Doctrine be not true.—Let it ſuffice to affirm in the general, that if we deny an imputed Righteouſneſs, we may as well deny a Divine Revelation all at once.—For it is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End of the Book of God.—We muſt either diſbelieve that, or believe what the Prophet hath ſpoken in the 〈◊〉 , that this Lord is our Righteouſneſs.

But farther.—I obſerved at the Beginning of this Diſcourſe, that we are all Arminians and Papiſts by Nature;—for, as one obſerves, Arminianiſm is the back way to Popery. And here I venture further to affirm, that if we deny the Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs, whatever ever we may ſtile ourſelves, we are really Papiſts in our Hearts, and deſerve no other Title from Men.

Sirs, What think you?—Suppoſe I was to come and tell you, that you muſt intercede with Saints, for them to intercede with God for you,—would you not then ſay, I was juſtly reputed a Popiſh Miſſionary by ſome, and deſervedly thruſt out of the Synagogues by others?—I ſuppoſe you would. And why? Becauſe you would ſay, the Interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt was ſufficient of itſelf, without the Interceſſion of Saints; and that it was blaſphemous to join theirs with hi • , as tho' it was not ſufficient.

Suppoſe I went a little more round about, and told you, that the Death of Chriſt was not ſufficient, without our Death being added to it; that you muſt die as well as Chriſt, join your Death with his, and then it would be ſufficient.—Might you not then, with a holy Indignation, throw Duſt in the Air, and juſtly call me a ſetter forth of ſtrange Doctrines? And now then, if it be not only abſurd, but blaſphemous, to join the Interceſſion of Saints, with the Interceſſion of Chriſt, as tho' his Interceſſion was not ſufficient, or our Death with the Death of Chriſt, as tho' his Death was not ſufficient; judge ye, if it be not equally abſurd, equally blaſphemous, to join our Obedience, either wholly or in part, with the Obedience of Chriſt, as if that was not ſufficient. And if ſo, what Abſurdities will follow the denying that the Lord, both as to his active and paſſive Obedience, is our Righteouſneſs?

One more Abſurdity I ſhall mention, that will follow from the denying this Doctrine, and I have done.

I remember a Story of a certain Prelate, who, after many Arguments in vain, urged to convince the Earl of Rocheſter of the inviſible Realities of another World, took his Leave of his Lordſhip with ſome ſuch Words as theſe:—W •• l, my Lord, ſays he, if there be no Hell, I am ſafe;—but, if there ſhould be ſuch a Thing, my Lord, as Hell, what will become of you? I apply this to thoſe that oppoſe the Doctrine now inſiſted on. If there be no ſuch Thing as the Doctrine of an imputed Righteouſneſs, thoſe that hold it, and bring forth Fruit unto Holineſs, are ſafe. But if there be ſuch a Thing, (as there certainly is) what will become of you that deny it? It is no difficult Matter to determine.—Your Portion muſt be in the Lake of Fire and Brimſtone for ever and ever, ſince you will rely upon your Works, by your Works you ſhall be judged.—They ſhall be weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary.—They will be found wanting.—By your Works therefore ſhall you be condemned; and you, being out of Chriſt, ſhall find God to your poor, wretched▪ Souls, a conſuming Fire.—

The great STODDARD of Northampton in New-England, has therefore well intitled a Book which he wrote (and which I would take this Opportunity to recommend) The Safety of Appearing in the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt. 〈◊〉 For why ſhould I lean upon a broken Reed, 〈◊〉 I can have the Rock of Age • to ſtand 〈◊◊〉 never can be moved?

And now, before I come to a more particular Application, give me Leave, in the Apoſtles Language, triumphantly to cry out, Where is the S • ribe? Where the Diſputer? Where is the reaſoning Infidel of this Generation? Can any Thing appear more reaſonable, even according to your own Way of arguing, than the Doctrine here laid down? Have you not felt a convincing Power go along with the Word? Why then will you not believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that ſo he may become the Lord your Righteouſneſs.

But it's Time for me to come a little cloſer to your Conſciences.

Brethren, tho' ſome may be offended at this Doctrine, and may account it Fooliſhneſs; yet, to many of you, I doubt not but it is precious, it being agreeable to the Form of ſound Words, which from your Infancy has been deliver'd to you: And coming from a Quarter, you would leaſt have expected it, may be received with more Pleaſure and Satisfaction. But give me Leave to aſk you one Queſtion, Can you ſay, the Lord our Righteouſneſs?—I ſay, the Lord our Righteouſneſs. For entertaining this Doctrine in your Heads, without receiving the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſavingly by a lively Faith into your Hearts, will but encreaſe your Damnation.—As I have often told you, ſo I tell you again, an unapplied Chriſt, is no Chriſt at all.—Can you then, with believing Thomas, cry out, My Lord and my God? Is Chriſt your Sanctification, as well as your outward Righteouſneſs? For the Word Righteouſneſs in the Text, not only implies Chriſt's 〈◊〉 Righteouſneſs imputed to us, but alſo 〈◊〉 of H • art wrought in us.—Theſe two God has joined together.—He never did, He never 〈◊〉 , He never will put them aſunder.—If you 〈◊〉 juſtified by the BLOOD, you are alſo ſanctif •• d by the Spirit of our Lord. Can you then in this Senſe ſay, the Lord our Righteouſneſs? Were you ever made to abhor yourſelves for your a •• ual and original Sins, and to loath your own Righteouſneſs, (or, as the Prophet beautifully expreſſes it, your Righteouſneſſes) as fil •• y Rags? Were you ever made to ſee and admire the All-ſufficiency of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, and excited by the Spirit of God to hunger and thirſt after it? Could you ever ſay, my Soul is a thirſt for Chriſt, yea, even for the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt? Oh, when ſhall I come to appear before the Preſence of my God in the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt! Oh, nothing but Chriſt! nothing but Chriſt! Give me Chriſt, O God, and I am 〈◊〉 ! My Soul ſhall praiſe thee for ever. Was this, I ſay, ever the Language of your Hearts?—And after theſe inward Conflicts, were you ever enabled to reach out the Arm of Faith, and embrace the bleſſed Jeſus in your Souls, ſo that you could ſay, My Beloved is mine, and I am his? If ſo, fear not, whoever you are—Hail, 〈◊〉 Hail, you happy Souls! The Lord the Lord Chriſt, the everlaſting God, is your Righteouſneſs.—Chriſt has juſtified you, who is he that 〈◊〉 you? Chriſt has died for you, nay rather is riſen again, and ever liveth to make Interceſſion for you.—Being now juſtified by his Grace▪ you have Peace with God, and ſhall, 〈◊〉 long, be with Jeſus in Glory, reaping everlaſting and unſpeakable Redemption, both in Body and Soul.—For there is no Condemnation to thoſe that are 〈◊〉 in Chriſt Jeſus. Whether Paul 〈◊〉 Apollos, or Life or Death, all is yours, if you are Chriſt's, for Chriſt is God's!—Oh, my Brethren, my Heart is enlarged towards you▪—Oh, think of the Love of Chriſt in dying for you • ▪ —If the Lord be your Righteouſneſs, let the Righteouſneſs of your Lord be continually in your Mouth. Talk of, Oh talk of, and recommend the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, when you lie down, and when you riſe up, at your going out and coming in!—Think of the Greatneſs of the Gift, as well as of the Giver!—Shew to all the World in whom you have believed!—Let all by your Fruits know, that the Lord is your Righteouſneſs, and that you are waiting for your Lord from Heaven!—Oh, ſtudy to be holy, even as He who has called you, and waſhed you in his own Blood, is holy!—Let not the Righteouſneſs of the Lord be evil ſpoken of thro' you.—Let not Jeſus be wounded in the Houſe of his Friends; but grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt Day by Day.—Oh, think of his dying Love! Let that Love conſtrain you to Obedience! Having much forgiven, love much. Be always aſking, What 〈◊〉 I do, to expreſs my Gratitude to the Lord, for giving me his Righteouſneſs? Let that Self-abaſing, God-exalting Queſtion be alway • in your Mou •• s. Oh, be always liſping out, Why 〈◊〉 Lord? Why me? Why am I taken, and others left? Why is the Lord my Righteouſneſs? Why is He become my Salvation • who have ſo often deſerved Damnation at his Hands?

Oh, my Friends, I truſt I feel ſomewhat of a Senſe of God's diſtinguiſhing Love upon my Heart! therefore I muſt divert a little from congratulating you to invite poor chriſtleſs Sinners to come to him, and accept of his Righteouſneſs, that they may have Life.—

Alas, my Heart alm •• t bleeds! What a Multitude of precious Souls are now before me! How ſhortly muſt all be uſher'd into Eternity!—And yet, O cutting Thought! was God now to require all your Souls, how few comparatively ſpeaking, could really ſay, the Lord our Righteouſneſs.

And think you, O Sinners, that you will be able to ſtand in the Day of Judgment, if Chriſt be not your Righteouſneſs! No, that alone is the Wedding-Garment in which you muſt appear.—Oh, Chriſtleſs Sinners, I am diſtreſſed for you!—The Deſires of my Soul are enlarged.—Oh, that this may be an accepted Time! Oh, that the Lord may be your Righteouſneſs!— 〈◊◊〉 would you flee, if Death ſhould 〈◊◊〉 naked?—Indeed there is no hiding yourſelves 〈◊〉 his Preſence.—The pitiful Fig-leaves of you • 〈◊〉 Righteouſneſs will not cover your Nakedneſs, when God ſhall call you to ſtand before him.—Adam found them ineffectual, and ſo will you▪ —Oh, think of Death!—Oh, think of Judgment 〈◊〉 Yet a little while, and Time ſhall be no more; and then what will become of you, if the Lord be not your Righteouſneſs? Think you, that Chriſt will ſpare you?—No, he that formed you, will have no Mercy on you. If you are out of Chriſt, if Chriſt be not your Righteouſneſs, Chriſt himſelf ſhall pronounce you damned.—And can you bear to think of being damned by Chriſt? Can you bear to hear the Lord Jeſus ſay to you, Depart from me ye Curſed into everlaſting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels? Can you live, think you, in everlaſting Burnings? Is your Fleſh Braſs, and your Bones Iron? What if they are, Hell-Fire, that Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, will heat them through and through!—And can you bear to depart from Chriſt? Oh, that heart-piercing Thought!—Aſk thoſe holy Souls, who are at any Time bewailing an abſent God, who walk in Darkneſs, and ſee no Light, tho' but a few Days or Hours; aſk them, what it is to loſe a Sight and Preſence of Chriſt?—See how they ſeek him ſorrowing, and go mourning after him all the Day long! And if it is ſo dreadful to loſe the ſenſible Preſence of Chriſt, only for a Day, what muſt it be to be baniſhed from him to all Eternity?—But thus it muſt be, if Chriſt be not your Righteouſneſs.—For God's Juſtice muſt be ſatisfied; and unleſs Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is imputed and applied—you here, you muſt be ſatisfying the divine Juſtice in Hell-Torments eternally hereafter:—Nay▪ as I ſaid before, Chriſt himſelf, the God of Love ſhall condemn you to that Place of Torment.—And Oh, how cutting is that Thought!—Me thinks I ſee poor, trembling, chriſtleſs Wretches, ſtanding before the Bar of God, crying out, Lord, if we muſt be damned, let force Angel, or ſome Archangel, pronounce the damnatory Sentence.—But all in vain.—Chriſt himſelf ſhall pronounce the irrevocable Sentence.—Knowing therefore the Terrors of the Lord, let me perſuade you to cloſe with Chriſt, and never reſt till you can ſay, the Lord our Righteouſneſs.—Who knows, but the Lord may have Mercy on, nay, abundantly pardon you?—Beg of God to give you Faith;—and if the Lord gives you that, you will by it receive Chriſt, with his Righteouſneſs, and his All. You need not fear the Greatneſs or Number of your Sins.—For are you Sinners? ſo am I. Are you the Chief of Sinners? ſo am I. Are you backſliding Sinners? ſo am I. And yet the Lord (for ever adored be his rich, free, and ſovereign Grace) the Lord is my Righteouſneſs▪—Come then, O Young Men, who (as I acted on •• myſelf) are playing the Prodigal, and wandring away afar off from your heavenly Father's Houſe▪ Come home, Come home, and leave your Swines Trough.—Feed no longer on the Huſks of ſenſual Delights.—For Chriſt's ſake, ariſe and come home!—Your heavenly Father now calls you.—See yonder the beſt Robe, even the Righteouſneſs of his dear Son, awaits you.—See it, view it again and again.—Conſider at how dear a Rate it was purchaſed, even by the Blood of God.—Conſider what great Need you have of it.—You are loſt, undone, damned for ever, without it!—Come then, poor, guilty Prodigals, come home.—Indeed I will not, like the elder Brother, be angry—No, I will rejoice with the Angels in Heaven And Oh, that God would now • ow the Heaven and come down! Deſcend, O Son of God, deſcend; and as thou haſt ſhewn in me ſuch Mercy, O let thy bleſſed Spirit apply thy Righteouſneſs to ſome young Prodigals now before thee, and clothe their naked Souls with thy beſt Robe.

But I muſt ſpeak a Word to you, young Maidens, as well as young Men.—I ſee many of you adorned; as to your Bodies:—But are not your Souls naked? Which of you can ſay, the Lord is my Righteouſneſs? Which of you was ever ſolicitous to be dreſſed in this Robe of invaluable Price, and without which, you are no better than whited Sepulchres in the Sight of God?—Let not then ſo many of you; Young Maidens, any longer forget your only ornament.—Oh, ſeek for the Lord to be your Righteouſneſs, or otherwiſe Burning will ſoon be upon you, inſtead of Beauty!

And what ſhall I ſay to you of a middle Age, you buſy Merchants, you cumber'd Martha's, who, with all your Gettings, have not yet gotten the Lord to be your Righteouſneſs? Alas! what Profit will there be of all your Labuor under the Sun, if you do not ſecure this Pearl of invaluable Price? This one Thing, ſo abſolutely needful, that it only can ſtand you in ſtead, when all other Things ſhall be taken from you. Labour therefore no longer ſo anxiouſly for the Meat which periſheth, but henceforward ſeek for the Lord to be your Righteouſneſs,—A Righteouſneſs that will intitle you to Life everlaſting.—I ſee alſo many 〈◊〉 Heads here, and perhaps the moſt of them cannot ſay, the Lord is my Righteouſneſs.—O grey-headed Sinners, I could weep over you • —your grey Hairs, which ought to be your Crown, and in which perhaps you glory, is now you • ▪ S • ame.—You know not, that the Lord is your Righteouſneſs.—Oh, haſte then, haſte ye, aged Sinners, and ſeek an Intereſt in redeeming Love!—Alas, you have one Foot already in the Grave—Your Glaſs is juſt run out—Your Sun is juſt going down, and it will ſet and leave you in an eternal Darkneſs, unleſs the Lord be your Righteouſneſs!—Flee then, Oh flee for your Lives! Be not afraid.—All Things are poſſible with God. If you come, tho' it be at the eleventh Hour, Chriſt Jeſus will in no wiſe caſt you out. Oh, ſeek then for the Lord to be your Righteouſneſs, and beſeech him to let you know how it is that a Man may be born again when he is old!—But I muſt not forget the Lambs of the Flock—To feed 〈◊〉 was one of my Lord's laſt Commands.—I know he will be angry with me, if I do not tell the •• ▪ that the Lord may be their Righteouſneſs; and that of ſuch is the Kingdom of Heaven.—Come then, ye little Children, come to Chriſt; the Lord Chriſt ſhall be your Righteouſneſs▪—Do not think, that you are too young to be 〈◊〉 —Perhaps many of you may be nine or ten Years old, and yet cannot ſay, the Lord is our Righteouſneſs; which many have ſaid, tho' younger than you—Come then, while you are young—Perhaps you may not live to be old—Do not ſtay for u • her▪ People—If your Fathers and Mothers will not come to Chriſt, do you come without them.—L •• Children—lead them, and ſhew them how the Lord may be their Righteouſneſs.—Our Lord Jeſus loved little Children—You are his Lambs—He bids me feed you.—I pray God make you willing betime, to take the Lord for your Righteouſneſs.

Here then I could conclude—but I muſt not forget the poor Negroes—No, I muſt not. Jeſus Chriſt has died for them, as well as others.—Nor do I mention you laſt, becauſe I deſpiſe your Souls, but becauſe I would have what I have to ſay, make the deeper Impreſſion upon your Hearts.—Oh that you would ſeek the Lord to be your Righteouſneſs!— Who knows but he may be found of you—For in Jeſus Chriſt there is neither Male or Female, Bond or Free, even you may be the Children of God, if you believe in Jeſus.—Did you never read of the Eunuch belonging to the Queen of Cand • ce!—A Negro like yourſelves.—He believed.—The Lord was his Righteouſneſs. He was baptized. Do you alſo believe, and you ſhall be ſaved.—Chriſt Jeſus is the ſame now, as He was Yeſterday, and will waſh you in his own Blood.—Go home then, turn the Words of the Text into a Prayer, and intreat the Lord to be your Righteouſneſs.—Even ſo, Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly, into all our Souls! Amen, Lord Jeſus, Amen and Amen!

WHEN I read to you theſe Words, I may addreſs you in the Language of the Holy Angels to the Shepherds, 〈◊〉 were watching their Flocks by Night. 〈…〉 "hold I bring you glad Tidings of great Joy 〈◊〉 —For this is the firſt Promiſe that was 〈…〉 of a Saviour to the apoſtate Ra • e of 〈◊〉 —We generally look for Chriſt only in the New Teſtament; but Chriſtianity, i • the 〈◊〉 is very near as old as the Creation.—It is wonderful to obſerve, how gradually God revealed his Son to Mankind. He began with the Promiſe in the Text, and this the Elect lived upon till the Time of Abraham.—To him God made further Diſcoveries of his eternal Counſel concerning Man's Redemption—Afterwards, at ſundry Times, and in divers Manners, God ſpoke to the Fathers by the Prophets, till at length the LORD JESUS himſelf was manifeſt in the Fleſh, and came & tabernacled amongſt us.

This firſt Promiſe muſt certainly be but dark to our firſt Parents, in compariſon of that great Light which we enjoy.—And yet, dark as it was, we may aſſure our ſelves they built upon it their Hopes of everlaſting Salvation, and by that Faith were ſaved.

How they came to ſtand in need of this Promiſe, and what is the Extent and Meaning of it, I intend, God willing, to make the ſubject Matter of your preſent Meditation.

The Fall of Man is written in too legible Characters not to be underſtood—Thoſe that deny it, by their denying, prove it.—The very Heathens confeſs'd and bewailed it—They could ſee the Streams of Corruption running through the whole Race of Mankind, but could not trace them to the Fountain-Head.—Before God gave a Revelation of his Son Man was a Riddle to himſelf—And Moſes unfolds more▪ in this one Chapter (out of which the Text 〈◊〉 taken) than all Mankind could have been capable of finding out of themſelves, tho' they had ſtudied to all Eternity.

In the foregoing Chapter, he had given us a full Account, how God ſpoke the World into Being; and eſpecially how he formed Man of the Duſt of the Earth and breathed into him the Breath of Life, ſo that he became a living Soul.—A Council of the Trinity was called concerning the Formation of this lovely Creature.—The Reſult of that Council was, Let us make Man in our Image after our Likeneſs.—"So God created Man in his own Image, in the Image of God created he him."—Moſes remarkably repeats the Words, that we might take particular. Notice of our divine Original.—Never was ſo much expreſs'd in ſo few Words.—None but a Man inſpired could have done ſo. But it is remarkable, that tho' Moſes mentions our being made in the Image of God, yet he mentions 〈◊〉 but twice, and that, as it were, in a tranſient Manner, as tho' he would have ſaid, Man was made in Honour, God made him upright▪ in the Image of God Male and Female created he them. But Man ſo ſoon fell, and became like the Beaſts that periſh, nay, like the Devil himſelf, that it is ſcarce worth mentioning.

How ſoon Man fell after he was created, i • not told us, and therefore, to fix any Time, is to be wiſe above what is written.—And, I think▪ they who ſuppoſe that Man fell the 〈◊〉 Day in which he was made, have no ſufficient Ground for their Opinion.—The many Things which are crouded together in the former 〈…〉 , the Formation of Adam's 〈◊〉 his giving Names to the Beaſts, and his being put into the Garden which God had planted, I think require a longer Space of Time than a Day to be tranſacted in.—However, all agree in this, "Man ſtood not long." How long, or how ſhort a while, I will not take upon me to determine.—It more concerns us to inquire, how he came to fall from his Stedfaſtneſs, and what was the Riſe and Progreſs of the Temptation which prevailed over him.—The Account given us in this Chapter concerning it, is very full, and it may do us much Service, under God, to make ſome Remarks upon it.

Now the Serpent, ſays the ſacred Hiſtorian, was more ſubtle than any Beaſt of the Field which the LORD GOD had made, and he ſaid unto the Woman, yea, hath GOD ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of every Tree of the Garden.

Tho' this was a real Serpent, yet he that ſpoke was no other than the Devil; from hence, perhaps, called the old Serpent, becauſe he took Poſſeſſion of the Serpent when he came to beguile our firſt Parents—The Devil envied the Happineſs of Man, who was made, as ſome think, to ſupply the Place of the fallen Angels—God made Man upright, and with full Power to ſtand if he would—He was juſt, therefore, in ſuffering him to be tempted—If he fell, he had no one to blame except himſelf—But how muſt Satan effect his Fall?—He cannot do it by his Power, he attempts it therefore by Policy—He take • Poſſeſſion of a Serpent, which was more 〈…〉 all the Beaſts of the Field, which the Lord God had made; ſo that Men that are full of Subtilty, but have no Piety, are only Machines for the Devil to work upon, juſt as he pleaſes.

"And he ſaid unto the Woman."—Here is an Inſtance of his Subtilty—He ſays unto the Woman, the weaker Veſſel, and when ſhe was alone from her Huſband, and therefore was more liable to be overcome— Yea, hath God ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of every Tree of the Garden? Theſe Words are certainly ſpoken in Anſwer to ſomething which the Devil either ſaw or heard—In all Probability, the Woman was now near the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. (For we ſhall find her, by and by, plucking an Apple from it) perhaps ſhe might be looking at, and wondering what there was in that Tree more than the others, that ſhe and her Huſband ſhould be forbidden to taſte of it—Satan ſeeing this, and coveting to draw her into a Parley with him, (for if the Devil can perſuade us not to reſiſt, but to commune with him, he hath gained a great Point) he ſays, Yea, hath God ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of every Tree in the Garden? —The firſt Thing he does, is to perſuade her, if poſſible, to entertain hard Thoughts of God—This is his general Way of dealing with God's Children—Yea, ſays he, hath God ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of every Tree of the Garden? What! hath God planted a Garden, and placed you in the 〈◊〉 of it only to teaze and perplex you? Hath he planted a Garden, and yet forbid you making Uſe of any of the Fruits of it at all? It was impoſſible for him to aſk a more inſnaring Queſtion, in order to gain his End: For Eve, was here ſeemingly obliged to anſwer, and vindicate God's Goodneſs. And, therefore,—

Ver. 2. The Woman ſaid unto the Serpent, We may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden: (Ver. 3.) of the Fruit of the Tree which is in the midſt of the Garden, God hath ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of it, neither ſhall ye touch it▪ leſt ye die.

The former Part of the Anſwer was good, We may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden, God has not forbid us eating of every Tree of the Garden. No, we may eat of the Fruit of the Trees in the Garden, (and, it ſhould ſeem even of the Tree of Life, which was as a Sacrament to Man in a State of Innocence) there is only one Tree in the Midſt of the Garden, of which God hath ſaid, Ye ſhall not eat of it, neither ſhall ye touch it, leſt ye die. —Here ſhe begins to warp, and Sin begins to conceive in her Heart.—Already ſhe has contracted ſome of the Serpent's Poiſon, by talking with him, which ſhe ought not to have done at all. For ſhe might eaſily ſuppoſe, that it could be no good Being, that could put ſuch a Queſtion unto her, and inſinuate ſuch diſhonourable Thoughts of. God—She ſhould therefore have fled from him, and not ſtood to have parley'd with him at all—Immediately the ill Effects of it appear,—ſhe begins to ſoften the Divine Threatning,— God had ſaid, the Day thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely die; or, dying thou ſhalt die.—But Eve ſays, ye ſhall not eat of it, neither ſhall ye touch it leſt ye die.—We may be aſſured we are fallen into, and begin to fall by Temptation, when we begin to think God will not be as good as his Word, in reſpect to the Execution of his Threatnings denounced againſt Sin.—Satan knew this, and therefore artfully

Said unto the Woman (ver. 4.) Ye ſhall not ſurely die, in an inſinuating Manner, Ye ſhall not ſurely die,—ſurely, God will not be ſo cruel as to damn you only for eating an Apple,—it cannot be.—Alas! how many does Satan lead Captive at his Will, by flattering them, that they ſhall not ſurely die • ;—that Hell-Torments will not be eternal,—that God is all Mercy;—that he therefore will not puniſh a few Years Sin with an Eternity of Miſery.—But Eve found God as good as his Word, and ſo will all they that go on in Sin, under a falſe Hope that they ſhall not ſurely die.

We may alſo underſtand the Words ſpoken, poſitively, and this is agreeable to what follows,—You ſhall not ſurely die,— 〈◊◊〉 a Deluſion, a mere Bugbear, to keep you in a ſervile Subjection.

For (Ver. 4.) "God doth know, that in the Day-ye eat thereof, then ſhall your Eyes be opened, and ye ſhall be as God's, 〈◊〉 Good and Evil."

What Child of God can expect to eſcape 〈◊〉 ▪ when God himſelf was thus ſlandered even in Paradiſe? Surely the Underſtanding of Eve muſt have been, in ſome Meaſure, blinded, or ſhe would not have ſuffered the Tempter to ſpeak ſuch perverſe Things.—In what odious Colours is God here repreſented! God doth know, that in the Day ye eat thereof, ye ſhall be a • God's, (equal with God.) So that the grand Temptation, was, that they ſhould be hereafter under no Controul, equal, if not ſuperior to God, that made them, knowing Good and Evil.—Eve could not tell what Satan meant by this; but, to be ſure, ſhe underſtood it of ſome great Privilege which they were to enjoy.—And thus Satan now points out a Way, which ſeems right to Sinners, but does not tell them the End of that Way is Death.

To give Strength and Force to this Temptation, in all Probability, Satan, or the Serpent, at this Time, pluck'd an Apple from the Tree, and eat it before Eve,—by which Eve might be induced to think, that the Sagacity and Power of Speech, which the Serpent had above the other Beaſts, muſt be owing, in a great Meaſure, to his eating that Fruit; and, therefore, if he received ſo much Improvement, ſhe might alſo expect a like Benefit from it. All this, I think, is clear;—for, otherwiſe, I do not ſee with what Propriety it could be ſaid, When 〈◊〉 the Woman ſaw that it was good for 〈◊〉 How could ſhe know it was good for Food, 〈◊〉 leſs ſhe had ſeen the Serpent feed upon it?

Satan now begins to get Ground a pace, Luſt had conceived in her Heart; ſhortly will bring forth Sin,—Sin being conceived brings forth Death.—Ver. 6. And when the Woman ſaw that the Tree was good for Food, and that it was pleaſant to the Eyes, and a Tree to be deſired to make one wiſe, ſhe took of the Fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave alſo unto her Huſband, and he did eat.

Our Senſes are the landing Ports of our ſpiritual Enemies.—How needful is that Reſolution of holy Job, I have made a Covenant with mine Eyes. When Eve began to gaze on the forbidden Fruit with her Eyes, ſhe ſoon began to long after it with her Heart.—When ſhe ſaw that it was good for Food, and pleaſant to the Eyes, (here was the Luſt of the Fleſh, and Luſt of the Eye) but, above all, a Tree to be deſired to make one wiſe, wiſer than God would have her be, nay, as wiſe as God himſelf; ſhe took of the Fruit thereof, and gave alſo unto her Husband with her, and he did eat—As ſoon as 〈◊〉 ſhe ſinned her ſelf, ſhe turned Tempter to her Huſband.—Its dreadful, when thoſe, who ſhould be Help-meets for each other in the great Work of their Salvation, are only Promoters of each others Damnation—But thus it is. If we ourſelves are good, we ſhall excite others to Goodneſs; if we do Evil, we ſhall entice others to do Evil alſo.—There is a cloſe Connexion be •••• doing and teaching.—How needful then 〈◊〉 for all to take Heed that we do not ſin any Way ourſelves, leſt we ſhould became Factors or the Devil, and enſnare, perhaps, our neareſt and deareſt Relatives? "She gave alſo unto her Huſband with her, and he did eat."

Alas! what a Complication of Crimes was there in this one ſingle Act of Sin!—Here 〈◊〉 an utter Diſbelief of God's Threatning—The utmoſt Ingratitude to their Maker, who had 〈◊〉 lately planted this Garden and placed them in it, with ſuch a glorious and comprehenſive Charter—Here's the utmoſt Neglect of the •• Poſterity, who they knew were to ſtand or 〈◊〉 with them—Here was the utmoſt Pride of Heart—They wanted to be equal with God—Here's the utmoſt Contempt put upon his Threatning and his Law—The Devil is credited and obeyed Before him, and all this only to ſatisfy their ſenſual Appetite. Never was a Crime of ſuch a complicated Nature, committed by any here below—Nothing but the Devil's Apoſtacy and Rebellion could equal it.

And what are the Conſequences of their Diſobedience?—Are their Eyes opened?—Yes, their Eyes are opened—But, alas! it is only to ſee their own Nakedneſs. For, we are told (Ver. 7.) that the Eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. —Naked of God, naked of every Thing that was holy and good—and deſtitute of the Divine Image, which they before enjoyed—They might •• ghtly, now be termed Ichab • d; for the Glory of the Lord departed from them—Oh! how • ow did theſe Sons of the Morning then fall▪ out o • God into themſelves; from being Partakers 〈◊〉 the Divine Nature, into the Nature of the Devil and the Beaſt—Well, therefore, might they know that they were naked, not only in Body but in Soul.—

And how do they behave now they are naked?—Do they •• y to God for Pardon 〈◊〉 —Do they ſeek to him for a Robe to cover their Nakedneſs?—No. They were now dead to God, earthly, ſenſual, deviliſh—And, therefore, in ſtead of applying to God for Mercy, they ſewed, or platted Fig-leaves together, and made themſelves 〈◊〉 , or Things to gird about them. This 〈◊〉 a lively Repreſentation of all natural Men—We ſee that we are naked—We, in ſome Meaſure, confeſs it, but, inſtead of looking up to God for Succour, we patch up a Righteouſneſs of our own (as our firſt Parents platted Fig-leaves together) hoping to cover our Nakedneſs by that.—But our Righteouſneſs will not ſtand the Severity of God's Judgment: It will do us no more Service than the Fig-leaves did Adam and Eve—that is, none at all.

For (Ver. 8.) They heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in the Trees of the Garden▪ in the Cool of the Day; and Adam and his Wife (notwithſtanding their Fig-leaves) hid themſelves from the Preſence of the Lord God, among the Trees of the Garden.

They heard the Voice of the Lord God, or the 〈◊〉 of the Lord God, even the Lord-Jeſus 〈◊〉 , who is the Word that was with God, and Word that was God.—They heard him walk-in the Trees of the Garden, in the Cool of Day▪ —A Seaſon, perhaps, when Adam and Eve uſed to go, in an eſpecial Manner, 〈◊〉 offer up an Evening Sacrifice of Praiſe and Thankſgiving—The Cool of the Day. Perhaps, the Sin was committed early in the Morning, or at Noon.—But God would not come upon them immediately—He ſtaid till the Cool of the Day. For, if we would effectually repro •• others, we ſhould not do it when they are warmed with Paſſion, but wait till the Cool 〈◊〉 the Day.—

But what an Alteration is here!—Inſtead •• rejoicing at the Voice of their Beloved—inſtead of meeting him with open Arms, and enlarge▪ Hearts, as before, they now hide themſelves 〈◊〉 the Trees of the Garden—Alas, what a fooliſh Attempt was this?—Surely, they muſt be naked, otherwiſe, how could they think of hiding themſelves from God?—Whither could they flee from his Preſence?—But, by their F • ll, they had contracted an Enmity againſt God. They now hated, and were afraid to conve •• with God their Maker.—And is not this 〈◊〉 Caſe by Nature? Aſſuredly it is. We labour to cover our Nakedneſs, with the Fig-leaves o • our own Righteouſneſs—We hide our ſelves from God as long as we can, and will not come, and never ſhould come, did not the Father prevent, draw, and ſweetly conſtrain us, by his Grace, as he here prevented Adam.

Ver. 9. And the Lord God called unto Adam and ſaid unto him, Adam, where art thou?

"The Lord God called unto Adam"▪ (for otherwiſe Adam would never have called unto the Lord God) and ſaid, Adam, where ar • thou?—How is it, that thou 〈◊〉 not to pay thy Devotions as uſual?—Chriſtians, remember the Lord keeps an Account when you fail coming to Worſhip—Whenever therefore, you are tempted to with-hold your Attendance, each of you fancy you heard the Lord God calling unto you, and ſaying, O Man, O Woman, where art thou?—It may be underſtand in another & better Senſe— Adam, where art thou? —What a Condition is thy poor Soul in?—This is the firſt Thing the Lord aſks, and convinces a Sinner of, when he prevents, and calls him effectually by his Grace— 〈◊〉 alſo calls him by Name: For unleſs God ſpeaks to us in particular, and we know where we are, how poor, how miſerable, how blind, how naked, we ſhall never value the Redemption wrought out for us by the Death and Obedience of the dear Lord Jeſus—Adam▪ where art thou?

Ver. 1 • . And he ſaid, I heard thy Voice in the Garden, and I was afraid. —See what Cowards Sin makes us—If we knew no Sin, we ſhould know no Fear Becauſe I was naked, and I hid myſelf—Ver. 11. And he ſaid, Who told thee that thou waſt naked? Haſt thou eaten of the Tree, whereof I (thy Ma •• r and Lawgiver) commanded th • s, tha • thou ſhouldſt not eat? —

God knew very well that Adam was naked, and that he had eaten of the forbidden Fruit.—But God would know it from Adam's own Mouth.—Thus God knows all our Neceſſities before we aſk, but yet inſiſts upon our aſking for his Grace, and confeſſing our Sins.— 〈◊〉 , by ſuch Acts, we acknowledge our Dependance upon God, take Shame to our ſelves, and thereby give Glory to his great Name.

Ver. 12. And the Man ſaid, the Woman which thou 〈◊〉 to be with me, • he gave me of the Tree, and I did eat.

Never was Nature more lively 〈◊〉 . See what Pride Adam contracted by the Fall How unwilling he is to lay the Bl • me 〈◊〉 on, or take Shame to himſelf.—This Anſwer▪ full •• Inſolence towards God, Enmity againſt 〈◊〉 Wife, and Diſingenuity in reſpect to himſelf. For herein he tacitly reflects upon God— 〈◊〉 Woman that THOU gaveſt to be with me • A • much as to ſay, if THOU hadſt not given me THAT WOMAN, I had not eaten the forbidden Fruit.—Thus when Men ſin, they • ay the 〈◊〉 upon their Paſſions; then blame and reflect upon God for giving them thoſe Paſſion.—Their Language is—The Appetites that THOU gaveſt us, they deceived us, and therefore we 〈◊〉 againſt thee.—But, as God, notwithſtanding, puniſhed Adam for hearkening to the Voice of his Wi • e, ſo he will puniſh th • ſe who hearken to 〈◊〉 Dictate • of their corrupt In ••• • ations—For God compels no Man to ſin. Adam might have withſtood the Solicitations o • his Wife, if he would. And ſo, if we look up to God we ſhould find Grace to help in the Time of Need—The Devil and our own Hearts tempt, but they cannot force us to conſent, without the Concurrence of our own Wills. So that our Damnation is of ourſelves, as it will evidently appear at the great Day, notwithſtanding all Men's preſent impudent Replies againſt God—As Adam ſpeaks inſolently in reſpect to God, ſo he ſpeaks with Enmity againſt his Wife—The Woman, or this Woman, ſhe gave me—He lays all the Fault upon her, and ſpeaks of her with much Contempt—He does not ſay, my Wife, my dear Wife, but this Woman.—For Sin diſunites the moſt united Hearts. It is the Bane of holy Fellowſhip—Thoſe who have been Companions in Sin here, if they die without Repentance, will both hate &condemn one another hereafter—All damned Souls are Accuſers of their Brethren—Thus it is, in ſome Degree, on this Side the Grave— The Woman whom THOU gaveſt to be with me, ſhe gave me of the Tree, and I did eat. —What a diſingenuous Speech was here!—He makes uſe▪ of no leſs than fifteen Words to excuſe himſelf, and but one or two (in the Original) to confeſs his Fault, if it may be called a Confeſſion at all— The Woman which thou gaveſt to be with me, ſhe gave me of the Tree—Here are fifteen Words—and I did eat —With what Reluctance do theſe laſt Words come out? How ſoon are they utter'd? "And I did 〈◊〉 ." But thus it is with an unhumbled, unregenerate Heart.—It will be laying the Fault upon the deareſt Friend in the World, nay, upon God himſelf, rather than take Shame to itſelf—This Pride we are all ſubject to by the Fall, and, till our Hearts are broken, and made contrite by the Spirit of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, we ſhall be always charging God fooliſhly.—Againſt THEE, and THEE only, have I ſinned, that thou mighteſt be juſtified in thy Saying, and clear when thou art judged, is the Language of none but thoſe, who, like David, are willing to confeſs their Faults, and are truly ſorry for their Sins.—This was not the Caſe of Adam—His Heart was not broken; and therefore he lays the Fault of his Diſobedience upon his Wife and God, and not upon himſelf— The Woman which THOU gaveſt to be with me, ſhe gave me of the Tree, and I did eat. —

Ver. 13. And the Lord God ſaid, what is this that thou haſt done?"—What a wonderful Concern does God expreſs in this Expoſtulation!— What a Deluge of M •• ry haſt thou bro't upon thyſelf, thy Huſband, and thy Poſterity? What is this that thou haſt done? Diſobeyed thy God, obeyed the Devil, and ruined they Huſband, for whom I made thee to be an Help-meet!—What is this that thou haſt done?—God would here awaken her to a Senſe of her Crime and Danger, and therefore, as it were, thunders in her Ears. For the Law muſt be preached to ſelf-righteous Sinners.—We muſt take Care of healing before we ſee Sinners wounded, le • t we ſhould ſay, Peace, Peace; where there's▪ no Peace—Secure Sinners muſt hear the Thunderings of Mount Sinai, before 〈◊〉 bring them to Mount Si • n.—They who never preach up the Law, it's to be feared, are unſkilful in delivering the glad Tidings of the Goſpel. Every Miniſter ſhould be a Boane • ges, a Son of Thunder, as well as a Barnabas, a Son of Conſolation. There was an Earthquake and a Whirlwind, before the ſmall ſtill Voice came to Elijah.—We muſt firſt ſhew People they are condemn'd, and then ſhew them how they muſt be ſaved. But how and when to preach the Law, and when to apply the Promiſes of the Goſpel, Wiſdom is profitable to direct— And the Lord God ſaid unto the Woman, what is this that thou haſt done? —

And the Woman ſaid, the Serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. She does not make uſe of ſo many Words to excuſe herſelf, as her Huſband; but her Heart is as unhumbled as his—What is this, ſays God, that thou haſt done? God here charges her with doing it.—She dares not deny the Fact, or ſay, I have not done it▪ but ſhe takes all the Blame off herſelf, and lay • it upon the Serpent— The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat.—She does not ſay, Lord, I was to blame for talking with the Serpent • ▪ Lord, I did wrong, in not haſting to my Huſband, when he put the firſt Queſtion to me—Lord, I plead guilty, I only am to blame—Oh, let not my poor Huſband ſuffer for my Wickedneſs!—This would have been the Language of her Heart, had ſhe now been a true Penitent. But both were now • like proud—Therefore neither will lay 〈◊◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 — The Serpent beguiled me, and I did • at—The Woman which thou gaveſt 〈…〉 me, ſhe gave me of the Tree, and I 〈◊〉 • at.

I have been the more particular in remarking this Part of their Behaviour, becauſe it tends ſo much to the magnifying of Free Grace, and plainly ſhews us Salvation cometh only from the Lord—Let us take a ſhort View of the miſerable Circumſtances our firſt Parents were now in. They were legally and ſpiritually dead—Children of Wrath, and Heirs of Hell—They had eaten the Fruit, of which God had commanded them, that they ſhould not eat—And when arraigned before God, notwithſtanding their Crime was ſo complicated, they could not be brought to confeſs it—What Reaſon can be given, why Sentence of Death ſhould not be pronounced againſt the Priſoners at the Bar?—All muſt own they are worthy to die. Nay, how can God, conſiſtently with his Juſtice, poſſibly forgive them▪—He had threaten'd, that the Day wherein they eat of the forbidden Fruit, they ſhould ſurely die—And, if he did not execute this Threatning, the Devil might then ſlander 〈◊〉 Almighty indeed. And yet Mercy cries, 〈◊〉 theſe Sinners, ſpare the Work of thine own Hands.—Behold then Wiſdom contrives a Scheme how God may be juſt, and yet be merciful; be faithful to his Threatning, puniſh the Offence, & at the ſame Time ſpare the 〈…〉 An amazing Scene of divine Love here open to our View, which had been from 〈…〉 in the Heart of God—Notwithſtanding Adam & Eve were thus unhumbled 〈◊〉 did not ſo much as put up one ſingle Petition for Pardon, God immediately paſſes Sentence upon the Serpent, and reveals to them a Saviour.—

Ver. 14. And the Lord God ſaid unto the Serpent. Becauſe thou haſt done this, thou art accurſed above all Cattle, and above every Beaſt of the Field; upon thy Belly ſhalt thou g • , and Duſt ſhalt thou eat all the Days of thy Life, i. e. he ſhould be in Subjection, and his Power ſhould always be limited and reſtrained—His Enemies ſhall lick the Duſt, ſays the Pſalmiſt 〈◊〉 (Ver. 15.) And I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed; it ſhall bruiſe thy Head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his Heel. —

Before I proceed to the Explanation of this Verſe, I cannot but take Notice of one great Miſtake, which the Author of the Whole Duty of Man is guilty of, in making this Verſe contain a Covenant between God and Adam, as tho' God perſonally treated with Adam, as before the Fall. For, talking of the ſecond Covenant, in his Preface concerning caring for the Soul, ſays he, This ſecond Covenant was made with Adam, and us in him, preſently after the Fall, and is briefly contained in theſe Words—Gen. iii. 15. where God declares the Seed of the Woman ſhall break the Serpent's Head; and this was made up, as the firſt was, of ſome Mercies to be afforded by God, and ſome Duties to be performed by 〈◊〉 .—This is exceeding falſe Divinity—For 〈◊〉 Words are not ſpoken to Adam—They are directed only to the Serpent—Adam and Eve ſtood by as Criminals, and God could not treat with them, becauſe they had broken his Covenant. And it is ſo far from being a Covenant, wherein ſome Mercies are to be afforded by God, and ſome Duties to be performed by us, that here is not a Word looking that Way—It's only a Declaration of a free Gift of Salvation through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord—God the Father, and God the Son, had enter'd into a Covenant concerning the Salvation of the Elect from all Eternity; wherein God the Father promiſed, that if the Son would offer his Soul a Sacrifice for Sin, he ſhould ſee his Seed—Now this is an open Revelation of this ſecret Covenant, and therefore God ſpeaks in the moſt poſitive Terms, It ſhall bruiſe thy Head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his Heel.—The firſt Adam God had treated with before—He proved falſe—God therefore, to ſecure the ſecond Covenant from being broken, puts it into the Hands of the ſecond Adam, the Lord from Heaven—Adam after the Fall, ſtood no longer as our Repreſentative—He and Eve were only private Perſons, as we are, and were only to lay hold on the Declaration of Mercy contained in this Promiſe by Faith, (as they really did) and by that they were ſaved.—I do not ſay, but we are to believe and obey, if we are everlaſtingly ſaved—Faith and Obedience are Conditions, if we on mean that they in order go before our Salvation but I deny that theſe are propoſed by God 〈◊〉 Adam, or that God treats with him on this Promiſe, as he did before the Fall under the Covenant of Works. For, how could that be, when Adam and Eve were now Priſoners at the Bar, without Strength to perform any Conditions at all.—The Truth is this—God, as a Reward of Chriſt's Sufferings, promiſed to give the Elect Faith and Repentance, in order to bring them to eternal Life—And both theſe, and every Thing elſe neceſſary for their everlaſting Happineſs, are infallibly ſecured to them in this Promiſe, a • Mr. BOSTON, an excellent Scots Divine, ſweetly and clearly ſhews, in a Book •• tituled, "A View of the Covenant of Grace."—

This is, by no Means, an unneceſſary Diſtinction—It's a Matter of great Importance—For want of knowing this, People have been ſo long miſled—They have been taught that they muſt • o ſo and ſo, as tho' they were under a Covenant of Works, and then for DOING this, they ſhould be ſaved.—This is plainly the whole D •• t of the Book wrongly intitled, The Whole Duty of Man—Whereas, on the contrary, People ſhould be taught, that the Lord Jeſus was the ſecond Adam, with whom the Father enter'd into Covenant for fallen Man—That they can now do nothing of or for themſelves, and ſhould therefore come to God, beſeeching him to give them Faith, by which they ſhall be enabled to • ay hold on the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt and that Faith they will ſhew forth by their Works, out of Love and Gratitude to the ever bleſſed Je ••• their moſt glorious Redeemer, for what he has done for their Souls—This is a conſiſtent ſcriptural Scheme. Without holding this, we muſt run into one of theſe two bad Extreme▪ 〈◊〉 mean Antinomianiſm on the one Hand, or A • ••• mianiſm on the other—From both which may the Good Lord deliver us!—

But to proceed: By the Seed of the Woman, we are here to underſtand the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who, tho' very God of very God▪ was for us Men and our Salvation, to have Body prepared for him by the Holy Ghoſt, and to be born of a pure Virgin, and by his Obedience and Death make an Atonement for Man's Tranſgreſſion, and bring in an everlaſting Righteouſneſs, work in them a new Nature, and thereby bruiſe the Serpent's Head, i. e. deſtroy his Power and Dominion over them—By the Serpent's Seed, we are to underſtand the Devil and all his Children, who ſhould be permitted by God to tempt and ſift his Children. But bleſſed be God, he can reach no further than our Heel.—

Tis not to be doubted but Adam and Eve underſtood this Promiſe in this Senſe; for 〈◊〉 plain; in the latter Part of the Chapter, Sacrifices were inſtituted—For, from whence ſhould th • ſe Skins come, but from Beaſts ſlain for Sacrifice, of which God made them Coats?—We find alſo Abel, as well as Cain, offering Sacrifice in the next Chapter: And the Apoſtle tells us 〈◊〉 did it by Faith, no doubt in this Promiſe— 〈◊〉 Eve, when Cain was born, ſaid, I have gotten a Man from the LORD, or, (as Mr. HENR • obſerves, it may be render'd) I have gotten a Man—THE LORD—the promiſed Meſſiah.—S • me further ſuppoſe, that Eve was the firſt Believer, and therefore they tranſlate it thus, the Seed (not of THE, but) of THIS Woman, 〈…〉 the Grace of God ſo much the 〈◊〉 that ſhe, who was firſt in the Tranſgreſſion, ſhould be the firſt Partaker of Redemption.—Adam believed alſo, and was ſaved—For, unto Adam and his Wife, did the LORD GOD make Coats of Skins, and cloathed THEM, which was a remarkable Type of their being cloathed with the Righteouſneſs of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

This Promiſe was literally fulfilled in the Perſon of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt—Satan bruiſed his Heel, when he tempted him for forty Days together in the Wilderneſs—He bruiſed his Heel, when he raiſed up ſtrong Perſecution againſt him, during the Time of his publick Miniſtry—He, in an eſpecial Manner, bruiſed his Heel, when our Lord complained, that his Soul was exceeding ſorrowful, even unto Death 〈◊〉 and he ſweat great Drops of Blood falling upon the Ground, when praying in the Garden—He bruiſed his Heel, when he put it into the Heart of Judas to betray him:—And he bruiſed him yet moſt of all, when his Emiſſaries nailed him to an accurſed Tree, and our Lord cried out, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken one?—Ye • ; in all this, the bleſſed Jeſus, the Seed of the Woman, bruiſed his accurſed Head—For, in that he was tempted, he was able to ſuccour thoſe that are tempted. By his Stripes we are 〈◊〉 ▪ The Chaſtiſement of our Peace was upon him. 〈◊〉 dying. • e deſtroyed him 〈◊〉 had th • Power▪ 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 the D • v •• ▪ 〈◊〉 He thereby 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 ▪ and made 〈◊〉 Shew of 〈◊〉 openly, triumph • over them upon the Cro •• ▪—

This Promiſe has been, 〈◊〉 ▪ and will • e 〈◊〉 in the Elect of God 〈…〉 as well before as after the 〈…〉 in the Fleſh—For they may be called the 〈◊〉 of the Woman. Mar • el not, th •• 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 live godly in Chriſt Jeſus muſt ſuffer Perſu •••• ▪ In this Promiſe there is an eternal Enmity put between the Seed of the Woman, and the 〈◊〉 of the Serpent. So that thoſe that are born after the Fleſh, cannot but perſecute thoſe that a • born after the Spirit.—This Enmity ſhewed itſelf ſoon after this Promiſe was revealed▪ in Cain's bruiſing the Heel of Abel. It continued in the Church through all Ages before Chriſt came in the Fleſh, as the Hiſtory of the 〈◊〉 , and the 11th Chapter of the Hebrews plainly ſhew—It raged exceedingly after our Lord's Aſcenſion, witneſs the Acts of the Apoſtles, and the Hiſtory of the primitive Chriſtians—It now rages, and wi •• continue to rage, and ſhew itſelf, in a greater or leſs Degree, to the End of Time. But let not this diſmay us! For, in all this, the Seed of the Woman is more than Conqueror, and bruiſes the Serpent's Head—Thus the Iſraelites, the more they were oppreſſed, the more they encreaſed—Thus it was with the Apoſtles—Thus it was with their immediate Followers. So that Tertullian compares the Church in his Time to a mowed • ield, the more frequently it is cut, the more it grows.—The Blood of the Martyrs was always the Seed of the Church. And I have often ſat down with Wonder and Delight, and admired how God has made the very Schemes, which his Enemies contrived in order to hinder, the moſt effectual Means to propagate his Goſpel—The Devil h • s had ſo little Succeſs in Perſecution, that if I did not know, that he and his Children, according to this Verſe, could not but perſecute, I ſhould think he would count it his Strength to ſit ſtill. What did he get by perſecuting the Martyrs in▪ Queen Mary's Time?—Was not the Grace of God exceedingly glorified in their Support 〈◊〉 What did he g • t by perſecuting the good old Puritants? Did it not prove the Peopleing o • New-England?—Or, to come nearer to our own Times, What has he got by putting 〈◊〉 out of the Synagogues? Hath not the Word of God, ſince that, mightily prevailed?— 〈◊〉 dear Hearers, you muſt excuſe me for enlarging on this Head. God fills my Soul generally when I come to this Topick. I can ſay 〈◊〉 ▪ Luther, If it were not for Perſecution ſhould not underſtand the Scripture▪ 〈◊〉 Satan ſhould be yet ſuffered to bruiſe 〈◊〉 further, and his Servants ſhould thruſt 〈…〉 Priſon▪ I doubt not, but • ven that 〈◊〉 •• tend to the more effectual Bruiſing of his 〈◊〉 ▪ I remember a Saying of the then Lord Chancellor to the pious Bradford. Thou 〈◊〉 done more Hurt, ſaid he, by thy Exhortations in private in Priſon, than thou didſt in preaching before thou waſt put in, or Words to this Effect. The Promiſe of the Text is my daily Support. I will put Enmity between thy Seed and her Seed; it ſhall bruiſe thy Head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his Heel.—

Further: This Promiſe is alſo fulfilled, not only in the Church in general, but in every individual Believer in particular—In every Believer there are two Seeds, the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent—The Fleſh luſting againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the Fleſh.—It is with the Believer, when quickned with Grace in his Heart, as it was with 〈◊〉 , when ſhe had conceived Eſau and Jacob 〈◊〉 her Womb! She felt a Struggling, and began to be uneaſy.—If it be ſo, ſays ſhe, why am I 〈◊〉 ?—Thus Grace and Nature ſtruggle, (if 〈◊〉 may ſo ſpeak) in the Womb of a Believer's Heart—But, as it was there ſaid, the Elder ſhall 〈◊〉 the Younger; ſo it is here—Grace in 〈◊〉 • nd ſhall get the better of Nature—The 〈◊〉 of the Woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpent's 〈◊〉 . Many of you perhaps, that have believed in Chriſt, may find ſome particular Corruption yet ſtrong, ſo ſtrong, that you are ſometimes ready to cry out with David, I ſhall fail 〈…〉 the Hand of Saul—But, fear not, the Promiſe in the Text inſures the P • rl • ve 〈◊〉 and Victory of Believers over Sin, Satan Death and Hell.—What if indwelling Corruption does yet remain, and the Seed of the Ser •••• 〈◊〉 your Heel, in vexing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteous Souls? Fear not, tho' • aint, yet •• rſue You ſhall yet bruiſe the Serpent's Head. Chriſt hath died for you, and yet a little while, and he will ſend Death to deſtroy the very Being of Sin in you.—Which brings me

To ſhew the moſt extenſive Manner in which the Promiſe of the Text ſhall be fulfilled, viz. at the final Judgment, when the Lord Jeſus ſhall preſent the Elect to his Father without Spot or Wrinkle, or any ſuch Thing, glorified both in Body and Soul.—

Then ſhall the Seed of the Woman give the laſt and fatal Blow, in bruiſing the Serpent's Head—Satan, the Accuſer of the Brethren, and all his accurſed Seed, ſhall then be caſt out; and never ſuffered to diſturb the Seed of the Woman any more—Then ſhall the Righteous ſhine in the Kingdom of their Father, and fit with Chriſt on Thrones, in Majeſty on High.

Let us therefore not be weary of Well-doing for we ſhall reap an eternal Harveſt of Comfort, if we faint not.—Dare, dare, my dear Brethren in Chriſt, to follow the Captain of your Salvation, who was made perfect through Sufferings. The Seed of the Woman ſhall bruiſe 〈◊〉 Serpent's Head—Fear not Men—Be not too 〈◊〉 caſt down at the Deceitfulneſs of your Heart • Fear not Devils—You ſhall get the Victory 〈◊〉 over them—The Lord Jeſus has engaged to make you more than Conqueror over all—Plead with your Saviour, plead—Plead the Promiſe • n in the Text—Wreſtle, wreſtle with God in 〈◊〉 —If it has been given you to believe, • ear not, if it ſhould alſo be given you to ſuffer. Be not any wiſe terrified by your Adverſaries—The King of the Church has them all in a Chain—Be kind to them; pray for them; but fear them not. The Lord will yet bring back his Ark, tho' at preſent driven into the Wilderneſs, and Satan like Lightning ſhall fall from Heaven.

Are there any Enemies of God here? The Promiſe of the Text encourages me to bid you Defiance—The Seed of the Woman, the ever-bleſſed Jeſus ſhall bruiſe the Serpent's Head—What ſignifies all your Malice—You are only raging Waves of the Sea, foaming out your 〈◊〉 Shame—For you, without Repentance, 〈…〉 the Blackneſs of Darkneſs for ever—The Lord Jeſus ſits in Heaven ruling over all, and cauſing all Things to work for his Childrens Good—He laughs you to ſcorn—He hath you in the utmoſt Deriſion, and therefore ſo will I—Who a • e you that perſecute the Children of the ever-bleſſed God?—Tho' a poor Stripling, the Lord Jeſus, the Seed of the Woman, will enable 〈◊〉 to bruiſe your Heads.

My Brethren in Chriſt, I think I do not ſpeak 〈◊〉 in my own Strength, but in the Strength of 〈◊〉 Redeemer—I know in whom I have be •• ered—I am perſuaded he will keep that ſafe which I have committed unto him—He is faithful who hath promiſed, that the Seed of the Woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpent's Head—May we all experience a daily Completion of this Promiſe, both in the Church and in our Hearts, till we come to the Church of the Firſt-born, the Spirits of juſt Men made 〈◊〉 in the Preſence and actual Fruition of the great God, our heavenly Father.

To whom with the Son and the Holy Ghoſt, 〈…〉 Honour, Power, Might, Majeſty and Dominion, now and for evermore. Amen.

WHEN our LORD JESUS was pleaſed to take upon him the Form of a Servant, and went about preaching the King ••• of God, he took all Opportunities in publick—more eſpecially in private, to caution his 〈◊〉 againſt ſeeking great Things for themſelves; and alſo to forewarn them of the many 〈◊〉 ▪ Afflictions and Perſecutions, which 〈…〉 •• pect to endure and go through for 〈…〉 Sake.—The great St. Paul there 〈◊〉 the Author of this Epiſtle, in 〈◊〉 as in 〈◊〉 other Things, following the Steps of his 〈◊〉 Maſter, takes particular Care, among other apoſtolical Admonitions, to warn • oung, Timothy of the Difficulties he muſt expect to meet with in the Courſe of his Miniſtry—This • now alſo, ſays he, ver. 1. of this Chapter, that in the laſt Days perilous Times ſhall come. F • r Men ſhall be Lovers of their ownſelves, Covetous, Proud, Blaſphemers, diſobedient to Parents, Unthankful, Unholy, without natural Affection, Truc • Breakers, falſe Accuſers, Incontinent, Fierce, Deſpiſers of thoſe that are good, Traitors, Heady, High-minded, Lovers of Pleaſure more than Lovers of God; having a Form of Godlineſs, but denying the Power thereof: from ſuch turn away. For of this ſort are they which creep into Houſes, and lead Captive ſilly Women laden with Sins, led away with divers Luſts, eve • learning, and never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth▪ N •• ▪ as JANN • S and JAMBRES (two of the Egyptian Magicians) withſtood MOSES, (by working Sham-Miracles) ſo do theſe alſo reſiſt the Truth; and notwithſtanding they keep up the Form of Religion, are Men of corrupt Minds, reprobate • concerning the Faith—But, in order to keep 〈◊〉 from ſinking under their Oppoſition, 〈…〉 him, that tho' God, for wiſe Ends, permitted theſe falſe Teachers, as he did the Magicians, to oppoſe for ſome Time, yet they ſhould 〈◊〉 proceed no further. For their 〈…〉 made manifeſt unto all Men, as 〈…〉 MAGICIANS, alſo was, when they 〈…〉 • and before MOSES, becauſe of the 〈◊〉 . For 〈◊〉 Bo •• was upon the Magicians, as well as 〈◊〉 all the Egyptians.—And then, to 〈…〉 TIMOTHY yet the more, he propounds to him his own Example—But thou haſt 〈◊〉 known my Doctrine, Manner of Life, 〈◊〉 Faith, Long-ſuffering, Charity, Patience, P •• cutions, 〈◊〉 , which came unto me at •• och, at Iconium▪ 〈…〉 what Perſ •••• I endured; but out of them all the LORD del ••• me.—And th • n, leſt TIMOTHY might 〈◊〉 that this was only the particular Caſe of 〈◊〉 Yea, ſay • • e, in the Words of the Text, all that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, ſuffer Perſecution.

The Words, without conſidering them they ſtand with relation to the Context, 〈◊〉 a neceſſary and important Truth, viz. that Perſecution is the common Lot of every godly M •• —This is a hard Saying, How few can 〈…〉 —I truſt God, in the following Diſcourſe, w • enable me to make it good, by ſhewing I. What it is to live godly in CHRIST 〈◊〉 ▪ II. The different Kinds of Perſecution 〈◊〉 which they, who live godly, are expoſed.— III. Why it is, that godly Men muſt expect to ſuffer Perſecution?

Laſtly, We ſhall apply the whole.

And firſt, Let us conſider what it is to li •• godly in CHRIST JESUS.—This ſuppoſes 〈◊〉 are made the Righteouſneſs of God in CHRIST that we are born again, and are made one 〈◊〉 CHRIST by a living Faith, and a vital 〈◊〉 even as JESUS CHRIST and the FATH •• 〈◊〉 ONE.—Unleſs we are thus convert 〈◊〉 transformed by the renewing of our Min ••• 〈◊〉 cannot properly be ſaid to be in CHRIST, much leſs to live godly in Him.—To be in CHRIST merely by Baptiſm, and an outward Profeſſion, i • not to be in HIM in the ſtrict Senſe of the Word—No: They that are in CHRIST are New Creatures, old Things are paſſed away, and all Things are become new in their Hearts.—Their Life is hid with CHRIST in God.—Their Souls daily feed on the inviſible Realities of another World—To live godly in CHRIST, is to make the Divine Will, and not our own, the ſole Principle of all our Thoughts, Words & Actions; ſo that, whether we eat or drink, or whatſoever we do, we do all to the Glory of God.—Thoſe who live godly in CHRIST, may not ſo much be ſaid to live, as CHRIST, to live in them—He is their ALPHA and OMEGA, their Firſt and Laſt, their Beginning and End—They are led by his Spirit, as a Child is led by the Hand of its Father, and are willing to follow the Lamb 〈◊〉 therſoever he leads them—They hear, know, and obey his Voice—Their Affections are 〈◊〉 on Things above—Their Hopes are full of Immortality—Their Citizenſhip is in Heaven—Being born again of God, they habitually live to, and daily walk with God—They are pare in Heart, and in ſhort, from a Principle of FAITH in CHRIST, holy in all Manner of Converſation and Godlineſs.

This it is to live godly in CHRIST JESUS▪ And hence we may eaſily learn, why ſo few ſuffer Perſecution? Becauſe ſo f • w live godly in CHRIST JESUS—You may live formally in CHRIST, you may attend on outward Duties, you may live morally in CHRIST, i. e. you may do (as they term it) no one any Harm, and avoid Perſecution. But they that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, muſt ſuffer Perſecution.

What is the Meaning of the Word PERSECUTION, and how many Kinds there are of it, I come now to conſider.

The Word PERSECUTION is derived from a Greek Word ſignifying to purſue, and generally implies purſuing a Perſon for the Sake of his Goodneſs, or God's Good-will to him. The firſt Kind of it is that of the Heart—We have an early Example of this in that wicked One Cain, who, becauſe the Lord had Reſpect to Abel and his Offering, and not to him and his Offering, was very wroth, his Countenance fell, and at length he cruelly ſlew his envied Brother.—Thus the Phariſees hated and perſecuted our Lord long before they laid hold on him: And our Lord mentions being inwardly hated of Men, as one Kind of PERSECUTION his Diſciples were to undergo •• This Heart—Enmity (if I may ſo term it) is the Root of all other Kinds of PERSECUTION▪ and i • , in ſome Degree or other, to be found in the Soul of every unregenerated Man▪ and Numbers are guilty of this Perſecution who never have it in their Power to 〈◊〉 any other Way. Nay, Numbers 〈◊〉 • e carrie • out actually to put in Practice all other Degree of Perſecution, was not the Name of Perſecution become odious among Mankind, and did they not hereby run the Hazard of loſing their Reputation. Alas! how many at the Great Day, whom we know not now will be convicted and condemned, that all their Life long harboured a ſecret evil Will againſt ZION!—They may now • kreen it before Men; but God ſeeth the Enmity of their Hearts, and will judge them as Perſecutors at the great and terrible Day of Judgment!

A ſecond Degree of Perſecution, is that of the Tongue—for out of the Abundance of the Heart, the Mouth ſpeaketh—Many, I ſupp •• e, think it no Harm to ſhoot out Arrows, even bitter Words, againſt the Diſciples of the Lord—They ſcatter their Fire-Brands, Arrows and Death, ſaying, Are we not in Sport?—But however they may eſteem it, in God's Account Evil ſpeaking is a high Degree of Perſecution. Thus Iſhmael's m • cking Iſaa • in the Old, is termed perſecuting him in the New-Teſtament—Bleſſed are ye • ▪ ſays our Lord, When Men ſhall revel you and perſecute you, and ſhall ſay all Manner of 〈◊〉 againſt you falſely for my Names Sake.—From whence we may gather, that Reviling, and ſpeaking all Manner of Evil falſly for CHRIST'S Sake, is a high Degree of Perſecution.—For a good Name, ſays the wiſe Man, 〈◊〉 better that 〈◊〉 Ointment, and, to many, is dearer tha • 〈◊〉 itſelf—It's a great Breach of the ſixth Commandment to ſlander any one, but to ſpeak 〈◊〉 of and ſlander the Diſciples of CHRIST, 〈◊〉 becauſe they are his Diſciples, muſt be 〈◊〉 provoking in the Sight of God, and ſuch who are guilty of it (without Repentance) will find that JESUS CHRIST will call them to an Account, and puniſh them for all their ungodly and hard Speeches in a Lake of Fire and Brimſtone—This ſhall be their Portion to drink.

The third and laſt Kind of Perſecution, is that which expreſſes itſelf in Actions—As when wicked Men ſeparate the Children of God from their Company. Bleſſed are ye, ſays our Lord, when they ſhall ſeparate you from their Company—or expoſe them to Church-Cenſures. They ſhall put you out of their Synagogues.—Or in threatning and prohibiting them from making an open Profeſſion of his Religion or Worſhip, or Miniſters from preaching his Word, as the High Prieſts threatned the Apoſtles, and forbad them any more to ſpeak in the Name of JESUS. And PAUL breathed out Threatnings and Slaughters againſt the Diſciples of the Lord—Or when they call them into Courts. You ſhall be called before Governors, ſays our Lord.—Or when they fine, • mpriſon, or puniſh them, by Confiſcation of Goods, cruel Scourging, and, laſtly, Death itſelf.

It would be impoſſible to enumerate in what various Shapes Perſecution has appeared.—It's a many-headed Monſter, inſatiable as Hell, cruel as the Grave, and, what is worſe, it generally appears under the Cloak of Religion.—But, cruel, inſatiable, and horrid as it is, they that live godly in CHRIST JESUS, muſt expect to ſuffer and encounter with in all its Forms.

This is what we are to make good under our 〈◊〉 general Head.

And firſt, This appears from the whole T • n • r of our Lord's Doctrine—We will begin with his Divine Sermon on the Mount—Bleſſed, ſays he, are they which are perſecuted for Righteouſneſs Sake; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. So that, if our Lord ſpoke Truth, we are not ſo bleſſed, as to have an Intereſt in the Kingdom of Heaven, unleſs we are or have been perſecuted for Righteouſneſs Sake—Nay, our Lord (it's remarkable) employs three Verſes in this Beatitude, and only one in each of the others; not only to ſhew, that it was a Thing which Men (as Men) are unwilling to believe, but alſo the neceſſary Conſequence of it upon our being Chriſtians.—This is likewiſe evident from all thoſe Paſſages, wherein our Lord informs us, that he came upon the Earth not to ſend Peace but a Sword, and that the Father-in-law ſhould be againſt the Mother-in-law, and that a Man's Foes ſhould be thoſe of his own Houſhold. Paſſages, which tho' confined by falſe Prophets 〈◊〉 ; the firſt, I am perſuaded will be verified by 〈◊〉 Experience of all true Chriſtians in this 〈◊〉 every Age of the Church.—It would be 〈◊〉 to recount all the Places, wherein our • ord forewarns his Diſciples, that they ſhould be called before Rulers, thruſt out of Synagogues, nay, that the Time would come, wherein Men ſhould think they did God Service to kill them.—For this Reaſon he ſo frequently declared, that unleſs a Man forſake all that he had, and even hated Life itſelf, he could not be his Diſciple • ▪ And therefore it is worthy our Obſervation▪ that in that remarkable Paſſage, wherein 〈◊〉 Lord makes ſuch an extenſive Promiſe to th • ſe who •• ft all for him, cautiouſly inſerts PERSECUTION. And JESUS anſwered and ſaid, Ver •• y I ſay unto you, there is no Man that hath le • t Houſe, or Brethren, or Siſters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or Lands for my 〈◊〉 and the Goſpel's, but he ſhall receive an Hundred-fold now in this Tim • , Houſes and Brethren, and Siſters and Mothers, and Children and La ••• , with Perſecutions (the Word is in the 〈◊〉 Number, including all Kinds of Perſecution) and in the World to come eternal Life.—He that hath Ears to hear, let him hear what CHRIST ſays in all theſe Paſſages, and then confeſs, th •• all who will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, 〈◊〉 ſuffer PERSECUTION.

As this is proved from our Lord's Doctrine; ſo it is no leſs evident from his Life. F • ll • w him from the Manger to the Croſs, and ſee whether any Perſecution was like that which the 〈◊〉 of God, the Lord of Glory, underwent 〈◊〉 here on Earth—How was he hated by wicked Men?—How often would that Hatred have excited them to take hold of him, had it not been for Fear of the People?—How was he reviled, counted and called a Blaſphemer, a Wine-Bibber, a Samaritan, nay, a Devil, and, in one Word, had all Manner of Evil ſpoken againſt him falſely?—What Contradiction of Sinners did he endure againſt himſelf?—How did Men ſeperat • from his Company, and were aſhamed to walk with him openly? Inſomuch that he once ſaid to his own Diſciples, Will you alſo go away?—Again—How was he ſtoned, thruſt out of the Synagogues, arraigned as a Deceiver of the People, a ſeditious and peſtilent Fellow, an Enemy to Caeſar, and as ſuch ſcourged, blindfolded, ſpit upon, and at length condemned and nailed to an accurſed Tree?—Thus was the Maſter perſecuted—Thus did the Lord ſuffer—And the Servant is not above his Maſter, nor the Diſciple above his Lord—If they have perſecuted me, they will alſo perſecute you, ſays the bleſſed JESUS. And again, Every Man that is perfect, that is, a true Chriſtian, muſt be as his Maſter, i. e. ſuffer as he did. For in all theſe Things our Lord has led us an Example, that we ſhould follow his Steps: And therefore, God forbid that any, who would live godly in CHRIST JESUS, ſhould henceforward expect to eſcape ſuffering Perſecution.

But further: Not only our Lord's Example, but the Example of all the Saints that ever lived▪ evidently demonſtrates the Truth of the Apoſtles Aſſertion in the Text. How ſoon was Abel made a Martyr for his Religion?—How was Iſaac mocked by the Son of the Bond-woman?—And what a large Catalogue of ſuffering Old-Teſtament Saints have we recorded in the 11th Chapter of the Hebrews?—Read the Acts of the Apoſtles, and ſee how the firſt Chriſtians were threatned, ſto • ed, impriſoned, ſcourged, and perſecuted even unto Death.—Examine Church-Hiſtory in After-Ages, and you wi •• 〈◊〉 the Murder of the Innocents by Herod, 〈◊〉 but an Earneſt of the innocent Blood which ſhould be ſhed for the Name of JESUS—Examine the Experience of Saints now living on Earth, and if it were poſſible to conſult the Spirits of juſt Men made perfect, I am perſuaded each would concur with the Apoſtle in aſſerting, that all who will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, ſhall ſuffer PERSECUTION.

For how can it be otherwiſe in the very Nature of Things?—Ever ſince the Fall there has been an irreconcileable Enmity put between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent. Wicked Men hate God, and therefore cannot but hate thoſe who are like him. They hate to be reformed, and therefore muſt hate and perſecute thoſe, who, by a contrary Behaviour, teſtify of them, that their Deeds are Evil—Beſides, Pride of Heart leads Men to perſecute the Servants of Jeſus Chriſt.—If they commend them, they are afraid of being aſked,—Why do not you follow them?"—And therefore becauſe they dare not imitate, tho' they may ſometimes be even forced to approve their Way, yet Pride and Envy make them turn Perſecutors.—Hence it is, that as it was formerly, ſo it is now, and ſo will it be to the End of Time—He that is born after the FLESH, the natural Man, does and will perſecute him that is born after the SPIRIT, the regenerate Man▪ Becauſe Chriſtians are not of the World, but Chriſt hath choſen them out of the World, therefore the World •• ll hate them— 〈◊〉 ••• ected againſt this Doctrine, that we now live in a Chriſtian World, and therefore muſt not expect ſuch Perſecution as formerly; I anſwer, All are not Chriſtians that are called ſo; and till the Heart is changed, the Enmity againſt God which is the Root of all Perſecution) remains; and conſequently Chriſtians, falſely ſo called, will perſecute as well as others.—I obſerved therefore, in the Beginning of this Diſcourſe, that St. Paul mentions thoſe that had a Form of Religion, as perſons of whom Timothy had Need be chiefly aware—For, as our Lord and his Apoſtles were moſtly perſecuted by their Countrymen the Jews, ſo we muſt expect the like Uſage from the Formaliſts of our own Nation, the Phariſees, who ſeem to be religious.—For the moſt horrid and barbarous Perſecutions have been carried on by thoſe who have called themſelves Chriſtians 〈◊〉 witneſs the Days of Queen Mary, and the Fines, Baniſhments, and Impriſonments of the Children of God in the laſt Century, and the bitter, irreconcileable Hatred that appear in Thouſands who call themſelves Chriſtians, even in the preſent Days wherein we live.

Perſons, who argue againſt Perſecution now, are not ſufficiently ſenſible of the bitter Enmity of the Heart of every unregenerate Man againſt God. For my own Part, I am ſo far from wondering that Chriſtians are perſecuted, that I wonder our Streets do not run with the Blood of the Saints—Was Men's Power equal to their Wills, ſuch a horrid Spectacle would ſoon appear.

Perſecution is neceſſery in reſpect to the Godly themſelves—If we have not all Manner of Evil ſpoken of us, how can we know whether we love Contempt, and ſeek only that Honour which cometh from above?—If we have not Perſecutors, how can our Paſſive Graces be kept in Exerciſe?—How can many Chriſtian Precepts be put into Practice?—How can we love, pray for, and do good to thoſe who deſpitefully uſe us?—How can we overcome Evil with Good?—In ſhort, how can we know we love God better than Life itſelf?—St. Paul was ſenſible of all this, and therefore ſo poſitively and peremptorily aſſerts, that all that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS muſt ſuffer PERSECUTION.

Not that I affirm, All are perſecuted in a like Degree. No: This would be contrary both to Scripture and Experience. But tho' all Chriſtians are not really called to ſuffer every Kind of Perſecution, yet all Chriſtians are liable thereto: And notwithſtanding ſome may live in more peaceful Times of the Church than other, yet all Chriſtians, in all Ages, will find by their own Experience, that, whether they act in a private or publick Capacity, they muſt, in ſome Degree or other, ſuffer Perſecution.

Here then I would make a Pauſe, and, by Way of Application, exhort all Perſons firſt to ſtand awhile and examine themſelves.— • or, by what has be •• ſaid, you may gather one Mark, whereby you may judge, whether you are Chriſtians or not?—Were you ever perſecuted for Righteouſneſs Sake? If not, you never yet lived godly in Chriſt our Lord—Whatever you may ſay to the contrary, the inſpired Apoſtle, in the Words of the Text (the Truth of which, I think, I have ſufficiently proved) poſitively aſſerts, that all that will godly in HIM, muſt ſuffer Perſecution—Not that all that are perſecuted are real Chriſtians—For many ſometimes ſuffer, and are perſecuted, on other Accounts than for Righteouſneſs Sake—The great Queſtion therefore is, Whether you were ever perſecuted for living godly? —You may boaſt (as perhaps you may think) of your great Prudence and Sagacity (and indeed theſe are excellent Things) and glory becauſe you have not run ſuch Lengths, and made yourſelves ſo ſingular, and liable to ſuch Contempt, as ſome others have.—But alas! This is not a Mark of your being of a Chriſtian, but of a Laodi • ean Spirit, neither hot nor cold, and fit only to be ſpewed out of the Mouth of God—That which you call Prudence, is only Cowardice, dreadful Hypocriſy, Pride of Heart, which makes you dread Contempt, and afraid to give up your Reputation for God—You are aſhamed of Chriſt and his Goſpel, and in all Probability, was he to appear a ſecond Time upon Earth, in Words, as well as Works, you would deny him—Awake therefore, all ye that live only formally in Chriſt Jeſus, and no longer ſeek that Honour which cometh of Man.—I do not deſire you to court, but I intreat you to live godly, and fear not Contempt for the Sake of Jeſus Chriſt—Beg of God to give you his Holy Spirit, that you may ſee through and diſcover the latent Hypocriſy of your Hearts, and no longer deceive your own Souls.—Remember, you cannot reconcile two irreconcileable Difference▪ God & Mammon, the Friendſhip of this World, with the Favour of God.—Know you not who hath told you, that the Friendſhip of this World is Enmity with God?—If therefore you are in Friendſhip with the World, notwithſtanding all your ſpecious Pretences to Piety, you are at Enmity with God.—You are only Heart Hypocrites, and, What is the Hope of the Hypocrite▪ when God ſhall take away his Soul?—Let 〈◊〉 Words of the Text found an Alarm in your Ears—Oh! let them ſink deep into your Hearts Yea, and all that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS ſhall ſuffer PERSECUTION.

Secondly, From the Words of the Text I would take Occaſion to ſpeak to thoſe, who are about to liſt themſelves under the Banner of CHRIST'S Croſs.—What ſay you?—Are you reſolved to live godly in CHRIST JESUS, notwithſtanding the Conſequence will be, that you muſt ſuffer PERSECUTION?—You are beginning to build, but have you taken our Lord's Advice, to ſit down firſt and count the Coſt?—Have you well weighed with your ſelves that weighty Declaration—He that love •• Father or Mother more than ME, is not wor •• ME—And again, Unleſs a Man forſake 〈◊〉 he hath, he cannot be my Diſciple? Per ••• ſome of you have great Poſſeſſions; Will 〈◊〉 you go away ſorrowful, if Chriſt ſhould require you to ſell all that you have?—Others of you again may be Kinſmen, or ſome Way related, or under Obligations to the High-Prieſts, or other great Perſonages, who may be perſecuting the Church of Chriſt—What ſay you? Will you, with Moſes, rather chuſe to ſuffer Affliction with the People of God, than enjoy the Pleaſures of Sin for a Seaſon?—Perhaps you may ſay, "My Friends will not oppoſe me."—That is more than you know.—In all Probability your chief Enemies will be thoſe of your own Houſhold—If therefore they ſhould oppoſe you, Are you willing naked to follow a naked Chriſt? and to wander about in Sheep-Skins and Goat-Skins, in Dens and Caves of the Earth, being afflicted, deſtitute, tormented, rather than not be Chriſt's Diſciples?—You are now all following with Zeal, as Ruth and Orpah did Naomi, and may weep under the Word; but are not your Tears Crocodile's Tears? And when Difficulties come, Will you not go back from following your Lord, as Orpah departed from following Naomi?—Have you really the Root of Grace in your Hearts? Or, Are you only Stony-ground Hearers?—You receive the Word with Joy; but, when Perſecution ariſes becauſe of the Word, will you not be immediately offended?—Be not angry with me for putting theſe Queſtions to you. I am jealous over you, but it is with a godly Jealouſy. For, alas! how many have put their Hand • to the Plow, and afterwards have ſhamefully looked back?—I only deal with you, as our Lord did with the Perſon that ſaid, LORD, I will follow thee whitherſoever thou wilt—The Foxes have Holes, and the Birds of the Air have Neſts, but the Son of Man, ſays he, hath not where to lay his Head.—What ſay you? Are you willing to endure Hardneſs, and thereby approve your ſelves good Soldiers of Jeſus Chriſt?—You now come on Foot out of the Towns and Villages to hear the Word, and receive me as a Meſſenger of God—But will you not by and by cry out, Away with him, Away with him, it is not fit ſuch a Fellow ſhould live upon the Earth?—Perhaps ſome of you, like Hazael, may ſay, Are we Dogs, that we ſhall do this? But, alas! I have met with many unhappy Souls, who have drawn back unto Perdition, and have afterwards accounted me their Enemy, for dealing faithfully with them, tho' once, if it were poſſible, they would have plucked out their own Eyes, and have given them unto me.—Sit down therefore, I beſeech you, and ſeriouſly count the Coſt, and aſk yourſelves again and again, whether you count all Things but. Dung and Droſs, and are willing to ſuffer the Loſs of all Things, ſo that you may win Chriſt, and • e found in Him. For you may aſſure yourſelves, the Apoſtle hath not ſpoken in vain—All that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, ſhall ſuffer PERSECUTION.

Thirdly, The Text ſpeaks to you that are patiently ſuffering for the Truth's Sake—Rejoice, and be exceeding glad—Great ſhall be your Reward in Heaven—For to you it is given, not only to believe, but alſo to ſuffer, and perhaps remarkably too, for the Sake of Jeſus▪ This is a Mark of your Diſciple may, an Evidence that you do live godly in CHRIST JESUS—Fear not, therefore, neither be diſmayed. Oh, be not weary and • aint in your M ••• s!—Jeſus, your Lord, your Life, cometh, and his Reward is with him—Tho' all Men forſake you, yet will not he? No: The Spirit of Chriſt and of Glory ſhall reſt upon you. In Patience therefore poſſeſs your Souls—Sanctify the Lord God in your Hearts. Be in nothing terrified by your Adverſaries—On their Part Chriſt is evil ſpoken of: On your Part he is glorified—Be not aſhamed of your Glory, ſince others can glory in their Shame—Think it not ſtrange concerning the fiery Trial, wherewith you are or may be tried.—The Devil rages, knowing that he hath but a ſhort Time to reign. He or his Emiſſaries have no more Power, than what is given them from above—God ſets them their Bounds. which they cannot paſs, and the very Hairs of your Head are all numbered.—Fear not, no one ſhall ſet upon you to hurt you, without your heavenly Father's Knowledge.—Do your earthly Friends and Parents forſake you? Are you caſt out of the Synagogues? The Lord ſhall reveal himſelf to you, as to the Man that was born blind—Jeſus Chriſt ſhall take you up—If they carry you to Priſon, and load you with Chains, ſo that the Iron enter into your Souls, even there ſhall Chriſt ſend an Angel from Heaven to ſtrengthen you, and enable you, with Paul 〈◊◊〉 , to ſing Praiſes at Midnight.—Are 〈◊〉 threatned to be thrown into a Den of Lion 〈◊〉 caſt into a burning fiery Furnace, becauſe you will not bow down and worſhip the Beaſt?—Fear not; the God, whom you ſerve, is able to deliver you—Or, if he ſhould ſuffer the Flames to devour your Bodies, they ſhould only ſerve, as ſo many fiery Chariots, to carry your Souls to God.—Thus it was with the Martyrs of old, ſo that one when he was burning cried out, Come, you Papiſts, if you want a Miracle, Here, behold one This Bed of Flames is to me a Bed of Down.—Thus it was with almoſt all that ſuffered in former Times: For Jeſus, notwithſtanding he withdrew his own Divinity from himſelf, yet has always lifted up the Light of his Countenance upon the Souls of ſuffering Saints.—Fear not therefore theſe that can kill the Body, and after that have no more that they can do; but fear him only, who is able to deſtroy both Body and Soul in Hell. Dare, dare, to 〈◊〉 godly in CHRIST JESUS, tho' you ſuffer all Manner of PERSECUTION.

But are there any true Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt 〈◊〉 ?—You'll not be offended if I tell you, that the Words of the Text are, in an eſpecial Manner, applicable to you—St. Paul wrote them to Timothy, and we, of all Men, that live godly. CHRIST JESUS, muſt expect to ſuffer the ſevereſt Perſecution—Satan will 〈◊〉 •• vour to 〈◊〉 our Heels, let who eſcape—And it has been the general Way of God's Providence, in Times of Perſecution, to permit the Shepherds firſt to be ſmitten, before the Sheep are ſcattered—Let us not therefore ſhew, that we are only Hirelings, who care not for the Sheep, but, like the great Shepherd and Biſhop of Souls, let us readily lay down our Lives for the Sheep—Whilſt others are boaſting of their great Preferments, let us rather glory in our great Afflictions and Perſecutions for the Sake of Chriſt—St. Paul now rejoices tha • he ſuffered Afflictions & Perſecutions at Iconiu • and Lyſtra—Out of all the Lord delivered him▪—Out of all the Lord will deliver us, and cauſe us hereafter to ſit down with him on Thrones, when he comes to judge the twelve Tribes of Iſrael.

I could proceed, but I am conſcious in this Part of my Diſcourſe; I ought more particularly to ſpeak to myſelf, knowing that Satan has deſired to have me, that he may ſift me as Wheat. I know I muſt (How can it be avoided?) ſuffer great Things for Chriſt's Name Sake—Without a Spirit of Prophecy, we may eaſily diſcern the Sighs of the Times. Perſecution is even at the Doors—The Tabernacle of the Lord is already driven into the Wilderneſs—The Ark of the Lord is fallen into the unhallowed Hands of uncircumciſed Philiſtians. They have long ſince put us out of their Synagogues, and High-Prieſts have been calling on Civil Magiſtrates to exert their Authority againſt the Diſciples of the Lord.—Men in Power have been breathing out Threatnings—We may eaſily gueſs what will follow, Impriſonment and Slaughter—The Storm has been gathering ſome Time—It muſt break ſhortly. Perhaps it may fall on me firſt.

Brethren therefore, whether in the Miniſtry or not, I beſeech you, pray for me, that I may never ſuffer juſtly, as an Evil-Doer, but only for Righteouſneſs Sake—Oh! Pray that I may not deny my Lord in any wiſe, but that I may joyfully follow him, both to Priſon and to Death if he is pleaſed to call me to ſeal his Truths with my Blood—Be not aſhamed of Chriſt, or of his Goſpel, tho' I ſhould become a Priſoner of the Lord—Tho' I am bound, the Word of God will not be bound—No, an open, an effectual Door is opened for preaching the everlaſting Goſpel, and Men or Devils ſhall never be able to prevail againſt it—Only pray, that whether it be in Life or Death, Chriſt may be glorified in me.—Then I ſhall rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

And now, to whom ſhall I addreſs myſelf next?—To thoſe, who perſecute their Neighbours for living godly in CHRIST JESUS. But, what ſhall I ſay to your Howl and weep for the Miſeries that ſhall come upon you—For a little while the Lord permits you to ride over the Heads of his People; but by and by, Death will arreſt you, Judgment will find you, and Jeſus Chriſt ſhall put a Queſtion to you, which will ſtrike you dumb. "Why perſecuted you 〈◊〉 "—You may plead your Laws and your Canons, & pretend what you do is out of a Zeal for God, but God ſhall diſcover the curſed Hypocriſy and ſerpentine Enmity of your Hearts, and give you over to the Tormentors—It's well, if in this Life, God does not ſet ſome Mark upon you—He pleaded the Cauſe of Naboth, when innocently condemned for blaſpheming againſt God and the King—And our Lord ſent forth his Armies, and deſtroyed the City of thoſe who killed the Prophets, and ſtoned them that were ſent unto them—If you have a Mind therefore to fill up the Meaſure of your Iniquities, go on, perſecute and deſpiſe the Diſciples of the Lord. But know, that for all theſe Things, God ſhall bring you into Judgment. Nay, thoſe you how perſecute, ſhall be in part your Judges, and ſit on the Right-Hand of the Majeſty on High, whilſt you are dragged by infernal Spirits into a Lake that burreth with Fire and Brimſtone, and the Smoke of your Torment ſhall be aſcending up for ever and ever—Lay down therefore, ye Rebels, your Arms againſt the moſt High God, and no longer perſecute thoſe who live godly in CHRIST JESUS—The Lord will plead, the Lord will avenge their Cauſe. You may be permitted to bruiſe their Heels, yet in the End they ſhall bruiſe your accurſed Heads.—I ſpeak not this, as tho' I were afraid of you—For I know in whom I have believed. Only out of pure Love I warn you, and becauſe I know not but Jeſus Chriſt may make ſome of you Veſſels of Mercy, and ſnatch you, even you Perſecutors, as Fire-Brands out of the Fire—Jeſus Chriſt came into the World to ſave Sinners, even Perſecutors, the worſt of Sinners—His Righteouſneſs is ſufficient for them—His Spirit able to purify and change their Hearts—He once converted Saul—May the ſame God magnify his Power, in converting all thoſe who are cauſing the godly in CHRIST JESUS, as much as in them lies, to ſuffer PERSECUTION. The Lord be with you all—Amen.

THE great St. Paul, in one of his Epiſtles informs us, that whatſoever was written aforetime was written for our Learning, that we through Patience and Comfort of the Holy Scripture might have Hope—And as without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, or be accepted in Jeſus, the Son of his Love, we may be aſſured, that whatever Inſtances of a more than common Faith are recorded in the Book of God, they were more immediately deſigned by the Holy Spirit for the Learning and Imitation of us, upon who •• the Ends of the World are come.—For this Reaſon, the Author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, in the 11th Chapter, mentions ſuch a noble Catalogue of Old-Teſtament Saints and Martyrs, who ſubdued Kingdoms, wrought Righteouſneſs, ſtopped the Mouth, of Lions, &c. and are gone before us to inherit the Promiſes. A ſufficient Confutation, I think, of their Error, who lightly eſteem the Old-Teſtament Saints, and would not have them mentioned to Chriſtians, as Perſons whoſe Faith and Patience we are called upon more immediately to follow—If this was true, the Apoſtle would never have produced ſuch a Cloud of Witneſſes out of the Old Teſtament, to excite the Chriſtians of the firſt, and conſequently pureſt Age of the Church, to continue ſtedfaſt and unmoveable in the Profeſſion of their Faith.—Amidſt this Catalogue of Saints, methinks the Patriarch Abraham ſhines the brighteſt, and differs from the others, as one Star differeth from another Star in Glory—For he ſhone with ſuch diſtinguiſhed Luſtre, that he was called the Friend of God, the Father of the Faithful, and thoſe who believe on Chriſt, are ſaid to be Sons and Daughters of, and to be bleſſed with faithful Abraham—Many Trials of his Faith did God ſend this great and good Man, after he had commanded him to get out from his Country, and from his Kindred, unto a Land which he ſhould ſhew him—But his laſt was the moſt ſevere of all—I mean that of offering up his only Son—This, by the Divine Aſſiſtance, I propoſe to make the Subject of your preſent Meditation, and, by Way of Concluſion, to draw ſome practical Inferences from the Obſervations that God ſhall enable me to draw from this inſtructive Story.

The ſacred Penman begins the Narrative thus. Ver. 1. And it came to paſs, after theſe Things, God did tempt Abraham—After theſe Things, that is, after he had underwent many ſevere Trials before, after he was old, full of Days, and might flatter himſelf perhaps that the Troubles and Toils of Life were now finiſhed—After theſe Things, God did tempt Abraham—Chriſtians, you know not what Trials you may meet with before you die.—Notwithſtanding you may have ſuffered, and been tried much already, yet, it may be, a greater Meaſure is ſtill behind, which you are to fill up—Be not high-minded, but fear—Our laſt Trials, in all Probability, will be the greateſt. And we can never ſay our Warfare is accompliſhed, or our Trials finiſhed, till we bow down our Heads, and give up the Ghoſt— And it came to paſs, after theſe Things, that God did tempt Abraham.

"God did tempt Abraham"—But can the Scripture contradict itſelf? Does not St. James tell us, that God tempts no Man? And God does tempt no Man to Evil, or on Purpoſe to draw him into Sin. For when a Man is thus tempted, he is drawn away of his own Heart's Luſt, and enticed—But in another Senſe God may be • aid to tempt—I mean to try his Servants, and in this Senſe we are to underſtand that Paſſage of St. Matthew, where we are told, that Jeſus was led up by the Spirit (the good Spirit) into the Wilderneſs, to be tempted of the Devil—And our Lord, in that excellent Form 〈◊〉 Prayer which he has been pleaſed to preſcribe us, does not require us to pray, that we may not abſolutely be led into Temptation, but delivered from the Evil of it—Whereby we may plainly infer, that God ſees it fit ſometimes to lead us into Temptation, that is, to bring us into ſuch Circumſtances, as will try our Faith, and other Chriſtian Graces—In this Senſe we are to underſtand the Expreſſion before us—God did tempt or try Abraham.

How God was pleaſed to reveal his Will at this Time to his faithful Servant, whether by the Shechinah, or Divine Appearance, or by a ſmall ſtill Voice, as he ſpoke to Elijah, or by a Whiſper, like that of the Spirit to Philip, when he commanded him to go join himſelf to the Eunuch's Chariot, we are not told, nor is it material to enquire—It's enough that we are informed, God ſaid unto him Abraham, and that Abraham knew it was the Voice of God—For he ſaid, Behold here I am—Oh! what a holy Familiarity (if I may ſo ſpeak) is there between God, and thoſe holy Souls that are united to him by Faith in Chriſt Jeſus! God, ſays Abraham, and Abraham ſaid (it ſhould ſeem without the leaſt Surpriſe) Behold, here I am—Being reconciled to God by the 〈◊〉 and Obedience of Chriſt, which he rejoiced in, and ſaw by Faith afar off—He did not, like guilty Adam, ſeek the Trees of the Garden to hide himſelf from, but takes Pleaſure in converſing with God, and talketh with him, as a Man talketh with his Friend—Oh! that chriſtleſs Sinners knew what it is to have Fellowſhip with the Father and the Son! They would envy the Happineſs of Saints, and count it all Joy to be termed Enthuſiaſts, and Fools for Chriſt's Sake.

But what does God ſay to Abraham? Ver. 2. Take now thy Son, thine only Son Iſaac, whom thou loveſt, and get thee into the Land of M • riah, and offer him there for a Burnt-offering upon one of the Mountains which I ſhall tell thee of.

Every Word deſerves our particular Obſervation—Whatever he was to do, he muſt do it 〈◊〉 , immediately, without conferring with Fleſh and Blood—But what muſt he do? Take now thy Son—Had God ſaid, take now a Firſtling, or choiceſt Lamb or Beaſt of thy Flock, and offer it up for a Burnt-offering, it would not have appeared ſo ghaſtly; but for God to ſay, Take now thy Son, and offer him up for a Burnt-offering, one would have imagined was enough to ſtagger the ſtrongeſt Faith—But this is not all—It muſt not only be a Son, but thine only Son Iſaac, whom thou loveſt—If it muſt be a 〈◊〉 and not a Beaſt, that muſt be offered, why 〈◊〉 Iſhmael do, the Son of the Bond-Wo ••• No, it muſt be his only Son, the Heir of all Things, his Iſaac, by Interpretation 〈◊〉 ▪ the Son of his old Age, in whom his Soul delighted, whom thou loveſt, ſays God, in whoſe Life his own was wrapped up—And this Son, this only Son, this Iſaac, the Son of his Love, muſt be taken now, even now, without Delay, and be offered up by his own Father, for a Burnt-offering, upon one of the Mountains of the which God would tell him.

Well might the Apoſtle, ſpeaking of 〈◊〉 Man of God, ſay, that againſt Hope he believed in Hope, and being ſtrong in Faith, gave Glory to God—For, had he not been bleſſed with Faith, which Man never before had, he muſt have refuſed to comply with this ſevere Command—For how many Arguments might Nature ſuggeſt • o prove, that ſuch a Command could never come from God? or to excuſe himſelf from obeying it. What! might the good Man have ſaid, butcher my own Child! it is contrary to the very Law of Nature—Much more to butcher my dear Son Iſaac—in whoſe Seed God himſelf has aſſured me, that all the Families of the Earth ſhall be bleſſed—But ſuppoſing I could give up 〈◊〉 Affections, and he willing to part with 〈◊〉 , tho' I love 〈◊〉 ſo dearly▪ yet, 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 ▪ him, what will become of God' 〈◊〉 —Beſides, I am now like a City built upon a Hill—I ſhine as a Light on the World, in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe 〈◊〉 ſays ration—How then ſhall I cauſe God's 〈◊〉 ſeem to be blaſphemed, how ſhall I become a By—word among the Heathen, if they 〈◊〉 tha •• ▪ I have committed a Cri •• 〈…〉 But, above all, what will Sarah my Wife ſay? How can I ever return to her again, after I have imbrued my Hands in my dear Child's Blood?—Oh! that God would pardon me in this Thing, or take my Life in the Place of my Son's! Thus, I ſay, Abraham might have argued, and that too ſeemingly with great Reaſon, againſt complying with the divine Command. But as before by Faith he conſidered not the Deadneſs of Sarah's Womb, when ſhe was paſt Age, but believed on him, who ſaid, Sarah thy Wife ſhall bear thee a Son indeed; ſo now being convinced that the ſame God ſpoke to and commanded him to offer up that Son, and knowing that God was able to raiſe him from the Dead, without Delay he obeys the heavenly Call.

Oh! that Unbelievers would learn of faithful Abraham, and believe whatever is revealed from God, tho' they cannot fully comprehend it. Abraham knew God commanded him to offer up his Son, and therefore believed, notwithſtanding carnal Reaſoning might ſuggeſt many Objections—We have ſufficient Teſtimony, that God has ſpoken to us by his Son, Why ſhould we not alſo believe, tho' many Things in the New-Teſtament are above our Reaſon? For where Reaſon ends, Faith begins—And however Infidels may ſtile themſelves Reaſoners, of all Men they are the moſt unreaſonable—For, is it not contrary to all Reaſon, to meaſure an infinite by a finite Underſtanding, or think to find out the Myſteries of Godlineſs to Perfection?

But to return to the Patriarch Abraham—We obſerved before what plauſible Objections he might have made—But he anſwered not a ſingle Word—No—without replying againſt his Maker—We are told, Ver. 3. that Abraham roſe up early in the Morning, and ſaddled his Aſs, and took two of his young Men with him, and Iſaac his Son, and clave the Wood for the Burnt-offering, and roſe up and went unto the Place of which God had told him.

From this Verſe we may gather, that God ſpoke to Abraham in a Dream, or Viſion of the Night—For it is ſaid, he roſe up early—Perhaps it was near the fourth Watch of the Night, juſt before Break of Day, when God ſaid, •• ke now thy Son—And Abraham riſes up early to do ſo—As I doubt not but he uſed to riſe early to offer up his Morning Sacrifice of Praiſe and Thankſgiving—It is often remarked of People in the Old Teſtament, that they roſe early in the Morning, and particularly of our Lord in the New, that he roſe a great while before Day to pray—The Morning be friends Devotion, and it People cannot uſe ſo much Self-denial, as to riſe early to pray, I know not how they will be able to die at a Stake (if called to it) for Jeſus Chriſt.

The Humility, as well as Piety of • he Patriarch, is obſervable—He ſaddled his own Aſ •••• great Men ſhould be humble;) and to ſhew his Sincerity, tho' he took two of his young Men with him, and Iſaac his Son, yet he keeps his Deſign as a Secret from them all—Nay, he does not ſo much as tell Sarah his Wife. For he knew not but ſhe might be a Snare unto him in this Affair; and, as Rebekkah afterwards, on another Occaſion, adviſed Jacob to flee, ſo ſhe alſo might perſuade Iſaac to hide himſelf Or the young Men, had they known of it, might have forced him away, as in After-Ages the Soldiers reſcued Jonathan out of the Hands of Saul—But Abraham fought no ſuch Evaſion, and therefore like an Iſraelite indeed, in whom there was no Guile, he himſelf reſolutely clave the Wood for the Burnt-offering, roſe up and went unto the Place of which God had told him—In the ſecond Verſe God commanded him to offer up his Son upon one of the Mountains which he would tell him of—He commanded him to offer his Son up, but would not then directly tell him the Place where—This was to keep 〈◊〉 dependant and watching unto Prayer—For there's nothing like being kept waiting upon God, and if we do, aſſuredly God will reveal himſelf unto us yet further in his own Time—Let us practiſe what we know, follow Providence ſo far as we can ſee already, and what we know not, what we ſee not as yet, let us only be found in the Way of Duty, and the Lord will reveal even that unto us—Abraham here knew not directly where he was to offer up his Son—But he riſes up and ſets forward, and behold now God ſhews him, and he went to 〈◊〉 Place of which God had told him —Let us go and do likewiſe.

Ver. 4. Then on the third Day Abraham lifted up his Eyes, and ſaw the Place afar off.

So that the Place of which God had told him, was no leſs than three Days Journey diſtant from the Place where God firſt appeared to him, and commanded him to take his Son▪ Was not this to try his Faith, and to let him ſee that what he did, was not merely from a ſudden Pang of Devotion, but a Matter of Choice and Deliberation? But who can tell what the aged Patriarch felt during theſe three Days? Strong 〈◊〉 he was in Faith, I am perſuaded his Bowels often yearned over his dear Son Iſaac—Methink • I ſee the good old Man walking with this dear Child in his Hand, and now and then looking upon him, loving him, and then turning aſide to weep. And perhaps ſometimes he ſtays a •• ittle behind to pour out his Heart before God, for he had no Mortal to tell his Caſe to—Then methinks I ſee him join his Son and Servants again, and talking to them of the Things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, as they walked by the Way—At length, on the third Day, 〈◊〉 lift up his Eyes, and ſaw the Place afar off—And to ſhew that he was yet ſincerely reſolved to do whatſoever the Lord required of him, he even now will not diſcover his Deſign to his Servants out ſaid, Ver. 5. to his young Men (as we ſhould ſay to our worldly Thoughts when about to • ead the Courts of the Lord's Houſe) Abide 〈◊〉 with the Aſs 〈◊〉 and I and the Lad will go up yonder and worſhip, and come again to you—This was a ſufficient Reaſon for their ſtaying behind, and it being their Maſter's Cuſtom to go frequently to worſhip, they could have no Suſpicion of what he was going about—And by Abraham's ſaying, that he and the Lad would come again, I am apt to think he believed God would raiſe him from the Dead, if ſo be he permitted him to offer his Child up 〈◊〉 a Burnt-offering—However that be, he 〈◊〉 yet reſolved to obey God to the uttermoſt, and therefore,

Ver. 6. Abraham took the Wood of the Burnt-offering, and laid it upon Iſaac his Son, and he took the Fire in his Hand, and a Knife, and they went both of them together —Little did Iſaac think that he was to be offered upon that very Wood which he was carrying upon his Shoulders, and therefore, Ver 7. Iſaac innocently, and with a holy Freedom (for good Men ſhould not keep their Children at too great 〈◊〉 Diſtance) ſpake unto Abraham his 〈◊〉 and ſaid, My Father; and he (with equal 〈◊〉 and holy Condeſcenſion) ſaid, Here am I, my 〈◊〉 —And to ſhew how careful Abraham had been • as all Chriſtian Parents ought to be) to inſtruct • is Iſaac how to ſacrifice to God, like a Youth trained up in the Ways wherein he ſhould go, Iſaac ſaid, Behold the Fire and the Wood; but where is the Lamb for a Burnt-offering?—How beautiful is early Piety! How amiable to hear young People aſk Queſtions about ſacrificing to God in an acceptable Way! Iſaac knew very well that a Lamb was wanting, and that a Lamb was neceſſary for a proper Sacrifice— Behold the Fire and the Wood, but where is the Lamb for a Burnt-offering? —Young Men and Maidens learn of him.

Hitherto it is plain Iſaac kn • w nothing of 〈◊〉 Father's Deſign—But I believe, by what his Father ſaid in Anſwer to his Queſtion, that now was the Time Abraham revealed it unto him.

Ver. 8. "And Abraham ſa •• ▪ My Son, God will provide himſelf a Lamb for a Burnt-offering"—Some think Abraham by Faith ſaw the Lord Jeſus afar off, and here ſpake prophetically of that Lamb of God already ſlain in Decree, and hereafter to be actually offered up for Sinners—This was a Lamb of God's providing himſelf indeed (we dared not have thought of it) to ſatisfy his own Juſtice, and to render him 〈◊〉 in juſtifying the Ungodly—What is all our Fire and Wood, the beſt Preparation and Per ••• mances we can make or preſent, unleſs God 〈◊◊〉 himſelf this Lamb for a Burnt-offering • —He could not away with them—The Words will well bear this Interpretation. But whatever Abraham might intend, I cannot but think he here made an Application, and acquainted his Son of God's dealing with his Soul, and at length, with 〈◊〉 ears in his Eyes, and the utmoſt Affection in his Heart, cried out, Thou art to be the Lamb, my Son—God has commanded me to provide thee for a Burnt-offering, and to offer thee upon the Mountain which we are now aſcending—And as it appears from a ſubſequent Verſe, Iſaac, convinced that it was the Divine Will, made no Reſiſtance 〈◊〉 all—For it is ſaid, they went both of them to •••• ; and again, Ver. 9. When we are told, that Abraham bound Iſaac, we do not hear of 〈◊〉 complaining, or endeavouring to eſcape, 〈◊〉 he might have done, being (as ſome 〈…〉 thirty Years of Age, and it's plain, 〈…〉 carrying Wood enough for a Burnt- 〈◊〉 —But he was Partaker of the like pre •••• Faith with his 〈◊〉 Father, and therefore 〈◊〉 willing to be offered, as Abraham is to offer him—And ſo they went both of them together.

Ver. 〈◊〉 . At length they came to the Five of 〈◊〉 God had told Abraham— He built an Altar there, and laid the Wood in Order, and bound 〈◊〉 his Son, and laid him on the Altar upon the Wood.

And here let us pauſe a-while, and by Faith take a View of the Place where the Father has 〈◊〉 him—I doubt not but the bleſſed Angels 〈◊〉 round the Altar and ſang, Glory be to God in the Higheſt, for giving ſuch Faith to M • n—Come all ye tender-hearted Parents, 〈…〉 what it is to look over a dying Child 〈…〉 that you ſaw the Altar here erected before you, and th •• Wood laid in Order, and the beloved Iſaac 〈◊〉 upon it—Fancy that 〈◊〉 ſaw the aged Parent ſtanding by weeping—(For why may we not ſuppoſe that Abraham wept, ſince Jeſus himſelf wept at the Grave of •• z •• us?)—Oh! what pious, endearing Expreſſions paſſed now alternately between the Father and the Son!—Joſephus has a pathetick Speech made by each, whether genuine I know not—But methinks I ſee the Tears trickle down the Patriarch Abraham's Cheeks, and out of the Abundance of the Heart, he cries, Adieu, Adieu, my Son—The Lord gave thee to me, and the Lord calls thee away—Bleſſed be the Name of the Lord—Adieu my Iſaac, my only Son, whom I love as my own Soul, Adieu, Adieu. Methinks I ſee Iſaac at the ſame Time meekly reſigning himſelf into his heavenly Father's Hands, and praying to the moſt High to ſtrengthen his earthly Parent to ſtrike the Stroke▪—But why do I attempt to deſcribe what either Son or Father felt? It is impoſſible—We may indeed form ſome faint Idea of, but ſhall never fully comprehend it, till we come and ſit down with the • in the Kingdom of Heaven, and hear them tell the pleaſing Story over again—Haſten, O Lord, that bleſſed Time!—O let thy Kingdom come!

And now, Ver. 10. the fatal Blow is going to be given. And Abraham ſtretched forth his Hand, and took the Knife to ſlay his Son —But do you not think he intended to turn away his Head, when he gave the Blow? Nay, why may we not ſuppoſe he ſometimes drew his Hand in after it was ſtretched out, willing to take another laſt Farewel of his beloved Iſaa • and deſirous to defer it a little, tho' reſolved laſt to ſtrike home—Be that as it will—His 〈◊〉 is now ſtretched out, the Knife is 〈…〉 Ha • and he is about to put it to his dea • 〈◊〉 Throat.

But ſing, O Heavens; and rejoice, O Earth! Man's Extremity is God's Opportunity—For behold, juſt as the Knife, in all Probability, was near his Throat.—Ver. 11. The Angel of the Lord, (or rather, the Lord of Angels, Jeſus Chriſt, the Angel of the everlaſting Covenant) called unto him, probably in a very audible Manner, from Heaven (his Dwelling-Place) and ſaid, Abraham, Abraham—(The Word is doubled to engage his Attention, and perhaps the Suddenneſs of the Call made him draw back his Hand, juſt as he was going to ſtrike his Son) And Abraham ſaid Here am I —

And he ſaid, (Ver. 12.) Lay not thine Hand upon the Lad, neither do thou any Thing unto him—For now know I that thou feareſt God, ſeeing thou haſt not with-held thy Son, thine only Son from me.

Here then it was that Abraham received his Son Iſaac from the Dead in a Figure—He was in effect offered upon the Altar, and God look'd upon him as offered and given unto him—Now it was that Abraham's Faith being tried, was found more precious than Gold purified 〈◊〉 Times in the Fire—Now as a Reward of Grace▪ tho' not of Debt, for this ſignal Act of Obedience, by an Oath, God confirms the Promiſe he made to him long before, that in his 〈…〉 ••• tions of the Earth ſhould be bleſſed, was to be 〈◊〉 8.

〈◊〉 (this 〈◊〉 Comfort may we ſuppoſe the Iſaac▪ was offend his Son went down from the Mount, and returned unto the young Men, Ver. 19. With what Joy may we imagine he went home, and related all that had paſſed to Sarah!—And above all, with what Triumph is he exulting now in the Paradiſe of God, and adoring rich, free, diſtinguiſhing, electing, everlaſting Love, which alone made him to differ from the reſt of Mankind, and tender him worthy of that Title which he will have given him ſo • long as the Sun and the Moon endureth—"The Father of the Faithful."

But let us now draw our Eyes from the Creature, and do what Abraham, if he was preſent, would direct to—I mean, fix them on the Creator, God bleſſed for evermore.

I ſee your Hearts affected, I ſee your Eyes weep—(And indeed, who can refrain weeping at the Relation of ſuch a Story?)—But, behold! I ſhew you a Myſtery, hid under the Sacrifice of▪ Abraham's only Son, which, unleſs your Hearts are hardned, muſt cauſe you to weep Tears of Love, and that plentifully too—I would willingly hope you even prevent me here, and are ready to ſay, It is the Love of God, in giving Jeſus Chriſt to die for our Sins—Yes, that is it—And yet perhaps you find your Hearts, at the mentioning of this, not ſo much affected—Let this convince you▪ that we are all fallen Creatures, and that we do no • love God o • Chriſt, as we ought to 〈…〉 if you admire Abraham offering 〈…〉 how much more ought you to 〈…〉 and adore the Love of God, 〈…〉 World, as to give his only begotten Son Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, that whoſoever believeth on him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting Life?—May we not well cry out, Now kn • w we, O Lord, that thou haſt loved us, ſince thou haſt not with-held thy Son, thine only Son from us?—Abraham was God's Creature, and God 〈◊〉 Abraham's Friend, and therefore under the higheſt Obligation to ſurrender up his Iſaac▪ But Oh, ſtupendous Love • Whilſt we were his Enemies, God ſent forth his Son made of a Woman, made under the Law, that he might become a Curſe for us—Oh! the Freeneſs, as well as the Infiniteneſs of the Love of God our Father▪—It's unſearchable—I am loſt in contemplating it—It is paſt finding out—Think, O Believers, think of the Love of God, in giving Jeſus Chriſt to be a Propitiation for our Sins—And when you hear how Abraham built an Altar, and laid the Wood in Order, and bound Iſaac his Son, and laid him upon the Altar upon the Wood—Think how your heavenly Father • ound Jeſus Chriſt his only Son, and offered him upon the Altar of his Juſtice, and laid upon him the Iniquities of us all—When you read of Abraham's ſtretching forth his Hand to ſlay his Son—Think, O think, how God actually ſuffered his Son to be ſlain, that we might live for evermore—Do you read of Iſaac carrying 〈◊〉 Wood upon his Shoulders, upon which he was to be offered? Let this lead you to Mount 〈◊〉 (this very Mount of Moriah where Iſaac was offered, as ſome think) and take a View of the Antitype Jeſus Chriſt, that Son of God's Love, bearing and ready to ſink under the Weight of that Croſs, on which he was to hang for us—Do you admire Iſaac ſo fre • ly conſenting to die, tho' a Creature, and therefore obliged to go when God called?—Oh! do not forget to admire infinitely more 〈◊〉 Lord Jeſus, that promiſed Seed, who 〈◊〉 ſaid, Lo I come (tho' under no Obligation ſo to do) to do thy Will, to obey and die for Men, O God—Did you weep juſt now, when I bid you fancy you ſaw the Altar, and the Wood laid in Order, and Iſaac laid bound on the Altar?—Look up by Faith, behold the bleſſed Jeſus, our all-glorious Emanuel, not bound, but nailed on an accurſed Tree—See how he hangs crowned with Thorns▪ and had in Deriſion of all that are round about him—See how the Thorns pierce him, and how the Blood in purple Streams trickle down hi • ſacred Temples!—Hark how the God of Nature groans!—See how he b • ws his Head, and at length gives up the Ghoſt!—Iſaac▪ is ſaved, but Jeſus, the God of Iſaac, dies—A Ram is offered up in Iſaac's Room, but Jeſus has no Subſtitute—Jeſus muſt bleed, Jeſus muſt die, God the Father provided this Lamb for himſelf from all Eternity. He muſt be offered up in Time▪ or Man muſt be damned for evermore▪ And now, where are your Tears? Shall I ſay refrain your Voice from weeping? No, 〈◊〉 let me exhort you to look to him whom you have pierced, and mourn▪ as a Woman 〈…〉 for her Firſt-born—For we have 〈…〉 Betrayers, we have been the 〈◊〉 of the Lord of Glory—And ſhall we not bewail thoſe Sins, which brought the bleſſed Jeſus to the accurſed Tree▪—Having ſo much done, 〈◊〉 much ſuffered for us, ſo much forgiven, ſhall we not love much? Oh! let 〈◊〉 love him with all our Hearts, and Mind • , and Strength, and glorify him in our 〈◊〉 and Bodies, for they are his▪ 〈…〉 me to a •• cond Inference I ſhall draw from the foregoing Diſcourſe.

From hence we may learn the Nature of a true, juſtifying Faith—Whoever underſtands and preaches the Truth, as it is in Jeſus, muſt acknowledge, that Salvation is God's free Gift • and that we are ſaved not by any, or all the Works of Righteouſneſs which we have done or can do—No, we can neither wholly or in Part juſtify ourſelves in the Sight of God—The Lord Jeſus Chriſt is our Righteouſneſs, and if we are accepted with God, it muſt be only in & through the perſonal Righteouſneſs, the active and paſſive Obedience of Jeſus Chriſt, his beloved Son—This Righteouſneſs muſt be imputed or counted over to us, and applied by Faith to our Hearts, or elſe we can in no wiſe be juſtified in God's Sight—And that very Moment a Sinner is enabled to lay hold on Chriſt's Righteouſneſs by Faith, he is freely juſtified from all his Sins, and ſhall never enter into Condemnation, notwithſtanding he was a Firebrand of Hell before 〈◊〉 it was that Abraham was juſtified before 〈…〉 any good Work—He was enabled to 〈…〉 the Lord Chriſt—It was accounted to him for Righteouſneſs, that is, Chriſt's Righteouſneſs was made • ver to him▪ and ſo accou •• his—Thi • , this, is Goſpel, this is the only 〈◊〉 of finding Acceptance with God—Good We have nothing to do with our Juſtification in Sight—We are juſtified by Faith alone, as ſo the Article of our Church—Agreeable to whi •• St. Paul ſays, By Grace ye are 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 Faith; and than not of yourſelves▪ it is the 〈◊〉 of God—Notwithſtanding Good Works 〈◊〉 their proper Place. They juſtify our Faith, 〈◊〉 not our Perſons—They f • llow it, and evide ••• our Juſtification in the Sight of Men—Henc • it is that St. James aſks, was not Abraham juſtified by Works? (alluding no doubt to the Sto •• on which we have been diſcourſing) that is did he not prove he was in a juſtified State, becauſe his Faith was pro •• ctive of good Work • ▪—This declarative Juſtification in the Sight 〈◊〉 Men, is what is directly to be underſtood in th • Words of the Text—Now kn • w I, ſays Go • that thou feareſt me, ſince thou haſt not with 〈◊◊〉 Son, thine only Son from me—Not but tha • God knew it before; but this is ſpoken in Condeſcenſion to our weak Capacities, and plain • y ſh • ws, that his offering up his Son was accepte • 〈◊〉 God, as an Evidence of the Sincerity 〈◊〉 • is Faith, and for this was le • t on Record 〈◊〉 future Age • —Hence then you may learn, 〈◊〉 ther • you are bleſſed with, and are 〈◊◊〉 Daughters of faithful Abraham— 〈…〉 believe—You talk of Free Grace and 〈…〉 • ication—You do well—The Devils 〈◊〉 and tremble—But has your Faith, which you pretend to, influenced your Hearts, renewed your Souls, and like Abraham's worked by Love? Are your Affections▪ like his, ſet on Things above? Are you heavenly-minded, and like him confeſs yourſelves Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth? In ſhort, has your Faith enabled you to overcome the World, and ſtrengthened you to give up your Iſaacs, your Laughter, your moſt beloved Luſts, Friends, Pleaſures and Profits for God?—If ſo, take the Comfort of it, for juſtly may you ſay—We know aſſuredly, that we do fear and love God, or rather are loved of him—But if you are only talking Co •• nters, and have only a Faith of the Head, and never felt the Power of it in your Hearts, however you may bolſter yourſelves up, and ſay, We have Abraham for our Father, or Chriſt is our Saviour, unleſs you get a Faith of the Heart, a 〈◊〉 working 〈…〉 , you ſhall never ſit with Abraham, Iſaac, 〈◊〉 , or Jeſus Chriſt in the Kingdom of 〈◊◊〉

But I muſt draw one more Inference, and with that I ſhall conclude.

Learn, O Saints! from what has been ſaid, to 〈◊〉 looſe to all your worldly 〈◊〉 , and ſtand ready prepared to part with every Thing, when God ſhall require it at your Hand—Some of you perhaps may have Friends, which are to you as your own Souls, and others may have Children, in whoſe Lives your own Lives are bound up—All I believe have their Iſaacs— Their particular Delights of ſome Kind or other—Labour, for Chriſt's Sake, labour, ye Sons and Daughters of Abraham, to reſign them daily in Affection to God, that when he ſhall require you really to ſacrifice them, you may not confer with Fleſh and Blood, no more than the bleſſed Patriarch now before us—And as for you that have been in any Meaſure tried like unto him, let his Example encourage and comfort you—Remember Abraham your Father was tried ſo before you—Think, Oh think! of the Happineſs he now enjoys, and how he is inceſſantly thanking God for tempting and trying him when here belov •• —Look up often by the Eye of Faith, and ſee him ſitting with his dearly beloved Iſaac in the World of Spirits—Remember it will be but a little while, and you ſhall • it with them alſo, and tell one another what God has done for your Souls—There I hope to ſit with you, and hear this Story of his offering up his Son from his own Mouth, and to praiſe the Lamb that ſitt • th upon the Throne, for what he hath done for all our Souls, for ever and ever.

IT is an undoubted Truth, however it may ſeem a Parado • to natural Men, that Whoſoever will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus ſhall 〈◊〉 Perſecution —And therefore it's very remarkable, that our bleſſed Lord, in his glorious Sermon on the Mount, after he had been pronouncing thoſe bleſſed, who were poor in Spirit, meek, 〈◊〉 in Heart, and ſuch like, immediately adds (and ſpends no l • ſs than three Verſes in this Beatitude) Bleſſed are they which are perſecuted for Righteouſneſs Sake—For no one ever was, or ever will be endowed with the forementioned Graces in any Degree, but he will at the ſame Time be perſecuted for it 〈◊〉 like Meaſure—The •• is an irreconcileable ••• mity between the Seed of the Woman, and 〈◊〉 Seed of the Serpent—And if we are not of 〈◊〉 World, but ſhew by our Fruits, that we are 〈◊〉 the Number of thoſe which Jeſus Chriſt 〈…〉 out of the World, for that very 〈◊〉 the World will hate us—As this is true 〈◊〉 every particular Chriſtian, ſo it is true of 〈◊〉 Chriſtian Church in general—For ſome 〈◊〉 paſt we have h • ard but little of a publick Per •• cution. Why? Becauſe little of the Power of Godlineſs has prevailed amongſt all Denominations whatſoever—The ſtrong Man armed has had full Poſſeſſion of moſt Profeſſ • rs Heart • ▪ and therefore he has l • t them reſt in a fal • e Peace—But we may aſſure ourſelves, when Jeſus Chriſt 〈◊〉 to gather in hi • 〈◊〉 in my remarkable Manner, and opens an effectual Door for preaching the everlaſting Goſpel, Perſecution will flame out▪ and Satan and his Emiſſaries will do their utmoſt (tho' all in vain) to 〈◊〉 the Work of God—Thus it was in the firſt Ages, thus it is in our Days, and thus it will be, till Time ſhall be no more.

Chriſtians, and Chriſtian Churche • muſt then expect Enemies—Our chief Concern ſhould be to learn how to behave towards them in a Chriſtian Manner—For, unleſs we take good 〈◊〉 to ourſelves, we ſhall imbitter our 〈◊〉 and act 〈◊◊〉 the Followers of the Lord, 〈…〉 was reviled, 〈◊〉 not again, whe •• . 〈◊〉 ſuffered, threatned 〈◊〉 , and as a Lamb before 〈…〉 is 〈◊〉 ſo opened 〈…〉 —But what Motive ſhall we make uſe of to bring 〈◊〉 to this bleſſed Lamb-like Temper? Next to the immediate Operations of the Holy Spirit upon our Hearts, I know of no Conſideration more conducive to teach 〈◊〉 Long ſuffering towards out moſt bitter Perſecutors, th • n 〈…〉 That, for all as we know to the contrary, ſome of thoſe very Perſons, who are now perſecuting, may be choſen from all Eternity by God, and hereafter called in Time to edify and build up the Church of Chriſt.

The Perſecutor Saul mentioned in the Word of the Text (and whoſe Converſion, God wi • ling, I propoſe to treat on in the following Diſcourſe) is a noble Inſtance of this Kind.

I ſay a Perſecutor, and that a bloody One 〈◊〉 For ſee how he is introduced in the firſt Verſe of this Chapter—And Saul yet brea •• ing 〈◊〉 Threatnings and Slaughters againſt the Diſciples of our Lord, went 〈◊〉 the High-Prieſt, (Ver. 〈◊〉 .) and deſired of him Letters to Damaſcus to the Synagogues, that 〈…〉 any of THIS WAY▪ whether they were Men or Women, he might 〈◊〉 them bound to Jeruſalem.

And Saul yet 〈…〉 —This implies 〈◊〉 he had been a Perſecutor before—To 〈…〉 that, we need only look back to the 7th 〈…〉 when we ſhall find him ſo very 〈…〉 Stephen's Death, that the Witneſſes ſaid 〈◊〉 their Cloaths at a young Man's 〈◊〉 whoſe Name was Saul—He ſeems, tho' young, to be in ſome Authority. Perhaps for his Zeal againſt the Chriſtians, he was preferred in the Church, and was allowed to ſit in the great Council or Sani •• drim—For we are told, Chap. 8. Ver. 1. That Saul was conſenting unto his Death; and again, at Ver. 3. he is brought in as excelling all in his Oppoſition; for thus ſpeaks the Evangeliſt—As for Saul, he made Havock of the Church, entering into every Houſe, and haling Men and Women, committed them to Priſon—One would have imagined, that this ſhould have ſatisfied, at leaſt abated the Fury of this young Zealot—No. Being exceedingly mad againſt them, as 〈◊〉 himſelf informs Agrippa, and having made Havock of all in Jeruſalem, he now is reſolved to perſecute the Diſciples of the Lord, even to ſtrange Cities—And therefore yet breathing out Threatnings—Breathing out—The Words are very emphatical, and expreſive of his bitter Enmity.—It was as natural to him now to threaten the Chriſtians, as it was for him to breathe—He could ſcarce ſpeak, but it was ſome Threatnings againſt them—Nay, he not only breathed out Threatnings, but Slaughters alſo (for thoſe who threaten, would alſo ſlaughter, if it were in their Power▪) And againſt whom does he breathe 〈◊〉 th • ſe Threatnings? Againſt the Diſciples 〈…〉 Lord—Inſatiable therefore as Hell, find 〈…〉 could not confute 〈◊〉 ſtop the Chriſtians by Force of Argument, he is reſolved 〈…〉 by Force and Arms; and therefore were 〈…〉 High-Prieſt (for there never was a 〈…〉 yet, without a High-Prieſt at the 〈…〉 and deſired of him Letters, iſſued out of his ſpiritual Court, to the Synagogues or Eccleſi •• tical Courts at Damaſcus, giving him Authority, that if he found any of THIS WAY, whether they were Men or Women, he might bring them bound unto Jeruſalem; I ſuppoſe to be arraigned and condemned in the High-Prieſt's Court there. Obſerve how he ſpeaks of the Chriſtians—St. Luke, who wrote the Acts, calls them Diſciples of the LORD, and Saul ſtiles them Men and Women of THIS WAY—I doubt not but he repreſented them as a Company of upſtart Enthuſiaſts, that had lately gotten into a 〈◊〉 METHOD or Way of Living—That would not be content with the Temple Service, but they muſt be▪ righteous over-much, and have their private Meetings or Conventicles, and break Bread, as they called it, from Houſe to Houſe, to the great Diſturbance of the eſtabliſh'd Clergy, and to the utter Subverſion of all Order and Decency—I don't hear that the High-Prieſt makes any Objection—No, he was as willing to grant Letters, as Saul was to aſk them, and wonderfully pleaſed within himſelf to 〈…〉 had ſuch an active Zealot to employ 〈◊〉 the Chriſtians.

Well then, a judicial Proceſs is immediately iſſued out, with the High-Prieſt's 〈…〉 it—And now methinks I ſee the young 〈…〉 •• nely equipped, and pleaſing 〈…〉 Thoughts, how triumphantly he ſhould 〈◊〉 with the Men and Women of THIS 〈◊〉 dragging after him to Jeruſalem.

What a Condition may we imagine the poor Diſciples at Damaſcus were in at this Time▪—No doubt they had heard of Saul's in pr • ſ • ning and making Havock of the Saints at Jeruſalem, and we may well ſuppoſe were appriſed of 〈◊〉 Deſign againſt them—I am perſuaded this was a growing, becauſe a trying Time with theſe dear People—Oh! how did they wreſtle with God in Prayer, beſeeching him either to deliver them from, or give th • m Grace ſufficient to enable them to bear up under the Fury of their Perſecutors? The High-Prieſt no doubt, with the reſt of his Reverend Brethren, flattered themſelves, that they ſhould now put an effectual Stop to this growing Hereſy, and waited with Impatience for Saul's Return.

But He that ſitt • th in Heaven laughs them to ſcorn, the Lord has them in Deriſion. And therefore, Ver. 3. As SAUL journeyed, and came even near unto Damaſcus, perhaps to the very Gates, (our Lord permitting this to try the Faith of his Diſciples, and more conſpicuouſly to baffle the Deſigns of his Enemies) ſuddenly (at Mid-Day, 〈◊〉 • e acquaints Agrippa) 〈◊〉 ſhined round about him a Light from Heaven—A Light brighter than the Sun—And he fell 〈◊〉 the Earth (and why not into Hell?) And 〈…〉 Voice ſaying unto him SAUL, SAUL, 〈◊〉 perſecuteſt thou ME? The Word is ••• bled, Saul, Saul, like that of our Lord 〈◊〉 Martha; Martha, Martha, or the 〈◊〉 O Earth, Earth, Earth! Perhaps theſe Words came like Thunder to his Soul—That they were ſpoken audibly we are aſſured from Ver. 7 〈◊〉 Companions heard the Voice—Our Lord now arreſts the perſecuting Zealot, calls him by Name, Saul, Saul, for the Word never does us good, till we find it ſpoken to us in particular—Why perſecuteſt thou ME? Put the Emphaſis upon the Word Why, what Evil have I done? Put it upon the Word, perſecuteſt, why perſecuteſt? I ſuppoſe Saul thought he was not perſecuting, no, he was only putting the Laws of the Eccleſiaſtical Court into Execution. But Jeſus, whoſe Eyes are as a Flame of Fire▪ ſaw through the Hypocriſy of his Heart, that notwithſtanding his ſpecious Pretences, all this proceeded from a perſecuting Spirit, and ſecret Enmity of Heart againſt God, and therefore ſays, Why perſecuteſt thou ME? Put the Emphaſis upon the Word ME, Why perſecuteſt thou ME? Alas! Saul was not perſecuting Chriſt • , was he? He was only taking Care to prevent Innovations in the Church, and bringing a Company of Enthuſiaſts to Juſtice, who otherwiſe would overturn the eſtabliſhed Conſtitution—But Jeſus ſays, Why perſecuteſt thou ME? For what is done to Chriſt's Diſciples, he takes 〈◊〉 done to himſelf, whether it be Good, or whether it be Evil—He 〈◊〉 touches Chriſt's Diſciples, touches the Apple of his Eye—And they that perſecute the Followers of our Lord▪ •• ould perſecute our Lord himſelf was he again 〈◊〉 come and tabernacle amongſt us.

I do not find that Saul gives any Reaſon why he did perſecute. No, he was ſtruck dumb— As every Perſecutor will be, when Jeſus Chriſt puts this ſame Queſtion to them at the terrible Day of Judgment. But being pricked at the Heart, no doubt with a Senſe not only of thi • , but all his other Offences againſt the great God▪ he ſaid, Ver. 5. Who art thou Lord? See how ſoon God can change the Heart and Voice 〈◊〉 his moſt bitter Enemies—Not many Days 〈◊〉 Saul was not only blaſpheming Chriſt him •••• but, as much as in him lay, compelling 〈◊〉 to blaſpheme alſo—But now he, who before 〈◊〉 an Impoſtor, is now called Lord—Who 〈…〉 Lord?—This admirably points out the 〈◊〉 how God's Spirit works upon the Hear • 〈…〉 firſt powerfully convinces of Sin, and of 〈◊〉 damnable State, and then puts us upon 〈◊〉 after Jeſus Chriſt—Saul being ſtruck 〈◊〉 the Ground, or rather pricked to the Heart, cries ou • after Jeſus—Who art thou Lord? A • many of you that were never ſo far made ſenſible of your damnable State, as to be made feelingly to ſeek after Jeſus Chriſt, were never ye • truly convicted by, much leſs converted to God. May the Lord, who ſtruck Saul, effectually now ſtrike all my chriſtleſs Hearers, and ſet then▪ upon enquiring after Jeſus as their ALL in ALL!—Saul ſaid, Who art thou Lord? 〈◊〉 the Lord ſaid, I am Jeſus whom thou perſecute 〈◊〉 Never did any one inquire truly after 〈◊〉 Chriſt, but Chriſt made a ſaving Diſcover 〈◊〉 himſelf to his Soul—It ſhould ſeem 〈◊◊〉 appeared to him in Perſon, for 〈…〉 wards ſays, the Lord who appeared 〈…〉 May which thou cam ••• , or that may only imply 〈◊〉 meeting him in the Way—It is 〈◊〉 •• ch Matter—It is plain Chriſt here ſpeaks 〈◊〉 him, and ſays, I am Jeſus whom thou perſe •••• —It is remarkable, how our Lord takes 〈…〉 the Name of Jeſus—For it is a Name 〈◊〉 when he delights—I am Jeſus, a Saviour of 〈◊〉 People, both from the Guilt and Power of th •• r Sin • ▪—But a Jeſus whom thou perſecuteſt—This ſeem • to be ſpoken to convince Saul more and more of his Sin, and I doubt 〈◊〉 but every Word was ſharper than a two edged Sword, and came like ſo many Daggers to his Heart—Oh, how did theſe Words affect him 〈◊〉 a Jeſus! a Saviour! and yet I am perſecuting him! This ſtrikes him with Horror—But then the Word Jeſus, tho' • e was a Perſecutor, might give him ſome Hope—However, our dear Lord, to convince Saul that he was to be ſaved by Grace, and that 〈◊〉 was not afraid of his Power and Enmity, tells him—"It is hard for thee to kick againſt the Pricks"—As much as to ſay, tho' he was perſecuting, yet he could not overthrow the Church of Chriſt—For he would ſit as King upon his holy Hill of Zion—The Malice of Men or Devils ſhould never be able to prevail againſt him.

And he, Ver. 6. Trembling and aſtoniſhed▪ ſaid, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Thoſe who think Saul had before a Diſcovery 〈◊〉 Jeſus made to his Heart, think that this Queſtion is the Reſult of his Faith, and that he now deſires to know, what he ſhall do out of Gratitude for what the Lord had done for his Soul—In th •• this Senſe it may be underſtood—See my Sermon on, What think ye of Chriſt? And I have made uſe of it as an Inſtance to prove, that Faith will work by Love—But perhaps it may be more agreeable to the Context, if we ſuppoſe, that Saul had only ſome diſtant Diſcovery of Chriſt made to him, and not a full Aſſurance of Faith—For we are told, he trembling and aſtoniſhed, trembling at the Thoughts of his perſecuting a Jeſus, and aſtoniſhed at his own Vileneſs, and the infinite Condeſcenſion of this Jeſus, cries out, Lord, what wilt thou have me do?—For Perſons under Soul-Trouble, and • ore Conviction, would be glad to do any Thing, 〈◊〉 comply on any Terms, to get Peace with God— Ariſe, ſays our Lord, and go into the City, and it ſhall be told thee what thou ſhalt do .

And here then will we leave Saul awhile, and ſee what is become of his Companions—But what ſhall we ſay? God is a ſovereign Agent—His ſacred Spirit bloweth when and where it liſteth—He will have Mercy upon whom he will have Mercy. Saul is taken, but, as far as we know to the contrary, his Fellow-Travellers are le • t to periſh in their Sins—For we are told, Ver. 7. That the Men which journyed with him ſtood indeed ſpeechleſs, and hearing a confuſed Voice—I ſay a confuſed Voice, for ſo the Word ſignifies, and muſt be ſo interpreted, in order to recon •• le it with Chap. xxii. Ver. 9. where Saul, giving an Account of theſe Men, tells Agrippa—They 〈◊〉 not the Voice of him that 〈◊〉 to me—They heard a Voice, a confuſed No •• e, but not the 〈…〉 Voice of him that ſpake to Saul, and therefore remained unconverted—For what 〈◊〉 all Ordinances, all even the moſt 〈…〉 Diſpenſations of Providence, without 〈…〉 to the Soul in them▪— 〈◊〉 it is now 〈◊〉 the Word preached—Many, like 〈◊〉 Companions, are ſometimes ſo ſtruck with the Outgoings of God appearing in the Sanctuary, that they even ſtand ſpeechleſs.—They hear the Preacher's Voice, but not the Voice of the Son of God, who perhaps at the ſame Time is ſpeaking effectually to many other Hear • —This I have known often—And what ſhall we ſay to theſe Things! Oh the Depth of the Sovereignty of God! Its paſt finding out—Lord, I deſire to adore what I cannot 〈◊〉 — 〈◊〉 ſo, Father, for ſo it ſeemeth good 〈◊〉 Sight.

But to return to Saul—The LORD, Ver. 6. 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 and go into the City—And we are 〈◊〉 Ver. 8. that SAUL 〈◊〉 from the Earth; and when his 〈…〉 , • he was ſo overpowered with the 〈◊〉 of the Light that 〈◊〉 upon them 〈…〉 no Man, but they led him by the 〈…〉 him into Damaſcus. That very 〈◊〉 which was to be the Place of his executing or impriſoning the Diſciples of the Lord. And 〈…〉 (Ver. 9.) three Days without Sight, and neither 〈◊〉 eat or drink.—But who can tell what Horrors of Conſcience, what Convulſions of Soul, what 〈◊〉 and pungent Convictions of Sin he under went during theſe three long Days—It was this took away his Appetite (For who can eat or drink when under a Senſe of the Wrath of God for Sin?) and being to be greatly employed hereafter, 〈◊〉 muſt be greatly humbled now—And therefore the Lord leaves him three Days groaning under the Spirit of Bondage, and buffeted no doubt with the fiery Darts of the Devil, that being tempted like unto his Brethren, he might be able hereafter to ſuccour thoſe that were tempted.—Had Saul applied to any of the blind Guides of the Jewiſh Church under theſe Circumſtances, they would have ſaid he was mad or going beſides himſelf, as many carnal Teachers and blind Phariſees now deal with, and ſo more and more diſtreſs poor Souls labouring under awakening Convictions of their damnable State—But God often at our firſt Awakenings viſits us with ſore Trials, eſpecially thoſe who are like Soul to ſhine in the Church, and to be uſed as Inſtruments in bringing many Sons to Glory—Thoſe who are to be highly exalted, muſt firſt be deeply humbled.—And this I ſpeak for the Comfort of ſuch who may be now groaning under the Spirit of Bondage, and perhaps like Saul, can neither eat nor drink, for I have generally obſerved, that thoſe who have had the deepeſt Convictions, have afterwards been • avoured with the moſt precious Communications▪ and enjoyed 〈◊〉 of the divine Preſ • nce in their Souls—This was afterwards remarkably exemplified in Saul, who was now three Days without Sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

But will the Lord leave his poor Servant in this Diſtreſs? No, his Jeſus (tho' Saul perſecuted him) promiſed (and he will perform) that it ſhould be told him what he muſt do—And there was (Ver. 10.) a certain Diſciple at Damaſcus, named Ananias, and unto him ſaid the Lord in a Viſion, Ananias—And he ſaid, Behold I am here, Lord.—Oh what a holy Familiarity is there between Jeſus Chriſt and regenerate Souls—Ananias had been uſed to ſuch Love-Viſits, and therefore knew the Voice of his Beloved—The Lord ſays Ananias. Ananias ſays, Behold I am here, Lord—Thus it is that Chriſt now, as well as formerly, often talks with his Children at ſundry Times and after divers Manners, as a Man talketh with his Friend—But what has the Lord to ſay to Ananias?

Ver. 11. And the Lord ſaid unto him, Ariſe and go into the Street which is called STREIGHT, and inquire in the Houſe of Judas, for one called Saul of Tar • is ( 〈◊〉 here for your Comfort, O Children of the moſt high God, what Notice Jeſus Chriſt takes of the Street and the Houſe where his own dear Servants lodge) for Behold, he prayeth—But why is this uſher'd in with the Word Behold! What, was it ſuch a Wonder, to hear that Saul was praying! Why Saul was a Phari •• e, and therefore, no doubt, faſted and made long Prayers—And ſince we are told that he profited above many of his Equals, I doubt not but he was taken notice of for his Gift in Prayer. And yet it ſeemed before theſe three Days Saul never prayed in his Life—And why? Becauſe, before theſe three Days, he never felt himſelf a condemned Creature—He was alive in his own Opinion, becauſe without a Knowledge of the ſpiritual Meaning of the Law, he felt not a want of, and therefore before now, cried not after a Jeſus, and conſequently, tho' he might have ſaid or made a Prayer (as many Phariſees do now a-days) he never prayed a Prayer.—But now, Behold! he prayeth indeed—And this was urged as one Reaſon why he was converted.—None of God's Children, as one obſerves, come into the World ſtill-born—Prayer is the very Breath of the new Creature, and therefore if we are Prayerleſs we are Chriſtleſs—If we never had the Spirit of Supplication, it is a ſad Sign that we never had the Spirit of Grace in our Souls; and you may be aſſured you never did pray, unleſs you have felt your ſelves damnable Sinners, and the Want of Jeſus to be your Saviour.—May the Lord, whom I ſerve in the Goſpel of his dear Son, prick you all to the Heart, and may it be ſaid of you all as it was of Saul, Behold, they pray!

The Lord goes on to encourage Ananias to go to Saul—For, ſays he Ver. 12. he hath ſeen in a Viſion a Man named Ananias, coming in, and putting his Hand on him, that he might have his Sight.—So that though Chriſt converted Saul immediately by himſelf, yet he will carry on the Work thus begun by a Miniſter—Happy they who under Soul-Troubles have ſuch experienced Guides, and as well acquainted with Jeſus Chriſt as Ananias was—You that have ſuch, Oh! make much of and be thankful for them—And you that have them not, truſt in God—He will carry on his own Work without them.

Doubtleſs, Ananias was a good Man; but ſhall I commend him for his Anſwer to our Lord? I commend him not—For ſays he, Ver. 13. Lord, I have heard by many of this Man, how much Evil he hath done to thy Saints at Jeruſalem: And here, Ver. 14. he hath Authority from the Chief Prieſts to bind all that call upon thy Name.—I fear this Anſwer proceeded from ſome Relicks of Self-Righteouſneſs, as well as Infidelity, that lay undiſcovered in the Heart of Ananias.—Ariſe, ſays our Lord, and go into the Street which is called Streight, and inquire in the Houſe of Judas, for one called Saul of Tarſus; for behold, be prayeth!—One would think this was ſufficient to ſatisfy him—But ſays Ananias, Lord, I have heard by many of this Man—(he ſeems to ſpeak of him with much Contempt; for even good Men are apt to think too contemptuouſly of thoſe who are yet in their Sins) how much Evil he hath done to thy Saints in Jeruſalem: And here he hath Authority from the Chief Prieſ • s▪ to bind all that call upon thy Name—And what then Ananias? Is any Thing too hard for the Lord▪ Who made thee to differ? May not he who converted thee, convert him alſo? Surely Ananias here forgets himſelf, or perhaps fears, left this Man who had Authority from the Chief Prieſts, to bind all that call upon Chriſt's Name, ſhould bind him alſo, if he went unto him—But the Lord ſilences all Objections with a Go thy Way. Ver. 15. For he is a choſen Veſſel unto me, to • ear my Name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the Children of Iſrael—For I will ſhew him (Ver. 16) how great Things he muſt ſuffer for my Name's Sake—Here God ſtops his Mouth immediately, by aſſerting his Sovereignty, and preaching to him the Doctrine of Election—And the frequent Converſion of notorious Sinners to God, to me is one great Proof, amongſt a thouſand others, of that precious, but too much exploded, and • adly miſrepreſented Doctrine of God's electing Love—From whence is it that ſuch are taken, whilſt thouſands not near ſo vile die ſenſeleſs and ſtupid? All the Anſwer that can be given is, They are choſen Veſſels—Go thy Way, ſays God, for he is a choſen Veſſel unto me, to bear my Name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the Children of Iſrael—For I will ſhew him how great Things he muſt ſuffer for my Name's Sake—Obſerve, what a cloſe Connection there is between Doing and Suffering for Chriſt—If any of my Brethren in the Miniſtry are preſent, let them hear what Preferment we muſt expect, if we are called out to work remarkably for God—Not great Prebendaries or Biſhopricks, but great Sufferings for our Lord's Name Sake—Theſe are the Fruits of our Labour; and he that will not contentedly ſuffer great Things for preaching Chriſt, is not worthy of him—Suffering will be found to be the beſt Preferment, when we are called to give an Account of our Miniſtry at the Great Day.

I do not hear Ananias quarrelling with God concerning the Doctrine of Election. No: (Oh that all good Men would in this learn of him!) He went his Way, (Ver. 17.) and entered into the Houſe; and put his Hands on him, and ſaid, Brother Saul—Juſt now 'twas this Man▪ Now it is Brother Saul—For it's no Matter what a Man has been, if he be now a Chriſtian—The ſame ſhould be our Brother, our Siſter and Mother. God blots out every Convert's Trangreſſions, as with a thick Cloud, and ſo ſhould we—The more vile a Man has been, the more ſhould we love him when believing on Chriſt, becauſe Chriſt will be more glorified on his Behalf—I doubt not but Ananias was wonderfully delighted to hear that ſo remarkable 〈◊〉 Perſecutor was brought home to God—I am perſuaded he felt his Soul immediately united to him by Love, and therefore addreſſes him not with, Thou Perſecutor, Thou Murderer, that cameſt to Butcher me and my Friends, but Brother Saul—'Tis remarkable that the primitive Chriſtians much uſed the Word Brother and Brethren—I know it's a Term now much in Reproach, but thoſe who deſpiſe it, I believe would be glad to be of our Brotherhood, when they ſee us ſitting at the Right-hand of the Majeſty on High ••• ▪ Brother Saul—The Lord (even Jeſus that appeared unto thee in the Way as thou cameſt) hath ſent me, that thou mighteſt receive thy Sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghoſt—At this Time me may ſuppoſe, he laid his Hands upon him. See the Conſequences.

Ver. 18. Immediately there ſell from his 〈◊〉 as it had been Scales, and he received Sight forth with, not only bodily but ſpiritual Sight—He immerged as it were into a new World—He ſaw and felt too, Things unutterable—He felt a Union of his Soul with God—He received the Spirit of Adoption—He could now, with a full Aſſurance of Faith, cry Abba, Father—Now was he filled with the Holy Ghoſt—Now was he filled with the Love of God ſhed abroa • in his Heart—Now were the Days of his Mourning ended—Now was Chriſt formed in his Soul—Now he could give Men and Devils the Challenge, knowing that Chriſt had juſtified him▪—Now he ſaw the Excellencies of Chriſt▪ and eſteemed him the faireſt among ten Thouſand. You only know how to ſympathize with the Apoſtle in his Joy, who, after a long Night of Bondage, have been ſet free by the Spirit, and have received Joy in the Holy Ghoſt—May all that are now mourning, as Saul was, be comforted 〈◊〉 like Manner!

The Scales then are now removed from the Eyes of Saul's Mind, Ananias has done that for him under God, he muſt now do another Office, viz. baptize him, and ſo receive him into the viſible Church of Chriſt—A good Proof 〈…〉 of the Neceſſity of Baptiſm where it may be had—For I find here, as well as elſewhere, that Baptiſm is adminiſter'd even to thoſe who had received the Holy Ghoſt.—Saul was convinced of this, and therefore ar •• e and was baptized—And now it is Time for him to recruit the outward Man, which by three Days Abſtinence and ſpiritual Conflicts, had been much impaired—We are therefore told, (Ver. 19.) when he had received Meat he was ſtrengthened.

But Oh, with what Comfort did the Apoſtle 〈◊〉 eat his Food▪—I am ſure it was with Singleneſ • ▪ I am perſuaded alſo with Gladneſs of Heart—And why? He kn • w that he was reconciled to God—And for my own Part, did I not know how blind and flinty our Hearts are by Nature, I ſhould wonder how any one could eat even his common Food with any Satisfaction, who has not ſome well-grounded Hope of 〈◊〉 being reconciled to God—Our Lord intimates thus much to 〈◊〉 —For in his glorious Prayer, after he has taught us to pray for our daily Bread, immediately adds that Petition, Forgive 〈◊〉 our Treſpaſſes—As tho' our daily Bread would do us no Service, unleſs we were ſenſible of having the Forgiveneſs of our Sins.

To proceed: Saul hath now received Meat, and is ſtrengthened. And whither will he go now? To ſee the Brethren—Then was Saul certain Days with the Diſciples that were at Damaſcus—For i • we know, and love Chriſt▪ 〈◊〉 ſhall alſo love, and deſire to • e acquainted with the Brethren of Chriſt—We may generally know a Man by his Company. And tho' all are not Saints that aſſociate with Saints (for •• ares will be always ſpringing up amongſt the Wheat till the Time of Harveſt 〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉 keep Company, but are ſhy and aſhamed of the deſpiſed Children of God, it's a certain 〈◊〉 we have not yet experimentally learnt Jeſus, or receiv'd him into our Hearts—My dear Friend—Be not deceived—If we are Friends to the Bridegroom, we ſhall be Friends to the Children of the Bridegroom—Soul, as ſoon as he 〈◊〉 filled with the Holy Ghoſt, was certain Day with the Diſciples that were at Damaſcus.

But who can tell what Joy theſe Diſciples felt when Saul came amongſt them! I ſuppoſe holy Ananias introduced him—Methinks I ſee the once preſecuting Zealot, when they came to ſalute him with a holy Kiſs, throwing himſelf upon each of their Necks, weep •• g over them with Floods of Tears, and ſaying, O my Brother, O my Siſter, Can you forgive me▪ Can you give ſuch a Wretch as I the Right-hand of Fellowſhip, who intended to drag you behind me bound unto Jeruſalem 〈◊〉 Th • s I ſay we may ſuppoſe Saul addreſſed himſelf to his n • w Fellow-Diſciples, and I doubt not but they were as ready to forgive and forget as Ananias was, and ſaluted him with the 〈◊〉 learin • ▪ Title of Brother Saul—Lovely was this Meeting, ſo lovely, that it ſeemed Saul continued certain Days with them, to communicate Experiences, and to learn the Way of God more per • ectly, to pray for a Bleſſing on his 〈◊〉 Miniſtry, and to praiſe Chriſt Jeſus for what he had done for their Souls—Saul perhaps had • at certain Years at the Feet of Gam • li • l, but undoubtedly learnt more there certain Days, than 〈◊〉 had learnt before in all his Life—It pleaſes 〈◊〉 to think how th •• great Scholar is transform'd 〈◊〉 the renewing of his Mind, what a mighty Change was here▪—That ſo great a Man as Saul was, both as to his Station in Life, and internal Qualifications, and ſuch a bitter Enemy 〈◊〉 the Chriſtians; for him I ſay, to go and be 〈◊〉 Days with the People of THIS mad WAY, and to ſit quietly, and be taught of unle •• ned and •• literate Men, as many of theſe Diſciples we may be ſure were▪ What a ſubſtantial Proof was this of the Reality of his Converſion?

What a Hurry and Confuſion may we ſuppoſ • the Chief Prieſts were in! Now I warrant they were ready to cry out, What is • e alſo deceived? As for the common People, who knew not the Law, and are accurſed, for them to be carried away, is no ſuch Wonder—But for a Man bred up at the F • et of 〈◊〉 , for ſuch a Scholar, ſuch an Enemy to their Cauſe as Saul, for him to be led away with a Company f ••• ly, deceived Men and Women, ſurely it's impoſſible▪ We cannot believe it▪But Saul ſoon convinces them of the Rea ••• y of his becoming a Fool for Chriſt's Sake—For ſtr • ightway (Ver. 20.) inſtead of going to deliver the Letters from the High Prieſts, as they expected, in order to bring the Diſciples that were at Damaſcus bound to Jeruſalem, He preached Chriſt in the Synagogues, that he is the Son of God—This was another Proof of his being converted—He not only converſed with Chriſtians in private, but he preached Chriſt publickly in the Synagogues Eſpecially he inſiſted on the Divinity of our Lord, proving, notwithſtanding his Humiliation, that he was really the Son of God.

But why did Saul preach Chriſt thus? Becauſe he had felt the Power of Chriſt upon his own Soul—And here's the Reaſon why Chriſt is ſo ſeldom preached, and his Divinity ſo ſlightly inſiſted on in our Synagogues, 'tis becauſe the Generality of thoſe that pretend to preach him, never felt a ſaving Work of Converſion upon their own Souls—How can they preach, unleſs they are firſt taught of, and then ſent by God? Saul did not preach Chriſt before he knew him, no more ſhould any one elſe.—An unconverted Miniſter, tho' he could ſpeak with the Tongues of Men and Angels, will be but as a ſounding Braſs and tinkling Cymbal to thoſe whoſe Senſes are exerciſed to diſcern ſpiritual Things—Miniſters that are unconverted, may talk and declaim of Chriſt, and prove from Books that he is the Son of God, but they cannot preach with the Demonſtration of the Spirit and with Power, unleſs they preach from Experience, and have had a Proof of his Divinity, by a Work of Grace wrought upon their own Souls—God forgive thoſe, who lay Hands on an unconverted Man, knowing that he is ſuch—I would not do it for a thouſand Worlds—Lord Jeſus keep thy own faithful Servants pure, and let them not be then Partakers of other Men's Sins.

Such an Inſtance as Saul's Converſion was, we may be aſſured muſt make a great deal of Noiſe, and therefore no Wonder we are told, Ver. 21. But all that heard him were amazed, and ſaid, Is not this • e that deſtroyed them which called on his Name in Jeruſalem, and came hither for that Intent, that he might bring them bound to the Chief Prieſts?

And thus it will be with all that appear publickly for Jeſus Chriſt; and it's as impoſſible for a true Chriſtian to be hid, as a City built upon a Hill—Brethren, if you are faithful to, you muſt be reproached, and have Remarks made on you for Chriſt; eſpecially if you have been remarkably wicked before your Converſion. What, (will your Friends ſay) is not this he, or ſhe, who a little while ago would run to as great Exceſs of Riot and Vanity as the worſt of us all? What has turned your Brain? Or if you have been cloſe, falſe, formal Hypocrites as Saul was, they will wonder that you ſhould be ſo deceived, as to think you were not in a ſafe State before—As, no doubt, Numbers were ſurprized to hear Saul, who was touching the Law blameleſs, affirm that he wa • in a damnable Condition, (as in all Probability he did) a few Days ago.

Brethren, you muſt expect to meet with many ſuch Difficulties as theſe—the Scourge of the Tongue is generally the firſt Croſs we are called to bear for the Sake of Chriſt—Let not therefore this move you—It did not intimidate, no • , it rather encouraged Saul.

But SAUL, ſays the Text, increaſed the more in Strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damaſcus, proving that this is very Chriſt.—Oppoſition never yet did, nor ever will hurt a ſincere Convert—Nothing like Oppoſition to make the Man of God perfect—None but a Hireling, who careth not for the Sheep, will be affrighted at the Approach or Barking of Wolves—Chriſt's Miniſters are as bold as Lions—It is not for ſuch Men as they to flee.

And therefore (that I may draw towards a Concluſion) let the Miniſters and Diſciples of Chriſt, learn from Saul, not to fear Men or their Revilings, but, like him, increaſe in Strength, the more wicked Men endeavour to weaken their Hands.—We cannot be Chriſtians without being oppoſed—No—Diſciples in general muſt ſuffer—Miniſters in particular muſt ſuffer great Things—But let not this move any of us from our Stedfaſtneſs in the Goſpel—He that ſtood by and ſtrengthned Saul, will alſo ſtand by and ſtrengthen us. He is a God, mighty to ſave all that put their Truſt in him—If we look up with an Eye of Faith, we, as well as the firſt Martyr St. Stephen, may ſee Jeſus ſtanding at the right Hand of God, ready to aſſiſt and protect us—Tho' the Lord's Seat is in Heaven, yet he has Reſpect to his Saints in an eſpecial Manner when ſuffering here on Earth—Then the Spirit of Chriſt and of Glory reſts upon, their Souls. And, if I may ſpeak my own Experience, I never enjoy more rich Communications from God, than when deſpiſed and rejected of Men for the Sake of Jeſus Chriſt. However little they may deſign it, my Enemies are my greateſt Friends—What I moſt fear is a Calm; but the Enmity which is in the Hearts of natural Men againſt Chriſt, will not ſuffer them to be quiet long—No. As I hope the Work of God will increaſe, ſo the Rage of Men and Devils will increaſe alſo—Let us put on therefore the whole Armour of God—Oh! let us not fear the Face of Men—Let us fear him only, who can deſtroy both Body and Soul in Hell—I ſay unto you, let us fear him alone—You ſee how ſoon God can ſtop the Fury of his Enemies—You have juſt now heard of a proud, powerful Zealot ſtop'd in his full Career ſtruck down to the Earth with a Light from Heaven, converted by the Almighty Power of efficacious Grace, and thereupon zealouſly promoting, nay reſolutely ſuffering for the Faith which once with Threatnings & Slaughters he endeavour'd to deſtroy—Let this teach us to pity and pray for our Lord's moſt inveterate Enemies—Who knows, but in Anſwer thereunto, our Lord may give them Repentance unto Life? Moſt think, that Chriſt had Reſpect to Stephen's Prayer, when he converted Saul—Perhaps for this Reaſon God ſuffers his Adverſaries to go on, that his Goodneſs and Power may ſhine more bright in their Converſion—But let no • the Perſecutors of Chriſt take Encouragement from this to continue in their Oppoſition—Remember, tho' Saul was converted, yet the High Prieſt and 〈◊〉 Companions were left dead in Treſpaſſes and Sins. And if this ſhould be your Caſe, you will of all Men be moſt miſerable—For Perſecutors have the loweſt Place in Hell. 〈◊〉 Saul was ſtruck to the Earth by a Light from Heaven, how will you be able to ſtand before Jeſus Chriſt, when he comes in terrible Majeſty to take Vengeance on all thoſe who have perſecuted his Goſpel?—Then the Queſtion, Why perſecuteſt thou me? will cut you through and through—The ſecret Enmity of your Heart ſhall then be detected before Men and Angels, and you ſhall be doomed to dwell in the Blackneſs of Darkneſs for evermore—Kiſs the Son therefore, leſt he be angry—For even you may yet find Mercy, if you believe on the Son of God—Tho' you perſecute him, yet he will be your Jeſus—I cannot deſpair of any of you, when I find a Saul among the Diſciples at Damaſcus—What tho' your Sins are as Scarlet, the Blood of Chriſt ſhall waſh them as white as Snow—Having much to be forgiven, deſpair not, only beelieve, and like Saul, of whom I have now been ſpeaking, love much—He counted himſelf the chiefeſt Sinner of all, and therefore laboured more abundantly than all. Who is there among you fearing the Lord? Whoſe Hearts hath the Lord now opened to hearken to the Voice of his poor unworthy Servant?—Surely the Lord will not let me preach in vain—Who is the happy Soul that is this Day to be waſhed in the Blood of the Lamb? Will no poor Sinner take Encouragement from Saul to come to Jeſus Chriſt? You are all thronging ••• nd about, but which of you will touch the Lord Jeſus▪ What a Comfort will it be to Saul, and and to your own Souls, when you meet him in Heaven, to tell him, that hea • ing of his, was a Means, under God, of your Converſion. Doubtleſs, it was written for the Encouragement of all poor returning Sinners—He himſelf tells us ſo, for in me, ſays he, God ſhewed all Long-ſuffering, that I might be an Example 〈◊〉 them that ſhould hereafter believe—Was Saul here himſelf he would tell you ſo—Indeed he would; but being dead, by this Account of his Converſion, he yet ſpeaketh—Oh, that God may ſpeak by it to your Hearts! Oh, that the Arrows of God might this Day ſtick faſt in your Souls, and you were made to cry out—Who art thou Lord? Are there any ſuch among you? Methinks I feel ſomething of what this Saul fel • when he ſaid, 〈◊〉 vail in Birth again for you, till Chriſt be formed again in your Hearts—O come, come away to Jeſus, on whom Saul believed, and then I care not if the High Prieſts iſſue out never ſo many Writs of Indictments, or injuriouſly drag me to a Priſon.—The Thoughts of being inſtrumental in ſaving you, will make me ſing Praiſes even at Midnight—And I know you will be my Joy and Crown of rejoicing, when I am delivered from this earthly Priſon, and meet you in the Kingdom of God hereafter.

Now to God, &c.

OF all the Verſes in the Book of God, this which I have now read to you is, I believe, one of the moſt comprehenſive—What glad Tidings does it bring to Believers! What precious Privileges are they herein inveſted with! How are they her • led to the Fountain of them all, I mean the Love, the everlaſting Love of God the Father—Of whom are you in Chriſt Jeſus, who of God is made unto us, Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and Redemption.

Without referring you at preſent to the 〈◊〉 text, I ſhall from theſe Words,

〈◊〉 Point out to you the Fountain from 〈◊〉 all th • ſe Bleſſing 〈◊〉 , which the 〈…〉 partake of in Jeſus Chriſt—Who of 〈◊〉 is made unto to—

Secondly, I ſhall conſider what thoſe Bleſſings 〈◊〉 viz. Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, • anctification, and Redemption.

And, Firſt, I would point out to you, the Fountain from which all thoſe Bleſſings flow, which the Elect of God partake of in Jeſus—Who of God is made unto us, i. e. God the Father, for • e it is that is ſpoken of here—Not as tho' Jeſus Chriſt was not God as well as he—But God the Father is the Fountain of the Deity, and if we conſider Jeſus Chriſt acting as Mediator, God 〈◊〉 Father is greater than He—There was an • ternal Contract between the Father and the Son—I have ma • e, ſays God, a Covenant with 〈◊〉 Choſen, and I have ſworn unto David my Ser •• nt, which David was a Type of Chriſt, with whom the Father made a Covenant, that if 〈◊〉 would obey and ſuffer, and make himſelf a Sacrifi •• for Sin, he ſhould ſee his Seed, he ſhould 〈◊〉 his Day • , and the Pleaſure of the Lord ſhould 〈◊〉 in his Hands—This Compact our Lord Jeſus to in that glorious Prayer recorded in the 17th Chapter of St. John; and therefore • he prays for, or rather demands with a full 〈…〉 that were given to him by the Father— 〈…〉 he, I will that they alſo whom th •• 〈…〉 me, • e with me where I am—For 〈…〉 Reaſon the Apoſtle breaks out into praiſ ••• 〈…〉 even the Father of our Lord Jeſus 〈…〉 F • r he lov • d 〈…〉 with an everlaſting I 〈…〉 expreſſes it, 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 of the World—And therefore, to ſhew 〈◊〉 to what 〈◊〉 were beholden for their 〈…〉 our Lord, in the 25th of St. Matthew, 〈◊〉 ſent 〈…〉 , Come ye bleſſed 〈…〉 the King 〈◊〉 prepared 〈◊〉 from the 〈…〉 of the 〈◊〉 —And 〈◊〉 Reply 〈…〉 M • ther of Ze • edee's Children, 〈◊〉 ſays, 〈◊〉 is not mine to give, but it ſhall be 〈…〉 them, for whom it is prepared of the Father 〈◊〉 The Apoſtle therefore, when here ſpeaking 〈◊〉 the Chriſtian • Privileges, le • t they ſhould ſa ••• fice to their own Drag, or t • ink their Salva •••• w •• owing to their own Faithfulneſs, or I • provement of their own Free-will, reminds 〈◊〉 to look back on the everlaſting Love of God the Father—Who of God is made unto us, &c.

Would to God this Point of Doctrine 〈…〉 more and People were more 〈…〉 of Redemption between the Father 〈◊〉 the Son, we ſhould then not have ſo much diſputing againſt the Doctrine of Election, or hea • 〈◊〉 condemned • even by good Men) as a Doctrine of Devils—For my own Part, I canno • ſee how true Humbleneſs of Mind can be attained without a Knowledge of it—And tho • I will not ſay, that every one who denies Election is a • ad Man, yet I will ſay, with 〈◊〉 Sweet Singer, Mr. Trail, it is a very bad 〈…〉 Such a one, whoever he be, I think 〈…〉 know 〈…〉 —For if we deny Electio •• 〈…〉 muſt ſay▪ what we will) partly at leaſt, 〈…〉 ourſelves for ſuffering Chriſt to redeem and ſave us—But our Redemption is ſo ordered, that no Fleſh ſhould glory in the Divine Preſence—And hence it is that the Pride of Man oppoſes this Doctrine, becauſe according to this Doctrine, and no other, he that glories, muſt glory only in the Lord—But what ſhall I ſay? Election is a Myſtery that ſhines with ſuch reſplendent Brightneſs, that, to make uſe of the Words of one, who has drank deeply of Electing Love, it dazzles the weak Eyes even of ſome of God's dear Children—However, tho' they know it not, all the Bleſſings they receive, all the Priviledges they do or will enjoy, thro' Jeſus Chriſt▪ flow from the everlaſting Love of God the Father—But of him are you in Chriſt Jeſus, who of God is made unto us, Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and Redemption.

What theſe Bleſſings are, which are hope through Chriſt made over to the Elect, I come in the next Place to conſider.

And, Firſt, Chriſt is made to them Wiſdom▪ But wherein does true Wiſdom conſiſt? 〈◊〉 Was I to aſk ſome of you, perhaps you would ſay, in indulging the Luſt of the Fleſh, and 〈◊〉 to your Souls, Eat, Drink, and be me •• y—But • his i • only the Wiſdom of Brutes—They have as good a Gu • t and Reliſh for 〈◊〉 P • eaſures▪ the great •• t Epicure on the 〈◊〉 —Others▪ 〈◊〉 tell me true Wiſdom conſi •• ed in adding 〈◊〉 Houſe, and Field to Field, and 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 their own Names—But this 〈…〉 Wiſdom—For Riches often take themſelves Wings, and fly away, like an Eagle towards Heaven—Even Wiſdom itſelf aſſures us, that a Man's Life doth not conſiſt in the Abundance of the Things which he poſſeſſes—Vanity, Vanity, all theſe Things are Vanity—For if Riches leave not the Owner, the Owners muſt ſoon leave them—For rich Men muſt alſo die, and leave their Riches for others. Their Riches cannot procure them a Redemption from the Grave, whither we are all haſtening apace—But perhaps you deſpiſe Riches and Pleaſure, and therefore place Wiſdom in the Knowledge of Books—But it is poſſible for you to tell the Numbers of the Stars, and call them all by their Names, and yet • e mere Fools—Learned Men are not always wiſe—Nay, our common Learning, ſo much cried up, 〈◊〉 Men only ſo many accompliſhed Fools—To keep you therefore no longer in Suſpence, and withal to humble you, I will ſend you to an Heathen to School, to learn what true Wiſdom is—"Know thyſelf," was a Saying of one of the wiſe Men of Greece—This is certainly true Wiſdom, and this is that Wiſdom ſpoken of in the Text, and which Jeſus Chriſt is made to all Elect Sinners—They are made to know themſelves; ſo as not to think more highly of themſelves than they ought to think—Before they were Darkneſs, now they are Light in the Lord, and in that Light they ſee their own Darkneſs—They now bewail that 〈…〉 by Nature, dead in 〈…〉 Sons and Heirs of Hell, 〈…〉 Wrath—They now ſee that all 〈…〉 〈◊〉 are but as filthy Rags, that there is no Health in their Souls, that they are poor and miſerable, blind and naked, and that there is no Name given under Heaven, whereby they can 〈◊〉 ſave • , but that of Jeſus Chriſt—They ſee the Neceſſity of cloſing with a Saviour, and the Wiſdom of God in appointing him to be a Saviour—They are alſo made willing to accept of Salvation upon our Lord's own Terms, and to receive him as their All in All—Thus Chriſt is made to them Wiſdom.

Secondly, Righteouſneſs—Who of God is made unto us, Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs—i. e. Chriſt 〈◊〉 whole perſonal Righteouſneſs is made over to▪ and accounted theirs—Being enabled to lay hold on Chriſt by Faith, God the Father blots out their Tranſgreſſions, as with a thick Cloud, their Sins, their Iniquities, he remembers no more—They are made the Righteouſneſs of God in Chriſt Jeſus, who is the End of the Law for Righteouſneſs to every one that believeth—In one Senſe, now God • ees no Sin in them—The whole Covenant of Works is fulfilled 〈◊〉 them—They are actually juſtified, acquir ••• and looked upon 〈◊〉 Righteous in the Sight of God—They are perfectly accepted in the Beloved—They are compleat in him—The flaming Sword of God's Wrath, which before moved every Way, is now removed, and fr • e▪ Acceſs given to the Tree of Life—They are enabled now to reach out the Arm of Faith, and pluck and live for evermore—Hence it is that the Apoſtle, under a Senſe of this▪ bleſſed Privilege, breaks out into this triumphant ••• guage—It is Chriſt that juſtified, who 〈…〉 condemns me? Does Sin condemn? Chriſt • Righteouſneſs delivers Believers from the 〈◊〉 of it—Chriſt is their Jeſus, their Saviour. 〈◊〉 is become a Pr •• pitiation for their Sins— 〈◊〉 therefore ſhall lay any thing to the Charge 〈◊〉 God's Elect? Does the Law condemn?—By having Chriſt's Righteouſneſs imputed to them, they are dead to the Law, as a Covenant 〈◊〉 Works. Chriſt has fulfilled it for them, and in their Stead—Does Death threaten them? They need not • ear—The Sting of Death is Sin, the Strength of Sin is the Law; but God 〈◊〉 given them Victory, by imputing to them the Righteouſneſs of the Lord Jeſus.

And what a Privilege is here! Well might the Angels at the Birth of Chriſt ſay to the humble Shepherds, "Behold I bring you glad 〈◊〉 Trdings of great Joy." For unto you that believe in Chriſt, a Saviour is born. And well may they rejoice at the Converſion of poor Sinners 〈…〉 the Lord is their Righteouſneſs— 〈…〉 Peace with God, through Faith in 〈…〉 Blood, and ſhall never enter into Condemnation—Oh, Believer •• (for this Diſcourſe 〈…〉 in a ſpecial Manner for you) Li • t 〈◊〉 your Heads—Rejoice in the Lord always, 〈◊〉 I ſay rejoice—Chriſt is made to you of 〈◊〉 • ighteouſneſs▪ What then ſhould you 〈…〉 are made the Righteouſneſs of God 〈…〉 may be called The Lord our Righteouſneſs— 〈◊〉 what then ſhould you be 〈◊〉 ? What ſhall ſeparate you henceforward from the Love of Chriſt? Shall Tribulation, or Diſtreſs, or Perſecution, or Famine, or Nakedneſs, or Peril, or Sword? No, I am perſwaded neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things preſent, nor Things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature, ſhall be able to ſeparate you from the Love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, who of God is made unto you Righteouſneſs—

This is a glorious Privilege—But this is only the Beginning of the Happineſs of Believers—Chriſt is not only made to them Righteouſneſs but Sanctification.—By Sanctification, I do 〈◊〉 mean a bare hypocritical Attendance on outwar •• Ordinances (tho' rightly-inform'd Chriſtians will think it their Duty and Privilege, conſtantly 〈◊〉 attend on all outward Ordinances,) Nor do▪ mean by Sanctification, a bare outward Reformation, and a few tranſient Convictions, or a little legal Sorrow.—For all this an unſanctif ••• Man may have—But by Sanctification, I 〈◊〉 a total Renovation of the whole Man.—By 〈◊〉 Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, Believers become 〈◊〉 gally, by Sanctification, they are made 〈◊〉 alive—By one they are entitled to 〈…〉 made meet for Glory.—They 〈…〉 therefore throughout, in Spirit, 〈…〉

Their Underſtandings, which 〈…〉 become Light in the Lords 〈…〉 contrary to, now become 〈…〉 of God—Their Affections are 〈…〉 Things above—Their Memory 〈…〉 with divine Things—Their natural Conſciences are now enlightened—Their Members, which were before Inſtruments of Uncleanneſs, of Iniquity, unto Iniquity, are now Inſtruments of Righteouſneſs & true Holineſs.—In ſhort, they are new Creatures—Old Things are paſſed away, all Things are become new in their Hearts—Sin has now no longer Dominion over them.—They are freed from the Power, tho' not the In-dwelling and Being of it—They are holy both in Heart and Life, even in all Manner of Converſation—They are made Partakers of a Divine Nature—And from Jeſus Chriſt they receive Grace for Grace; and every Grace that is in Chriſt, is copied and tranſcribed into their Souls—They are transformed into his Likeneſs—He is formed within them—They dwell in him, and he in them They are led by, and bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit—They know that Chriſt is their Emanuel, God with and in them—They are living Temples of the Holy Ghoſt—And •• erefore being a holy Habitation unto the Lord, the whole Trinity dwells and walks in them. Even here, they ſit together with Chriſt in heavenly Places, and are vitally united to him their H •• d, by a living Faith—Their Redeemer, their Maker is their Huſband—They are Fleſh of his 〈…〉 of his Bone—They talk, they walk 〈◊〉 him, as a Man talketh and walketh with 〈◊〉 Friend.—In ſhort, they are one with Chriſt 〈◊〉 as Jeſus Chriſt and the Father are 〈◊〉

Thus is Chriſt made to Believers Sanctifica •••• , And Oh, what a Privilege is this 〈◊〉 To be changed from Beaſts into Saints, from a deviliſh 〈◊〉 a divine Nature—To be thus tranſlated from 〈◊〉 Kingdom of Satan, into the Kingdom of 〈◊〉 dear Son!—To put off the old Man • hich is corrupt, and thus to put on the New Man, which is created after God in Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs—Oh, what an unſpeakable Bleſſing is this! I almoſt ſtand amazed at the Contemplation of it—Well might the Apoſtle exhort Believers to rejoice in the Lord. Indeed they have Reaſon always to rejoice, yea, to rejoice in their Beds—For the Kingdom of God is in them. They are changed from Glory to Glory, even by the Spirit of the Lord—Well may this be a Myſtery to the natural, for it is a Myſtery even to the ſpiritual Man himſelf—A Myſtery which he cannot fathom.—Does it not often dazzle your Eyes, O ye Children of God, to look at your own Brightneſs, when the Candle of the Lord ſhines out, and your Redeemer lifts up the Light of his bleſſed Countenance upon your Souls?—Are not you aſtoniſhed, when you feel the Love of God ſhed abroad in your Hearts abundantly by the Holy Ghoſt and God holds out the Golden Scepter of his Mercy, and bids you aſk what you will, and 〈◊〉 ſhall be given you?—Does not that Peace 〈◊〉 God, which keeps and rules 〈◊〉 Hearts, ſurpaſ • the utmoſt Limits of your underſtandings? 〈◊〉 And is not the Joy you feel unſpeakable? Is 〈◊〉 not full of Glory? I am perſuaded it is, and 〈◊〉 your ſecret Communion, when the Lord 〈…〉 in upon your Souls, you are as it were ſwallow up in, or▪ to uſe the Apoſtle's Phraſe, filled with all the Fulneſs of God—Are not you ready to cry out with Solomon, And will the Lord 〈…〉 thus with Men! How is it that we ſhould 〈…〉 thy Sons and Daughters, O Lord Almighty!

If you are Children of God, and know what it is to have Fellowſhip with the Father and the Son—If you walk by Faith, and not by Sight—I am aſſured this is frequently the Language of your Hearts.

But look forward, and ſee an unbounded Proſpect of eternal Happineſs lying before thee, O Believer▪ What thou haſt already received, are only the firſt Fruits, like the Cluſter of Grapes, brought out of the Land of Canaan—Only an Earneſt & Pledge of yet infinitely better Things to come—The Harveſt is yet 〈…〉 Thy Grace is hereafter to be ſwallowed up 〈◊〉 Glory—Thy great Joſhua, thy great High Prieſt, ſhall adminiſter an abundant Entrance unto thee, into the Land of Promiſe, that Reſt which awaits the Children of God—For Chriſt is not only made to Believers, Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, and Sanctification, but alſo Redemption.

〈◊〉 before we enter upon the Explanation and Contemplation of this Privilege, from what has been ſaid, we may, Firſt▪ Learn the great Miſtake of Archbiſhop Til • otſon, and Writers of his Stamp, who notwithſtanding they talk of Sanctification and •• ward Holineſs (as indeed ſometimes they do, tho' in a very looſe and ſo per •• cial Manner) yet they generally make 〈…〉 whereas they ſhould conſider it as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our Juſtification.—Of whom are ye Chriſt Jeſus, who of God is made unto us, Wiſ ••• , Righteouſneſs, and then Sanctification—For 〈◊〉 Righteouſneſs, 〈◊〉 that which Chriſt has 〈…〉 Stead without us, is the ſole Cauſe of our Acceptance in the Sight of God, and of 〈◊〉 Holineſs wrought in • s—To this, and not 〈◊〉 the Light within, or any thing wrought with •• , ſhould poor Sinners ſeek for Juſtification in the Sight of God—For the Sake of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs alone, and not any Thing wro • t 〈◊〉 us, does God look favourably upon us—Our Sanctification at beſt in this Life is not compleat. Tho' we are delivered from the Power, we are not freed from the In-being of Sin.—But not only the Dominion, but the In-being of Sin▪ forbidden by the perfect Law of God— 〈…〉 is not ſaid, Thou ſhalt not give Way to 〈…〉 ▪ thou ſhalt not •• ſt—So that whilſt the Principle of Luſt remains in the leaſt Degree in our Hearts, tho' we are otherwiſe never ſo holy, yet we cannot, or Account of that, hope for Acceptance with God—We muſt firſt therefore look for a Righteouſneſs without us, even the Righteouſneſs of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt—For this Reaſon the Apoſtle mentions it, and puts it before Sanctification 〈◊〉 the Words of the Text. And whoſoever teach ••• 〈…〉 Doctrine, 〈◊〉 not preach the Truth 〈…〉 Secondly▪ From hence alſo the 〈…〉 and formed Hypocrites may be 〈◊〉 who talk of Chriſt without, but know nothing 〈…〉 of a Work of Sanctification 〈…〉 within them—Whatever they may preten •• ſince Chriſt is not in them, the Lord is not the Righteouſneſs, and they have no well-ground Hope of Glory—For tho▪ Sanctification 〈◊〉 the Cauſe, yet it 〈◊〉 the Effect of our Acceptance with God—Who of God is made unto us Righteouſneſs and Sanctification.—He therefore that really in Chriſt, is a new Creature—It's not •• ing back to a Covenant of Works, to look 〈◊〉 our Hearts, and ſeeing that they are changed 〈◊〉 renewed, from thence form a comfortable 〈◊〉 well-grounded Aſſurance of the Safety of 〈◊〉 States—No, this is what we are directed to 〈◊〉 Scripture.—By our bringing • orth the Fruit • , we are to judge whether or no we ever did truly partake of the Spirit of God—We know, ſays St. John, that we are paſſed from Death unto Life becauſe we love the Brethren—And however we may talk of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, and exclaim againſt legal Preachers; yet, if we are not 〈◊〉 in Heart and Life, if we are not ſanctified and renewed by the Spirit in our Minds, we are Self deceivers, we are only formal Hypocrites—For we muſt not put a •• nder what God has joined together—We muſt keep the Medium between the two Extremes—Nor in ••• t ſo much on the one Hand upon Chriſt without, as to exclude Chriſt 〈…〉 Evidence of our being his, and as a Prepa •• tion for future Happineſs; 〈◊〉 on the other Hand, ſo depend on inherent Righteouſneſs or Holineſs wrought in us, as to exclude the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt without us.

But let us go on, and take a View of the 〈◊〉 Link▪ or rather the End of the Believe ••• 〈◊〉 Chain of Privileges—But we muſt look 〈◊〉 hi • h; for the Top of it, like J • cob's Lad ••• , reaches Heaven, where all Believers will 〈◊〉 drawn up, and placed at the Right-hand of God—Who of God is made unto us, Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and Redemption.

This is a Golden Chain indeed!—And, what 〈◊〉 beſt of all, not one Link can ever be broken ••• der from another. And was there no other 〈◊〉 in the Book of God, this ſingle one ſuffi ••• ntly proves the final Perſeverance of true Be •• 〈◊〉 —For never did God yet juſtify a Man, wh • m he did not ſanctify; nor ſanctify one, whom he did not compl • a • ly redeem and glorify—No, as for God, his Way, his Work is 〈◊〉 —He always carried on and finiſhed the Work he begun—Thus it was in the firſt, ſo it 〈◊〉 the new C • eation—When God ſays, Le • 〈◊〉 be Light, there is Light, that ſhines more and more unto the perfect Day, when Believers enter into their eternal Reſt, as God entered into his—Thoſe whom God has juſtified, he has in effect glorified—For as a Man's Worth • neſs was not the Cauſe of God's giving him Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, ſo neither ſhall his Unworthineſs be a C • aſe of his taking it away—God's Gifts & Callings are without Repentance

And I cannot think they are clear in the No ••• of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, who deny the final ••• ſeverance of the Saints—I fear they under ••• nd Juſtification in that low Senſe, which I underſtood it in a few Years ago, as implyi •• 〈◊◊〉 than Remiſſion of Sins—But it not 〈◊〉 ſignifies Remiſſion of Sins paſt, but alſo a 〈…〉 Right to all good Things to come—If God 〈◊〉 given us his only Son, how ſhall he not with 〈◊〉 freely give us all Things? Therefore the Apoſtle, after he ſays, who of God is made unto 〈◊〉 Righteouſneſs, does not ſay, perhaps he may be made to us Sanctification and Redemption. But he is made—For there is an eternal indiſſoluble Connection between theſe bleſſed Privileges.—As the Obedience of Chriſt is imputed to Believers, ſo his Perſeverance in that Obedience i • to be imputed to them alſo—And it argue great Ignorance of the Covenant of Grace and Redemption to object againſt it—

But to return—

By the Word Redemption, we are to underſtand, not only a compleat Delivery from all Evil, but alſo a full Enjoyment of all Good both in Body and S • ul—I ſay both in Body and Soul—For the Lord is for the Body—The Bodies of the Saints in this Life are Temples of the Holy Ghoſt—God makes a Covenant with the Duſt of Believers—After Death, tho' Worms deſtroy them, yet even in their Fleſh ſhall they hereafter ſee God—I fear indeed there are ſome Sad ••••• s in our Days, or at leaſt Hereticks, who ſay either that there is no Reſurrection of the Body, or that the Reſurrection is paſt already namely in our Regeneration—Hence it is, 〈◊〉 our Lord's Coming in the Fleſh, at the Day 〈◊〉 Judgment, is denied, and conſequently we 〈◊〉 throw aſide the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper For w • y ſhould we remember the Lord's Death till he comes to Judgment, when he is already •• me to judge our Hearts, and will not come a ſecond Time?—But all this is only the Reaſon •• g of unlearned, unſtable Men, who certainly •• ow not what they ſay, nor whereof they affirm—That we muſt follow our Lord in the Regeneration, and be Partakers of a New Birth, that Chriſt muſt come into our Hearts, we freely confeſs, and we hope, when ſpeaking of thoſe Things, we ſpeak no more than what we know and feel—But then it is plain, that Jeſus Chriſt will come hereafter to Judgment, and that he aſcended into Heaven with the Body which he had 〈◊〉 on Earth—For ſays he, after his Reſurrection, handle, me, and ſee, a Spirit has not Fleſh and Bones, as you ſee me have. And it is plain, that Chriſt's Reſurrection was an Earneſt of ours—For ſays the Apoſtle, Chriſt is riſen from the Dead, and become the firſt Fruits of them that •• pt—And as in Adam all die, and are ſubject to Mortality, ſo all that are in Chriſt, the ſecond Adam, who repreſented Believers, as thou f • ederal Head, ſhall certainly be made alive, that is, riſe again with their Bodies at the laſt Day.

Here then, O Believers! is one, tho' the loweſt Degree of that Redemption, which you are to be Partakers of hereafter—I mean the Redemption of your Bodies—For this Corruptible muſt put on Incorruption, this Mortal muſt put 〈◊〉 Immortality—Your Bodies as well as Souls were given to Jeſus Chriſt by the Father—They have been Companions in Watching, and Faſting▪ and Praying—Your Bodies therefore, as well as Souls, ſhall Jeſus Chriſt raiſe up at the laſt Day—Fear not therefore, O Believers, to look into the Grave—For to you it is no other than a conſecrated Dormitory, where your Bodies ſhall ſleep quietly till the Morning of the Reſurrection—When the Voice of the Archangel ſhall ſound, and the Trump of God give the general Alarm, Ariſe ye Dead, and come to Judgment, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, ſhall give up your ſcattered Atoms, and both in Body and Soul ſhall you be ever with the Lord—I doubt not but many of you are groaning under crazy Carcaſſes, and complain often that the mortal Body weight down the immortal Soul—At leaſt this is my Caſe—But let us have a little Patience, and we ſhall be delivered from our earthly Priſons—'Ere it be long theſe Tabernacles of Clay ſhall be diſſolved, and we ſhall be cloathed with our Houſe, which is from Heaven—Hereafter our Bodies ſhall be ſpiritualized, and ſhall be ſo far from hindring our Souls through Weakneſs, that they ſhall become ſtrong—So ſtrong, as to bear up under an exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory—Others again may have deformed Bodies, emaciated with Sickneſs, and worn out with Labour and Age—But wait a little, till your bleſſed Change by Death comes—Then your Bodies ſhall be renewed and made glorious, like unto Chriſt's glorious Body; of which we may form ſome faint Idea, from the Account given us of our Lord's Transfiguration on the Mount, when it is ſaid. His Raiment became •• igh and gli • tering, and his Face brighter than •• e Sun—Well then may a Believer break out •• to the Apoſtle's triumphant Language,—O •• ath, where is thy Sting!—O Grave, where is t • y Victory!

But what is the Redemption of the Body, in Compariſon of the Redemption of the better Part, our Souls?—I muſt therefore ſay to you Believers, as the Angel ſaid to John—Come up higher; and let us take as clear a View as we can at ſuch a Diſtance, of the Redemption Chriſt has purchaſed for, and will ſhortly put you in actual Poſſeſſion of—Already you are juſtified, already you are ſanctified, & thereby freed from the Guilt and Dominion of Sin—But, as I obſerved before, the Being and In-dwelling of Sin yet remains in you—God ſees it proper to leave ſome Amalekites in the Land, to keep his Iſrael in Action—The moſt perfect Chriſtian, I am perſuaded, muſt agree according to one of our Articles, that the Corruption of Nature remains even in the Regenerate; that the Fleſh luſteth always againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the Fleſh So that Believers cannot Things for God with that Perfection they deſire—This grieves their righteous Souls Day by Day—And with the holy Apoſtle makes them to cry out, Who ſhall deliver us from the Body of this Death! I thank God, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but not compleatly before the Day of our Diſſolution. Then will the very Being of Sin be deſtroyed, and an eternal Stop put to 〈◊〉 , indwelling Corruption. And is not this a great Redemption I am ſure Believers eſteem it ſo—For there is nothing grieves the Heart of a 〈◊〉 of God ſo much, as the Remains of indwelling Sin—Again, Believers are often in He •• ineſs through manifold Temptations—God 〈◊〉 that it is needful and good for them ſo to be. And tho' they may be highly favoured, and wr • pt up in Communion with God, even to the third Heavens, yet a Meſſenger of Satan is often ſent to buffet them, l • ſt they ſhould be puffed up with the Abundance of Revelations—But • e not weary, Be not faint in your Minds—The Time of your compleat Redemption draw • th nigh—In Heaven the wicked One ſhall ceaſe from troubling you, and your weary Souls ſhall enjoy an everlaſting Reſt—His fiery Darts cannot reach thoſe bliſsful Reg •• us—Satan will never come any more to appear with, diſturb, or accuſe the Sons of God, when once the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſhuts the Door—Your righteous Souls are now grieved, Day by Day, at the ungodly Converſation of the Wicked—Ta • es now grow up among the Wheat—Wolves come in Sheeps Cloathing—But the Redemption ſpoken of in the Text will free your Souls from all Anxiety on theſe Accounts—Hereafter you ſhall enjoy a perfect Communion of Saints—Nothing that is unholy or unſanctified ſhall enter into the Holy of Holies, which is prepared for you above—This, and all Manner of Evil whatſoever, you ſhall be delivered from when your Redemption is hereafter made compleat in Heaven—Not only ſo, but you ſhall enter into the full Enjoyment of all Good—It's true▪ all Saints will not have the ſame Degree of Happineſs, but all will be as happy as their Hearts can hold—Believers, you ſhall judge Evil, and familiarly converſe with good Ang •• s—You ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, and all the Spirits of juſt Men made perfect—And to ſum up all your Happineſs, in one Word, you ſhall ſee God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt—And by ſeeing 〈◊〉 , be more and more like him, and paſs from Glory to Glory, even to all Eternity.

But I muſt ſtop—The Glories of the upper World crowd in ſo faſt upon my Soul, that I am l • ſt in the Contemplation of them.—Brethren, the Redemption ſpoken of is unutterable; we cannot here find it out—Eye hath not ſeen, nor Ear heard, nor has it entered into the Hearts of the moſt holy Men living, to conceive how great it is. Was I to entertain you whole Ages with an Account of it, when you come to Heaven, you m • ſt ſay with Sheba, Not Half, no, not one Thouſandth Part was told us. All we can do here, is to go upon Mount Piſgah, and by 〈◊〉 Eye of Faith, take a diſtant View of the promiſed Land—We may ſee it, as Abraham did Chriſt, afar off and rejoice in it, but here we only know in part—Bleſſed be God, there is a Time coming, when we ſhall know God, even as we are known, & God be all in all. Lord Jeſus▪ accompliſh the Number of thine Elect! Lord 〈◊◊〉 thy Kingdom.

And now, where are the Scoffers of theſe laſt Days, who count the Lives of Chriſtians Madneſs, and their End to be without Honour? Unhappy Men! you know not what you do. Were your Eyes open, and had you Senſes to diſcern 〈◊〉 Things, you would not ſpeak all Manner of Evil againſt the Children of God, but you would eſteem them as the excellent Ones of the Earth, and envy their Happineſs: Your Souls would hunger and thirſt after it—You alſo would become Fools for Chriſt's Sake—You boaſt of Wiſdom; ſo did the Philoſophers of Corinth▪ But your Wiſdom is the Fooliſhneſs of Folly in the Sight of God. What will your Wiſdom avail you, if it does not make you wiſe unto Salvation? Can you, with all your Wiſdom, propoſe a more conſiſtent Scheme to build your Hopes of Salvation on, than what has been now laid down before you?—Can you, with all the Strength of natural Reaſon, find out a better Way of Acceptance with God, than by the Righteouſneſs of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? Is it right to think your own Works can in any Meaſure deſerve or procure it? If not, Why will you not believe in him? Why will you not ſubmit to his Righteouſneſs? Can you deny that you are fallen Creatures? Do not you find that you are full of Diſorders, and that theſe Diſorders make you unhappy? Do not you find that you cannot change your own Hearts? Have you not reſolved many and many a Time, and have not your Corruptions yet Dominion over you? Are you not Bond-Slaves to your 〈◊〉 , and led Captive by the Devil at his Will? Wh • th • n will you not come to Chriſt for 〈◊〉 ? Do you not deſire to die the 〈…〉 Righteous, and 〈◊〉 your 〈…〉 like theirs? I am perſuaded 〈…〉 Thoughts of being annihil •• ed, much leſs of being miſerable for ever. Whatever you may pretend, if you ſpeak Truth, you muſt confeſs, that Conſcience • reaks in upon you in your more ſ • ber Intervals whether you will or not, and even conſtrains 〈◊〉 to believe that Hell is no painted Fire—And why then will you not come to Chriſt? He alone can procure you everlaſting Redemption—Haſte, haſte away to him, poor beguiled Sinners—You lack Wiſdom—Aſk it of Chriſt, who knows but he may give it you? He is able▪ For He is the Wiſdom of the Father—He is that Wiſdom which was from Everlaſting. You have no Righteouſneſs, away to Chriſt—He is the End of the Law for Righteouſneſs to every one that believeth—You are unholy—Fly to the Lord Jeſus—He is full of Grace and Truth, and of his Fulneſs all may receive that believe in him—You are afraid to die—Let this drive you to Chriſt, He has the Keys of Death and Hell—In him is plenteous Redemption—He alone can open the Door which leads to everlaſting Life—Let not therefore the deceived Reaſoner boaſt any longer of his pretended Reaſon—Whatever you may 〈◊〉 , it is the moſt unreaſonable Thing in the World, not to believe on Jeſus Chriſt, whom God hath ſent—Why, why will you die? Why will you not come unto him, that you may have Life? Ho, every one that thirſteth▪ come unto the Waters of Life and drink freely—Come buy without Money and without Price—Were theſe bleſſed Privileges in the Text to be purchaſed by Money, you might ſay, we are poor and cannot buy—Or were they to be conferr'd only on Sinners of ſuch a Rank or Degree, then you might ſay, how can ſuch Sinners as we expect to be ſo highly favoured? But they are to be freely given of God to the worſt of Sinners—To us, ſays the Apoſtle—To me a Perſecutor, to you Corinthians, who were Unclean, Drunkards, covetous Perſons, Idolaters—Therefore each poor Sinner may ſay then, Why not unto me? Has Chriſt but one Bleſſing? What if he has ble • ed Millions, by turning them from their Iniquities, yet he ſtill continues the ſame—He lives for ever to make Interceſſion, and therefore will bleſs you, even you alſo▪ tho' Eſau like, you have been prophane, and hitherto deſpiſed your heavenly Father's Birth-right—Even now, if you believe, Chriſt will be made to you of God, Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and Redemption.

But I muſt turn again to Believers, for whoſe Inſtruction, as I obſerved before, this Diſcourſe was particularly intended—You ſee Brethren, Partakers of the heavenly Calling, what great Bleſſings are treaſured up for you in Jeſus Chriſt your Head, and what you are entitled to by believing on his Name—Take heed therefore, that ye walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye 〈◊〉 called—Think often how highly you are 〈◊〉 , and remember you have not choſen 〈◊〉 , but Chriſt hath choſen you. Put on (as 〈◊〉 of God) H • mbleneſs of Mind, and 〈◊〉 , but Oh, let it be only • n the Lord—For 〈◊〉 have nothing but what you have received or 〈◊〉 ▪ By Nature ye were as fooliſh, as legal, 〈◊〉 , and in • s damnable a Condition as 〈◊〉 —Be pitiful therefore, be courteous, and Sanctification is a progreſſive Work, beware 〈◊〉 thinking you have already attained.—Let him 〈◊〉 is holy, be holy ſtill▪ knowing that he who 〈◊〉 m • ſt pure in Heart, ſhall hereafter enjoy the cleareſt Viſion of God—Let indwelling Sin be your daily Burthen, and not only bewail and lament, but ſee that you ſubdue it daily by the Power of Divine Grace, and look up to Jeſus continually to be the Finiſher, as well as Author of your Faith—Build not on your own Faithfulneſs, but on God's Unchangeableneſs—Take Heed of thinking you ſtand by the Power of your own Free-will—The everlaſting Love of God the Father muſt be your only Hope and Conſolation—Let this ſupport you under all Trials—Remember that God's Gifts and Callings are without Repentance—That Chriſt having once loved you, will have you to the End—Let this conſtrain •• u to Obedience, and make you long and look for that bleſſed Time, when he ſhall not only be your Wiſdom, and Righteouſneſs▪ and Sanctification, but alſo compleat and everlaſting Redemption.

Glory be to God in the Higheſt.

THO' there be ſome who dare wholly deny the Lord Jeſus, and diſbelieve the Revelation he has been pleaſed to give us, and thereby bring upon themſelves ſwift Deſtruction, yet I would charitably hope there are but few, if any ſuch among you, to whom I am now to preach the Kingdom of God—Was I do aſk you, How you expect to be juſtified in the Sight 〈◊〉 an offended God? I ſuppoſe you would anſwer, only for the Sake of 〈◊〉 Lord Jeſus Chriſt—But was I to come more home to your Conſciences, I fear moſt would make the Lord Jeſus but in part their Saviour, and go about, as it were, to eſtabliſh a Righteouſneſs of their own—I believe this is not a thinking 〈◊〉 to the Rules of Chriſtian Charity—For we are all ſelf-righteous by Nature—It is as natural for us to turn back to a Covenant of Works, as for the Sparks to fly upwards—We have had ſo many legal, and ſo few Free-grace Preachers for theſe many Years, that moſt Profeſſors now ſeem to be ſettled upon their Lees, 〈◊〉 rather deſerve the Title o • Phariſees than Chriſtians.

Thus it was with the Generality of the People during the Time of our Lord's public Miniſtrations. And therefore, in almoſt all his Diſcourſes, he preached the Goſpel to poor Sinners, and denounced terrible Woes againſt proud, S • lf-Juſticia • es—The Parable, to which the Words of the Text belong, looks both theſe Ways—For the Evangeliſt informs us, (Ver. 9.) that our Lord ſpake it unto certain that truſted in themſelves that they were righteous, and diſpiſed others—And a notable Parable it is—A Parable worthy your moſt ſerious Attention—He that hath Ears to hear, let him hear what Jeſus Chriſt ſpeaks to all viſible Profeſſors in it.

Ver. 10. Two Men, ſays our Lord, w • n up to the Temple to pray, (and never two Men of more oppoſite Characters) the one a Phariſee, and the other a Publican —The Phariſees were the ſtricteſt Sect among the Jews— 〈◊〉 was of the ſtricteſt Sect of the Phariſees, ſay▪ St. Paul—They prayed often, not only ſo▪ but they made long Prayers, and that they might appear extraordinary devout, they would 〈◊〉 the Corners of the Street, where two 〈…〉 that People going or coming, both Way, 〈◊〉 ſee them—They made broad, as our Lord 〈◊〉 forms us, the Borders of their 〈◊〉 , i. e. they had Pieces of Parchment ſown to their 〈◊〉 Robes (which we are told they 〈◊〉 ) on 〈◊〉 ſome Parts of the Scripture were written, 〈◊〉 People might from thence infer, that they were Lovers of the Law of God. They were very punctual and 〈◊〉 in outward Purifications, 〈◊〉 that they waſhed at their going out and coming in—They held the Waſhing of Pots, 〈◊〉 Veſſels, and Tables, and many other ſuch like Things they did—They were very zealous for the Tradition of the Fathers, and for the Obſervation of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, notwithſtanding they frequently made void the Law of God by their Traditions—And they were ſo exceeding exact in the outward Obſervation of the Sabbath, that they condemned our Lord for a little Clay with his Spittle, and called him a Sinner, and ſaid, he was not of God, becauſe he had given Sight to a Man born blind, on the Sabbath Day—For theſe Reaſons they were had in high Veneration among the People, who were ſadly miſled by theſe blind Guides—They had therefore the uppermoſt Places in the Synagogues, and Greetings in the 〈◊〉 Places (which they loved dearly) and were called of Men, Rabbi, Rabbi—In ſhort, they had ſuch a Reputaton for Piety, that it became a Proverb 〈◊〉 the Jews, that if there were but two Men 〈◊〉 the one of them m • ſt be a Phariſee.

〈◊〉 the Publicans, it 〈◊〉 not ſo with them— 〈◊〉 they were ſometimes Jews, or at leaſt 〈◊〉 of the Gate—(For we find one here 〈◊〉 up to the Temple)—But for the Gene •••• ty I am apt to think they were 〈◊〉 — 〈◊〉 they were Gatherers of the Roman Taxes, and 〈◊〉 to amaſs much Wealth (as appears by the Confeſſion of Zaccheus, one of the chief of 'em) 〈◊〉 wronging Men by falſe Accuſation. They were ſo univerſally infamous, that our Lord himſelf tells his Diſciples, the excommunicated Man ſhould be to them as a Heathen Man, or a Publican—And the Phariſees thought it a ſufficient impeachment of our Lord's Character, that he was a Friend to Publicans and Sinners, and went to ſit down with them at Meat.

But however they diſagreed in other Things, they agreed in this, viz. that Publick Worſhip is a Duty incumbent upon all. For they both came up to the Temple—The very Heathens were Obſervers of Temple-Worſhip. We have very early Notice of Men's ſacrificing to, and calling upon the Name of the Lord in the Old Teſtament. And I find it no where contradicted in the New—Our Lord and his Apoſtles went up to the Temple, and we are commanded by 〈◊〉 Apoſtle, not to forſake the aſſembling our ſelves 〈◊〉 , as the Manner of too many is in our • ays; and ſuch too, as would have us think 〈◊〉 of them, tho' they ſeldom or never tread • e Courts of the Lord's Houſe—But tho' our Devotions begin in our Cloſets, they muſt not end there—And if People never ſhew their Devotions abroad, I muſt ſuſpect they have little 〈◊〉 none at Home—"Two Men went up to the Temple." And what went they thither for 〈◊〉 Not ( 〈◊〉 Multitudes among us do) to make the 〈…〉 God a Houſe 〈…〉 or turn it into a Den of Thieves, much leſs to 〈◊〉 the Preacher, or diſturb the Congregation. No, they came to the Temple, ſays our Lord, to pray. For thither ſhould the Tribes of God's ſpiritual Iſrael go up to talk with, and pour out their Hearts before the mighty God of Jacob.

"Two Men went up to the Temple to pray"—I • ear one of them forgot his Errand—I have often been at a Leſs what to call the Phariſee's Addreſs—It certainly does not deſerve the Name of a Prayer—He may rather be ſaid to come to the Temple to boaſt, than to pray—For I do not and one Word of Confeſſion of his original Guilt.—Not one ſingle Petition for Pardon of his paſt actual Sins, or for Grace to help and aſſiſt him for the Time to come—He only brings in God as it were a Reckoning of his Performance and does that, which no Fleſh can juſtly do, I mean glory in his Preſence.

Ver. 11. The Phariſee ſtood, and prayed thus with himſelf—God I thank thee that I am 〈…〉 other Men are, Extortioners, Unjuſt, Adulter • 〈◊〉 or even as this Publican.

Our Lord firſt takes Notice of his Poſture The Phariſee ſtood, &c. He is not to be condemned for that—For ſtanding, as well as kneel— 〈◊〉 , is a proper Poſture 〈◊〉 Prayer. When you 〈◊〉 praying, 〈…〉 —Tho' ſometimes our Lord kneeled, 〈…〉 on his Face upon the Ground—His Apoſtles alſo kneeled, as we 〈◊〉 in the Acts—Which has made me wonder 〈◊〉 ſome, 〈…〉 ſo 〈◊〉 to ſtandin • in Family, as well as publick Prayer, that they will not kneel, notwithſtanding 〈◊〉 kneel that are around them. I fear there 〈◊〉 ſomething of the Phariſee in this Conduct—Kneeling and ſtanding are indifferent, if the Knee of the Soul be bent, and the Heart upright towards God. We ſhould ſtudy not to be particular in indifferent Things, leſt we offend weak Mind▪—What th • Phariſee is remarked for, is his ſtanding by himſelf—For the Words may be render'd, he ſtood by himſelf upon ſome eminent Place, at the upper Part of the Temple, near the Holy of Holies, that the Congregation might ſee what a devout Man he was—Or it may be underſtood as we read it—He prayed by himſelf, or of himſelf, out of his own Heart—He did not pray by Form—It was an Extempore Prayer—For there are many Phariſees that pray and preach too Extempore—I do not ſee why theſe may not be acquired, as well as other Arts and Sciences—A Man, with a good Elocution, ready Turn of Thought▪ and good Memory, may repeat his own or other Mens Sermons, and by the Help of a Wilkins or Hea •• , may pray ſeemingly excellently well, and yet not have the leaſt Grain of true Grace in his Heart—And I ſpeak this not to cry down Extempore Prayer, or to diſcourage thoſe dear Souls 〈…〉 pray by the Spirit—I only would 〈◊〉 give a Word of Repro • f to th • ſe 〈…〉 Prayer, that 〈…〉 that uſe Forms, 〈…〉 only as others 〈…〉 wrong—Not 〈◊〉 one that prays Extempore is a ſpiritual, nor 〈◊〉 one that prays with a Form, a formal M • n—Let us not judge one 〈◊〉 —Let not him that uſe a Form, judge him that prays Extempore, on that Acc •• nt▪ and let not him that prays Extempore, deſpiſe him that uſes a F • rm The Phariſee ſtood and prayed th • s by him 〈◊〉 Which may ſignify alſo praying inwardly in 〈◊〉 Heart—For there i • a Way (and that an excellent One too) of praying when we cannot ſpeak—Thus H ••• ah prayed when ſhe ſpoke not out aloud, only her Lips m • ved—Thus God ſays to Moſes, Why cryed then, when it is plain, he did not ſpeak a Word. This is what the Apoſtle means by the Spirit making Inter •• ſſion for Believers, with Groani •• s which cannot 〈…〉 . For there are Times when the Soul is too big to ſpeak—When God fill it as it were and 〈◊〉 ſhadows it with his Preſence, ſo that it can only fall down, worſhip, adore, and lie in the Duſt before the Lord—Again, there is a Time when the Soul is benumbed, barren, and dry, and the Believer has not a Word to ſay to his dear heavenly Father▪ and then the Heart only can ſpeak. And I mention this for the Encouragement of weak Chriſtians, who think they never are accepted, but when they have a Flow of Words, and fancy they do not pleaſe God at the Bottom, for no other Reaſon, but becauſe they do not pleaſe themſelves—Such would do well to conſider, that God knows the Language of the Heart and the Mind of the Spirit, and that we make Uſe of Words, not to inform God, but to affect ourſelves—Whenever therefore any of you find yourſelves in ſuch a Frame, be not diſcouraged—Offer yourſelves up in Silence before God, as Clay in the Hands of the Potter, for him • o write and ſtamp his own divine Image upon your Souls—But I believe the Phariſee knew nothing of this Way of Prayer—He was ſelf-righteous, a Stranger to the divine Life, and therefore eithe • of the forme. Explanations may be beſt put upon theſe Words— He ſtood, and prayed thus with himſelf—God I thank thee that I am not • as other Men are, Ext • rtioner, Unjuſt, Adulterer, or even as this Publican —Here is ſome Appearance of Devotion, but it is only in Appearance—To thank God that we are not Ex •• rtieners, Unjuſt, Adulterers, and as wicked in our Practices as other Men are, is certainly me •• right, and our bounden Duty. For whatever Degrees of Goodneſs there may be in us, more than in others, it is owing to God's reſtraining, preventing, and aſſiſting Grace—We are all equally conceived and born in Sin—All equally fallen ſhort of the Glory of God, and 〈◊〉 to all the Curſes and Maledictions of the Law, 〈◊〉 that he that glorieth, muſt glory only in the Lord—For none of us have any thing which we did not receive; and whatever we have received, we did not in the leaſt merit it, or could we lay the leaſt Claim to it on any Account whatever—We are wholly indebted to Free Grace for all—Had the Phariſee thought thus▪ when he ſaid, "God I thank thee that I am not as other Men are," it would have been an excellent Introduction to his Prayer—But he was a Free-willer, as well as ſelf-righteous (for he that is one, muſt be the other) and thought by his own Power and Strength, he had kept himſelf from theſe Vices—And yet I do not 〈◊〉 what Reaſon he had to truſt in himſelf that he was righteous, merely becauſe he was not an Extortioner, Unjuſt, Adulterer—For all this while he might be, as he certainly was, (as is alſo every ſelf-righteous Perſon) as proud as the Devil—But he not only boaſts, but lies before God (as all Self-juſticaries will be found Liars here or hereafter.) He thanks God that he was not Unjuſt—But is it not an Act of the higheſt Injuſtice to rob God of his Prerogative? Is it not an Act of Injuſtice to judge our Neighbour? And yet of both theſe Crimes this ſelf-righteous Vaunter is guilty—Even as this Publican—He ſeems to ſpeak with the utmoſt Diſdain—This Publican, perhaps he pointed at the poor Man, that others might treat him with the like Contempt—Thou proud, confident Boaſter▪ What hadſt thou to do with that poor Publican? Suppoſing other Publicans were Unjuſt, and Extortioners, did it therefore follow that he muſt be ſo? Or if he had been ſuch a Sinner, How knoweſt thou but he has repented of thoſe Sins • 〈◊〉 coming up to the Temple to pray, 〈◊〉 one 〈◊〉 Sign of a Reformation at leaſt—Thou art therefore inexcuſable, O Phariſee, who thus judgeſt the Publican—For thou that judgeſt him to be unjuſt▪ art in the very Act of judging, unjuſt thyſelf—Thy Sacrifice 〈◊〉 only the Sacrifice of a Fool.

We have ſeen the • what the Phariſee's negative Goodneſs comes to; I think nothing at all—Let us ſee how far his poſitive Goodneſs extends—For if we are truly religious, we ſhall not only eſchew Evil, but alſo do Good— I faſt, ſays he, twice in the Week—I give Tithes of all that I poſſeſs.

The Phariſee is not here condemned for h •• Faſting, for Faſting is a Chriſtian Duty—When you faſt, ſays our Lord, thereby taking it for granted that his Diſciples would faſt—And when the bridegroom ſhall be taken away, th • n ſhall they faſt in thoſe Days. In faſting often, ſays the Apoſtle, and all that would not be Caſt • ways, will take Care, as their Privilege, without legal Conſtraint, to keep their Bodies under, and bring them into Subjection: The Phariſee is only condemned for making a Righteouſneſs of his Faſting, and thinking that God would ac •• pt him, or that he was any better than his Neighbours merely on Account of his Faſting. This i • what he is blamed for. The Phariſee 〈◊〉 not to be commended for faſting twice in 〈◊〉 Week—I wiſh Chriſtians would imitate him 〈◊〉 in this. But to depend on Faſting in the 〈…〉 Juſtification in the Sight of God, was really abominable. I give Tythes of all that I poſſeſs. He might as well have ſaid, I pay Tythes—But Self-righteous People (whatever they may ſay to the contrary) think they give ſomething to God—I give Tythes of all that I poſſeſs—I make Conſcience of giving Tythes, not only of all that the Law requires, but of my Mint, Annice, and Cummin, of all Things whatſoever that I poſſeſs—This was well. To pay Tythes when required by the Laws of the Land, is certainly our Duty—But to boaſt of ſuch Things, or of Faſting, is Phariſaical & Deviliſh. And now then let us ſum up all the Righteouſneſs of this boaſting Phariſee, and ſee what little Reaſon he had to truſt in himſelf that he was righteou • , or to deſpiſe others. He is not Unjuſt, (but we have only his ba • e Word for that, I think I have proved to the contrary.) He i • no Adulterer, no Extortioner, he faſts twice in the Week, and gives Tythes of all that he poſſeſſes.—And all this he might do, and a great deal more, and yet be a Child of the Devil. For here is no Mention made of his loving the Lord his God with all his Heart, which was the firſt and great Commandment of the Law.—Here's not a ſingle Syllable of inward Religion—And he was not a true Jew, who was only one outwardly. And 'tis only an outſide Piety at the beſt—Inwardly he is full of Pride, Self-Juſtification, Free-will, and great Uncharitableneſs.

Were not the Phariſees, do you think, highly offended at this Character? For they might eaſily know it was ſpoken againſt them▪ And tho' perhaps ſome of you may be offended at me, yet out of Love I muſt tell you, I fear this Parable is ſpoken againſt many of you.—For are there not many of you, who go up to the Temple to pray, with no better Spirit than this Phariſee did? And becauſe you faſt, it may be in the Lent, or every Friday, and becauſe you do No-body any Harm, receive the Sacrament, pay Tythes, give an Alms now and then, think that you are ſafe, and truſt in yourſelves that you are righteous, and inwardly deſpiſe thoſe, who do not come up to you in theſe outward Duties? This I am perſuaded is the Caſe of many of you, tho' alas! it is a deſperate one, as I ſhall endeavour to ſhew at the Cloſe of this Diſcourſe.

Let us now take a View of the Publican. Ver. 13. And the Publican ſtanding afar off, would not lift up ſo much as his Eyes unto Heaven, but ſmote upon his Breaſt, ſaying, God be merciful to me a Sinner.

The Publican ſtanding afar off—Perhaps in the outward Court of the Temple, conſcious to himſelf that he was not worthy to approach the Holy of Holies—So conſcious, and ſo weighed down with a Senſe of his own Unworthineſs, that he would not ſo much as lift up his Eyes unto Heaven, which he knew was God's Throne—Poor Heart! what did he feel at this Time! None but Returning Publicans, like himſelf, can 〈◊〉 —Methinks I ſee him ſtanding afar off, per •• ve, oppreſſed, and even overwhelmed with Sorrow—Sometimes he attempts to look up— But then, thinks he, the Heavens are unclean in God's Sight, and the very Angels are charged with Folly, how then ſhall ſuch a Wretch 〈◊〉 dare to lift up my guilty Head!—And to ſhew that his Heart was full of holy Self-Reſentment, and that he ſorrowed after a godly Sort, he ſmote upon his Breaſt, the Word in the Original implies, that he ſtruck hard upon his Breaſt: For he will lay the Blame upon none but his own wicked Heart. He will not, like unhumbled Adam, tacitly lay the Fault of his Vileneſs upon God, and ſay, the Paſſions which thou gaveſt me, they deceived me, and I ſinned—He is too penitent thus to reproach his Maker—He ſmites upon his Breaſt, his treacherous, ungreatful, deſperately wicked Breaſt—A Breaſt now ready to burſt, and at length, out of the Abundance of his Heart, I doubt not, with many Tears, he a • laſt crys out, God be merciful to me a Sinner—Not God be merciful to yonder proud Phariſee—He found enough in himſelf to vent his Reſentment againſt, without looking abroad upon others—Not God be merciful to me a Saint—For he knew all his Righteouſneſſes were but filthy Rags—Not God be merciful to ſuch or ſuch a one, but God be merciful to me, even to me a Sinner—A Sinner by Birth—A Sinner in Thought, Word, and Deed—A Sinner as to my Perſon—A Sinner as to all my Performances—A Sinner in whom is no Health, in whom dwelleth no good Thing—A Sinner poor, miſerable, blind and naked, from the Crown of the Head, to the Sole of the Feet, f • ll of Wounds, and Bruiſes, and • trifying Sores—A ſelf-accuſed, ſelf-condemned Sinner—What think you? Would this Publican been offended if any Miniſter had told 〈◊〉 that he deſerved to be damned? Would he 〈◊〉 been angry, if any one had told him, that 〈◊〉 Nature he was half a Devil and half a Beaſt?

He would have confeſſed a thouſand Hells have been his due, and that he was an earthly, 〈◊〉 , deviliſh Sinner—He felt now what a •• eadful Thing it was to depart from the living 〈◊〉 —He felt that he was inexcuſable every Way—that he could in no wiſe, upon Account • any Thing in himſelf, he juſtified in the Sight 〈◊〉 God—And therefore lays himſelf at the Feet 〈◊〉 ſovereign Mercy, "God be merciful to me a 〈◊〉 Sinner"—Here's no Confidence in the Fleſh, 〈◊〉 Plea fetch'd from Faſting, paying Tythes, or 〈◊〉 Performance of any other Duty—Here's no •• aſting, that he was not an Extortioner, Unjuſt, or an Adulterer—Perhaps he had been guilty of all theſe Crimes, at leaſt he knew he ſhould have 〈◊〉 guilty of all theſe had he been left to follow the Devices and Deſires of his own Heart; and therefore, with a broken and contrite Spirit, he crys out, "God be merciful to me a Sinner."

This Man came up to the Temple to pray, and he prayed indeed—And a broken and contrite Heart God will not deſpiſe. I tell you, ſays our Lord—I who lay in the Boſom of the Father from all Eternity—I who am God, and therefore know all Things—I who can neither deceive, nor be deceived, whoſe Judgment is according to Right—I tell you, whatever you may think of it, or think of me for telling you ſo, this Man, this Publican, this deſpiſed, ſinful, but broken-hearted Man, went down to his Houſe juſtified (acquitted, and looked upon as Righteous in the Sight of God) rather than the other.

Let Phariſees take Heed that they do not pervert this Text—For when it is ſaid, this Man went down to his Houſe juſtified rather than the other—Our Lord does not mean that both were juſtified, and that the Publican had rather more Juſtification than the Phariſee—But it implies, either that the Publican was actually juſtified, 〈◊〉 the Phariſee was not; or, that the Publican 〈◊〉 in a better Way for Juſtification, or in a better Frame to receive it, than the Phariſee—According to our Lord's Saying— The Publicans and Harlots enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before you —That the Phariſee was not juſtified is certain—For God reſiſteth the Proud, and that the Publican was at this Time actually juſtified (and perhaps went home with a Senſe of it in his Heart) we have great Reaſon to infer from the latter Part of the Text— For every one that exalteth himſelf ſhall be abaſed, and he that humbleth himſelf ſhall be exalted.

The Parable therefore now ſpeaks to all that hear me this Day—For that our Lord intended it for our Learning is evident, from his making ſuch a general Application—For every one, ſays he, that exalteth himſelf ſhall be abaſed, and he that humbleth himſelf ſhall be exalted.

The Parable of the Publican and Phariſee is but as it were a Glaſs wherein we may ſee the different Diſpoſition of all Mankind. For all Mankind may be divided into two general Claſſes▪—Either they truſt wholly in themſelves, or in Part, that they are righteous, and then they are Phariſees; or they have no Confidence in the Fleſh, are ſelf-condemned Sinners, and then they come under the Character of the Publican juſt now diſcourſed of—And we may add alſo, that the different Reception theſe M • n met with, points out to us in lively Colours, the different Treatment the ſelf-juſticiary and ſelf-condemned Criminal will meet with at the terrible Day of Judgment. Every one that exalts himſelf ſhall be abaſed, but he that humbleth himſelf ſhall be exalted.

Every one, without Exception, Young or Old, High or Low, Rich or Poor (for God is no Reſpecter of Perſons) every one, whoſoever he be, that exalteth himſelf, and not Free Grace, every one that truſteth in himſelf that he is righteous, that reſts in his Duties, or thinks to join them with the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt for Juſtification in the Sight of God, tho' he be no Adulterer, no Extortioner, tho' he be not outwardly Unjuſt, nay, tho' he faſt twice in the Week, and gives Tythes of all that he poſſeſſes, yet ſhall he be abaſed in the Sight of all good M • n that know him here, and before Men and Angels, and God himſelf, when Jeſus Chriſt comes to appear in Judgment hereafter? How low? None but the Almighty God can tell—He ſhall be abaſed to live with Devils, and make his Abode in the loweſt Hell for evermore.

Hear this, all ye Self-Juſticiaries, tremble and behold your Doom!—A dreadful Doom, more dreadful than Words can expreſs, or Thought conceive—If you refuſe to humble yourſelves, after hearing this Parable, I call Heaven and Earth to witneſs againſt you this Day, that God ſhall viſit you with all his Storms, and pour all the Vials of his Wrath upon your rebelli • us Heads—You exalted yourſelves here, and God ſhall abaſe you hereafter—You are as proud as the Devil, and with Devils ſhall you dwell to all Eternity—Be not deceived—God is not mocked—He ſees your Hearts—He knows all Things—And, notwithſtanding you may come • p to the Temple to pray, your Prayers are turned into Sin, and you go down to your Houſes unjuſtified, if you are Self-Juſticiaries. And do you know what it is to be unjuſtified? Why, if you are unjuſtified, the Wrath of God abideth upon you. You are in your Blood—All the Curſes of the Law belong to you. Curſed are you when you go out—Curſed are you when you come in—Curſed are your Thoughts, curſed are your Words, curſed are your Deeds 〈◊〉 Every thing you do, ſay, or think, from Morning to Night, is only one continued Series of Sin. However highly you may be eſteemed in the Sight of Men—However you may be honoured with the uppermoſt Seats in the Synagogues in the Church militant, you will have no Place in the Church 〈◊〉 Humble yourſelves therefore under the mighty Hand of God—Pull down every ſelf-righteous Thought, and every proud Imagination, that now exalteth itſelf againſt the perfect, perſonal, imputed Righteouſneſs of the dear Lord Jeſus—For he, and he alone that humbleth himſelf ſhall be exalted.

He that humbleth himſelf, whatever he be. If inſtead of Faſting twice in the Week, he has got drunk twice in the Week—If inſtead of giving Tythes of all that he poſſeſſes, has cheated the Miniſter of his Tythes, and King of his Taxes; notwithſtanding he be Unjuſt, Extortioner, Adulterer, nay, notwithſtanding the Sins of all Mankind be center'd and united in him▪ yet if through Grace, like the Publican, he i • enabled to humble himſelf, he ſhall be exalted—Not in a temporal Manner—For Chriſtians muſt rather expect to be abaſed, and to have their Names caſt out as Evil, and to lay down their Lives for Chriſt Jeſus in this World. But he ſhall be exalted in a ſpiritual Senſe—He ſhall be freely juſtified from all his Sins by the Blood of Jeſus—He ſhall have Peace with God, a Peace which paſſeth all Underſtanding—Not only Peace, but Joy in Believing—He ſhall be tranſlated from the Kingdom of Satan, to the Kingdom of God's dear Son—He ſhall dwell in Chriſt, and Chriſt in him. He ſhall be one with Chriſt, and Chriſt one with him. He ſhall drink of divine Pleaſures, as out of a River. He ſhall be ſanctified throughout in Spirit, Soul and Body▪ • n one▪ Word, he ſhall be filled with all the Fulneſs of God—Thus ſhall the Man that humbleth himſelf be exalted here—But oh, how high ſhall he be exalted hereafter! As high as the higheſt Heavens, even to the Right-hand of God—There 〈◊〉 ſhall ſit happy both in Soul and Body, and judge Angels, high out of the Reach of all Sin and Trouble, eternally ſecure from all Danger of falling O Sinners, did you but know how highly God intends to exalt thoſe who humble themſelves, and believe in Jeſus, ſurely you would humble yourſelves, at leaſt beg of God to humble you—For it is he that muſt ſtrike the Rock of your Hearts, & cauſe Floods of contrite Tears to flow out there from. And Oh, that God would give this Sermon ſuch a Commiſſion, as he once gave the Rod of Moſes! I would ſtrike you through and through with the Rod of his Word, 〈◊〉 ▪ each of you was brought to cry out with the poor Publican, God be merciful to me a Sinner—What Pleaſant Language would this be in the • ars of the Lord of Sabbaoth! Are there no poor Sinners among you? What are you all Phariſees? Surely you cannot bear the Thoughts of returning home unjuſtified, can you? What if a 〈◊〉 of the Apoplexy ſhould ſeize you, and your Souls be hurried away before the awful Judge of Quick and Dead? What will you do without Chriſt's Righteouſneſs? If you go out of the World unjuſtified, you muſt remain ſo for ever. Oh, that you would humble yourſelves, then would the Lord exalt you—It may be, that whilſt I am ſpeaking, the Lord might juſtify you freely by his Grace—I obſerved, that perhaps the Publican had a Senſe of his Juſtification 〈◊〉 he went from the Temple, and know that 〈…〉 was ſealed in Heaven—And who 〈…〉 but you may be thus exalted before you 〈…〉 if you humble yourſelves? Oh, 〈◊〉 Peace, 〈◊〉 , and Joy, would you th • n feel 〈◊〉 your Hearts▪ You would have a Heaven upon E •• th—Oh, that I could 〈◊〉 any of you 〈◊〉 (as I once heard a poor Sinner under my Preaching cry out) He is come, He is come! How would you then, like him, 〈◊〉 a precious Chriſt, a free-hearted Chriſt▪ How would you magnify him for being ſuch a Friend to Publicans and Sinners? Greater Love can no Man ſhew, than to lay down his Life for a Friend▪ But Chriſt laid down his Life for his Enemies—Even for you, if you are enabled to humble yourſelves, as the Publican did—Sinners▪ I know not how to leave off talking with you—I would fill my Mouth with Arguments—I would plead with you—Come, let us reaſon together—Tho' your Sins • e as Scarlet, yet, if you humble yourſelves, they ſhall be as white as Snow—One Act of true 〈◊〉 in Chriſt juſtifies you for ever and ever▪ He h •• not promiſed you what he cannot perform—He 〈◊〉 able to exalt you—For God hath exalted, and given him a Name above every Name, that a • the Name of Jeſus every Knee ſhall bow—Nay▪ God 〈…〉 him to be not only a Prince, but a Saviour 〈◊〉 May he be a Saviour to you▪ and then I 〈◊〉 have Reaſon to rejoice in the Day of 〈◊〉 , that 〈…〉 preached in vain 〈◊〉 laboured in 〈◊〉 .

THESE Words contain Part of a gracious Promiſe which the bleſſed Jeſus was pleaſed to make to his weeping and ſorrowful Diſciples—The Time was now drawing near, in which the Son of Man was firſt to • e lifted upon the Croſs, and afterward to Heaven▪ Kind▪ Oh wondrous kind! had this merciful High-Prieſt been to his Diſciples during the Time of his tabernacling amongſt them—He • ad Compaſſion on their Infirmities, anſwered for • hem when aſſaulted by their Enemies, & ſet them • ight when out of the Way, either in Principle 〈◊〉 Practice—He neither called or uſed them as 〈…〉 them 〈…〉 Happened the 〈…〉 underſtand 〈…〉 the hidden 〈◊〉 of the Kingdom 〈◊〉 God, when he 〈◊◊〉 others in Parabl • ▪ Nay he became the 〈…〉 all, and 〈◊〉 condeſcended to waſh their Feet—The Thoughts of parting with ſo dear and loving a Ma ••• r as this, eſpecially for a long 〈◊〉 ▪ muſt needs affect them much—When 〈…〉 he intended to be a • ſent from them only for a Night, we are told, he was 〈◊〉 to ••• train them to leave him—No wonder then, 〈◊〉 when he now informed them, he muſt entirely go away, and that the Phariſees in his Abſence ſhould put them out of them 〈…〉 & ex •• mmu •• cate 〈◊〉 yea, that the Time ſhould come, that whoſe 〈◊〉 ki •• ed them, ſhould think 〈◊〉 did God Set 〈◊〉 (A Prophecy 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 in an 〈◊◊〉 Manner deſigned 〈◊〉 the ſuffering Miniſters of this Generation) No wonder, I ſay, conſidering all this▪ that we are told, Ver. 6. That Sorrow had filled 〈◊〉 Hearts 〈◊〉 Becauſe I have • hed 〈◊〉 theſe Times unto 〈…〉 and, Sorrow 〈◊〉 • ath filled your Hear •• 〈…〉 Heart were ſo full of Concern, that they were 〈…〉 —In order therefore to reconcile them 〈…〉 Dispenſation, our dear & compa ••• nate Redeemer ſhews them the Neceſſity he lay under to leave them— Nevertheleſs, 〈◊〉 he, I tell you the Truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: As tho' he had ſaid—Think not, my dear Diſciples, that I leave you out of Anger—No, it's for your Sakes, for your Profit, that I go away 〈◊〉 For if I go not away, i • I die not upon the 〈◊〉 for your Sins, and riſe again for your Juſtification, & aſcend into Heaven to make Interceſſ ••• and plead my Merits before my Father's Throne, the Comforter, the Holy Ghoſt, will not, cannot come unto you. But if I depart, I'll ſend him unto you—And that they might know wha • he was to do, When he is come▪ ſays our Lord, he will reprove the World of Sin, and of Righteouſneſs, and of Judgment.

The Perſon then referred to in the Words of the Text, is plainly the Comforter, the Holy Ghoſt, and the Promiſe was firſt made to our Lord's Apoſtles—But tho' it was primarily made 〈◊〉 them, and was literally and remarkably 〈◊〉 at the Day of Penticoſt, when the Holy Ghoſt came down, as a mighty ruſhing Wind and alſo when three thouſand were pricked to the Heart by Peter's Preaching, yet as the Apoſtles were the Repreſentatives of the whole Body of Believers, we muſt infer, that this Pro •••• muſt be looked upon as ſpoken to us, and to 〈◊〉 Children, and to as many as the Lord our 〈…〉 call

M • Deſign from theſe Words at preſent, is to ſhew the 〈◊〉 in which the Holy Ghoſt 〈…〉 works upon the Hearts of thoſe, who, 〈…〉 Veſſels of Mercy, and 〈…〉 Kingdom of Darkneſs, into the Kingdom of God's dear Son.

•• ay generally—For as God 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 ſacred Spirit • loweth not only on 〈◊〉 , but when & how it liſteth▪ Therefore, 〈◊〉 it •• om me to • e fine 〈◊〉 Almighty to 〈◊〉 Way of acting, or ſay, 〈…〉 •• gree o • Conviction—No▪ there is a holy •• riety in God's Methods of calling home his 〈◊〉 —But this we may affirm aſſuredly, that wherever there is a Work of true Conviction and Converſion wro't upon a Sinner's Heart, the Holy Ghoſt, whether by a greater or leſs Degree of inward Soul-Trouble, does that which our Lord Jeſus tells the Diſciples in the Words of the Text, that he ſhould do when he came.

If any of you here ridicule inward Religion▪ or think there's no ſuch Thing as our feeling or receiving the Holy Ghoſt, I fear my Preaching will be quite Fooliſhneſs to you, and that you will underſtand me no more, than if I ſpoke to you 〈◊〉 an unknown Tongue—But as the Promiſe in the Text is made to the World, and as I know it will be 〈◊〉 till Time ſhall be no 〈◊〉 , I ſhall proceed to explain the general Way, whereby the Holy Ghoſt works upon every converted Sinner's Heart▪ and I hope that the Lord, 〈◊〉 whilſt I am ſpeaking, may be pleaſed to fulfil it in many of your Hearts—And when he is come, he will reprove the World of Sin, of Righteouſneſs, and of Judgment.

The Word which we tranſlate reprove, ought to be render'd convin •• , and in the Original it implies a Conviction by way of Argumentation▪ and coming with a Power upon the Mind equal to a Demonſtration—A great many Scoffers o • theſe laſt Days, will aſk ſuch as they term Prete • ders to the Spirit, how they feel the Spirit, and how they know the Spirit? They might as well aſk, how they know, and how they feel the Sun when it ſhines upon the Body? For with equal Power and Demonſtration does the Spirit of God work upon and convince the Soul.

And Firſt, It convinces of Sin—And generally of ſome enormous Sin, the worſt perhaps the convicted Perſon ever was guilty of—Thus when our Lord was converſing with the Woman of Samaria, he convinced her firſt of her Adultery, Woman, ſays he, Go call thy Huſband—The Woman anſwered, and ſaid, I have 〈◊〉 Huſband—Jeſus ſaid unto her, Thou haſt we •• ſaid, I have no Huſband: For thou haſt had five Huſbands, and he whom thou now haſt, 〈◊〉 not thy Huſband: In this ſaidſt thou truly. —With this there went ſuch a powerful Conviction of all her other actual Sins, that ſoon after ſhe left her Water-pot, and went her Way into the City, and • aith to the Men, Come, and ſee a Man that told me all Things that ever I did: Is not this the Chriſt? Thus our Lord alſo dealt with the Perſecutor Saul—He convinced him firſt of the horrid Sin of Perſecution—Saul, Saul, Why perſecuteſt thou N •• ? Such a Senſe of all his other Sins, in all Probability, at the ſame Time revived in his Mind, that immediately he died; that is▪ died to all his falſe Confidences, and was thrown into ſuch an Agony of Soul, that he continued three Days, and neither did eat or drink.—This is • ne Method the Spirit of God generally takes in •• aling with Sinners—He firſt convinces them 〈◊〉 ſome heinous actual Sin, and at the ſame time • rings all their other Sins into Remembrance, and as it were ſets them in Battle Array before them: When he is come, he will reprove the World 〈◊〉 Sin.

And was it ever thus with you, my dear • earers? (For I muſt queſtion you as I go along, becauſe I intend, by the divine Help, to preach not only to your Heads, but your Hearts)—Did the Spirit of God ever bring all your Sins thus▪ to Remembrance, & make you cry out to God, Thou writeſt bitter Things againſt me? Did your actual Sins ever appear before you, as tho' drawn 〈◊〉 a Map? If not, you have great Reaſon (unleſs you were ſanctified from the Womb) to ſuſpect that you are not convicted, much more not converted, and that the Promiſe of the Text was never yet fulfilled in your Hearts.

Further: When the Comforter comes into a Sinner's Heart, tho' it generally convinces the Sinner of his actual Sin firſt, yet it leads him to ſee and bewail his original Sin, the Fountain from which all theſe polluted Streams flow.

Tho' every Thing in Earth, Air, and Water, every Thing both without and within, concur to prove the Truth of that Aſſertion in the Scripture, viz. that in Adam we all have died; not moſt are ſo harden'd, thro' the Deceitfulneſs 〈◊〉 Sin, that notwithſtanding they may give an 〈◊〉 ſent to the Truth of that Propoſition in their Heads, yet they never felt it really in their Heart—Nay, ſome in Words profeſſedly deny it, th •• their Works, too, too plainly prove them to be degenerate Sons of a degenerate Father—But when the Comforter, the Spirit of God arreſts a Sinner, and convinces him of Sin, all carnal Reaſoning againſt original Corruption, every proud and high Imagination, which exalteth itſelf againſt that Doctrine, is immediately thrown down—And is made to cry out, Who ſhall deliver me from the Body of this Death? He now finds that Concupiſcence is Sin—And does not ſo much bewail his actual Sins, as the inward Perverſeneſs of his Heart, which he now finds not only to be an Enemy to, but alſo direct Enmity againſt God.

And did the Comforter, my dear Friends, ever come with ſuch a convincing Power as this into your Hearts? Were you ever made to ſee and feel, that in your Fleſh dwelleth no good Thing▪—That you are conceived & born in Sin—That you are by Nature Children of Wrath—That God would be juſt if he damned you, tho' you never committed an actual Sin in your Lives? So often as you have been at Church and Sacrament, did you ever feelingly confeſs, that there was no Health in you—That the Remembrance of your original and actual Sins was grievous unto you, and the Burthen of them intolerable? If not, you have been only offering God vai •• Oblations—You never yet prayed in your Lives—The Comfort never yet came effectually into your Souls—Conſequently you are not in the Faith properly ſo called—No, you are at preſent 〈◊〉 a State of Death and Damnation.

Thirdly, The Comforter, when he comes effectually to work upon a Sinner, not only convinces him of the Sin of his Nature, the Sin of his Life, but alſo the Sin of his Duties.

We all naturally are Legaliſts, thinking to be juſtified by the Works of the Law—When ſomewhat awakened by the Terrors of the Lord, we immediately, like the Phariſees of old, go • bout to eſtabliſh our own Righteouſneſs, and think we ſhall find Acceptance with God, if we ſeek it with Tears—Finding ourſelves damned by Nature, and our actual Sins, we the • think to recommend ourſelves to God by our Duties, and hope by our Doings of one Kind or another, to inherit eternal Life—But whenever the Comforter comes into the Heart, it convinces the Soul of theſe falſe Reſts, and makes the Sinner, to ſee that all his Righteouſneſſes are but as filthy Rags—And that his beſt Works are but ſo many ſplendid Sins—And that for the moſt pompous Services, he deſerves no better a Doom than that of the unprofitable Servant, viz. to be thrown into outer Darkneſs, where is weeping, and wailing, and gnaſhing of Teeth.

And was this Degree of Conviction ever wrought in any of your Souls? Did the Comforter ever come into your Hearts, ſo as to make you ſick of your Duties, as well as your Sins? Were you ever, with the Great Apoſtle of the Gentiles, made to abhor your own Righteouſneſs, which is by the Law, and acknowledge that you deſerve to be damned, tho' you ſhould give all your Goods to feed the Poor? Were you made to feel that your very Repentance needed to be repented of, and that every Thing in yourſelves is but D • ng and Droſs?—And that all the Arguments you can retch for Mercy muſt be out of the Heart, and pure unmerited Love o • God? Were you ever made to lie at the Fee • of ſovereign Grace, and to ſay, Lord, if thou wilt, thou may'ſt ſave me, if not, thou may'ſt juſtly damn me—I have nothing to plead, I can in no wiſe juſtify my ſelf in thy Sight—My beſt Performances I ſee will condemn me.—And all I have to depend upon is thy free Grace—What ſay you? Was this eve • , or is this now, the habitual Language of your Hearts? You have been frequently at the Temple. But did you ever approach it in th • Temple • of the poor Publican; and after you have done all, acknowledge that you have done nothing—And upon a feeling experimental Senſe of your own Unworthineſs▪ and Sinfulneſs, every way ſmite upon your Breaſts, and ſay, God be 〈◊〉 , to us Sinners▪ If you never were thus 〈◊〉 , the Comforter never yet effectually 〈◊〉 into your Souls—You are out of Chriſt, and if God ſhould require your Souls in that Condition, he would be no better to you than a con •• ming Fire.

But there is a 〈◊〉 Sin, which the Comfor ••• , when he comes, convinces the Soul of, and 〈…〉 alone (it is very remarkable) but Lord 〈…〉 was the only Sin worth 〈…〉 it is the Root of all 〈…〉 It is the reigning, 〈…〉 Sin of the World—And what 〈…〉 that Sin may be?—It is 〈…〉 that Root of all other Evils, 〈…〉 the Sin of 〈◊〉 —Of Sin, ſays our 〈◊〉 . Ver. 〈◊〉 becauſe they believed not on me.

But 〈◊〉 , the Chriſtian World, and 〈…〉 that hear me this Day, want 〈…〉 Ghoſt 〈◊〉 convince you of Unbelief? 〈…〉 any Infidels here? Yes, (Oh! that 〈◊〉 not too great Reaſon to think ſo) I fear m • ſt are ſuch—Not indeed ſuch Infidels as pro • e •• edly deny the Lord that bought us (tho' 〈◊〉 fear too many even of ſuch Monſters are in every Country;) but I mean ſuch Unbelievers that have no more Faith in Chriſt than the Devils themſelves—Perhaps you may think you believe, 〈…〉 you repeat the Creed, or ſubſcribe to a Confeſſion of Faith—Becauſe you go to Church 〈◊〉 Meeting, receive the Sacrament, and are taken 〈◊〉 full Communion—Theſe are bleſſed Priviledges, but all this may be done, without our 〈◊〉 true Believers—And I know not how to detect your falſe hypocritical Faith better, than 〈◊〉 putting to you this Queſtion—Suppoſe I was to aſk you, "How long have you •• lieved?"—Would not moſt of you ſay, As 〈◊〉 we can remember, we never did •• believe—Then this is a certain Sign that you have no true Faith at all—No, not ſo much as a Grain of M • ſtard Seed—For if you believe now, (unleſs you were ſanctified in your Infancy) you muſt know that there was a Time, in which you did not believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt—And the Holy Ghoſt, if ever you received it, convinced you of this—Eternal Truth has declared, when he is come, • e will convince the World of Sin, becauſe they believe not on me.

None of us believe by Nature—But after the Holy Ghoſt has convinced us of the Sin of our Natures, and the Sin of our Lives, and Duties, in order to convince us of our utter Inability to ſave ourſelves, and that we muſt be beholden to God, as for every thing elſe, ſo for Faith (without which, it is impoſſible to pleaſe, or be ſaved • y Chriſt.) He convinces us alſo, that we have no Faith—Doſt thou believe on the Son of God? is the grand Queſtion which the Holy Ghoſt now puts to the Soul—At the ſame Time he works with ſuch Power and Demonſtration, that the Soul ſees, and is obliged to confeſs that it has no Faith.

This is a Thing little thought of by moſt that call themſelves Believers—They dream they are Chriſtians, becauſe they live in a Chriſtian Country—If they were born Turks, they would believe on Mahomet—For what is that which Men commonly call Faith, but an outward Conſent to the eſtabliſh'd Religion? But do not you thus deceive your own ſelves—For true Faith is quite another Thing—Aſk your ſelves therefore, whether or not the Holy Ghoſt ever powerfully convinced you of the Sin of Unbelief? You are perhaps ſo devout (as you may imagine) as to get a Catalogue of Sins, which you look over, and confeſs in a formal Manner, as often as you go to the Holy Sacrament—But amongſt all your Sins, did you ever once confeſs and bewail that damning Sin of Unbelief?—Were you ever made to cry out, Lord, give me Faith—Lord, give me to believe on thee, Oh, that I had Faith▪—Oh, that I could believe! If you never were thus diſtreſſed—At leaſt, if you never ſaw and felt, that you had no Faith, it is a certain Sign that the Holy Ghoſt the Comforter, never came into, and worked, ſavingly upon your Souls.

But is it not odd, that the Holy Ghoſt ſhould, be called a Comforter, when it is plain, by they Experience of all God's Children, 〈…〉 of Conviction is uſually attended with 〈…〉 Conflicts, and a great deal of Soul▪ 〈◊〉 ?—I anſwer, the Holy Ghoſt may well 〈◊〉 termed a Comforter, even in 〈◊〉 Work—Becauſe it is the only Way to, and ends in 〈…〉 Comfort—Bleſſed are they that are th •• convicted by him, for they ſhall be comforted Nay, not only ſo, but there is preſent Comfort▪ 〈◊〉 in the midſt of theſe Convictions—The 〈◊◊〉 rejoice in the Sight of its own Miſery—Bleſſes God 〈◊〉 bringing 〈…〉 Darkneſs into Light, and looks forward with 〈◊〉 Comfortable Proſpect of fu •• re Deliverance • , 〈◊〉 knowing, that tho' Sorrow • ay endure for a Night, Joy will come in the Morning.

Thus it is that the Holy Ghoſt convinces the Soul of Sin—And if ſo, holy wretchedly 〈◊〉 — they miſtaken, that blind the Light of the Spirit with the Light of Conſcience, as all ſuch do, who ſay, that Chriſt lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, and that Light, if improved, will bring us to Jeſus Chriſt.—If ſuch Doctrine be true, the Promiſe in the Text was needleſs—Our Lord's Apoſtles had already that Light—The World hereafter to be convinced had that Light—And if that was ſufficient to bring them to Chriſt, why was it expedient that Chriſt ſhould go away to Heaven, to ſend down the Holy Ghoſt to do this for them—Alas! all have not this Spirit—It is the ſpecial Gift of God, and without this ſpecial Gift, we can never come to Chriſt.

The 〈◊〉 of Conſcience will accuſe or convince us of any common Sin—But the Light of natural Conſcience never did, never will, and never can convince of Unbelief—If it could, how comes it to paſs, that not one of the Heathens, who improved the Light of Nature in ſuch an eminent Degree, was ever convinced of Unbelief? No, natural Conſcience cannot effect this—It is the peculiar Property of the Holy Ghoſt the Comforter—When he is come, he will reprove (or convince) the World of Sin, of Righteouſneſs, and Judgment.

We have heard how he convince of Sin—We come now to ſhew, what is the Righteouſneſs which the Comforter convinces the World of.

By the Word Righteouſneſs, in ſome Places of Scripture, we are to underſtand that common Juſtice which we ought to practiſe between Man and Man—As when Paul is ſaid to reaſon of Temperance and Righteouſneſs before a trembling Felix—But here (as in a Multitude of other Places in holy Writ) we are to underſtand by the Word Righteouſneſs, the active and paſſive Obedience of the dear Lord Jeſus—Even that perfect, perſonal, all-ſufficient Righteouſneſs, which he has wrought out for that World which the Spirit is to convince—Of Righteouſneſs, ſays our Lord, becauſe I go to the Father, and ye ſee me no more—This is one Argument that the Holy Spirit makes uſe of to prove Chriſt's Righteouſneſs—Becauſe he is gone to the Father, and we ſee him no more—For, had he not wrought out a ſufficient Righteouſneſs, the Father would have ſent him back, as not having done what he undertook, and we ſhould have ſeen him again.

Oh, the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt! It ſo comforts my Soul, that I muſt be excuſed if I mention it in all my Diſcourſes—I would not, if I could help it, have one Sermon without it—Whatever Infidels may object, or Arminians • ophiſtically argue againſt an imputed Righteouſneſs—Yet whoever know themſelves and God, muſt acknowledge, that Jeſus Chriſt is the End of the Law for Righteouſneſs, and perfect Juſtification, in the Sight of God, to every one that believeth. And that we are to be made th • Righteouſneſs of God in him—This, 〈◊〉 only a poor Sinner can lay hold of, becauſe Anchor of his Hope—Whatever 〈◊〉 that is, of Salvation Men may • ay, 〈◊〉 hold on Chriſt's ſee no other Foundation whereon to build my Hopes of Salvation, but on the Rock of Chriſt's perſonal Righteouſneſs imputed to 〈◊〉 Soul.

Many I believe have a rational Conviction of, and agree with me in this—But rational Convictions, if reſted in, avail but little—It muſt be a ſpiritual, experimental Conviction of the Truth which is ſaving—And therefore our Lord ſays—When the Holy Ghoſt comes, in the Day of his Power, it convinces of this Righteouſneſs, viz. of the Reality, and Compleatneſs, & Sufficiency of it, to ſave a poor Sinner.

In the foregoing Part of this Diſcourſe, we ſhewed how the Holy Ghoſt convinces the Sinner of the Sin of his Nature, Life, Duties, an • of the Sin of Unbelief—And what then muſt the poor Creature do? He muſt, he muſt inevitably deſpair, if there be no Hope but • n himſelf—When therefore the Spirit has haunted the Sinner out of all his falſe Reſts & Hiding-Places, taken off the pitiful Fig-leaves of his own Work • and driven him out of the Trees of the Garden (his outward Reformations) and placed him naked before the Bar of a ſovereign, holy, juſt, and Sin-avenging God; then, then it is, when the Soul, having the Sentence of Death within itſelf becauſe of Unbelief, has a ſweet Diſplay 〈◊〉 Chriſt's Righteouſneſs made to it by the Holy Spirit of God— 〈◊〉 is that he begins 〈◊〉 We 〈◊〉 to act in the Quality of a Comforter, 〈…〉 the Soul ſo powerfully of the 〈…〉 All-ſufficiency of Chriſt's 〈◊〉

By the Word▪ Soul 〈◊〉 immediately ſet a 〈…〉 Scripture, we are 〈◊〉 and thirſting after it—Now the 〈◊〉 begins to ſee▪ that tho' he haſt deſtroyed himſelf, yet in Chriſt is his Help—That tho' he has no Righteouſneſs of his own to recommend him, there is a Fulneſs of Grace, a Fulneſs of Truth, a Fulneſs of Righteouſneſs in the dear Lord Jeſus, which, if once imputed to him, would make him happy for ever and ever.

None, none can tell, 〈◊〉 thoſe happy Souls who have experienced it▪ with what Demonſtration of the Spirit this Conviction comes—Oh, how amiable, as well as all-ſufficient, does the bleſſed Jeſus now appear! With what new Eyes does the Soul now ſee the Lord its Righteouſneſs! Brethren, it is unutterable—If you were never thus convinced of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs in your own Souls, tho' you may believe at doctrinally, it will avail yo •• nothing—The Comforter never came ſavingly into your Souls—And then you are comfortleſs indeed.

But what will this Righteouſneſs avail, if the Soul has it not in Poſſeſſion?—The next Thing therefore the Comforter, when he comes, convinces the Soul of, is Judgment.

By the Word Judgment, I underſtand that well-grounded Peace, that ſettled Judgment, which the Soul forms of itſelf, when it is enabled by the Spirit of God, to lay hold on Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, which I believe it always does, when convinced in the Manner before-mentioned— Of Judgment, ſays our Lord, becauſe the Prince of this World is judged; that is, the Soul, being enabled to lay hold on Chriſt's perfect Righteouſneſs 〈◊〉 a lively Faith, 〈◊◊〉 Conviction wrought in it by the Holy Spirit, that the 〈…〉 this World is now judged—The S •• l, being now juſtified by Faith, it has Peace with God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and can triumphantly ſay, It is Chriſt that juſtifies me, 〈…〉 now that condemns me? The ſtrong Man armed is now caſt out▪ My Soul is now in a true Peace—The Prince of this World will come and accuſe, but he ha • now no Share in me—The Bleſſed Spirit which I have received, and whereby I 〈◊〉 enabled to apply Chriſt's Righteouſneſs to my poor Soul, powerfully convinces me of 〈◊〉 Why ſhould I fear? Or o • what ſhall I 〈◊◊〉 , ſince God's Spirit witneſſes with my Spirit, that I am a Child of God? The Lord 〈…〉 up on High—He has • ed Captivity Captive—He has received the Holy Ghoſt the Comforter, that beſt of Gifts for Men, and that Comforter is come into my Heart—He is faithful that hath promiſed—I, even I, am powerfully, rationally, ſpiritually convi • •• d of Sin, Righteouſneſs and Judgment—By this I know the Prince of this World is judged.